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Sneferu Summons Neferti
Sneferu Summons Neferti of 3. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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1 […] 𓆣𓂋𓈖𓇓𓅱𓏏𓃹𓈖𓈖 […] 𓃹𓈖𓈖𓍛𓏤𓈖𓇓𓆤𓋴𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓌳𓐙𓂝𓊤𓅱𓀁𓅓𓇓𓏏𓈖𓅆𓏠𓈖𓐍𓍊𓏛𓅓𓇾𓏤𓈇𓊪𓈖𓂋𓇥𓂋𓆑𓌡𓂝𓏤[…] ḫpr.n swt wnn […] wn ḥm n(,j) nsw-bjtj Snfr,w mꜣꜥ-ḫrw m nsw mnḫ m tꜣ pn r-ḏr =f wꜥ
2 𓅓𓇑𓇑𓈖𓈖 […] 𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤𓆣𓂋𓅱𓅧𓈎𓂻𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓊋𓏏𓀀𓏥𓈖𓏏𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓊖𓂋𓉻𓉐𓉐𓏤[⯑]𓂋𓐩𓏌𓀁𓐍𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻m nn […] hrw ḫpr ꜥq pw jri̯.n qnb,t n.t ẖnw r pr-ꜥꜣ [ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ]-snb r nḏ ḫr,t pri̯.t
3 𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥𓐩𓏌𓀁𓋴𓈖𓏥𓐍𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓏇𓇋𓈖𓏏𓂝𓏤𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥𓈖𓏏𓂋𓂝𓇳𓏤𓎟𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴𓈖𓋨𓅱𓀀pw jri̯.n =sn nḏ⟨.n⟩ =sn ḫr,t mj n,t-ꜥ =sn n.t rꜥ-nb ḏd.jn ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb n ḫtm,w
4 𓈖𓏏𓏭𓂋𓐛𓏤𓆑𓇋𓊄𓏭𓂻𓏎𓈖𓈖𓀀[⯑]𓈖𓏏𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓊖𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓉻𓈐𓐩𓏌𓀁𓐍𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓅓[⯑]𓊪𓈖𓆑n,tj r-gs =f jzj jni̯ n =j qnb,t n.t ẖnw pri̯.t ꜥꜣ ⟨ḥr⟩ nḏ ḫr,t m [hrw] pn ⟨stꜣ.jn.tw⟩ ⟨n⟩ =f
5 𓁷𓏤𓂝𓏤𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥𓁷𓏤𓄡𓏏𓏤𓋴𓈖𓏥𓅓𓂺𓂝𓏤𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴𓅓𓄙𓅓𓏛𓂝𓏤[⯑]𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥𓂋𓎛𓅱𓀀𓏥ḥr-ꜥ wn.jn =sn ḥr ẖ,t =sn m-bꜣḥ-ꜥ ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb m-wḥm-ꜥ ḏd.[jn] ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb n =sn rḥ.w.pl
6 𓅓𓂝𓏏𓈖𓏥𓂋𓂞𓈖𓀀𓇋𓄿𓂝𓈙𓀁𓏏𓅱𓈖𓏏𓈖𓏥𓂋𓂋𓂝𓏏𓆓𓂝𓂋𓂾𓂻𓏏𓈖𓏥𓈖𓀀𓅭𓀀𓏤𓏏𓈖𓏥𓅓[⯑]𓌢𓀀𓏏𓈖𓏥𓅓𓇋𓈎𓂋𓏛m =tn rḏi̯.n =j jꜣꜥš =tw n =tn r rḏi̯.t ḏꜥr =tn n =j zꜣ =tn m s[ꜣ]ꜣ sn =tn m jqr
