Egyptian Tales, Translated from the Papyri: First series, IVth to XIIth dynastyPetrie, W. M. Flinders (William Matthew Flinders)
General
Egyptian Tales, Translated from the Papyri: First series, IVth to XIIth dynasty
Petrie, W. M. Flinders (William Matthew Flinders)
Egyptian literature -- Translations into English
"Now behold what the god has done for me who trusted in him. Having once
fled away, yet now there is a witness of me in the palace. Once having
fled away, as a fugitive,------now all in the palace give unto me a good
name. After that I had been dying of hunger, now I give bread to those
around. I had left my land naked, and now I am clothed in fine linen.
After having been a wanderer without followers, now I possess many
serfs. My house is fine, my land wide, my memory is established in the
temple of all the gods. And let this flight obtain thy forgiveness;
that I may be appointed in the palace; that I may see the place where
my heart dwells. How great a thing is it that my body should be
embalmed in the land where I was born! To return there is happiness. I
have made offering to God, to grant me this thing. His heart suffers
who has run away unto a strange land. Let him hear the prayer of him
who is afar off, that he may revisit the place of his birth, and the
place from which he removed.
"May the king of Egypt be gracious to me that I may live of his favour.
And I render my homage to the mistress of the land, who is in his
palace; may I hear the news of her children. Thus will my limbs grow
young again. Now old age comes, feebleness seizes me, my eyes are
heavy, my arms are feeble, my legs will not move, my heart is slow.
Death draws nigh to me, soon shall they lead me to the city of
eternity. Let me follow the mistress of all (the queen, his former
mistress); lo! let her tell me the excellencies of her children; may
she bring eternity to me."
Then the majesty of King Kheper-ka-ra, the blessed, spake upon this my
desire that I had made to him. His majesty sent unto me with presents
from the king, that he might enlarge the heart of his servant, like unto
the province of any strange land; and the royal sons who are in the
palace addressed themselves unto me.
_Copy of the decree which was brought--to me who speak to you--to lead
me back into Egypt._
"The Horus, life of births, lord of the crowns, life of births, king
of Upper and Lower Egypt, Kheper-ka-ra, son of the Sun, Amen-em-hat,
ever living unto eternity. Order for the follower Sanehat. Behold this
order of the king is sent to thee to instruct thee of his will.
"Now, although thou hast gone through strange lands from Adim to Tenu,
and passed from one country to another at the wish of thy heart--behold,
what hast thou done, or what has been done against thee, that is amiss?
Moreover, thou reviledst not; but if thy word was denied, thou didst
not speak again in the assembly of the nobles, even if thou wast
desired. Now, therefore, that thou hast thought on this matter which
has come to thy mind, let thy heart not change again; for this thy
Heaven (queen), who is in the palace is fixed, she is flourishing, she
is enjoying the best in the kingdom of the land, and her children are
in the chambers of the palace.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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