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The Serpent’s Story
The Serpent’s Story of 6. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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111 𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓆑𓈖𓀀𓅓𓅾𓀁𓅓𓊗𓏤𓏤ḏd.jn =f n =j m snḏ(.w) ⸮m(j)? zp-2
112 𓈖𓆓𓊃𓅪𓀀𓅓𓄿𓏏𓅱𓂡𓁷𓏤𓎡nḏs m ꜣ(j)t.w ḥr =k
113 𓊪𓎛𓄖𓈖𓎡𓅱𓀀𓅓𓂝𓎡𓊹𓏤𓂋𓂝𓈖𓆑pḥ.n =k wj m =k nṯr rḏi̯.n =f
114 𓋹𓈖𓐍𓎡𓏎𓈖𓆑𓏏𓅱𓂋𓈀𓈇𓏤𓊪𓈖𓈖𓂓𓏤ꜥnḫ =k jni̯ =f tw r jw pn n(,j) kꜣ
115 𓂜𓈖𓈖𓏏𓏏𓂜𓈖𓋴𓏏𓅓𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐𓆑nn n,tt nn st m-ẖnw =f
116 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓎔𓏛𓌨𓂋𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓎟𓏏jw =f mḥ ẖr nfr,t nb.t
117 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓂋𓁹𓏏𓇹𓇼𓂧𓇳𓏤𓁷𓏤m =k tw r jri̯.t ꜣbd ḥr
118 𓇹𓇼𓂧𓇳𓏤𓂋𓆎𓅓𓏏𓏛𓎡𓇹𓇼𓂧𓇳𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤ꜣbd r km.t =k ꜣbd 4
119 𓅓𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐𓈖𓈀𓈇𓏤𓊪𓈖𓇋𓅱m-ẖnw-n jw pn jw
120 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊛𓂋𓇍𓇋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐dp,t r jy.t m ẖnw
121 𓋴𓐪𓂧𓅱⯑𓀀𓏥𓇋𓅓𓋴𓂋𓐍𓏛𓈖𓎡sqd.w.pl jm =s rḫ.n =k
122 𓈝𓅓𓂻𓎡𓎛𓈖𓂝𓋴𓈖𓏥𓂋𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐šm =k ḥnꜥ =sn r ẖnw
123 𓅓𓏏𓀏𓎡𓅓𓊖𓏏𓏤𓎡m(w)t =k m nʾ,t =k
124 𓂋𓈙𓂉𓀁𓅱𓏭𓋴𓆓𓂧𓀁𓂧𓊪𓏏𓄓𓀁𓈖⯑𓆑𓊃𓈖𓏒𓂻𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓍋𓅓𓂋𓅪rš.wj sḏd dp.t.n =f zni̯⟨.⸮n?⟩ (j)ḫ,t m(ḥ)r
125 𓋴𓆓𓂧𓀁𓀀𓂋𓆑𓈖𓎡𓏇𓇋𓏏𓏏𓏛𓇋𓂋𓏭𓆣𓂋𓅱𓅓𓈀𓈇𓏤𓊪𓈖sḏd =j r =f n =k mj,tt-jr,j ḫpr.w m jw pn
126 𓃹𓈖𓀀𓇋𓅓𓆑𓎛𓈖𓂝𓌢𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏥𓀀𓄡𓂋𓂧𓅱𓀔𓀀𓁐𓏥wn =j jm =f ḥnꜥ sn.w.pl =j ẖrd.w.pl
127 𓅓𓈎𓄿𓃀𓄲𓋴𓈖𓏥𓆎𓅓𓏛𓈖𓈖𓏥𓎛𓆑𓄿𓅱𓆙𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓅓m-qꜣb =sn km.n =n ḥfꜣ,w 75 m
128 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏥𓀀𓎛𓈖𓂝𓌢𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏥𓀀𓂜𓈖𓋴𓐍𓆼𓄿𓀁𓀀𓈖𓎡ms.w.pl =j ḥnꜥ sn.w.pl =j nn sḫꜣ =j n =k
