The Egyptians placed much importance on the interpretation of dreams - a Book of Dreams would be consulted, the book being passed down through family generations. The following dates from a 19th Dynasty Dream Book, although the language indicates that it perhaps dates from a 12th Dynasty original, and was published by Sir Alan Gardner in 1935.

 IF A MAN SEES HIMSELF IN A DREAM    
 With his mouth Opened

 good
   Something which is a fear in his heart will be opened by the god
 munching Lotus Leaves

good
 There are things with which he will gladden his heart
 Shooting at a Mark

 good
  Good things will happen to him
 Reminding a man of his wife

 good
  His evils will retreat from him.
 His Penis becoming large

 good
 This means that his possessions will multiply
 With a Bow in his hand

 good
  A great office will be given to him
 Dying Violently

 good
  This means he will live after his father dies
 Seeing a Serpent

 good
  This means food
 His Mouth full of earth

 good
  He will devour his townsfolk
 Eating the flesh of a crocodile

good
 This means he will eat the possessions of an official
 Looking out of a window

good
 His cry will be heard by his god
 White bread being given to him

good
 This means things at which his face will light up
 Copulating with his mother

 good
  Men of his province will cleave unto him
 Copulating with his sister

good
  This means that possessions will be decreed unto him.
 Upon a Palm tree

good
 His heart will be gladdened at what genius he has done ?
 Seeing his Face as that of a leopard

good
 He will perform the office of a head man
 Sitting upon a Sycamore Tree

good
 The Subjugation of all his evils
 Sight-seeing in the city of Osiris

good
 He will have a great old age
 Binding fast Injurious people by night

good
 He will take away the utterances of his enemies
 Destroying his clothes

good
 His release from all evils
 Seeing Himself Dead

good
 A hale and hearty life is before him
Drinking his own Urine

good
 It means consuming his son's possessions
 Eating excrement

good
 It means consuming his possessions in his house
 Mating with a Cow

good
  It means passing a happy day in his house
Plunging into the River

good
 This means that he will be cleansed of all evils
Breaking into a boat that has foundered

good
 It means the giving to him of his woman
 Seeing himself weak

good
 This means that a man will find his enemies dead
 Seeing himself together with one greater than he

good

This means that he will be made great by his Ka

 

 Copulating with a Jerboa

BAD
  It means a judgment against him
Drinking warm Beer

BAD
 This means that suffering will come upon him
Seeing his Face in a Mirror

BAD
 It means another wife
Eating hot meat

BAD
 This means that he will not be found justified
Copulating with a woman

BAD
 This means mourning
Being bitten by a Serpent

BAD
 This means magic spells will be made against him
Writting on a papyrus

BAD
 It means the tallying of his misdeeds by god
 Fire spreading over his bed

BAD
 This means driving out his wife
Folding wings about himself

BAD
 He will not be justified with his god
Seeing a Dwarf

BAD
 It means taking away of half of his life
Shaving his lower parts

BAD
 This means mourning
Putting incense upon a fire to a god

BAD
 The Power of god is against him
Putting a bench in his boat

BAD
 This means putting away his wife
Seeing people off

BAD
 His death is near
Smearing himself with fat

BAD
 His people will be taken away from him
Seeing a woman's vulva

BAD
 It means the extremity of misery upon him
Copulating with his wife in the open by day

BAD
 His misdeeds will be seen by his god
Looking after Monkeys

BAD
 A change is before him
Making a bridal chamber

BAD
 His misdeeds will be brought to light

 

TO BE RECITED BY A MAN WHEN HE WAKES UPON HIS PLACE:

Come to me, come to me, O my mother Isis! Behold, I am seeing things which are far from my dwelling place!

Here I am, my son Horus; let there come out what you have seen, so that the afflictions prevading your dreams may go out, and fire spring forth against him who frightens you. Behold, I am come to see you, and to drive forth your evils, and root out all that is horrible!

Hail to thee, O good dream which is seen by night or by day! Driven forth are all horrible things which Set, son of Nut, has made! Even as Ra is justified against his enemies, so am I justified against my enemies!

 

THIS SPELL IS TO BE SPOKEN by a man when he wakes upon his place, there being given to him pesen-bread together with a few fresh herbs moistened with beer and myrrh. Let a man's face be smeared with it, and all evil dreams which he has seen will be driven away.