The Literature of the Ancient EgyptiansBudge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
History
The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians
Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
Egyptian literature -- History and criticism; Egyptian literature -- Translations into English
Then he caused to be brought the books which his father had kept day by
day, and he had them read out before me, and it was found that one
thousand _teben_ of silver of all kinds were [entered] in his books. And
he said unto me, "If the Ruler of Egypt had been the lord of my
possessions, and if I had indeed been his servant, he would never have
had silver and gold brought [to pay my father and my father's father]
when he told them to carry out the commands of Amen. The instructions
which they (_i.e._ Pharaoh) gave to my father were by no means the
command of one who was their king. As for me, I am assuredly not thy
servant, and indeed I am not the servant of him that made thee to set
out on thy way. If I were to cry out now, and to shout to the cedars of
Lebanon, the heavens would open, and the trees would be lying spread out
on the sea-shore. I ask thee now to show me the sails which thou hast
brought to carry thy ships which shall be loaded with thy timber to
Egypt. And show me also the tackle with which thou wilt transfer to thy
ships the trees which I shall cut down for thee for.... [Unless I make
for thee the tackle] and the sails of thy ships, the tops will be too
heavy, and they will snap off, and thou wilt perish in the midst of the
sea, [especially if] Amen uttereth his voice in the sky,[1] and he
unfettereth Sutekh[2] at the moment when he rageth. Now Amen hath
assumed the overlordship of all lands, and he hath made himself their
master, but first and foremost he is the overlord of Egypt, whence thou
hast come. Excellent things have come forth from Egypt, and have reached
even unto this place wherein I am; and moreover, knowledge (or learning)
hath come forth therefrom, and hath reached even unto this place
wherein I am. But of what use is this beggarly journey of thine which
thou hast been made to take?"
[Footnote 1: _i.e._ if there is thunder.]
[Footnote 2: Here the Storm-god.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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