The Eloquent Peasant
The Peasant Sets Out
Egyptian
1.1 𓊃𓀀𓏤𓊪𓅱𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃢𓐍𓂝𓅱𓏛𓈖𓀀𓂋𓈖𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓅱𓈖[⯑]z pw wn Ḫwi.n-Jnpw rn =f sḫ,tj pw n Sḫ,t-ḥmꜣ,t
1.2 𓇋𓋴𓏏𓃹𓈖𓈞𓏏𓁐𓆑𓌸𓂋𓏏𓀁𓁐𓂋𓈖𓋴𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓈖𓈞𓏏𓁐𓆑𓏏𓈖𓅓𓂝𓏏[⯑]𓅓𓉔𓄿𓏏𓂻jst wn ḥm,t =f ⸢M⸣r,t rn =s ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn n ḥm,t =f tn m =t w[j] m hꜣi̯.t
1.3 𓂋𓆎𓏏𓊖𓂋𓏎𓈖𓏏𓅧𓅱𓏒𓏥𓇋𓅓𓈖𓀔𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏥𓀀𓈝𓅓𓂻𓇓𓅱𓏏𓆼𓄿𓂝𓈖𓀀𓈖𓄿𓈖𓌾𓏥r Km,t r ⸢jni̯.t⸣ ꜥq.w jm n ẖrd.w.pl =j šm swt ḫꜣi̯ n =j nꜣ n jt
1.4 𓈖𓏏𓏭𓅓𓅯𓄿𓅓𓂝𓌨𓂋𓉐𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏥𓌾𓏥𓈖𓋴𓆑𓇳𓊢𓂝𓈖𓆼𓄿𓂝𓈖𓆑𓈖𓋴𓌾𓋾𓌽𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤n,tj m pꜣ mẖr m ḏꜣ,t jt n ⸮⸢sf⸣? ꜥḥꜥ.n ḫꜣi̯.n ={f} =⟨s⟩ n ={s} =⟨f⟩ jt ⸢ḥqꜣ,t⸣ ⸮⸢6⸣?
1.5 𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓈖𓈞𓏏𓁐𓆑𓏏𓈖𓅓𓂝𓏏 […] 𓈖𓏏𓌾𓋾𓌽𓏤𓏤𓂋𓅧𓅱𓏒𓏥𓎛𓈖𓂝[⯑]𓏏ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn n ḥm,t =f tn m =t … n =t jt ḥqꜣ,t 20 r ꜥq.w ḥnꜥ ẖrd.[w].pl =t
1.6 𓁹𓂋𓏏𓈖𓀀𓇓𓅱𓏏𓏏𓄿𓌾𓋾𓌽𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓅓𓏏𓏐𓏒𓏥𓎛𓈎𓏏𓏊𓏥𓈖𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤𓎟𓎡𓄿𓇋𓅓𓆑jri̯ r =t n =j swt tꜣ jt ḥqꜣ,t 6 m tʾ ḥ(n)q,t n hrw nb ⸢kꜣ⸣ [ꜥnḫ] =[j] jm =f
1.7 𓉔𓄿𓏏𓂻𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓆎𓏏𓊖𓄿𓏏𓊪𓀋𓂝𓈖𓆑[⯑]𓆑hꜣi̯.t pw jri̯.n sḫ,tj pn r Km,t ꜣtp.n =f ꜥꜣ.[pl] =f
2.1 𓅓[⯑]m j[ꜣꜣ]
2.2 𓂋𓂧𓅓𓏏𓆰𓏥rdm,t
2.3 [⯑]ḥs[mn]
2.4 [⯑]ḥmꜣ,[t]
2.5 𓆱𓏏𓏥[⯑]ḫt.pl […]tyw
2.6 [⯑]𓈖𓏏𓇾𓈇𓏤𓃒𓏥𓈉ꜥ⸢wn⸣,t.pl n.t Tꜣ-jḥ.pl
2.7 𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏏𓄛𓏥𓈖𓏏𓃀𓅡𓄿𓅱𓄛𓏥ẖn,wt.pl n.t bꜣw
3.1 𓆼𓄿𓅱𓏏𓄛𓏥𓈖𓏏𓃹𓈖𓈙𓅱𓄛𓏥ḫꜣw,t.pl n.t ⸢w⸣nšw
3.2 𓈖𓆷𓄿𓅱𓆰𓏥𓆰𓏥nšꜣw
3.3 𓂝𓈖𓏌𓅱𓊌𓏥ꜥnw
3.4 𓏏𓈖𓌰𓅓𓂽𓆰𓏥tnm
3.5 𓆣𓂋𓅨𓂋𓆰𓏥ḫpr-wr
3.6 [⯑]sꜣh,wt
3.7 𓋴𓐟𓄿𓎡𓊃𓅱𓏏𓈒𓏥sꜣks,wt
4.1 𓏇𓇋𓋴𓅱𓏏𓆰𓏥mjs,wt
4.2 𓊃𓈖𓏏𓏒𓊌𓏥sn,t
4.3 [⯑]ꜥb[ꜣ]
4.4 𓇋𓃀𓃙𓐟𓆰𓏥jbsꜣ
4.5 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓃀𓇋𓆰𓏥jnbj
4.6 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓅱𓅬𓏥mn,w
4.7 𓈖𓂝𓂋𓅱𓅬𓏥nꜥr,w
5.1 𓅱𓎼𓋴𓅬𓏥wgs
5.2 𓅱𓃀𓈖𓆰𓏥wbn
5.3 𓏏𓃀𓋴𓅱𓆰𓏥tbs,w
5.4 𓎼𓈖𓎼𓈖𓏏𓈒𓏥gngn,t
5.5 𓍲𓈖𓏭𓁸𓏥𓇾𓈇𓏤𓆰𓏥šnj-tꜣ
5.6 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓋴𓏏𓈒𓏥jns,t
6.1 𓎔𓏛𓅓𓏎𓏌𓏥𓎟𓄤𓆑𓂋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓈇𓎛𓌳𓄿𓏏𓍖𓈒𓏥𓊖mḥ m jn,w nb nfr n Sḫ,t-ḥmꜣ,t
6.2 𓈝𓅓𓏏𓂻𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖[⯑]𓊪𓈖𓅓𓏃𓈖𓏏𓇋𓇋𓏏𓊛šmi̯.t pw jri̯.n sḫ,tj pn m-ḫnt.yt
6.3 𓂋𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀔𓈖𓈖𓊖𓄭𓂋𓂻𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏤𓈇𓈖𓉐𓏤𓆑𓆑𓇋𓀻𓊖r Nn-nswt spr pw jri̯.n =f r w n Pr-Ffj
6.4 𓂋[⯑]𓅓𓂧𓈖𓇋𓏏𓍸𓊖𓅠𓅓𓈖𓆑𓊃𓀀𓏤r mḥ,t[j] Mdnj,t gmi̯.n =f z
6.5 𓊢𓂝𓂻𓁷𓏤𓌸𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓈇𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓂋𓈖𓆑𓅭𓀀𓊃𓀀𓏤𓊪𓅱ꜥḥꜥ ḥr mr,yt Nm,tj-nḫt rn =f zꜣ z pw
6.6 𓇋𓋴𓂋𓇋𓇋𓆭𓆱𓀀𓂋𓈖𓆑𓆓𓏏𓇾𓀀𓁐𓏥𓊪𓅱𓈖𓏏𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗Jsr,y rn =f ḏ,t pw n.t (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr
6.7 𓌸𓂋𓅱𓀁𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓇋𓀀𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄿𓆑𓉻𓂸𓃩𓏥𓈖[⯑]𓊪𓈖𓉻𓂝𓄿𓃀𓇋𓇋𓅱𓇭𓏛𓏥𓄣𓏤𓆑Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj ḏd.jn Nm,tj-nḫt pn mꜣꜣ =f ꜥꜣ.pl n [sḫ,tj] pn ꜥꜣb.yw ⟨ḥr⟩ jb =f
7.2 𓇉𓄿𓀁𓈖𓀀𓊏𓊪𓅆𓎟𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂝𓀀𓎛𓆰𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏊𓏥𓈖ḥꜣ n =j šzp nb ꜥwꜣi̯ =j ḥn,w.pl n
7.3 𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓇋𓅓𓆑𓇋𓋴𓏏𓂋𓆑𓉐𓏤𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓁷𓏤𓄥𓄿𓏛𓇾𓈇𓏤sḫ,tj pn jm =f jst r =f pr Nm,tj-nḫt pn ḥr zmꜣ-tꜣ
7.4 𓈖𓂋𓏤𓍯𓄿𓏏𓈐𓎛𓆰𓈖𓋴𓅪𓊪𓅱𓂜𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓏛𓇋𓋴𓊪𓅱n rʾ-wꜣ,t ḥns pw n wsḫ js pw
7.5 𓈎𓈖𓈖𓂝𓆑𓂋𓋴𓐍𓅱𓎺𓏛𓈖𓂧𓄿𓇋𓅱𓋳𓇋𓅱𓍯𓄿𓏏𓈐𓆑𓌡𓂝𓏏𓏤qnn =f r sḫ,w n dꜣjw jw wꜣ,t =f wꜥ.t
7.6 𓌨𓂋𓈗𓎡𓏏𓌨𓂋𓌾𓏥𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓈖𓌞𓅱𓀀𓆑𓇋𓊄𓂻ẖr mw k.t ẖr jt ḏd.jn Nm.tj-nḫt pn n šms,w =f jz
7.7 𓏎𓈖𓈖𓀀𓇋𓆑𓂧𓊌𓋳𓅓𓉐𓏤𓀀𓏎𓈖𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅱𓆑𓈖𓆑𓁷𓏤𓂝𓏤jni̯ n =j jfd m pr =j jni̯.jn.tw =f n =f ḥr-ꜥ
8.1 𓊢𓂝𓈖𓊃𓈙𓂝𓈖𓆑𓇓𓅱𓁷𓏤𓄥𓄿𓏛𓇾𓈇𓏤𓈖𓂋𓏤𓍯𓄿𓏏𓈐ꜥḥꜥ.n sš.n =f sw ḥr zmꜣ-tꜣ n rʾ-wꜣ,t
8.2 𓐍𓈖𓈖𓅯𓂻𓋴𓂧𓃀𓋳𓆑𓁷𓏤𓈗[⯑]𓆑ḫnn sdb =f ḥr mw npnp,[t] =f
8.3 𓁷𓏤𓌾𓏥ḥr jt
English
1.1 There was once a man named Khunanup. He was a peasant of the Field of Salt.
1.2 Now he had a wife, and her name was Meret. This peasant said to his wife: "Look, I am going down
1.3 to Egypt, to get food there for my children. Go, then, and measure me this
1.4 barley that is in the granary, what is left of yesterday's barley; so she measured out six (?) measures of barley for him.
1.5 Then this peasant said to his wife: "Look, […] you have twenty measures of barley for food, you and your children.
1.6 Make these six measures into bread and beer for me, for every day, and I will live on them."
1.7 So this peasant went down to Egypt, having loaded his donkeys
2.1 with vines (?),
2.2 cyperus grass,
2.3 natron,
2.4 salt,
2.5 wood from the place of […]tyw,
2.6 poles of awenet wood from Farafra,
2.7 panther skins,
3.1 wolf-jackal pelts,
3.2 neshau water plants (?),
3.3 pebbles (?),
3.4 tnm creeping plants,
3.5 kheper-wer healing plants,
3.6 sahut resin (?),
3.7 sakesut mineral,
4.1 mesut plants,
4.2 senet mineral,
4.3 aba stone,
4.4 ibesa oil plants,
4.5 jnbj plants,
4.6 doves,
4.7 nereu birds,
5.1 wegs birds,
5.2 weben plants,
5.3 tebesu thorn plants,
5.4 bean-like gengenet plants (?),
5.5 sheni-ta plants,
5.6 inset plants (anise?).
6.1 All of it full of every good gift of the Field of Salt.
6.2 So this peasant set out, going south,
6.3 to Herakleopolis, and reached the district of Per-Fefi,
6.4 north of Medenit. There he found a man
6.5 standing on the embankment. His name was Nemtynakht, and he was the son of a man
6.6 named Isry, a servant of the high steward
6.7 Rensi son of Meru. When this Nemtynakht saw the peasant's donkeys, and they pleased him, he said:
7.2 "Oh, if only I had some image with which I could steal this peasant's goods!
7.3 This peasant would have to pass by him, for the house of this Nemtynakht stood at the landing place
7.4 of the neighborhood. It was narrow; it was not wide.
7.5 It was only as wide as a garment; one side of it
7.6 lay under water, the other under barley. Then this Nemtynakht said to his servant: "Go and fetch
7.7 me a cloth from my house." It was brought to him at once.
8.1 Then he spread it out over the neighborhood's landing place.
8.2 Its fringed edge hung down onto the water, its smooth hem
8.3 onto the barley.
The Robbery
Egyptian
1 𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓁷𓏤𓈐𓏏𓏤𓈖𓏏[⯑]𓎟𓏏𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓁹jwi̯.jn [sḫ,tj] [pn] ḥr wꜣ,t n.t r(m)ṯ.pl nb.t ḏd.jn Nm,tj-nḫt pn jri̯ [hrw] [sḫ,tj]
2 𓂜𓐍𓈖𓂧𓂾𓂻𓎡𓁷𓏤𓎛𓃀𓋴𓅱𓋳𓏥𓀀𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖[⯑]n ḫnd =k ḥr ḥbs.w.pl =j ḏd.jn sḫ,tj
3 𓊪𓈖𓁹𓇋𓇋𓀀𓎛𓎿𓊃𓏏𓀁𓎡𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅓𓂝𓏏𓈖𓌙𓅯𓈐𓏥𓀀pn jri̯.y =j ḥsi̯.t =k nfr mtn =j
4 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓆑𓂋𓁷𓂋𓅱𓇯𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖pri̯.t pw jri̯.n =f r-ḥr.w ḏd.jn Nm,tj-nḫt pn
5 [⯑][⯑]𓈖𓎡𓇗𓌾𓏥𓀀𓂋𓈐𓏏𓏤𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋⸢j⸣[n] ⸢j⸣[w] ⸢n⸣ =k šmꜥ =j r wꜣ,t ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn nfr
6 [⯑]𓀀𓇋𓐍𓅐𓏏𓈇𓏤𓈎𓄿𓏏𓀠𓅓𓂝𓏏𓈖𓌙𓅯𓈐𓏥[m]tn =j jḫm,t qꜣi̯.t(j) mtn
7 𓌨𓂋𓇗𓌾𓏥𓎛𓆰𓈖𓎨𓎡𓂋𓆑𓍯𓄿𓏏𓈐𓏏𓈖𓏥ẖr šmꜥ ḥn =k r =f wꜣ,t{t} =n
8 𓅓𓎛𓃀𓋴𓅱𓋳𓏥𓎡𓇋𓈖𓂜𓈖𓂋𓆑𓂝𓎡𓋴𓍯𓄿𓏴𓈐𓈖𓏥m ḥbs.w.pl =k jn nn r =f ḏi̯ =k swꜣ =((n))
9 𓁷𓏤𓈐𓏏𓏤𓊢𓂝𓈖𓎔𓏛𓈖𓌡𓂝𓏤𓅓𓈖𓄿𓈖𓉻𓂸𓃘ḥr wꜣ,t ꜥḥꜥ.n mḥ.n wꜥ m nꜣ n ꜥꜣ
10 𓂋𓏤𓆑𓅓𓃀𓅡𓄿𓏏𓆰𓈖𓏏𓇗𓌾𓏥𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖rʾ =f m bꜣ,t n.t šmꜥ ḏd.jn Nm,tj-nḫt pn
11 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀𓂋𓈖𓈞𓅓𓂝𓉻𓂸𓃘𓎡𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓁷𓏤m =k wj r nḥm ꜥꜣ =k sḫ,tj ḥr
12 𓏶𓀁𓆑𓇗𓌾𓏥𓀀𓅓𓂝𓎡𓇓𓅱𓂋𓉔𓃀𓏏𓍁𓂻𓁷𓏤𓈎𓈖𓏴𓆑wn(m) =f šmꜥ =j m =k sw r hbi̯.t ḥr qn =f
13 𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅓𓂝𓏏𓈖𓌙𓅯𓈐𓏥𓀀𓌡𓂝𓏏𓏤ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn nfr mtn =j wꜥ.t
14 𓌉𓆓𓏏𓏴𓎆𓏎𓈖𓈖𓀀𓉻𓂸𓃘𓀀𓁷𓏤𓈙𓈖𓂝𓎩𓏛𓎆𓎁𓏏𓂝𓎡𓇓𓅱ḥḏi̯.t 10 jni̯.n =j ꜥꜣ =j ḥr šnꜥ 10 jti̯ =k sw
15 𓁷𓏤𓎔𓎛𓅱𓏛𓈖𓂋𓏤𓆑𓅓𓃀𓅡𓄿𓏏𓆰𓈖𓏏𓇗𓌾𓏥𓇋𓅱𓀀𓎼𓂋𓏏ḥr mḥ.w n rʾ =f m bꜣ,t n.t šmꜥ jw =j gr.t
16 𓂋𓐍𓏛𓎡𓅱𓀀𓎟𓈖𓐖𓏏𓊖𓏏𓈖𓈖𓄓𓋴𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇rḫ.kwj nb n ⸮ḏꜣt,t? tn n,(j)-s(j) (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ
17 𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓈖𓏏𓆑𓎼𓂋𓏏𓍙𓆑𓂡𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂝𓀀𓎟𓅓𓇾𓈇𓏤𓊪𓈖𓂋𓇥𓂋𓆑Rnsj ntf gr.t ḫsf ꜥwꜣ nb m tꜣ pn r-ḏr =f
18 𓇋𓈖𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂝𓏏𓅱𓀀𓂋𓆑𓅓𓐖𓏏𓊖𓆑𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀jn ꜥwꜣi̯.tw =j r =f m ⸮ḏꜣt,t? =f ḏd.jn Nm,tj-nḫt
19 𓊪𓈖𓇋𓈖𓅯𓄿𓊪𓅱𓐍𓈖𓅯𓀁𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓆓𓂧𓅱𓂋𓍿𓀀𓁐𓏥pn jn pꜣ pw ḫn n md,t ḏd.w r(m)ṯ.pl
20 𓂧𓅓𓌪𓀁𓏏𓅱𓂋𓈖𓈖𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓅪𓀀𓁷𓏤𓎟𓀀𓆑𓏌𓎡𓀀dm.tw rn n ḥwr,w ḥr nb =f jnk
21 𓊪𓅱𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁𓈖𓎡𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓀀𓊪𓅱𓋴𓆼𓄿𓇋𓇋𓀁𓎡pw mdwi̯ n =k (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr pw sḫꜣ.y =k
22 𓊢𓂝𓈖𓅷𓄿𓂝𓈖𓆑𓈖𓆑𓇋𓄿𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏏𓆰𓈖𓏏𓇋𓋴𓂋𓆭𓆱𓇅𓆓ꜥḥꜥ.n ṯꜣi̯.n =f n =f jꜣꜣ,yt n.t jsr wꜣḏ
23 𓂋𓆑𓊢𓂝𓈖𓉻𓂝𓄿𓂝𓆑𓂝𓏏𓄹𓆑𓎟𓇋𓅓𓋴𓈖𓈞𓅓𓂝𓉻𓂸𓃘𓏥𓆑r =f ꜥḥꜥ.n ꜥꜣ⟨g.n⟩ =f ꜥ,t =f nb jm =s nḥm ꜥꜣ((.pl)) =f
24 𓊃𓅧𓈎𓂻𓂋𓐖𓏏𓊖𓆑𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓁷𓏤sꜥq r ⸮ḏꜣt,t? =f wn.jn sḫ,tj pn ḥr
25 𓂋𓅓𓇋𓇋𓏏𓁹𓉻𓂝𓄿𓅱𓏛𓅨𓂋𓏏𓀗𓈖𓍋𓅓𓂋𓅪𓈖𓁹𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓂋𓆑rmi̯.yt ꜥꜣw wrt n mr n jri̯.yt r =f
26 𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓅓𓈎𓄿𓀠𓊤𓅱𓀁𓎡𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀ḏd.jn Nm,tj-nḫt pn m qꜣi̯ ḫrw =k sḫ,tj
27 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓂋𓂧𓏇𓇋𓈇𓏤𓈖𓎟𓋴𓎼𓂋𓀁𓅆𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖m =k tw r dmj n nb-sgr ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn
28 𓎛𓀝𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂝𓎡𓎛𓆰𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏛𓏥𓀀𓈖𓈞𓅓𓂝𓎡𓂋𓆑ḥ(w)i̯ =k wj ꜥwꜣi̯ =k ḥn,w.pl =j nḥm =k r =f
29 𓈖𓐍𓅱𓏏𓀁𓅓𓂋𓏤𓀀𓎟𓋴𓎼𓂋𓀁𓅆𓂝𓎡𓂋𓎡𓈖𓀀nḫ,wt m rʾ =j nb-sgr ḏi̯ =k r =k n =j
30 𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓀀𓇋𓐍𓏛𓍃𓅓𓀀𓊃𓃀𓎛𓄑𓀁𓈖𓂋𓅐𓂡𓎡ḫ,t =j jḫ tm =j sbḥ ⟨n⟩ nr,(w) =k
31 𓁹𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓊢𓂝𓅱𓇳𓂋𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓎆𓁷𓏤𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖jri̯.jn sḫ,tj pn ꜥḥꜥ,w r hrw 10 ḥr spr n
