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The King’s Decree
The King’s Decree of 11. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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173 𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳𓁷𓏤𓂋𓀀𓇋𓋴𓏏𓂋𓆑𓆓𓂧𓈖𓍛𓏤𓇓𓆤𓏏𓏏𓇳𓆣𓂓𓏤𓏥𓌳𓐙𓊤𓁷𓏤𓋴𓌫𓅓𓏛𓏥nḥḥ ḥr =j jst rf ḏd n ḥm n(j)swt-bj,t(j) Ḫpr-kꜣ{.pl}-Rꜥ(,w) mꜣꜥ-ḫrw ḥr sšm
174 𓊪𓈖𓈖𓏏𓏭𓅱𓀀𓌨𓂋𓆑𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓆑𓉔𓄿𓃀𓂻𓆑pn n,tj wj ẖr =f wn.jn ḥm =f hꜣb =f
175 𓈖𓀀𓌨𓂋𓄫𓅱𓏏𓂝𓏤𓏛𓏥𓈖𓏏𓇓𓏏𓈖𓐍𓂋𓋴𓄫𓅱𓆑𓄣𓏤𓈖𓅡𓎡𓇋𓀀𓅓𓏇𓇋n =j ẖr ꜣw,t-ꜥ.pl n,t ḫr-n(j)swt sꜣwi̯ =f jb n bꜣk-jm mj
176 𓋾𓈎𓄿𓀀𓈖𓈉𓏏𓏤𓎟𓏏𓇓𓏏𓈖𓄟𓊃𓅱𓁒𓀀𓁐𓏥𓈖𓏏𓏭𓅓𓂝𓉥𓉐𓆑𓁷𓏤𓂋𓂝𓏏ḥqꜣ n ḫꜣs,t nb.t ms,w-n(j)swt.pl ((n,tj)) m ꜥḥ =((f)) ḥr rdi̯.t
177 𓄔𓅓𓀀𓄋𓅱𓏏𓀁𓋴𓈖𓏥sḏm =j wp,wt.⟨pl⟩ =sn
178 𓏇𓏏𓈖𓎗𓅱𓏛𓏎𓇋𓇋𓈖𓅡𓎡𓀀𓇋𓅓𓁷𓏤𓏎𓈖𓏏𓆑𓂋𓆎𓏏𓊖mj,t(j) n wḏ,w jni̯.y n bꜣk-jm ḥr jni̯.t =f r Km,t
179 𓅃𓋹𓄟𓅱𓏏𓏥𓅒𓋹𓄟𓅱𓏏𓏥𓇓𓆤𓏏𓏏𓇳𓆣𓂓𓇳𓅭Ḥr,w ꜥnḫ-ms,wt.pl Nb,tj ꜥnḫ-ms,wt.pl ⟨Ḥr,w-nbw⟩ ⟨ꜥnḫ-ms,wt.pl⟩ N(j)swt-bj,t(j) Ḫpr-kꜣ-Rꜥw Zꜣ-Rꜥ,w
180 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏𓏤𓋹𓆓𓏏𓂋𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀭𓎗𓅱𓏛𓈖𓌞𓅱𓂻𓀀𓅭𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭𓆱𓉐𓀀{Jmn-m-ḥꜣ,t}⟨Z-n-wsr,t⟩ ꜥnḫ ḏ,t r-nḥḥ wḏ,w-n(j)swt n šms,w Zꜣ-nh,t
