User:Tomispev/Immortality of Writers

The Hieroglyphic text follows the plates 18 and 19 from Gardiner (1935), including all the errors and defects together with corrections, which are placed in various brackets. The transcription is adapted from the ANSI version at Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae, translation is taken from Lichtheim (1976).
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Text

Verse 1 (line 2.5)

jw{⸗j} swt jr jr⸗k nn jw⸗k ⸢šs⸣ꜣ.tj m zẖꜣ.w

If you would only accomplish this, becoming expert in writing:

Verse 2 (lines 2.5-2.6)

jr nꜣ n zẖꜣw rḫyw{t} ḏr rk ḫprw{t} ḥr-|sꜣ nṯr.w

Those writers of knowledge from the time of events after the gods,

Verse 3 (line 2.6)

nꜣ n sr.y j:jy.t st ḫpr.w rn⸗sn mn r nḥḥ

those who foretold the future, their names have become fixed for eternity,

Verse 4 (lines 2.6-2.7)

st šm.t skm⸗sn ꜥḥꜥ.w|⸗sn smḫ{m} {n} hꜣ.w⸗sn nb

though they are gone, they have completed their lifespan, and all their kin are forgotten.

Verse 5 (line 2.7)

b[w jr⸗w] n⸗sn m(ḥ)r.w m ḥmt wḏ.w jr.j m bjꜣ{.t} n p.t

They did not make for themselves a chapel of copper, or a stela for it of iron from the sky.

Verse 6 (lines 2.7-2.8)

bw | rḫ⸗sn wꜣḥ jwꜥ{t}.w m ẖrd.w[⸗sn] ḥr dmw rn⸗sn

They did not manage to leave heirs, from their children, to pronounce their names,

Verse 7 (lines 2.8-2.9)

jr⸗w n⸗sn jwꜥ{t}.w m zẖꜣ.w m sbꜣ.ywt jr⸗w

but they have achieved heirs out of writings, out of the teachings in those.

Verse 8 (line 2.9)

ḏj⸗w n⸗sn [mḏꜣ.t] [m ẖr.j]-ḥ(ꜣ)b(.t)

They are given the book as ritual-priest,

Verse 9 (lines 2.9-2.10)

ꜥ{ꜥ}nw m zꜣ-mrr⸗f sbꜣ.ywt (m) nꜣy⸗sn | m(ḥ)r.w

the writing-board as loving-son, teachings are their chapels,

Verse 10 (line 2.10)

pꜣ ꜥr (m) pꜣy⸗sn šrjw sꜣ jnr {n} z.t-ḥm.t

the writing-rush their child, and the block of stone the wife.

Verse 11 (lines 2.10-2.11)

m šꜣꜥ m wr r ktt ḏj.t(w) r ms|.w⸗f <j>r zẖꜣ.w ntf pꜣy⸗sn tp.j

From great to small, (all) are given as his children, for the writer, he is their leader.

Verse 12 (line 2.11)

jr.y⸗tw n<⸗sn> ꜥꜣ(.w) ḥw.wt st fḫ(.w) ḥm(.w)-kꜣ{myt}⸗sn m [šm]t

The doors of their chapels are undone, their ka-priests have gone,

Verse 13 (lines 2.11-2.12)

[jw nꜣ]y⸗sn | wḏ ḥsꜣ.w m jwtn jsj⸗sn smḫ{m}

their tombstones are smeared with mud, their tombs are forgotten,

Verse 14 (line 2.13)

dm⸗tw rn⸗sn ḥr nꜣy⸗sn šfd.w jr.w ḏr wnn⸗sn nfr.w

but their names are read out on their scrolls, written when they were young.

Verse 15 (line 2.13)

sḫꜣ⸗f <m> jr.w{t} st n ḥn.tj r nḥḥ

Being remembered makes them, to the limits of eternity.

Verse 16 (lines 2.13-3.1)

jr{t} zẖꜣ(.w) jmm sw m jb⸗k ḫpr rn⸗k | m mj.tt

Be a writer - put it in your heart, and your name is created by the same.

