TLIT-4

TLIT-4

El cuento del campesino elocuente(pap. Berln 3023 [B1] 3025 [B2] 10499 [R])

Texto jeroglfico: Richard B. Parkinson, Eloquent PeasantTraduccin: AEL I, 169 - 184

1. (R I, 1) There was a man named Khun-Anup,

2.a peasant of Salt-Field. [the Wadi Natrun]

3. (I, 2) He had a wife whose name was [Ma]rye.

4.This peasant said to his wife:

5. (I, 3) Look here, I am going down to Egypt

6.to bring food from there for my children.

7.Go, measure for me the barley

8. (I, 4) which is in the barn, what is left of [last years] barley.

9.Then she measured for him [twenty-six] gallons of barley.

10. (I, 5) This peasant said to his wife:

11.Look, you have twenty gallons of barley as food for you and your children.

12. (I, 6) Now make for me these six gallons of barley

13.into bread and beer for every day

14.in which [I shall travel].

15. (I, 7) This peasant went down to Egypt.

16.He had loaded his donkeys

17. (II, 1) (II, 2) (II, 3) with rushes, rdmt-grass, natron,

18. (II, 4) (II, 5) salt, sticks of ,

19. (II, 6) staves from Cattle-Country, [the Farafra Oasis]

20. (II, 7) leopard skins,

21. (III, 1) (III, 2) wolf skins, nsA-plants,

22. (III, 3) (III, 4) (III, 5) anw-stones, tnm-plants, xprwr-plants,

23. (III, 6) (III, 7) (IV, 1) sAhwt, sAskwt, miswt-plants,

24. (IV, 2) (IV, 3) (IV, 4) snt-stones, abAw-stones, ibsA-plants,

25. (IV, 5) (IV, 6) (IV, 7) inbi-plants, pidgeons, narw-birds,

26. (V, 1) (V, 2) (V, 3) wgs-birds, wbn-plants, tbsw-plants,

27. (V, 4) (V, 5) (V, 6) gngnt, earth-hair, and inst;

28. (VI, 1) in sum, all the good products of Salt-Field.

29. (VI, 2) This peasant went

30. (VI, 3) south toward Hnes. [Heracleopolis Magna (Ahnas)]

31. (VI, 4) He arrived in the district of Perfefi,

32.north of Medenyt.

33. (VI, 5) There he met a man standing on the riverbank

34.whose name was Nemtynakht.

35. (VI, 6) He was the son of a man named Isri

36. (VI, 7) and a subordinate of the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru.

37.This Nemtynakht said,

38. (VII, 1) when he saw this peasants donkeys

39.which tempted his heart:

40. (VII, 2) If only I had a potent divine image

41. (VII, 3) through which I could seize this peasants goods!

42. (VII, 4) Now the house of this Nemtynakht was at the beginning of a path

43.which was narrow, not so wide

44. (VII, 5) as to exceed the width of a shawl.

45. (VII, 6) And one side of it was under water, the other under barley.

46.This Nemtynakht said to his servant:

47. (VII, 7)Go, bring me a sheet from my house.

48.It was brought to him straightway.

49. (VIII, 1) He spread it out on the beginning of the path,

50. (VIII, 2) (VIII, 3) so that its fringe touched the water, its hem the barley.

51. (VIII, 4) Now this peasant came along the public road.

52.Then this Nemtynakht said:

53. (VIII, 5) Be careful, peasant;

54.dont step on my clothes!

55. (B1 33) (34) This peasant said:

56.Ill do as you wish, my course is a good one.

57. (35) So he went up higher.

58.This Nemtynakht said:

59. (36) Will you have my barley for a path?

60.This peasant said:

61. (37) My course is a good one.

62.The riverbank is steep

63. (38) and our way is under barley,

64. (39) for you block the path with your clothes.

65. (40) Will you then not let us pass on the road?

67. (41) Just then one of the donkeys filled its mouth

68.with a wisp of barley.

69.This Nemtynakht said:

70. (42)Now I shall seize your donkey,

71. (43) for eating my barley.

72.It shall tread out grain for its offense!