181 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓏎𓈖𓏏𓈖𓎡𓎗𓅱𓏛𓊪𓈖𓈖𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀭𓂋𓂋𓂝𓏏𓂋𓐍𓏛𓎡𓈖𓏏𓏏𓄲𓂻𓈖𓎡𓈉𓏏𓏤𓏤𓏥mk jni̯ =t(w) n =k wḏ,w pn n n(j)swt r rdi̯.t rḫ =k n,tt dbn.n =k ḫꜣs,t.pl
182 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓐪𓂧𓅓𓂝𓈉𓂋𓏏𓈖𓏌𓅱𓌙𓅮𓈉𓏏𓏤𓂝𓂝𓏏𓅱𓈉𓏏𓏤𓈖𓈉𓏏𓏤𓌨𓂋𓉲𓏛pri̯.t(j) m Q~d~⟨nw⟩~m r (R)tn,w dd tw ḫꜣs,t n ḫꜣs,t ẖr zḥ
183 𓈖𓄣𓏤𓎡𓈖𓎡𓊪𓏏𓂋𓆴𓁹𓏏𓈖𓎡𓁹𓏏𓅱𓂋𓎡𓂜𓅱𓉻𓂝𓄿𓀁𓎡𓍙𓂡𓏏𓅱𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁𓎡n jb =k n =k ptr jri̯.t.n =k jri̯ =tw r =k n wꜥꜣ =k ḫsf =tw mdw =k
184 𓂜𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁𓎡𓅓𓋴𓎛𓉲𓏛𓈖𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀔𓀀𓏥𓇋𓏏𓈖𓂡𓏏𓅱𓋭𓊃𓅱𓏛𓏥𓎡n mdwi̯ =k m sḥ n sr.w.pl jtn =tw ṯz,w =k
185 𓊃𓐍𓂋𓏛𓊪𓈖𓏎𓈖𓈖𓆑𓄣𓏤𓎡𓂜𓈖𓏏𓆑𓅓𓄣𓏤𓂋𓎡𓊪𓏏𓇯𓎡𓏏𓈖𓈖𓏏𓏏𓅓𓉥𓉐sḫr =⟨k⟩ pn jni̯.n =f jb =k n ntf m jb =⟨j⟩ r =k p,t =k tn n,t.t m ꜥḥ
186 𓏠𓈖𓏛𓋴𓌗𓂡𓋴𓅓𓏇𓈖𓇳𓂧𓊪𓏏𓋴𓁶𓏤𓋴𓅓𓇓𓏏𓈖𓇋𓇋𓏏𓏛𓏥𓈖𓏏𓇾𓈇𓏤𓄟𓅱𓁑𓀀𓁐𓏥𓋴mn =s rwḏ =s m-mjn ⟨mj⟩ {dp}⟨tp⟩,t =s ⟨ꜥ⟩ m nsw,yt n,t tꜣ ms,w.pl =s
187 𓅓𓂝𓄚𓈖𓏌𓏏𓍖𓉐𓎝𓎛𓏛𓎡𓀻𓋴𓋴𓏛𓏥𓈖𓂝𓂝𓋴𓈖𓏥𓈖𓎡𓋹𓈖𓐍𓎡𓅓𓄫𓅱𓏏𓋴𓈖𓏥m ꜥ-ẖnw,tj wꜣḥ =k špss.pl n dd =sn n =k ꜥnḫ =k m ꜣw,t-⟨ꜥ⟩.pl =sn
188 𓁹𓈖𓎡𓂻𓅱𓏏𓂋𓆎𓏏𓊖𓌳𓁹𓄿𓎡𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐𓆣𓂋𓈖𓎡𓇋𓅓𓆑𓊃𓈖𓂉𓀁𓎡𓇾𓈇𓏤𓂋jri̯ n =k jwi̯.t r Km,t mꜣ =k ẖnw ḫpr.n =k jm =f sn =k tꜣ r
