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
“And the treasures of gold (allowed to be despatched?) one treasure for
me, and another treasure as the treasure of _Tadukhipa_ my daughter, lo! I
asked of Amenophis III your father. And your father said ‘Send for the
gold that (remains to be remitted?) let the (rest) be given, and the
precious stones that are to be given thee, and the gold, because we have
increased the gift, which is marvellous with treasure to be given to you.’
And the gold of the treasures all my envoys who were in the land of
_Egypt_ beheld with their eyes; and your father lavishly increased the
treasures in presence of my envoys. He welcomed them on their way; he
maintained them! and lavishly expended the ... on my envoys. They gazed,
and so truly they beheld with their eyes his favor poured out.
“And more gold beside, which was marvellous, which he sent to me, he piled
up; and he said to my envoys ‘Behold the treasures, and behold the gold in
plenty, and the possessions which are marvellous,(402) which I shall send
to my brother: behold them also with your eyes.’ And my envoys beheld with
their eyes.
“But now, my brother, the treasures remitted, which your father sent, you
shall not send, but the woods (or trees) have been received.(403) You are
sending the possessions that your father sent to me. You shall not send
them, but shall store them up very much.
“And thinking of all that one has known, how I rejoiced because of my
brother, none ever brought salutation from him at any time, my brother,
but the same day return was made to him.
“And _Khamassi_ my brother’s envoy he sent (humbly?) to my presence, and
(humbly?) he spoke my brother’s message: I heard and then I said ‘As I was
friends with _Amenophis III_ thy father, lo! now ten times more with
_Amenophis IV_ (_Nabkhuriya_) shall I be great friends.’ So then I said to
_Khamassi_ your envoy.
“And lo! my brother: the treasures of gold to be remitted you shall not
send; and there (shall be) respite of gifts which your father spoke of
sending. It is desired that my brother shall not send them.
“Lo! my brother, the treasures of gold which I asked of your father I may
say that half of them will be carried off (or stolen) ... The lands are at
strife(404) ...”
The rest of this letter, including all the back, is too much broken to be
read. It appears to go on to speak of “destruction” and to refer to a
state of disturbance. It mentions the envoy _Khamassi_, and says, “Of what
he has brought the fourth part has been robbed.” On the back _Gilia_ is
mentioned with gold, and relations between the writer and Amenophis III.
He refers again to the message from Amenophis IV and to _Teie_ his mother;
and invokes _Rimmon_ and _Amanu_. The words “unless they are conquered”
seem also to occur. This letter contained altogether 113 lines of writing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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