The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians Part 10

This inscription is cut in hieroglyphs upon a large rectangular slab of limestone now preserved in the British Museum (No. 100). It belongs to the period of the eleventh dynasty, when texts of the kind are very rare, and was made in the reign of Uahankh, or Antef. It reads:

Thetha, the servant in truth of the Horus Uahankh, the King of the South, the King of the North, the son of Ra, Antef, the doer of beneficent acts, living like Ra for ever, beloved by him from the bottom of his heart, holder of the chief place in the house of his lord, the great n.o.ble of his heart, who knoweth the matters of the heart of his lord, who attendeth him in all his goings, one in heart with His Majesty in very truth, the leader of the great men of the house of the king, the bearer of the royal seal in the seat of confidential affairs, keeping close the counsel of his lord more than the chiefs, who maketh to rejoice the Horus (_i.e._ the king) through what he wisheth, the favourite of his Lord, beloved by him as the mouth of the seal, the president of the place of confidential affairs, whom his lord loveth, the mouth of the seal, the chief after the king, the va.s.sal, saith:

I was the beloved one of his Lord, I was he with whom he was well pleased all day and every day. I pa.s.sed a long period of my life [that is] years, under the Majesty of my Lord, the Horus, Uahankh, the King of the South and North, the son of the Sun, Antef. Behold, this country was subject unto him in the south as far as Thes, and in the north as far as Abtu of Then (Abydos of This). Behold, I was in the position of body servant of his, and was an actual chief under him. He magnified me, and he made my position to be one of great prominence, and he set me in the place beloved (?) for the affairs of his heart, in his palace. Because of the singleness [of my heart] he appointed me to be a bearer of the royal seal, and the deputy of the registrary (?). [I] selected the good things of all kinds of the offerings brought to the Majesty of my Lord, from the South and from the North land whensoever a taxing was made, and I made him to rejoice at the a.s.sessment which was made everywhere throughout the country. Now His Majesty had been afraid that the tribute, which was brought to His Majesty, my Lord, from the princes who were the overlords of the Red Country (Lower Egypt), would dwindle away in this country, and he had been afraid that the same would be the case in the other countries also. He committed to me these matters, for he knew that my administration was able. I rendered to him information about them, and because of my great knowledge of affairs never did anything escape that was not replaced. I was one who lived in the heart of his Lord, in very truth, and I was a great n.o.ble after his own heart.

I was as cool water and fire in the house of my Lord. The shoulders of the great ones bent [before me]. I did not thrust myself in the train of the wicked, for which men are hated. I was a lover of what was good, and a hater of what was evil. My disposition was that of one beloved in the house of my Lord. I carried out every course of action in accordance with the urgency that was in the heart of my Lord. Moreover, in the matter of every affair which His Majesty caused me to follow out, if any official obstructed me in truth I overthrew his opposition. I neither resisted his order, nor hesitated, but I carried it out in very truth.

In making any computation which he ordered, I made no mistake. I did not set one thing in the place of another. I did not increase the flame of his wrath in its strength. I did not filch property from an inheritance. Moreover, as concerning all that His Majesty commanded to set before him in respect of the royal household (or _harim_), I kept accounts of everything which His Majesty desired, and I gave them unto him, and I made satisfactory all their statements. Because of the greatness of my knowledge nothing ever escaped me.

I made a _mekha_ boat for my town, and a _sehi_ boat, so that I might attend in the train of my Lord, and I was one of the number of the great ones on every occasion when travel or journeying had to be performed, and I was held in great esteem, and entreated most honourably. I provided my own equipment from the possessions which His Majesty, the Horus Uahankh, the King of the South, the King of the North, the son of the Sun, Antef, who liveth like Ra for ever, gave unto me because of the greatness of his love for me, until he departed in peace to his horizon (_i.e._ the tomb). And when his son, that is to say, the Horus Nekhtneb-Tepnefer, the King of the South, the King of the North, the son of Ra, Antef, the producer of beneficent acts, who liveth for ever like Ra, entered his house, I followed him as his body-companion into all his beautiful places that rejoiced [his] heart, and because of the greatness of my knowledge there was never anything wanting (?). He committed to me and gave into my hand every duty that had been mine in the time of his father, and I performed it effectively under His Majesty; no matter connected with any duty escaped me. I lived the [remainder] of my days on the earth near the King, and was the chief of his body-companions. I was great and strong under His Majesty, and I performed everything which he decreed. I was one who was pleasing to his Lord all day and every day.