English
1 Now this peasant came along the road that all people use. This Nemtynakht said: "Please be kind, peasant!
2 Do not step on my clothes!" Then this peasant said:
3 "I will do what you approve; good is my way.
4 So he stepped up off the road. Then this Nemtynakht said:
5 "Is my Upper Egyptian barley to serve you as a road?" Then this peasant said: "Good
6 is my way. The bank is high, and the road
7 lies under Upper Egyptian barley, and now you block our road
8 with your clothes. Will you not let us pass by on the road?"
9 Now as they were on the road, one of these donkeys filled
10 its mouth with a tuft of the Upper Egyptian barley. Then this Nemtynakht said:
11 "Look, I am going to take your donkey, peasant, because
12 it is eating my Upper Egyptian barley. Look, it will have to tread out the grain for its offense."
13 Then this peasant said: "Good is my way: one tuft destroys ten!
14 I bought my donkey for ten pieces of silver. Will you take it
15 because of one filling of its mouth with a tuft of Upper Egyptian barley? And I,
16 I know the lord of this estate; it belongs to the high steward, the son of Meru,
17 Rensi. It is he who punishes every robber in this whole land.
18 Shall I be robbed, then, in his own estate?" Then this Nemtynakht said:
19 "Is this that saying people tell:
20 'The name of the wretched man is spoken only because of his lord'? It is I
21 who speak to you, and it is the high steward whom you bring to mind."
22 Then he took for himself a stick of green tamarisk wood
23 and beat him with it on every limb of his body. Then his donkeys were taken
24 and driven into his estate. Then this peasant wept
25 very loudly, from the pain of what had been done to him.
26 Then this Nemtynakht said: "Do not be loud! Keep your voice down, peasant!
27 Look, you are at the landing place of the Lord of Silence." Then this peasant said:
28 "You are beating me so that you can steal my goods, and now you would even take away
29 my complaint from my mouth. Lord of Silence, give me back
30 my property, and I will not have to cry out at your terror!
31 So this peasant spent ten days pleading with this Nemtynakht, and he paid him no attention.
The Complaint
Egyptian
32 𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂜𓂋𓂝𓈖𓆑𓌳𓐙𓂝𓆀𓆑𓂋𓋴𓈝𓅓𓏏𓂻𓊪𓅱Nm,tj-nḫt pn n rḏi̯.n =f mꜣꜥ =f r =s šmi̯.t pw
33 𓁹𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀔𓈖𓈖𓊖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗jri̯.n sḫ,tj pn r Nn-nswt r spr n (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr
34 𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓅠𓅓𓈖𓆑𓇓𓅱𓁷𓏤𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓋴𓃀𓇼𓄿𓉐Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj gmi̯.n =f sw ḥr pri̯.t m sbꜣ
35 𓈖𓉐𓆑𓂋𓉔𓄿𓏏𓂻𓂋𓈎𓄿𓈎𓄿𓅱𓊛𓆑𓈖𓂝𓂋𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓉐n pr =f r hꜣi̯.t r qꜣqꜣ,w≡f-n-ꜥrr,yt
36 𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓇉𓄿𓀁𓂋𓂝𓏏𓋴𓍑𓄿𓏛𓀀ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn ḥꜣ rḏi̯.t(w) swḏꜣ =j
37 𓄣𓏤𓎡𓁷𓏤𓅯𓄿𓐍𓈖𓅯𓀁𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓊃𓊪𓊗𓊪𓅱jb =k ḥr pꜣ ḫn n md,t sp pw
38 𓂋𓂝𓏏𓂻𓅱𓏏𓈖𓀀𓌞𓅱𓂻𓀀𓎡𓈖𓐍𓂋𓏏𓏛𓄣𓏤𓎡𓉔𓄿𓃀𓂻𓀀rḏi̯.t(w) jwi̯.t n =j šms,w =k n ḫr,t-jb =k hꜣb =j
39 𓈖𓎡𓇓𓅱𓁷𓂋𓋴𓂋𓂝𓇋𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀n =k sw ḥr =s rḏi̯.jn (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj
40 𓈝𓅓𓂻𓌞𓅱𓂻𓆑𓈖𓐍𓂋𓏏𓏛𓄣𓏤𓆑𓁶𓏤𓇋𓅓𓆑𓉔𓄿𓃀𓂻šmi̯ šms,w =f n ḫr,t-jb =f tp-jm =f hꜣb
41 𓇓𓅱𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓁷𓏤𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓏏𓈖𓏇𓇋𓈎𓇋𓀾𓏛𓋴sw sḫ,tj pn ḥr md,t tn mj-qj =s
42 𓎟𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓁷𓏤𓋴𓂋𓐍𓏏𓀁nb wn.jn (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj ḥr srḫ.t
43 𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓈖𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀔𓀀𓏥𓈖𓏏𓏭𓂋𓐛𓏤𓆑𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥Nm,tj-nḫt pn n sr.w.pl n,tj r-gs =f ḏd.jn =sn
44 𓈖𓆑𓊃𓅓𓃹𓈖𓀁𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓆑𓊪𓅱𓂻𓅱𓈖𓎡𓇋𓇋𓀀𓂋𓐛𓏤𓆑n =f smwn sḫ,tj =f pw jwi̯ n ky r-gs =f
45 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓁹𓂋𓏏𓋴𓈖𓏥𓊪𓅱𓂋𓇏𓏏𓅂𓀀𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥𓂻𓅱𓅱𓀀𓏥𓈖m =k jrr.t =sn pw r sḫ,tj.pl =sn jwi̯.w n
46 𓎡𓏏𓐍𓏏𓏛𓀀𓏥𓂋𓐛𓏤𓋴𓈖𓏥𓅓𓂝𓎡𓁹𓂋𓏏𓋴𓈖𓏥𓊪𓅱𓊃𓊪𓊗𓊪𓅱𓈖kt-ḫ,t r-gs =sn m =k jrr.t =sn pw sp pw n
47 𓍙𓆑𓂡𓏏𓅱𓈖𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓁷𓏤𓈖𓉔𓅪𓈒𓏥𓈖𓎛𓋴𓏠𓈖𓍖𓈒𓏥ḫsf =tw n Nm,tj-nḫt pn ḥr nh n ḥsmn
48 𓎛𓈖𓂝𓈖𓉔𓅪𓈒𓏥𓈖𓎛𓌳𓄿𓏏𓍖𓈒𓏥𓎗𓅱𓏛𓏏𓅱𓈖𓆑𓂧𓃀𓅡𓄿𓌥𓏛ḥnꜥ nh n ḥmꜣ,t wḏ =tw n =f dbꜣ
49 𓋴𓏏𓂧𓃀𓅡𓄿𓌥𓏛𓆑𓋴𓏏𓎼𓂋𓀁𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖st dbꜣ =f st gr pw jri̯.n
50 𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓂜𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁𓆑(j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj n wšb =f
51 𓈖𓇑𓇑𓈖𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀔𓀀𓏥𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁𓆑𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖n nn n sr.w.pl ⟨n⟩ wšb =f n sḫ,tj pn
English
32 This Nemtynakht paid him no attention. So this peasant went
33 to Herakleopolis, to make his petition to the high steward
34 Rensi son of Meru. He found him just coming out of the door
35 of his house, on his way down to his official barge.
36 Then this peasant said: "May it be permitted that I tell your heart
37 this plea of mine, this case:
38 let your trusted servant come to me; I send
39 him to you about it." Then the high steward Rensi son of Meru had
40 his trusted servant go to him, the man he had sent,
41 and the peasant told him this whole matter in full.
42 Then the high steward Rensi son of Meru brought a charge against this Nemtynakht
43 before the high officials who stood beside him. They said:
44 "Probably it is his own peasant, gone to some other man near him.
45 That is what they do with their peasants who go to others beside them.
46 It is the same with the others beside them. Is this a case
47 for punishing this Nemtynakht for a little natron
48 and a little salt? He should be ordered to pay it back, and pay it back he will."
49 But pay it back he did not: silence was what
50 the high steward Rensi son of Meru made. He gave no answer
51 to these high officials, and he gave no answer to this peasant.
The First Petition
Egyptian
52 𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇jwi̯.jn r =f sḫ,tj pn r spr n (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ
53 𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓆓𓂧𓆑𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓎟𓀀𓀀𓅨𓂋𓀀𓈖𓅨𓂋𓅱𓀀𓏥Rnsj ḏd =f (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr nb =j wr n wr.w.pl
54 𓋴𓌫𓅓𓅱𓂻𓈖𓂜𓏏𓏏𓅪𓇋𓂋𓉔𓄿𓂻𓎡𓂋𓈙𓈇𓈖sšm,w n jw,tt ⟨n,tt⟩ jr hꜣi̯ =k r š n
55 𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓋴𓐪𓂧𓈒𓊛𓎡𓇋𓅓𓆑𓅓𓌳𓐙𓂝𓅱𓆀𓊡mꜣꜥ,t sqd =k jm =f m mꜣꜥ,w
56 𓂜𓈖𓎡𓆑𓋳𓈖𓂧𓃀𓇋𓇋𓏏𓋳𓎛𓏏𓍔𓄿⯑𓎡𓂜𓈖𓇋𓉔𓅓nn kfi̯ ndb,yt ḥtꜣ =k nn jhm
57 𓂧𓊪𓅱𓏏𓊛𓎡𓂜𓈖𓂻𓅱𓏏𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓅓𓆱𓏏𓏤𓎡𓂜𓈖dp,wt =k nn jwi̯.t jy,t m ḫt =k nn
58 𓏴𓌪𓂝𓋴𓎼𓂋𓍅𓆱𓏥𓎡𓂜𓈖𓌂𓅓𓂻𓎡𓇉𓄿𓂝𓂝𓂻𓎡𓁷𓏤𓇾𓈇𓏤zwꜣ sgrg.pl =k nn sḫm =k ḥꜣꜥꜥ =k ḥr tꜣ
59 𓂜𓈖𓎁𓏏𓂡𓏏𓅱𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓏏𓈗𓂜𓈖𓂧𓊪𓄓𓀁𓎡𓈋𓅱𓏏𓅪𓏥nn jti̯ tw nw,(y)t nn dp =k ḏw,t
60 𓈖𓏏𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈘𓂜𓈖𓌳𓁹𓄿𓎡𓁷𓏤𓅾𓀁𓂻𓅱𓈖𓎡n.t jtr,w nn mꜣ =k ḥr snḏ jwi̯ n =k
61 𓂋𓅓𓅱𓆟𓏥𓍲𓈖𓂝𓇋𓇋𓅱𓂻𓏥𓄖𓂻𓎡𓅓𓄿𓊪𓅭rm.w.pl šnꜥ.yw pḥ =k m ꜣp⟨d⟩
62 𓆓𓂧𓄿𓐎𓁷𓏤𓈖𓏏𓏏𓈖𓏏𓎡𓇋𓏏𓆑𓀀𓈖𓌰𓈖𓅓𓎛𓀔𓅪𓀀ḏdꜣ ḥr-n,tt ntk jt n nmḥ
63 𓉔𓇋𓂺𓀀𓈖𓆼𓄿𓂋𓏏𓅪𓁐𓌢𓈖𓀀𓈖𓐣𓏏𓏛𓁐𓍲𓈖𓂧𓇋𓇋𓏏𓋳hj n ḫꜣr,t sn n wḏꜥ,t šnd,yt
64 𓈖𓏏𓂜𓏏𓅱𓅪𓅓𓏏𓁐𓆑𓇋𓐛𓅓𓂝𓁹𓇋𓇋𓀀𓂋𓈖𓎡𓅓n.t jw,tw mw,t =f jmi̯ jri̯.y =j rn =k m
65 𓇾𓈇𓏤𓊪𓈖𓂋𓉔𓊪𓏛𓎟𓄤𓆑𓂋𓋴𓌫𓅓𓅱𓂻𓀀𓆄𓅱𓅪tꜣ pn r hp nb nfr sšm,w šwi̯
66 𓅓𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂝𓄣𓏤𓅨𓂋𓀀𓆄𓅱𓅪𓅓𓈖𓆓𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪m ꜥwn-jb wr šwi̯ m nḏ,yt
67 𓋴𓎛𓍃𓅓𓅯𓅪𓎼𓂋𓍅𓏛𓋴𓆣𓂋𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓇍𓇋𓂻𓁷𓏤sḥtm grg sḫpr mꜣꜥ,t jyi̯ ḥr
68 𓊤𓅱𓀁𓂝𓂝𓂋𓏤𓀀𓆓𓂧𓀀𓄔𓅓𓎡𓁹𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓎛𓎿𓊃𓇋𓇋𓀁𓀀ḫrw ḏḏ-rʾ ḏd =((j)) sḏm =k jri̯ mꜣꜥ,t ḥsi̯.y
69 𓎛𓎿𓊃𓊃𓀁𓎛𓎿𓊃𓇋𓇋𓅱𓀁𓀀𓏥𓂧𓂋𓂡𓋴𓐟𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓅪𓏥ḥss ḥsi̯.yw.pl dr sꜣjr =(j)
70 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀𓀋𓂝𓎡𓅱𓇋𓊪𓏛m =k wj ꜣṯp.kw(j) jp
71 𓅱𓀀𓅓𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀𓅓𓈖𓉔𓅱𓅪𓇋𓋴𓏏𓂋𓆑wj m =k wj m nh,w jst r =f
72 𓆓𓂧𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓏏𓈖𓅓𓂋𓎡𓇳𓍛𓏤𓈖𓇓𓏏𓆤𓏏ḏd.n sḫ,tj pn md,t tn m rk ḥm n nswt-bj,tj
73 𓇳𓎟𓂓𓏤𓏥𓌳𓐙𓊤𓈝𓅓𓏏𓂻𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗Nb-kꜣ.pl-Rꜥ mꜣꜥ-ḫrw šmi̯.t pw jri̯.n (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr
74 𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓁶𓏤𓅓𓍛𓏤𓆑𓆓𓂧𓆑𓎟𓅆𓀀𓇋𓅱Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj tp-m ḥm =f ḏd =f nb =j jw
75 𓅠𓅓𓈖𓀀𓌡𓂝𓏤𓅓𓇑𓇑𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓄤𓆑𓂋𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁𓈖𓃹𓈖𓌳𓐙𓂝𓆀𓏛gmi̯.n =j wꜥ m nn n sḫ,tj nfr mdw n-wn-mꜣꜥ
76 𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂝𓎛𓆰𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏛𓏥𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡ꜥwꜣi̯ ḥn,w.pl =f m =k
77 𓇓𓅱𓂻𓅱𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓀀𓁷𓂋𓋴sw jwi̯ r spr n =j ḥr =s
78 𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓆑𓅓𓌸𓂋𓂋𓀁𓎡𓌳𓁹𓄿𓀀𓋴𓈖𓃀𓏛𓎡𓅱𓀀𓋴𓅱𓂧𓂻𓆑𓎡𓇓𓅱ḏd.jn ḥm =f m mrr =k mꜣ =j snb.kwj swd⟨f⟩ ={f}k sw
79 𓉻𓂝𓄿𓈐𓂜𓈖𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁𓂋𓆓𓂧𓏏𓆑𓎟𓏏𓇋𓈖𓌸𓂋𓅱𓏏𓀁𓃹𓈖𓆑ꜥꜣ nn wšb r ḏd.t =f nb.t jn-mr,wt wn =f
80 𓁷𓏤𓆓𓂧𓎼𓂋𓀁𓇋𓐍𓏛𓏎𓈖𓏏𓈖𓈖𓏥𓅓𓏞𓏛𓄔𓅓𓈖𓏥𓋴𓏏ḥr ḏd gr jḫ jni̯t.(tw) n =n m-zẖꜣ,w sḏm =n st
81 𓁹𓇓𓅱𓏏𓋹𓈖𓐍𓈞𓏏𓁐𓆑𓎛𓈖𓂝𓄡𓂋𓂧𓅱𓀔𓀀𓁑𓏥𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡𓂻𓅱𓌡𓂝𓅓𓈖𓄿jri̯ swt ꜥnḫ ḥm,t =f ḥnꜥ ẖrd.w.pl =f m =k jwi̯ wꜥ m nꜣ
82 𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓂋𓆄𓅱𓏏𓅪𓏥𓉐𓏤𓆑𓂋𓇾𓈇𓏤𓁹𓎼𓂋𓏏𓀁𓋹𓈖𓐍𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖n sḫ,tj r šw,t pr =f r tꜣ jri̯ gr.t ꜥnḫ sḫ,tj pn
83 𓅓𓎛𓂝𓄹𓏥𓆑𓃹𓈖𓈖𓎡𓁷𓏤𓂋𓂝𓏏𓂝𓏏𓅱𓈖𓆑𓅧𓅱𓏒𓏥𓂜𓈖𓂋𓂝𓏏𓂋𓐍𓏛𓆑m-ḥꜥ.pl =f wnn =k ḥr rḏi̯.t ḏi̯.tw n =f ꜥq,w nn rḏi̯.t rḫ =f
84 𓈖𓏏𓏏𓈖𓏏𓎡𓂋𓂝𓈖𓆑𓋴𓏏𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅱𓁷𓏤𓂋𓂝𓏏𓈖𓆑𓏏𓏐𓏒𓏥𓎆𓎛𓈎𓏏𓏊𓂧𓊃𓏌𓏤𓏤n,tt ntk rḏi̯ n =f st wn.jn =tw ḥr rḏi̯.t n =f tʾ 10 ḥ(n)q,t ds 2
85 𓂋𓂝𓎟𓇳𓂝𓂝𓋴𓏏𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓂝𓂝𓆑𓋴𓏏𓈖𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓋴𓀗𓆑𓈖𓏏𓆑rꜥ-nb ḏḏ st (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj ḏḏ =f st n ḫnms =f ntf
86 𓂝𓂝𓈖𓆑𓋴𓏏𓊢𓂝𓈖𓉔𓄿𓃀𓂻𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓈖𓋾𓉗𓊖𓀀𓈖ḏḏ n =f st ꜥḥꜥ.n hꜣb.n (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj n ḥqꜣ-ḥw,t n
87 𓇏𓏏𓈇𓎛𓌳𓄿𓏏𓍖𓈒𓏥𓈉𓁷𓏤𓁹𓏏𓅧𓅱𓏒𓏥𓈖𓈞𓏏𓁐𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓅓𓇠𓇠𓇠𓋾𓌾𓏤𓏤𓏤𓂋𓂝𓎟𓇳Sḫ,t-ḥmꜣ,t ḥr jri̯.t ꜥq,w n ḥm,t sḫ,tj pn m jt ḥqꜣ,t 3 rꜥ-nb
English
52 Then this peasant came to petition the high steward Rensi son of Meru, saying:
53 "High steward, my lord, greatest of the great, guide of what is not and of what is. If you go down
54 to the lake of what is right,
55 you will sail across it with a fair wind.