7 𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓋴𓀙𓏛𓀀𓏏𓈖𓏥𓅱𓂧𓏴𓂡𓊃𓊪𓊗𓄤𓆑𓂋𓆓𓂧𓏏𓏭𓆑𓈖𓀀𓈖𓉔𓏭𓅪𓈒𓏥𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓏥𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓏛𓋭𓊃𓏛𓅱𓀁𓏥ḫnms =tn ⟨m⟩ wdi̯ sp-nfr ḏd.tj =f n =j nhj.pl n(,j) md,t.pl nfr.t ṯs.w.pl
8 𓍉𓊪𓅱𓏛𓏥𓍑𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏴𓏛𓁷𓏤𓈖[⯑]𓅆𓈖𓄔𓅓𓋴𓏏𓂋𓂝𓇋𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥𓁷𓏤𓄡𓏏𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥𓅓𓂺𓂝𓏤𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴𓅓𓄙𓅓𓏛𓂝𓏤stp.w.pl ḏꜣy ḥr n(,j) [ḥm] =j n sḏm st rḏi̯.jn =sn ḥr ẖ,t.pl =sn m-bꜣḥ-ꜥ ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb m-wḥm-ꜥ
9 𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥𓐍𓆑𓏏𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴[⯑]𓌨𓂋𓎛𓃀𓎱𓇳𓀀𓉻𓂝𓄿𓏛𓈖𓃀𓅡𓄿𓊨𓏏𓀗𓆗𓇋𓀁𓍘𓇋𓇋⯑𓎟𓅆𓈖𓏥𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓏭𓏛𓀀ḏd.jn =sn ḫft ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb j[w] ẖr(,j)-ḥ(ꜣ)b(,t) ꜥꜣ n Bꜣs,t jty nb =n Nfr,tj
10 𓂋𓈖𓀁𓆑𓈖𓆓𓊃𓅪𓀀𓊪𓅱𓈎𓈖𓂡𓎼𓄿𓃀𓂢𓏤𓄹𓆑𓏞𓀀𓊪𓅱𓇋𓈎𓂋𓏛𓈖𓂭𓂭𓂭𓏭𓆑𓀻𓋴𓋴𓏛𓀀𓊪𓅱𓉻𓂝𓄿𓏛𓈖𓆑𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥rn =f nḏs pw qni̯ [n(,j)] gꜣb(,t) =f zẖꜣ,w pw jqr n(,j) ḏbꜥ.pl.j =f špss pw ꜥꜣ n =f ḫ,t
11 𓂋𓏇𓏏𓏭𓏛𓆑𓎟𓎛𓅱𓏭𓀁[⯑]𓆑𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄿𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴𓇋𓊄𓂻𓈖𓀀𓇓𓅱𓋴𓏏𓍔𓄿𓍬𓂻𓇋𓈖𓏏𓆑 […]r mj,tj =f nb ḥwj ⸢jni̯⸣[.tw] =⸢f⸣ mꜣꜣ ḥm =f ⟨sw⟩ ḏd.jn ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb jzi̯ [jni̯] n =j sw stꜣ.jn.t(w) =f […]
12 𓈖𓆑𓁷𓏤𓂝𓏤𓅱𓏭𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓆑𓁷𓏤𓄡𓏏𓏤𓆑𓅓𓂺𓂝𓏤𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴𓅓𓂝𓇋𓂻𓅓𓂝𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓏭𓏛𓀀n =f ḥr-ꜥ.wj wn.jn =f ḥr ẖ,t =f m-bꜣḥ-ꜥ ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb ḏd.jn ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb mj m Nfr,tj
