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Before the King
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252 𓅠𓅓𓈖𓀀𓍛𓏤𓆑𓁷𓏤𓊨𓏏𓉐𓅨𓂋𓏏𓉐𓈖𓏏𓌀𓅓𓋞𓈒𓏥𓃹𓈖𓎡𓀀𓂋𓆑gmi̯.n =j ḥm =f ḥr s,t-wr.t n,t ḏꜥm ⟨m⟩ ⟨ꜥ-ẖnw,tj⟩ wn.kj rf
253 𓂧𓃹𓈖𓂻𓎡𓅱𓀀𓁷𓏤𓄡𓏏𓀀𓐍𓅓𓂜𓈖𓅱𓀀𓅓𓃀𓅡𓄿𓎛𓂺𓏛𓆑𓊹𓊪𓈖dwn.kw ḥr ẖ,t =j ḫmi̯.n =(j) wj m-bꜣḥ =f nṯr pn
254 𓁷𓏤𓅱𓄞𓂧𓀁𓀀𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓅱𓂉𓇋𓅱𓀀𓏇𓇋𓊃𓀀𓏤𓎁𓏏𓅱𓂡𓅓𓂝𓐍𓐍𓅱𓇰ḥr wšd =j ḫnm,w jw =j mj z jti̯.w m ꜥḫḫ,w
255 𓊸𓅡𓀏𓀀𓊄𓅱𓅪𓎛𓂝𓄹𓏥𓀀𓄿𓂧𓅱𓂻𓄂𓏏𓏭𓄣𓀀𓂜𓈖𓏏𓆑𓅓𓄡𓏏𓀀𓂋𓐍𓏛𓀀bꜣ =j zbi̯.w ḥꜥ(,w).pl =j ꜣd.w ḥꜣ,tj =j n ntf m ẖ,t =j ⟨n⟩ rḫ =j
256 𓋹𓈖𓐍𓂋𓅓𓏏𓀏𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓆑𓈖𓌡𓅱𓂝𓏤𓅓𓇑𓇑𓈖𓋴𓍋𓅓𓂋𓅱𓀢𓀀𓏥𓍿𓊃𓍞𓂝ꜥnḫ r mt ḏd.jn ḥm =f n wꜥ m nn n smr.w.pl ṯzi̯
257 𓇓𓅱𓇋𓐛𓅓𓂝𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁𓆑𓈖𓀀𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏏𓅱𓂻𓅱𓏏𓎛𓀗𓂝𓈖𓎡𓈉𓏏𓏤𓏥𓁹𓈖𓂾𓏏𓏥sw jmi̯ mdwi̯ =f n =j ḏd.jn ḥm =f mk tw jwi̯.t(j) ḥwi̯.n =k ḫꜣs,t.pl jri̯.n wꜥr,t
258 𓉔𓂧𓂢𓇋𓅓𓎡𓏏𓈖𓇋𓀗𓄖𓂻𓈖𓎡𓇋𓄿𓅱𓏭𓀗𓂜𓈖𓈙𓂋𓂋𓅪𓂝𓃀𓏏𓄏𓏛hd =⟨s⟩ jm =k tnj.⟨tj⟩ pḥ.n =k jꜣwy nn šrr ꜥb,t
259 𓆼𓄿𓏏𓐎𓎡𓂜𓈖𓃀𓋴𓆟𓎡𓇋𓈖𓌒𓏏𓅂𓌙𓀀𓏥𓅓𓁹𓂋𓎡𓊗𓏭𓎼𓂋𓂜𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁𓎡ḫꜣ,t =k nn bz =k jn pḏ,tjw.pl m jri̯ r =k zp-sn,wj gr n mdwi̯ =k
260 𓂧𓅓𓏏𓌪𓀁𓏏𓂋𓈖𓎡𓅾𓀁𓄿𓈖𓍙𓂡𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁𓈖𓀀𓋴𓏏𓅓𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁dm =t(w) rn =k snḏ =⟨k⟩ ꜣ n ḫsf wšb.n =j st m wšb
261 𓅾𓅱𓀁𓀀𓊪𓏏𓂋𓆴𓆓𓂧𓏏𓈖𓀀𓎟𓀀𓀀𓇋𓂋𓏛𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏴𓀁𓀀𓋴𓏏𓂜𓈖𓁷𓂋𓀀snḏ.w ptr ḏd.t n =j nb =j jr wšb =j st nn ḥr =j
262 𓂝𓏤𓈖𓊹𓏤𓇋𓋴𓊪𓅱𓎛𓁷𓂋𓐡𓂡𓊪𓅱𓃹𓈖𓈖𓋴𓅓𓄡𓏏𓀀𓏇𓇋𓋴𓆣𓂋𓂾𓏏𓏥𓆷𓄿𓄿𓏏𓏛ꜥ n nṯr js pw ḥr,⟨yt⟩ pw wnn =s m ẖ,t =j mj sḫpr⟨.t⟩ wꜥr,t šꜣꜣ.t
263 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓅱𓀀𓅓𓃀𓅡𓄿𓎛𓂺𓏛𓎡𓈖𓏏𓎡𓋹𓈖𓐍𓁹𓂋𓍛𓏤𓎡𓅓𓌸𓂋𓏏𓀁𓆑𓂋𓂝𓇋𓈖mk wj m-bꜣḥ =k ntk ꜥnḫ jrr ḥm =k m mr(w),t =f rdi̯.jn ⟨ḥm⟩ =⟨f⟩
264 𓍬𓂻𓏏𓅱𓇓𓄟𓋴𓅱𓁒𓀀𓁐𓏥𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓆑𓈖𓇓𓈞𓏏𓁐𓅓𓂝𓏏𓅭𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭𓀀stꜣ =tw ms,w-n(j)swt.pl ḏd.jn ḥm =f n ḥm,t-n(j)swt m =t Zꜣ-nh,t