56 No gust will tear your sail away, and your boat will not lie becalmed.
57 No harm will strike the mast of your boat. Your yards
58 will not be torn down, and you will not run aground and break up on the land.
59 No wave will carry you off, and you will not taste the evil
60 of the river; you will not look on the face of terror; they come to you,
61 the shy fish, and you take your share of the fat fowl.
62 For you are the father of the orphan,
63 the husband of the widow, the brother of the woman set aside, the cloth of
64 the man who has no mother. Let me make your name in
65 this land, by every good rule: a leader free
66 of greed, a great man free
67 of meanness, one who destroys lies and makes what is right come true. Come because of
68 the voice of the one who pleads. I speak so that you may hear: do what is right, you praised one,
69 you whom the praised ones praise. Drive out my misery!
70 Look, I am weighed down. Examine me!
71 Look, I am one who has suffered loss."
72 This peasant spoke this speech in the time of the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt
73 Nebkaure, the justified. The high steward then went,
74 Rensi son of Meru, to his majesty, and he said: "My lord.
75 I have found one of these peasants, a man truly fine of speech,
76 whose goods were robbed. Look,
77 he has come to me to petition me about it."
78 Then his majesty said: "If you wish to see me safe and well, you will keep him here
79 without answering anything he says, so that he will go on talking. Say nothing!
80 Let it be brought to us in writing, and we will hear it.
81 But make sure his wife and his children have something to live on. Look, one of these peasants comes
82 only because his house is empty down to the ground. Provide for this peasant's own living too,
83 and see that food is given to him without letting him know that you are the one giving it.
84 So, you being the one to give it, he was given ten loaves of bread and two jugs of beer
85 every day. When the high steward Rensi son of Meru gave them, he gave them to his friend, and the friend
86 gave them to him. Then the high steward Rensi son of Meru sent to the estate manager of
87 the Field of Salt, to provide food for this peasant's wife: three measures of barley every day.
The Second Petition
Egyptian
88 𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓆑𓊃𓊪𓊗𓏤𓏤𓆓𓂧𓆑𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓀀𓎟𓀀𓅨𓂋𓀀𓈖𓅨𓂋𓅱𓀀𓏥jwi̯.jn r =f sḫ,tj pn r spr n =f sp 2.⟨nw⟩ ḏd =f (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr nb =(j) wr n wr.w.pl
89 𓐍𓅱𓂧𓐗𓏛𓈖𓐍𓅱𓂧𓅱𓏛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓃹𓈖𓅨𓂋𓀀𓈖𓅨𓂋𓀀𓏥𓆑𓐍𓅱𓂧𓐗𓏛𓀀𓈖ḫwd n ḫwd.w n,tj wn wr n wr.pl =f ḫwd n
90 𓐍𓅱𓂧𓅱𓐗𓏛𓀀𓏥𓆑𓈞𓅓𓅱𓊦𓈖𓊪𓏏𓇯ḫwd.w.pl =f ḥmw n p,t
91 𓊃𓅭𓄿𓅱𓆱𓈖𓇾𓈇𓏤𓆼𓄿𓇋𓇋𓂭𓂭𓍢𓀋𓂡𓅱𓂧𓈖𓏌𓅱𓍖𓏛𓏥𓈞𓅓𓅱𓊦𓅓𓋴𓃀𓈖𓂻sꜣw n tꜣ ḫꜣy fꜣi̯ wdn,w ḥmw m sbn
92 𓋴𓐟𓄿𓅱𓆱𓅓𓎼𓋴𓐟𓄿𓊊𓆼𓄿𓇋𓇋𓍢𓅓𓁹𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓂧𓅱𓂻𓏥𓎟𓀀𓅨𓂋sꜣw m gsꜣ ḫꜣy m jri̯ nwd,w nb wr
93 𓁷𓏤𓎁𓏏𓏏𓂡𓅓𓂜𓏏𓏏𓅪𓎟𓀀𓋴𓁷𓏤𓎛𓂝𓍑𓄿𓂡𓁷𓏤𓌡𓅱𓂝𓌨𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓎡𓅓𓉐𓏤𓎡ḥr jti̯.t m jw,t.t nb =s ḥr ḥꜥḏꜣ ḥr wꜥ ẖr,t =k m pr =k
94 𓎛𓈎𓏏𓏊𓉔𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏊𓏤𓎛𓈖𓂝𓏏𓏐𓏒𓏥𓏤𓏤𓏤𓊪𓏏𓂋𓆴𓊪𓈖𓈎𓏏𓂡𓎡𓅓𓋴𓋴𓐟𓄿𓏏𓀁𓏏𓍯𓄿𓅱𓀢𓀀𓏥𓎡ḥ(n)q,t hnw 1 ḥnꜥ tʾ 3 p(w)-tr pnq.t =k m ssꜣi̯.t twꜣ.w.pl =k
95 𓇋𓈖𓅓𓏏𓀐𓅓𓏏𓀐𓎛𓈖𓂝𓌨𓂋𓀀𓁐𓏥𓆑𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓎡𓂋𓊃𓀀𓏤𓈖𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳𓂜𓃛𓅱𓅪jn m(w)t m(w)t ḥnꜥ ẖr.pl =f jn jw =k r z n nḥḥ n jw
96 𓇋𓋴𓊪𓅱𓃛𓅱𓇓𓅱𓆱𓎼𓋴𓐟𓄿𓅱𓊊𓏏𓐍𓏊𓈖𓈖𓌰𓅓𓅪𓂸𓏏𓂭𓂭𓏛js pw jws,w gsꜣ.w tḫ nnm mt(j)
97 𓌳𓐙𓂝𓆀𓏛𓆣𓂋𓅓𓏏𓈖𓃀𓄡𓃟𓅓𓂝𓎡𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓏏𓅱𓐍𓂻𓋴𓌨𓂋𓎡𓈖𓈙𓏏𓂻𓅓mꜣꜥ ḫpr m tnbẖ m =k mꜣꜥ,t twḫ =s ẖr =k nš.t(j) m
98 𓊨𓏏𓉐𓋴𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀔𓀀𓏥𓁷𓏤𓁹𓏏𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓁶𓏤𓎛𓋴𓃀𓐎𓏛𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓁷𓏤𓂋𓂝𓏏𓁷𓏤𓐞𓏤s,t =s sr.w.pl ḥr jri̯.t jy,t tp-ḥsb n md,t ḥr rḏi̯.t ḥr gs
99 𓄔𓅓𓇋𓇋𓅱𓀀𓏥𓁷𓏤𓐍𓈖𓊪𓂝𓎁𓏏𓂝𓆑𓂿𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓅱𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓅓𓂝𓈎𓄿𓂭𓂭𓏛𓋴𓁷𓏤sḏm,y.w.pl ḥr ḫnp jti̯ =f sjꜣt,j pw n md,t m ꜥqꜣ =s ḥr
100 𓁹𓏏𓂋𓆑𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓂧𓅱𓂻𓇋𓅓𓋴𓂋𓂝𓊡𓅱𓁷𓏤𓎼𓄿𓏏𓎣𓅪𓁷𓏤𓇾𓈇𓏤𓋴𓂋𓆑𓅱𓂉𓀁jri̯.t r =f nwd,w jm =s rḏi̯ ṯꜣw ḥr gꜣu̯.t ḥr tꜣ srf.w
101 𓁷𓏤𓂋𓂝𓏏𓈖𓈙𓊪𓂉𓀁𓏏𓅱𓊪𓊃𓈙𓅱𓏴𓏛𓅓𓂝𓃹𓅱𓂡𓂧𓂋𓂡𓋴𓐟𓄿𓇋𓂋𓂋𓌗𓅪ḥr rḏi̯.t nšp =tw psš.w m ꜥwn.w dr sꜣjr{r}
102 𓅓𓎗𓅱𓏛𓁹𓏏𓆑𓂧𓏇𓇋𓈇𓏤𓅓𓅱𓆓𓈖𓏌𓅱𓈗𓆑𓍙𓆑𓂡𓃛𓅱𓅪𓁷𓏤m wḏ jri̯.t =f dmj m wḏn,w =f ḫsf jw ḥr
103 𓁹𓏏𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓇋𓈖𓉻𓂝𓄿𓏏𓏛𓊪𓅱𓈖𓎡jri̯.t jy,t ḏd.jn (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj jn ꜥꜣ,t pw n =k
104 𓇋𓅓𓇋𓇋𓁷𓏤𓄣𓏤𓎡𓂋𓎁𓏏𓂡𓏏𓅱𓌞𓅱𓂻𓀀𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓆼𓄿𓅱𓌽𓂝𓀀𓈖jm.y ḥr jb =k r jti̯ tw šms,w =(j) ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn ḫꜣ,w n
105 𓊢𓂝𓇤𓏛𓏥𓁷𓏤𓂿𓈖𓆑𓎔𓏛𓈖𓎡𓇋𓇋𓀀𓁷𓏤𓉔𓈎𓋴𓅪𓉔𓄿𓅱𓏛𓏥𓆑𓋴𓌫𓅓𓂻𓀀𓂋ꜥḥꜥ ḥr sjꜣṯ n =f mḥ n ky ḥr hqs hꜣw =f sšmi̯ r
106 𓉔𓊪𓅱𓏛𓏥𓁷𓏤𓎗𓅱𓏛𓂝𓍯𓄿𓏏𓂝𓈖𓅓𓂝𓇋𓂋𓆑𓍙𓆑𓂡𓆑𓃀𓅱𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓅪𓂧𓂋𓂝hp.w.pl ḥr wḏ ꜥwꜣi̯.t nm jr =f ḫsf =f bw-ḥwr,w dr
107 𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓅪𓏥𓁷𓏤𓁹𓏏𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓂧𓅱𓂻𓏥𓂝𓈎𓄿𓂭𓂭𓏛𓎡𓇋𓇋𓀀𓁷𓏤𓆼𓄿𓃀𓃀𓌳𓌳nw ḥr jri̯.t nwd.w ꜥqꜣ ky ḥr ḫꜣbb
108 𓅱𓆑𓄿𓅬𓀁𓎡𓇋𓇋𓀀𓁹𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓇋𓏏𓂋𓆴𓅠𓅓𓎡𓂋𓎡𓈖𓎡𓎛𓂝𓅪𓍙𓆑𓂡𓄫𓅱wfꜣ ky jri̯ jy,t j⟨n⟩ tr gmi̯ =k r =k n =k ḥ⟨w⟩ꜥ ḫsf ꜣw
109 𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓂻𓅱𓃀𓇋𓈞𓄑𓀁𓂋𓊨𓏏𓉐𓆑𓈖𓏏𓋴𓆑𓇳𓏤𓎗𓅱𓏛𓂋𓆑𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓁹𓂋jy,t jwi̯ bj(ꜣ) r s,t =f n.t sf wḏ r =f pw jri̯ n jrr
110 𓂋𓂋𓂝𓏏𓁹𓆑𓇼𓄿𓀢𓊹𓈖𓆑𓊪𓅱𓁷𓏤𓁹𓂋𓏏𓆑𓈖𓇋𓏏𓂢𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓊪𓅱𓁶𓏤𓂝𓏤r rḏi̯.t jri̯ =f dwꜣ nṯr n =f pw ḥr jrr.t =f nj.t ḫ,t pw tp-ꜥ
111 𓋴𓄝𓏏𓂡𓎗𓅱𓏛𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓊪𓅱𓈖𓎟𓎛𓆰𓈖𓏏𓎨𓏛𓀀𓇉𓄿𓀁𓄿𓄿𓏏𓇳𓀗𓋴𓎛𓍃𓅓𓅬𓅪𓋴sti̯.⟨t⟩ wḏ ḫ,t pw n nb-ḥn,t ḥꜣ ꜣ ꜣ,t sḥtm =s
112 𓊪𓈖𓂝𓊛𓅓𓂋𓅱𓇋𓇭𓎡𓂝𓈖𓂧𓅪𓅓𓄿𓊪𓂧𓅱𓅬𓏥𓎡𓐍𓃀𓅡𓄿𓌼𓂝pnꜥ m rwj =k ꜥnd m ꜣpd.w.pl =k ḫbꜣ
113 𓅓𓈎𓃀𓎛𓅱𓏁𓈗𓅬𓏥𓎡𓉐𓂋𓂻𓌳𓁹𓄿𓅱𓀀𓈙𓊪𓅱𓁹𓏏𓄔𓅓𓅱𓀀𓊃𓐍𓅱𓄔m qbḥ,w =k pri̯ mꜣ.w šp.w{t} sḏm.w sḫ.w
114 𓋴𓌫𓅓𓅱𓂻𓀀𓆣𓂋𓅓𓋴𓏏𓈖𓌰𓅓𓅱𓂻𓀀sšm.w ḫpr m stnm.w
115 𓂝𓈖𓃀𓂋𓅱𓎅𓏤𓇋𓈖𓏏𓂋𓆴𓊃𓈖𓃀𓂝𓈖𓎡𓁹𓂋𓎡𓂋𓎡𓇋𓂋𓆑𓂋𓅓𓂝ꜥnbr,w jn tr snb.n =k jrr =k r =k jr =f r-m
116 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓈖𓆱𓐍𓏏𓂡𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓂝𓂝𓏤𓎡𓉐𓂋𓂻m =k tw nḫt.(tj) wsr.t(j) ꜥ =k pri̯
117 𓄣𓏤𓎡𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂝𓊃𓆑𓂉𓀁𓋴𓍯𓄿𓏴𓈐𓁷𓏤𓎡𓈖𓐍𓀁𓅱𓏭jb =k ꜥwn sf swꜣ ḥr =k nḫ.wj
118 𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓅪𓀀𓋴𓎝𓎡𓇋𓇋𓅪𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏛𓎡𓈖mꜣjr ski̯.y =k twt =k n
119 𓄋𓊪𓅱𓏏𓏭𓂻𓀀𓈖𓏃𓈖𓏏𓆊𓅆𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏴𓏏𓈐[⯑]wpw,tj n Ḫnt,(j) m =k tw swꜣ.t(j) ḥr
120 𓎟𓏏𓇋𓂧𓅱𓇯𓆗𓂜𓈖𓈖𓎡𓂜𓈖𓈖𓋴𓂜𓈖𓋴𓂜𓈖𓂋𓎡Nb,t-jdw nn n =k nn n =s nn ⟨r⟩ =s nn r =k
121 𓂜𓁹𓂋𓎡𓋴𓏏𓂜𓁹𓂋𓋴𓏏𓊃𓆑𓂉𓀁𓎟𓏏𓏐𓏒𓏥𓀀𓈖𓆱𓐍𓏏𓂡𓈖n jr{r} =k st n jr{r} =s ⟨s⟩t sf nb tʾ nḫt n
122 𓐍𓈖𓂋𓍕𓀁𓀀𓏏𓏏𓀾𓏛𓅷𓄿𓅱𓏏𓂡𓏥𓈖𓂜𓏏𓅱𓅪𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓆑ḫnr t(w)t ṯꜣw.t n jw,tw ḫ,t =f
123 𓐍𓈖𓊪𓂡𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓇋𓈖𓐍𓈖𓍕𓀁𓊃𓊪𓊗𓃀𓇋𓈖𓅪𓂜𓏏𓏭𓆄𓅱𓇋𓅱𓅪ḫnp ḫ,t jn ḫnj sp bjn ⟨n⟩ jw,tj šw.jw
124 𓂜𓈖𓂋𓆑𓍿𓋴𓍞𓏛𓏏𓅱𓇋𓅓𓆑𓎛𓎛𓂻𓈖𓆑𓊪𓅱𓇋𓅱𓎡𓇓𓅱𓏏𓋴𓐟𓄿𓏏𓀁nn r =f ṯs =tw jm =f ḥḥ n =f pw jw =k swt sꜣi̯.t(j)
125 𓅓𓏏𓏐𓏒𓎡𓏏𓐍𓏏𓏊𓅓𓎛𓈎𓏏𓏊𓎡𓇋𓅱𓎡𓐍𓅱𓂧𓏏𓐗𓏛𓍱𓋳𓏛𓏥m tʾ =k tḫi̯.t(j) m ḥ(n)q,t =k jw =k ḫwd.t(j) [m] ⸮sšr.pl?
