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The Champion of Retjenu
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109 𓂝𓏤𓅱𓏭𓀀𓂻𓅱𓏏𓈖𓆱𓐍𓏏𓂡𓀀𓈖𓏏𓈖𓏌𓅱𓌙𓅯𓈉𓅓𓅷𓄿𓀁𓆑𓅱𓀀ꜥ,wj =j jwi̯.t nḫt n (R)tnw mṯꜣ⟨.n⟩ =f wj
110 𓅓𓇋𓌳𓄿𓅓𓉐𓀀𓉐𓂋𓇋𓇋𓂻𓀀𓊪𓅱𓂜𓈖𓌢𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀀𓀀𓆑𓂧𓂋𓂡𓈖𓆑m jmꜣ =j pr,y pw nn sn,nw.du =f d(ꜣ)r.n =f
111 𓋴𓂋𓇥𓂋𓋴𓆓𓂧𓈖𓆑𓂚𓂡𓆑𓎛𓈖𓂝𓀀𓐍𓂸𓏏𓏥𓈖𓆑s(j) r-ḏr =s ḏd.n =f ꜥḥꜣ =f ḥnꜥ =j ḫmt.n =f
112 𓎛𓅱𓏏𓂡𓆑𓅱𓀀𓎡𓄿𓀁𓈖𓆑𓇉𓄿𓈎𓂝𓏠𓈖𓏠𓈖𓃙𓏥𓀀ḥwtf ={w}j kꜣi̯.n =f ḥꜣq mnmn,⟨t⟩ =j
113 𓌨𓂋𓉲𓏛𓈖𓅱𓎛𓇋𓇋𓏏𓌙𓀀𓁐𓏥𓆑𓋾𓈎𓀀𓊪𓆑𓈖𓆓𓈖𓆓𓐩𓏌𓀁𓆑ẖr zḥ n wḥy,t =f ḥqꜣ pf nḏnḏ.⟨n⟩ =f
114 𓎛𓈖𓂝𓀀𓆓𓂧𓎡𓀀𓂜𓂋𓐍𓏛𓀀𓇓𓅱𓂜𓏌𓎡𓀀𓏏𓂋𓆴𓄥𓏛𓀀𓆑ḥnꜥ =j ḏd.kj n rḫ =j sw n jnk tr zmꜣ(.y) =f
115 𓅱𓊃𓏏𓈖𓂻𓀀𓅓𓂝𓆑𓄿𓇋𓉐𓆑𓇋𓈖𓈖𓏏𓊪𓅱𓃹𓈖𓉿𓂝𓈖𓀀wstn =j m ꜥfꜣj =f jn n,t-pw wn.n =j
116 𓐟𓏤𓉐𓆑𓋴𓃀𓂻𓈖𓀀𓇋𓆛𓈖𓃀𓏏𓆱𓏥𓆑𓂋𓈎𓏏𓂷𓄣𓏤sꜣ =f z⟨n⟩b.n =j jnb,t =f rq,t-jb
117 𓊪𓅱𓁷𓏤𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄿𓆑𓅱𓀀𓁷𓏤𓁹𓂋𓏏𓄋𓊪𓅱𓏏𓂻𓆑pw ḥr mꜣꜣ =f wj ḥr jr{r}i̯.t wpw,t.⟨pl⟩ ={f}⟨k⟩
118 𓈖𓈞𓅓𓂝𓈖𓅱𓀀𓏇𓇋𓃒𓈖𓎗𓅱𓅱𓃒𓏥𓅓𓁷𓂋𓄣nḥm,n wj mj kꜣ n {wḏw}⟨ḥw,w⟩.pl m-ḥr(,j)-jb
119 𓎡𓇋𓇋𓈞𓏏𓏤𓃒𓏥𓉔𓂧𓂝𓇓𓅱𓂓𓂸𓃒𓈖𓋿𓅱𓏏𓃒ky {jd,t}⟨jdr,t⟩ hd sw kꜣ-n-{ꜥw,t}⟨jdr,t⟩
120 𓈖𓎼𓄿𓅱𓃒𓁷𓏤𓄿𓅓𓂝𓂋𓆑𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓃹𓈖𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢𓀀ngꜣ,w ḥr ꜣm⟨m⟩ r =f jn-jw wn twꜣ