73. (44) This peasant said:

74.My course is a good one.

75. (45) Only one (wisp) is destroyed.

76.Could I buy my donkey for its value,

77. (46) if you seize it for filling its mouth

78.with a wisp of barley?

79. (47) But I know the lord of this domain;

80. (48) it belongs to the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru.

81. (49) He punishes every robber in this whole land.

82.Shall I be robbed in his domain?

83. (50) This Nemtynakht said:

84.Is this the saying people say:

85. (51) A poor mans name is pronounced for his masters sake?

86. (52) It is I who speak to you,

87.and you invoke the high steward!

88. (53) Then he took a stick

89. (54) of green tamarisk to him

90. < >and thrashed all his limbs with it,

91. (55) seized his donkeys, drove them to his domain.

92. (56) Then this peasant wept very loudly

93.for the pain of that which was done to him.

94. (57) This Nemtynakht said:

95.Dont raise your voice, peasant.

96. (58)Look, you are bound for the abode of the Lord of Silence![the god Osiris]


98. (59) You beat me, you steal my goods,

99. (60) and now you take the complaint from my mouth!

100. (61) O Lord of Silence, give me back my things,

101.so that I can stop crying to your dreadedness!

102. (62) This peasant spent the time of ten days

103. (63) appealing to this Nemtynakht

104.who paid no attention to it.

105. (64) So this peasant proceeded southward to Hnes,

106. (65) in order to appeal to the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru.

107. (66) He found him coming out of the door of his house,

108. (67) to go down to his courthouse barge.


110. (68) May I be allowed to acquaint you

111.with this complaint?

112. (69) Might a servant of your choice be sent to me,

113. (70) through whom I could inform you of it?

114.So the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru,

115. (71) sent a servant of his choice ahead of him,

116. (72) and this peasant informed him

117. (73) of the matter in all its aspects.

118.Then the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru,

119. (74) denounced this Nemtynakht

120.to the magistrates who were with him.

121. (75) Then they said to him:

122.Surely it is a peasant of his

123.who has gone to someone else beside him.

124. (76)That is what they do to peasants of theirs

125. (77)who go to others beside them.

126.That is what they do.

127. (78) Is there cause for punishing this Nemtynakht

128.for a trifle of natron

129. (79) and a trifle of salt?

130. (80) If he is ordered to replace it,

131.he will replace it.

132. (81) Then the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru, fell silent.

133. (82) He did not reply to these magistrates,

134.nor did he reply to this peasant.

135. (83) Now this peasant came to appeal

136. (84) to the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru. He said:

137.O high steward, my lord, greatest of the great,

138. (85) leader of all!

139. (86) When you go to the sea of justice

140.and sail on it with a fair wind,

141. (87) No squall shall strip away your sail,

142. (88)nor will your boat be idle.

143.No accident will affect your mast,

144. (89) your yards will not break.

145.You will not founder when you touch land,

146. (90) no flood will carry you away.

147. (91) You will not taste the rivers evils,

148.You will not see a frightened face.

149. (92) Fish will come darting to you,

150. (93) fatted fowl surround you.

151.For you are father to the orphan,

152. (94) husband to the widow,

153.brother to the rejected woman,

154. (95) apron to the motherless.

155. (96) Let me make your name in this land

156.according to all the good rules:

157. (97)Leader free of greed,

158.great man free of baseness,

159. (98) destroyer of falsehood,

160.creator of rightness,

161. (99) who comes at the voice of the caller!

162.When I speak, may you hear!

163. (100) Do justice, O praised one,

164.who is praised by the praised;

165. (101)remove my grief, I am burdened,

167. (102)examine me, I am in need!

168. (103) Now this peasant made this speech

169. (104) in the time of the majesty of King Nebkaure, the justified.

170. (105) Then the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru, went

171.before his majesty and said:

172. (106) My lord, I have found one among those peasants

173. (107) whose speech is truly beautiful.

174.Robbed of his goods ,

176. (108) he has come to petition me about it.

177. (109) Said his majesty:

178.As truly as you wish to see me in health,

179. (110) you shall detain him here,

180.without answering whatever he says.