126 𓎟𓏥𓇋𓅱𓁷𓏤𓈖𓈞𓅓𓇋𓇋𓊦𓀀𓂋𓄂𓏏𓏤𓋴𓃀𓈖𓆟𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊛𓂋nb.pl jw ḥr n ḥmy r-ḥꜣ,t sbn dp,t r
127 𓌸𓂋𓂋𓀁𓋴𓇋𓅱𓇓𓏏𓈖𓅆𓅓𓏃𓈖𓏏𓂉𓉐𓇋𓅱𓈞𓅓𓅱𓊦𓂝𓎡mrr =s jw nswt m ḫnt(j) jw ḥmw [m] ꜥ =k
128 𓂋𓂝𓏏𓅱𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓅓𓉔𓄿𓅱𓏛𓏥𓎡𓄫𓅱𓄭𓂋𓅱𓀁𓀀𓅱𓂧𓈖𓍖𓈒𓏥rḏi̯.tw jy,t m-hꜣ,w =k ꜣw spr,w wdn
129 𓆑𓂧𓈎𓏴𓇋𓍱𓋴𓏏𓀁𓊪𓅱𓈖𓏏𓏭𓇋𓅓𓎡𓄿𓀁𓏏𓅱𓁹𓇋𓃀𓃙𓅱𓉐𓏤𓏥fdq jšs.t pw ((n,tj)) ((jm)) kꜣ =tw jri̯ jb,w
130 𓋴𓈖𓃀𓏛𓌸𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓏏𓈇𓏤𓎡𓅓𓂝𓎡𓂧𓏇𓇋𓈇𓏤𓎡𓍲𓈖𓏌𓅱𓆊snb mr,yt =k m =k dmj =k šn.w
131 𓂝𓈎𓄿𓂭𓂭𓏛𓈖𓄓𓄹𓎡𓏶𓅓𓂜𓎡𓏏𓈖𓌰𓅓𓅱𓂻𓏏𓍔𓄿𓅓𓅱𓆙ꜥqꜣ ns =k jmi̯ =k tnm.w tꜣm,w
132 𓊪𓅱𓈖𓊃𓀀𓏤𓂝𓏏𓄹𓇋𓅓𓆑𓅓𓆓𓂧𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓊃𓅭𓄿𓅱𓀸𓂡𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀙𓀀𓏥pw n z ꜥ,t jm =f m ḏd grg sꜣw sr.w.pl
133 𓏠𓈖𓆓𓇛𓅓𓎅𓏤𓊪𓅱𓎙𓆓𓇋𓇋𓅱𓂡𓄔𓅓𓇋𓇋𓅱𓀀𓏥𓄦𓋴𓅓𓆰𓏤𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥mnḏm pw ꜥḏ.yw sḏm,y.w.pl sm =sn
134 𓊪𓅱𓆓𓂧𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓃹𓈖𓆑𓇋𓇩𓋴𓅱𓆰𓁷𓏤𓄣𓏤𓋴𓈖𓏥𓂋𓐍𓏛𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥pw ḏd grg wn =f js.w ḥr jb =sn rḫ-ḫ,t
135 𓈖𓂋𓍿𓀀𓁐𓏥𓎟𓏏𓇋𓈖𓐍𓅓𓂜𓎡𓅓𓉔𓄿𓅱𓏛𓏥𓀀n r(m)ṯ.pl nb.t jn ḫm =k m hꜣw =j
136 𓂧𓂋𓂡𓋴𓐟𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓂡𓈖𓈗𓅪𓎟𓅓𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀𓌨𓂋dr sꜣjr-n-mw nb m =k wj ẖr
137 𓅓𓂝𓏏𓈖𓏌𓅱𓌙𓅬𓈐𓏥𓃛𓅱𓏴𓏠𓈖𓇋𓊧𓊛𓎔𓎛𓈗𓎟mtnw jw mnj mḥ nb
138 𓄞𓂧𓂝𓃀𓎼𓄿𓅱𓈗𓀀𓄡𓂧𓂋𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀𓅓𓉔𓄿𓅱𓏛𓏥šd bgꜣ,w ẖdr =k wj m hꜣw
English
88 Then this peasant came a second time to petition him, saying: "High steward, my lord, greatest of the great,
89 richest of the rich, in whom your great have one greater, richest of
90 your rich. Rudder of the sky,
91 pillar of the earth, plumb line that bears the weight: rudder, do not drift off course!
92 Pillar, do not lean; plumb line, do not sway! A great lord is
93 busy taking what has no owner, robbing the man who stands alone. Your needs are in your house:
94 one jug of beer and three loaves; and what more do you spend on filling your dependents?
95 A mortal man dies, he and all his household. Will you be a man of eternity? Is it not bad
96 when the scale has tilted and its weight has wandered from the true?
97 What is true has turned to confusion. Justice flees from you, driven out of
98 her place. The officials do evil, and the standard of speech
99 leans to one side. The judges rob as it takes away; he is the mutilator of speech, who
100 breeds crookedness in it. The giver of air brings gasping on the earth; the man who
101 breathes easy makes other people pant. The one who should divide is a plunderer; the one who should drive out misery
102 orders it done. The landing place is his flood wave; the one who should hold back evil
103 commits evil. Then the high steward Rensi son of Meru said: "Is your property, in your heart, more
104 important than being seized by my servant?" Then this peasant said: "The measurer of a grain heap shortens it for himself,
105 fills it full for another, and cheats those around him; the man who should lead by the laws
106 orders robbery. The laws command robbery—who then will punish the evildoer? The one who should drive out
107 misery breeds misery: one man is precise in his deceit, and the other
108 applauds the wrongdoer. Do you find yourself in this? The punishing is short, the wrong
109 is long. Evil comes back to the place it held yesterday; this is the rule: act for the man who acts,
110 so that he gives thanks to god for what you do. It means turning a thing aside before
111 it is shot. It means putting a matter in the hands of the lord of the matter. Oh, if only one moment would bring ruin—
112 overturning your trap, thinning out your birds,
113 cutting down your waterfowl. The man who sees turns out blind, the man who hears
114 turns out deaf, and the leader becomes a misleader.
115 Keeper, have you then really fallen over? Why do you act against yourself?
116 Look, you are strong and mighty; your arm is violent; your heart is greedy,
117 and kindness has passed you by. Pitiable is
118 the sufferer you destroy, for you are like
119 the messenger of Khenti, the crocodile. Look, you pass by
120 even the Lady of Plague: what is not for you is not for her, and what is not against her is not against you.
121 You did not do it, and she did not do it. A lord of bread should be gentle, even when power
122 belongs to the criminal. Theft fits the man who has no property, once a criminal
123 has snatched his goods; but when a man who is not destitute robs, shall he not be blamed?
124 No one blames him: it means looking out for himself. But you are sated
125 with your bread and drunk on your beer, and you are rich in everything.
126 The whole face of the helmsman is set forward, while the ship glides wherever it wants. The king
127 is in his palace hall, and the rudder is in your hand, while wrong is done all around you.
128 You let evil come close to you. Long is the petitioner's waiting, and the plumb weight
129 is torn away. 'What is that man doing there?' people will say. Be a shelter, and your embankment will hold!
130 Look, your landing place swarms with crocodiles.
131 Keep your tongue straight, so that you do not go wrong; it is a man's own limb that rots him.
132 Do not tell lies; be careful with the officials.
133 This is the winnowing basket that sifts the judges. Lying is their crop,
134 and they find it easy on the heart. You, wisest of all people—
135 is it my case that you do not know?
136 You who drive away every distress of the water: look, I have a road, and it is cut off.
137 You who bring every drowning man to land: rescue the shipwrecked!
138 Pull me out of this trouble that is in your charge."
The Third Petition
Egyptian
139 𓇋𓂋𓇥𓂋𓎡𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓆑𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏌𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆓𓂧𓆑jr.⟨j⟩ ḏr,(w) =k jwi̯.jn r =f sḫ,tj pn r spr n =f 3.nw sp ḏd =f
140 𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓀀𓎟𓀀𓈖𓏏𓎡𓂋𓂝𓇳𓏤𓅆𓎟𓊪𓏏𓇯𓎛𓈖𓂝𓍲𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏏𓀙𓀀𓏥𓎡(j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr nb =(j) ntk Rꜥ nb p,t ḥnꜥ šnw,t =k
141 𓇋𓅱𓌨𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓃀𓅱𓎟𓀀𓁐𓏥𓇋𓅓𓎡𓏇𓇋jw ẖr,t bw-nb jm =k mj
142 𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓇋𓇋𓈗𓈖𓏏𓎡𓎛𓂝𓊪𓈗𓅆𓋴𓇅𓆓𓏛𓆷𓈇𓏤𓏥𓎼𓂋𓍅𓏛nw,y ntk Ḥꜥp(j) swꜣḏ šꜣ.pl grg
143 𓇋𓄿𓅱𓏏𓈀𓈇𓏤𓏤𓏥𓐍𓃀𓅡𓄿𓏏𓌼𓂝𓏥𓍙𓆑𓂡𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂡jꜣ,wt.pl ḫbꜣ.t ḫsf ꜥwꜣi̯
144 𓈖𓆓𓐩𓏌𓀁𓁷𓏤𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓅪𓀀𓅓𓆣𓂋𓅓𓅱𓆓𓈖𓏌𓅱𓈗nḏ ḥr mꜣjr m ḫpr m wḏn,w
145 𓂋𓋴𓄭𓂋𓅱𓀁𓊃𓅭𓄿𓅱𓀸𓂡𓏏𓎡𓈖𓂻𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳r spr.w sꜣw tkn nḥḥ
146 𓌸𓂋𓀁𓎝𓎛𓏛𓏇𓇋𓆓𓂧𓊡𓅱𓊪𓅱𓈖𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉𓁹𓏏𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛mri̯ wꜣḥ mj ḏd ṯꜣw pw n fnd jri̯.t mꜣꜥ,t
147 𓁹𓐍𓋴𓆑𓏏𓍙𓆑𓂋𓍙𓆑𓅱𓂡𓈖𓆑𓂜𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏒𓏛𓏏𓅱𓂋𓁶𓏤𓐎𓏛𓎡jri̯ ḫsf,t r ḫsf.w n =f nn sn =tw r tp-ḥsb =k
148 𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓃛𓅱𓇓𓅱𓆱𓈖𓈖𓌰𓅓𓅪𓆑𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱jn jw jws,w nnm =f jn jw
149 𓅓𓂝𓆼𓄿𓏏𓍸𓆱𓁷𓏤𓂋𓂝𓏏𓁷𓏤𓐞𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓂋𓆑𓅝𓏏𓏭𓅆mḫꜣ,t ḥr rḏi̯.t ḥr gs jn jw r =f Ḏḥwtj
150 𓊃𓆑𓈖𓂉𓀁𓆑𓇋𓐍𓁹𓎡𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓂋𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏤𓏤𓏌𓈖sfn =f jḫ jri̯ =k jy,t ⸢rḏi̯⸣ =k tw ⟨m⟩ 2.nw n
151 𓏤𓏤𓏤𓊪𓈖𓇋𓂋𓋴𓆑𓈖𓂉𓀁𓏤𓏤𓏤𓐍𓂋𓎡𓋴𓆑𓈖𓂉𓀁𓎡𓅓3 pn jr sfn 3 ḫr =k sfn =k m
152 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓅓𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅪𓅓𓂋𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅓𓊨𓏏𓉐𓎡𓏏wšb nfr,t m bjn,t m rḏi̯ k.t m s,t k.t
153 𓂋𓂧𓅱𓇝𓏛𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓂋𓋴𓈖𓌰𓅓𓇋𓇋𓏏𓆰𓏤𓏥𓂋𓂧𓏇𓇋rd.w md,t r snm,yt r dmj
154 𓈖𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓂉𓀁𓅓𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁𓋴𓈖𓏏𓆑𓈗𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓂻n ḫnm m wšb =s ntf jy,t
155 𓂋𓂋𓂝𓏏𓂋𓂧𓇝𓏛𓎛𓃀𓋴𓅱𓋳𓏤𓏥𓋴𓊪𓅱𓊗𓏤𓏤𓏤r rḏi̯.t rd ḥbs,w sp.w 3
156 𓊪𓅱𓂋𓂋𓂝𓏏𓁹𓆑𓁹𓂋𓎡𓈞𓅓𓅱𓊦𓂋𓈖𓂧𓃀𓇋𓇋𓏏𓋳pw r rḏi̯.t jri̯ =f jri̯ r =k ḥmw r ndb,yt
157 𓄞𓂧𓂝𓅱𓆓𓈖𓏌𓅱𓈗𓂋𓁹𓏏[⯑]𓊃𓅭𓄿𓅱𓀸𓂡šdi̯ wḏn,w r jri̯.t mꜣꜥ,[t] sꜣw
158 𓇉𓄿𓊛𓎡𓂋𓎡𓁷𓏤𓄤𓆑𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓍢𓏤[⯑]𓈖𓏏𓇾𓈇𓏤ḥꜣ =k r =k ḥr nfry,t ꜥqꜣ,yt n.t tꜣ
159 𓁹𓏏𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓅱𓏛𓅓𓆓𓂧𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓇋𓅱𓎡𓅨𓂋𓏏𓅓𓇋𓇩𓊃𓆰jri̯.t mꜣꜥ,t{w} m ḏd grg jw =k wr.t(j) m js
160 𓇋𓅱𓎡𓂧𓈖𓋴𓏏𓍖𓏛𓅓𓆓𓂧𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓈖𓏏𓎡𓃛𓅱𓇓𓅱𓆱jw =k dns.t(j) m ḏd grg ntk jws,w
161 𓅓𓏏𓈖𓃀𓄡𓅱𓃟𓈖𓏏𓎡𓁶𓏤𓐎𓏛𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅓𓁶𓏤𓌡𓂝𓏤m tnbẖ.w ntk tp-ḥsb m =k tw m tp wꜥ
162 𓎛𓈖𓂝𓃛𓅱𓋴𓅱𓆱𓇋𓂋𓎼𓄿𓋴𓐟𓊊𓆑𓐍𓂋𓎡ḥnꜥ jws,w jr gꜣsꜣ =f ḫr =k
163 𓎼𓅱𓋴𓐟𓄿𓊊𓎡𓅓𓋴𓃀𓈖𓂻𓁹𓂋𓎡𓈞𓅓𓅱𓊦𓄞𓂧𓂡gwsꜣ =k m sbn jri̯ r =k ḥmw šdi̯
164 𓁷𓏤𓄤𓆑𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓍢𓏤𓅓𓎁𓏏𓂡𓁹𓂋𓎡𓂋𓎁𓏏𓅱𓂡𓀀ḥr nfry,t m jti̯ jri̯ r =k r jt,w
165 𓂜𓅨𓂋𓇋𓋴𓊪𓅱𓅨𓂋𓇋𓅓𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂝𓄣𓏤𓏏𓐍𓍠𓊪𓅱n wr js pw wr jm ꜥwn jb tḫ pw
166 𓈖𓄓𓋴𓄹𓎡𓂧𓃀𓈖𓄲𓊌𓊪𓅱𓄣𓏤𓎡𓂋𓏠𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏛𓆑𓊪𓅱𓋴𓊪𓏏𓂎𓎡𓏭ns =k dbn pw jb =k rmn.w =f pw sp,t =kj
167 𓇋𓂋𓎛𓃀𓋳𓎡𓁷𓏤𓎡𓂋𓈖𓆱𓐍𓏏𓏤𓂡𓁷𓏤jr ḥb⟨s⟩ =k ḥr =k r nḫt ḥr
168 𓈖𓅓𓂝𓇋𓂋𓆑𓍙𓆑𓂡𓆑𓃀𓅱𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓅪𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅓n-m jr =f ḫsf =f bw-ḥwr,w m =k tw m
169 𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓅪𓀀𓈖𓅺𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂝𓄣𓏤𓁷𓏤𓌉𓆓𓏏𓏴ḥwr,w n rḫt,j ꜥwn jb ḥr ḥḏi̯.t
170 𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓋴𓀙𓃀𓍔𓏏𓈖𓂡𓅓𓂝𓎛𓆰𓈖𓎡𓀀𓆑𓈖𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢𓀀𓆑ḫnms btꜣ{n} mḥnk =f n twꜣ =f
171 𓌢𓈖𓀀𓆑𓊪𓅱𓇍𓇋𓇋𓂻𓏎𓈖𓈖𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱sn =f pw jyi̯.y jni̯ n =f m =k tw ⟨m⟩
172 𓅓𓂝𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓊛𓀀𓍑𓄿𓏴𓊛𓎟𓉔𓅓𓏏𓏛𓀀𓂝𓈎𓄿𓇋𓇋𓂭𓂭𓏛mẖn,tj ḏꜣi̯ nb hm,t ꜥqꜣ.y
173 𓂝𓈎𓄿𓂭𓂭𓏛𓆑𓆑𓂧𓈎𓅱𓏴𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅓𓁷𓂋𓇯𓍲𓈖𓂝𓅱𓍁𓉐ꜥqꜣ =f fdq.w m =k tw m ḥr,(j)-šnꜥ,w
