Ptahhotep, Instruction of

Transcription

1 Ptahhotep, Instruction of ba (P) Created on by Mark-Jan derhof 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 be in 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 derhof. Last modified Line numbers of Devaud for version P. Bibliography The numbers of Devaud, as they occur at the beginning of lines in ba, for version P. derhof (P) - English Created on by Mark-Jan derhof. Last modified In preparation. The transliteration throughout follows Hannig (1995). For published translations, see Jacq (2004), Lichtheim (1975), pp ; Parkinson (1997), pp ; Simpson (1972), pp Bibliography R. Hannig. Grosses Handwörterbuch Ägyptisch-Deutsch: die Sprache der Pharaonen ( v.chr.). Verlag Philipp von bern, C. Jacq. The Wisdom of Ptah-Hotep. Constable, A. Gardiner. Egyptian Grammar. Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, M. Lichtheim. Ancient Egyptian Literature -- Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms. University of California Press, R.B. Parkinson. The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems BC. Oxford University Press, W.K. Simpson (editor). The Literature of Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, and Poetry. Yale University Press, 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, tnj xpr(.w) jaw ha.w 8 infirmity has developed, old age has befallen, 9 wgg jw(.w) jhw Hr maw 9 feebleness has come, weakness is renewed. 10 sdr.n=f Xrd(.w) ra nb 11 jrtj nds.w anxwj jmr.w 10 One sleeps as a child every day The eyes are weak, the ears have become deaf. 1

3 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. 19 dpt nbt Sm.tj 20 jrrt jaw n rmt 19 All taste has gone What old age does to people 21 bjn m jxt nbt 22 fnd DbA(.w) n ssn.n=f 21 is evil in every respect. 22 The nose is blocked and cannot breathe, 2

4 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, 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: 3

5 37 sba rk sw r mdt Xr-HAt '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 hearing enter him, and all sincerity 1. Speak to him, 1 Exact meaning is uncertain for none is born wise!'

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