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Nebka Condemns Both Adulterers
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4.1 𓎟𓂓𓏤𓌳𓐙𓂝𓊤𓅱𓀁𓋴𓅓𓃹𓈖𓀁𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆊𓊪𓈖𓇉𓄿𓂡𓎡𓊃𓏏𓀗Nb-kꜣ mꜣꜥ-ḫrw smwn msḥ p⟨w⟩ nḥꜣ ksi̯.t
4.2 𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓍏𓃀𓅡𓄿𓏛𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊌𓀀𓊢𓂝𓈖𓅷𓄿𓂡𓈖𓆑𓇓𓅱𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓆑pw jri̯.n Wbꜣ-jnr ꜥḥꜥ.n ṯꜣi̯.n =f sw wn.jn =f
4.3 𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏤𓆑𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆊𓈖𓏠𓈖𓎛𓈒𓏥𓃹𓈖𓇋𓈖𓎛𓌨𓂋𓃀𓎱𓀀𓁷𓂋𓏭𓁶𓏤𓍏𓊌𓀀m ḏr,t =f msḥ n(,j) mnḥ wn.jn ẖr(,j)-ḥb-ḥr,j-tp Wbꜣ-jnr
4.4 𓁷𓏤𓄙𓅓𓀁𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓏏𓈖𓁹𓈖𓅯𓄿𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅪𓀀𓅓𓉐𓏤𓆑𓎛𓈖𓂝𓏏𓄿𓇋𓇋𓆑ḥr wḥm mdw,t tn jri̯.n pꜣ nḏs m pr =f ḥnꜥ tꜣy =f
4.5 𓈞𓏏𓁐𓂜[⯑]𓈖𓇓𓆤𓎟𓂓𓏤𓌳𓐙𓂝𓊤𓅱𓀁𓊢𓂝𓈖𓆓𓂧𓈖𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑𓂜𓅯𓄿ḥm,t n ḥm n(,j) nswt-bj,tj Nb-kꜣ mꜣꜥ-ḫrw ꜥḥꜥ.n ḏd.n ḥm =f n pꜣ
4.6 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆊𓏎𓈖𓈖𓎡𓅯𓄿𓇋𓇋𓎡𓉔𓄿𓏏𓂻𓊪𓅱𓁹𓈖𓅯𓄿𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆊msḥ jni̯ n =k pꜣy =k hꜣi̯.t pw jri̯.n pꜣ msḥ
4.7 𓂋[⯑]𓈖𓏏𓅯𓄿𓈙𓈇𓏤𓂜𓂋𓐍𓏛𓏏𓅱𓃀𓅱𓈝𓅓𓂻𓈖𓆑𓇋𓅓𓌨𓂋𓆑r [ḏꜣ],t n.t pꜣ š n rḫ.tw bw šm.n =f jm ẖr =f
4.8 𓊢𓂝𓈖𓂋𓂝𓈖[⯑]𓎟𓂓𓏤𓌳𓐙𓂝𓊤𓅱𓀁𓎁𓏏𓂡𓏏𓅱𓏏𓄿𓈞𓏏𓁐ꜥḥꜥ.n rḏi̯.n [ḥm] [n(,j)] [nswt]-bj,tj Nb-kꜣ mꜣꜥ-ḫrw jṯi̯.tw tꜣ ḥm,t
4.9 [⯑]𓂋𓄞𓂧𓅱𓈇𓎔𓏏𓏭𓈇𓈖𓄚𓈖𓏌𓅱𓊖𓊢𓂝𓈖𓂋𓂝𓈖𓆑Wbꜣ-jnr r šd,w mḥ,tj n(,j) ẖnw ꜥḥꜥ.n rḏi̯.n =f
4.10 𓐍𓏏𓊮𓇋𓅓𓋴𓈎𓌳𓄿𓅱𓌙𓅯𓂡𓈖𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈘𓈇𓏤𓅓𓂝𓎡𓃀𓇋𓎺𓄑𓇋𓇋𓏏𓀗𓏛𓏥ḫ,t jm =s [wn.jn] =[s] [m] ⸢qmꜣ.w⸣ n(,j) jtr,w m =k bj(ꜣ),yt
4.11 [⯑]𓂋𓎡𓇳𓇋𓏏𓅃𓆑𓎡𓇓𓆤𓎟𓂓𓏤𓅓𓁹𓇋𓇋𓏏𓏥ḫp[r.t] [m] rk jt =k nswt-bj,tj Nb-kꜣ m jri̯.yt
4.12 𓎛𓌨𓂋𓃀𓎱𓀀𓁷𓂋𓏭𓁶𓏤𓍏𓃀𓅡𓄿𓏛𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊌𓀀𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓍛𓏤𓈖𓇓𓆤𓐍𓆑𓅱ẖr(,j)-ḥb-ḥr,j-tp Wbꜣ-jnr ḏd.jn ḥm n(,j) nswt-bj,tj Ḫ(w)fw