174 𓂜𓂋𓂝𓈖𓆑𓋴𓍯𓄿𓏴𓈐𓆄𓅱𓅪𓀀𓁷𓏤𓂝𓏤𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱n rḏi̯.n =f swꜣ šw ḥr-ꜥ m =k tw ⟨m⟩
175 𓍿𓈖𓁷𓂋𓏊𓅬𓈖𓂋𓐍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅚𓀀𓁐𓏥𓋹𓈖𓐍𓅓𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓅪𓏥𓏌𓏤ṯnḥr n rḫ,yt ꜥnḫ m ḥwr,w.pl n.w
176 𓄿𓊪𓂧𓅱𓅬𓏥𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏊𓅱𓀀𓂋𓈙𓂉𓀁𓆑𓊪𓅱𓂋𓐍𓋴𓌪𓂝ꜣpd.w.pl m =k tw ⟨m⟩ wdp,w ršu̯ =f pw rḫs
177 𓂜𓈖𓇋𓄿𓏏𓅂𓂿𓇋𓂋𓏭𓂋𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅓𓀸𓅱𓀀𓂜𓈋𓅱𓅪𓋴𓇋𓋴nn jꜣtjw jr,j r =f m =k tw m mnj,w n ḏwi̯ =s js
178 𓂋𓀀𓂜𓇋𓊪𓏛𓈖𓎡𓇋𓐍𓏛𓁹𓎡𓈖𓉔𓅱𓅪𓅓𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆊r =j n jp.n =k jḫ jri̯ =k nh,w m msḥ
179 𓋴𓎡𓈖𓆊𓇋𓃀𓃙𓅱𓉐𓏥𓏏𓈙𓂾𓂻𓂋𓂧𓏇𓇋𓈇𓏤𓈖𓇾𓈇𓏤𓂋𓇥𓂋𓆑skn jb,w tši̯ r dmj n tꜣ r-ḏr =f
180 𓄔𓅓𓅱𓂜𓄿𓄔𓅓𓈖𓎡𓍃𓅓𓎡𓏏𓂋𓆴𓄔𓅓𓁷𓏤𓅓𓂝𓇋𓅱𓏇𓈖𓇳sḏm.w n ꜣ sḏm.n =k tm =k tr sḏm ḥr-m jw mjn
181 𓄿𓍙𓆑𓂡𓈖𓀀𓄿𓂧𓅱𓆊𓇋𓅱𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆊𓆱𓐍𓏏𓂻𓆑𓊪𓏏𓂋𓆴𓂋𓆑ꜣ ḫsf.n =j ꜣd,w jw msḥ ḫti̯ =f ptr r =f
182 𓆎𓅓𓏛𓇋𓂋𓏭𓈖𓎡𓅠𓅓𓏏𓅱𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀢𓏛𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓂋𓂝𓏏𓐟𓏤km jr,j n =k gmi̯.tw jmn,w mꜣꜥ,t rḏi̯.t(w) sꜣ
183 𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓂋𓇾𓈇𓏤𓅓𓎼𓂋𓍅𓏛𓇼𓄿𓇳𓂜𓇍𓇋𓏏𓂻𓆑𓂜grg r tꜣ m grg dwꜣ n jyi̯.t =f n
184 𓂋𓐍𓏛𓈖𓏏𓅱𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓇋𓅓𓆑𓇋𓋴𓏏𓂋𓆑𓆓𓂧𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁rḫ.n.tw jy,t jm =f jst r =f ḏd.n sḫ,tj pn md,t
185 𓏏𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓂋𓊪𓎼𓄿𓂘𓈖𓂝𓂋𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓉐tn ⟨n⟩ (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w sꜣ Rnsj r pgꜣ n ꜥrr,yt
186 𓊢𓂝𓈖𓂋𓂝𓈖𓆑𓊢𓂝𓂻𓏶𓎃𓀀𓏤𓏤𓂋𓆑𓌨𓂋𓋴𓏇𓇋𓅱𓄛𓏤𓏥𓊢𓂝𓈖[⯑]𓋴𓈖𓏥ꜥḥꜥ.n rḏi̯.n =f ꜥḥꜥ jm,(j)-sꜣ 2 r =f ẖr smj.w.pl ꜥḥꜥ.n ꜥꜣg.⟨n⟩ =sn
187 𓂝𓏏𓄹𓆑𓎟𓏏𓇋𓅓𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓅭𓀀𓌸𓂋𓅱𓀀ꜥ,t =f nb.t jm ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn sꜣ Mr,w
188 𓏏𓈖𓌰𓅓𓂻𓐍𓂋𓆑𓁷𓏤𓆑𓈙𓊪𓁹𓂋𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄿𓏏𓆑𓊃𓐍𓄔𓂋𓄔𓅓𓏏𓆑tnm.ḫr =f ḥr =f šp r mꜣꜣ.t =f sḫ r sḏm.t =f
189 𓏏𓉔𓂾𓂻𓄣𓏤𓁷𓏤𓋴𓆼𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏏𓀁𓈖𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅓𓊖𓏏𓏤thi̯ jb ḥr sḫꜣ.y.t n =f m =k tw m nʾ,t
190 𓂜𓈖𓋾𓉗𓏏𓊖𓀀𓋴𓏇𓇋𓄡𓏏𓏤𓀀𓁐𓏥𓂜𓈖𓅨𓂋𓀀𓋴𓏇𓇋𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊛nn ḥqꜣ-ḥw,t =s mj ẖ,t nn wr =s mj dp,t
191 𓂜𓈖𓋴𓐍𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏛𓀀𓇋𓅓𓋴𓄥𓅓𓇋𓇋𓏏𓂡𓀀𓏥𓂜𓈖𓋴𓌫𓅓𓅱𓂻𓀀𓋴nn sḫry jm ⟨mj⟩ smꜣy,t nn sšm,w =s
192 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅓𓍢𓏏𓂝𓇋𓅷𓄿𓂡𓀀𓋾𓉗𓏏𓊖𓀀𓊏𓊪𓅱𓂝m =k tw m šnt jṯꜣ ḥqꜣ-ḥw,t šsp.w
193 𓅓𓂋𓅱𓈇𓏤𓀀𓍙𓆑𓂡𓎛𓂝𓍑𓄿𓂡𓆣𓂋𓅓𓏶𓅓𓄂𓏏𓏤𓈖𓁹𓂋𓀀(j)m,(j)-rʾ-w ḫsf ḥꜥḏꜣ ḫpr m jm,(j)-ḥꜣ,t n jrr
English
139 Then this peasant came to petition him a third time, saying:
140 "High steward, my lord, you are Ra, lord of the sky, with your court around you.
141 Everything everyone needs is with you, as with the flood.
142 You are Hapy, who makes the fields grow green and founds
143 the mounds that were cut away. You who punish the robber and guard the wretched:
144 do not become a flood
145 against the petitioner. Take care: eternity is drawing near!
146 Desire to endure, as the saying goes: doing what is right is the breath of the nose.
147 Hand out punishment to the one who must be punished, and no one will come up to your standard.
148 Does the hand scale swerve? Does the standing scale tip to one side?
149 Is Thoth ever gentle? Then you would be doing
150 wrong, and you would make yourself the second of
151 these three. If the three are gentle, then you too must be gentle.
152 Do not answer good with evil, and do not put one thing in the place of another.
153 Speech grows faster than the senemyt vine, to touch the friendly nose with its answer; evil is watered,
154 watered by its own answer, so that its covering
155 grows—three times over, this much and more—
156 and all this to make a man act. So take the rudder in hand, and steer by the wind cord.
157 Ward off the flood wave, to do what is right; take care that
158 you do not run aground on the rudder rope. The straightness of the land
159 is doing what is right. Do not speak a lie; you are great—do not be careless.
160 You are weighty. Do not speak a lie: you are the hand scale.
161 Do not waver. You are the standard; you are one with
162 the scale: if it tilts, you tilt.
163 Do not drift away; take the rudder
164 by its rope. Do not steal—act against the thief!
165 A great man is not great when he is greedy. The plumb weight
166 is your tongue; your heart is the weight, and your two lips are its arms.
167 If you hide your face from the strong, who then will
168 hold back evil? Look, you are a wretched washerman, greedy—you are
169 one who destroys friendship, a man who abandons
170 his devoted friend for the sake of his client: his brother
171 is only the one who comes bringing him something. Look, you are
172 a ferryman who ferries only the man with his fare; the honest man's honesty
173 is cut to pieces. Look, you are a keeper of the storehouse
174 who will not let a destitute man pass at once. Look, you are
175 a falcon of the commons, living off the weakest birds. Look, you are
176 a carver at the table whose joy is in cutting up,
177 though the mutilation never touches him. Look, you are a shepherd: is it not bad
178 for me? Because you do not examine, you bring loss by the crocodile.
179 The shelter is ravenous, and it is far from the landing place of the whole land.
180 You are the one who must listen, and you do not listen. Why is it that you will not hear today?
181 If I did hold back the furious one, does the crocodile turn back? What good does that do you?
182 When what is hidden is found out, then falsehood will be thrown on its back.
183 Do not plan for tomorrow before it comes.
184 One does not know what evil is in it. So this peasant spoke this speech
185 to the high steward Rensi son of Meru, at the entrance of the gatehouse.
186 Then he had two watchmen rise up against him with whips, and they beat
187 every limb of his body with them. Then this peasant said: "Son of Meru, you are going astray: your face
188 is blind to what you see, deaf to what you hear, and straying from what you are reminded of.
189 Look, you are a city with no one to govern it,
190 a body with no chief in it, a ship
191 with no captain, a troop with no leader.
192 Look, you are a policeman who steals, an estate manager who takes
193 bribes—a district administrator who should be fighting robbery, but has become a model for the wrongdoer."
The Fourth Petition
Egyptian
194 𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓆑𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏌𓊃𓊪𓊗𓅠𓅓𓈖𓇓𓅱𓁷𓏤jwi̯.jn r =f sḫ,tj pn r spr n =f 4.nw sp gmi̯.n =⟨f⟩ sw ḥr
195 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓋴𓃀𓇼𓄿𓉐𓈖𓊹𓉗𓏏𓉐𓈖𓏏𓁷𓂋𓇯𓈙𓈇𓆑𓅆pri̯.t m sbꜣ n ḥw,t-nṯr n.t Ḥr,(j)-š≡f
196 𓆓𓂧𓆑𓎛𓎿𓊃𓅱𓀁𓎛𓎿𓊃𓀁𓏏𓅱𓁷𓂋𓇯𓈙𓈇𓆑𓅆𓇍𓇋𓂻𓈖𓎡ḏd =f ḥs,w ḥsi̯ tw Ḥr,(j)-š≡f jyi̯.n =k
197 𓅓𓉐𓆑𓌉𓆓𓏴𓃀𓅱𓄤𓆑𓂋𓂜𓈖𓂝𓃀𓏏𓄏𓏛𓆑𓊪𓏏𓐍𓂻𓐟𓏤𓈖m pr =f ḥḏi̯ bw-nfr nn ꜥb.t =f ptḫ sꜣ n
198 𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓏥𓂋𓇾𓈇𓏤𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓏏𓄿𓅓𓂝𓄚𓈖𓏏𓊛𓋴grg r tꜣ jn jw tꜣ mẖn,t ={s} ⟨sꜥq.t(j)⟩
199 𓍑𓄿𓏴𓊛𓏏𓅱𓇋𓂋𓆑𓅓𓂝𓊃𓆣𓂋𓊃𓊪𓊗𓅓𓄟𓊃𓂧𓂧𓀁[⯑]ḏꜣi̯ =tw jr =f ⟨m⟩-m sḫpr sp m ⸢msdd⸣ [ḏ]ꜣi̯.t
200 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈘𓅓𓐟𓏤𓏏𓃀𓅱𓏏𓏭𓋸𓋸𓍑𓄿𓏏𓏴𓊛𓄤𓆑𓂋𓂜𓈖jtr,w m-sꜣ tbw,tj ḏꜣi̯.t nfr nn
201 𓈖𓅓𓈖𓏏𓂋𓆴𓋴𓇥𓂋𓁀𓂋𓊏𓊪𓇳𓏤𓌉𓆓𓏴𓈝𓅓𓏏𓂻𓅓n-m tr sḏr r sšp ḥḏi̯ šmi̯.t m
202 𓎼𓂋𓎛⯑𓊄𓃀𓏭𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤𓂋𓂝𓏏𓊢𓂝𓂻𓊃𓀀𓏤𓂋grḥ sbi̯.j m hrw rḏi̯.t ꜥḥꜥ s r
203 𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆑𓄤𓆑𓂋𓈖𓃹𓈖𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓅓𓂝𓎡𓂜𓈖𓆎𓅓𓏛𓈖𓆓𓂧sp =f nfr n-wn-mꜣꜥ,{t} m =k nn km n ḏd
204 𓈖𓎡𓋴𓏏𓋴𓆑𓂉𓀁𓋴𓍯𓄿𓏴𓈐𓁷𓂋𓏤𓎡𓈖𓐍𓀁𓅱𓏭𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓅪𓀀n =k st sf swꜣ ḥr =k nḫ.wj mꜣjr
205 𓋴𓎝𓎡𓇋𓇋𓅪𓎡𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅓𓎔𓎛𓅱𓊛𓆟𓀀ski̯.y =k m =k tw m mḥ,w
206 𓇋𓂝𓈗𓄣𓏤𓆑𓅱𓂧𓂧𓏴𓂋𓁹𓏏𓌸𓂋𓏏𓀁𓆑𓆼𓄿𓂝𓂡𓂧𓃀𓅱𓃯𓏥jꜥi̯ jb =f wdd r jri̯.t mri̯.t =f ḫꜣꜥ db.w.pl
207 𓋴𓄝𓏏𓂝𓋴𓌳𓄿𓅓𓅱𓃓𓏥𓄖𓂻𓂋𓅓𓅱𓆟𓏥𓊃𓐍𓏏𓌦𓂝sti̯ smꜣm.w.pl pḥ rm.w.pl sḫt
208 𓄿𓊪𓂧𓅱𓅬𓏥𓂜𓈖𓆼𓄿𓐍𓂻𓂋𓏤𓀀𓆄𓅱𓅪𓅓𓅱𓂝𓂋𓅱𓂾𓀁ꜣpd.w.pl nn ḫꜣḫ-rʾ šwi̯ m wꜥr,w
209 𓂜𓈖𓇋𓇩𓊃𓆰𓄣𓏤𓀀𓂧𓈖𓋴𓍖𓏛𓊃𓐍𓂋𓏛𓄡𓏏𓏤𓍯𓄿𓎛𓎝𓏛nn js-jb dns sḫr ẖ,t wꜣḥ
210 𓄣𓏤𓎡𓂋𓐍𓏛𓎡𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓂧𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓂝𓍉𓏏𓏛𓎡𓂋jb =k rḫ =k mꜣꜥ,t dꜣjr stp.t =k r
211 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓃀𓋴𓋴𓆟𓂻𓎼𓂋𓅱𓀁𓀀𓂜𓈖𓊃𓄡𓅓𓅱𓂻𓀀nfr bss gr.w nn sẖm,w
212 𓅓𓂝𓆓𓂧𓐥𓂝𓃀𓅱𓇋𓈎𓂋𓏛𓂜𓈖𓃹𓈖𓐍𓆼𓄿𓐍𓂻𓄣𓏤𓀀mḏd bw-jqr nn-wn ḫꜣḫ-jb
213 𓏎𓈖𓏏𓅱𓂝𓊃𓅠𓅓𓎛𓁹𓁹𓁹𓋴𓅱𓍑𓄿𓏛𓏏𓅱𓄣𓏤𓅓𓎡𓄿𓉔𓋴𓅱𓀁jni̯.tw ꜥ sgmḥ jr,t.du swḏꜣ.tw jb m kꜣhs.w
214 𓐍𓏏𓆑𓄊𓋴𓂋𓂝𓎡𓍃𓅓𓄭𓂋𓂻𓃀𓅱𓈋𓅱𓅪𓂋𓎡ḫft wsr =k tm spr bw-ḏw r =k
215 𓊃𓍯𓄿𓏴𓈐𓁷𓏤𓊃𓊪𓊗𓇋𓅱𓆑𓂋𓌢𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏤𓏤𓇋𓈖𓏶𓀁𓀀𓂧𓊪𓄓𓀁swꜣ ḥr sp jw =f r sn.w jn wnm dp
216 𓇋𓅱𓅱𓄞𓂧𓅱𓀁𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁𓆑𓇋𓈖𓊃𓇥𓂋𓂋𓅱𓁀𓀀𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄿jw wšd.w wšb =f jn sḏr,w mꜣꜣ
217 𓂋𓋴𓅱𓏏𓌘𓁹𓇋𓂋𓅱𓆓𓂝𓐣𓏛𓂋𓅱𓏏𓇯𓅓rs,wt jr wḏꜥ rw,t m
218 𓍙𓆑𓅱𓂡𓈖𓆑𓇋𓅱𓆑𓅓𓏶𓅓𓄂𓏏𓏤𓈖𓁹𓂋𓀀𓅱𓆼𓄿𓅪𓀀ḫsf.w n =f jw =f m jm,(j)-ḥꜣ,t n jrr wḫꜣ
219 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓊪𓎛𓏏𓄖𓂻𓐍𓅓𓂜𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓀀𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱m =k tw pḥ.t(j) ḫm-ḫ,t m =k tw
220 𓅱𓄞𓂧𓀀𓏏𓊪𓈖𓈎𓂝𓀀𓈗𓇋𓇋𓈗𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅧𓈎𓏏𓂻wšd.t(j) pnq mw,y m =k tw ꜥq.t(j)
221 𓈞𓅓𓇋𓇋𓊦𓀀𓅓𓋴𓃀𓈖𓆟𓂻𓂧𓊪𓅱𓏏𓊛𓎡𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓅱𓀀ḥmy m sbn dp,wt =k sꜥnḫ,w
222 𓅓𓂋𓂝𓅓𓏏𓀏𓏏𓅱𓋴𓎛𓍃𓅓𓅱𓅯𓅪𓀀𓅓𓂋𓂝m-rḏi̯ m(w)t =tw sḥtm,w m-rḏi̯
223 𓎛𓍃𓅓𓅯𓅪𓏏𓅱𓆄𓅱𓇋𓇋𓏏𓇳𓏤𓅓𓁹𓅓𓆄𓅱𓇳𓃀𓇋𓃙𓅱𓉐𓏥ḥtm =tw šw,yt m jri̯ m šw {b}jb,w
224 𓅓𓂋𓂝𓎁𓏏𓂝𓆊𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏌𓊃𓊪𓊗𓄿𓅓𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓎡m-rḏi̯ jti̯ msḥ 4.nw sp ꜣ m spr n =k
English
194 Then this peasant came to petition him a fourth time, and found him
195 coming out of the gate of the temple of Harsaphes. He said:
196 "Favored one, may Harsaphes favor you, you who have come
197 from his house! Good is destroyed, for it no longer has its followers, and thrown down with it
198 is the casting of falsehood on its back. Is this ferry hauled up on land?
