,illustration3 ,cover art               
,transcriber's note3 the various        
sections of this book had varying page  
headers4  ,those headers have been      
collected at the start of each section  
as introductory paragraphs4      ,,the  
,,wisdom ,,of ,,the ,,east    ,,the     
,,instruction   ,,of ,,ptah-,,hotep     
,,and   ,,the ,,instruction ,,of        
,,ke',,gemni3 ,,the ,,oldest   ,,books  
,,in ,,the ,,world4     ,,translated    
,,from ,,the ,,egyptian   ,,with ,,an   
,,introduction ,,and ,,appendix  ,,by   
,,battiscombe ,g4 ,,gunn     ,,london   
,,john ,,murray1 ,,albemarle ,,street   
#aijf     ,,to  ,,my ,,mother           
,,vii4,,nov4,,mcmiv     ,,contents      
,page  ,,introduction 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4   #aa  ,,the  
,,instruction ,,of ,,ptah-,,hotep  4 4 4
 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4   #da  ,,the       
,,instruction ,,of ,,ke',,gemni  4 4 4 4
 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4   #fb   ,,appendix 
,,note ,,to ,,appendix 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4   #fe  ,,the     

,,instruction ,,of ,,amenemh',,et 4 4 4 
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4   #fg  ,,explanation
 ,,of ,,names 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 
4 4 4 4 4   #gb  ,,bibliography 4 4 4 4 
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4     
#gc     #aj  ,,editorial ,,note  ,the   
object of the editors of this series is 
a very definite one4  ,they desire above
 all things that1 in their humble way1  
these books shall be the ambassadors of 
good-will and understanding between     
,east and ,west1 the old world of       
,thought1 and the new of ,action4  ,in  
this endeavour1 and in their own sphere1
 they are but followers of the highest  
example in the land4  ,they are         
confident that a deeper knowledge of the
 great ideals and lofty philosophy of   
,oriental thought may help to a revival 
of that true spirit of ,charity which   
neither despises nor fears the nations  
of another creed and colour4  ,finally1 
in thanking press and public for the    
very cordial reception given to the     
,wisdom of the ,east series1 they wish  

to state that no pains have been spared 
to secure the best specialists for the  
treatment of the various subjects at    
hand4    ,l4 ,,cranmer-,,byng4   ,s4 ,a4
 ,,kapadia4    #d1 ,,harcourt           
,,buildings1     ,,inner ,,temple1      
,,london4     #aa  ,,the ,,instruction  
,,of ,,ptah-,,hotep   ,,introduction    
,memorials of the ,past--,the ,land of  
,darkness--,the ,time of                
,ptah-,hotep--,concerning the           
,book--,the ,treatise of                
,ke',gemni--,date of the                
,manuscript--,an ,egyptian              
,chesterfield--,who was                 
,ptah-,hotep8--,his ,teaching--,views on
 ,women--,the ,gods of ,egypt--,previous
 ,translations--,the ,oldest ,book      
,known     ,is there anything whereof it
 may be said1    ,see1 this is new6     
,it hath been already of old time1      
,which was before us4   ,there is no    
remembrance of former things2           
,neither shall there be any remembrance 
,of things that are to come    ,with    

those that shall come after4   ,in these
 days1 when all things and memories of  
the past are at length become not only  
subservient to1 but submerged by1 the   
matters and needs of the immediate      
present1 those paths of knowledge that  
lead into regions seemingly remote from 
such needs are somewhat discredited2 and
 the aims of those that follow them     
whither they lead are regarded as quite 
out of touch with the real interests of 
life4  ,very greatly is this so with    
archaeology1 and the study of ancient   
and curious tongues1 and searchings into
 old thoughts on high and ever-insistent
 questions2 a public which has hardly   
time to #ab read more than its daily    
newspaper and its weekly novel has      
denounced--almost dismissed--them1 with 
many other noble and wonderful things1  
as 'unpractical1' whatever that vague   
and hollow word may mean4  ,as to those 
matters which lie very far back1        
concerning the lands of several thousand
 years ago1 it is very generally held   