189 𓂋𓅱𓏏𓏭𓇯𓅨𓂋𓏏𓏭𓇯𓎸𓅓𓏛𓎡𓅓𓋴𓍋𓅓𓂋𓅱𓀻𓀀𓏥𓇋𓅱𓏇𓈖𓇳𓇋𓋴rw,tj-wr,tj ẖnm =k m smr.w.pl jw mjn js
190 𓆷𓄿𓂝𓏛𓈖𓎡𓏏𓈖𓇋𓀗𓆑𓐍𓍼𓂻𓈖𓎡𓃀𓅡𓄿𓄿𓅱𓏏𓂺𓋴𓆼𓄿𓀁𓈖𓎡𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤šꜣꜥ.n =k tnj fḫ.n =k bꜣꜣ,wt sḫꜣ.n =k hrw
191 𓈖𓈎𓂋𓊃𓀾𓂡𓊄𓃀𓏏𓂻𓂋𓇋𓌳𓐍𓄪𓏤𓐣𓂝𓏏𓅱𓈖𓎡𓆼𓄿𓅱𓏭𓇰𓅓𓋴𓆑𓏏𓏊𓏤𓏥n qrs zbi̯.t r jmꜣḫ wḏꜥ =tw n =k ḫꜣwy m sft
192 𓅱𓏏𓍔𓄿𓅱𓋳𓏤𓏥𓅓𓂝𓏤𓅱𓏭𓏏𓍔𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏏𓆗𓁹𓏏𓅱𓈖𓎡𓌞𓋴𓂻𓅱𓍑𓄿𓂻𓇳𓏤wtꜣ.w.pl m ꜥ.wj Tꜣy,t jri̯ =tw n =k šms-wḏꜣ hrw
193 𓄥𓄿𓂝𓇾𓈇𓏤𓅱𓇋𓀾𓅓𓋞𓈒𓏥𓁶𓏤𓅓𓐍𓊃𓃀𓂧𓈒𓏥𓊪𓏏𓇯𓁷𓏤𓂋𓎡𓂝𓏏𓅓zmꜣ-tꜣ wj m nbw tp m ḫsbd p,t ḥr =k di̯.t(j) m
194 𓄟𓋴𓏏𓊪𓏏𓆱𓃒𓏤𓏥𓁷𓏤𓇋𓏏𓎛𓂝𓎡𓇗𓂝𓅱𓀁𓀀𓏥𓌨𓂋𓄂𓏏𓏤𓎡𓁹𓏏𓅱𓐍𓃀𓃀𓀤mstp,t jḥ.pl ḥr jtḥ =k šmꜥ,w.pl ẖr-ḥꜣ,t =k jri̯ =tw ḫbb
195 𓈖𓈖𓇋𓇋𓅱𓀉𓀀𓏥𓂋𓂋𓏤𓇋𓇩𓋴𓉐𓎡𓈖𓇋𓋴𓀁𓏏𓅱𓈖𓎡𓂧𓃀𓎛𓏏𓄑𓏥𓎛𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏒𓏥𓋴𓆑𓏏𓌪𓂝𓏏𓅱nn,yw.pl r-rʾ js =k njs =tw n =k dbḥ,t.pl-ḥtp.pl sft =tw
196 𓂋𓂋𓏤𓂝𓃀𓄿𓅱𓌂𓊌𓏥𓎡𓉺𓏤𓏥𓎡𓐍𓂝𓊃𓅱𓏛𓅓𓊌𓏥𓌉𓆓𓇳𓅓𓈎𓄿𓃀𓄲𓏛r-rʾ ꜥbꜣ.w.pl =k jwn.pl =k ḫwzi̯.w m jnr-ḥḏ m-qꜣb ⟨mr.w.pl⟩
197 𓇓𓄟𓋴𓅱𓀔𓀀𓁐𓏥𓂜𓈖𓃹𓈖𓅓𓏏𓀏𓎡𓁷𓏤𓈉𓏏𓏤𓂜𓈖𓃀𓋴𓆟𓏏𓅱𓌙𓅓𓅱𓀀𓏥𓂜𓈖ms,w-n(j)swt nn-wn m(w)t =k ḥr ḫꜣs,t nn bsi̯ tw ꜥꜣm.w.pl nn
198 𓂞𓏏𓎡𓅓𓇋𓆛𓈖𓌰𓅓𓁸𓈖𓊃𓂋𓃝𓁹𓏏𓅱𓇥𓂋𓊅𓎡𓇋𓅱𓈖𓄿𓄫𓅱𓂋𓎛𓏏𓀗𓂝di̯.t(w) =k m jnm n zr ⟨nn⟩ jri̯ =tw ḏr(j) =k jw nꜣ ⟨r⟩-ꜣw ⟨wr⟩ r ḥwi̯.t
199 𓇾𓈇𓏤𓎔𓂝𓀁𓁷𓏤𓆼𓄿𓏏𓐎𓏥𓂻𓅱𓏏𓎡𓄭𓂋𓂻𓈖𓎗𓅱𓏛𓊪𓈖𓂋𓀀𓊢𓂝𓂻𓎡𓅱𓀀𓅓tꜣ mḥi̯ ḥr ḫꜣ,t =⟨k⟩ jwi̯.t =k spr.n wḏ,w pn r =j ꜥḥꜥ.kw 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).
