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Sinuhe’s Reply
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200 𓁷𓂋𓄣𓅱𓎛𓅱𓏏𓌙𓀀𓁐𓏥𓀀𓄞𓂧𓂝𓈖𓏏𓆑𓈖𓀀𓂝𓈖𓅱𓀀𓁷𓏤𓄡𓏏𓏤𓀀𓂧𓏇𓇋𓂢𓈖𓀀𓊃𓅭𓄿𓏏𓅱𓈇𓏤ḥr,j-jb wḥ{w}y,t =j šdi̯.n.tw =f n =j di̯.n =(j) wj ḥr ẖ,t =j dmj.n =j zꜣt,w
201 𓂝𓈖𓀀𓇓𓅱𓊃𓈙𓂻𓁷𓏤𓍲𓈖𓃀𓇋𓇋𓁸𓀀𓄲𓂻𓈖𓈖𓀀𓂝𓆑𓄿𓇋𓇋𓉐𓀀𓁷𓏤𓈖𓉔𓅓𓀁di̯.n =j sw zš ḥr šnb,{y}⟨t⟩ =j dbn.n =j ꜥfꜣ,y =j ḥr nhm
202 𓂋𓆓𓂧𓁹𓏏𓅱𓇑𓇑𓏇𓇋𓅓𓂝𓈖𓅡𓎡𓀀𓏏𓉔𓂾𓂻𓈖𓄣𓏤𓆑𓂋𓈉𓏏𓏤𓏥𓇥𓂋𓇥𓂋𓇋𓇋𓏏𓀔𓏤𓏥𓐍𓂋r-ḏd jri̯ =tw nn mj-m n bꜣk-⟨jm⟩ thi̯.n jb =f r ḫꜣs,t.pl ḏrḏr.yt.pl ḫr
203 𓈞𓅓𓂝𓄤𓆑𓂋𓎝𓎛𓏛𓄣𓏤𓈖𓈞𓅓𓂝𓅱𓀀𓅓𓂝𓅓𓏏𓀏𓇋𓅱𓂓𓏤𓎡𓂋𓂋𓂝𓏏𓁹𓇋𓇋𓀀ḥm nfr wꜣḥ-jb nḥm wj m-ꜥ m(w)t jw kꜣ =k r rdi̯.t jri̯.y =j
204 𓄖𓅱𓏭𓎛𓂝𓄹𓏥𓀀𓅓𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐𓏇𓏏𓈖𓋴𓏇𓇋𓀁𓈖𓎗𓅱𓏛𓊪𓈖𓅡𓎡𓈖𓂝𓉥𓉐𓅭𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭𓆱𓀀pḥ,wj ḥꜥ,(w) =j m ẖnw mj,t(j) n smj n wḏ,w pn bꜣk ꜥḥ Zꜣ-nh,t
205 𓆓𓂧𓅓𓎛𓊵𓏏𓊪𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅨𓂋𓏏𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏛𓅱𓂝𓂋𓏏𓂾𓏏𓈖𓁹𓏏𓈖𓅡𓎡𓀀𓇋𓅓𓅓𓐍𓅓𓂜𓆑𓇋𓈖ḏd m-ḥtp nfr wr,t r-(j)ḫ,t wꜥr,t tn jri̯.t.n bꜣk-jm m ḫm =f jn
206 𓂓𓅆𓎡𓊹𓄤𓎟𓇾𓇾𓈇𓈇𓌸𓂋𓅱𓀁𓂋𓂝𓇳𓀭𓎛𓎿𓋴𓅱𓀁𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓅆𓎟𓌀𓏏𓈈𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅆kꜣ =k nṯr-nfr nb-tꜣ.du mri̯.w Rꜥ(,w) ḥzi̯.w Mnt,w nb-Wꜣs,t Jmn
207 𓎟𓎼𓏏𓏤𓇾𓇾𓈇𓈇𓆊𓅆𓂋𓂝𓇳𓀭𓅃𓀭𓉗𓁷𓂋𓁥𓍃𓅓𓀭𓎛𓈖𓂝𓄦𓏏𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓏤𓊹𓊹𓊹𓆑nb-ns,t-tꜣ.du Sbk-Rꜥ(,w) Ḥr,w Ḥw,t-Ḥr,w (J)tm(,w) ḥnꜥ Psḏ,t =f