that they are the proper and peculiar   
province of specialists1 dry-as-dusts1  
and persons with an irreducible minimum 
of human nature4  ,it is thought that   
knowledge concerning them1 not the blank
 ignorance regarding them that almost   
everywhere obtains1 is a thing of which 
to be rather ashamed1 a detrimental     
possession2 in a word1 that the subject 
is not only unprofitable 7a grave       
offence71 but also uninteresting1 and   
therefore contemptible4  ,this is a true
 estimate of general opinion1 although  
there are those who will1 for their own 
sakes1 gainsay it4  ,when1 therefore1 ,i
 state that one of the writings herein  
translated has an age of nearly six     
thousand years1 and that another is but 
five hundred years younger1 it is likely
 that many will find this sufficient    
reason against further perusal1 deeming 
it impossible that such things can      
possess attraction for one not an       
enthusiast for them4  ,yet so few are   
the voices across so great a span of    

years that those among them having      
anything to tell us should be welcome   
exceedingly2 whereas1 for the most part1
 they have cried in the #ac wilderness  
of neglect hitherto1 or fallen on ears  
filled with the clamour of more instant 
things4  ,i could show1 if this were a  
fitting place1 that ,archaeology is not 
at all divorced from life1 nor even     
devoid of emotion as subtle and strange1
 as swift and moving1 as that           
experienced by those who love and follow
 ,art4  ,she1 ,archaeology1 is1 for     
those who know her1 full of such        
emotion2 garbed in an imperishable      
glamour1 she is raised far above the    
turmoil of the present on the wings of  
,imagination4  ,her eyes are sombre with
 the memory of the wisdom driven from   
her scattered sanctuaries2 and at her   
lips wonderful things strive for        
utterance4  ,in her are gathered        
together the longings and the laughter1 
the fears and failures1 the sins and    
splendours and achievements of          

innumerable generations of men2 and by  
her we are shown all the elemental and  
terrible passions of the unchanging soul
 of man1 to which all cultures and      
philosophies are but garments to hide   
its nakedness2 and thus in her1 as in   
,art1 some of us may realise ourselves4 
,withal she is heavy-hearted1 making    
continual lamentation for a glory that  
has withered and old hopes without      
fulfilment2 and all her habitations are 
laid waste4  ,as for the true lover of  
all old and forgotten things1 it may    
justly be said of him1 as of the poet1  
,nascitur1 non fit4  ,for the dreams and
 the wonder are with him from the       
beginning2 and in early childhood1      
knowing as yet hardly #ad the names of  
ancient peoples1 he is conscious of1 and
 yearns instinctively toward1 an immense
 and ever-receding past4  ,with the one1
 as with the other1 the unaccountable   
passion is so knitted into his soul that
 it will never1 among a thousand        
distractions and adverse influences1    

entirely forsake him2 nor can such an   
one by willing cause it to come or to   
depart4  ,he will live much in          
imagination1 therein treading fair      
places now enwrapped in their inevitable
 shroud of wind-blown sand2 building    
anew temples whose stones hardly remain 
one upon the other1 consecrate to gods  
dead as their multitudes of worshippers2
 holding converse with the sages who1   
with all their lore1 could not escape   
the ultimate oblivion3 a spectator of   
splendid pageants1 a ministrant at      
strange rites1 a witness to vast        
tragedies1 he also has admittance to the
 magical kingdom1 to which is added the 
freedom of the city of ,remembrance4    
,his care will be to construct1         
patiently and with much labour1 a       
picture 7which is often less than an    
outline7 of the conditions of the       
humanity that has been2 and he neither  
rejects nor despises any relic1 however 
trivial or unlovely1 that will help him1
 in its degree1 to understand better    

that humanity or to bridge the wide     
chasms of his ignorance4 ,moreover1     
great age hallows all things1 even the  
most mean1 investing them with a certain
 sanctity2 and the little sandal of a   
nameless #ae child1 or the rude amulet  
placed long ago with weeping on the     
still bosom of a friend1 will move his  
heart as strongly by its appeal as the  
proud and enduring monument of a great  
conqueror insatiable of praise4 ,at     
times1 moving among the tokens of a     
period that the ravenous years dare not 
wholly efface in passing1 he hears1     
calling faintly as from afar1           
innumerable voices--the voices of those 
who1 stretching forth in ,sheol eager   
hands toward ,life1 greatly desire that 
some memorial of them1 be it but a name1
 may survive in the world of men4444    
,ancient ,egypt fares perhaps better    
than other countries of antiquity at the
 hands of the 'general reader1' and     
sometimes obtains a hearing when they do
 not1 by reason of its intimate contact 