129 𓅭𓏏𓁐𓎡𓏏𓏏𓅪𓁐𓏎𓈖𓏏𓈖𓀀𓅓𓊃𓆷𓄿𓄃𓏛𓊢𓂝𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳zꜣ,t kt.t jni̯.t n =j m ⸮sšꜣ? ꜥḥꜥ.n sbꜣ
130 𓉔𓄿𓅱𓂻𓉐𓂋𓂻𓈖𓈖𓄿𓅓𓐍𓏏𓊮𓅓𓂝𓆑𓆣𓂋𓈖𓂋𓋴𓂜𓈖𓅱𓀀𓎛𓈖𓂝hꜣi̯.w pri̯.n nꜣ m ḫ,t m-ꜥ =f ḫpr.n r =s nn wj ḥnꜥ
131 𓄿𓅓𓊮𓈖𓏭𓂜𓈖𓅱𓀀𓅓𓁷𓂋𓄣𓋴𓈖𓏥𓊢𓂝𓈖𓀀𓅓𓏏𓀏𓎡𓅱𓀀𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥𓅠𓅓𓈖𓀀ꜣm.nj nn wj m-ḥr(,j)-jb =sn ꜥḥꜥ.n =j m(w)t.kw n =sn gmi̯.n =j
132 𓋴𓏏𓅓𓆞𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏏𓐎𓏥𓌡𓅱𓂝𓏏𓏤𓇋𓂋𓈎𓈖𓂡𓈖𓎡𓌗𓂡𓄣𓏤𓎡st m ẖꜣy,t.pl wꜥ.t jr qni̯{.n} =k rwḏ jb =k
133 𓎔𓏛𓎡𓈎𓈖𓇋𓂘𓎡𓅓𓀔𓀀𓁐𓏥𓎡𓋴𓈖𓂉𓀁𓎡mḥ =k qnj =k m ẖrd.w.pl =k sn =k
134 𓈞𓏏𓁐𓎡𓌳𓁹𓄿𓎡𓉐𓏤𓎡𓄤𓆑𓂋𓋴𓏏𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓎟𓏏ḥm,t =k mꜣ =k pr =k nfr st r (j)ḫ,t nb.t
135 𓊪𓎛𓄖𓂻𓎡𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐𓃹𓈖𓎡𓇋𓅓𓆑pḥ =k ẖnw wn =k jm =f
136 𓅓𓈎𓄿𓃀𓄲𓂻𓈖𓌢𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏥𓎡𓃹𓈖𓎡𓂋𓆑m-qꜣb-n sn.w.pl =k wn.k⟨w⟩ r =f
137 𓂧𓌳𓄿𓍖𓏛𓎡𓅱𓀀𓁷𓏤𓄡𓏏𓏤𓀀𓂧𓏇𓇋𓂢𓈖𓀀dmꜣ.kw ḥr ẖ,t =j dmj.n =j
138 𓊃𓅭𓄿𓏏𓅱𓈇𓏥𓅓𓃀𓅡𓄿𓎛𓂺𓏛𓆑𓆓𓂧𓀀𓂋𓆑𓈖𓎡zꜣtw.pl m-bꜣḥ =f ḏd =j r =f n =k
139 𓋴𓆓𓂧𓀁𓀀𓅢𓏛𓏥𓎡𓈖𓆊𓆊𓅆𓂝𓀀𓊃𓈙𓄿𓏛𓆑sḏd =j bꜣw =k n jtj ḏi̯ =j sšꜣ =f
140 𓅓𓉻𓂝𓄿𓏛𓎡𓂝𓀀𓏎𓈖𓏏𓈖𓎡𓇋𓃀𓃙𓇋⯑𓎛𓎡𓈖𓏌𓅱𓈒𓏥m ꜥꜣ =k ḏi̯ =j jni̯(.t).t(w) n =k jbj ḥknw.pl
141 𓂻𓅱𓂧𓈖𓃀𓈒𓏥𓄡𓊃𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏏𓈒𓏥𓌢𓈖𓏏𓂋𓆴𓈒𓏥𓈖𓐞𓏤𓏥𓉐𓏥jwdnb.pl ẖsꜣy,t.pl sntr.pl n gs.pl-pr.pl
142 𓋴𓊵𓏏𓊪𓅱𓏛𓊹𓏤𓎟𓇋𓅓𓆑𓋴𓆓𓂧𓀁𓂋𓆑𓆣𓂋𓏏𓏛𓏥sḥtp.w nṯr nb jm =f sḏd =⟨j⟩ r =f ḫpr.t.pl
143 𓁷𓏤𓀀𓅓𓌳𓁹𓄿𓏏𓏥𓈖𓀀𓅓𓅢𓏛𓆑𓇼𓄿𓀢𓏏𓅱𓈖𓎡𓊹ḥr =j m mꜣ.t.pl.n =j m bꜣw ={f}⟨k⟩ dwꜣ =tw n =k nṯr
144 𓅓𓊖𓏏𓏤𓐍𓏏𓆑𓁷𓏤𓈎𓈖𓃀𓏏𓊋𓀀𓏥𓇾𓈇𓏤𓂋𓇥𓂋𓆑𓊃𓆑𓏏𓌪𓂡𓀀m nʾ,t ḫft-ḥr qnb,t.pl tꜣ r-ḏr =f sft =j
145 𓈖𓎡𓂸𓃒𓏤𓏥𓅓𓊄𓅪𓈖𓏴𓏏𓊮𓅱𓈙𓈖𓅿𓂝𓈖𓀀𓈖𓎡n =k kꜣ.pl m zbi̯-n-sḏ,t wšn.n =j n =k
146 𓄿𓊪𓂧𓅱𓅯𓏥𓂝𓀀𓏎𓈖𓏏𓈖𓎡𓎛𓂝𓅱𓊛𓏥𓄿𓏏𓊪𓅱𓀁𓂡ꜣpd.w.pl ḏi̯ =j jni̯(.t).t(w) n =k ḥꜥ.w.pl ꜣtp.w
147 𓌨𓂋𓀻𓋴𓋴𓏛𓏥𓎟𓈖𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖𓏏𓏤𓏇𓇋𓁹𓂋𓏏𓈖𓊹𓏤𓌸𓂋𓂋𓀁ẖr špss.pl nb n(,j) Km,t mj jrr.t n nṯr mrr
148 𓂋𓍿𓀀𓁐𓏥𓅓𓇾𓈇𓏤𓍯𓄿𓈐𓂜𓂋𓐍𓏛𓇓𓅱𓂋𓍿𓀀𓁐𓏥r(m)ṯ.pl m tꜣ wꜣi̯ n rḫ sw r(m)ṯ.pl
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Egyptian, line for line, covering all 189 lines of Papyrus Hermitage 1115, 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).