208 𓇮𓅱𓀭𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅢𓀭𓋴𓅓𓋴𓂋𓅱𓀭𓅃𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭𓈉𓀭𓎟𓏏𓇋𓐛𓅓𓎛𓏏𓆗𓎸𓅓𓏛𓋴Spd,w nfr-bꜣ,w smsr,w Ḥr,w-jꜣb,tj Nb,t-jm{ḥ},t ẖnm =s ⟨m⟩
209 𓁶𓏤𓎡𓍑𓍑𓏌𓏏𓐖𓀀𓏥𓁶𓏤𓊪𓏏𓈖𓍇𓏌𓅱𓈗⯑𓀭𓅃𓀭𓁷𓂋𓄣𓈉𓏏𓏤𓏥𓅨𓂋𓂋𓏏𓀭𓎟𓏏𓊪𓃹𓈖𓏏𓈉tp =k ḏꜣḏꜣ,t tp(,j).t nw Mnw-Ḥr,w ḥr(,j)-jb ḫꜣs,t.pl Wrr,t-nb,t-Pwn,t
210 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭𓅃𓀗𓂋𓂝𓇳𓏤𓀭𓊹𓊹𓊹𓎟𓅱𓇾𓈇𓏤𓌸𓂋𓇋𓆳𓈉Nw,t Ḥr,w-wr-Rꜥ(,w) nṯr.pl nb.w⟨.pl⟩ Tꜣ-mrj
211 𓈀𓈇𓏤𓏥𓏌𓏤𓇅𓆓𓅨𓂋𓈘𓂞𓋴𓈖𓏥𓋹𓌀𓂋𓂉𓎡𓎸𓅓𓏛𓋴𓈖𓏥𓏏𓅱𓅓𓄫𓅱𓏏𓂝𓏤𓋴𓈖𓏥jw.pl n,w wꜣḏ-wr di̯ =sn ꜥnḫ wꜣs r fnḏ =k ẖnm =sn tw m ꜣw,t-ꜥ.⟨pl⟩ =sn
212 𓂝𓋴𓈖𓏥𓈖𓎡𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳𓏤𓂜𓈖𓇥𓂋𓃭𓅱𓈐𓆑𓆓𓏏𓇾𓂜𓈖𓎛𓆰𓈖𓏏𓏭𓈐𓋴𓄙𓅓𓀁𓅾𓀁𓎡di̯ =sn n =k nḥḥ nn ḏrw =f ḏ,t nn ḥn,tj =s wḥm snḏ =k
213 𓅓𓇾𓇾𓇾𓈇𓏥𓈇𓏥𓈉𓏏𓏤𓏤𓏥𓅱𓂝𓆑𓂡𓈖𓎡𓍲𓈖𓈖𓏏𓂻𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓏤𓈖𓅘𓎛𓀁𓊪𓅱𓈖𓅡𓎡𓀀𓇋𓅓m tꜣ.pl ḫꜣs,t.pl wꜥf.n =k šnn.t-jtn nḥ pw n bꜣk-jm
214 𓈖𓎟𓅆𓆑𓄞𓂧𓂝𓅓𓋀𓏏𓈉𓎟𓋷𓀁𓋷𓀁𓂋𓐍𓏏𓅚𓀀𓁐𓏥𓏥𓋷𓀁𓆑n nb =f šdi̯ ⟨sw⟩ m jmn,t⟨t⟩ nb-sjꜣ sjꜣ rḫ,yt.pl sjꜣ =f
215 𓅓𓍛𓏤𓈖𓍉𓊃𓉐𓃹𓈖𓏏𓅡𓎡𓀀𓇋𓅓𓅾𓀁𓆓𓂧𓋴𓏏𓇋𓅱𓏇𓇋𓐍𓏏𓏛𓏥𓉻𓂝𓄿𓏛m ḥm n stp-zꜣ wn.t bꜣk-jm snḏ ḏd st jw mj (j)ḫ,t ꜥꜣi̯
216 𓄙𓅓𓀁𓋴𓏏𓊹𓉻𓂝𓄿𓏛𓏇𓏏𓅱𓏛𓂋𓂝𓇳𓏤𓀭𓁷𓏤𓊃𓈙𓋴𓐟𓄿𓄃𓏛𓅡𓎡𓂝𓈖𓆑wḥm st nṯr-ꜥꜣ mj,tw Rꜥ(,w) ḥr sšsꜣ bꜣk n =f
217 𓆓𓊃𓆑𓇋𓅱𓅡𓎡𓀀𓇋𓅓𓅓𓂝𓈖𓆓𓐩𓏌𓀁𓂋𓏤𓁷𓂋𓏤𓂋𓆑𓂝𓏏𓅱𓄿𓌨𓂋𓋴𓐍𓂋𓀁𓆑𓇋𓅱𓍛𓏤𓎡ḏs =f jw bꜣk-jm m ꜥ nḏ-rʾ ḥr{r} =f di̯ =tw ⟨n⟩ꜣ ẖr sḫr =f jw ḥm =k
