The Negative Confession of the Scribe Ancient Egyptian religious teaching instructed that upon death, the soul traversed a fearsome underworld landscape to reach the throne of the Lord Osiris, who sat in judgment, with a tribunal of 42 assayer gods, in the Hall of Maati. Here the deceased's heart was weighed, and as a part of the ceremony, the departed one was allowed to enter into the accounting a list of 42 transgressions he had not committed, his negative confession. I did not write to change the instructions I did not write at the hour of prayer I did not write while looking away I did not write in the name of another, but in my own I did not write in the manner of another I did not write that which was already written I did not write when unclean, unclothed, in ill-health Nor when intoxicated, nor in grief, nor in misery Nor did I write upon sand, nor think to write upon water I wrote no more words than needed, nor less than required. I wrote no less than the tally, nor more than the balance I neither abbreviated nor omitted I have undone no word, misstated no glyph I have written no name backwards, nor upside-down I have not set one word against another in contradiction I have not written apologies, mitigations, extenuations I have not written obfuscation, confusion, calamity I have not written words in vain, in disrespect, in contempt Neither have I written flattery, cajolery, conspiracy Neither have I written sham, slur, nor claims upon others Nor have I written with thought of more, for gain nor praise Neither have I written down secrets, nor in secret inks Nor have I written covertly, clandestinely, closeted Nor have I written out of envy, to harm, nor bring disrepute I have not written solicitations to the harlot Nor ministrations to the false priest Nor mendacity to the tax collector I have not written that which is untrue Nor without meaning, nor without merit Nor have I written untrue oaths, nor false utterances I have not changed truth to be otherwise I have not written what I did not know I have lessened no meaning, nor compromised any I have written no errors, I am free of blame, I am sound Neither have I written without prayer, without thanks Neither have I written against the gods I have not been other than a friend to words and writing I have raised no hand other than to take a pen I have not written but in the service of correctness I have not ceased from writing I have not ceased from writing I have not ceased from writing Dennis Saleh |