Papyrus section 7

(7.1) Do not contend with her; do not let strife enter her heart. Keep her from what would master her, for her eye is her storm when she looks. Thus you will make her remain within your house.

(7.2) If you are a man of worth seated in your lord’s council, gather your mind toward excellence. Be silent: silence is better than a torrent of words. Speak only when you know you can resolve the matter. It is the master of the craft who should speak in council; speech is harder than any labor.

(7.3) The one who understands speech makes it serve. If you are a trusted man, sent by one great man to another, hold fast to the charge of the one who sent you; deliver his message exactly as he said it.

(7.4) Beware of contentious speech that would embroil one great man with another. Keep to the truth; do not exceed it. Yet an outburst should not be repeated. Do not malign anyone, great or small.

(7.5) It is an abomination to the ka. If you till the earth and growth rises in your field, because god has made it flourish in your hand, do not boast beside your neighbors. Great is the respect accorded the silent man.

(7.6) A man of character who possesses wealth is formidable even in the council. Do not plunder one who has no children; do not reproach him for having none. A father may know grief, and a mother who has borne may be less content than another.

(7.7) It is the solitary man whom god sustains, while the head of a clan may pray for someone to follow him. If you are of humble station, attach yourself to an excellent man whose fortune is good before god.

(7.8) Do not let your heart rise against him because you knew him in his former condition. Respect him for what has come to him. Wealth does not come of itself: it is the portion of the one the gods favor. His abundance he gathered, but god made his worth and guards him even while he sleeps.

(7.9) Follow your heart as long as you live, and do no more than what is commanded. Do not shorten the time of following the heart: to waste its proper moment is an offense against the ka. Do not consume the whole day beyond what your household requires.

(7.10) When wealth has come, follow your heart, for wealth brings no good to one who is joyless. If you are a worthy man and beget a son through the favor of god, one upright and fashioned after your own heart—

(7.11) if he follows your teaching and his conduct within your house is fitting, take every good care of him. He is your son, the seed of your own ka; do not estrange your heart from him. Yet a man’s offspring may bring strife.

(7.12) See that the scales do not tilt; do not force them aside. Do not let your heart seize what belongs to another. Speak every word with exactness, and restrain the thrust of your mouth.

(7.1) She is a fertile field for her husband. Do not contend with her in court; keep her away from power. Her eye is her storm when she looks. By doing this, you will make her remain in your house.

(7.2) If you are a worthy man sitting in your lord’s council, gather your mind toward excellence. Silence is better than chatter. Speak only when you know how to resolve the matter. It is the skilled man who should speak in council; speech is harder than any other work.

(7.3) Skill comes from the god; the ignorant man cannot make speech obey him. If you are a trusted man sent from one great man to another, adhere exactly to the character of the one who sent you.

(7.4) Deliver his message just as he said it. Guard against provocative words that would make one great man quarrel with another. Hold firmly to truth and do not go beyond it; an outburst of the heart must not be repeated.

(7.5) Do not slander anyone, great or small; that is an abomination to the ka. Report only what you have seen, and let your conduct place respect for your lord before you.

(7.6) When you sit in council, restrain your speech and be quieter than those who chatter. Speak as one who knows; the expert is the one whose words carry weight.

(7.7) Speech is an art from the god. No craftsman masters it completely, yet good speech is more effective than any other craft. Follow your heart as long as you live, and do no more than what is required.

(7.8) Do not shorten the time for following your heart. Wasting its proper moment is an abomination to the ka. Do not encroach on the business of each day beyond what maintaining your household requires. When possessions come, follow your heart.

(7.9) Possessions are no use when the heart is weary. Following the heart is better than hoarding wealth; enjoyment and sustenance belong together.

(7.10) Daily necessities come according to the god’s command. A weary heart gains no benefit from wealth. If you are a man of excellence and see a son granted by the god—

(7.11) if his conduct is straight, he takes after you, listens to your instruction, behaves properly in your house, and takes good care of your property—then do every good thing for him. He is your son, born from the seed of your ka. Do not separate your heart from him, even if offspring may go astray.

(7.12) If you are a trusted man whom one official sends to another, be exact in carrying out what he sends you to do. Deliver his message just as he said it. Guard against hostile words that might embroil one official with another.