Ipuwer (attributed) · Complete work
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6.1 𓄟𓋴𓏏𓀗𓇋𓐍𓏛𓎼𓂋𓀁𓇾𓏤𓈇𓅓𓊤𓅱𓀁𓂜𓈖𓇋𓅱 […] 𓅓𓋴𓄦𓅓𓅱𓆰𓏥𓊃𓂝𓅓𓅱𓄈𓀁𓏏𓅱𓅓𓈗𓂜msi̯.t jḫ gr tꜣ m ḫrw nn ⟨ẖnn,w⟩ jw [ms] […] ⟨wnm⟩ =⟨tw⟩ m sm,w sꜥm =tw m mw n
6.2 𓅠𓅓𓈖𓏏𓅱𓈎𓄿𓇋𓇋𓈒𓏥𓋴𓄦𓅓𓅱𓆰𓏥𓄿𓊪𓂧𓅱𓅬𓏥[⯑][⯑]𓅓𓂋𓏤𓈖𓆷𓄿𓇋𓅱𓄛𓏤𓂜𓁷𓏤𓂝𓈖⯑𓏛𓈖𓎡𓋴𓏏𓀀gmi̯.n.tw qꜣy sm,w ꜣpd,w nḥm.t[w] [p]r,yt m rʾ n(,j) šꜣj,w n(n) ḥr ꜥni̯ n ksi̯.t ={j}
6.3 𓐍𓂋𓎛𓈎𓂋𓅱𓅪𓏥𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁𓌾𓏥𓄿𓈎𓅱𓅪𓁷𓏤𓈐𓏏𓏤𓎟𓋴𓇉𓄿𓅱𓅱𓍱𓂡𓅓𓎛𓃀𓋴𓅱𓍱𓏥𓄡𓊃𓐟𓄿𓁸𓏥𓅓𓌸𓂋𓎛𓏏𓏊𓏥𓁷𓏤𓎟𓀀𓁐𓏥ḫr ḥqr,w jw ms jt ꜣq.w ḥr wꜣ,t nb(.t) sḥꜣi̯.w m ḥbs,w.pl ẖsꜣ m mrḥ,t ḥr-nb.pl
6.4 𓁷𓏤𓂜𓈖𓃹𓈖𓅱𓍑𓄿𓉐𓏥𓆑𓎡𓁸𓅪𓀸𓄿𓅱𓏛𓂡𓀀𓆑𓊪𓂧𓌔𓂻𓂋𓇾𓏤𓈇𓋴𓄦𓅓𓅱𓀁𓏥𓅓𓂝𓂋𓂧𓅱𓌗𓏛𓊪𓅱𓈖𓄣𓏤𓀀𓇋𓅱𓀀𓇥𓂋ḥr nn-wn wḏꜣ{.pl} fk zꜣ,w =f pd r tꜣ ⟨nn⟩ sm,w mꜥr{dw} pw n jb =j jw =j ḏr⟨.kwj⟩
6.5 𓂋𓏤𓋴𓏭𓈐𓇉𓄿𓀁𓂋𓆑𓁹𓈖𓀀𓊤𓅱𓀁𓀀𓅓𓄿𓏏𓀗𓇳𓏤𓈖𓈞𓅓𓂡𓆑𓅱𓀀𓅓𓂝𓅱𓐍𓂧𓏏𓐎𓀀𓁹𓂋𓅱𓇋𓅓𓋴𓏏𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁𓂦𓂋𓉐𓄞𓂧𓏛𓂡rʾ-sj ḥꜣ r =f jri̯.n =j ḫrw =j m ⟨tꜣ⟩ ꜣ,t nḥm =f wj m-ꜥ wḫd{,t} =j jrr.w jm =st jw ms ⟨ḫnt,j⟩ ḏsr šdi̯
6.6 𓏞𓏛𓏥𓆑[⯑]𓊨𓏏𓉐𓈙𓏏𓍔𓄿𓅱𓏴𓏛𓏥𓃹𓈖𓏏𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁𓎛𓂓𓄿𓅱𓀁𓏥𓋴𓇉𓄿𓅱𓅱𓍱𓂡𓈝𓅓𓀁𓏥𓋴𓐍𓈖𓏌𓅱𓂘𓀁𓏥zẖꜣ.pl =f sḥꜣw.w s,t štꜣ,w wn,t jw ms ḥkꜣ,w sḥꜣw.w šm.pl sḫn.pl
6.7 𓊃𓈖𓇉𓄿𓐎𓂡𓅱𓏏𓁷𓏤𓋴𓆼𓄿𓀁 […] 𓋴𓆼𓄿𓀁𓋴𓏏𓇋𓈖𓂋𓍿𓀀𓁐𓏥𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁𓃹𓈖𓉿𓂡𓆼𓄿𓉐𓄞𓂧𓏛𓂡𓄋𓊪𓏏𓏴𓍼𓏥𓋴𓆣𓂋𓂋𓍿𓀀𓁐𓏥𓆓𓏏𓏤𓀀𓁐𓏥𓅓𓎟snḥꜣ.w{t} ḥr sḫꜣ(.t) […] ⸮s⟨w⟩ḫꜣ? st jn r(m)ṯ.pl jw ms wn ḫꜣ⟨.pl⟩ šdi̯ wp,t.pl =s⟨n⟩ ḫpr r(m)ṯ.pl ḏ,t m nb⟨.pl⟩
6.8 [⯑][⯑]𓋴𓌳𓄿𓅓𓅱𓌪𓂡𓏏𓅱𓄞𓂧𓏛𓂡𓏞𓏛𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥𓃀𓇋𓈖𓅪𓅱𓏭𓈖𓀀𓈖𓇋𓆛𓈖𓂧𓅱𓅪𓅓𓂝𓎡𓇳𓇋𓂋𓏭𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁⸢ḏ,t⸣ [jw] [m]s [zẖꜣw.w.pl] ⸢smꜣm⸣.tw šdi̯ zẖꜣ.pl =sn bjn.wj n =j n jnd.w m {ꜥ}⟨r⟩k jr,j jw ms
6.9 𓏞𓅱𓀀𓏥𓏌𓏤𓏏𓌳𓄿𓅓𓅱𓐡𓏤𓂧𓂋𓅱𓂡𓏞𓏛𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥𓋹𓈖𓐍𓏏𓌾𓏥𓈖𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖𓅓𓉔𓄿𓇋𓇋𓂻𓀀𓏎𓈖𓏏𓈖𓀀𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁𓉔𓊪𓅱𓏛𓏥zẖꜣw.w.pl-n.w-tmꜣm dr.w zẖꜣ.pl =sn ꜥnḫ,t n(.t) Km,t m hꜣi̯.y =j jni̯.t(w) n =j jw ms hp.w.pl
