The Instruction of Ptah-Hotep and the Instruction of Ke'Gemni
thee; then swathe not thine heart in thine hoard, for thou art become
the steward of the endowments of the God. Thou art not the last;
another shall be thine equal, and to him shall come the like [fortune
and station].
31. Bend thy back unto thy chief, thine overseer in the King's palace,
for thine house dependeth upon his wealth, and thy wages in their
season. How foolish is one that quarrelleth with his chief, for one
liveth only while he is gracious....
Plunder not the houses of tenants; neither steal the things of a
friend, lest he accuse thee in thine hearing, which thrusteth back the
heart.[17] If he know of it, he will do thee an injury. Quarrelling
in place of friendship is a foolish thing.
{55}
32. [Concerning continence].
33. If thou wouldest seek out the nature of a friend, ask it not of
any companion of his; but pass a time with him alone, that thou injure
not his affairs. Debate with him after a season; test his heart in an
occasion of speech. When he hath told thee his past life, he hath made
an opportunity that thou may either be ashamed for him or be familiar
with him. Be not reserved with him when he openeth speech, neither
answer him after a scornful manner. Withdraw not thyself from him,
neither interrupt (?) him whose matter is not yet ended, whom it is
possible to benefit.
34. Let thy face be bright what time thou livest. That which goeth
into the storehouse must come out therefrom; and bread is to be shared.
He that is grasping in entertainment shall himself have an empty belly;
he that causeth strife cometh himself to sorrow. Take not such an one
for thy companion. It is a man's kindly acts that are remembered of
him in the years after his life.[18]
35. Know well thy merchants; for when thine affairs are in evil case,
thy good repute among thy friends is a channel (?) which is filled. It
is more important than the dignities of a man; and {56} the wealth of
one passeth to another. The good repute of a man's son is a glory unto
him; and a good character is for remembrance.
36. Correct chiefly; instruct conformably [therewith]. Vice must be
drawn out, that virtue may remain. Nor is this a matter of misfortune,
for one that is a gainsayer becometh a strife-maker.
37. If thou make a woman to be ashamed, wanton of heart, one known by
her townsfolk to be falsely placed, be kind unto her for a space, send
her not away, give her to eat. The wantonness of her heart shall
esteem thy guidance.
C. If thou obey these things that I have said unto thee, all thy
demeanour shall be of the best; for, verily, the quality of truth is
among their excellences. Set the memory of them in the mouths of the
people; for their proverbs are good. Nor shall any word that hath here
been set down cease out of this land for ever, but shall be made a
pattern whereby princes shall speak well. They (my words) shall
instruct a man; how he shall speak, after he hath heard them; yea, he
shall become as one skilful in obeying, excellent in speaking, after he
hath heard them. Good fortune shall befall him, for he shall be of the
highest rank. He shall be gracious to the end of his life; he shall be
{57} contented always. His knowledge shall be his guide (?) into a
place of security, wherein he shall prosper while on earth. The
scholar[19] shall be content in his knowledge. As to the prince, in
his turn, forsooth, his heart shall be happy, his tongue made straight.
And [in these proverbs] his lips shall speak, his eyes shall see, and
his ears shall hear, that which is profitable for his son, so that he
deal justly, void of deceit.
38. A splendid thing is the obedience of an obedient son; he cometh in
and listeneth obediently.
Excellent in hearing, excellent in speaking, is every man that obeyeth
what is noble; and the obedience of an obeyer is a noble thing.
Obedience is better than all things that are; it maketh good-will.
How good it is that a son should take that from his father by which he
hath reached old age (Obedience).
That which is desired by the God is obedience; disobedience is abhorred
of the God.
Verily, it is the heart that maketh its master to obey or to disobey;
for the safe and sound life of a man are his heart.
It is the obedient man that obeyeth what is said; he that loveth to
obey, the same shall carry out commands.
{58}
He that obeyeth becometh one obeyed.
It is good indeed when a son obeyeth his father; and he (his father)
that hath spoken hath great joy of it. Such a son shall be mild as a
master, and he that heareth him shall obey him that hath spoken. He
shall be comely in body and honoured by his father. His memory shall
be in the mouths of the living, those upon earth, as long as they
exist.[20]
39. Let a son receive the word of his father, not being heedless of
any rule of his. Instruct thy son [thus]; for the obedient man is one
that is perfect in the opinion of princes. If he direct his mouth by
what hath been enjoined him, watchful and obedient, thy son shall be
wise, and his goings seemly. Heedlessness leadeth unto disobedience on
the morrow; but understanding shall stablish him. As for the fool, he
shall be crushed.
40. As for the fool, devoid of obedience, he doeth nothing. Knowledge
he regardeth as ignorance, profitable things as hurtful things. He
doeth all kind of errors, so that he is rebuked therefor every day. He
liveth in death {59} therewith; it is his food. At chattering speech
he marvelleth, as at the wisdom of princes, living in death every day.
He is shunned because of his misfortunes, by reason of the multitude of
afflictions that cometh upon him every day.
41. A son that hearkeneth is as a Follower of Horus.[21] He is good
after he hearkeneth; he groweth old, he reacheth honour and reverence.
