The Egyptian Moral Code

by Mitchell Starrett Buck

THE EGYPTIAN MORAL CODE

ANCIENT EGYPT

By M. S. Buck

MANY hundreds, even thousands, of years ago, there lived in the Land of Khem, which we now call Egypt, a people whose grade of civilization is not, even at the present day, fully appreciated. In the passing of ages, as this mighty people fell from a position of preeminence, warring factions fought over the palaces and temples, destroyed great libraries of books, mutilated inscriptions, and so nearly effaced all manner of records that the few that escaped destruction are now considered of inestimable value. Yet from such varied sources as a scrap of writing upon a broken tablet, a time-stained and fragile bit of papyrus or a mouldering inscription upon the wall of a ruined temple, scholars have reconstructed the ancient power, and given us an insight into the deeds of the past.

And truly interesting it is, to observe that each new flash of light reveals something that almost invariably points not to primitive conditions but to an excellent civilization. The system of religion with its innumerable and mysterious gods reveals to the investigator not a lack of ability to discern a First Cause but rather an explanation of various aspects and manifestations of the Deity. The strange solid temples reveal to the artist not a lack of proportion or artistic taste but rather the perfection of both. A perfection in which strength and endurance held first position and where strength, of itself, was beauty. The movements of the rulers reveal to the historian, not the fanatical turnings of a barbarian chief, but the well planned and scientific passages and positions of an accomplished strategist. Even as the embassies and court show an established line of state work and diplomacy.

The incidents and examples together with their proofs, could be numbered by hundreds, were it necessary to so illustrate the point.

And yet this mighty kingdom which stood, during the reign of Thothmes III, at the head of the civilized world, degenerated and fell. Such a fall would be generally classed as a working of the law of equality. But for the true explanation we can turn to the occult teachings which, as such, were known through the rise and fall of the Egyptian power. A slight digression from the subject of this article, for the purpose of outlining these teachings, will, perhaps, not be greatly out of place.

Life, in the form in which it appears on earth—whether that form be man, a plant, or the supposedly lifeless mineral—is the outpouring of what is called a "Life Wave." The life wave, of which the highest manifestation or "crest" was man, acting upon the materials of the Nile Valley, produced a race of people, highly civilized, artistic, and having an intelligent conception of the Deity. But when the wave had exhausted the opportunities for experience which such an environment offered, it was removed to give place to a less advanced wave. Hence the apparent degeneration of the people. It must be remembered, however, that the wave crest, or "impulse," still advanced, although under different conditions. Such a wave as that which manifested itself in Egypt, could be traced back from that point, or forward through the Roman Empire, the Age of Art in Greece, the Renaissance in Europe, and so on down to its present activity in the United States. Consideration of the subject requires no abnormally deep study—its truth is apparent to all who consider it, and requires no stronger proof—nor could it have any stronger—than that given by the appearance of the wave crest in its various environments.

But to return to the subject in hand.

The fact is generally acknowledged that Moses, the lawgiver of the Hebrews, obtained his actual experiences and study while among the Egyptians. His position among them gave him all the advantages of the time—insight into the government, the system of religion, and the method of caring for a great body of people. All of which was a training for the work he was to do. The Moral Code, handed through him to the Hebrews, as contained in the Books of the Law, represents the fruit of his work. This code is as complete as such a code could possibly be. And all possibilities of discussion are prevented by the appointing of judges to arbitrate disputes and settle penalties. The code, as contained in the Old Testament is accessable to any student who may care to analyze it.

As the keystone of the Hebrew code, ten Commandments, or general headings are given. In the Egyptian code, there are forty-two headings classifying what might be termed "moral transgressions." But a detailed record of the subheadings is yet to be discovered, and it is doubtful whether a record of such size could have survived the storms that have swept over Egypt. Nevertheless, the sculptures and paintings found in more or less mutilated form on the walls of various temples give ample evidence that there were many religious laws and ordinances not mentioned in the Book of the Dead. As, for instance, there have been found minute directions to govern the matter of sacrifices. These with the Egyptians, as with the Hebrews and other classical nations, were of two natures—bloody and unbloody. Oil, wine, honey, insence and flowers were the principal factors in an unbloody sacrifice, and for the bloody sacrifice, a sheep, a goat, a cow and, on special occasions a male calf, were offered. And, as directions for such work, including the ceremonial scattering of blood writings have been found that are quite as complete as those contained in the early books of Leviticus, written by Moses.