at certain periods with the nation that 
has brought us the ,old ,testament4     
,because of this the report of it has   
been with us constantly1 and it has     
nearly become a symbol in religion4     
,the stories of ,moses and the          
magicians1 and of the dealings of       
,abraham and ,joseph with ,pharaoh1     
together with the rude woodcuts of      
,egyptian taskmasters and cupbearers in 
family ,bibles1 have invested the       
venerable land with a dreamy mystery2   
while every one has heard of ',rameses1 
the ,pharaoh of the ,oppression1' and   
',meneptah1 the ,pharaoh of the         
,exodus4'  ,and it is possible that for 
the sake of such #af association1 if not
 for his own sake1 ,ptah-hotep will be  
considered worthy of notice4  ,but in   
spite of the fact that the ,ancient     
,egyptians enjoy rather more popularity 
than their contemporaries1 it is evident
 that the books which they wrote are    
closed books to those who have not the  
glamour of vanished peoples1 and the    

fascination of mighty cities now made   
desolate1 strong upon them4  ,yet in the
 heterogeneous and pitiful flotsam that 
reluctant seas have washed to us        
piecemeal from a remote past1 there are1
 as will be shown later1 many things    
which1 although proceeding from a       
culture and modes of thought as far     
removed from our own as they may well   
be1#a are worth the reading1 which do   
not require any special knowledge for   
their understanding2 and of these are   
the translations in this book4  ,the    
following pages1 which1 although        
addressed to the 'general reader1' may  
yet be of some assistance to those      
especially interested in ,egypt1 give1  
among other matters1 the place of the   
,instructions of ,ptah-hotep and        
,ke'gemni in the 'literature' of ,egypt2
 their place--their #ag unique place--in
 the literature of the world2 their     
value historically2 a description of the
 document in which they were found2 what
 is known of their authors2 a discussion

 of their contents4   ,the land of which
 the ,father of ,history declared that  
no other country held so many wonders1  
has bequeathed us1 by various channels1 
the rumour and remnant of a strange     
knowledge4  ,she has devised us enigmas 
insoluble1 and rendered up to us signs  
and messages whose meaning is dark for  
all time4  ,and she has left a religion1
 'veiled in allegory and illustrated by 
symbol1' as fascinating as impenetrable 
for those who approach it4  ,for into   
our hands the keys of these things have 
not been delivered2 wherefore much study
 of them is a weariness to the flesh1   
and of the hazarding of interpretations 
there is no end4  ,but apart from the   
mazes of mythology1 the broken ways of  
history and the empty letter of a dead  
faith1 there are1 as is known to some1  
and as this little book professes to    
show1 many documents which are antique1 
but not antiquated1 possessing interest 
above the purely archaeological--the    
interest called human4  ,of these are   

the tales which recall1 in incident as  
in style1 those of the immortal         
collection1 full of the whole glamour of
 the ,east1 the ,thousand ,nights and a 
,night4  #ah ,such are the love-songs1  
full of the burning utterance of desire2
 the pathetic and even bitter dirges1   
whose singers have seen all the works   
that are done under the sun1 and found  
all to be vanity and vexation of spirit4
  ,and such also are the didactic poems 
for the instruction of youth1 which--in 
poetic phrase and in great              
detail--inculcate1 among other things1  
the practice of right conduct as the    
price of happiness2 a courtesy hardly   
less considerate than our own2 and a    
charity which1 when certain inevitable  
shortcomings are allowed for1 bears     
comparison with almost any later system4
  ,out of these there are many that may 
properly claim a place in a series      
bearing the seal of the ,wisdom of the  
,east1 though they belong only to the   
more objective and 'practical' side of  

that ,wisdom4  ,but1 as touching the    
books here translated--the ,instructions
 of ,ptah-hotep and of ,ke'gemni--they  
possess1 apart from the curious nature  
of their contents1 a feature of the     
greatest interest1 and an adequate claim
 on the notice of all persons interested
 in literature and its history4  ,for if
 the datings and ascriptions in them be 
accepted as trustworthy 7there is no    
reason why they should not be so        
accepted71 they were composed about four
 thousand years before ,christ1 and     
three thousand five hundred and fifty   
years before ,christ1 respectively4     
,and the significance of those remote   
dates is1 that they are the oldest #ai  
books in the world1 the earliest extant 
specimens of the literary art4  ,they   
stand on the extreme horizon of all that
 ocean of paper and ink that has become 
to us as an atmosphere1 a fifth element1
 an essential of life4  ,books of many  
kinds had of course been written for    
centuries before ,ptah-hotep of ,memphis

