42+Egyptian+Commandments+of+Ma’at

The 42 Egyptian Commandments of Ma’at

Also known as the "Negative Confession," they were written over 1,500 years before Moses. Indeed, several scholars believe that they were the inspiration for the Biblical 10 Commandments.

1. I have not committed murder, neither have I bid any man to slay on my behalf.

2. I have not committed rape, neither have I forced any woman to commit fornication.

3. I have committed no evil in a holy place.

4. I have not caused terror, nor have I worked affliction.

5. I have caused none to feel pain, nor have I worked grief.

6. I have not mocked the blind, nor derided the dwarf, nor blocked a cripple's path.

7. I have done no hurt to man or woman. I gave no man poison and called it nectar.

8. I have not made distinctions (been guilty of favoritism).

9. I have had no knowledge of evil, neither have I acted wickedly, nor have I wronged the people.

10. I have not stolen, neither have I taken that which does not belong to me, nor that which belongs to another, nor have I taken from the orchards, nor driven the cattle from their pastures, nor snatched the milk from the mouth of a baby.

11. I have not defrauded, neither have I added to the weight of the balance, nor have I made light the weight in the scales.

12. I have not laid waste the plowed land, nor trampled down the fields. I have not fouled the water, nor have I polluted the land.

13. The flowers that grew wild, I let grow.

14. I have accused no man falsely, nor have I supported any false accusation.

15. I have spoken no lies, neither have I spoken to the hurt of another. I've not encircled other men with curses.

16. I have not eaten my heart (lost my temper), neither have I been hot of mouth (uttered fiery words), nor have I stirred up strife.

17. I have not acted guilefully, neither have I dealt deceitfully, nor spoken to deceive to hurt another. I have not carried off praise intended for the gods.

18. I have not spoken scornfully, nor have I acted in insolence, nor have I set my lips in motion against any man.

19. I have not been an eavesdropper.

20. I have not stopped my ears against the words of Right and Truth. I have committed no crime in the place of Right and Truth (a temple or cemetery.)

21. I have not judged hastily, nor have I judged harshly. I have rendered judgement fairly.

22. When others had little and I had much, I fed children, beggars, priests. I gave bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, and clothing to the naked. I buried the aged. I was a father to the orphan, a husband to the widow. I've not fed myself before the hungry child.

23. I have caused no wrong to be done to the servant by his master.

24. I have not turned back water at its springtide, nor stemmed the flow of running water, nor broken the channel of running water (rerouted water from another's field.)

25. I have not stopped short in my journey when I could have traveled further. I have not broken the bowl rather than washed it. I have not blamed the goat for rancid cheese. I have not looked for a crack in every cup. I have not looked for mold on the bread of the gods.

26. I have not cheated the seller. I have not cheated the buyer.

27. I caught only the fish our mouths could eat.

28. I have not cursed nor despised any gods, nor have I done that which the gods abominate. I have not vexed or angered any gods. I have not wasted the gifts of their labors - the wheat, the lotus, the trees. I have not stopped a god in his procession.

29. I have not hurried a difficult day by praying for night. I have not wasted time talking while my hands slept in my lap.

30. I have not robbed any gods, nor have I stolen that which has been offered in the temples. I have not carried away the offerings made unto the blessed dead.

31. I have not added unto nor have I diminished the offerings which are due.

32. I have not slaughtered the cattle divine, nor caused harm to any of the beasts which are sacred to the gods. I returned the goslings to their nests. I have given food to the ibis, falcon, jackal, and cat (the sacred animals of Thoth, Horus, Anubis, and Bast.) When starved cattle came to my pasture, I did not drive them away. I did not beat the donkey and call myself beloved of the gods.

33. I’ve spoken the names of the gods daily that they might live in me. I have not asked them to do that of which I am able.

34. I have not disregarded the season for the offerings that are appointed.

35. I have not caught fish with bait of their own bodies.

36. I have not put out a fire when it should burn, or a light where it should shine, or a flame at its hour.

37. I have not dishonored my family, nor have I caused my mother to weep. I respected my father, I pleased my mother. I broke no woman’s heart; I gave my wife laughter instead of tears.

38. I have not inflamed myself with rage except without a just cause.

39. I have not been overly proud, nor have I behaved myself with arrogance. The gods value the good character of a righteous man more than the splendid ox of a wrongdoer. I have not given myself airs; harder still, I’ve not mocked those who did. I have not wasted light trying to reveal another's inconsistencies.

40. I have not compelled workmen to work harder than they are able. It is hateful to the spirit to be robbed of the time for merriment.

41. I have never struck a helpless child, nor have I struck a woman who is with child (pregnant).

42. Each day I have labored more than was required of me. Truly, I strived to carry the load without noticing the burden, to be on this hot earth a cool jug of water, a shade-bearing tree, a place where birds rest, cattle gather, where sap rises, wherein earth and sky are home.