218 𓅓𓅃𓀭𓎁𓏏𓂝𓈖𓆱𓐍𓏏𓂡𓂝𓏤𓅱𓏭𓎡𓂋𓇾𓇾𓇾𓈇𓈇𓈇𓎟𓅱𓏭m Ḥr,w jṯi̯ nḫt ꜥ,wj =k r tꜣ.pl nb.w.pl
219 𓎗𓅱𓏛𓎼𓂋𓏏𓍛𓏤𓎡𓂋𓂝𓏏𓏎𓈖𓏏𓆑𓅓𓂝𓎡𓇋𓌙𓀀𓅓𓐪𓂧𓅓𓂝𓈉𓏃𓈖𓏏𓅂𓇋𓂝𓅱𓈙𓌙𓀏wḏ gr,t ḥm =k rdi̯.t jni̯ =t{f}⟨w⟩ Mkj⟨m⟩ m Q~d~⟨nw⟩~m Ḫntw-j-ꜥ-w-š
220 𓅓𓏃𓈖𓏏𓂉𓉐𓎡𓈙𓅱𓌙𓈉𓏠𓈖𓏌𓅱𓋴𓌙𓀀m ḫnt(,j) K-š-w (J)-mn-nw-s
221 𓅓𓇾𓇾𓈇𓈇𓆑𓈖𓐍𓅱𓍼𓏥𓌙𓈎𓄿𓅱𓀀𓏥𓊪𓅱𓂸𓏏𓂋𓅱𓂭𓂭𓏛𓀀𓏥𓂋𓈖𓏌𓅱𓏤𓏥m tꜣ.{du}⟨pl⟩ Fnḫ.w.pl ḥqꜣ.w.pl pw mtr.w.pl rn.w.pl =⟨sn⟩
222 𓆣𓂋𓏥𓅓𓌸𓂋𓅱𓏏𓀁𓏥𓎡𓂜𓈖𓊃𓆼𓄿𓀁𓏏𓈖𓏌𓅱𓌙𓅯𓈉𓈖𓎡𓇋𓅓𓋴𓏇𓏏𓏏𓏛ḫpr.pl m mrw,t =k nn sḫꜣ (R)tnw n =k-jm(,j) s(j) mj,tt
223 𓍿𓊃𓅓𓅱𓄛𓏤𓏥𓎡𓇋𓋴𓅱𓂝𓂋𓏏𓂾𓏤𓏥𓏏𓈖𓁹𓏏𓈖𓅡𓎡𓀀𓂜𓐍𓂸𓏏𓏥𓏛𓋴𓂜𓈖ṯzm.w.pl =k js wꜥr,t tn jri̯.t.n bꜣk-⟨jm⟩ n ḫmt =⟨j⟩ s(j) nn
224 𓋴𓅓𓄣𓏤𓀀𓂜𓈎𓅓𓂧𓀁𓀀𓋴𓂜𓂋𓐍𓏛𓀀𓃛𓂧𓅱𓂻𓀀𓂋𓊨𓏏𓉐𓇋𓅱𓏇𓇋s(j) m jb =j n qmd =j s(j) n rḫ =j jwd wj r s,t =⟨j⟩ jw mj
225 𓋴𓌫𓅓𓏛𓂋𓋴𓅱𓏏𓍞𓁹𓏇𓇋𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄿𓇓𓅱𓇋𓂧𓎛𓇋𓇋𓇇𓀀𓅓sšm-rs,wt mj mꜣꜣ sw jdḥ,y m
226 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓎶𓈉𓊃𓀀𓏤𓈖𓆼𓄿𓏏𓈇𓏤𓅓𓇾𓈇𓏤𓐮𓏏𓏭𓈉𓈉𓂜𓅾𓀁𓂜Ꜣbw z n ḫꜣ,t m Tꜣ-ztj n snḏ =⟨j⟩ n
227 𓊃𓐍𓊃𓏏𓂻𓏏𓅓𓐟𓏤𓀀𓂜𓄔𓅓𓀀𓋭𓊃𓏛𓎛𓅨𓂋𓅱𓅪𓂜𓄔𓅓𓏏𓅱𓂋𓈖𓀀zḫz =t(w) m-sꜣ =j n sḏm =j ṯ(ꜣ)z-ḥwrw n sḏm =tw rn =j
228 𓅓𓂋𓏤𓄙𓅓𓅱𓀁𓄋𓊪𓅱𓏴𓁷𓏤𓈖𓆑𓈖𓆓𓂧𓆑𓅪𓎛𓂝𓄹𓏥𓀀𓂋𓂧𓂾𓂾𓀀m rʾ wḥm,w wpw-ḥr nf n ḏdf ḥꜥ(,w).pl =j rd.du =j
229 𓁷𓏤𓉔𓅱𓉔𓅱𓂻𓄣𓏤𓀀𓁷𓏤𓐍𓂋𓊪𓂝𓀀𓊹𓆷𓄿𓏛𓅱𓂝𓂋𓏏𓂾𓏏𓈖ḥr hwhw jb =j ḥr ḫrp =j nṯr šꜣ wꜥr,t tn
230 𓁷𓏤𓋴𓏏𓍔𓄿𓍬𓂻𓋴𓂻𓀀𓂜𓏌𓎡𓀀𓇋𓋴𓈎𓄿𓀠𓐟𓏤𓏃𓈖𓏏𓅾𓀁𓊃𓀀𓏤𓂋𓐍𓏛ḥr stꜣ{s} =j n jnk js qꜣ-sꜣ ḫnt snḏ z rḫ
231 𓇾𓈇𓏤𓆑𓂝𓈖𓂋𓂝𓇳𓏤𓀭𓅾𓀁𓎡𓆱𓐍𓏏𓂻𓇾𓈇𓏤𓎛𓁷𓂋𓐡𓂡𓎡𓅓𓈉𓏏𓏤tꜣ =f di̯.n Rꜥ(,w) snḏ =k ḫt tꜣ ḥr,⟨yt⟩ =k m ḫꜣs,t