 summarised1 for the benefit of future  
generations1 the leading principles of  
morality current in his day2 even before
 the ,vizier1 five hundred years        
earlier1 gave to his children the scroll
 which they prized above all things on  
earth2#b but those have perished and    
these remain4  ,there are lists of      
titles which have a large sound1 and    
prayers to the ,gods for all good       
things1 on the tombs and monuments of   
kings and magnates long before the time 
of ,ke'gemni2 but those are not books in
 any sense of that word4  ,even the     
long1 strange chants and spells engraven
 in the ,royal ,pyramids over against   
,memphis are later than the time of     
,ptah-hotep1 and cannot be called books 
in their present form1 although some of 
them apparently originated before the   
,first ,dynasty4#c  ,nor do the oldest  
books of any other country approach     
these two in antiquity4  ,to draw #bj   
comparisons between them let us1 in     
imagination1 place ourselves at the     

period at which ,ptah-hotep lived1 that 
is1 about ,b4,c4 #ceej1 'under ,king    
,issi1 living for ever1' and take a     
glance at futurity4  ,the ,babylonians  
are doubtless exercising their literary 
talents2 but they will leave nothing    
worthy the name of book to the far      
posterity of fifty-four centuries hence4
  ,thirteen centuries shall pass before 
,hammurabi1 ,king of ,babylon1 drafts   
the code of laws that will be found at  
that time4  ,only after two thousand    
years shall ,moses write on the origin  
of things1 and the ,vedas be arranged in
 their present form4  ,it will be       
two-and-a-half thousand years before the
 ,great ,king of ,jerusalem will set in 
order many proverbs and write books so  
much resembling1 in form and style1 that
 of ,ptah-hotep2#d before the source and
 summit of ,european literature will    
write his world epics4  ,for the space  
of years between ,solomon and ourselves1
 great though it seem1 is not so great  
as that between ,solomon and            

,ptah-hotep4   ,the number of extant    
texts of the class to which the         
subjoined immediately belong is not     
large in proportion to the rest of      
,egyptian ,,mss41 #ba but they seem to  
be representative of the class1 being   
diverse in date and subject1 but similar
 in form4  ,there is great uniformity in
 the arrangement of most of them1 in the
 following respects4  ,they have as     
title the word ',instruction' 7seb'yet71
 and are written by a father for the    
advantage of his son2 they are very     
poetic in their arrangement of words and
 phrases1 and are usually divided into  
short sections or paragraphs by the use 
of red ink for the first sentence of    
each4  ,such is the ,instruction of     
,ptah-hotep on morality 7the finest of  
its class72 the ,instruction of ,king   
,amenemh'et on the hollowness of        
friendship and other matters2 the       
,instruction of ,deu'of1 the son of     
,kherti1 on the excellence of the       
literary life2 and others4  ,in many    

respects and in many details they       
greatly resemble the didactic works of  
the ,old ,testament and ,apocrypha4     
,these ',instructions' were held in high
 esteem as text-books and writing       
exercises in schools--a circumstance to 
which we owe the preservation of many of
 them4  ,for a considerable number of   
important and interesting poems1        
letters1 and narratives are only known  
to us from school exercise-books4  ,the 
pupil at the ',chamber of ,instruction' 
wrote out about three pages of these    
each day1 as a means of improving his   
writing1 as a model of style in         
composition1 and for purposes of        
edification4  ,these exercises #bb      
abound in errors of spelling and        
grammar1 having sometimes the master's  
corrections elegantly written above in  
red4  ,as may be imagined1 a schoolboy's
 scrawl over three thousand years old is
 no easy thing to translate2 but faute  
de mieux the ,egyptologist welcomes any 
version1 even the most barbarous4       