13 𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓋴𓀙𓏛𓀀𓆓𓂧𓎡𓈖𓀀𓈖𓉔𓏭𓅪𓈒𓏥𓈖𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓏥𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓏛𓋭𓊃𓅱𓏛𓀁𓏥𓍉𓊪𓅱𓏛𓏥𓍑𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏴𓏛𓁷𓏤𓈖𓍛𓏤𓅆𓅆𓈖ḫnms =j ḏd =k n =j nhj n(,j) md,t.pl nfr.t ṯz.w.pl stp.w.pl ḏꜣy ḥr n(,j) ḥm =j n
14 𓄔𓅓𓋴𓏏𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓌨𓂋𓎛𓎱𓇳𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓏭𓏛𓀀𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓅓𓆣𓂋𓏏𓏥𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓅓𓆣𓂋𓏏𓏥𓆑𓋴𓏭𓇋𓀁𓍘𓇋𓇋⯑𓅆𓋹𓍑𓋴𓎟𓅆𓀀sḏm st ḏd.jn ẖr(,j)-ḥꜣb(,t) Nfr,tj jn jw m ḫpr.t.pl jn jw m ḫpr.t(j){.pl} ={f} =sj jty ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb nb =j
15 𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓋹𓍑𓋴𓅓𓆣𓂋𓏏𓋴𓏏𓇓𓅱𓏏𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳𓇋𓋴𓆣𓂋𓏴𓂻[⯑]𓆑𓊢𓂝𓈖𓂧𓃹𓈖𓂻𓈖𓆑𓂧𓏏𓏤𓆑𓂋𓉔𓈖𓀗𓆱𓈖ḏd.jn ḥm =f ꜥnḫ-wḏꜣ-snb m ḫpr.t(j) =s{t}⟨j⟩ swt mjn js ḫpr swꜣi̯ [ḥr] =f ꜥḥꜥ.n dwn.n =f ḏr,t =f r hn n(,j)
16 [⯑]𓊢𓂝𓈖𓄞𓂧𓂡𓈖𓆑𓈖𓆑𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓍼𓏤𓎛𓈖𓂝𓐛𓊃𓍘𓇋𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓈖𓆑𓁷𓏤𓁹𓏏𓅓𓏞𓏛𓏥𓆓𓂧𓏏𓈖[⯑]ẖr,t-ꜥ ꜥḥꜥ.n šdi̯.n =f n =f šfd,w ḥnꜥ gstj wn.jn{.n} =f ḥr jri̯.t m zẖꜣ.pl ḏd.t.n ẖr(,j)-ḥ[ꜣb(,t)]
17 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓏭𓏛𓀀𓂋𓐍𓏛𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓊪𓅱𓈖𓋁𓃀𓈇𓏤𓈉𓈖𓄓𓊃𓇓𓅱[⯑]𓅓𓅱𓃀𓈖𓇳𓋴𓄟𓋴𓅱𓀗𓀀𓊪𓅱𓈖[⯑]𓆑Nfr,tj rḫ-ḫ,t.pl pw n(,j) jꜣb(,t) n(,j)-sw B[ꜣ]s,t m wbn =s ms,w pw n(,j) Ḥqꜣ-ꜥnḏ [jw] =f
18 𓎔𓂝𓎛𓏭𓄦𓀁𓏥𓆑𓁷𓏤𓆣𓂋𓏏𓏭𓅓𓇾𓏤𓈇𓇋𓅱𓆑𓋴𓆼𓄿𓀁𓆑𓈎𓈖𓇋𓀗𓏛 […] 𓈎𓈖𓇋𓀗𓏛𓈖𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏏𓈇𓏤𓈉𓐍𓊪𓂻𓋿𓅓𓅱𓀀𓏥𓅓𓐍𓊪𓈙𓏏𓅱𓄗𓌛𓀗𓌛𓏏𓅱𓋴𓈖𓏥mḥj =f ḥr ḫpr.t{j} m tꜣ jw =f sḫꜣ =f q{n}j […] qnj n(,j) jꜣbt,t ḫpi̯ ꜥꜣm.w.pl m ḫpš{,tw} =sn
19 𓋴𓉔𓂢𓂡𓋴𓈖𓏥𓄣𓏤𓏥𓈖𓏏𓏭𓅂𓏥𓁷𓏤𓈙𓈗𓇳𓌽𓏥𓈖𓈞𓅓𓂡𓋴𓈖𓏥𓎛𓏏𓂋𓅱𓃩𓄜𓏥𓁷𓏤𓋴𓂓𓄿𓍁𓌸𓂡sh =sn jb.pl [⸮n.w?] n,tj.pl ḥr šmw nḥm =sn ḥtr.w.pl ḥr skꜣ
20 𓆓𓂧𓆑𓐍𓂤𓅱𓋴𓏛𓄣𓏤𓀀𓂋𓅓𓅱𓁿𓎡𓇾𓏤𓈇𓊪𓈖𓆷𓄿𓂝𓏛𓏛𓈖𓎡𓇋𓅓𓆑𓎼𓂋𓀁𓅓𓃛𓅱𓎛𓏌𓂡𓅓𓂝𓎡𓃹𓈖𓆓𓂧𓍘𓇋𓂋𓆑ḏd =f ḫwzi̯ jb =j rmi̯.w =k tꜣ pn šꜣꜥ.n =k jm =f gr m jwḥ m =k wn ḏd.tj r =f
21 𓅓𓋴𓏏𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓆴𓀢𓏛𓅓𓂝𓎡𓂋𓆑𓃹𓈖𓀙𓀀𓅓𓊪𓏏𓐍𓂻𓎡𓅓𓅨𓂋𓂧𓀉𓅪𓅓𓂝𓎡𓋴𓏏𓐍𓏏𓆑𓁷𓏤𓎡m str,yt m =k r =f wn wr m ptḫ ⟨m⟩ ⟨tꜣ⟩ ={k} m wrd m =k st ḫft-ḥr =k