121 𓌸𓂋𓂋𓅱𓀁𓈖𓆷𓄿𓏛𓈖𓁶𓏤𓁷𓂋𓀀𓂜𓈖𓌒𓏏𓏭𓌙𓀀𓋴𓌳𓄿𓄥𓏛mrr.w n šꜣ(,w) n tp-ḥr(,j) nn pḏ,tj zmꜣ
122 𓅓𓇇𓅱𓀀𓊪𓏏𓂋𓆴𓊃𓏠𓈖𓏛𓂧𓇋𓇋𓏏𓇇𓂋𓈋𓏏m mḥ,w(j) ptr smn dy,t r ḏw,t
123 𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓂓𓏤𓃒𓌸𓂋𓀁𓆑𓂚𓂡𓉐𓂋𓇋𓇋𓂻𓃒𓌸𓂋𓀁𓆑jn-jw kꜣ mri̯ =f ꜥḥꜣ pr,y mri̯ =f
124 𓄙𓅓𓀁𓐟𓏤𓅓𓎛𓁷𓂋𓐡𓂡𓈖𓏏𓅓𓂝𓆼𓄿𓂭𓂭𓏛𓆑𓇓𓅱wḥm-sꜣ m ḥr,yt n,t mḫꜣ =f sw
125 𓇋𓂋𓃹𓈖𓈖𓄣𓏤𓆑𓂋𓂚𓂡𓇋𓐛𓅓𓂝𓆓𓂧𓆑𓐍𓂋𓏏𓏛𓄣𓏤𓆑jr wnn jb =f r ꜥḥꜣ jmi̯ ḏd =f ḫr,t-jb =f
126 𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓊹𓏤𓐍𓅓𓂜𓆷𓄿𓏏𓏛𓏥𓈖𓆑𓂋𓐍𓏛𓈖𓏏𓊪𓅱𓏇𓇋𓅓𓂝jn-jw nṯr ḫmi̯ šꜣ.t.pl n⟨t⟩f rḫ n,t-pw mj-m
127 𓋴𓇥𓂋⯑𓈖𓈎𓄿𓋴𓍢𓂝𓈖𓀀𓌒𓏏𓏤𓆱𓀀𓅱𓂧𓏴𓂝𓂡𓈖𓀀sḏr.n =⟨j⟩ qꜣs.n =j pḏ,t =j wdi̯.n =j
128 𓂚𓅱𓌕𓏥𓀀𓂝𓈖𓀀𓊃𓈙𓂻𓈖𓃀𓅡𓎼𓇓𓅱𓈔𓀀𓊃𓄡𓎡𓂋⯑𓈖𓀀ꜥḥꜣ,w.pl =j di̯.n =j zn n bꜣgs,w =j sẖkr.n =j
129 𓈍𓂝𓅱𓏛𓏥𓀀𓌉𓆓𓇳𓈖𓇾𓈇𓏤𓏏𓈖𓏌𓅱𓌙𓅯𓈉𓇍𓇋𓏏𓂻ḫꜥ,w.pl =j ḥḏ.n tꜣ (R)tnw jji̯.t(j)
130 𓆓𓂧𓃀𓂝𓈖𓋴𓅱𓎛𓅱𓇋𓇋𓏏𓌙𓀀𓁐𓏥𓋴𓋴𓎛𓅱𓅯𓀁𓈖𓋴𓈉𓏏𓏤𓏥ḏdb.n =s wḥ{w}y,t.pl =s sḥwi̯.n =s ḫꜣs,t.pl
131 𓈖𓏏𓐛𓏤𓋴𓏭𓎡𓄿𓀁𓈖𓋴𓂚𓂡𓊪𓈖𓄂𓏏𓏭𓄣𓎟𓌳𓄿𓄡𓊮n,t gs =sj kꜣi̯.n =s ꜥḥꜣ pn ḥꜣ,tj nb mꜣẖ
132 𓈖𓀀𓈞𓏏𓁐𓏥𓅷𓄿𓇋𓇋𓅱𓂺𓀀𓏥𓁷𓏤𓂝𓂝𓇋𓀁𓄣𓏤n =j ḥm,t.pl-ṯꜣy.w.pl ḥr ꜥꜥj jb
133 𓎟𓍋𓅓𓂋𓅪𓈖𓀀𓆓𓂧𓋴𓈖𓏥𓇋𓈖𓇋𓅱𓃹𓈖𓎡𓇋𓇋𓀀nb mr n =j ḏd =sn jn-jw wn ky
134 𓈖𓆱𓐍𓏏𓂡𓀀𓂚𓂡𓂋𓆑𓊢𓂝𓈖𓇋𓆎𓅓𓄛𓏤𓆑𓈙𓈇𓈖𓃀𓈔𓆑nḫt ꜥḥꜣ r =f ꜥḥꜥ,n ⟨⸮jṯi̯.n?⟩ =⟨f⟩ jkm =f mjnb =f