,fortunately1 the ,,ms4 from which these
 translations come is not of this kind2 
a detailed description of it may        
interest some of my readers4  ,the      
,prisse ,papyrus1 which is well known by
 name and a few extracts to all persons 
conversant with ,egyptian matters1 was  
acquired in ,egypt by ,m4 ,prisse       
d',avennes1 a ,french archaeologist of  
distinction1 and published by him in    
#ahdg4e ,the exact place of its         
discovery is unknown4  ,m4  ,prisse is  
said to have bought it of one of the    
fellahn whom he employed to make        
excavations at the burial-ground of     
,thebes4 ,this man pretended that he had
 no knowledge of its finding1 as he was 
trying to sell it for a friend4  ,it is 
believed that it was actually taken by  
the ,arab from the tomb of one of the   
,kings ',entef2#f but this is not       
certain4  ,if it were1 it would perhaps 
enable us to fix a terminus ad que1 for 
the writing of this copy1 although tombs
 often contain objects of later date4   

,the papyrus was presented in about     
#ahdg1 by ,m4 ,prisse1 to the #bc       
,bibliotheque ,nationale 7in those days 
the ,bibliotheque ,royale7 at ,paris1   
where it still is1 divided and glazed in
 the usual manner4  ,spread out flat1 it
 measures about #bc ft4 #g in41 with an 
average height of #e #g_/h in41 which is
 about the usual height of papyri of the
 ,eleventh and ,twelfth ,dynasties4  ,it
 contains at present eighteen pages of  
heavy and bold black and red writing1 in
 the so-called hieratic character4 ,at  
first sight it appears to be in perfect 
preservation1 being entirely free from  
the cracks and decay which mar many fine
 manuscripts of far later date2 but an  
examination of the contents shows that  
an unknown quantity has been torn off   
from the commencement4  ,originally the 
roll contained at least two books1 of   
which we have the latter part of one and
 the whole of the other4  ,between these
 there is a blank space of some #ec in4 
,the characters are clearly and         

carefully made1 but are not always      
correct1 as though the copyist had a    
badly written or very cursive copy      
before him1 and was not always sure of  
his spelling4  ,the first of these      
books1 of which only the last two pages 
remain to us1 is a treatise on          
deportment1 and is here called the      
,instruction of ,ke'gemni4  ,it has     
always been attributed to this person   
since its discovery1 but examination of 
as much of the book as exists will show 
that it is not said to have been written
 by him4  ,because #bd his is the only  
name mentioned1 ,egyptologists have     
concluded that he is the author4  ,the  
unnamed ,vizier1 who called his children
 to him1 can hardly be ,ke'gemni1 who   
was not raised to the rank of ,vizier   
and ,governor of a city until           
afterwards4  ,ke'gemni may well have    
been a son of the author4  ,this is not 
of material importance1 however1 as the 
date of writing is given as the end of  
the reign of ,heuni1 the last ,king of  

the ,third ,dynasty1 who died about     
#ciih ,b4,c4  ,this book1 then1 which   
argues a society of some refinement1 is1
 so far as it goes1 the oldest in the   
world4  ,after a long stretch of blank  
papyrus1 from which a third book has    
perhaps been erased1 we come upon the   
,instruction of ,ptah-hotep in its      
entirety1 divided into sections by red  
writing1 as aforesaid4#g ,in this1 also1
 we get a definite date1 for we learn in
 the opening lines that its author 7or  
compiler7 lived in the reign of ,king   
,issi4 ,now ,issi was the last ruler but
 one of the ,fifth ,dynasty1 and ruled  
forty-four years1 from about #cehj to   
#cecf ,b4,c4  ,thus we may take about   
#ceej as the period of ,ptah-hotep4  ,of
 these two kings there is hardly        
anything to say4  ,heuni is only known  
to us by mention of his name2 we have no
 record of any act of his4  #be ,of     
,issi the only exploit that remains is  
this3 that he sent his ,treasurer1      
,be'wrded1 to ,somaliland#h to obtain   

for him a certain kind of dwarf2 this   
the ,treasurer brought back1 and        
received much reward therefor4  ,that is
 all that is left of the reigns of two  
kings1 who ruled long1 who perhaps ruled
 greatly and wisely1 having just cause  
to hope that their fame and the report  
of their good deeds might never pass    
away4  ,such is the fate of kings4  ,the
 copy of these ,instructions that we    
have1 the only complete copy1#i is far  
later than the later of these dates4    
,an examination of the writing shows    
that it is not earlier than the         
,eleventh ,dynasty1 and is probably of  
the ,twelfth4#aj ,more than this cannot 
be said2 where it was written1 by whom1 
and when1 are not stated1 as they are in
 many cases4  ,the writing lacks the    
fine regularity of that of the          
professional scribes of the ,twelfth    
,dynasty1 and has many points of        
divergence therefrom2 but the papyrus is
 assigned by the best judges to this    
period4  ,this gives it an antiquity of 