181. (111) In order to keep him talking, be silent.

182.Then have it brought to us in writing, that we may hear it.

183. (112) But provide for his wife and his children.

184. (113) For one of those peasants come here

185.(only) just before his house is empty.

187. (114)Provide also for this peasant himself.

188.You shall let food be given him

189. (115) without letting him know that it is you who gives it to him.

190.So they gave him ten loaves of bread

191. (116) and two jugs of beer every day.

192.It was the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru, who gave it.

193.He gave it to a friend of his,

194. (117) and he gave it to him.

195.Then the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru, wrote

196. (118) to the mayor of Salt-Field

197.about providing food for this peasants wife,

198.a total of three bushels of grain everyday.

199. (119) Now this peasant came to petition him a second time. He said:

201.O high steward, my lord, greatest of the great,

202. (120) richest of the rich,

203.truly greater than his great ones,

204. (121) richer than his rich ones!

205. (122) Rudder of heaven, beam of earth,

206.plumb-line that carries the weight!

207.Rudder, drift not,

208. (123) beam, tilt not,

209.plumb-line, swing not awry!

210. (124) A great lord taking a share of that which is (now) ownerless;

211.stealing from a lonely man?

212.Your portion is in your house:

213. (125) a jug of beer and three loaves.

214. (126)What is that you expend to satisfy your clients?

215.A mortal man dies along with his underlings;

216.shall you be a man of eternity?

217. (127) Is it not wrong, a balance that tilts,

218.a plummet that strays,

219. (128) the straight becoming crooked?

220.Lo, justice flees from you,

221. (129) expelled from its seat!

222.The magistrates do wrong,

223.right-dealing is bent sideways,

224. (130) the judges snatch what has been stolen.

225.He who trims a matters rightness

226. (131) makes it swing awry:

227.the breath-giver chokes him who is down,

228. (132) he who should refresh makes pant.

229.the arbitrator is a robber,

230. (133) the remover of need orders its creation.

231.the town is a floodwater,

232. (134) the punisher of evil commits crimes!

233.Said the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru:

234. (135) Are your belongings a greater concern to you

235.than that my servant might seize you?


237. (136) The measurer of grain-heaps trims for himself,

238.he who fills for another shaves the others share;

239. (137) he who should rule by law commands theft,

240.who then will punish crime?

241. (138) [he who should expel weakness acts perversely;

242.one goes straight on because of crookedness,

243.while another is talked about through harm.]

244.Do you find here something for you?

245. (139) Redress is short, misfortune long,

246.a good deed is remembered.

247.This is the precept:

248. (141) do to the doer to make him do.

249.It is thanking a man for what he does,

250. (142) parrying a blow before it strikes,

251.giving a commission to one who is skillful.

252. (143) Oh for a moment of destruction,

253.havoc in your vineyard,

254.loss among your birds,

255. (144)damage to your water birds!

256.A man who saw has turned blind,

257.a hearer deaf,

258.a leader now leads astray!

259.[O... , have you ever ...?

260. (147)What would you do [ ... ]? ]

261.You are strong and mighty.

262. (148) Your arm is active, your heart greedy,

263.mercy has passed you by.

264. (149) How miserable is the wretch whom you have destroyed!

265. (150) You are like a messenger of the Crocodile;

266. (151)you surpass the Lady of Pestilence!

267.If you have nothing, she has nothing. If theres nothing against her, theres nothing against you.

268. (152) If you dont act, she does not act.

270.The wealthy should be merciful;

271. (153) violence is for the criminal;

272.robbing suits him who has nothing.

273. (154) The stealing done by the robber

274.is the misdeed of one who is poor.

275. (155) One cant reproach him; he merely seeks for himself.

276. (156)But you are sated with your bread,

277.drunken with your beer,

278. (157) rich in all kind of [treasures].

279.Though the face of the steersman is forward,

280. (158) the boat drifts as it pleases.

281.Though the king is in the palace,

282.though the rudder is in your hand,

283. (159) wrong is done around you.

284. (160) Long is my plea, heavy my task.

