Pyramid Texts that involve Shu in the king’s ascent to the sky – translated by J.P. Allen 2005

Glossary (p. 441):

Shu (Sw “empty, void”). The atmosphere that keeps the waters of Nu from flooding the earth. Together with Tefnut, the first two “evolutions” of Atum at the creation, worshipped as Dual Lion (rwtj). Father of Geb and Nut.

Shu’s Lakes (Sjw Sw). Watery areas of the sky.


The title of Unis is from the Sun: Nut, receive his title; Shu, raise it up; Shu, raise it up. Thoth is scrubbing your feet, Teti. Shu, carry Teti [above]; Nut, give your arm to Teti. T 8

Nu has commended Teti to Atum, Wide-arms has commended Teti to Shu, that he might have opened yonder door of the sky to Teti, now among unidentified people, (saying): “Take Teti by his arm, take Teti to the sky, that he may not die on earth among people.” T 183

This Teti’s sister (Wadjet), the Lady of Pe, is the one who cried for him, and the two attendants, (Isis and Nephthys), who mourned Osiris have mourned him, (saying): “This Teti is off to the sky, this Teti is off to the sky, in Shu with the Sun.” T 194

You are above the land, but you have the head of your father Shu and have control of it, for he has desired you and put himself under you and everything as well. P 22

Those who belong to the earth will not take the arm of this Pepi when [those who] belong to the sky have taken his arm, and those who belong to the sky are the ones who will take his arm - not the earth or those who belong to the earth. [Shu is in the earth’s limit under] his [feet], and [this] Pepi is on his arms. That is what he has done for his sister (Nut) when he parted her from [her] brother (Geb), and that is what he has done for him, parting this Pepi from his brother down here and joining him with his brother up there. P 336

The belly of his mother Nut will be made ready [ ... ] for him with the milk of the two black cows, the nurses of the bas of Heliopolis, [whose ... ] snatch [ ... ]. [ ..., (saying): “... ] your arm to the undersky, for I have taken you.” [Father] of this Pepi, Shu, give [your] arm [ ... ]. [ ... ] who are there, give your arm to Pepi, that this Pepi might sit at the Sun’s shoulder in [ ... ] that [ ... ] of the Akhet before the sky. P 345

Pepi is woe to the heart], Shu’s son, extensively extended, with scorching [light. Pepi is] the fire-wind in the wind’s top, to the limits of the sky and earth, to Shu’s limits. The lightning bolts’ arms [are (full) of him. This Pepi traverses] Shu, this Pepi travels the sunlight. P 433

Geb will laugh, Nut will chuckle, before him as Pepi goes up to the sky. The sky will shout for him, the earth will shake for him. He has dispelled the storm-clouds, yelling as Seth, and those at the sky’s limbs shall open the sky’s doors for me. He will stand on Shu, the stars having been shaded for him with the fan for (cooling) the god’s water-jars. He will course the sky like Zewentju, the third (companion) of Sothis of clean places, having become clean in the Duat’s lakes. P 450

This is how Pepi has come from Pe, where the bas of Pe are: Meryre having been banded with the breastband of Horus, Meryre having been clothed in the clothing of Thoth, Isis before him, Nephthys behind him, Paths-Parter parting a path for him, Shu lifting him, the bas of Heliopolis laying down a stairway for him to join with the above, and Nut giving her arms toward him like that which she did for Osiris on the day he moored. P 459

People and gods, (put) your arms under Meryre, that you may elevate him and bear him to the sky, like the arms of Shu under the sky as he bears it. To the sky! - TWICE. To the great place, among the gods! P 460

Shu, Shu, lift this Pepi to the sky! Nut, give your arms toward him! He will fly up, he will fly up. Ululate, ululate, ululate! He will fly up, he will fly up. P 502

This Pepi has appeared with the Sun in his appearance, the third of them who are with them: one behind this Pepi, one before; one placing water, one placing sand. This Pepi has leaned on your arms, Shu, like the Sun’s leaning on your arm. P 504

Shu is lifting this Pepi: Nut, give him your arm! Ululate, ululate! He will fly, he will fly. P 506

The sky’s face has been washed, the arc of the sky has grown bright. The god has been given birth by the sky on the arms of Shu and Tefnut, on the arms of him who rises and becomes large. P 509

Horus has put this Pepi [on] his shoulders that he might allot this Pepi to Shu, the one with sweeping arms under Nut. Sun, give your arm to this Pepi! Great god, give your forked staff to this Pepi, that he may live forever! P 511

[...] Shu’s ladder, [...will] bear [...]. P 539

This Pepi [ ... ]. [ ... ] when he made the two rivers, when Nut became far from Geb. Pepi has emerged on the thigh of Shu [ ..., Pepi has emerged ... ] P 550

[This Meryre has] gone up [on Shu], this Meryre has climbed [on] the wing of Evolver. Nut is the one who has received [the arm of this Meryre], Nut is the one [who made] a path [for this Meryre]. Greetings, you two falcons in the prow of that [boat] of [the Sun, who sail the Sun to] the east! [May you lift] this Meryre and raise this Meryre up to the Winding Canal. When you put this Meryre [among those] imperishable [gods] and he has made landfall among them, he cannot perish, he cannot end. P 567

The two elder, great gods at the fore of the Marsh of Reeds have put you on Horus’s throne as the firstborn of them. They have put Shu at your east side, Tefnut at your west side, Nu at your south side, and the Undersky at your north side, so that they might lead you to the perfect, clean places of theirs that they made for the Sun when they put him on their thrones. M 336

Shu, take Nemtiemzaf Merenre to the sky! Nut, give your arm to Nemtiemzaf Merenre! M 334

Shu, Atum’s son! This here is Osiris Pepi Neferkare. He lives and you live: active for you, Shu; esteemed for you, Shu; honored for you], Shu; in control for you, Shu. May you escort this Osiris Pepi Neferkare: with your escort, he will not die. N 296

Shu, as you encircle everything within your arms, [may you ... ] this Osiris Pepi Neferkare and prevent him from being taken away [from you. Shu, you are the eldest son] of Atum. He used his penis on you so that you might be [ ... ]. [May you encircle your arms about this Pepi Neferkare as] his ka and defend him from [ ... ]. N 310

When you go forth you shall go forth to Atum’s broadhall, go to the Marsh of Reeds, and course the great god’s places, for you have been given the sky, you have been given the earth, you have been given the Marsh of Reeds [by] the two great gods who row you: Shu and Tefnut, the two great gods in Heliopolis. N 349

[A footpath of metal is beneath you], so to the sky [shall you go up] and behind Shu shall you climb. Ascender, ascend! [Go up to your house, as a star] atop your house, and save your children [from] mourning. N 466

Shu, and the (grand)mother of Pepi Neferkare, Tefnut, will take Pepi Neferkare to the sky, to the sky on the smoke of incense. N 514

You shall go around the Horus Mounds and travel around Seth’s mounds. Shu and Tefnut are the ones who guide you when you emerge from Heliopolis. N 524

This Pepi Neferkare will stand on Shu and Pepi Neferkare will shade the stars with the fan for (cooling) the god’s water-jars N 542

I will stand on Shu with the stars having been shaded for him with the fan for (cooling) the god’s water-jars. Nt 271

Chris

"the day we stop looking Charlie, its the day we die" (Colonel Slade)