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The Robbery
The Robbery of 13. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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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
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Egyptian, line for line, covering the whole story in its standard composite: Papyrus Ramesseum A (R 1.1–8.3) for the opening, Papyrus Berlin 3023 (B1 1–326) for the robbery and the first eight petitions, and Papyrus Berlin 3025 (B2 91–142) for the ninth petition and the ending, 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).
1 Now this peasant came along the road that all people use. Then this Nemtynakht said: "Be so good, peasant —
2 surely you have not stepped on my clothes?" Then this peasant said:
3 "This I will do as you approve, for good is my way."
4 So he turned up and off the road. Then this Nemtynakht said:
5 "Is my barley to serve you as a road?" Then this peasant said: "Good
6 is my way; but the bank has grown high, and the road
7 lies under barley, and you bar our way
8 with your clothes. Will you not let us pass along the road?"
9 And as he was on the road, one of these donkeys filled its mouth with a tuft of the barley.
10 Its mouth was full of a tuft of barley. Then this Nemtynakht said:
11 "Look, I will take your donkey, peasant, because
12 it has eaten my barley. See, you: it shall be made to thresh for its misdeed."
13 Then this peasant said: "Good is my way. One tuft that destroys ten!
14 For ten sheniw I bought my donkey. Will you take it
15 for one mouthful of a tuft of barley? But I know
16 the lord of this estate; it belongs to the High Steward
17 Rensi son of Meru, and he is the one who punishes every robber in this whole land.
18 Am I to be robbed in his estate?" Then this Nemtynakht said:
19 "Is this the saying that people use:
20 'A poor man's name is spoken because of his lord'? I
21 am the one who speaks to you; and the High Steward is the one you invoke."
22 Then he took himself a shoot of green tamarisk
23 and fell on him with it, beating every limb of his body; his donkeys were taken
24 and driven off into his estate. Then this peasant wept
25 loud and long, for the pain that had been done him.
26 Then this Nemtynakht said: "Quiet your voice, peasant!
27 See, you are at the landing place of the Lord of Silence." Then this peasant said:
28 "You beat me so as to steal my goods; and now you would take
29 the lament from my mouth? O Lord of Silence, may you give me back
30 my goods, and then I shall not need to cry out at your terror!"
31 So this peasant spent ten days petitioning this Nemtynakht, and he paid him no heed.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Egyptian text, line for line, covering the whole story in its standard composite: Papyrus Ramesseum A (R 1.1–8.3) for the opening, Papyrus Berlin 3023 (B1 1–326) for the robbery and the first eight petitions, and Papyrus Berlin 3025 (B2 91–142) for the ninth petition and the ending.
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.