135 𓎛𓊪𓏏𓂘𓆑𓈖𓈖𓏏𓄓𓋴𓅱𓏭𓅱𓏏𓈔𓏤𓏥𓐍𓂋𓀒𓅓𓆱𓐍𓏏𓂻𓊃𓉐𓂋𓂻𓈖𓀀ḥpt =f n n{t}syw,t.pl ḫr-m-ḫt {spri̯}⟨spr⟩.n =j
136 𓈍𓂝𓅱𓏛𓏥𓆑𓂋𓂝𓈖𓀀𓏴𓈐𓁷𓂋𓀀𓂚𓅱𓌕𓏥𓆑𓊃𓊪𓊔𓈖𓂜𓏏𓏏𓅪⟨m⟩-{ḫꜥ,w.pl}⟨hꜣw⟩ =f rdi̯.n =j swꜣ ḥr =j ꜥḥꜣ,w.pl =f zp-n-jw,tt
137 𓌡𓅱𓂝𓏤𓁷𓏤𓄚𓈖𓂻𓅓𓌡𓅱𓂝𓏤𓄡𓅓𓂝𓂻𓈖𓆑wꜥ ḥr ẖn m wꜥ {ẖmꜥ}⟨ẖꜥm⟩.n =f
138 𓅱𓀀𓋴𓏏𓄝𓂝𓈖𓀀𓇓𓅱𓂚𓅱𓌕𓀀𓏠𓈖𓏛𓅓𓈖𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏏𓄹𓆑wj sti̯.n =j sw ꜥḥꜣ,w =j mn m nḥb,t =f
139 𓋴𓃀𓎛𓄑𓀁𓈖𓆑𓐍𓂋𓀒𓈖𓆑𓁷𓏤𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉𓆑𓊃𓐍𓂋𓀒𓂝𓈖𓀀sbḥ.n =f ḫr.n =f ḥr fnd =f sḫr.n =j
140 𓈖𓇓𓅱𓈙𓈖𓃀𓈔𓆑𓅱𓂧𓏴𓈖𓀁𓈖𓀀𓇋𓍲𓈖𓈖𓀁𓀀{n}sw ⟨m⟩ mjnb =f wdi̯.n =j jšnn =j
141 𓁷𓏤𓄦𓏏𓏤𓆑𓌙𓅓𓀀𓎟𓁷𓏤𓈖𓌰𓅓𓇋𓀁𓂋𓂝𓈖𓀀𓎛𓎡𓈖𓏌𓅱𓀁ḥr jꜣ,t =f ꜥꜣm nb ḥr nmj rdi̯.n =j ḥkn,w
142 𓈖𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓅆𓈙𓈇𓀀𓏥𓆑𓎛𓃀𓎱𓂡𓈖𓆑𓋾𓈎𓀀𓊪𓈖𓂝𓅓𓈗𓏭𓂜𓈖𓈙𓇋𓌙𓀀n Mnt,w mrw.pl =f ḥ(ꜣ)bi̯ n =f ḥqꜣ pn ꜥ~m~mw{y}~nn~šj
143 𓂋𓂝𓈖𓆑𓅱𓀀𓂋𓎛𓊪𓏏𓂘𓆑𓊢𓂝𓈖𓏎𓈖𓈖𓀀𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓆑rdi̯.n =f wj r ḥpt =f ꜥḥꜥ,n jni̯.n =j (j)ḫ,t.pl =f
144 𓇉𓄿𓈎𓂝𓈖𓀀𓏠𓈖𓏠𓈖𓏏𓃙𓏥𓆑𓎡𓄿𓏏𓀁𓈖𓆑𓁹𓏏ḥꜣq.n =j mnmn,t =f kꜣi̯.t.n =f jri̯.t
145 𓋴𓏏𓂋𓀀𓁹𓈖𓀀𓋴𓏏𓂋𓆑𓎁𓏏𓂝𓈖𓀀𓈖𓏏𓏏𓅓𓇋𓌳𓄿𓅓𓉐𓆑st r =j jri̯.n =j st r =f jti̯.n =j n,t.t m jmꜣ =f
146 𓎡𓆑𓋳𓂝𓈖𓀀𓂝𓆑𓄿𓇋𓇋𓉐𓆑𓉻𓂝𓄿𓏛𓈖𓇋𓅓𓎺𓏛𓈖𓅓kfi̯.n =j ꜥfꜣ,y =f ꜥꜣi̯.n =(j) jm wsḫ.n =(j) m
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).