199 How then is anyone to cross, when crossing has been turned into a thing men hate?
200 Crossing the river on foot, in one's sandals—is that a good crossing?
201 No. Who sleeps on until daylight? Destroyed is going by night,
202 destroyed is going by day, destroyed is letting a man stand up
203 for his truly good cause. Look, there is no finish to telling you:
204 kindness has passed you by; pitiable is the sufferer
205 whom you destroy. Look, you are a hunter of the marshes,
206 a man who satisfies his heart, set on doing whatever he wishes: he spears the hippopotamuses,
207 he shoots the wild bulls, he snatches the fish, he traps
208 the birds. There is no man hasty of mouth who is free of haste.
209 There is no hasty-hearted man who is weighty in his plans. Be attentive, that you may know
210 what is right; bridle what you have chosen, so that it may go well with the man who rises quietly.
211 It goes well with the quiet man who enters in; there is none who storms in and succeeds.
212 Yet no man is impatient when help is needed.
213 Let the arm be brought; let your eyes see; let the heart be told. Do not be harsh
214 in the measure of your power, so that evil does not reach you.
215 Let one case go by, and it becomes two. It is the eater who tastes;
216 it is the one who is addressed who answers; it is the sleeper who dreams.
217 The judge who should punish him has instead become a model
218 for the wrongdoer, and he must answer for it. Fool:
219 look, you are caught! Ignorant one, look, you are being questioned!
220 You who draw the water: look, you are the one swept in!
221 Helmsman, do not let your boat drift! Giver of life, do not let people die!
222 Destroyer of evil, do not let people be destroyed!
223 Shadow, do not blaze like the sun! Shelter, do not let
224 the crocodile seize me. This is the fourth time I have come petitioning you."
The Fifth Petition
Egyptian
225 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓅨𓂋𓈙𓇳𓀀𓂋𓆑𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋jn r =f wrš =j r =f jwi̯.jn r =f sḫ,tj pn r
226 𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓆑𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏌𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆓𓂧𓆑𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓎟𓀀𓀀𓇋𓅱spr n =f 5.nw sp ḏd =f (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr nb =j jw
227 𓐍𓂝𓅱𓂧𓅱𓂝𓀀[⯑] […] [⯑]ḫwd,w ḥr […] [__]y,w
228 𓁷𓏤𓋴𓌳𓄿𓅓𓌪𓂝𓇍𓇋𓇋𓂻𓆟𓋴𓄝𓂝𓂋𓅓𓅱𓆟𓏥𓀀ḥr smꜣm jy sti̯-rm.w.pl
229 𓁷𓏤𓆼𓄿𓐍𓂝𓂝𓅱𓃀𓃀𓅱𓆟𓏥𓍑𓄿𓃀𓎛𓅱𓂝𓀀ḥr ḫꜣ{ḫ}ꜥ wbb.w.pl ḏꜣbḥ,w
230 𓂋𓅯𓄿𓈎𓂋𓅱𓆟𓏥𓇋𓅱𓊠𓂝𓆟𓏥𓀀𓐍𓃀𓅡𓌼𓂝𓆑𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈘r pꜣqr.w.pl jw wḥꜥ ḫbꜣ =f jtr,w
231 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓅓𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏛𓇋𓂋𓏭𓅓𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂝𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓅪𓀀m =k tw m mn,t jr,j m ꜥwn ḥwr,w
232 𓁷𓏤𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓆑𓆑𓈖𓅪𓂋𓐍𓏛𓈖𓎡𓇓𓅱𓊡𓅱𓊪𓅱𓈖ḥr ḫ,t =f fn rḫ.n =k sw ṯꜣw pw n
233 𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓅪𓀀𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓆑𓂧𓃀𓃀𓂝𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉𓆑𓊪𓅱𓈖𓈞𓅓𓂝mꜣjr ḫ,t =f dbb fnd =f pw nḥm
234 𓋴𓏏𓂋𓂝𓈖𓏏𓅱𓎡𓂋𓄔𓅓𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓂋𓅱𓆓𓂝𓐣𓏛𓌢𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀀𓏤𓏤st rḏi̯.n.tw =k r sḏm md,t r wḏꜥ sn.wj
235 𓂋𓍙𓆑𓂡𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂝𓁹𓂋𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀋𓂝𓊪𓅱𓈖𓇋𓅷𓄿𓂡𓀀r ḫsf ꜥwꜣi̯ jr{r} =f m =k ⸮fꜣi̯? pw n jṯꜣ
236 𓁹𓂋𓇋𓇋𓎡𓇋𓅱𓎔𓏛𓏏𓅱𓄣𓏤𓇋𓅓𓎡𓇋𓅱𓎡jr{r}.y =k jw mḥ.tw jb jm =k jw =k
237 𓆣𓂋𓏏𓅓𓏏𓉔𓅱𓂾𓂻𓀀𓂋𓂝𓈖𓏏𓎡𓂋𓂧𓈖𓇋𓏏𓍸𓈇𓏤ḫpr.t(j) m th,w rḏi̯.n.t(w) =k r dnj,t
238 𓈖𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓅪𓀀𓊃𓅭𓄿𓅱𓀸𓂡𓎔𓎛𓈗𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱n mꜣjr sꜣw mḥi̯ =f m =k tw
English
225 Am I to spend the whole day at this? Then this peasant came
226 to petition him a fifth time, and said: "High steward, my lord, the hand-net fisher
227 is after the […] fish,
228 the jy fish is slaughtered; the fish-spearer
229 harpoons the webeb fish; the djebeh-net fisher
230 is after the paqer fish, and the wehaa fisher carves up the river.
231 Look, you are just like them. Do not rob a wretched man of his property,
232 for he is weak, and you know him; his property is the breath of the
233 sufferer, and to steal it is to stop up his nose.
234 You were appointed to hear a case, to judge between two parties,
235 to punish a robber when he robs. But look, what you have done is to hold the thief up.
236 You are trusted, and you have become a criminal.
237 You were set up as the dike for the wretched man.
238 Beware lest he drown! Look, you are his lake, and you are the one sweeping him away."
The Sixth Petition
Egyptian
239 𓅓𓈙𓈇𓆑𓋴𓏏𓄝𓄿𓅱𓍬𓂻𓀀𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀m š =f stꜣ,w jwi̯.jn r =f sḫ,tj
240 𓊪𓈖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓆑𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏌𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆓𓂧𓆑𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓎟𓀀𓀀pn r spr n =f 6.nw sp ḏd =f (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr nb =j
241 𓎟𓋴𓇋𓊃𓅪𓆑𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓋴𓆣𓂋𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓋴𓆣𓂋nb sjs =f grg sḫpr mꜣꜥ,t sḫpr
242 𓃀𓅱𓎟𓄤𓆑𓂋𓋴𓎛𓍃𓅓𓅬𓅪𓃀𓅱𓏇𓇋𓂻𓅱𓋴𓐟𓄿𓅱𓀁bw-nb-nfr sḥtm bw ⟨⸮ḏw?⟩ mj jwi̯ sꜣw
243 𓇥𓂋𓂡𓆑𓎛𓈎𓂋𓅪𓎛𓃀𓋴𓅱𓋳𓏥𓇥𓂋𓂡𓆑𓇉𓄿𓅱𓏏𓋳ḏr =f ḥqr ḥbs,w ḏr =f ḥꜣ,wt
244 𓏇𓇋𓊵𓏏𓊪𓊪𓏏𓇯𓂋𓐟𓏤𓆓𓂧𓂝𓊡mj ḥtp p,t r-sꜣ ḏ{d}ꜥ
245 𓈎𓄿𓀠𓊃𓈙𓅓𓅓𓊮𓋴𓎛𓎿𓋴𓅱𓊡𓀀𓏥𓎟qꜣi̯ sšmm =s ḥs,w.pl nb
246 𓏇𓇋𓐍𓏏𓊮𓊪𓊃𓆑𓏏𓊮𓇅𓆓𓅱𓏏𓏛𓏥𓏇𓇋mj ḫ,t psf.t wꜣḏ,wt mj
247 𓈗𓂝𓐍𓅓𓈗𓇋𓃀𓃙𓏏𓀁𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄿𓅓mw ꜥḫm jb,t mꜣꜣ m
248 𓁷𓂋𓏤𓎡𓊪𓊃𓈙𓅱𓏴𓏛𓏥𓀀𓅓𓂝𓃹𓈖𓏌𓅱𓂡ḥr =k psš,w m ꜥwn,w
249 𓊃𓉔𓂋𓂋𓏛𓀀𓅓𓁹𓄿𓉔𓅱𓅪𓀀𓋴𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏛shrr m jri̯ ꜣh,w stwt
250 𓅓𓁹𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅪𓏥𓇋𓅱𓋴𓇋𓄿𓏏𓂿m jri̯ mn,t jw sjꜣt
251 𓊃𓈙𓂋𓂋𓅪𓆑𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓎔𓏛𓄤𓆑𓂋𓂜𓉔𓈎𓋴𓅪sšrr =f mꜣꜥ,t mḥ nfr n hqs
252 𓂜𓅱𓃀𓈖𓇳𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓇋𓂋𓏎𓈖𓎡𓇋𓅓𓐛𓂝𓈖𓌢𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀀𓎡n wbn mꜣꜥ,t jr jni̯ =k jmi̯ n sn,w =k
253 𓅱𓎼𓇋𓇋𓏏𓄑𓀁𓆄𓅱𓏏𓅪𓅓𓂝𓈎𓄿𓂭𓂭𓏛wg,yt šwi̯.t(j) m ꜥqꜣ
254 𓇋𓅱𓄿𓉔𓅱𓅪𓀀𓋴𓌫𓅓𓂻𓆑𓂋𓃛𓅱𓂧𓏏𓂻jw ꜣh,w sšm =f r jwd,t
255 𓇋𓅱𓏎𓈖𓈖𓆑𓂋𓅱𓅱𓏏𓂻𓏥jw ⟨srḫ,y⟩ jni̯{.n} =f rww,t
256 𓂜𓂋𓐍𓏛𓈖𓏏𓅱𓃹𓈖𓈖𓏏𓅓𓄣𓏤n rḫ.n.tw wnn.t m jb
257 𓅓𓅱𓋴𓆑𓅯𓂻𓁹𓂋𓎡𓂋𓋴𓏇𓇋𓏏𓀁𓆑𓂧𓈎𓏴𓎡𓈖𓅓𓂝𓋭𓊃𓍢𓂝𓆑m wsf jri̯ r =k r smj,t fdq =k n-m ṯs =f
258 𓂚𓂡𓈗𓆱𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏇𓇋𓆱𓃹𓈖𓉿𓂝𓊃𓊪𓐍𓈖𓈗𓇋𓇋𓈗𓆣𓂋ꜥḥꜣ-mw m ꜥ =k mj ḫt wn sp-n-mw,y ḫpr
259 𓇋𓂋𓅧𓈎𓂻𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊛𓇋𓅱𓄞𓂧𓏏𓂝𓋴𓄿𓈎𓅪𓀋𓊪𓅱𓏛𓏥𓋴𓈖𓇾𓈇𓏤jr ꜥq dp,t jw šd.t(w) =s ꜣq ꜣṯp,w =s n tꜣ
260 𓁷𓏤𓌸𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓈇𓏤𓏥𓎟𓏏𓇋𓅱𓎡𓋴𓃀𓇼𓏏𓂡𓇋𓅱𓎡𓍍𓅱𓏏𓏛𓇋𓅱𓎡ḥr mr,yt nb.t jw =k sbꜣ.t(j) jw =k ḥmw.t(j) jw =k
261 𓏏𓏏𓀾𓏛𓂜𓇋𓋴𓈖𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂝𓇋𓅱𓎡𓁹𓂋𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏏𓅱𓀾𓏛𓏥𓃀𓅱𓎟𓀀𓁐𓏥t(w)t.(tj) n-js n ꜥwn jw =k jr{r} =k twt,w bw-nb
262 𓇋𓅱𓉔𓄿𓅱𓏛𓏥𓎡𓅓𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓂧𓅱𓂻𓂝𓈎𓄿𓂭𓂭𓏛𓂿𓏏𓏭𓀀jw hꜣw =k m nwd,w ꜥqꜣ sjꜣt,j
263 𓈖𓇾𓈇𓏤𓂋𓇥𓆑𓂓𓏤𓈖𓇋𓇋𓇭𓀀𓈖𓃀𓅱𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓅪𓁷𓏤n tꜣ r-ḏr =f kꜣn,y n bw-ḥwr,w ḥr
264 𓈖𓏏𓆑𓈗𓂡𓎛𓋴𓊪𓈇𓏤𓆑𓅓𓃛𓅱𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓂋𓋴𓆣𓂋[⯑]𓆑ntf ḥsp =f m jw,yt r sḫpr [ḥ]sp =f
265 𓅓𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓂋𓈖𓏏𓆑𓈗𓀁𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓈖𓆓𓏏𓊖m grg r ntf jy,t n ḏ,t
English
239 As his lake dragged him along, this peasant came
240 to petition him a sixth time, saying: "High steward, my lord: a lord who lessens falsehood
241 is one who brings justice into being, a maker of every good thing who destroys evil,
242 like fullness when it comes, ending hunger,
243 like clothing when it comes, ending nakedness.
244 Like the sky after a storm, when it grows calm
245 and warms every one of those who shiver.
246 Like fire cooking what is raw, like
247 water quenching thirst. Look at your own face:
248 you who should divide things are a cheater.
249 You who should make peace have made grief; you who should settle matters have made pain.
250 One who makes suffering is a cheat, and cheating
251 shrinks what is right. Fill the measure full and fair, so that justice is neither shorted
252 nor overflows. When you gain, give to your companion.
253 What is gulped down is empty of what is right.
254 Grief leads to separation.
255 The accuser brings about the parting.
256 No one can know what is in a heart.
257 Do not be lazy; act on the charge. If you cut apart, who will put it together?
258 The punting pole is in your hand, like a sounding staff, when a flood of water has burst in.
259 When a boat goes under, it is raised again, but its cargo is lost on every shore.
260 On every bank you are trained, you are skilled, you are
261 complete—only not for robbing. Yet you make yourself like everyone else,
262 and your circle is crooked. The man who should be straight is the greatest wrongdoer
263 in the whole land. The gardener of evil is at his watering,
264 watering his plot with evil to make his lies grow,
265 watering the harm of the mortuary estate with falsehood."