173 Now King Kheperkare of Upper and Lower Egypt was told
174 of the condition in which I lived. His Majesty sent
175 royal gifts to me, to gladden this servant's heart as one gladdens
176 a foreign ruler. And the royal children in his palace let me
177 hear their messages.
178 Copy of the royal decree brought to this servant concerning his return to Egypt:
179 Horus: Ankh-mesut; Two Ladies: Ankh-mesut; Golden Horus: Ankh-mesut; King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Kheperkare; Son of Re:
180 Senwosret, living forever and eternally. Royal decree to the attendant Sinuhe:
181 “This decree of the king is brought to you to let you know: you traveled through foreign lands,
182 coming from Qedem to Retjenu. Land passed you on to land at the counsel
183 of your own heart. What have you done that anyone should act against you? You did not revile anyone, that your words should be punished;
184 you did not bring charges before the council of officials, that your testimony should be opposed.
185 Your own decision carried your heart away. It was not in my heart to act against you. Your sky, who dwells in the palace,
186 endures and remains today as she did before, as queen of Egypt; her children
187 are in the audience hall. May you long enjoy the treasures they give you; may you live upon their gifts.
188 Set out for Egypt. See again the Residence where you grew up; kiss the earth
189 at the great double gates and join the courtiers. For today
190 you have begun to grow old; your strength has left you. You remember the day
191 of burial, the passage into honor. Your night shall be prepared with embalming oil
192 and wrappings from the hands of Tayet. A funeral procession shall be held for you on the day
193 of burial: a coffin of gold, a mask of lapis lazuli; the sky above you as you lie in
194 the coffin sledge; cattle drawing you; singers walking before you; the dance
195 of the departed beside your tomb. Offerings will be proclaimed for you; animals will be slaughtered
196 beside your offering stones. Your pillars will rise in white limestone among the pyramids
197 of the royal children. You shall not die abroad; Sand-dwellers shall not bury you; you shall not
198 be laid in a ram's skin, nor shall they make you a foreigner's grave enclosure. All this matters more than shaking the land.
199 Think of your body and return.” The decree reached me as I stood among
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).
173 An age had passed over me. Then it was told to the Majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Kheperkare the justified, about this state
174 that I was in under him. Then his Majesty sent to me
175 gifts of the king's bounty, to gladden the heart of this servant like a ruler
176 of any foreign land. The royal children who were in his palace had it brought about,
177 and I heard their messages.
178 Copy of the decree that was brought to this servant about his being brought back to Egypt:
179 Horus: Ankh-mesut. Two Ladies: Ankh-mesut. Golden Horus: Ankh-mesut. King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Kheperkare. Son of Re:
180 Senwosret, may he live forever and eternity. The royal decree to the follower Sinuhe:
181 "See: this decree of the king is brought to you, to let you know that you went round the foreign lands.
182 You came out of Qedem into Retjenu, and land handed you on to land by the plan
183 of your own heart. What have you done, that one should act against you?
184 You spoke no reviling, so that one should have to punish your speech;
185 you did not speak in the council of the nobles, so that one should have to oppose what you said.
186 It was this plan of yours that carried your heart away; it was not he: in my heart there was nothing against you.
187 Your sky, she who is in the palace: she endures today as in her former state, as queen of the land.
188 Her children are in the audience hall. May you endure with the precious things they give you, and live on their gifts.
189 Make your coming to Egypt: see the Residence in which you grew up; kiss
190 the earth at the great double gate; join yourself to the courtiers.
191 Today you have begun to grow old; your manhood has slipped away; you call to mind
192 the day of burial, of passing to the revered state. A night is made ready for you with sft oil,
193 bandages from the hand of Tait. A burial procession is made for you on the day
194 of the burial: a casing of gold, a head of lapis; the sky is over you as you are laid
195 on the bier; oxen draw you; singers go before you; the dance is made
196 of the weary ones beside your tomb. Offerings are called out for you, and beasts are slaughtered
197 beside your offering stones. Your pillars are built of white stone inside the pyramids of
198 the royal children. You will not die in the foreign land; Asiatics shall not lay you away;
199 you shall not be wrapped in a ram's skin, and your wild grave shall not be made. All this outweighs the wrong done to the land. Think of your body, and come!" This decree reached me while I stood