285.What is the matter with him? people ask.

286. (161) Be a shelter, make safe your shore,

287.See how your quay is infested with crocodiles!

288. (162) Straighten your tongue, let it not stray,

289. (163) a serpent is this limb of man.

290.Dont tell lies, warn the magistrates,

291. (164) greasy baskets are the judges,

292. (165) telling lies is their herbage,

293.it weighs lightly on them.

294. (166) Knower of all mens ways:

295.do you ignore my case?

296. (167) Savior from all waters harm:

297. (168)see I have a course without a ship!

298.Guider to port of all who founder:

299. (169) rescue the drowning!

300. (170) [ .....................................................]

301.Then this peasant came to petition a third time; he said:

302. (171) High steward, my lord,

303. (172) you are Re, lord of sky, with your courtiers,

304. (173) mens sustenance is from you as from the flood,

305.you are Hapy who makes green the fields,

306. (174) revives the wastelands.

307. (175) Punish the robber, save the sufferer,

308. (176) be not a flood against the pleader!

309.Heed eternitys coming,

310. (177) desire to last, as is said:

311.doing justice is breath for the nose.

312. (178) Punish him who should be punished,

313. (179) and none will equal your rectitude.

314.Does the hand-balance deflect?

315. (180) Does the stand-balance tilt?

316. (181) Does Thoth show favor

317.so that youmay do wrong?

318. (182) Be the equal of these three:

319.if the three show favor, then may you show favor!

320. (183) Answer not good with evil,

321.put not one thing in place of another!

322. (184) My speech grows more than snmyt-weed,

323. (185) to assault the smell with its answers.

324. (186) Misfortune pours water till cloth will grow!

325. (187) Three times now to make him act!

326.By the sail-wind should you steer,

327. (188) control the waves to sail aright;

328. (189) guard from landing by the helm-rope,

329. (190) earths rightness lies in justice!

330.Speak not falselyyou are great,

331. (191)

act not lightlyyou are weighty;

332.speak not falselyyou are the balance,

333. (192)

do not swerveyou are the norm!

334. (193) You are one with the balance,

335. (194) If it tilts you may tilt.

336. (195) Do not drift, steer, hold the helm-rope!

337.Rob not, act against the robber,

338. (196) Not great is one who is great in greed.

339. (197) Your tongue is the plummet, your heart the weight,

340. (198) your two lips are its arms.

341.If you avert your face from violence,

342. (199) who then shall punish wrongdoing?

343. (200) Lo, you are a wretch of a washerman,

344. (201)a greedy one who harms a friend,

345. (202)one who forsakes his friend for his client,

346.his brother is he who comes with gifts.

347. (203) Lo, you are a ferryman

348.who ferries him who pays,

349. (204) a straight one whose straightness is splintered,

350. (205) a storekeeper

351.who does not let a poor man pass,

352. (206) lo, you are a hawk to the little people,

353. (207)one who lives on the poorest of the birds.

354.Lo, you are a butcher whose joy is slaughter,

355. (208) the carnage is nothing to him.

356.You are a herdsman

357. (209) [ ( ... ) you do not pay.

358. (210) You should show less of the ravening crocodile,

359.for shelter is absent from the abode of the entire land.]

360. (211) Hearer, you hear not!

361.Why do you not hear?

362. (212) Now I have subdued the savage;

363.the crocodile retreats!

364. (213) What is your gain?

365.When the secret of truth is found,

366. (214) falsehood is thrown on its back on the ground.

367.Trust not the morrow before it has come;

368. (215) none knows the trouble in it.

369. (216) Now this peasant had made this speech

370. (217) (to) the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru, at the entrance to the courthouse.

371.Then he had two guards go to him with whips,

372. (218) and they thrashed all his limbs.


374. (219) The son of Meru goes on erring.

375.His face is blind to what he sees,

376.deaf to what he hears;

377. (220) his heart strays from what is recalled to him.

378. (221) You are like a town without a mayor,

379.like a troop without a leader,

380. (222) like a ship without a captain,

381. (223) a company without a chief.