22 𓊢𓂝𓂻𓎡𓂋𓈖𓏏𓏏𓅓𓂺𓎡𓅓𓂝𓎡𓂋𓆑𓃹𓈖𓀙𓅱𓀀𓏥𓅓𓋴𓐍𓂋𓅱𓏛𓏥𓏌𓏤𓇾𓏤𓈇𓁹𓇋𓇋𓏏𓏥𓅓𓏏𓍃𓅓𓏏 […] 𓏏𓍃𓅓𓏏𓁹𓆷𓄿𓂝𓏛𓅓𓎼𓂋𓍅𓏛 […]ꜥḥꜥ =k r n,tt m-bꜣḥ =k m =k r =f ⟨nn⟩-wn wr.w.pl m sḫr.w.pl n.w tꜣ jri̯.yt.pl m tm.t […] tm⟨m⟩.t jri̯ šꜣꜥ ⟨Rꜥ⟩ m grg […]
23 𓇾𓏤𓈇𓄿𓈎𓅱𓅪𓂋𓄫𓅱𓏛𓏥𓂜𓆣𓂋𓍑𓏏𓀗𓏥𓂜𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆎𓅓𓏛𓏥𓈖𓂝𓈖𓏏𓂷𓅓𓆷𓄿𓏏𓏛𓏥𓆑 […] 𓆷𓄿𓏏𓏛𓏥𓆑 […]tꜣ ꜣq.w r-ꜣw.pl n ḫpr ḏꜣ,t.pl n spi̯ km.pl n(,j) ꜥn,t m šꜣ.t.pl =f […] šꜣ.t.pl =f […]
24 𓌉𓆓𓏴𓅪𓇾𓏤𓈇𓊪𓈖𓂜𓈖𓎔𓂝𓎛𓏭𓄦𓀁𓁷𓂋𓆑𓂜𓈖𓆓𓂧𓂜𓈖𓁹𓂋𓅓𓅱𓁿𓃹𓈖𓈖𓇾𓏤𓈇𓊪𓈖𓅓𓅓𓂝 […] 𓏇𓇋𓅓𓂝𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅆𓎛𓃀𓋴𓅱𓍱𓂡ḥḏi̯ tꜣ pn nn mḥj ḥr =f nn ḏd nn jri̯ rm,w wnn tꜣ pn m m […] mj m jtn ḥbs.w
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Egyptian, line for line, covering all 71 lines of Papyrus Petersburg 1116B, the only complete 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).
1 […] Once, the majesty of King Sneferu, justified, was an excellent king throughout this entire land. One
2 of those […] days came to pass: the council of officials of the residence entered the palace, life, prosperity, and health, to inquire after the king's well-being. Then
3 they went out again, having offered their greetings as was their daily custom. His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health, said to the seal-bearer
4 at his side: “Go and bring me the council of officials of the residence who have just gone from here after offering their greetings today.” They were brought to him
5 at once. Once more they lay on their bellies before His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health. His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health, said to them: “My people,
6 look: I had you summoned so that you might seek out for me a son of yours with understanding, a brother of yours with skill,
7 a friend of yours capable of a worthy deed, one who will speak to me some beautiful words, choice sayings
8 that will delight the face of My Majesty as I listen to them.” Once more they laid their bellies before His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health.
