SINGER: Nile

SONG:Kheftiu Asar Butchiu

Kheftin asar butbiu
enemies of osiris who are to be burned
let there be fetters on your arms
let there be shackles on your necks
let there be chains upon you
ye shall be hacked to pieces for
what ye have done to osiris
you have put his mysteries behind your backs
you hath dragged the statue of the god
from the secret place
you hath desecrated the hidden things of the
great one
you are doomed to stand and receive in
your faces
the fire which serpent khetti is about to
spit at you
Khetti
great serpent who lieth in undulations
before the damned
khetti
open thy mouth distend thy jaws
belch forth thy flames against my
fathers enemies
burn up their bodies
consume their souls
by the fire which issueth from thy mouth
and by the flames which art in thy body
The fire which is in the serpent khetti
shall come forth
and blaze against the enemies of osiris
whosoever knoweth how to use
these words of power
against the serpent shall be as one
who doth not enter upon his fiery path
[in the book of gates, another text describing the egyptian underworld, within the eighth division of night is the gate of set-hra. the scenes depicted in this chapter describe some of the tortures which are inflicted upon the original enemies of osiris. it is impossible for osiris to slay all of his enemies at once, even though they are in his power. while various batches of them are awaiting their turn at the block of slaughter, they are kept tightly fettered and bound. one of the forms of the torture depicted described the "kheftin asar butchiu," i.e., the enemies of osiris who are to be burned. their arms are tied behind their backs in positions which cause intense pain, and they are doomed to stand and receive in their faces the fire which the serpent khetti is about to spit at them, and then be hacked to pieaces and burnt. horus commands the serpent khetti, saying "open thy mouth! distend thy jaws and belch forth thy flames against my father's enemies! consume their souls by the fire which issueth from thy mouth and by the flames which art in thy body."]