382.You are a sheriff who steals,

383.a mayor who pockets,

384. (224) a district prosecutor of crime

385.who is the model for the (evil)-doer!

386. (225) Now this peasant came to petition him a fourth time.

387. (226) Finding him coming out of the gate

388. (227) of the temple of Harsaphes, he said:

389.O praised one, may Harsaphes praise you,

390. (228)from whose temple you have come!

391.Goodness is destroyed, none adhere to it,

392. (229) to fling falsehoods back to the ground.

393.If the ferry is grounded,

394. (230) where(with) does one cross?

395.[The deed must be effected, even though unwillingly.]

396. (231) Is crossing the river on sandals

397.a good crossing? No!

398. (232) Who now sleeps till daybreak?

399. (233) Gone is walking by night, travel by day,

400. (234) and letting a man defend his own good cause.

401. (235) But it is no use to tell you this;

402.mercy has passed you by.

403. (236) How miserable is the wretch whom you have destroyed!

404. (237) Lo, you are a hunter who takes his fill,[lit. washes his heart]

405.bent on doing what he pleases;

406. (238) spearing hippopotami, shooting bulls,

407. (239)catching fish, snaring birds.

408. (240)(But) none quick to speak is free from haste,

409.none light of heart is weighty in conduct.

410. (241) Be patient so as to learn justice,

411.restrain your[anger]

412. (242) for the good of the humble seeker.

413. (243) No hasty man attains excellence,

414. (244) no impatient man is leaned upon.

415.Let the eyes see, let the heart take notice.

416. (245) Be not harsh in your power,

417.lest trouble befall you.

418. (246) Pass over a matter, it becomes two.

419. (247) He who eats tastes; one addressed answers.

420. (248) It is the sleeper who sees the dream;

421. (249) and a judge who deserves punishment

422.is a model for the (evil)doer.

423. (250)Fool, you are attacked!

424. (251) Ignorant man, you are questioned!

425.Spouter of water, you are attained!

426. (252) Steersman, let not drift your boat,

427. (253) life-sustainer, let not die,

428. (254) provider, let not perish,

429.shade, let one not dry out,

430. (255)shelter, let not the crocodile snatch!

431.The fourth time I petition you!

432. (256) Shall I go on all day?

433. (257) Now this peasant came to petition him a fifth time; he said:

434.O high steward, my lord!

435. (258)

The fisher of the xwdw-fish ,

436. (259)

the slays the iy-fish;

437. (260) the spearer of fish pierces the awbb-fish;

438. (261) the DAbHw-fisher attacks the paor-fish;

439. (262) and the catcher of wHa-fish ravages the river.

440.Now you are like them!

441. (263) Rob not a man of his goods,

442.a humble man whom you know!

443. (264) Breath to the poor are his belongings;

444. (265) he who takes them stops up his nose.

445.It is to hear cases that you were installed,

446.to judge between two,

447. (266) to punish the robber.

448. (267) But what you do is to uphold the thief!

449.One puts ones trust in you,

450. (268) but you have become a transgressor!

451. (269) You were placed as a dam for the poor

452.lest he drown,

453. (270)but you have become a swift current to him!

454. (271) Now this peasant came to petition him a sixth time; he said:

455. (272) O high steward, my lord!

456.He who lessens falsehood fosters truth,

457. (273)he who fosters the good reduces ,

458. (274) as satietys coming removes hunger,

459. (275)clothing removes nakedness;

460. (276) as the sky is serene after a storm,

461.warming all who shiver;

462. (277) as fire cooks what is raw,

463. (278) as water quenches thirst.

464. (279) Now see for yourself:

465.The arbitrator is a robber,

466. (280) the peacemaker makes grief,

467. (281) he who should soothe makes sore.

468. (282) But he who cheats diminishes justice!

469. (283) Rightly filled, justice neither falls short nor brims over.

470.If you acquire, give to your fellow;

471. (284)gobbling up is dishonest.

472. (285) (286) But my grief will lead to parting;

473. (287) my accusation brings departure.

474.The hearts intent cannot be known.

475. (288) Dont delay! Act on the charge!