6.10 𓏌𓏤𓂉𓏏𓉐𓂞𓅱𓂋𓏃𓈖𓏏𓏭𓂉𓉐𓈝𓅓𓂻𓏏𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁𓁷𓂋𓋴𓅓𓃛𓅱𓅱𓇋𓇋𓏏𓉐𓏥𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓀔𓅱𓅪𓀀𓏥𓁷𓏤𓈖𓎼𓄿𓏏𓏴𓂡𓇋𓅓𓅓𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐n.w ḫn(r),t ḏi̯.w r-ḫnt,j šm =tw ms ḥr =s⟨n⟩ ⸢m⸣ ⸢jw⸣y,t.pl ḥwrw.pl ḥr ngꜣ.t jm m-ẖnw
6.11 𓌸𓂋𓏏𓍔𓄿𓉐𓏥𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓀔𓅪𓀀𓄭𓂋𓂻𓂋𓂝𓏤𓏥𓏥𓏥𓇷𓏏𓊹𓊹𓊹𓅆𓏥𓋴𓇉𓄿𓅱𓍱𓂡⯑𓅓𓅱𓏛𓊪𓆑𓎆𓎆𓎆𓃀𓇋𓇋𓏏𓉐𓏥mr{tꜣ}⟨,t⟩.pl jw ms ḥwrw⟨.pl⟩ spr r ꜥ psḏ,t sḥꜣi̯.w sšmw pf ⟨n(,j)⟩ mꜥbꜣy,t
6.12 [⯑]𓂉𓏏𓉐𓀗𓉐𓅓𓉐𓂋𓂻𓉔𓄿𓂻𓆑𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓀔𓅱𓅪𓀀𓏥𓁷𓏤𓈝𓅓𓏏𓂻𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉗𓅱𓏏𓉐𓏥𓅨𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓉐𓏥𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁[jw] [m]s ḫn(r),t wr(.t) m pri̯ hꜣi̯ =f ḥwrw.pl ḥr šm.t jyi̯.t m ḥw,t.pl-wr.yt.pl jw ms
6.13 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓀗𓀀𓁐𓏥𓀙𓅱𓀀𓏥𓆼𓄿𓂝𓂻𓅓𓌸𓂋𓏏𓉕𓉐𓏥𓂋𓐍𓏛𓀀𓁷𓏤𓍘𓅱𓀁𓅱𓆼𓄿𓅪𓀀𓁷𓏤𓅓𓃀𓇋𓄿𓎺𓄑𓏛𓏥𓀁𓈖𓏏𓏭𓂜𓂋𓐍𓏛𓆑𓋴𓏭𓂝𓈖⯑𓏛ms.w.pl sr.w.pl ḫꜣꜥ m mr,t.pl rḫ ḥr tjw wḫꜣ ḥr m-bjꜣ(,t) n,tj n rḫ =f sj ꜥn
6.14 𓅓𓁷𓏤𓆑𓇋𓅱𓄟𓋴𓀁𓃹𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏥𓅓𓃂𓈗𓏏𓉐[⯑]𓁷𓏤𓈎𓄿𓈖𓏥𓂋𓏤𓈇𓏥𓊃𓈙𓏏𓍔𓄿𓅱𓏴𓏛𓏥𓊪𓅱𓈖𓐎𓏏𓅱𓏛𓂡𓁷𓏤𓋴𓐍𓂋𓀒𓂡𓏥𓁷𓏤𓆑⸢m⸣ ḥr =f jw ms wn.pl m wꜥb,t ḏi̯.[t]w ḥr qꜣ~n~rʾ.pl sštꜣ,w pw n(.w) wt(,j)⟨.pl⟩ ḥr sḫr{.pl} ḥr =f
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Egyptian, line for line, covering all seventeen columns of the recto of Papyrus Leiden I 344, the only surviving copy, working from the Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae transcription (hieroglyphs, transliteration and lemma glosses, with the TLA editors’ German sentence renderings as a comprehension aid; ORAEC release of the TLA corpus, CC BY-SA 4.0).