9 They said to His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health: “Bastet has a great lector-priest, ruler, our lord. Neferti
10 is his name. He is a citizen strong of arm, a scribe deft of finger, a noble with more possessions
11 than any of his peers. May he be brought so that Your Majesty may see him.” His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health, said: “Go, bring him to me!” He was brought […]
12 to him at once. He lay on his belly before His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health. His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health, said: “Come now, Neferti,
13 my friend. Speak me some beautiful words, choice sayings to delight the face of My Majesty as
14 I listen to them.” The lector-priest Neferti said: “Of what has happened? Or of what will happen, ruler, my lord?”
15 His Majesty, life, prosperity, and health, said: “Of what will happen! Today has already come to be; pass over it.” Then he stretched his hand toward the box of
16 writing implements, took out a papyrus roll and a scribe's palette, and set down in writing what the lector-priest
17 Neferti said. He was a learned man of the east, belonging to Bastet at her sunrise; a child of Heqa-Anedj. He
18 was troubled by what was happening in the land. He remembered the plight […] the suffering of the east, as the Asiatics roamed with their sickle swords,
19 striking fear into the hearts of those at harvest and stealing the teams of oxen at the plow.
20 He said: “Stir yourself, my heart, and mourn this land in which you began your life. Silence is as watering it. Look: what must be spoken of
21 will demand reverence. Look: the great man will be cast down in the land where you live. Do not grow weary; look, it is before you.
22 Stand against what confronts you. Look: there are no great men left in the affairs of the land. What has been done is as though it had not been done […]. May Re begin creation anew. […]
23 The land is utterly ruined; no remnant remains. Not even a fingernail's blackness survives of what was assigned to it […]. […]
24 This land is laid waste. None cares for it, none speaks of it, none sheds tears. What has become of this land? […] The sun is veiled;
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Egyptian text, line for line, covering all 71 lines of Papyrus Petersburg 1116B, the only complete copy.
1 […] Once, when […] the majesty of Snefru, king of Upper and Lower Egypt, who had been declared righteous, was an excellent king throughout this whole land, one
2 of those […] days came. The officials of the capital entered the palace, may he live, be well, and be healthy, to ask how he was. Then they left
3 after asking how he was, as they did every day. His majesty, may he live, be well, and be healthy, then said to the seal-bearer
4 beside him, “Go and bring me the officials of the capital who just went out after asking how I was today.” They were brought to him
5 at once. Once again they lay face down before his majesty, may he live, be well, and be healthy. His majesty said to them, “People,
6 I had you called so that you could find me a son of yours who understands things, a brother of yours who is skilled,
7 or a friend of yours who does good work, someone who will tell me some fine words and well-chosen sayings
8 that I will enjoy hearing.” Once again they lay face down before his majesty, may he live, be well, and be healthy.
9 They said to his majesty, may he live, be well, and be healthy, “Our lord and ruler, Bastet has an important priest who reads sacred texts.
10 His name is Neferti. He is a citizen with a strong arm, a scribe with skillful fingers, and a prominent man with more property
11 than anyone like him. Have him brought here so that your majesty can see him.” His majesty, may he live, be well, and be healthy, said, “Go and bring him to me.” He was brought […]
12 to him at once. Neferti lay face down before his majesty, may he live, be well, and be healthy. His majesty said, “Come here, Neferti,
13 my friend. Tell me some fine words and well-chosen sayings that I will enjoy
14 hearing.” Neferti, the priest who reads sacred texts, said, “About things that have happened, or things that will happen, my lord and ruler, may you live, be well, and be healthy?”
15 His majesty, may he live, be well, and be healthy, said, “Things that will happen! Today has already come about; pass over it.” Then he reached his hand toward the box of
16 writing supplies. He took out a papyrus roll and a writing palette and wrote down what Neferti, the priest who reads sacred texts,
17 said. Neferti was a learned man from the east. He belonged to Bastet in her place of sunrise. He was a child of the district of Heka-Andj. He
18 worried about what was happening in the land. He thought of the hardship […] hardship in the east: the Asiatics roamed about with their curved swords,
19 frightening the people at the harvest and stealing the teams of cattle at the plow.
20 He said, “Stir yourself, my heart, and mourn this land where you began your life. Silence is like watering the trouble. What must be said about it
21 will demand attention. Look: the great man is brought low in the land where you live. Do not lose heart; see what lies before you.
22 Stand up against what confronts you. Look: there are no great people left to manage the country's affairs. What has been done is like what has not been done […]. May Re begin creating anew! […]
23 The whole land is ruined. Nothing remains. Not even the black beneath a fingernail remains of what was assigned to it […]. […]
24 This land is destroyed, but no one cares about it, no one speaks of it, no one weeps for it. What has this land become […]? The sun is covered;