4.13 𓌳𓐙𓂝𓊤𓅱𓀁𓇋𓅓𓐛𓂝𓂞𓏏𓅱𓌳𓐙𓂝𓏛𓏏𓏐𓈀𓏥𓆼𓎛𓈎𓏏𓏊𓏥𓂧𓊃𓏊𓍢𓇋𓍯𓄿𓃒𓏤mꜣꜥ-ḫrw jmi̯ ḏi̯ =tw mꜣꜥ tʾ 1000 ḥ(n)q,t ds 100 jwꜣ 1
4.14 𓊹𓌢𓏏𓂋𓈒𓏥𓅯𓄿𓂧𓈒𓏤𓏤𓂜𓇓𓆤𓎟𓂓𓏤𓌳𓐙𓂝𓊤𓅱𓀁𓎛𓈖𓂝𓂋𓂧𓏏𓂞𓏏𓅱sntr pꜣd 2 n nswt-bj,tj Nb-kꜣ mꜣꜥ-ḫrw ḥnꜥ rḏi̯.t ḏi̯ =tw
4.15 𓍲𓈖𓋴𓈀𓏤𓎛𓈎𓏏𓏊𓏥𓈋𓅱𓇋𓅱𓏊𓏤𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹𓏥𓅨𓂋𓇋𓄹𓊹𓌢𓏏𓂋𓈒𓏥𓅯𓄿𓂧𓈒𓏤šns 1 ḥ(n)q,t ḏwj,w 1 jwf wrj sntr pꜣd 1
4.16 𓈖𓎛𓌨𓂋𓃀𓎱𓀀𓁷𓂋𓏭𓁶𓏤𓍏𓃀𓅡𓄿𓏛𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊌𓀁[⯑][⯑]𓀀𓊃𓊪𓊗𓆑n ẖr(,j)-ḥb-ḥr,j-tp Wbꜣ-jnr j[w] [mꜣ].n =j sp =f
4.17 𓈖𓂋𓐍𓏛𓁹𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏇𓇋𓎗𓅱𓏏𓏛𓏥𓎟𓏏𓍛𓏤𓅆𓆑[⯑][⯑]𓇳𓅢𓅱𓏛𓏥𓆑𓀻n(,j) rḫ jri̯.jn =tw mj wḏ.t.pl nb.t ḥm =f ꜥḥꜥ [pw] jri̯[.n] Bꜣ,w≡f-⸢Rꜥ⸣
4.18 𓂋𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁𓆓𓂧𓆑𓂞𓀀𓄔𓅓[⯑][⯑]𓆣𓂋𓏏r mdwi̯.t ḏd =f ḏi̯ =j sḏm ḥm =[k] bj(ꜣ),yt ḫpr.t
4.19 𓅓[⯑]𓇋𓏏𓆑𓅆𓎡[⯑]𓌳𓐙𓊤𓅱𓀁𓅓[⯑]𓎛𓌨𓂋𓃀𓎱𓀀𓁷𓂋𓏭𓁶𓏤m rk jt =k S[n]fr ⸢mꜣꜥ-ḫrw⸣ ⸢m⸣ ⸢jri̯⸣[.yt] ẖr(,j)-ḥb-ḥr,j-tp
4.20 [⯑] […] [⯑][⯑][⯑] […] 𓇅𓆓𓏛𓏥[Ḏ]ꜣḏꜣ-m-ꜥnḫ […] [ḥ]ḏ [s]f s__ […] wꜣḏ
4.21 [⯑] […] 𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇋𓅱𓍃𓁹𓂋𓂝𓆣𓂋[sḫꜣ,w] ⸢ḥsi̯⸣ […] hrw nꜣ n(,j) jw tm ⸮⸢jri̯⸣? ⸢rḏi̯⸣ ḫpr
4.22 𓈖𓏏𓇓𓏏𓈖𓉐𓏤𓋹𓍑𓋴𓂋𓎛𓎛𓏭𓂻𓈖𓆑[jst] [r] =[f] [dbn.n] [ḥm] [n(,j)] [nswt-bj,tj] [Snfr,w] [mꜣꜥ-ḫrw] [ꜥ,t] [nb.t] n.t pr-nswt ꜥnḫ-(w)ḏꜣ-s(nb) r ḥḥj n =f
4.23 𓇋𓊄𓂻𓏎𓈖𓈖𓀀[⯑][⸮s,t-qb,t?] [n] [gmi̯.n] =[f] [sj] [ḏd.jn] [ḥm] =[f] jz jni̯ n =j ⸢ẖr,j-ḥb⸣-ḥr,j-tp
4.24 [⯑][⯑]𓏎𓈖𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅱𓆑𓆑[⯑]𓆓𓂧𓇋𓈖𓈖𓆑zẖꜣ,w-[mḏꜣ,t] [Ḏꜣḏꜣ-m]-⸢ꜥnḫ⸣ jni̯.jn.tw =f [n] =f ḥr-[ꜥ.w]j ḏd.jn n =f
4.25 [⯑][⯑][⯑]𓂋𓎛𓎛𓏭𓂻𓈖𓀀𓊨𓏏𓉐𓈎𓃀𓏏𓏁𓈗⸢ḥm⸣ =[f] [jw] [dbn.n] =[j] [ꜥ,t] [nb.t] n[.t] ⸢pr-nswt⸣ [ꜥnḫ-(w)ḏꜣ-s(nb)] r ḥḥj n =j s,t-qb,t
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Egyptian, line for line, covering the whole surviving text of Papyrus Westcar (Berlin P 3033), columns 1–12, from line 1.12 to the end of column 12, 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).