265 𓂻𓅱𓅓𓌙𓅓𓀀𓈎𓌳𓄿𓅓𓌙𓏛𓈖𓄝𓏏𓅘𓌙𓀀𓏥𓅱𓂧𓏴𓋴𓋴𓃀𓎛𓄑𓀁𓉻𓏛jwi̯.w m ꜥꜣm qmꜣ n St,tjw.pl wdi̯ =s sbḥ ꜥꜣ
266 𓅨𓂋𓏏𓇓𓄟𓋴𓅱𓁒𓀀𓁐𓏥𓅓𓍸𓇋𓇋𓏏𓀁𓏤𓏥𓌡𓅱𓂝𓏏𓏤𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥wr,t ms,w-n(j)swt.pl m dnj,yt wꜥ.t ḏd.jn =sn
267 𓐍𓏏𓆑𓍛𓏤𓆑𓂜𓈖𓏏𓆑𓊪𓅱𓅓𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓆊𓆊𓀭𓎟𓀀⯑𓀀𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓆑𓈖𓏏𓆑ḫft ḥm =f n ntf pw m-mꜣꜥ,t jty nb =j ḏd.jn ḥm =f ntf
268 𓊪𓅱𓅓𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏏𓀗𓏛𓇋𓋴𓏏𓂋𓆑𓏎𓈖𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥𓌂𓏤𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥pw m-mꜣꜥ,t jst rf jni̯.n =sn mnj,t.pl =sn sḫm.pl =sn
269 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓌂𓂝𓏥𓋴𓈖𓏥𓅓𓂝𓋴𓅓𓂝𓊄𓂻𓇋𓈖𓋴𓈖𓏥𓋴𓏏𓈖𓍛𓏤𓆑𓂝𓏤𓅱𓏭𓎡zšš,t.pl =sn m-ꜥ =s⟨n⟩ mz.jn =sn st n ḥm =f ⟨ḏd.jn⟩ =⟨sn⟩ ⟨ḫft⟩ ⟨ḥm⟩ =⟨f⟩ ꜥ,wj =k
270 𓂋𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀭𓎝𓎛𓏛𓄡𓎡𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏⯑𓏥𓈖𓏏𓎟𓏏𓊪𓏏𓇯𓆗𓂝𓋞𓈒𓏥𓆗r nfr,t n(j)swt wꜣḥ ẖkr,yt n,t Nb,t-p,t di̯ Nbw
271 𓋹𓈖𓐍𓂋𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉𓏤𓎡𓎸𓅓𓏛𓏏𓅱𓎟𓏏𓇼𓏤𓏥𓐍𓂧𓊛𓇗𓂝𓀗𓋴𓏃𓈖𓏏𓊛𓎔𓎛𓈗𓋴𓀭ꜥnḫ r fnd =k ẖnm tw Nb,t-sbꜣ.pl ḫdi̯ šmꜥ,(w)-s(j) ḫnti̯ mḥ,w-s(j)
272 𓄥𓄿𓏛𓏏𓏏𓀾𓏛𓅓𓂋𓏤𓈖𓍛𓏤𓎡𓂝𓏏𓅱𓇅𓏤𓅓𓄋𓏏𓏤𓎡𓋴𓎛𓁷𓂋𓐡𓈐smꜣ twt m rʾ n ḥm =k di̯ =tw wꜣḏ,⟨t⟩ m wp,t =k sḥri̯
273 𓈖𓎡𓏏𓍯𓄿𓅱𓀢𓀀𓏥𓅓𓈋𓅱𓏏𓅪𓎛𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏛𓈖𓎡𓇳𓏤𓀭𓎟𓇾𓇾𓈇𓏥𓈇𓏥n =k twꜣ.w.pl m ḏw,t ḥtp n =k Rꜥ,w nb-tꜣ.du
274 𓉔𓇋𓇋𓀁𓈖𓎡𓏇𓇋𓎟𓏏𓂋𓇥𓂋𓆗𓈖𓆑𓏏𓂡𓂝𓃀𓄏𓎡𓋴𓆑𓐍𓍼𓂻𓍱𓋴𓂋𓌕𓎡hy n =k mj Nb,t-r-ḏr nft ꜥb =k sfḫ šsr.⟨pl⟩ =k
275 𓇋𓐛𓅓𓂝𓊡𓅱𓈖𓏏𓏭𓅓𓇋𓍃𓅓𓅱𓅪𓏥𓇋𓐛𓅓𓂝𓈖𓈖𓏥𓐍𓈖𓏏𓅬𓏛𓏥𓏏𓈖𓏥𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏jmi̯ ṯꜣw ⟨n⟩ n,tj m jtm,w jmi̯ n =n ḫni̯.t ={tn}⟨n⟩ nfr.t
276 𓅓𓅭𓎔𓎛𓇋𓇋𓏏𓀭𓌒𓏏𓏭𓌙𓀀𓄟𓋴𓀔𓅓𓇾𓈇𓏤𓌸𓂋𓇋𓆴𓊖m ⟨hrw⟩ ⟨pn⟩ ⟨nfr⟩ ⟨mtn⟩ ⟨n⟩ ⟨m⟩ zꜣ mḥ,yt pḏ,tj msi̯.w m Tꜣ-mrj
277 𓁹𓈖𓆑𓅱𓂝𓂋𓏏𓂾𓏥𓈖𓅾𓀁𓎡𓂋𓅱𓇋𓂻𓈖𓆑𓇾𓈇𓏤𓈖jri̯.n =f wꜥr,t n snḏ =k rwj.n =f tꜣ n