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AAHMES (AMASIS), THE NAVAL OFFICER

This inscription is cut in hieroglyphs on the walls of the tomb of Aahmes at Al-Kab in Upper Egypt; this distinguished marine flourished in the reigns of the first kings of the eighteenth dynasty, about 1600 B.C.

The text reads:

The captain of the transport men, Aahmes, the son of Abana, the truth-speaker, saith: O all men, I will declare unto you, and will inform you concerning the favours that were conferred upon me. Seven times was I given gold in the sight of the whole land, and likewise slaves, both male and female, and grants of land for estates to be held by me in perpetuity were also made to me. Thus the name of a man bold and brave in his deeds shall not be extinguished in this land for ever!

He saith:

I pa.s.sed my childhood in the town of Nekheb (Eileithyiaspolis, Al-Kab).

My father was a soldier in the army of the King of the South, the King of the North, Seqenn-Ra, whose word is truth; Baba was his name, and he was the son of Reant. I performed military service as his subst.i.tute in the ship called the _Bull_ in the reign of the Lord of the Two Lands, Nebpehtira (Amasis I), whose word is truth. I was at that time a youth, and was unmarried, and I slept in the _shennu_. Afterwards I got a house (_i.e._ wife) for myself, and I was drafted off to a ship, the "North"

(?), because of my bravery. Then it became my lot to follow after the king, life, strength, health [be to him!], on my feet whensoever he made a journey in his chariot. The king sat down (_i.e._ besieged) before the city of Hetuart (Avaris), and it was my lot whilst I was on my two feet to do a deed of bravery in the presence of His Majesty, whereupon I was made an officer in the vessel [called] _Kha-em-Mennefer._ The king was fighting on the arm of the river of Avaris [called] Patchetku, and I rose up and engaged in the fight, and I brought back a hand.[1] The royal herald proclaimed the matter, and the king gave me the gift of gold [which was awarded] for bravery. The fighting was renewed at this place (_i.e._ Avaris), and I again joined in the fight, and I brought back a hand; and the king gave me the gift of gold [which was awarded]

for bravery a second time.

[Footnote 1: He had cut it off from a vanquished foe.]

Then the king fought a battle in Egypt, to the south of this place, and I made prisoner a man and brought him back alive; I went down into the water[1] and brought him along on the road to the town, being firmly bound, and I crossed the water with him in a boat. The royal herald proclaimed [this act], and indeed I was rewarded with a double portion of the gold [which is awarded] for bravery. Then the king captured Avaris, and I brought back prisoners from the town, one man and three women, in all four persons. His Majesty gave these to me for slaves.

Then His Majesty sat down before (_i.e._ besieged) Sharhana[2] in the fifth year, and captured it. I brought back from thence two persons, women, and one hand. And the king gave me the gift of gold [awarded] for bravery, as well as the two prisoners for slaves.

[Footnote 1: The water of the arm of the Nile.]

[Footnote 2: The Syrian town mentioned in Joshua xix. 6.]

Now after His Majesty had smitten the Mentiu of Satet[1], he sailed up the river to Khenthennefer to crush the Antiu of Sti[2], and His Majesty overthrew them completely, and slew very many of them. I rose up and made three prisoners, viz. two men, alive, and three hands. And the king rewarded me with a double portion of gold, and he gave me the two prisoners to be my slaves. Returning His Majesty sailed down the river.

His heart was expanded with the bravery of strength, for he had [now]

conquered the Lands of the South [as well as] the Lands of the North.

[Then as for] Aatti, the accursed one, who came from the South, his destiny came upon him, and he perished. The G.o.ds of the South laid their hands upon him, and His Majesty found him in Thenttaamu (?). His Majesty brought him back bound alive, and with him were all his people loaded with fetters. I captured two of the soldiers of the enemy, and I brought them back, firmly fettered, from the boat of the foe Aatti. And the king gave me five men and parcels of land, five _stat_ [in area] in my city. This was likewise done for the sailors, one and all. Then that vanquished foe came, Tetaan (the accursed one!) was his name, and he had gathered together round about himself men with hearts hostile [to the king]. His Majesty smote him and his accursed servants, and they ceased to exist. His Majesty gave me three men and a parcel of land five _stat_ [in area] in my town.

[Footnote 1: Tribes of the Eastern Desert (?).]

[Footnote 2: The tribes of the Nubian Desert.]