109 Then came a champion of Retjenu, who challenged me
110 in my tent. He was a fighter without equal, having conquered
111 the whole land. He said he would fight me, thinking
112 to rob me; he planned to seize my cattle
113 on the advice of his tribe. That ruler consulted
114 with me, and I said, “I do not know him. I am no ally of his,
115 free to stroll through his camp. Have I ever opened
116 his rear entrance or torn down his fence? It is envy,
117 because he sees me carrying out your commissions.
118 I am like a bull of the Hu cattle amid
119 another herd: the herd's bull charges him, the long-horned bull
120 reaches for him. Is a poor man loved
121 because he is destined to be chief? No bowman joins forces
122 with a man of Lower Egypt. Who can bind papyrus fast to a mountain?
123 Does the bull not love to fight? Does a champion choose
124 to retreat for fear of a match with him?
125 If his heart is set on combat, let him speak his desire.
126 Does god not know what has been ordained? He knows how things stand.”
127 I lay down after binding my bow, laying out
128 my arrows, sharpening my dagger, and making ready
129 my weapons. At daybreak Retjenu had come
130 and gathered its tribes; it assembled the foreign lands
131 on both its sides, having planned this fight. Every heart burned
132 for me, while the married women lamented;
133 every heart grieved for me. They asked, “Is there another
134 warrior to fight him?” Then he took up his shield, his ax,
135 and an armful of spears. When I had come
136 near him, I let his arrows pass me harmlessly.
137 We closed upon each other. When he attacked
138 me, I shot him; my arrow lodged in his throat.
139 He cried out and fell on his face. I struck him down
140 with his own ax. I raised my war cry
141 on his back as every Sand-dweller roared. I gave praise
142 to Montu; his people mourned him. Then Amunenshi,
143 that ruler, took me in his arms. I took my enemy's possessions
144 and seized his cattle. What he had planned to do
145 to me, I did to him. I took everything in his tent
146 and stripped his camp. So I grew great, prosperous through
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).
109 My arm: there came a strong man of Retjenu, and he challenged me
110 in my tent. He was a champion without a second; he had beaten
111 the whole of it. He said he would fight with me, because he meant
112 to rob me: he planned to plunder my cattle,
113 on the advice of his tribe. That ruler took counsel with me, and I said:
114 "I do not know him. Am I his comrade, that I should go about freely
115 in his camp? Did I open his back gate?
116 Did I break down his fence? It is envy
117 because he sees me carrying out your missions. In the end I was like a herd bull, in the middle of
118 another herd: the bull of the herd attacked him;
119 the long-horned bull drove at him. Is a lowly creature
120 loved for his appointed place as chief? No bowman joins
121 with a Delta man. Who can fasten
122 the papyrus reed to the mountain?
123 Does a bull want to fight? Does a champion want
124 to turn back for fear of meeting his match?
125 If his heart is set on fighting, let him make his wish known.
126 Does the god not know what is ordained? He is the one who knows what it is."
127 I passed the night. I bent my bow; I laid
128 my arrows; I gave an edge to my dagger; I made ready
129 my weapons. When the land grew light, all Retjenu had come:
130 it gathered its tribes, it assembled the foreign lands
131 on its two sides. It meant this fight. Every heart burned
132 for me; the married women ached in heart.
133 Every one pitied me. They said: Is there another
134 strong man to fight against him? Then he took up his shield, his axe,
135 his armful of javelins. When I had reached his side,
136 I let his arrows pass me by, all to no effect.
137 He came on, one to one, and engaged me.
138 I shot him, and my arrow stood fast in his neck.
139 He cried out; he fell on his face; I finished him
140 with his own axe. I raised my war cry over him,
141 and every Asiatic roared. I gave my praise
142 to Montu, while his followers mourned for him. This ruler Amunenshi
143 took me in his arms. Then I carried off his goods;
144 I plundered his cattle. What he had meant to do to me, I did to him.
145 What he had meant for me, I brought back on him; I took everything that was in his tent
146 and stripped his camp. I grew great thereby; I grew rich