Khensu Nefer-Hetep and the Princess of Bekhten: Selections from ‘Legends of the Gods’ of Egypt, Part 1 of 2

Ancient Egyptian religion has existed since the 4th millennium BC and has influenced many cultures, along with Venerated Enlightened Masters such as Pythagoras (vegan) and Plato (vegetarian). It shared profound ideas like reincarnation, the immortality of the soul, eternal life beyond this earthly realm, and the Divine. The heart of Ancient Egyptian Religion is the principle of ma’at which embraces Truth, Balance, Order, Harmony, Reciprocity, Propriety, and Justice. This extends to fairness for all humans, animal-people, and the planet that sustains all life. It is about living in harmony with Mother Nature, the Divine, and all Earth’s co-inhabitants, and “doing what is right, guided by the truth that all living beings are spiritual beings and deserve to exist.”

Today we are pleased to show an excerpt of “Kensu Nefer-Hetep and the Princess of Bekhten” from the book ‘Legends of the Gods’ translated from Egyptian Texts by E. A. Wallis Budge.

“When the text was first published, and for some years afterwards, it was generally thought that the legend referred to events which were said to have taken place under a king who was identified as Rameses XIII., but this misconception was corrected by Erman, who showed that the King was in reality Rameses II. […]

Behold, His Majesty was in the country of Neheru according to His custom every year, and the chiefs of every land, even as far as the swamps, came [to pay] homage, bearing offerings to the Souls of His Majesty; and they brought their gifts, gold, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, bars of wood of every kind of the Land of the God on their backs, and each one surpassed his neighbor. And the Prince of Bekhten [also] caused His gifts to be brought, and He set His eldest daughter at the head of them all, and He addressed words of praise to His Majesty, and prayed to Him for His life. And the maiden was beautiful, and His Majesty considered Her to be the most lovely [woman] in the world, and He wrote down as Her title, ‘Great Royal Wife, Ra-neferu; and when His Majesty arrived in Egypt, He did for Her whatsoever was done for the Royal Wife.

On the twenty-second day of the second month of the season of Shemu (harvest), in the fifteenth year [of His reign], behold, His Majesty was in Thebes, the Mighty [city], the Mistress of cities, performing the praises of Father Amen, the Lord of the thrones of the Two Lands, in His beautiful Festival of the Southern Apt, which was the seat of His heart (the chosen spot) from primaeval time, [when] one came to say to His Majesty, ‘An ambassador of the Prince of Bekhten has arrived bearing many gifts for the Royal Wife.’

And having been brought into the presence of His Majesty with His gifts, He spoke words of adoration to His Majesty, saying, ‘Praise be unto thee, O thou Sun (Ra) of the Nine Nations of the Bow, permit us to live before thee!’ And when He had spoken, and had smelt the earth before His Majesty, He continued His speech before His Majesty, saying, ‘I have come unto thee, my King and Lord, on behalf of Bent-Resht, the younger sister of the Royal Wife Ra-neferu (Queen). [Some] disease has penetrated into Her members, and I request Your Majesty to send a man of learning to see Her.’[…]”