The Instruction of Ptah-Hotep and the Instruction of Ke'Gemni
soldiers. Beware of making strife, for one knoweth not the things that
the God will do when He punisheth.
The Vizier caused his sons and daughters to be summoned, when he had
finished the rules of the conduct of men. And they marvelled when they
came to him. Then he said unto them, 'Hearken unto everything that is
in writing in this book, even as I have said it in adding unto
profitable sayings.' And they cast themselves on their bellies, and
they read it, even as it was in writing. And it was better in their
opinion than any thing in this land unto its limits.
Now they were living when His Majesty, the King of Upper and Lower
Egypt, HEUNI, {64} departed, and His Majesty, the King of Upper and
Lower Egypt, SENFORU, was enthroned as a gracious king over the whole
of this land.
Then was Ke'gemni made Governor of his City and Vizier.
IT IS FINISHED.
[1] The original is not divided into sections.
[2] _i.e._ comfortable
[3] This is a rather dark saying, but apparently the author means that
although the duly instructed guest will only partake moderately of the
abundance before him, what he eats is as good as the rest. His portion
will be equal to the whole as regards quality, though inferior as
regards quantity.
{65}
APPENDIX
The Instruction of Amenemhe'et I. is here given as a contrast to the
foregoing. It is a Testament, however, rather than an Instruction, and
contains more historical matter than didactic. It is written in a
terse and pointed style, combined with the parallelism and antithesis
which was the prevailing vehicle of poetic thought in Egyptian. The
rank of its author and the exceeding bitterness of his mood make it a
document of great interest. There is no reason to doubt its
authenticity.
This King was the founder of the glorious Twelfth Dynasty, a period
which has been called the Golden Age of Egypt. He ruled from about
2778-2748 B.C., and, although he describes himself as over-lenient, was
really one of the most vigorous and powerful of all the Sons of the Sun
who for five thousand years wore the double crown of the Two Egypts.
The circumstances in which the new dynasty arose are not known; nor
have we any other record of the attempt on his life, here recounted.
{66} In the twentieth year of his reign he associated his son,
Senwesert I., with him in a co-regency which lasted ten years. From Sec.8
we gather that the attempted assassination took place just before the
dual rule; while the Instruction was evidently penned shortly before
the writer's death. The 'house' referred to is presumably his
pyramid-tomb, called Ke'-nofer-amenemhe'et. _Amenemhe'et is exalted
and good_. The site of this building is not known.
This Instruction was popular as a school exercise in the 'New Kingdom,'
and we possess several copies or parts of copies. There is no good
text for the latter part (Sec.Sec. 12 _ff_), which is corrupt in such MSS. as
contain it.
I have used the critical text of Mr. Griffith, published in the
_Zeitschrift fuer aegyptische Sprache_, 1896.
It is hoped that the Bibliography will be useful to students of the
books of Ptah-hotep and Ke'gemni.
B. G. G.
{67}
THE INSTRUCTION OF AMENEMHE'ET
A Palace Conspiracy--Hail and Farewell
Beginneth here the Instruction made by the Majesty of the King of Upper
and Lower Egypt SEHOTEP-'EB-RE', Son of the Sun AMENEMHE'ET, the
Justified.[1] He speaketh thus in discovering words of truth unto his
Son, the Lord of the World:
1. Shine forth, he saith, even as the God. Hearken to that which I
say unto thee: that thou may reign over the land, that thou may govern
the world, that thou may excel in goodness.
2. Let one withdraw himself from his subordinates entirely. It
befalleth that mankind give their hearts unto one that causeth them
fear. Mix not among them alone; fill not thine heart with a brother;
know not a trusted friend; make for thyself no familiar dependents; in
these things is no satisfaction.
3. When thou liest down have care for thy very life,[2] since friends
exist not for a man in the {68} day of misfortunes. I gave to the
beggar, and caused the orphan to live; I made him that had not to
attain, even as he that had.
4. But it was the eater of my food that made insurrection against me;
to whom I gave mine hands, he created disturbance thereby; they that
arrayed them in my fine linen regarded me a shadow; and it was they
that anointed themselves with my spices that entered my harem.
5. My images are among the living; and my achievements are among men.
But I have made an heroic story that hath not been heard; a great feat
of arms that hath not been seen. Surely one fighteth for a lassoed ox
that forgetteth yesterday;[3] and good fortune is of no avail unto one
that cannot perceive it.
6. It was after the evening meal, and night was come. I took for
myself an hour of ease. I lay down upon my bed, for I was weary. My
heart began to wander (?). I slept. And lo! weapons were brandished,
and there was conference concerning me. I acted as the serpent of the
desert.[4]
7. I awoke to fight; I was alone. I found one struck down, it was the
captain of the guard. Had I received quickly the arms from his hand,
{69} I had driven back the dastards by smiting around. But he was not
a brave man on that night, nor could I fight alone; an occasion of
prowess cometh not to one surprised. Thus was I.
8. Behold, then, vile things came to pass, for I was without thee; the
courtiers knew not that I had passed on to thee [my power], I sat not
with thee on the throne.[5] Let me, then, make thy plans. Because I
awed them not I was not unmindful of them; but mine heart bringeth not
to remembrance the slackness of servants.
9. Is it the custom of women to gather together assailants? are
assassins reared within my palace? was the opening done by cutting
through the ground? The underlings were deceived as to what they
did.[6] But misfortunes have not come in my train since my birth; nor
hath there existed the equal of me as a doer of valiance.
10. I forced my way up to Elephantine, I went down unto the
coast-lakes;[7] I have stood upon the boundaries of the land, and I
have seen its centre. I have set the limits of might by my might in my
deeds.