The forty-two headings of the Egyptian code have been found, with little variation, in a number of places, written by various scribes. Probably the fullest form in which they are extant is that found in the Book of the Dead written by the scribe Nu. The code is generally given in the form of a negative confession, the idea being that the soul, in the Hall of Judgment, must be able to repeat it, and—the important point—repeat it truthfully. The belief that such an ordeal must be experienced was common to the Egyptians, and thus it may be that some people who would otherwise have led immoral lives, were held true through fear. Which state, although not ideal, was at least much better than flagrant wickedness.

The code, in what was probably its true form, is about as follows:

1. I have not turned from God.

2. I have not thought with scorn of the god within my city.

3. I have not snared fowl upon the preserves of the gods, nor driven cattle therefrom.

4. I have not made myself dead to the words of truth.

5. I have not removed the cakes of the gods.

6. I have not removed the cakes of the Khus.

7. I have not done murder.

8. I have not given word that murder shall be done.

9. I have not robbed with violence.

10. I have not taken property from one who is oppressed.

11. I have not defrauded the temples of their just due.

12. I have not extinguished a fire that should burn.

13. I have not uttered that which is false.

14. I have not uttered evil words.

15. I have not pried into the works of others.

16. I have not spoken falsely against any man.

17. I have not eaten my heart. (Lost my temper.)

18. I have not caused harm to one who serves.

19. I have not done that which is abomination to the gods.

20. I have not exalted myself nor sought honors.

21. I have not wrought evil in the holy places.

22. I have not struck fear into the heart of any man.

23. I have not oppressed those who are of my family.

24. I have not mingled with evil men.

25. I have not overworked those who look to me for hire.

26. I have not caused pain.

27. I have not caused man to hunger nor weep.

28. I have not committed adultery.

29. I have not polluted myself.

30. I have not diminished from the bushel.

31. I have not moved the pillars of Thoth. (The landmarks).

32. I have not added to the weight upon the scales. (To cheat the seller).

33. I have not diminished from the weight upon the scales. (To cheat the buyer).

34. I have not taken milk from the mouths of children.

35. I have not driven cattle from their pastures.

36. I have not caught fish, using fish of their kind as bait.

37. I have not sought to turn back the waters that should flow.

38. I have not made impure the waters of the canals.

39. I have not acted with deceit.

40. I have not mutilated the ploughed land.

41. I have not cursed toward the king.

42. I have not wrongfully increased my wealth.

A glance at these headings will show that a number of them are of a symbolic nature, and that all of them are well fitted to the people and time to which they applied.

The code contained in that very famous chapter, "The Hall of Two Truths," is very similar to the one given above, but is given in a much more mysterious and Kabalistic form. The soul addresses, with each item of the code, a separate god, and of these gods, there are, of course forty-two—being the same gods as those appearing as witnesses or "assessors" in the paintings of the Trial of the Dead, found upon the walls of all important tombs. A fair example of the form is given in the two following:

"Hail thou, who art twice evil, who comest forth from the nome of Ati, I have not given way to wrath concerning myself, without a cause."

"Hail thou, whose teeth shine as the sun, who comest forth from Tashe, I have attacked no man."

It is highly probable that the various forms and addresses contained in this, and in other, chapters of the Book of the Dead, had a significance which concealed light to the initiate. All such truths, however, have been lost, or have been kept strictly secret and concealed. But the love of the people and the priesthood for occult works is sufficient proof that the various formulae were not a mere succession of chance words.

In this code one can readily observe the elements of the code prepared by Moses. And also a suggestion (Note Nos. 7 and 8) of the explicitness which characterizes the Hebrew writings.

Knowledge of the Egyptian Code is not essential except to the student, but it is at least interesting as a remnant of that mysterious civilization which, long since, ran its allotted course upon the banks of the Sacred Nile.