He repeateth in like manner to his sons and daughters, so renewing the
instruction of his father. Each man instructeth as did his begetter,
repeating it unto his children. Let them [in turn] speak with their
sons and daughters, that they may be famous in their deeds. Let that
which thou speakest implant true things and just in the life of thy
children. Then the highest authority shall arrive, and sins depart
[from them]. And such men as see these things shall say, 'Surely that
man hath spoken to good purpose,' and they shall do likewise; or, 'But
surely that man was experienced.' And all people shall declare, 'It is
they that shall direct the multitude; dignities are not complete
without them.'
Take not any word away, neither add one; {60} set not one in the place
of another. Beware of opening...[22] in thyself.
Be wary of speech when a learned man hearkeneth unto thee; desire to be
stablished for good in the mouth of those that hear thee speaking. If
thou have entered as an expert, speak with exact (?) lips, that thy
conduct may be seemly.
42. Be thine heart overflowing; but refrain thy mouth. Let thy
conduct be exact while amongst nobles, and seemly before thy lord,
doing that which he hath commanded. Such a son shall speak unto them
that hearken to him; moreover, his begetter shall be favoured. Apply
thine heart, what time thou speakest, to saying things such that the
nobles who listen declare, 'How excellent is that which cometh out of
his mouth!'
43. Carry out the behest of thy lord to thee. How good is the
teaching of a man's father, for he hath come from him, who hath spoken
of his son while he was yet unborn; and that which is done for him (the
son) is more than that which is commanded him. Forsooth, a good son is
of the gift of the God; he doeth more than is {61} enjoined on him, he
doeth right, and putteth his heart into all his goings.
D. If now thou attain my position, thy body shall flourish, the King
shall be content in all that thou doest, and thou shalt gather years of
life not fewer than I have passed upon earth. I have gathered even
fivescore and ten years of life, for the King hath bestowed upon me
favours more than upon my forefathers; this because I wrought truth and
justice for the King unto mine old age.
IT IS FINISHED
FROM ITS BEGINNING TO ITS END
EVEN AS FOUND IN WRITING.
[1] The King.
[2] Title of an order of the priesthood.
[3] The customary attitude of a submissive inferior at that time.
[4] The God Osiris was believed to have reigned on earth many thousand
years before Menes, the first historical king.
[5] Soul = _ka'_, and throughout this work. _Ka'_ is translated
_person_ in Sec. 22, _will_ in Sec. 27.
[6] An obscure or corrupt phrase here follows, which does not admit of
satisfactory translation.
[7] Translation doubtful.
[8] _i.e._ comfortable.
[9] His belly, presumably.
[10] The above translation is not satisfactory; the text may be
corrupt. No intelligible translation of it has yet been made.
[11] _i.e._ all wickedness is contained therein.
[12] A servant.
[13] Compare Prov. xvii. 18.
[14] So also in life, by diversity of aim, alternating work and play,
happiness is secured. Tacking is evidently meant in the case of the
steersman.
[15] This section refers to the relations between the son of a nobleman
and his tutor, dwelling on the benefits from former pupils in high
places, if their schooldays have been pleasant. The last sentence of
this section, as of sections 23 and 25, is somewhat _a propos des
bottes_.
[16] An obscure phrase is here.
[17] Literally, "It is that which preventeth the heart from advancing
(?)" A curious phrase.
[18] Literally, after his stick or sceptre.
[19] Who knows them.
[20] The greater part of this section is a play upon the root _'sodem_,
which in its meaning includes our _hear_ (_listen_) and _obey_. This
tiresome torture of words is frequent in Egyptian, especially in old
religious texts.
[21] The "Followers of Horus" are a legendary dynasty of demigods,
believed by the Egyptians to have ruled for about 13,400 years after
the reign of Horus, and before that of Menes. There is also an order
of spirits of this name.
[22] A word of unknown meaning; apparently some kind of plant. Such a
word seems out of place here, and may be idiomatic, like our "flowery
language." But the preceding line obviously refers to this book.
{62}
THE INSTRUCTION OF KE'GEMNI
On Avoiding Offence
1.[1] The cautious man flourisheth, the exact one is praised; the
innermost chamber openeth unto the man of silence. Wide[2] is the seat
of the man gentle of speech; but knives are prepared against one that
forceth a path, that he advance not, save in due season.
2. If thou sit with a company of people, desire not the bread that
thou likest: short is the time of restraining the heart, and gluttony
is an abomination; therein is the quality of a beast. A cup of water
quencheth the thirst, and a mouthful of melon supporteth the heart. A
good thing standeth for goodness, but some small thing standeth for
plenty.[3] A base man is he that is governed by his belly; he
departeth only when he is no longer able to fill full his belly in
men's houses.
{63}
3. If thou sit with a glutton, eat with him, then depart (?).
If thou drink with a drunkard, accept [drink], and his heart shall be
satisfied.
Refuse not meat when with a greedy man. Take that which he giveth
thee; set it not on one side, thinking that it will be a courteous
thing.
4. If a man be lacking in good fellowship, no speech hath any
influence over him. He is sour of face toward the glad-hearted that
are kindly to him; he is a grief unto his mother and his friends; and
all men [cry], 'Let thy name be known; thou art silent in thy mouth
when thou art addressed!'
5. Be not haughty because of thy might in the midst of thy young