The Seventh Petition
Egyptian
266 𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓆑𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏌𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆓𓂧𓆑jwi̯.jn r =f sḫ,tj pn r spr n =f 7.nw sp ḏd =f
267 𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓎟𓀀𓀀𓈖𓏏𓎡𓈞𓅓𓅱𓊦𓈖𓇾𓈇𓏤𓂋𓇥𓆑𓋴𓐪𓂧𓂧𓈒𓊛(j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr nb =j ntk ḥmw n tꜣ r-ḏr =f sqdd
268 𓇾𓈇𓏤𓐍𓏏𓆑𓎗𓅱𓏛𓎡𓈖𓏏𓎡𓌢𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀀𓈖𓅝𓅆tꜣ ḫft wḏ =k ntk sn.nw n Ḏḥwtj
269 𓐣𓏛𓂜𓈖𓂋𓂝𓏏𓁷𓏤𓐞𓏤𓎟𓀀𓎛𓎝𓏛𓎡𓈖𓇋𓋴𓀁𓏏𓅱𓊃𓀀𓏤wḏꜥ nn rḏi̯.t ḥr gs nb wꜣḥ =k njs.tw s
270 𓂋𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆑𓈖𓃹𓈖𓌳𓐙𓂝𓆀𓅓𓍲𓈖𓏏𓍢𓂡𓄣𓏤𓎡𓂜𓈖𓎡𓋴𓏏r sp =f n wn-mꜣꜥ m šnt jb =k nn ⟨n⟩ =k st
271 𓆣𓂋𓄫𓅱𓁷𓏤𓀀𓅓𓎛𓅱𓂝𓅪𓄣𓏤𓀀𓅓𓍯𓄿𓀁𓂜𓈖𓏏𓏏𓂜𓇍𓇋𓏏𓂻ḫpr ꜣw-ḥr m ḥwꜥ-jb m wꜣ n n,tt n jyi̯.t
272 𓅓𓎛𓂝𓅱𓀢𓂜𓈖𓏏𓏏𓂜𓆣𓂋𓏏𓇋𓅱𓅱𓐍𓂧𓐗𓏛𓋴𓄫𓅱𓆑𓅓𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓋴𓀙m ḥꜥ.w n n,tt n ḫpr.t jw wḫd sꜣw =f m ḫnms
273 𓋴𓎛𓍃𓅓𓅬𓅪𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆣𓂋𓂜𓂋𓐍𓏛𓈖𓏏𓅱𓃹𓈖𓈖𓏏𓅓𓄣𓏤sḥtm =⟨f⟩ sp ḫpr n rḫ.n.tw wnn.t m jb
274 𓐍𓃀𓅡𓄿𓌸𓂝𓉔𓊪𓏛𓌉𓆓𓏴𓁶𓏤𓐎𓏛𓂜𓈖𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓅪𓀀ḫbꜣ hp ḥḏi̯ tp-ḥsb nn mꜣjr
275 𓋹𓈖𓐍𓎛𓂝𓍑𓄿𓅱𓂡𓆑𓂜𓅱𓄞𓂧𓀁𓇓𓅱𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓇋𓅱𓎼𓂋𓏏ꜥnḫ ḥꜥḏꜣ.w =f n wšd sw mꜣꜥ,t jw gr.t
276 𓄡𓏏𓏤𓀀𓎔𓏏𓏛𓄣𓏤𓀀𓀋𓂡𓉐𓂋𓂻𓇋𓋴𓅓𓄡𓏏𓏤𓀀𓈖𓂝𓏤𓇋𓂋𓏭ẖ,t =j mḥ.t(j) jb =j ꜣṯp pri̯ js m ẖ,t =j n ꜥ jr,j
277 𓈖𓎼𓏏𓏴𓂡𓊪𓅱𓅓[⯑]𓈗𓋴𓄿𓋴𓅱𓍬𓂻𓃹𓈖𓉿𓂝ng.t pw m dn[j],t mw =s ꜣs.w wn
278 𓂋𓏤𓀀𓂋𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓊢𓂝𓂻𓄿𓂚𓂡𓈖𓀀𓌸𓂋𓇋𓆱𓀀𓊪𓈖𓈎𓈗𓂝𓈖𓀀rʾ =j r md(w)i̯.t ꜥḥꜥ ⸢ꜣ⸣ ꜥḥꜣ.n =j mrj =j pnq.n =j
279 𓈗𓇋𓇋𓈗𓀀𓊃𓈖𓆑𓊡𓂡𓈖𓀀𓈖𓏏𓏏𓅓𓄡𓏏𓏤𓀀𓇋𓂝𓈗𓈖𓀀𓆷𓄿𓅓𓅱𓋳𓏤𓏥𓀀mw,y =j snf.n =j n,tt m ẖ,t =j jꜥi̯.n =j šꜣm,w =j
280 𓐍𓈖𓅯𓀁𓀀𓆣𓂋𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓅪𓏥𓀀𓇥𓂋𓂡𓐍𓏏𓆑𓁷𓏤𓎡𓊪𓏏𓂋𓆴ḫn =j ḫpr mꜣjr =j ḏr ḫft-ḥr =k ptr
281 𓍑𓄿𓂋𓅱𓎣𓀁𓎡𓇋𓅱𓋴𓅱𓆑𓅬𓂻𓎡𓂋𓏏𓉔𓏏𓂾𓂻𓎡𓇋𓅱𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂝𓄣𓏤𓎡ḏꜣr,w =k jw ⟨w⟩s{w}f =k r thi̯.t =k jw ꜥwn-jb =k
282 𓂋𓊃𓅱𓆼𓄿𓅪𓎡𓇋𓅱𓊃𓈖𓌰𓅓𓂉𓀁𓎡𓂋𓋴𓆣𓂋𓐍𓂋𓃭𓅱𓇋𓇋𓅱𓂡𓀀𓏥𓎡r swḫꜣ =k jw snm =k r sḫpr ḫrw,y.w.pl =k
283 𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓎡𓇓𓅱𓏏𓂋𓅠𓅓𓏏𓎡𓇋𓇋𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓏇𓏏𓅱𓏛𓀀jn jw =k swt r gmi̯.t ky sḫ,tj mj,tw =j
284 𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓅱𓋴𓆑𓅱𓅬𓂻𓀀𓄭𓂋𓇋𓇋𓀁𓀀𓂋𓊢𓂝𓂻𓂋𓂋𓏤𓈖𓉐𓏤𓆑jn jw wsf,w spr,y r ꜥḥꜥ r rʾ n pr =f
285 𓂜𓈖𓎼𓂋𓀁𓂋𓂝𓈖𓎡𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁𓆑𓂜𓈖𓋴𓇥𓂋𓁀𓂋𓂝𓈖𓎡𓂋𓋴𓌘𓁹𓆑nn gr rḏi̯.n =k mdwi̯ =f nn sḏr rḏi̯.n =k rs =f
286 𓂜𓈖𓐍𓃀𓅡𓄿𓌸𓅪𓁷𓏤𓏥𓊃𓋴𓊪𓂧𓇮𓏛𓌒𓈖𓎡𓂜𓈖𓍃𓅓𓀁𓂋𓏤nn ḫbꜣ ḥr.pl sspd.n =k nn tm rʾ
287 𓃹𓈖𓉿𓂝𓈖𓎡𓂜𓈖𓐍𓅓𓂜𓂋𓂧𓈖𓎡𓂋𓐍𓏛𓆑𓂜𓈖𓅱𓆼𓄿𓅪𓋴𓃀𓇼𓂡𓈖𓎡wn.n =k nn ḫm rḏi̯.n =k rḫ =f nn wḫꜣ sbꜣ.n =k
288 𓄡𓊃𓂋𓅱𓎝𓂡𓀀𓏥𓈋𓅱𓏏𓅪𓏥𓊪𓅱𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀔𓀀𓏥𓎟𓅱𓏥𓃀𓅱𓄤𓆑𓂋𓊪𓅱ẖsr.w.pl ḏw,t pw sr.w.pl nb.w.pl bw-nfr pw
English
266 Then this peasant came to petition him a seventh time, saying:
267 "High steward, my lord, you are the rudder of the whole land; the land sails at your command.
268 You are the companion of Thoth, the one who judges without taking sides.
269 My lord, may you endure, so that a man may be called
270 for his true cause. Do not quarrel in your heart; it does not become you,
271 a man of long face, to become short of heart over what has not yet come.
272 Do not rejoice over what has not yet happened. A patient man makes friendship last
273 and undoes a wrong that has happened; no one can know what is in a heart.
274 He who hacks up the law and destroys the standard: no wretched man lives through his plundering
275 unless justice calls out to him. And now my body is full and my heart is loaded, and it comes out of my body
276 because of the state I am in: it is the break in the dike whose water pours out
277 the moment my mouth opens to speak. I have struggled hard with my pole,
278 I have bailed out my flood of water; I have emptied what was in my body;
279 I have brought it out into the open air, and I have washed my dirty laundry.
280 My speech is done; my misery is laid out before you. What more do you need?
281 Your laziness will lead you astray; your greed will make a fool of you;
282 your appetite will make enemies for you.
283 Would you ever find another peasant like me?
284 Would an idle man with a petition wait at the door of his own house?
285 There is no man silent whom you have made speak, and none asleep whom you have woken.
286 None dull whom you have sharpened, and none tight-lipped whom you have opened.
287 None ignorant whom you have made wise, and none foolish whom you have taught.
288 The officials are the ones who drive out evil; they are the lords of good."
The Eighth Petition
Egyptian
289 𓍍𓅱𓏏𓀀𓏥𓊪𓅱𓈖𓏏𓋴𓆣𓂋𓈖𓏏𓏏𓋭𓊃𓍢𓂝𓀀𓏥𓁶𓏤𓎛𓋴𓈎𓌪𓂡𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑ḥmw,t pw n.t sḫpr n,tt ṯs.pl tp ḥsq jwi̯.jn r =f
290 𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓆑𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏌𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆓𓂧𓆑𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓎟𓀀𓀀𓇋𓅱sḫ,tj pn r spr n =f 8.nw sp ḏd =f (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr nb =j jw
291 𓐍𓂋𓀒𓏏𓅱𓈖𓎛𓆰𓈖𓏏𓆊𓍯𓄿𓈐𓇋𓅱𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂝𓄣𓏤𓀀𓆄𓅱𓅪𓆑𓅓𓊃𓊪𓊗ḫr =tw n ḥnt wꜣ jw ꜥwn-jb šwi̯ =f m sp
292 𓇋𓅱𓃹𓈖𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆑𓈖𓅱𓉔𓏏𓅪𓇋𓅱𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂡𓄣𓏤𓎡𓂜𓈖𓈖𓎡𓋴𓏏𓇋𓅱𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂡𓎡jw wn sp =f n wh,t jw ꜥwn jb =k nn n =k st jw ꜥwꜣi̯ =k
293 𓂜𓈖𓅜𓏛𓈖𓎡𓂋𓂝𓄿𓊢𓂝𓂻𓊃𓀀𓏤𓂋𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆑𓄤𓆑𓂋𓈖𓃹𓈖𓌳𓐙𓂝𓆀nn ꜣḫ n =k rḏi̯ ꜣ ꜥḥꜥ s r sp =f nfr n-wn-mꜣꜥ
294 𓌨𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓎡𓊪𓅱𓅓𓉐𓏤𓎡𓄡𓏏𓏤𓎡𓎔𓏏𓏛𓅱𓃀𓈖𓇳𓌽𓏏𓏤𓍿𓏏𓆑𓂻𓋴ẖr,t =k pw m pr =k ẖ,t =k mḥ.t(j) wbn ḥqꜣ.t ṯtf =s
295 𓄿𓈎𓅪𓉐𓂋𓅱𓏛𓏥𓋴𓈖𓇾𓈇𓏤ꜣq pr,w =s n tꜣ
296 𓎁𓏏𓅱𓂡𓂝𓍯𓄿𓂡𓀀𓈖𓈞𓅓𓅱𓂡𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀙𓀀𓏥𓁹𓈖𓏏𓅱𓂋𓍙𓆑𓂡𓂋jti̯.w ꜥwꜣ nḥm.w sr.w.pl jri̯.n =tw r ḫsf r
297 𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓇋𓃀𓅱𓃙𓉐𓏤𓏥𓊪𓅱𓈖𓄿𓂧𓅱𓆊𓀀𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀙𓀀𓏥𓁹𓈖𓏏𓅱𓂋𓍙𓆑𓂡jy,t jb,w pw n ꜣd,w sr.w.pl jri̯.n =tw r ḫsf
298 𓂋𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓂜𓂋𓂝𓈖𓅾𓀁𓎡𓄭𓂋𓀁𓈖𓎡𓂜𓋷𓀁𓈖𓎡𓄣𓏤𓀀𓎼𓂋𓀁𓀀r grg n rḏi̯.n snḏ =k spr =(j) n =k ⸢n⸣ sjꜣ.n =k jb =j gr
299 𓂝𓈖𓈖𓂽𓇓𓅱𓂋𓁹𓏏𓍿𓋴𓏏𓍞𓏛𓏥𓈖𓎡𓂜𓅾𓀁𓈖𓆑𓈖𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀁𓈖𓆑𓋴𓏏ꜥnn sw r jri̯.t ṯs.t n =k n snḏ.n =f n twꜣ n =f st
300 𓂜𓏎𓈖𓌢𓈖𓀀𓆑𓂋𓎡𓅓𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐𓌸𓂋𓂋𓏏𓊋𓉐𓇋𓅱𓄿𓄞𓂧𓅱𓎡𓏥𓎡𓅓𓇏𓏏𓈇n jni̯ sn =f r =k m-ẖnw mrr,t jw ⸮ꜣ? šd.w{k}.pl =k m sḫ,t
301 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓈎𓄿𓏒𓎡𓅓𓐖𓏏𓊖𓇋𓅱𓅧𓈎𓅱𓏛𓏥𓎡𓅓𓍁𓂝𓉐𓇋𓅱𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀙𓀀𓏥𓁷𓏤𓂋𓂝𓏏𓈖𓎡jw fqꜣ =k m ⸮ḏꜣt,t? jw ꜥq,w =k m šnꜥ jw sr.w.pl ḥr rḏi̯.t n =k
302 𓇋𓅱𓎡𓁷𓏤𓎁𓏏𓏏𓂡𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓎡𓅓𓂝𓍯𓄿𓇋𓇋𓂡𓀀𓇋𓅱[⯑]𓈖𓎡jw =k ḥr jti̯.t jn jw =k m ꜥwꜣ,y jw stꜣ.tw n =k
303 𓋴𓎝𓎡𓅱𓂡𓀀𓏥𓎛𓈖𓂝𓎡𓂋𓊪𓊃𓈙𓏏𓏴𓏛𓏥𓄞𓂧𓅱𓏏𓈇𓏤𓏥𓁹𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓈖sk,w ḥnꜥ =k r psš,t šd,wt jri̯ mꜣꜥ,t n
304 𓎟𓅆𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓃹𓈖𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓈖𓏏𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓆑nb mꜣꜥ,t n,tj wn mꜣꜥ,t n.t mꜣꜥ,t =f
305 𓂝𓂋𓆰𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓍼𓐞𓏤𓍘𓇋𓆱𓅝𓅆ꜥr šfd,w gstj Ḏḥwtj
306 𓁷𓂋𓏏𓐡𓈐𓂋𓁹𓏏𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓏥𓄤𓆑𓂋𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓄤𓆑𓂋𓂋𓆑ḥr.t(j) r jri̯.t jy,t nfr nfr,t nfr r =f
307 𓇋𓅱𓇓𓅱𓏏𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓂋𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳𓉔𓄿𓄿𓂻𓋴jw swt mꜣꜥ,t r nḥḥ hꜣꜣ =s
308 𓅓𓂝𓁹𓂋𓋴𓂋𓊻𓏏𓈉𓇋𓅱𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓌟𓂡𓆑m-ꜥ jrr s(j) r ẖr,t-nṯr jw qrs.t(w) =f
309 𓋴𓌳𓄿𓅓𓄥𓂝𓇾𓈇𓏤𓇋𓅓𓆑𓂜𓊃𓇋𓆛𓈖𓂝𓏏𓅱smꜣm tꜣ jm =f n sjn.⟨n⟩.tw
310 𓂋𓈖𓆑𓁶𓏤𓇾𓈇𓏤𓆑𓇋𓅱𓋴𓆼𓄿𓀁𓏏𓅱𓆑𓁷𓏤𓃀𓅱𓄤𓆑𓂋rn =f tp tꜣ ={f} jw sḫꜣ.tw =f ḥr bw-nfr
311 𓁶𓏤𓐎𓏛𓊪𓅱𓈖𓊹𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁𓇋𓈖𓃛𓅱𓇓𓅱𓆱tp-ḥsb pw n mdw-nṯr jn jws,w
312 𓊪𓅱𓂜𓎼𓂋𓋴𓐟𓄿𓊊𓈖𓆑𓇋𓈖𓅓𓂝𓆼𓄿𓏏𓍸pw n g{r}sꜣ.n =f jn mḫꜣ,t
313 𓊪𓅱𓂜𓂋𓂝𓈖𓋴𓁷𓏤𓐞𓏤𓅓𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀pw n rḏi̯.n =s ḥr gs m =k wj
314 𓂋𓂻𓅱𓏏𓅓𓂝𓎡𓇋𓇋𓀀𓂋𓂻𓅱𓏏𓅱𓄞𓂧𓀁𓎡r jwi̯.t m =k ⟨k⟩y r jwi̯.t wšd =k
315 𓅓𓅱𓈙𓃀𓅱𓏴𓀁𓅓𓅱𓄞𓂧𓀁𓀀𓎼𓂋𓅱𓀁𓀀m wšb.w m wšd gr,w
316 𓅓𓊪𓎛𓄖𓂻𓈖𓏏𓏭𓂜𓄖𓂻𓈖𓏏𓅱𓆑𓂜𓊃𓆑𓂉𓀁𓈖𓎡m pḥ n,tj n pḥ.n.{{tw}} =f n sf.n =k
317 𓂜𓏠𓈖𓅪𓈖𓎡𓂜𓋴𓎝𓎡𓋴𓎝𓅪𓎡𓈖𓎡n mn.n =k n sksk{k}.n =k
318 𓂜𓂋𓂝𓈖𓎡𓈖𓀀𓂧𓃀𓅡𓄿𓅱𓌥𓏛𓏥𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁n rḏi̯.n =k n =j dbꜣ,w n md,t
319 𓏏𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓉐𓂋𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓂋𓏤𓈖𓂋𓂝𓇳𓅆𓆓𓊃𓆑tn nfr.t prr.t m rʾ n Rꜥ ḏs =f
320 𓆓𓂧𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓁹𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓇥𓂋𓈖𓏏𓏏𓅨𓂋𓋴ḏd mꜣꜥ,t jri̯ mꜣꜥ,t ḏr-n,tt wr s(j)
321 𓉻𓂝𓄿𓏛𓋴𓎛𓎝𓏛𓋴𓅠𓅓𓅱𓏏𓅱𓎡𓆑𓏏𓀁𓏛𓋴ꜥꜣ s(j) wꜣḥ s(j) gmi̯.w.tw kf,t =s
322 𓊄𓃀𓅱𓂻𓋴𓂋[⯑]𓇋𓈖𓎼𓋴𓐟𓄿𓊊sbi̯.w =s r jmꜣḫ jn gsꜣ
323 𓃛𓅱𓇓𓅱𓆱𓎛𓆰𓈖𓎡𓅱𓄛𓏤𓏥𓆑𓊪𓅱jws,w ḥnkw.pl =f pw
324 𓆑𓄿𓇋𓇋𓅱𓀋𓂡𓏥𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓂜𓆣𓂋𓈖𓉐𓂋𓅱𓏛𓏥fꜣi̯.yw ḫ,t n ḫpr.n pr,w
325 𓈖𓁶𓏤𓐎𓏛𓂜𓄭𓂋𓂻𓈖𓊃𓊪𓊗𓄡𓊃𓅪𓂋n tp-ḥsb n spr.n sp ẖsi̯ r
326 𓂧𓏇𓇋𓈇𓏤𓌨𓂋𓐟𓏤𓀀𓂋𓋴𓐟𓄿𓎛𓃃𓂻𓇾𓈇𓏤dmj ẖr,(j)-sꜣ r sꜣḥ tꜣ
English
289 They are the craftsmen who create what exists, who rejoin a severed head. Then this peasant came
290 to petition him an eighth time, saying: "High steward, my lord, for greed a man falls far.