I transported the King of the South, the King of the North, Tcheserkara (Amenhetep I), whose word is truth, when he sailed up the river to Kash (Cush, Nubia) to extend towards the south the frontiers of Egypt. His Majesty captured that accursed Anti of Nubia in the midst of his accursed bowmen; he was brought back, fettered by the neck, and they could not escape. [They were] deported, and were not allowed [to remain]

upon [their] own land, and they became as if they existed not. And behold, I was at the head of our bowmen! I fought with all my strength and might, and His Majesty saw my bravery. I brought back two hands and carried them to His Majesty. And the king went and raided men, women, and cattle, and I rose up and captured a prisoner and brought him alive to His Majesty. I brought back His Majesty from Khnemet-heru,[1] and the king gave me a gift of gold. I brought back alive two women whom I had captured in addition to those I had already carried to His Majesty, and the king appointed me to be "Ahatiu-en-Heq" (_i.e._ "Warrior of the Princes," or "Crown-warrior"). I transported the King of the South, the King of the North, Aakheperkara, whose word is truth, when he sailed up the river to Khent-hen-nefer, to put down the rebellion in Khet land, and to put an end to the incursions of the people of Asemt. I fought with great bravery in his presence in the troubled water during the towing (?) of the fighting barges over the rapids(?), and the king made me the "Captain of the Transport." His Majesty, life, strength, health [be to him!] ... raged like a panther, he shot his first arrow, [which]

remained in the neck of the vanquished foe ... [the enemies] were helpless before the flaming serpent on his crown; [thus] were they made in the hour of defeat and slaughter, and their slaves were brought back prisoners alive. Returning His Majesty sailed down the river having all the mountains and deserts in his hand. And that accursed Anti of Nubia was hung up head downwards, at the prow of the boat of His Majesty, and [then] placed on the ground in the Apts (_i.e._ Karnak). After these things the king set out on an expedition against Rethenu (Northern Syria), to avenge himself on foreign lands. His Majesty went forth against Neharina, where he found that the wretched enemy had set his warriors in battle array. His Majesty defeated them with great slaughter, and those who were captured alive and brought back by him from his wars could not be counted. And behold, I was the captain of our soldiers, and His Majesty saw my deeds of might. I brought out of the fight a chariot with its horses, and he who had been driving it was fettered prisoner inside it, and I carried them to His Majesty, who gave me a gift of gold, a twofold portion. Then I waxed old, and I arrived at a great age, and the favours [bestowed upon] me were as [many as those]

at the beginning [of my life] ... a tomb in the mountain which I myself have made.

[Footnote 1: The "Upper Pool," site unknown.]

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AAHMES (AMASIS), SURNAMED PEN-NEKHEB

This inscription is cut in hieroglyphs upon the walls of the tomb of Aahmes at Al-Kab in Upper Egypt. Aahmes was a contemporary of Aahmes the transport officer, and served under several of the early kings of the eighteenth dynasty. The text reads:

The Erpa, the Duke, the bearer of the seal, the man who took prisoners with his own hands, Aahmes, saith: I accompanied the King of the South, the King of the North, Nebpehtira (Amasis I), whose word is truth, and I captured for him in Tchah (Syria) one prisoner alive and one hand. I accompanied the King of the South, the King of the North, Tcheserkara, whose word is truth, and I captured for him in Kash (Nubia) one prisoner alive. On another occasion I captured for him three hands to the north of Aukehek. I accompanied the King of the South, the King of the North, whose word is truth, and I captured for him two prisoners alive, in addition to the three other prisoners who were alive, and who escaped (?) from me in Kash, and were not counted by me. And on another occasion I laboured for him, and I captured for him in the country of Neherina (Mesopotamia) twenty-one hands, one horse, and one chariot. I accompanied the King of the South, the King of the North, Aakheperenra, whose word is law, and I brought away as tribute a very large number of the Shasu[1] alive, but I did not count them. I accompanied the Kings of the South, the Kings of the North, [those great] G.o.ds, and I was with them in the countries of the South and North, and in every place where they went, namely, King Nebpehtira (Amasis I), King Tcheserkara (Amenhetep I), Aakheperkara (Thothmes I), Aakheperenra (Thothmes II), and this beneficent G.o.d Menkheperra[2] (Thothmes III), who is endowed with life for ever. I have reached a good old age, I have lived with kings, I have enjoyed favours under their Majesties, and affection hath been shown to me in the Palace, life, strength, health [be to them!].