278 𓎛𓁷𓂋𓐡𓂡𓏥𓎡𓐎𓈖𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏏𓅪𓁷𓏤𓈖𓌳𓁹𓄿𓁷𓏤𓎡ḥr,⟨yt⟩ =k nn ꜣyt ḥr n mꜣ ḥr =k
279 𓂜𓈖𓅾𓀁𓁹𓏏𓏤𓂧𓎼𓏏𓁹𓈖𓎡𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓆑𓂜𓈖𓅾𓀁𓆑nn snḏ jr,t dgi̯.t n =k ḏd.jn ḥm =f nn snḏ =f
280 𓂜𓂝𓀁𓆑𓂋𓎛𓁷𓂋𓐡𓂡𓇋𓅱𓆑𓂋𓋴𓍋𓅓𓂋𓀙𓀀𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝n⟨n⟩ ꜥ⟨ꜥj⟩ =f r ḥr,⟨yt⟩ jw =f r smr m-m
281 𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀔𓀀𓏥𓂋𓂝𓏏𓆑𓅓𓈎𓄿𓃀𓄲𓏛𓍲𓈖𓇋𓇋𓏏𓀙𓀀𓏥sr.w.pl {r}di̯.t(w) =f m-qꜣb šn,yt
282 𓅱𓍑𓄿𓂻𓏥𓏏𓈖𓏥𓂋𓂝𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓍘𓉐𓇼𓄿𓏏𓀁𓂋𓁹𓂋𓏏wḏꜣ.pl tn r {ꜥ-ẖnw,tj}⟨pr⟩-dwꜣ,t r jr{r}i̯.t
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Egyptian, line for line, covering all 334 papyrus lines: the opening from Papyrus Ramesseum (R 1–23), where Papyrus Berlin 3022 is lost, then the whole of Papyrus Berlin 3022 (B 1–311), 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).
252 I found His Majesty on a throne of electrum in the audience hall. Prostrate
253 on my belly, I lost all sense of myself before him. This god
254 addressed me kindly, but I was like a man overtaken by twilight.
255 My ba seemed to depart, my limbs grew faint; my heart was no longer in my body. I did not know
256 whether life was more than death. His Majesty said to one of the courtiers, “Raise
257 him; let him speak to me.” Then His Majesty said, “So you have returned after crossing foreign lands, with flight
258 having seized you. You have grown old; you have reached old age. The burial
259 of your body will not be meager; bowmen will not bury you. Do not act against yourself, do not act against yourself! You did not speak
260 when they called your name. Are you afraid of punishment?” I answered as one afraid:
261 “What is my lord saying to me? If I answer, it is not I who speak,
262 but the hand of a god. Terror is in my body, like the terror that brought about the fated flight.
