Chapter XXXVI
P. Le Page (Peter Le Page) Renouf translation
Chapter whereby the Āpshait is kept back.
Away from me, thou with parted lips! I am Chnemu, the Lord of Shennu, who am bringing the words of the gods to Rā. And I announce the news to Nebes.
Note.
The insect called āpšai or āpsȧit is difficult of identification. It is certainly not a tortoise as was formerly thought, but looks rather like the voracious Blatta orientalis. The form in Le is peculiar, but I have met it in a later papyrus. The last word of the chapter is doubtful. The most recent papyri have ‘their Lord,’ which gives a very good sense, but even the Turin copy has ‘her Lord’ which agrees with the oldest papyrus. Bekenrenef has Nebes, a lion-headed goddess.