about four thousand five hundred years2 
and it looks good to last as long again1
 if only it be not examined over-much   
nor brought out into the light too      
often4  #bf ,it is as fresh and readable
 as in the year after it was written4   
,will the books of our time last        
one-tenth so long8  ,it is not without a
 feeling of awe1 even of sadness1 that  
one with any sense of the wonder of     
things gazes for the first time on the  
old book1 and thinks of all it has      
survived4  ,so many empires have arisen 
and gone down since those words were    
penned1 so many great and terrible      
things have been4   ,and we are         
fortunate indeed in having such a book  
as this of ,ptah-hotep for the most     
ancient complete literary work extant4  
,for not by any magical texts1 or hymns 
and prayers1 should we be so well shown 
the conditions of that early time2 but  
our moralist1 by advancing counsels of  
perfection for every contingency1 has   
left us a faithful record of his age4   

,the veil of five-and-a-half thousand   
years is rent1 and we are met with a    
vivid and a fascinating picture of the  
domestic and social life of the ',old   
,kingdom4'  ,we read of the wife1 who   
must be treated kindly at all costs2 the
 genial generosity of the rich man1 and 
the scowling boor1 a thorn in the side  
of his friends and relations1 the       
laughing-stock of all men2 the          
unquenchable talkers of every station in
 life1 who argue high1 who argue low1   
who also argue round about them1 as     
common as now in the ,east1 and the     
trusted councillor1 weighing every word2
 the obstinate ignoramus who sees #bg   
everything inverted1 listening          
open-mouthed to the disjointed gossip of
 those near him1 and the scholar1       
conversing freely with learned and      
unlearned alike1 recognising that1      
measured against the infinite           
possibilities of knowledge and skill1 we
 are all much of the same stature2 the  
master of the estate or province1       

treated with infinite respect by his    
subordinates in rank and wealth1 and the
 paid servants that are never satisfied1
 who leave after presents have been made
 them2 the hard-working clerk who casts 
accounts all day1 and the tradesmen who 
will perhaps give you credit when money 
is dear1 if you have previously made    
friends of them2 the well-bred          
diner-out1 lightly passing on his       
favourite dish1 contenting himself with 
plain fare1 and the gourmand who visits 
his friends at meal-times1 departing    
only when the larder is entirely        
exhausted4  ,not only do we find such   
characters as these in ,ptah-hotep's    
hand-book1 but interesting scenes are   
brought near to us by the writing-reed  
of that primaeval ,chesterfield4  ,we   
find ourselves taking supper at the     
table of a great man4  ,his subordinates
 sit round1 scarcely daring to raise    
their eyes from their food1 not speaking
 to their host until spoken to4  ,he    
serves the food that is before him      

according to his liking for each guest2 
and the less favoured find solace in the
 reflection that even the distribution  
of food is #bh according to ,providence4
  ,we pass on4  ,now we are in the hall 
of council with the other overseers and 
officials of the province1 and our      
overlord presiding4  ,we notice with    
astonishment the extreme solemnity and  
strict observance of custom and         
precedence in this archaic period4 ,many
 of those who have met report on the    
matters under their charge1 and others  
debate on them4  ,the one now speaking  
is discussing a trade about which he    
knows nothing1 and an expert rises and  
makes very short work of his opponent's 
arguments4  ,now we are among some      
people dividing up property4  ,one of   
them has tried1 of course1 to bully his 
friends into giving him more than his   
due share1 and1 having failed1 leaves   
the house in a rage4  ,he will regret it
 later4  ,and so on4   ,nothing definite
 is known concerning these two nobles   