476.If you sever, who shall join?

477. (289) The sounding pole is in your hand; sound!

478. (290) The water is shallow![sp n mw perhaps: remnant of water, i.e., shallow water.]

479.If the boat enters and is grounded,

480. (291) its cargo perishes on the shore.

481. (292) You are learned, skilled, accomplished,

482.but not in order to plunder!

483. (293) You should be the model for all men,

484.but your affairs are crooked!

485. (294) The standard cheats the whole land!

486.The vintner of evil

487. (295) waters his plot with crimes,

488. (296)until his plot sprouts falsehood,

489.his estate flows with crimes!

490. (297) Now this peasant came to petition him a seventh time; he said:

491. (298) O high steward, my lord!

492.You are the whole lands rudder,

493. (299) the land sails by your bidding;

494.you are the peer of Thoth,

495. (300) the judge who is not partial.

496.My lord, be patient, so that a man may invoke you

497. (301) about his rightful cause.

498.Dont be angry; it is not for you.

499. (302)

The long-faced becomes short-tempered.

500.Dont brood on what has not yet come,

501. (303)nor rejoice at what has not yet happened.

502.The patient man prolongs friendship;

503. (304) he who destroys a case will not be trusted.[lit. becomes one-does-not-know-what-is-in-the-heart]

504. (305) If law is laid waste and order destroyed,

505. (306) no poor man can survive:

506.when he is robbed, justice does not address him.

507. (307) My body was full, my heart burdened.

508.Now therefore it has come from my body.

509. (308) As a dam is breached

510.and water escapes,

511. (309) so my mouth opened to speak.

512.I plied my sounding pole,

513. (310) I bailed out my water;

514.I have emptied what was in my body;

515.I have washed my soiled linen.

516. (311) My speech is done.

517.My grief is all before you.

518. (312) What do you want?

519.But your laziness leads you astray;

520. (313) your greed makes you dumb;

521.your gluttony makes enemies for you.

522. (314) But will you find another peasant like me?

523. (315) Is there an idler at whose house door a petitioner will stand?

524. (316) There is no silent man whom you gave speech,

525.no sleeper whom you have wakened,

526. (317) none downcast whom you have roused,

527. (318) none whose shut mouth you have opened,

528.none ignorant whom you gave knowledge,

529.none foolish whom you have taught.

530. (319) (Yet) magistrates are dispellers of evil,

531.masters of the good,

532. (320) craftsmen who create what is,

533.joiners of the severed head!

534. (321)

Now this peasant came to petition him an eighth time; he said:


536. (322) Men fall low through greed.

537.The rapacious man lacks success;

538. (323) his success is loss.

539.Though you are greedy it does nothing for you.

540. (324) Though you steal you do not profit.

541.Let a man defend

542.his rightful cause!

543. (325) Your portion is in your house;

544.your belly is full. The grain-bin brims over;

545. (326)shake it, its overflow spoils on the ground.

546. (327) Thief, robber, plunderer!

547. (328) Magistrates are appointed to suppress crime.

548.Magistrates are shelters against the aggressor.

549. (329) Magistrates are appointed to fight falsehood!

550.No fear of you makes me petition you;

551.you do not know my heart.

552. (330) A humble man who comes back to reproach you

553.is not afraid of him with whom he pleads.

554. (331) The like of him will not be brought you from the street!

555.You have your plot of ground in the country,

556. (332) your estate in the district,

557.your income in the storehouse.

558.Yet the magistrates give to you

559. (333) and you take!

560.Are you then a robber?

561. (334) Does one give to you and the troop with you

562.at the division of plots?

563. (335) Do justice for the Lord of Justice

564.the justice of whose justice is real!

565. (336) Pen, papyrus, palette of Thoth,

566. (337) keep away from wrongdoing!

567.When goodness is good it is really good,

568. (338) for justice is for eternity:

569. (339)it enters the graveyard with its doer.

570. (340) When he is buried and earth enfolds him,

571. (341) his name does not pass from the earth;

572. (342) he is remembered because of goodness,

573.that is the rule of gods command.