The divine wife, the chief royal wife Maatkara, whose word is truth, showed several favours to me. I held in my arms her eldest daughter, the Princess Neferura, whose word is law, when she was a nursling, I the bearer of the royal seal, who captured my prisoners, Aahmes, who am surnamed Pen-Nekheb, did this. I was never absent from the king at the time of fighting, beginning with Nebpehtira (Amasis I), and continuing until the reign of Menkheperra (Thothmes III). Tcheserkara (Amenhetep I) gave me in gold two rings, two collars, one armlet, one dagger, one fan, and one pectoral (?). Aakheperkara (Thothmes I) gave me in gold four hand rings, four collars, one armlet, six flies, three lions, two axe-heads. Aakheperenra gave me in gold four hand rings, six collars, three armlets (?), one plaque, and in silver two axe-heads.

[Footnote 1: The nomads of the Syrian desert.]

[Footnote 2: The t.i.tles, King of the North, King of the South, and the words, "whose word is truth" occur with each name; they are omitted in the translation.]

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF TEHUTI, THE ERPA

The autobiographies given hitherto are those of soldiers, sailors, and officials who in the performance of their duties travelled in Nubia, the Egyptian Sudan, the Eastern Sudan, the Red Sea Littoral, Sinai, and Western Asia. The following autobiography is that of one of the great n.o.bles, who in the eighteenth dynasty a.s.sisted in carrying out the great building schemes of Queen Hatshepset and Thothmes III. Tehuti was an hereditary chief (_erpa_), and a Duke, and the Director of the Department of the Government in which all the gold and silver that were brought to Thebes as tribute were kept, and he controlled the distribution of the same in connection with the Public Works Department.

The text begins with the words of praise to Amen-Ra for the life of Hatshepset and of Thothmes III, thus: "Thanks be to Amen-[Ra, the King of the G.o.ds], and praise be to His Majesty when he riseth in the eastern sky for the life, strength, and health of the King of the South, the King of the North, Maatkara (Hatshepset), and of the King of the South, the King of the North, Menkheperra (Thothmes III), who are endowed with life, stability, serenity, and health like Ra for ever. I performed the office of chief mouth (_i.e._ director), giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the great boat of the head of the river [called] Userhatamen. It was inlaid (or overlaid) with the very best gold of the mountains, the splendour of which illumined all Egypt, and it was made by the King of the South, the King of the North, Maatkara,[1] in connection with the monuments which he made for his father Amen-Ra, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, who is endowed with life like Ra for ever. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the G.o.d-house, the horizon of the G.o.d, and on the work of the great throne, which was [made] of the very best silver-gold[2] of the mountains, and of perfect work to last for ever, which was made by Maatkara in connection with the monuments which he made for his father Amen-Ra, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the shrine (?) of Truth, the framework of the doors of which was of silver-gold, made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the works of Tcheser-Tcheseru,[3] the Temple of Millions of Years, the great doors of which were made of copper inlaid with figures in silver-gold, which was made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of Khakhut, the great sanctuary of Amen, his horizon in Amen-tet, whereof all the doors [were made] of real cedar wood inlaid (or overlaid) with bronze, made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the works of the House of Amen, it shall flourish to all eternity! whereof the pavement was inlaid with blocks of gold and silver, and its beauties were like unto those of the horizon of heaven, made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the great shrine, which was made of ebony from Kenset (Nubia), with a broad, high base, having steps, made of translucent alabaster [from the quarry] of Het-nub, made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the works of the Great House of the G.o.d, which was plated with silver in which figures were inlaid in gold--its splendour lighted up the faces of all who beheld it--made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the great broad, high doors of the temple of Karnak, which were covered with plates of copper inlaid with figures in silver-gold, made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the holy necklaces and pectorals, and on the large talismans of the great sanctuary, which were made of silver-gold and many different kinds of precious stones, made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the works in connection with the two great obelisks, [each of which] was one hundred and eight cubits in height (about 162 feet) and was plated with silver-gold, the brilliance whereof filled all Egypt, made by Maatkara, &c. I performed the office of chief mouth, giving orders. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the holy gate [called] "Amen-shefit," which was made of a single slab of copper, and of the images (?) that belonged thereto, made by Maatkara, &c. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the altar-stands of Amen. These were made of an incalculable quant.i.ty of silver-gold, set with precious stones, by Maatkara, &c. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the store-chests, which were plated with copper and silver-gold and inlaid with precious stones, made by Maatkara, &c. I directed the artificers who were engaged on the works of the Great Throne, and the G.o.d-house, which is built of granite and shall last like the firmly fixed pillars of the sky, made by Maatkara, &c.

