The Lamentations of Set and Nit for the Transgender Dead

Adapted from the Lamentations of Aset and Nebethet, as translated by Rev Dr Tamara Suida, since it's the only copy I had at hand and I wanted to use it as a template. This was written maybe a decade ago now, but I wanted to bring this here as well as it's still something I'm very proud of.

And it's not like you can't use the original Lamentations if that's your thing, but I was doing a lot of Queer Stuff back then with Set and Nit, and this was something They both wanted me to write for Them, Something specific about queer grief and queer deaths that's still sadly relevant today.

Why Set and Nit? Nit is bigendered, and Set is a god of the marginalised, among other things. They inspired this as much as I 'picked' Them for it. And now it's here for anyone to use as they see fit, for memorials, for ancestor work, for healing work, whatever you like and whatever calls to you.

Nit:
Beautiful children, come to your house now;
we cannot see you.
Hail, beautiful children, come to your house,
come close after your separation.
Hail beautiful children, who ride through time,
Who were hurt and wounded in your lives,
Who grow except at this hour.
Come close, the Night Boat draws near,
Come close, now, we would see you.

Set:
Hail, Shining Ones!
How much more wonderful you are than those who have scorned you.
Come back to us in your true form; we will embrace you.
The shackles of life no longer burden you; come forth as you really are.
Do not take your beautiful faces from us,
Truly beloved, our transgender children,
Come in peace, beautiful ones, we would see you.

Nit:
Your parents join together your limbs,
and no pain shall touch you.
We will make your injuries as if they never happened.
Beautiful stars amongst the gods,
the road you travel requires great courage and strength.
You are stronger than your enemies.
You shall endure forever.
Children, come in peace, come to your parents,
Come shout your true names to the gods,
Come as you are, true of voice,
We will hear you.

Set:
Come, children, growing young in your beauty,
we would see you,
Come in peace, great children of your Mother-Father,
You are established in your house.
Do not be afraid. We will avenge you.
I will spear their foul hearts, I will throw their evil souls to Ammit,
Nit will pierce their bodies with Her arrows.
They will swallow all the venom they have thrown at you.
They will be rent asunder.
Come, beautiful children,
You are in your house; do not be afraid.
Those who harmed you are cursed amongst the gods.
They will suffer for all the evil they have committed.

Nit:
Come, bright-faced youths, who grow young before us,
Who are beautiful in your true bodies.
I am your Mother-Father Nit, you are beloved of my heart.
Because of our love for you, we water the earth with our tears.
Your souls cry with the pain inflicted upon you,
Beautiful children, queer children,
Come to us now, we will embrace you.
We sing for you, shining ones.
Come to your house, come to your house in peace.

Set:
O, Children, come in peace. Let us see you.
Hail to you princes,
Hail to you princesses,
Hail to our holy children, beautiful in their diversity, come in peace,
Let us drive away the pain from your hearts.
Hail, beautiful amongst the Westerners,
Hail, you who soar above Geb,
how marvellous are our children,
the male,
the female,
the queer,
the nonbinary,
the rebels,
the marginalised,
the beautiful ones,
the mighty transgender dead,
Come now, beautiful children,
Your magic is strong, it encircles you and protects you,
You are born into glory amongst the gods.

Nit:
Come now to your divine family!
The whole company of the gods encircles you
so that They may repel Ap-p,
may his name be cursed!
When he comes behind the shrine before Your Father Set,
He is flung into the river of fire, his body dismembered,
His spells have no power over you or the gods,
May his name be cursed!
All who harmed you are thrown into the river of fire,
Their spells cannot touch you,
May their names be cursed!

Set:
Come, beautiful children, your family awaits.
Drive sorrow from our houses.
Come, your family awaits.
You who lived with courage.
You who had not enough courage.
You who lived true to your heart.
You who were not given a chance to be yourselves, who hid away as Amun in the darkness, whose true form was never known.
You whose lives were taken in cruelty and misery.
There is no one stronger than you,
There is no one more beautiful than you.
Come to us, our dear transgender children, that we may embrace you.

Nit:
The thrones of our children are in peace.
They are the victors, they are greater than their long suffering.
Their enemies lie trampled under our feet, their names are cursed, they cannot touch you now.
O Bau, our children who live again, your two parents unite your limbs.
O Bau, beautiful youths, we will take away your pain.
O Bau, shining ones, we will shout your true names to the Heavens.
You rise, victorious, over the world.
No one can touch you now.

Set:
Hail beautiful ones, come to your exalted house,
Let your backs be to your house.
Rise up with strength and courage.
The gods are upon their thrones.
There is nothing that can harm you now.
Hail, come in peace, beautiful children.

Nit:
Come in peace. We are avenging you.
You have caused great grief to your parents.
We weep for you at your shrines.
We recite your true names, we will never forget you.
Children! How lovely it is to see you.
Come, come to us great ones, glorify our love.
Come to your house, do not be afraid.

Both (take turns):
O you gods who are in heaven,
O you gods who are on the earth,
O you gods who are in the Duat,
O you gods who are in the Abyss,
O you gods who serve Nun,
We lift up the mighty transgender dead.
May they always be remembered.

Nit:
I walk the forgotten roads, I fly over the earth,
That my children may come to me.
Set traces the boundaries, the margins, and the outlands,
Gathering up all who were cast out.
We do not rest in seeking you.
I will gather up your limbs, I will make you whole,
I will make your bodies perfect, reflections of your true selves.
When your heart speaks for you, it will be at peace.
Together, we will make you complete.

Set:
Your love is a flame, you shine with the radiance of the gods.
The perfume of your body is that of Punt.
Your mother-father Nit weeps for you with Her voice. She avenges you,
She sets your nose on your true face, she collects your bones.
She comes to you with holy offerings.
She builds you up with the life of Her body.
You are given a ba, you are given a ka.
You have your true name, you are true of voice,
You are established.

Nit:
You are established.
You are made whole, your bodies are how you wish them to be.
Your hair is turquoise on your body,
when you enter the fields of turquoise.
Your hair is lapis lazuli;
You are more lapis than your hair.
Your hair and limbs are southern alabaster.
Your bones are silver,
Your teeth are turquoise,
the oil of Your hair is liquid myrrh.
Your skull is lapis.

Set:
You are made most beautiful in your bodies,
There are no imperfections to be found,
And your injuries are as if they never happened.
You are whole, you are perfect, you are complete.
You are seen now as you desire to be seen,
Your true form is no longer hidden away,
You shine with Ra's glory, shine with beautiful magic,
And your true names are written in the stars,
Recited for eternity in the house of the gods.
You are established.

Both (take turns):
O you gods who are in heaven,
O you gods who are on the earth,
O you gods who are in the Duat,
O you gods who are in the Abyss
O you gods who are in the service of the Nun,
We lift up the mighty transgender dead.
May they always be remembered.