263 Here I am before you. Life belongs to you. Your Majesty acts as he wills.” Then His Majesty
264 had the royal children brought in and said to the queen, “Look, Sinuhe
265 has come back as a Sand-dweller, a creature of the desert people.” She let out a great cry;
266 the royal children cried out together. They said
267 to His Majesty, “It cannot truly be he, sovereign, my lord!” His Majesty answered, “It is
268 truly he.” They had brought their menit necklaces, their arched sistra,
269 and their shrine-shaped sistra in their hands. They offered them to His Majesty and sang: “Your hands to beauty,
270 enduring king, to the adornment of the Lady of the Sky! May the Golden One give
271 life to your nostrils! May the Lady of the Stars join you! The crown of Upper Egypt sails downstream, the crown of Lower Egypt upstream;
272 they are joined and complete by Your Majesty's word. May Wadjet be placed upon your brow! Keep far from you
273 those who petition with evil intent! May Re, lord of the Two Lands, favor you!
274 Praise to you, like the Mistress of All! Unstring your horn bow; lay down your arrows.
275 Give breath to the one who cannot breathe; grant us our lovely music
276 on this beautiful day. Give us the son of the north wind, the bowman born in Egypt!
277 He fled for fear of you; he left the land in dread of you.
278 Let no face pale at the sight of your face;
279 let no eye that looks upon you be afraid.” His Majesty said, “He shall have no fear;
280 he shall not tremble in terror. He shall be a courtier among
281 the high officials; he shall be admitted among the court.
282 Go to the House of Morning to prepare his attire.”
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Egyptian text, line for line, covering all 334 papyrus lines: the opening from Papyrus Ramesseum (R 1–23), where Papyrus Berlin 3022 is lost, then the whole of Papyrus Berlin 3022 (B 1–311).
252 I found his Majesty on the great throne of electrum, in the audience hall. And I lay stretched out
253 on my belly; I no longer knew myself before this god. He spoke to me in kindness,
254 but I was like a man seized in the dim light of dawn. My ba was slipping away; my limbs were weak;
255 my heart was not in my body; I could not tell whether life outweighed death.
256 Then his Majesty said to one of these courtiers: "Lift him up,
257 and let him speak to me." Then his Majesty said: "See, you have come back; you have traveled the foreign lands, and flight overtook you:
258 its assault was upon you. You have grown old; you have reached old age; your burial will not be a small one.
259 Your body will not be given burial by the bowmen. Do not act against yourself again. You did not speak
260 when your name was called. Did you fear punishment?" I answered with the answer of a frightened man:
261 "What should a frightened man say when my lord speaks? If I answer, it is not my own face that does it:
262 it is the hand of a god. It is a terror that is in my body, like the one who let the ordained flight happen.
263 See, I am before you: life is yours; your Majesty acts according to his wish." Then his Majesty
264 had the royal children brought in. His Majesty said to the queen: "Look: Sinuhe
265 has come back as an Asiatic, a creature of the Asiatics!" She gave a great cry,
266 and the royal children too were all in one loud outcry. Then they said
267 before his Majesty: "It is not truly he, ruler, our lord!" His Majesty said: "It is he,
268 truly." Then they brought out their menit necklaces and their sistra,
269 their sistrum-rattles in their hands, and offered them to his Majesty; and they sang before his Majesty:
270 "Your hands to beauty for the enduring king: the ornament of the Lady of Heaven. May the Golden One give
271 life to your nose, and may the Lady of the Stars join herself to you. Downstream goes the Upper Egyptian crown, upstream goes the Lower Egyptian crown,
272 joined and made whole by the word of your Majesty. May the Wadjet be set on your brow. Turn away
273 the petitioners of evil intent. May Re, lord of the Two Lands, be gracious to you;
274 joy to you as to the Lady of All. Loosen your horn bow; take off your arrows;
275 give breath to the one who is short of breath; give us our beautiful singing
276 on this beautiful day: give us the son of the north wind, the bowman born in Egypt."
277 Then he said: "It was fear of you that made him flee, and dread of you that made him leave the land.
278 Let not the face of the one who sees your face go pale.
279 Let not the eye that looks on you be afraid." His Majesty said: "He shall not fear;
280 he shall not wail in dread. He will be a courtier among
281 the officials, and he shall be placed within the court circle."
282 "Go now, all of you, to the House of Morning, and prepare for him."