[Footnote 1: This queen frequently ascribed to herself male attributes.]

[Footnote 2: _i.e._ that kind of gold which is found in its natural state alloyed with silver.]

[Footnote 3: The "Holy of Holies," the name of Hatshepset's temple at Der al-Bahari.]

And as for the wonderful things, and all the products of all the countries, and the best of the wonderful products of Punt, which His Majesty presented to Amen, Lord of the Apts, for the life, strength, and health of His Majesty, and with which he filled the house of this holy G.o.d, for Amen had given him Egypt because he knew that he would rule it wisely (?), behold, it was I who registered them, because I was of strict integrity. My favour was permanent before [His Majesty], it never diminished, and he conferred more distinctions on me than on any other official about him, for he knew my integrity in respect of him. He knew that I carried out works, and that I covered my mouth (_i.e._ held my tongue) concerning the affairs of his palace. He made me the director of his palace, knowing that I was experienced in affairs. I held the seal of the Two Treasuries, and of the store of all the precious stones of every kind that were in the G.o.d-house of Amen in the Apts,[1] which were filled up to their roofs with the tribute paid to the G.o.d. Such a thing never happened before, even from the time of the primeval G.o.d. His Majesty commanded to be made a silver-gold ... for the Great Hall of the festivals. [The metal] was weighed by the _heqet_ measure for Amen, before all the people, and it was estimated to contain 88-1/2 _heqet_ measures, which were equal to 8592-1/2 _teben_.[2] It was offered to the G.o.d for the life, strength, and health of Maatkara, the ever living. I received the _sennu_ offerings which were made to Amen-Ra, Lord of the Apts; these things, all of them, took place in very truth, and I exaggerate not. I was vigilant, and my heart was perfect in respect of my lord, for I wish to rest in peace in the mountain of the spirit-bodies who are in the Other World (Khert-Neter). I wish my memory to be perpetuated on the earth. I wish my soul to live before the Lord of Eternity. I wish that the doorkeepers of the gates of the Tuat (Other World) may not repulse my soul, and that it may come forth at the call of him that shall lay offerings in my tomb, that it may have bread in abundance and ale in full measure, and that it may drink of the water from the source of the river. I would go in and come out like the Spirits who do what the G.o.ds wish, that my name may be held in good repute by the people who shall come in after years, and that they may praise me at the two seasons (morning and evening) when they praise the G.o.d of my city.

[Footnote 1: The temples of Karnak and Luxor.]

[Footnote 2: The _teben_ = 90.959 grammes.]

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THAIEMHETEP, THE DAUGHTER OF HERANKH

This remarkable inscription is found on a stele which is preserved in the British Museum (No. 1027), and which was made in the ninth year of King Ptolemy Philopator Philadelphus (71 B.C.). The text opens with a prayer to all the great G.o.ds of Memphis for funerary offerings, and after a brief address to her husband's colleagues, Thaiemhetep describes in detail the princ.i.p.al incidents of her life, and gives the dates of her birth, death, &c., which are rarely found on the funerary stelae of the older period. Thaiemhetep was an important member of the semi-royal, great high-priestly family of Memphis, and her funerary inscription throws much light on the theology of the Ptolemaic Period.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Autobiography of Thaiemhetep, the daughter of Herankh.]

1. SUTEN-TA-HETEP,[1] may Seker-Osiris, at the head of the House of the KA of Seker, the great G.o.d in Raqet; and Hap-Asar (Serapis), at the head of Amentet, the king of the G.o.ds, King of Eternity and Governor of everlastingness; and Isis, the great Lady, the mother of the G.o.d, the eye of Ra, the Lady of heaven, the mistress of all the G.o.ds; and Nephthys, the divine sister of Horus, the 2. avenger of his father, the great G.o.d in Raqet.i.t; and Anubis, who is on his hill, the dweller in the chamber of embalmment, at the head of the divine hall; and all the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses who dwell in the mountain of Amentet the beautiful of Hetkaptah (Memphis), give the offerings that come forth at the word, beer, and bread, and oxen, and geese, and incense, and unguents, and suits of apparel, and good things of all kinds upon their altars, to the KA of 3. the Osiris, the great princess, the one who is adorned, the woman who is in the highest favour, the possessor of pleasantness, beautiful of body, sweet of love in the mouth of every man, who is greatly praised by her kinsfolk, the youthful one, excellent of disposition, always ready to speak her words of sweetness, whose counsel is excellent, Thaiemhetep, whose word (or voice) is truth, the beloved daughter of the royal kinsman, the priest of Ptah, libationer of the G.o.ds of 4. White Wall (Memphis), priest of Menu (or Amsu), the Lord of Senut (Panopolis), and of Khnemu, the Lord of Smen-Heru (Ptolemais), priest of Horus, the Lord of Sekhem (Letopolis), chief of the mysteries in Aat-Beqt, chief of the mysteries in Sekhem, and in It, and in Kha-Hap; the daughter of the beautiful sistrum bearer of Ptah, the great one of his South Wall, the Lord of Ankh-taui, Herankh, 5. she saith:

