The ancient Egyptian expression meaning "to thank" is dw3-ntr. Literally, it means "to praise god (for)." If you wanted to thank someone, you would praise god for them. An early example of this (from the Old Kingdom) is the inscription of Ptahwash:
His majesty praised him because of it; he praised god for him (i.e. he thanked him) more than anything. (Urk. I 44.)
Nearly three thousand years later the same expression is used in late Ptolemaic period manuscripts of the Book of Thoth:
May I praise god for you (i.e. let me thank you). (P. Berlin 15531 8/5)
Expressing thanks by praising god for someone centers the action on god rather than on the individual involved.
In the Ptolemaic Period, another expression for gratitude appeared: šp šms. Literally, it means "to receive service (from)" or "to receive worship (from)." This expression, while still related to the divine realm is not as centered on god as the previous one.
In Coptic, the idiom has changed again to šp hmot, meaning "to receive grace (from)" or "to receive a favor (from)" or even "to receive a gift from." The background assumption is that gratitude would always accompany the reception of a gift or favor. To do otherwise is unthinkable.
At least as framed in the Egyptian language, entitlement is culturally unheard of. Gratitude was automatic and acknowledge God. This is something worth pondering and applying in modern times.
