Egyptian Literature: Comprising Egyptian tales, hymns, litanies, invocations, the Book of the Dead, and cuneiform writings
Religion
Egyptian Literature: Comprising Egyptian tales, hymns, litanies, invocations, the Book of the Dead, and cuneiform writings
Egyptian literature -- Translations into English
[Here follows a story of how Setna, walking in the court of the temple of
Ptah, met Tabubua, a fascinating girl, daughter of a priest of Bast, of
Ankhtaui; how she repelled his advances, until she had beguiled him into
giving up all his possessions, and slaying his children. At the last she
gives a fearful cry and vanishes, leaving Setna bereft of even his
clothes. This would seem to be merely a dream, by the disappearance of
Tabubua, and by Setna finding his children alive after it all; but on the
other hand he comes to his senses in an unknown place, and is so terrified
as to be quite ready to make restitution to Na.nefer.ka.ptah. The episode,
which is not creditable to Egyptian society, seems to be intended for one
of the vivid dreams which the credulous readily accept as half realities.]
So Setna went to Memphis, and embraced his children for that they were
alive. And the King said to him, “Were you not drunk to do so?” Then Setna
told all things that had happened with Tabubua and Na.nefer.ka.ptah. And
the King said, “Setna, I have already lifted up my hand against you
before, and said, ‘He will kill you if you do not take back the book to
the place you took it from.’ But you have never listened to me till this
hour. Now, then, take the book to Na.nefer.ka.ptah, with a forked stick in
your hand, and a fire-pan on your head.”
So Setna went out from before the King, with a forked stick in his hand,
and a fire-pan on his head. He went down to the tomb in which was
Na.nefer.ka.ptah. And Ahura said to him, “It is Ptah, the great god, that
has brought you back safe.” Na.nefer.ka.ptah laughed, and he said, “This
is the business that I told you before.” And when Setna had praised
Na.nefer.ka.ptah, he found it as the proverb says, “The sun was in the
whole tomb.” And Ahura and Na.nefer.ka.ptah besought Setna greatly. And
Setna said, “Na.nefer.ka.ptah, is it aught disgraceful (that you lay on me
to do)?” And Na.nefer.ka.ptah said, “Setna, you know this, that Ahura and
Mer-ab, her child, behold! they are in Koptos; bring them here into this
tomb, by the skill of a good scribe. Let it be impressed upon you to take
pains, and to go to Koptos to bring them here.” Setna then went out from
the tomb to the King, and told the King all that Na.nefer.ka.ptah had told
him.
The King said, “Setna, go to Koptos and bring back Ahura and Mer-ab.” He
answered the King, “Let one give me the royal boat and its belongings.”
And they gave him the royal boat and its belongings, and he left the
haven, and sailed without stopping till he came to Koptos.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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