11. I raised corn, I loved Nopi[8]; the Nile begged of me every
valley. In my reign none {70} hungered; none thirsted therein. They
were contented in that which I did, saying concerning me, 'Every
commandment is meet.'
12. I overcame lions; I carried off crocodiles. I cast the Nubians
under my feet; I carried off the Southern Nubians; I caused the
Asiatics to flee, even as hounds.
13. I have made me an house, adorned with gold, its ceiling with
_lapis lazuli_, its walls having deep foundations. Its doors are of
copper, their bolts are of bronze. It is made for ever-lasting;
eternity is in awe of it. I know every dimension thereof, O Lord of
the World!
14. There are divers devices in buildings. I know the pronouncements
of men when inquiring into its beauties; but they know not that it was
without thee, O my son, Senwesert; life, safe and sound, be to thee--by
thy feet do I walk; thou art after mine own heart; by thine eyes do I
see; born in an hour of delight, with spirits[9] that rendered thee
praise.
15. Behold, that which I have done at the beginning, let me set it in
order for thee at the end; let me be the landing-place of that which is
in thine heart. All men together set the White Crown on the Offspring
of the God, fixing it unto its due place. I shall begin thy praises
when in the Boat of Ra. Thy kingdom hath been from primeval time; not
by my doing, {71} who have done valiant things. Raise up monuments,
make beautiful thy tomb. I have fought against him whom thou knowest;
for I desire not that he should be beside thy Majesty. Life, safe and
sound, be to thee."
IT IS FINISHED.
[1] A ceremonial title applied to deceased persons, analogous to our
"the late." "Justified" is not an exact rendering, but it is usual,
and will serve.
[2] Literally, _heart_.
[3] An allusion to the people of Egypt, whom he had freed from the
foreign oppressors.
[4] _i.e._ he remained quiet but watchful.
[5] Referring to the co-regency with his son.
[6] Referring to the attempted assassination.
[7] The limits, south and north, of his kingdom.
[8] The god of corn.
[9] Or, unborn souls (_hmmw_).
{72}
AN EXPLANATION OF NAMES OCCURRING IN THIS BOOK.
AMENEMHE'ET . . . . _The God Amon is to the fore_.
HEUNI . . . . . . . _I have smitten_.
Isosi . . . . . . . Of unknown meaning.
KE'GEMNI . . . . . . _I have found a soul_; or, _A soul is
found for me_.
PTAH-HOTEP . . . . . _The God Ptah is satisfied_, alluding
either to the belief that to beget
a child was pleasing to the God, or
to the dedication of the child to the God.
SEHOTEP-'EB-RE' . . _Contenting the heart of the God Ra_.
SENFORU . . . . . . _The beautifier_.
SENWESERT . . . . . Of doubtful meaning; connected with
_The Goddess Wesert_.
Other spellings of these names are: _Amenemhat; Huna; Assa, 'Esse';
Ptahhetep; Sehetepabra, Rasehetepab; Seneferu; Usertesen_.
{73}
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brugsch, H. _Hieroglyphisches-demotisches Woerterbuch_ ... vols.
v.-vii. Leipzig, 1880 _ff._ Contains explanations of many difficult
passages.
Budge, E. A. W. _An Egyptian Reading Book_. London, 1888. Second
edition, with transliteration into italics and vocabulary, London,
1896. Contains the most convenient transcript of the P.P. Follows
throughout that of Virey (see below). For some amendments see
Griffith in Proc. S.B.A. (below). The first edition is more accurate
(for this text) than the second. The vocabulary needs revision.
Chabas, F. _Le plus ancien livre du monde; etude sur le papyrus
Prisse_. Revue archeologique, premiere serie, xv. anno. Paris, 1857.
Contains a discussion of the text, etc., and partial translation.
Chabas, F. _Le papyrus Prisse_. Zeitschrift fuer egyptische Sprache.
Berlin, 1870. Discusses the meaning of various words.
Chabas, F. _Le plus ancien livre du monde; etude sur le papyrus
Prisse_. Bibliotheque orientale, vol. ii. Paris, 1872. The work of
1857 recast.
Dumichen, J. _Les sentences de Kakemni_. Les Bibles et les
initiateurs religieux de l'humanite, vol. ii. part i. Paris, 1884.
Contains a translation of Kg.
Griffith, F. L. _Notes on Egyptian Texts of the Middle Kingdom_, iii.
Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. xiii. London,
1890. Discusses the text, correcting some previous errors in
transcription. Translation of Kg. and Sec.Sec. A, B of Ph.
Griffith, F. L. _Egyptian Literature_. A Library of the {74} World's
Best Literature. New York, 1898-9. Contains translation of many
sections.
Heath, D. I. _On a MS. of the Phoenician King Assa, ruling in Egypt
before Abraham: A Record of the Patriarchal Age; or The Proverbs of
Aphobis_, B.C. 1900; _now first fully translated_. _Monthly Review_.
London, July, 1866. The first 'translation' of Kg. and Ph. Afterwards
issued as a pamphlet, London, 1858.
Lauth, F. J. _Der Autor Kadjimna vor 5400 Jahren_. Sitzungsberichte
der kgl. bayer. _Akademie der Wissenschaften_. Munchen, 1869, ii.
Contains an analysis of Kg.
Lauth, F. J. _Der Prim Ptah-hotep ueber das Alter: Ptah-hoteps Ethik_.
Sitzungsberichte der kgl. bayer. Akademie der Wissenschaften.
Muenchen, 1870, ii, Heft i, Beilage. Contains analysis and translation
into Latin and German of the greater part of Ph.