Instruction of Ptahhotep

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1 Instruction of Ptahhotep ba (P) Created on by Mark-Jan Nederhof and Robert Myers. Last modified Transcription of The Instruction of Ptahhotep, in the version of Papyrus Prisse, following Zába (1956). The missing line numbers 6.1, 8.13, and 17.5 were inserted on the basis of Jéquier (1911). On p. 49, line number 12.4 was corrected to In lines 7.5 and 12.9, what seems to bein Zába's transcription is here transcribed as. Bibliography G. Jéquier. Le Papyrus Prisse et ses Variantes. Librarie Paul Geuthner, Paris, Z. Zába. Les Maximes de Ptahhotep. Editions de L'Académie Tchécoslovaque des Science, Prague, ba (P) Created on by Mark-Jan Nederhof. Last modified The numbers of Devaud, as they occur at the beginning of lines in ba, for version P. Mark-Jan Nederhof (P) - English Created on by Mark-Jan Nederhof. Last modified i

2 4.1 1 sbayt nt 4 jmj-ra njwt TAtj pth-htp 1 Instruction of 4 the leader of the city and vizier Ptahhotep, #$ 5 xr Hm n nsw-bjtj jssj anx(.w) Dt r nhh 5 under the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt Isesi (may he live forever until eternity!) jmj-ra njwt TAtj pth-htp Dd=f 7 jty nb=j 6 7 The leader of the city and vizier Ptahhotep says: 'Sovereign, my lord, 8 tnj xpr(.w) jaw ha.w 8 infirmity has developed, old age has befallen, wgg jw(.w) jhw Hr maw 9 feebleness has come, weakness is renewed. 10 sdr.n=f Xrd(.w) ra nb 10 One sleeps as a child every day. 1

3 11 jrtj nds.w anxwj jmr.w The eyes are weak, the ears have become deaf. 12 phtj Hr Aq n wrd jb=j 12 Strength is waning through the tiredness of my heart. 13 ra gr(.w) n mdw.n=f 13 The mouth is silent and cannot speak jb tm.w n sxa.n=f sf 16 The mind has stopped and cannot remember the day before. 17 qs mn.n=f n Aww 1 18 bw nfr xpr(.w) m bw bjn The bones hurt because of the high age. Good has turned into evil. 1 Reading is uncertain dpt nbt Sm.tj 20 jrrt jaw n rmt 19 All taste has gone. 20 What old age does to people 2

4 21 bjn(.w)1 m jxt nbt 21 is bad in every respect. 22 fnd DbA(.w) n ssn.n=f 1 The masculine form is explained by Gardiner (1957), The nose is blocked and cannot breathe, 23 n tnw aha Hmst 23 because of the difficulty of standing and sitting wd.tw n bak-jm jrt mdw-jawj 28 May this humble servant be ordered to appoint a staff-of-old-age, 30 jx Dd=j n=f mdw sdmyw 30 so that I may tell him the words of those who have heard 31 sxrw jmjw-hat 32 paw sdm n ntrw 31 the counsels of the ancestors 32 who once listened to the gods jx jr.tw n=k mjtt 34 dr.tw Snw m rxyt May the same be done for you, may suffering be driven away from the people, 3

5 35 bak n=k jdbwj 36 Dd.jn Hm n ntr pn and may the Two Banks serve you!' And the majesty of this god said: sba rk sw r mdt Xr-HAt 37 'Instruct him in the words of the past, 39 jx jr=f bj n msw srw 39 so that he will be a model for the children of officials aq sdm jm=f mtrt-jb nb Dd n=f 41 nn msy sa.w 40 May obedience and all sincerity 1 enter him. Speak to him, 41 for none is born wise!' 1 Exact meaning is uncertain. 42 HAt-a m Tsw n mdwt nfrt 43 Ddt.n jrj-pat HAtj-a 42 Beginning of verses of fine words 43 spoken by prince regent, count, b jt-ntr mry-ntr 44 sa-nsw sms n Xt=f 43b 44 the God's father, beloved of the God, the king's eldest son, of his body, 4

6 46 jmj-ra njwt TAtj pth-htp 47 m sba xmw r rx the leader of the city and vizier Ptahhotep, in instructing the ignorant in knowledge r tp-hbs n mdwt nfrt 49 m Axt n sdm.tj=fj according to the standard of fine words, useful to him who will hear 50 m wggt n ntj r tht st 51 Dd.jn=f xr sa=f 50 and harmful to him who will deviate from them. 51 Thus he said to his son: 52 m aa-jb=k Hr rx=k 52 'Don't be arrogant because of your knowledge, ndnd rk Hna xm mj rx 54 but confer with the ignorant as with the knowledgeable! 55 n jn.tw Drw Hmwt 55 The limits of craftsmanship cannot be attained, 5

