The 42 Ideals of Ma'at: Ancient Egypt's Path to Righteousness

© Photo by: Raafat Reda Ahmed

Ma’at, the ancient Egyptian goddess of truth, justice, harmony, and balance, represents a concept deeply rooted in Egyptian culture and belief. She first emerged during the Old Kingdom period (2613–2181 BCE), though her origins likely predate this era. Ma’at is often depicted as a winged woman wearing an ostrich feather on her head or symbolized by a simple white ostrich feather. This feather played a central role in the afterlife ritual known as the Weighing of the Heart, where a deceased person’s heart was weighed in the scales of justice against Ma’at’s feather to determine their moral worth.

The term “Ma’at” also signifies the broader ancient Egyptian ideals of truth, order, harmony, law, morality, and justice—principles that were believed to govern the fundamental order of the universe. Egyptians held the conviction that each individual bore responsibility for living a life that honored others and the natural world. Just as the gods were thought to nurture humanity, people were expected to care for one another and the environment they were entrusted with. This ethos was reflected in every facet of Egyptian life, from the design of their cities to the symmetry of their temples and monuments.

Living in accordance with Ma’at meant aligning oneself with the divine will and the natural order, fostering a harmonious existence. While individuals had the freedom to reject these principles, such a choice would eventually lead to judgment in the Hall of Truth (also called the Hall of Two Truths) in the afterlife, where their adherence to Ma’at would be ultimately assessed.

This text is inspired by the information provided in: “Ma’at” World History Encyclopedia, by Joshua J. Mark

The following translation is by E. A. Wallis Budge from his original work of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Each confession is preceded by a salutation to a specific judge and the region they come from. some of these regions, however, are not on earth but in the afterlife.

Hail, Usekh-nemmt, who comest forth from Anu, I have not committed sin.
Hail, Hept-khet, who comest forth from Kher-aha, I have not committed robbery with violence.
Hail, Fenti, who comest forth from Khemenu, I have not stolen.
Hail, Am-khaibit, who comest forth from Qernet, I have not slain men and women.
Hail, Neha-her, who comest forth from Rasta, I have not stolen grain.
Hail, Ruruti, who comest forth from Heaven, I have not purloined offerings.
Hail, Arfi-em-khet, who comest forth from Suat, I have not stolen the property of God.
Hail, Neba, who comest and goest, I have not uttered lies.
Hail, Set-qesu, who comest forth from Hensu, I have not carried away food.
Hail, Utu-nesert, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah, I have not uttered curses.
Hail, Qerrti, who comest forth from Amentet, I have not committed adultery.
Hail, Hraf-haf, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have made none to weep.
Hail, Basti, who comest forth from Bast, I have not eaten the heart.
Hail, Ta-retiu, who comest forth from the night, I have not attacked any man.
Hail, Unem-snef, who comest forth from the execution chamber, I am not a man of deceit.
Hail, Unem-besek, who comest forth from Mabit, I have not stolen cultivated land.
Hail, Neb-Maat, who comest forth from Maati, I have not been an eavesdropper.
Hail, Tenemiu, who comest forth from Bast, I have not slandered anyone.
Hail, Sertiu, who comest forth from Anu, I have not been angry without just cause.
Hail, Tutu, who comest forth from Ati, I have not debauched the wife of any man.
Hail, Uamenti, who comest forth from the Khebt chamber, I have not debauched the wives of other men.
Hail, Maa-antuf, who comest forth from Per-Menu, I have not polluted myself.
Hail, Her-uru, who comest forth from Nehatu, I have terrorized none.
Hail, Khemiu, who comest forth from Kaui, I have not transgressed the law.
Hail, Shet-kheru, who comest forth from Urit, I have not been angry.
Hail, Nekhenu, who comest forth from Heqat, I have not shut my ears to the words of truth.
Hail, Kenemti, who comest forth from Kenmet, I have not blasphemed.
Hail, An-hetep-f, who comest forth from Sau, I am not a man of violence.
Hail, Sera-kheru, who comest forth from Unaset, I have not been a stirrer up of strife.
Hail, Neb-heru, who comest forth from Netchfet, I have not acted with undue haste.
Hail, Sekhriu, who comest forth from Uten, I have not pried into other’s matters.
Hail, Neb-abui, who comest forth from Sauti, I have not multiplied my words in speaking.
Hail, Nefer-Tem, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah, I have wronged none, I have done no evil.
Hail, Tem-Sepu, who comest forth from Tetu, I have not worked witchcraft against the king.
Hail, Ari-em-ab-f, who comest forth from Tebu, I have never stopped the flow of water of a neighbor.
Hail, Ahi, who comest forth from Nu, I have never raised my voice.
Hail, Uatch-rekhit, who comest forth from Sau, I have not cursed God.
Hail, Neheb-ka, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have not acted with arrogance.
Hail, Neheb-nefert, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have not stolen the bread of the gods.
Hail, Tcheser-tep, who comest forth from the shrine, I have not carried away the khenfu cakes from the spirits of the dead.
Hail, An-af, who comest forth from Maati, I have not snatched away the bread of the child, nor treated with contempt the god of my city.
Hail, Hetch-abhu, who comest forth from Ta-she, I have not slain the cattle belonging to the god.