beyond what is said of them in their    
works4  ,a fine tomb of a certain       
,ke'gemni exists at ,memphis2 his       
titles1 so far as can be ascertained1#aa
 are3 ,judge of the ,high ,court3       
,governor of the ,land unto its ,limit1 
,south and ,north3 ,director of every   
,command4  ,he has sometimes been       
supposed to be identical with our       
,ke'gemni2 #bi but ,i am assured by     
those most competent to judge that this 
tomb cannot be earlier than the ,fifth  
,dynasty 7a good three hundred years    
from the date assigned to the moralist71
 so that the theory that they are one   
person may be dismissed as highly       
improbable4  ,no other person of the    
name is known4  ,the position is much   
the same with ,ptah-hotep4  ,there are  
near ,memphis the tombs of several      
nobles of this name1 of whom two lived  
in the reign of ,issi2 and in this case1
 again1 it has been assumed that one#ab 
of these two must be the writer of the  
,instruction4  ,but in neither instance 

do the titles coincide with or include  
those assigned to him4  ,the highest    
title which he bears1 ,eldest ,son of   
the ,king1 does not anywhere appear in  
these tombs4  ,it is true that one of   
these contemporaries was ,hereditary    
,chief2 but we know that ,ptah-hotep was
 a common name at this time1 and in the 
absence of more certain proof it will be
 well to abstain from the identification
 of like names upon insufficient        
grounds4  ,thus it is only by the chance
 discovery of this #cj scroll that these
 two princes of old time1 whose bodies  
are blown about the desert dust these   
many centuries1 are secured from utter  
oblivion2 men 'such as did bear rule in 
their kingdoms1 men renowned for their  
power1 giving counsel by their          
understanding1 and declaring prophecies3
 ,leaders of the people by their        
counsels1 and by their knowledge of     
learning meet for the people1 wise and  
eloquent in their instructions4'  ,and  
against such as these1 that from remote 

years 'have left a name behind them1    
that their praises might be reported1'  
how many are there 'which have no       
memorial2 who are perished1 as though   
they had never been2 and are become as  
though they had never been born2 and    
their children after them4'#ac   ,i had 
intended to make a detailed analysis of 
the moral sense of ,ptah-hotep and      
,ke'gemni1 but it appears unnecessary2  
since they give their advice so clearly 
and simply1 they may safely be left to  
speak for themselves4  ,but as          
especially noteworthy ,i would point to 
the gracious tolerance of ignorance     
enjoined in  #a 7,ptah-hotep71 and the  
fine reason given for that injunction1  
in contrast with the scorn expressed for
 the obstinate fool 7,ph4 #dj72 the care
 due to a wife 7,ph4 #ba71 which is in  
signal contrast to the custom of other  
,eastern nations in this #ca respect2#ad
 the great stress laid on filial duties 
7,ph4 #ch1 #ci1 #da1 #db1 #dc72 the     
enthusiasm for obedience1 expressed in a

 jargon of puns 7,ph4 #ch71 which1 once 
the high-watermark of style among       
,egyptian literati1 has long since lost 
its savour2 the interesting matter on   
manners at table 7,kg4 #b1 #c1 ,ph4 #g1 
#i71 in society 7,kg4 #d1 ,ph4 #ad1 #ah1
 #bj1 #cd71 and in official positions   
7,ph4 #e1 #h1 #ac1 #ae1 #af1 #ag1 #bd1  
#bh74  ,a rough classification including
 many sections is here given3  ,duties  
toward superiors 7,ph4 #b1 #g1 #h1 #aj1 
#af1 #bg1 #ca74  ,duties toward equals  
7#c1 #f1 #ad1 #ah1 #bj1 #bf1 #bi1 #cc1  
#ce1 #cg74  ,duties toward inferiors    
7#a1 #d1 #e1 #af1 #ag1 #bb74  ,the whole
 teaching resolves into the maxim1 ,be  
good1 and you will be happy2 not at all 
in the sense that virtue is its own     
reward--,i do not think that that would 
have seemed an adequate return to       
,ptah-hotep--but in the sense of        
material welfare rewarding1 as a matter 
of course1 an honourable life4          
,following his reasoning1 if a man be   
obedient as a son1 punctilious as a     

servant1 generous and gentle as a       
master1 and courteous as a friend1 then 
all good things shall fall to him1 he   
shall reach a green old age honoured by 
the ,king1 and his memory shall be long 
in the land4  ,this theory1 which is not
 #cb found satisfactory in our day1 is  
insisted on by most of the ancient      
moralists1 who appear to regard it1 not 
as a substitute for conscience1 but     
rather as a raison d'tre or             
justification thereof4  ,yet1 centuries 
before a ,king of ,israel had seen all  
things that are1 and found them vanity1 
a ,king of ,egypt had left it on record 
that he had done all good things for his
 subjects1 and that 'there was no       
satisfaction therein4'   ,it has been   
said with some truth of codes of morals 
and laws that what is omitted is almost 
as important as what is included4  ,but 
we must not carry this too far2 we      
should be foolish indeed did we assert  
that those things omitted from such a   
code as ,ptah-hotep's were not practised