232 𓎟𓏏𓅓𓂝𓅱𓀀𓅓𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓉐𓅓𓂝𓅱𓀀𓅓𓊨𓏏𓉐𓏏𓈖𓈖𓏏𓎡𓇋𓋴𓎛𓃀𓋴𓋳nb.t m wj m ẖnw m wj m s,t tn ntk js ḥbs
233 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓏏𓈖𓅱𓃀𓈖𓇳𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓏤𓈖𓌸𓂋𓏏𓀁𓎡𓈗𓅓𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈙𓏥𓋴𓅨𓂋𓇋𓏏𓀁𓆑ꜣḫ,t tn wbn jtn n mrw,t =k mw m jtr,w sw{r}j.t(w) =f
234 𓌸𓂋𓀁𓎡𓊡𓅱𓅓𓊪𓏏𓇯𓐍𓈖𓌰𓅓𓏏𓂉𓀁𓆑𓆓𓂧𓎡𓇋𓅱𓅡𓎡𓀀𓇋𓅓𓂋𓋴𓎗𓆓𓏏𓏛mri̯ =k ṯꜣw m p,t ḫnm.t(w) =f ḏd =k jw bꜣk-jm r swḏ.t ⟨n⟩
235 𓅷𓏏𓏤𓀀𓁐𓏥𓀀𓁹𓈖𓅡𓎡𓀀𓇋𓅓𓅓𓊨𓏏𓉐𓏏𓈖ṯꜣ,t.pl ={j}⟨f⟩ jri̯.n bꜣk-jm m s,t tn
236 𓁹𓂋𓍛𓏤𓎡𓅓𓌸𓂋𓏏𓀁𓆑𓋹𓈖𓐍𓏏𓅱𓅓𓊡𓅱𓈖𓂞𓂞𓎡jrr ḥm =k m mr(w.)t =f ꜥnḫ =tw m ṯꜣw n dd =k
237 𓌸𓂋𓀁𓇳𓏤𓀭𓅃𓀭𓉗𓁷𓂋𓁥𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉𓎡𓊪𓅱𓀻𓋴𓋴𓏛𓌸𓂋𓂋𓅱𓀁mri̯⟨.w⟩ Rꜥ,w Ḥr,w Ḥw,t-Ḥr,w fnd =k pw špss mrr.w
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).
200 my tribe. When it was read to me, I fell upon my belly and touched the ground,
201 then spread its dust across my breast. I circled my camp rejoicing:
202 “How can this be done for this servant, whose heart led him astray into distant lands?
203 How good is the gracious one who saved me from death! Your ka will let me spend
204 the end of my life in the Residence.” Copy of the reply to this decree: The palace servant Sinuhe
205 speaks in profound and perfect peace: “As for the flight this servant made in ignorance:
206 may your ka, perfect god, lord of the Two Lands, beloved of Re and favored of Montu, lord of Thebes; Amun,
207 lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands; Sobek-Re, Horus, Hathor, Atum and his Ennead;
208 Sopdu, perfect of powers, Semseru; Horus of the East; Wadjet, Lady of Imet, who joins your head;
209 the council above the sea; Min-Horus in the foreign lands; the Great One, Lady of Punt;
210 Nut, Hor-wer-Re; all the gods of Egypt
211 and the islands of the Great Green—may they give life and well-being to your nostrils and join you to their gifts;
212 may they grant you boundless eternity, endless everlasting time. Your terror is proclaimed
213 through lowlands and hills; you have subdued all that the sun encircles. This is the prayer of this servant
214 for his lord, who saved him from the west. Lord of insight, who knows the people, he will know,
215 within the majesty of his private chambers, that this servant fears to tell it; for it is a hard thing
216 to recount. Yet the great god, like Re, has taught wisdom to one who served only
217 himself. This servant is in the hand of the one who cares for him. Let these matters rest in his judgment. Your Majesty
218 is Horus the conqueror, your arms victorious against every land.