7 56 nn Hmww apr Axw=f 56 and no craftsman has fully acquired his mastery dgj mdt nfrt r wad 58 Fine words are more hidden than malachite, 59 jw gm.tw=s m-a Hmwt Hr bnwwt 59 yet are found with the maids at the millstones. 60 jr gm=k DAjsw m At=f 60 If you encounter a debater in action, xrp-jb m jqr r=k 61 one having authority so as to be superior to you, 1 1 The exact structure and meaning of this phrase is uncertain. 62 xam awj=k Xms sa=k 62 bend your arms and bow your back! 6

8 63 m TA jb=k r=f nn mn.n=f n=k 63 But don't be presumptuous to him 1 when he won't support you! 2 1 Also possible seems mta jb=k r=f, "If your mind challenges him". 2 Perhaps one should read n rmn.n=f n=k sand=k Dd bjn 65 m tm xsf sw m At=f 64 Make little of bad speech 65 by not opposing him when he's in action! 66 njs.tw=f m xm-jxt pw 66 He will be called "this ignoramus" 67 rmn.n dar-jb=k aha=f 67 when your self-restraint has matched his prolixity jr gm=k DAjsw m At=f 68 If you encounter a debater in action, 69 mjtw=k ntj m rmnwt=k 69 someone like you, who's on the same level as you, 7

9 DD=k xpr jqr=k r=f m gr 71 jw=f Hr mdt bjnt 70 you will let your worth exceed his by silence, 71 while he is speaking evil. 72 wr wfa jn sdmyw 72 The reproach by the authorities will be great, 73 rn=k nfr(.w) m rx n srw 73 while your reputation will be good in the opinion of the officials jr gm=k DAjsw m At=f 74 If you encounter a debater in action, 75 m Hwrw n js mjtw=k 75 one who is poor, not someone like you, 76 m Ad jb=k r=f xft Xss=f 76 don't be aggressive against him because he is weak! 8

10 jm sw r ta xsf=f n=f Ds=f 77 Ignore him, and he will confute himself! 78 m wsd sw r jsj jb=k 78 Do not answer him to relieve your feelings! 79 m ja jb n ntj xft=k 79 Do not vent your feelings on your opponent! qsn pw HDDw Hwrw-jb 81 Miserable is he who destroys a poor man. 82 tw r jrt ntt m jb=k 82 But what is in your heart will be done: 83 Hw=k sw m xsf n srw 84 jr wnn=k m ssmy you will beat him through the punishment by the officials. If you are a leader 9

11 Hr wd n sxr n asat 85 controlling the conduct of many, 86 HH n=k sp nb mnx 87 r wnt sxr=k nn jw jm=f 86 seek out for yourself any excellent deed, until your conduct is without wrong. 88 wr maat wah spdt 88 Truth is great and (its) effectiveness endures; 89 n Xnn.tw=s Dr rk wsjr 89 it has not been confounded since the time of Osiris. 90 jw xsf.tw n swa Hr hpw 90 He who transgresses the laws is punished, swat pw m Hr n awn-jb 91 and it is a transgression even in the eyes of the rapacious. 10

12 92 jn ndyt jtt aha 92 It is baseness that seizes riches, 93 n pa DAyt mnj sp=s 93 yet wrong has never reached its destination. 95 jw=f Dd=f sxt=j r=j Ds=j 95 If he says "I snare for myself", n Dd.n=f sxt=j Hr Hnt=j 97 wn phwj maat wah=s 96 he cannot say "I snare on account of my duty" Ddw s w jt=j pw 98 and a man will say "This is the domain of my father". 99 jm=k jr Hr m rmt 99 You should not create terror among people, 97 In the end, truth endures, 11

13 100 xsf ntr m-mjtt 101 jw s Dd=f anx jm as the god punishes in the same way. A man thinks to live on it, 102 jw=f Sw=f m t n tp-ra 103 jw s Dd=f wsr 102 while he lacks bread for his mouth A man thinks to become powerful, 107 jw=f Dd=f sxt=j r=j sjat=j 107 and he says "I will snare for myself what I perceive". 111 jw s Dd=f Hwtf ky 111 A man thinks to rob another, 112 jw=f ph=f rdjt=f n xm.n=f 112 but he ends up being given to someone he didn't know n pa Hr n rmt xpr 115 The plans of men have never come about, 12

14 116 wdt ntr pw xprt 117 ka anx m-xnw hrt but what the god ordains will happen. Intend to live in contentment, 118 jy DDt=sn Dsj for what they give will come by itself

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Ptahhotep, Instruction of

Ptahhotep, Instruction of ba (P) Created on 2009-10-18 by Mark-Jan derhof and Robert Myers. Last modified 2010-05-30. Transcription of The Instruction of Ptahhotep, in the version of Papyrus Prisse, following