"Hail, all ye judges and all ye men of learning, and all ye high officials, and all ye n.o.bles, and all ye people, when ye enter into this tomb, come ye, I pray, and hearken unto what befell me.

"The ninth day of the fourth month [2] of the season Akhet of the ninth year under the Majesty of the King of the Two Lands, the G.o.d Philopator, Philadelphus, Osiris the Young, the Son of Ra, the lord of the Crowns of the South and of the North, Ptolemy, the ever living, beloved of Ptah and Isis, 6. [was] the day whereon I was born.

"On the ... day of the third month [3] of the season Shemu of the twenty-third year under the Majesty of this same Lord of the Two Lands, my father gave me to wife to the priest of Ptah, the scribe of the library of divine books, the priest of the Tuat Chamber, [4] the libationer of the G.o.ds of the Wall, the superintendent of the priests of the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses of the North and South, the two eyes of the King of Upper Egypt, the two ears of the King of Lower Egypt, the second of the king in raising up the Tet pillar, [5] the staff of the king [when]

brought into the temples, 7. the Erpa in the throne chamber of Keb, the Kher-heb (precentor) in the seat of Thoth, the repeater (or herald) of the tillage of the Ram-G.o.d, who turneth aside the Utchat (sacred eye), who approacheth the Utchat by the great Ram of gold (?), who seeth the setting of the great G.o.d [who] is born when it is fettered, the Ur-kherp-hem,[6] Pa-sher-en-Ptah, the son of a man who held like offices, Peta-Bast, whose word (or voice) is truth, born of 8. the great decorated sistrum bearer and tambourine woman of Ptah, the great one of his South Wall, the Lord of Ankh-taui, whose word (or voice) is truth.

"And the heart of the Ur-kherp-hem rejoiced in her exceedingly. I bore to him a child three times, but I did not bear a man child besides these three daughters. And I and the Ur-kherp-hem prayed to 9. the Majesty of this holy G.o.d, who [worketh] great wonders and bestoweth happiness (?), who giveth a son to him that hath one not, and Imhetep, the son of Ptah, hearkened unto our words, and he accepted his prayers. And the Majesty of this G.o.d came unto this Ur-kherp-hem during [his] sleep, and said unto him, 10. 'Let there be built a great building in the form of a large hall [for the lord of] Ankh-taui, in the place where his body is wrapped up (or concealed), and in return for this I will give thee a man child.' And the Ur-kherp-hem woke up out of his sleep after these [words], and he smelt the ground before this holy G.o.d. And he laid them (_i.e._ the words) before the priests, 11. and the chief of the mysteries, and the libationers, and the artisans of the House of Gold, at one time, and he despatched them to make the building perfect in the form of a large, splendid funerary hall. And they did everything according as he had said. And he performed the ceremony of 'Opening the Mouth' for this holy G.o.d, and he made to him a great offering of the beautiful offerings of every kind, and he bestowed upon him sculptured images 12. for the sake of this G.o.d, and he made happy their hearts with offerings of all kinds in return for this [promise].

"Then I conceived a man child, and I brought him forth on the fifteenth day of the third month[7] of the season Shemu of the sixth year, at the eighth hour of the day, under the Majesty of the Queen, the Lady of the Two Lands, Cleopatra, Life, Strength, Health [be to her!], 13. [the day]

of the festival of 'things on the altar' of this holy G.o.d, Imhetep, the son of Ptah, his form being like unto that of the son of Him that is south of his wall (_i.e._ Ptah), great rejoicings on account of him were made by the inhabitants of White Wall (Memphis), and there were given to him his name of Imhetep and the surname of Peta-Bast, and all the people rejoiced in him. 14.