219 May Your Majesty order that Mekim be brought from Qedem, Hantawattis
220 from southern Kawizza, and Amumines
221 from the lands of Fenkhu. They are rulers able to attest their names,
222 living in your favor. I need not mention Retjenu: it is yours as surely as
223 your grayhounds. This flight of your servant—I had not planned it;
224 it was not in my heart; I never conceived it. I do not know who parted me from my place. It was like
225 a dream, like a Delta man seeing himself in
226 Elephantine, a man of the marshes in Nubia. I had no fear;
227 no one pursued me. I had heard no slander; my name had not been heard
228 from a herald's mouth. Instead my limbs shuddered; my feet
229 ran away; my heart led me; the god who ordained this flight
230 drew me onward. I was not arrogant before; a man who knows
231 his land knows awe. Re has spread the fear of you throughout Egypt and dread of you in every foreign land.
232 Whether I am in the Residence or here, it is you who cover
233 this horizon. The sun rises at your wish; river water is drunk
234 when you will it; the air in the sky is breathed when you command. This servant will assign his inheritance
235 to his chicks, the children he fathered in this place.
236 Your Majesty acts as he pleases; we live on the breath you give,
237 beloved of Re, Horus, and Hathor. May this noble nose of yours, beloved
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).
200 in the middle of my tribe. It was read out to me. I threw myself on my belly and touched
201 the ground, and I spread myself flat on it; then I walked round my camp crying out:
202 "How can this be done for this servant, whose heart led him astray into cruel foreign lands?
203 But surely kind is the patient-hearted one who saved me from death. Your ka will have me do it:
204 I shall end my days in the Residence." Copy of the answer to this decree, by the servant of the palace Sinuhe:
205 "In peace, and very well. As for this flight, which this servant made in his ignorance,
206 it was your ka that did it: the good god, lord of the Two Lands, loved of Re, favored of Montu lord of Thebes: Amun,
207 lord of the throne of the Two Lands: Sobek-Re, Horus, Hathor, Atum with his Ennead,
208 Sopdu, Neferbau, Semseru, Horus of the East, the Lady of Imet — may she join herself
209 to your head. The council that is upon the sea: Min-Horus in the midst of the foreign lands, Wereret the Lady of Punt,
210 Nut, Hor-wer-Re, and all the gods of Egypt
211 and of the islands of the Great Green sea: may they give life and well-being to your nose; may they join you with their gifts.
212 May they give you eternity without limit and endless time without term; may your terror be proclaimed
213 through the low lands and the hill lands. You have subdued all that the sun circles. This is this servant's prayer
214 to his lord, who pulls him out of the West. The lord of insight, who reads people, reads this one too.
215 Before the majesty of the private apartments: this servant was afraid to say it —
216 it is like some great hard thing. To say it again: the great god, the equal of Re, gave wisdom to the servant who served him.
217 For his part, this servant is in the hand of one who looks after him: let these things be put under his decision. Your Majesty is
218 Horus the conqueror; mighty are your arms against all lands.
219 Then may your Majesty command that they bring: Mekim from Qedem, Hantawattis
220 from the southern land of Kesh, and Amunines
221 from the lands of the Fenchu. They are rulers whose names can be attested;
222 they live in your favor. Say no more of Retjenu: it is yours in the same way
223 as your grayhounds. This flight which this servant made: I did not plan it;
224 it was not in my heart, and I gave it no thought. I do not know what cut me off from my place: it was like
225 a dream, as when a Delta man sees himself
226 in Elephantine, or a man of the marshes in Nubia. I felt no fear, and no one
227 hurried after me. I had heard no evil speech, and my name had not been heard
228 in the mouth of a herald. It was just that shudder of my limbs, and my feet
229 ran away. My heart drove me, and the god who ordained this flight
230 pulled me on. I was not one to be proud before this: the man who knows
231 his land is a God-fearing man. Re has set your fear through all the land,
232 your dread in every foreign land. Be I in the Residence, be I in this place, you are the one who covers
233 this horizon: the sun disk rises at your pleasure. The water in the river is drunk
234 when you will; the air of the sky is breathed when you say. Your servant will hand on to
235 his brood, whom this servant begot in this place.
236 Your Majesty acts according to his wish, and one lives on the air you give.
237 Beloved of Re, Horus, and Hathor: this noble nose of yours, so loved — may it live forever."