Verse 17 (line 3.1)

ꜣḫ šfd.w r wḏ m qd(.wt) r jnhꜣ.t smn.tj

Scrolls are more useful than tombstones, than building a solid enclosure.

Verse 18 (lines 3.1-3.2)

jr.t(w) nn | ḥw.(w)t m(ḥ)r.w n jb n dm rn⸗sn

They act as chapels and chambers, by the desire of the one pronouncing their name.

Verse 19 (line 3.2)

smwn{n} r⸗f ꜣḫ m ẖr.t-nṯr rn m r n r(m)ṯ.w

For sure there is most use in the cemetery for a name in the mouths of men.

Verse 20 (line 3.3)

z ꜣq.w ẖꜣ{rj}.tw⸗f m jwtn hꜣw.w⸗f nb.t m z(b)j n tꜣ

A man is dead, his corpse is in the ground: when all his family are laid in the earth,

Verse 21 (lines 3.3-3.4)

jn zẖꜣ.w r ḏḏ sḫꜣ.tw⸗f m rꜣ n | ḏḏ {n} rꜣ

it is writing that lets him be remembered, in the mouth of the reciter of the formula.

Verse 22 (line 3.4)

ꜣḫ šfd.w r pr qd r ḥw.wt ḥr jmn.tt

Scrolls are more useful than a built house, than chapels on the west,

Verse 23 (lines 3.4-3.5)

nfr st r bḫn.w grg r wḏ | m ḥw.t-nṯr

they are more perfect than palace towers, longer lasting than a monument in a temple.

Verse 24 (line 3.5)

jn jw wn dj mj ḥr-ḏḏ⸗f jn jw ky mj jy-m-ḥtp

Is there anyone here like Hardjedef? Is there another like Imhotep?

Verse 25 (line 3.5-3.6)

bw ḫpr m hꜣw | n⸗n mj nfr.⸢tj⸣ ẖ{r}.ty pꜣy⸗sn tp.j

There is no family born for us like Neferty, and Khety their leader.

Verse 26 (line 3.6-3.7)

ḏj⸗j rḫ⸗k rn n ptḥ-m-ḏḥw.tj | ḫꜥ-ḫpr-rꜥ-snb

Let me remind you of the name of Ptahemdjehuty, Khakheperraseneb.

Verse 27 (line 3.7)

jn jw ky mj ptḥ-ḥtp.w kꜣ-jr-s(w) m mj.tt

Is there another like Ptahhotep? Kaires too?

Verse 28 (lines 3.7-3.8)

nꜣ n ⸢rḫ.yw⸣ sr{t} j|y(.t)

Those who knew how to foretell the future,

Verse 29 (line 3.8)

pr m rꜣ⸗sn ḫpr(.w) gm⸗tw m ṯ(ꜣ)s zẖꜣ{⸗tj} m nꜣy⸗⸢sn⸣ šfd.w

what came from their mouths took place, and may be found in (their) phrasing.

Verse 30 (lines 3.8-3.9)

ḏj n⸗sn | ms.w n kꜣw{t}<j> r jwꜥ{t}.w mj ẖrd.w⸗sn

They are given the offspring of others as heirs as if their (own) children.

Verse 31 (lines 3.9-3.10)

jmn{t}{⸗j}⸗sn ḥkꜣ.w⸗sn | r tꜣ-tmm{t} šd m sbꜣ.yt

They hid their powers from the whole land, to be read in (their) teachings.

Verse 32 (lines 3.10-3.11)

st šm.t smḫ rn⸗sn m zẖꜣ.w r ḏḏ{⸗tw} | sḫꜣ.tw⸗w

They are gone, their names might be forgotten, but writing lets them be remembered.

References

• Gardiner, A.H (1935) Hieratic Papyri in the British Museum, Volume I
• Papyrus Chester Beatty IV, British Museum ESA 10684, verso (link)
• Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae, pChester Beatty IV = pBM EA 10684, Vso 2.5-3.11: Die großen Autoren früherer Zeiten (link)
• Lichtheim, Miriam (1976) Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume II: The New Kingdoms