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The Second Petition
The Second Petition of 13. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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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
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).
88 Then this peasant came to petition him a second time, saying: "High Steward, my lord, greatest of the great,
89 richest of the rich, in whom his great ones have a greater
90 and his rich ones a richer: rudder of the sky,
91 prop of the earth, measuring cord that bears the weight! Rudder, do not stray!
92 Prop, do not lean! Cord, do not swing! A great lord
93 is one who takes from him who has no lord, robbing face to face; your keep is in your house:
94 one hin of beer and three loaves. What more do you spend to fill your clients?
95 A mortal dies together with his household; are you then to be a man of eternity? Is it not an evil:
96 the scale that tilts, the plummet that strays — the true
97 turned to confusion? See, what is right flees from under you, being thrust from
98 her place. The officials do what is evil; the standard of speech leans to one side.
99 The hearers plunder: its taking — he is the mutilator of speech in its rightness, who
100 brings wavering into it. The giver of breath deals out distress on earth; he who breathes easy
101 makes others gasp. Who should portion out is a plunderer; who should drive out misery
102 is one who ordains it done. The landing place is his flood; who should ward off evil
103 commits it. Then the High Steward Rensi son of Meru said: "Is this great thing of yours,
104 sitting on your heart, more than that my follower seize you?" Then this peasant said: "The measurer of the heap
105 cheats for himself as he measures; who fills for another damages all around him; who would lead by
106 the laws commands robbery — who then shall withstand him? Who should drive out the wretched man's evil
107 is one who makes it. One is exact in crookedness, the other keen on deceit.
108 One nods assent to the other's evil. Do you find yourself in this? Punishment is short; wrong is long.
109 Evil returns to the place it held yesterday; this is the command: act for the man who acts,
110 that he may act again; it is to thank the god for what he does; it is to fend off a matter before
111 it is shot; it is to entrust a matter to the lord of the task. Oh, would that an instant might destroy it:
112 a collapse in your net, scarcity among your birds, loss
113 among your waterfowl — the seeing man turned blind,
114 the hearing man turned deaf, the leader one who has lost the way.
115 O keeper of the basket, have you then fallen over? Why do you act against yourself?
116 See, you are strong, you are mighty; your arm is quick,
117 your heart is greedy, and kindness has passed you by. Wretched
118 is the wretch you destroy; you are like
119 the messenger of Khenti. See, you have outdone
120 the Lady of Pestilence: what is not for you is not for her; what is not against her is not against you.
121 You did it not, and she did it not. A lord of bread should be gentle, though power belongs
122 to the criminal. Fitting is theft for the man who owns nothing,
123 goods carried off by a criminal. But the deed of one who is not destitute — is he not to be condemned?
124 No one condemns him for it, for it means each seeking his own. You, though, are sated
125 with your bread, drunk deep with your beer; and you are rich
126 in everything. The helmsman's face is set forward, while the boat slides
127 wherever it pleases. The king is in his hall, and the rudder is in your hand, and
128 evil is done beside you. Long is the pleader's plea, and the weight
129 is torn away. 'What manner of man is this?', men will say. Be a refuge,
130 and let your bank stand sound; see, your landing place is crocodile-haunted.
131 Make your tongue straight, that you do not go astray; the mildew
132 of a man is the limb that is in him. Speak no falsehood; be on your guard with the officials.
133 The winnowing basket is what sifts the hearers; lying is their green crop,
134 it is speaking falsehood when it lies light on their hearts. O wisest of all people: is it from my case
135 alone that you know nothing?
136 O banisher of every trouble of the waters, see, I have a road
137 that is cut off. O bringer-to-land of every drowning man, save
138 the shipwrecked man; take me up out of my straits."
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.
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."