Ma'at — Truth, Order & Justice
One word for truth, justice, balance, and the order of the cosmos itself.
Egyptians held that the world runs on ma'at: truth, balance, and right order, set in place when the cosmos was made. The sun rising, the Nile flooding, a fair verdict, an honest word — all were ma'at, and its opposite was isfet, disorder. Maintaining ma'at was the duty of everyone, above all the king, and a person's heart was judged against it after death. Ma'at was also personified as a goddess (see the deity entry).
Key passages(4)
So act accordingly! and your share of the cargo will be what you seize, at every embankment. It is known: and every man in your environment is corrupt. none sleeping whom you roused, uneducated whom y
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<"a"> The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, lord of the Two Lands ... ..., given life forever. <"b"> Amun-Re, lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, lord of heaven, king of the gods. <"c"> Mut, mistress o
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The Pyramid Texts · 2350 BCE
[Utterance 577] 1520a. To say: Osiris dawns, pure, mighty; high, lord of truth 1520b. on the first of the year; lord of the year. 1521a. Atum father of the gods is satisfied; Shu and Tefnut are satisf
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Horus: Great of appearances, Two Ladies: Perfect of birth, Gold Horus: Who unites the Two Lands, The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, lord of the Two Lands: Nebpehtire, Son of Re, his beloved: Ahmose (m
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