574. (343) The hand-balanceit tilts not;

575. (344) the stand-balanceit leans not to one side.

576. (345) Whether I come,

577.whether another comes,

578.speak!

579. (346) (347) Do not answer with the answer of silence!

580.Do not attack one who does not attack you!

581. (348) You have no pity, you are not troubled,

583. (349) you are not disturbed!

584. (350) You do not repay my good speech

585.which comes from the mouth of Re himself!

586. (351) Speak justice, do justice,

588. (352) for it is mighty, it is great, it endures,

589.its worth is tried,[Gmi, to find useful]

590. (353) it leads one to reveredness.

591. (354) Does the hand-balance tilt?

592. (355) Then it is its scales which carry things.

593. (356) The standard has no fault.

594. (357) Crime does not attain its goal;

595.he who is helpful reaches land.

596. (B2 91) (92) Now this peasant came to petition him a ninth time; he said:


598. (93) The tongue is mens stand-balance.

599. (94) It is the balance that detects deficiency.

600.Punish him who should be punished,

601.and shall equal your rectitude.

602. (95) [evil has gone astray, and as for falsehood, its business is settled,

603. (96) for Truth has turned herself about to confront it.

604. (97) Truth comes out of falsehood,[lit. is the property of]

605.and it is caused to flourish, it will not be ( ... )].

606. (98) When falsehood walks it goes astray.

607. (99) It does not cross in the ferry;

608.it does not progress.

609. (100)

He who is enriched by it

610. (101) has no children, has no heirs on earth.

611. (102) He who sails with it

612.does not reach land;

613. (103) his boat does not moor at its landing place.

614.Be not heavy, nor yet light,

615. (104)do not tarry, nor yet hurry,

616. (105) be not partial, nor listen to desire.

617.Do not avert your face from one you know,

618. (106) be not blind to one you have seen,

619.do not rebuff one who beseeches you.

620. (107)Abandon this slackness,

621.let your speech be heard.

622. (108) Act for him who would act for you,

623.do not listen to everyone,

624. (109) Summon a man to his rightful cause!

625.A sluggard has no yesterday;[I.e., is not remembered]

626. (110) one deaf to justice has no friend;

627. (111) the greedy has no holiday.

628. (112) When the accuser is a wretch,

629.and the wretch becomes a pleader,

630. (113) his opponent is a killer.

631. (114) Here I have been pleading with you, and you have not listened to it.

632. (115) I shall go and plead about you to Anubis!

633. (116) Then the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru, sent

634.two guards to bring him back.

635. (117) Then this peasant was fearful,

636. (118) thinking it was done so as to punish him

637.for this speech he had made.


639. (119) A thirsty mans approach to water,

640. (120) an infants mouth reaching for milk,

641. (121) thus is a longed-for death seen coming,

642. (122) thus does his death arrive at last.

643. (123) Said the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru:

644.Dont be afraid, peasant;

645. (124) be ready to deal with me1

646.Said this peasant:

647. (125) By my life! Shall I eat your bread

648. (126) and drink your beer forever?

649. (127) Said the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru:

650.Now wait here

651. (128) and hear your petitions!

652. (129) Then he had them read from a new papyrus roll,

653.each petition in its turn.

654. (130) The high steward Rensi, the son of Meru, presented them

655. (131) to the majesty of King Nebkaure, the justified.

656.They pleased his majestys heart

657. (132) more than anything in the whole land.

658.His Majesty said:

659. (133) Give judgement yourself, son of Meru!

660. (134) Then the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru, sent

661.two guards [to bring Nemtynakht].

662. (135)

He was brought and a report was made of (all his property).

663. (136) [( ... ) his (servants), six persons,

664. (137) apart from ( ... ) his barley, his emmer,

665. (138) his asses, his pigs,

666.and his flocks, ( ... )

667. (139) (140) (and) Nemtynakht(s house was given) to the peasant, (together with) all his (goods).

668. (141) (Then ... ) said ( ... ) to Nemtynakht ( ... )

669.( ... which is in ... ) ]

670. (142) Colophon. It is finished ( ... )

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TLIT-4