Shai, the ancient Egyptian deification of fate, embodied the concept of predestination, with his name literally meaning "that which is ordained." Often considered male, Shai could also be referred to as Shait when perceived as female, highlighting the abstract nature of the concept. Egyptians believed Shai determined the length of each person's life, being born with them and remaining present until their final judgment before Osiris in the underworld.
His significance led to associations with goddesses like Meskhenet (birth) and Renenutet (fortune), and powerful figures like Akhenaten and Ramses II acknowledged his power, with Akhenaten calling him an attribute of Aten and Ramses II claiming to be "lord of Shai." During Ptolemaic Egypt, Shai was identified with the Greek god Agathodaemon, god of fortune telling. Intriguingly, due to a linguistic pun, this era saw Shai sometimes depicted as a unique "Shai animal"—a serpent-headed pig.