291 The greedy man falls far, and his chance slips away.
292 His case can only end in failure. You are greedy; it does not become you. You rob,
293 and it does you no good. See to it that a man can stand up for his true good cause!
294 Your needs are in your house; your belly is full; the measure overflows,
295 and what runs over goes to waste on the ground.
296 The robber is seized and dragged away. The officials, appointed to ward off
297 evil, are a shelter for the aggressor; the officials appointed to punish
298 did not set themselves against falsehood. Fear of you does not keep me from petitioning you, but you do not read my heart: the quiet man
299 who turns to bring you his complaint does not fear the one it is laid before,
300 if his brother has not been brought to you from the road. Your fields lie in the open country,
301 your reward is in the estate, and your income is in the storehouse. The officials keep giving to you,
302 and you keep taking. Are you then a thief? A fighting band comes to you
303 to divide up the fields. Do what is right for the lord of what is right,
304 in whom rightness is true rightness. Reed pen, papyrus roll, and palette of Thoth:
305 keep far from doing evil! The excellence of the good man
306 is greater than the man himself.
307 What is right lasts to eternity, and it goes down to the burial ground
308 with the man who practiced it; he is buried and the earth joins him,
309 and his name is not wiped away in the land.
310 He is remembered because of the good he did.
311 That is the rule of the god's words. Is it a hand scale?
312 Then it cannot stand crooked. Is it a standing scale?
313 Then it cannot lean to one side. Look, I am coming,
314 and look, another is coming: question each of us.
315 Do not answer like a man who cross-examines the quiet,
316 or falls on the man who has not attacked him. You are neither merciful
317 nor do you feel my sickness, nor do you destroy.
318 You give me no reward for this speech,
319 so perfect, ever coming from the mouth of Re himself.
320 Speak what is right; do what is right, for it is great:
321 it is mighty and enduring; when its worth is found,
322 it leads to honor. Does the scale tilt?
323 Then it lies with its pans, the ones that carried the loads,
324 for as the loads are carried, no excess can arise.
325 The standard cannot be overstepped, and no wretched case reaches
326 the landing place, though the last of men will touch the land."
The Ninth Petition
Egyptian
91 𓂻𓅱𓇋𓈖𓂋𓆑𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂋𓄭𓂋𓂻𓈖𓆑𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏌𓊃𓊪𓊗jwi̯.jn r =f sḫ,tj pn r spr n =f 9.nw sp
92 𓆓𓂧𓆑𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓀀𓎟𓀀𓀀𓅓𓆼𓄿𓏏𓍸𓆱𓊪𓅱𓈖𓏏ḏd =f (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr nb =j mḫꜣ,t pw n.t
93 𓂋𓍿𓀀𓁐𓏥𓈖𓄓𓋴𓄹𓋴𓈖𓏥𓇋𓈖𓃛𓅱𓇓𓅱𓆱𓆓𓂝𓂋𓌙𓏛r(m)t.pl ns =sn jn jws,w ḏꜥr
94 𓍑𓏏𓏥𓁹𓂋𓍙𓆑𓏏𓂡𓂋𓍙𓆑𓅱𓂡𓈖𓆑𓋴𓈖𓏒𓏛𓏏𓅱𓁶𓐎𓏛𓂋𓎡ḏꜣ,t jrr ḫsf.t r ḫsf.w n =f sn.tw tp-ḥsb r =k
95 𓊃𓅭𓄿𓅱𓊃𓄡𓅓𓂻𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓆣𓂋𓌨𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓆑⸮sꜣu̯? ⸮sẖm? grg ḫpr ẖr,t =f
96 𓂝𓈖𓈖𓂽𓋴𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓂋𓂝𓈎𓄿𓂭𓂭𓏛𓆑𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓊪𓅱𓈖𓏏ꜥnn s(j) mꜣꜥ,t r-ꜥqꜣ =f ḫ,t pw n.t
97 𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓋴𓇅𓆓𓆑𓊪𓅱𓂜𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓎛𓅱𓏏𓅱𓆑grg mꜣꜥ,t swꜣḏ =f pw n ⸮nwḥ.tw? =f
98 𓇋𓂋𓈝𓅓𓂻𓎼𓂋𓍅𓀁𓇋𓅱𓆑𓏏𓈖𓌰𓅓𓂻𓆑𓂜jr šmi̯ grg jw =f tnm =f n
99 𓍑𓄿𓏴𓊛𓈖𓆑𓅓𓅓𓂝𓄚𓈖𓏏𓊛𓂜[⯑]ḏꜣi̯.n =f m mẖn,t n sšꜣ.[⸮n?] =[f]
100 𓇋𓂋𓐍𓂝𓅱𓂧𓍔𓏛𓌨𓆑𓂜𓈖𓄟𓋴𓅱𓀔𓀀𓁐𓏥𓆑jr ḫwd ((ẖr)) =f nn ms.w.[pl] =f
101 𓂜𓈖𓃛𓅱𓂝𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏥𓆑𓁶𓇾𓈇𓏤𓇋𓂋𓋴𓐪𓂧𓂧𓈒𓊛nn jwꜥ.w.pl =f tp tꜣ jr sqdd
102 𓌨𓂋𓆑𓂜𓋴𓐟𓄿𓎛𓃃𓂻𓈖𓆑𓇾𓈇𓏤𓂜𓏠𓈖𓇋𓌙𓊛𓈖ẖr =f n sꜣḥ.n =f tꜣ n mnj.n
103 𓂧𓊪𓅱𓏏𓊛𓆑𓂋𓂧𓏇𓇋𓈇𓋴𓅓𓂧𓈖𓋴𓍖𓏛𓂜𓇋𓇩𓊃𓆰𓎡dp,wt =f r dmj =s m dns n js =k
104 𓅓𓇋𓉔𓅓𓂻𓂜𓆼𓄿𓐍𓂻𓎡𓅓𓈖𓌰𓅓𓂝𓀁𓅓𓄔𓅓𓈖m jhm n ḫꜣḫ =k m nmꜥ m sḏm n
105 𓄣𓏤𓅓𓎛𓃀𓋴𓋳𓁷𓏤𓎡𓂋𓂋𓐍𓏛𓈖𓎡𓅓𓈙𓊪𓁹𓁷𓏤𓎡𓂋jb m ḥbs ḥr =k r rḫ.n =k m šp ḥr =k r
106 𓂧𓎼𓁹𓈖𓎡𓅓𓈖𓇋𓂢𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢𓀀𓏏𓅱𓉔𓄿𓂻𓎡dgi̯ n =k m nj twꜣ tw hꜣi̯ =k
107 𓅓𓅯𓄿𓅱𓊃𓆑𓅯𓂻𓋴𓏇𓇋𓏏𓀁𓋭𓊃𓏛𓎡m pꜣ wsf smj.t(w) ṯs =k
108 𓁹𓈖𓁹𓂋𓈖𓎡𓅓𓄔𓅓𓈖𓃀𓅱𓎟𓀀𓁐𓏥𓂋𓆑𓈖𓇋𓋴𓀁𓊃𓀀𓏤jri̯ n jrr n =k m sḏm n bw-nb r =f njs s
109 𓂋𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆑𓈖𓃹𓈖𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏛𓂜𓈖𓋴𓆑𓇳𓈖[⯑]r sp =f n wn-mꜣꜥ nn sf n wsf,w
110 𓂜𓈖𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓋴𓀙𓀀𓈖𓊃𓄡𓄔𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓂜𓈖𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳nn ḫnms n sẖi̯ mꜣꜥ,t nn hrw
111 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓈖𓂝𓃹𓈖𓂡𓄣𓏤𓀀𓆣𓂋𓅱𓍿𓊃𓅱𓍞𓀁𓀀𓅓nfr n ꜥwn-jb ḫpr wṯs,w m
112 𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓇋𓇋𓅪𓀀𓌳𓄿𓇋𓂋𓌗𓇋𓇋𓅪𓀀𓂋𓄭𓂋𓅱𓀁𓀀mꜣjr,y mꜣjr,y r spr,w
113 𓆣𓂋𓐍𓏏𓆑𓀀𓅓𓋴𓌳𓄿𓅓𓅱𓌪𓅓𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀𓁷𓏤𓄭𓂋𓀁ḫpr ḫft,(j) m smꜣm,w m =k wj ḥr spr
114 𓈖𓎡𓂜𓄔𓅓𓈖𓎡𓋴𓏏𓇋𓅱𓀀𓂋𓈝𓅓𓏏𓂻𓄭𓂋𓀁𓀀n =k n sḏm.n =k st jw =j r šmi̯.t spr =j
English
91 Then this peasant came to petition him a ninth time, saying:
92 "High steward, my lord: the people's scale
93 is their tongue, a hand scale that examines
94 the shortfall. He hands out punishment to the man who must be punished; may the standard be level with you.
95 Take care that falsehood does not arise and lay in its supplies,
96 while justice turns away before it; that is falsehood's property.
97 Falsehood thrives over justice when it is left unbound.
98 When falsehood sets out, it goes astray:
99 it cannot cross by ferry, and it cannot get on.
100 The man grown rich through it has no children
101 and no heirs on earth; and the man who travels by it
102 never reaches the land; his boat cannot make its landing.
103 Do not be weighty, having never been light.
104 Do not be slow, having never hurried; do not take sides; do not listen
105 to the heart. Do not hide your face from the man you know, or be blind of face
106 to the man who must be seen by you. Do not turn away the man who appeals to you; come down
107 out of this laziness, and let your ruling be reported.
108 Act for the man who acts for you; do not listen to the people against him
109 once a man has been called for his true cause. There is no yesterday for the idle man,
110 and no friend for the man deaf to justice, and no feast day for the greedy.
111 It goes well for the greedy man: the accuser becomes the sufferer,
112 the sufferer becomes the petitioner.
113 The enemy becomes the killer. Look, I keep bringing my petition to you,
114 and you do not hear it. I am going to carry my petition to Anubis."
Justice
Egyptian
115 𓁷𓂋𓏤𓎡𓈖𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃥𓅆𓂋𓂝𓇋𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓀀ḥr =k n Jnp,w rḏi̯.jn (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr
116 𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓈝𓅓𓂻𓏶𓎃𓀀𓏤𓏤𓂋𓂝𓈖𓂽𓆑Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj šmi̯ jm,(j)-sꜣ 2 r ꜥn⟨n⟩ =⟨f⟩ ={f}
117 𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖𓅾𓀁𓇋𓃀𓃙𓀁𓆑𓁹𓂋𓏏wn.jn sḫ,tj pn snḏ jb =f jrr =t(w)
118 𓂋𓍙𓆑𓂡𓈖𓆑𓁷𓏤𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓏏𓈖𓆓𓂧𓏏𓈖𓆑𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖r ḫsf n =f ḥr md,t tn ḏd.t.n =f ḏd.jn sḫ,tj pn
119 𓍙𓆑𓅱𓂻𓏥𓈖𓇋𓃀𓃙𓈗𓀁𓀀𓅓𓈗𓈇𓏥𓍑𓄿𓏏𓏴𓂋𓏤ḫsf.w n jb m mw.pl ḏꜣi̯.t rʾ
120 𓈖𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓈖𓏏𓀔𓀭𓅓𓁹𓏏𓏏𓏈𓏥n ẖrd-n-sbn,t m jrt,t
121 [⯑]𓅓𓀏𓀐𓈖𓅘𓎛𓇋𓇋𓀁𓌳𓁹𓄿𓆑𓈖𓇍𓇋𓇋𓂻𓆑⸢n⸣[t]f [m](w)t nḥi̯.y mꜣ =f n jyi̯.y =f
122 𓇍𓇋𓂻𓅱𓂧𓆑𓂻𓅓𓏏𓀏𓆑𓂋𓆑𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗jyi̯ wdf m(w)t =f r =f ḏd.jn (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr
123 𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓏭𓀀𓅓𓅾𓀁𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓅓𓂝𓎡Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj m snḏ sḫ,tj m =k
124 𓁹𓂋𓎡𓂋𓁹𓏏𓎛𓈖𓂝𓀀𓂋𓂝𓇋𓈖𓇏𓏏𓏭𓀀𓊪𓈖jri̯ r =k r jri̯.t ḥnꜥ =j rḏi̯.jn sḫ,tj pn
125 𓋹𓈖𓐍𓀀𓁷𓏤𓏶𓀁𓀀𓄿𓅓𓏏𓏐𓈀𓏥𓎡𓋴𓅨𓂋𓇋𓀁𓀀𓄿ꜥnḫ ={j} ḥr wnm =j ꜣ m tʾ =k swrj =j ꜣ
126 [⯑]𓎡𓂋𓈖𓎛𓎛𓇳𓆓𓂧𓈖𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗⟨m⟩ [ḥ(n)q,t] =k r-nḥḥ ḏd.⟨j⟩n (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr
127 𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓇋𓀀𓊃𓅭𓄿𓀸𓂻𓎼𓂋𓏏𓉻𓂝𓄿𓈐Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj sꜣi̯ gr,t ꜥꜣ
128 𓄔𓅓𓎡𓈖𓄿𓇋𓇋𓎡𓈖𓄭𓂋𓏏𓀁𓏥𓂋𓂝𓇋𓈖𓆑𓄞𓂧𓏏𓀁sḏm =k nꜣy =k n spr.t.pl rḏi̯.jn =f šdi̯.t(w) =[⸮sn?]
129 𓁷𓏤𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆰𓌳𓄿𓏏𓏛𓄭𓂋𓏏𓀁𓎟𓏏𓂋[⯑]ḥr ꜥr,t mꜣ(w).t spr,t nb.t r ẖr,[t] =[s]
130 [⯑]𓋴𓅓𓂋𓉐𓀗𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓇋𓀀[s]⸢ꜥq⸣.jn s(j) (j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj
131 𓈖𓍛𓏤𓈖𓇓𓏏𓆤𓏏𓇳𓎟𓂓𓏥𓌳𓐙𓊤𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓋴𓏏𓁷𓏤[⯑]n ḥm n (n)sw,t-bj,tj Nb-kꜣ.pl-Rꜥ mꜣꜥ-ḫrw wn.jn nfr st ḥr ⸢jb⸣ =[f]
132 𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓎟𓏏𓈖𓏏𓏏𓅓𓇾𓈇𓏤𓊪𓈖𓂋𓇥𓂋𓆑𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤r ⸢ḫ,t⸣ nb.t n,t.t m tꜣ pn r-ḏr =f ḏd.jn ⸢ḥm⸣ =[f]
133 𓐣𓏛𓏏𓅱𓆓𓊃𓎡𓅭𓌸𓂋𓅱𓀀[⯑]wḏꜥ tw ḏs =k zꜣ Mr,w rḏi̯.j[n] [(j)m,(j)-rʾ-pr-wr]
134 𓌸𓂋𓅱𓆇𓂋𓈖𓋴𓇋𓀀𓈝𓅓𓂻𓏶𓎃𓀀𓏤𓏤𓂋Mr,w zꜣ Rnsj šmi̯ jm,(j)-sꜣ 2 r [jni̯.t] [Nm,tj-nḫt]
135 𓊢𓂝𓈖𓆑𓏎𓈖𓁹𓄋𓊪𓅱𓏏𓏛𓏥𓅓ꜥḥꜥ.n =f jni̯ jri̯ wp,wt m [ḥn,w] =[f]
136 𓊢𓂝𓈖𓅠𓅓𓈖𓆑𓁶𓏤𓀀𓁐𓏥𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤[⯑] […]⸮⸢ꜥḥꜥ⸣?.n ⸮⸢gmi̯⸣?.n =f tp.pl 6 ḥr.(w)-[r] […]
137 𓂋𓇗𓌾𓏥𓆑𓂋𓇣𓂧𓏏𓌾𓏭𓆑𓂋[⯑] […]r šmꜥ =f r btj =f r ꜥꜣ.[pl] =[f] […]
138 𓂋𓆷𓄿𓅱𓂸𓃟𓆑𓂋𓋿𓅱𓏏 […]r šꜣw =f r ⸢ꜥw,t⸣ =[f] […]
139 𓅇𓏏𓏭𓂡𓀀𓊪𓈖𓈖[⯑] […]Nm,tj-nḫt pn n sḫ,[tj] [pn] […]
140 𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓆑𓎟𓏏[⯑] […]⸮⸢ḫ,t⸣? =f nb.t ḏ[.t] =[f] […]
141 𓈖[⯑] […]n Nm,tj-nḫt [pn] […]
142 𓂻𓅱𓆑𓊪𓅱 […]⸢jwi̯⸣ =⸢f⸣ ⸢pw⸣ […]
English
115 Then to Anubis with you. The high steward
116 Rensi son of Meru sent two guardsmen to fetch him back.
117 Now this peasant was afraid; he thought he was being taken to be punished
118 for the speech he had spoken. Then this peasant said:
119 "It is like the coming of a thirsty man to the water, like the mouth
120 of the child at the breast reaching its milk.
121 Such is death, whose coming men long to see
122 when it is slow in coming to them." Then the high steward
123 Rensi son of Meru said: "Do not be afraid, peasant! Look,
124 the man who wronged you will have to deal with me." Then this peasant swore,
125 saying: "As I live, I will eat only your bread
126 and drink only your beer, forever." Then the high steward
127 Rensi son of Meru said: "Wait here, and you will hear
128 your petitions." Then he had them read out from a new roll, each petition
129 read in full, according to its content.
130 Then the high steward Rensi son of Meru brought the roll in
131 to the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt Nebkaure, the justified, and it pleased him
132 more than anything in this whole land. Then his majesty said:
133 "Judge it yourself, son of Meru!" Then the high steward Rensi son of Meru
134 sent two guardsmen to fetch Nemtynakht,
135 and when he was brought, an inventory was made of all his goods.
136 Six persons were found as his, besides
137 his Upper Egyptian barley, his emmer, and his donkeys, […]
138 besides his pigs and his small cattle, […]
139 and this Nemtynakht was given over to this peasant, […]
140 he and all his property and his serfs, […]
141 everything that belonged to this Nemtynakht, […]
142 so it was that he came, […]