6.1 — the giving of birth? Then the land would be quiet of noise, without 〈tumult〉! Indeed, 〈one eats〉 of the plants and swallows down water;
6.2 no flour, no greens, no fowl is found; the seed is snatched from the pig's mouth; there is no bright face because of my bowing low.
6.3 Indeed, the barley has perished on every road; people are stripped of their clothes and unanointed with oil; everyone
6.4 [says]: "There are no storehouses — they stand empty;" its guard lies stretched on the ground. This is no glad hour for my heart! I am finished utterly!
6.5 Would that I had raised my voice at that moment, that it might save me from the misery wrought on me in it! Indeed, the sacred forehall:
6.6 its writings have been carried off; the place of secrets and the sanctuary have been stripped bare. Indeed, magic is stripped bare;
6.7 omens and spells are made dangerous by people's recalling them. Indeed, the offices have been opened and their inventories carried off; the serfs have become the lords of serfs;
6.8 the serfs… Indeed, the scribes are slain, their writings carried off. How bitter it is for me, because of the misery of this time! Indeed,
6.9 the scribes of the land-register: their writings are destroyed. The life-grain of Egypt is a free-for-all — at my going down it is brought to me. Indeed,
6.10 the laws of the enclosure are cast out; one walks upon them in the lanes; the wretches break them open within.
6.11 The roads: indeed, the wretches have attained the condition of the Ennead; stripped bare is that ordinance of the Court of Thirty.
6.12 Indeed, the great enclosure is in an uproar; wretches go and come in the great mansions. Indeed,
6.13 the children of officials are cast into the roads; the wise man saying: "Yes!" the fool saying: "No!"; to him who does not know it, it is good.
6.14 In his sight. Indeed, those who were in the embalming-house are laid on high ground; the secrets of the embalmers are cast down upon it!
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Egyptian text, line for line, covering all seventeen columns of the recto of Papyrus Leiden I 344, the only surviving copy.
6.1 Then the land would be quiet, without noise or disorder! Indeed, […] people eat plants and drink water. No flour or bird feed
6.2 can be found; seed is taken from a pig's mouth. No one has a cheerful face because they bend under hunger.
6.3 Indeed, barley is gone from every road. People have been stripped of their clothes and have no oil to rub on themselves. Everyone
6.4 says, “There is nothing!” The storeroom is torn down, its guard lies stretched on the ground. This is no cause for my heart to rejoice. I am completely finished!
6.5 If only I had raised my voice then, so it could save me from the suffering caused by this! Indeed, the sacred entrance hall has had its writings removed;
6.6 its secret place and inner room have been stripped bare. Indeed, magic has been stripped bare, and signs and predictions are dangerous when people recall them.
6.7 […] people seek them out. Indeed, offices have been opened and their lists taken away. Dependent people now own dependents.
6.8 Indeed, scribes have been killed and their documents taken away. How terrible the suffering of this time is for me! Indeed,
6.9 the land-record scribes have had their writings erased; Egypt's grain, which keeps its people alive, is there for anyone to take. Indeed, the rules
6.10 of the work camp have been thrown out. People walk on them in the alleys; poor people tear them up in the streets.
6.11 Indeed, poor people have reached the place of the Ennead; the rules of the House of Thirty have been stripped bare.
6.12 Indeed, the great work camp is in turmoil; poor people come and go through the great estates. Indeed,
6.13 officials' children are thrown into the streets. The knowledgeable person says, “Yes”; the fool says, “No.” To someone who does not understand it, it seems right.
6.14 Indeed, those who used to be in the embalming place are put on high ground. The embalmers' secrets are spilled there.