4.1 Nebka, justified: “That crocodile is dangerous indeed!” Ubainer bent down,
4.2 picked it up, and there it was
4.3 in his hand: a crocodile of wax. Then the chief lector priest Ubainer
4.4 recounted to the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt the deed the commoner had done in his house with his
4.5 wife. Then his majesty, Nebka, justified, said to the
4.6 crocodile, “Take what is yours!” The crocodile plunged
4.7 into the depths of the pool. No one knows where it went with him.
4.8 Then the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebka, justified, had the wife
4.9 of Ubainer taken to the northern boundary of the residence, and had
4.10 fire set to her. She was given over to the river. Behold the wonder
4.11 that happened in the time of your ancestor, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt Nebka, by the hand of
4.12 the chief lector priest Ubainer. Then the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu,
4.13 justified, said, “Have an offering presented: 1,000 loaves of bread, 100 ds-jars of beer, one longhorn ox,
4.14 and two balls of incense for the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebka, justified; and have presented
4.15 one shens-cake, one dwjw-jar of beer, a large piece of meat, and one ball of incense
4.16 for the chief lector priest Ubainer. I have seen a demonstration
4.17 of his knowledge.” All his majesty commanded was done. Then Bauefre rose
4.18 to speak: “Let me tell your majesty of a wonder that happened
4.19 in the time of your father Snofru, justified, by the hand of the chief lector priest
4.20 Djadjaemanch […]. Bright is yesterday, […] fresh
4.21 is memory. Praised be […] the day of deeds not done before nor caused to happen.”
4.22 Now the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Snofru, justified, had walked through every chamber of the palace, life, prosperity, and health, seeking
4.23 some delight for himself, but had found none. His majesty said, “Go, bring me the chief lector priest,
4.24 the document scribe Djadjaemanch.” He was brought before him at once. His majesty said to him:
4.25 “I have walked through every chamber of the palace, life, prosperity, and health, seeking delight for myself.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Egyptian text, line for line, covering the whole surviving text of Papyrus Westcar (Berlin P 3033), columns 1–12, from line 1.12 to the end of column 12.
4.1 now dead, “That crocodile really is dangerous!” Ubainer bent down,
4.2 picked it up, and held it
4.3 in his hand as a wax crocodile. The chief lector priest Ubainer
4.4 then told King Nebka about what the man had done in his house with his wife.
4.5 His Majesty said to the crocodile,
4.6 “Take what belongs to you!” The crocodile dived down
4.7 into the lake’s depths. No one knows where it went with him.
4.8 Then King Nebka of Upper and Lower Egypt, now dead, had Ubainer’s wife taken
4.9 to the northern edge of the royal residence. He had
4.10 her set on fire, and she became food for the river. This was a wonder
4.11 that happened in the time of your father, King Nebka of Upper and Lower Egypt, through the work
4.12 of the chief lector priest Ubainer.” Then King Khufu of Upper and Lower Egypt,
4.13 now dead, said, “Have an offering made: 1,000 loaves of bread, 100 jars of beer, one ox,
4.14 and two balls of incense for King Nebka of Upper and Lower Egypt, now dead. Also have given
4.15 one cake, one jar of beer, a large piece of meat, and one ball of incense
4.16 for the chief lector priest Ubainer. I have seen proof of his
4.17 knowledge.” Everything his Majesty ordered was done. Then Bauefre stood up
4.18 to speak. He said, “I will tell your Majesty about a wonder
4.19 that happened in the time of your father Snofru, now dead, through the work of the chief lector priest
4.20 Djadjaemanch […]. Yesterday is clear […] the memory is fresh.
4.21 May that day be praised […] for things that had not been done or caused to happen before.”
4.22 Now King Snofru of Upper and Lower Egypt, now dead, had gone through every room in the palace, may it live, prosper, and be healthy, looking for
4.23 something to cheer him, but he could not find it. He said, “Go and bring me the chief lector priest,
4.24 the record keeper Djadjaemanch.” He was brought to him at once. His Majesty said to him,
4.25 “I have been through every room of the palace, may it live, prosper, and be healthy, looking for something to cheer me,