111 Then it said to me: "Do not be afraid, do not be afraid,
112 little one, and do not let your face blanch,
113 now that you have reached me. See, it is God who has let you live
114 by bringing you to this island of the Ka.
115 Nothing that is, is lacking in it;
116 it is filled with every good thing.
117 You will spend month
118 upon month until you complete 4 months
119 on this island. A ship
120 will come from the Residence;
121 there will be sailors in her whom you know;
122 you shall go with them to the Residence,
123 and die in your own town.
124 How happy is the man who can tell what he has tasted, when the affliction has passed!
125 I will tell you of things like what happened on this island:
126 I was on it together with my brothers and sisters and my children.
127 With them I made up 75 serpents in all, with
128 my children and my siblings. I will not name to you
129 the little daughter who had been brought to me by wise foresight; then a star
130 fell, and through it they went up in flames; it happened while I was not with them:
131 they burned when I was not in their midst, and I died of grief for them when I found
132 them heaped in a single pile of corpses. But if you are brave and firm of heart,
133 you will fill your embrace with your children, and you will kiss
134 your wife, and see your house—that is better than all things.
135 You will reach the Residence, and you will be there
136 among your brothers and sisters."
137 I lay stretched upon my belly, and I touched
138 the ground before it, and I said to it:
139 "I will report your power to the Sovereign; I will make him know
140 of your greatness. I shall have brought to you ladanum and holy oils,
141 incense and balsam, and frankincense for the temples,
142 so that every god is content with it; I will tell of what has happened
143 to me, of what I have seen of your power; God will be praised on your account
144 in the city, before the council of the whole land. I will slaughter bulls for you
145 as burnt offerings, and I will wring the necks of birds for you;
146 I shall have ships brought to you, laden
147 with every treasure of Egypt, as is done for a god who loves
148 people, in a distant land that people do not know."
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Egyptian text, line for line, covering all 189 lines of Papyrus Hermitage 1115, the only surviving copy.
111 Then it said to me: "Do not be afraid, do not be afraid,
112 little one. Do not let your face go pale.
113 You have reached me. See, it was God
114 who let you live and brought you to this island of the ka.
115 There is nothing this island lacks:
116 it is full of every good thing.
117 You will spend month after month
118 until you have completed four months
119 on this island. Then a ship
120 will come from the Residence.
121 Sailors you know will be on it.
122 You will go with them to the Residence
123 and you will die in your own town.
124 How glad a man is when he can tell what he lived through, once the trouble has passed!
125 Now I will tell you something similar that happened on this island,
126 where I was with my brothers and my children:
127 together we came to 75 snakes.
128 My children and my brothers — I will not tell you about
129 the little daughter who was brought to me in wisdom (?); then a star
130 fell, and through it they went up in flames. And this happened while I was away:
131 they burned while I was not among them. I nearly died of grief when I found
132 them all lying in one heap of bodies. But if you are brave and firm of heart,
133 you will fill your arms with your children, and kiss
134 your wife, and see your house again. That is better than anything.
135 You will reach the Residence, and you will be
136 in the midst of all your brothers."
137 Then I lay stretched out on my belly,
138 and touched the ground in front of it. But I want to say to you:
139 "I will tell the Sovereign of your power; I will make him know
140 your greatness. I will have them bring you ladanum and holy oil,
141 incense, balsam, and frankincense for the temples,
142 to the satisfaction of every god. I will report what has happened to me,
143 all that I have seen of your power. God will be praised for your sake
144 in the city, before the councils of the whole land. I will slaughter
145 oxen for you as burnt offerings; I will wring the necks
146 of birds for you. I will have ships brought to you, loaded barges
147 carrying every treasure of Egypt, as is done for a god who loves
148 people, in a distant land that people do not know."