 or not held to be important in his day4
  ,for example1 he 'knows nothing'--as a
 ,higher ,critic would say--of kindness 
to animals2 but we know from many things
 that the ,egyptians treated animals    
kindly and made much of them as pets4   
,in the very tomb of that ,ptah-hotep   
mentioned above1#ae who may be our      
author1 is depicted the bringing of     
three dogs and a tame monkey to him     
while he is dressing2 possibly so that  
he may feed them himself4  ,and this    
kindly feeling obtained throughout      
,egyptian history4  ,they treated       
animals more as 'dumb friends' in those 
days than might have been #cc a priori  
expected1 and more1 perhaps1 than any   
other nation of antiquity4  ,again1 he  
'knows nothing' of duties to the mother1
 although he is so insistent on duties  
to the father2 but the high position of 
women and their matriarchal privileges  
oppose any deduction that ,egyptian     
manners were somewhat to seek in this   
direction4  ,ke'gemni says of the       

unsociable man that he is a grief to his
 mother1 and another moralist of        
uncertain date 7perhaps ,twelfth        
,dynasty1 about ,b4,c4 #bgjj71 named    
',eney1 is explicit on this matter4  ,he
 says to his son1 ',i gave thee thy     
mother1 she that bore thee with much    
suffering4444  ,she placed thee at the  
,chamber of ,instruction for the sake of
 thine instruction in books2 she was    
constant to thee daily1 having loaves   
and beer in her house4  ,when thou art  
grown1 and hast taken to thee a wife1   
being master in thy house1 cast thine   
eyes on the one that gave thee birth and
 provided thee with all good things1 as 
did thy mother4  ,let her not reproach  
thee1 lest she lift up her hands to the 
,god1 and ,he hear her prayer4'  ,and1  
most remarkable of all omissions1 there 
is nothing said as to duties to the     
,gods4  ,in ,egypt1 whose ,gods are     
beyond counting1 where almost everybody 
was a priest1 ,ptah-hotep--himself a    
',holy ,father' and ',beloved of the    

,god'--has no word to say on religious  
obligations1 devoting his work entirely 
to the principles of charity and duty to
 one's neighbour4  ,it is #cd seemingly 
sufficient to him that one do the right 
in this world1 without thinking overmuch
 about the other4 ,this is the more     
curious in that other writers of the    
same class have many injunctions        
regarding worship and sacrifice2 and so 
complete is his reserve touching this   
matter1 so important in the eyes of     
other ,egyptians1 that it is easy to    
believe that it was intentional4  ,we   
may even discern in him a protagonist of
 the modern ',ethical ,school1' whose   
adherents may be interested to find     
their views implicitly held so long ago4
  ,notwithstanding this singularity1 he 
is by no means unmindful of ,deity4 ,we 
notice that he has occasion to speak    
several times of 'the ,god'#af in ,his  
relation to humanity and human affairs4 
,if we collect these references to the  
,god1 we shall find that the following  

qualities are attributed to ,him4  ,he  
rewards diligence 7#i1 #aj7 and punishes
 sin 7#f1 #aj2 also ,kg4 #e72 ,he is the
 giver of good things 7,ph4 #bb1 #cj1   
#dc71 dispenses fate and preordains     
events 7#f1 #g1 #i1 #bf71 loves ,his    
creation 7#bf71 observes men's actions  
7#aj71 desires them to be fruitful and  
multiply 7#ab74  ,all this is in        
complete accord with the belief of other
 religions--including                   
,christianity--regarding the ,godhead4  
,and here we touch another pleasing     
characteristic of this most ancient of  
books--its catholic spirit and disregard
 of those #ce mythological and esoteric 
riddles that most ,egyptian works       
propound to us continually4 ,it will be 
noticed that 'the ,god' is not anywhere 
mentioned by name4 ,osiris 7#e7 and     
,horus 7#da7 are alluded to1 but only   
historically1 in respect of their rule  
upon earth1 not as present powers4  ,the
 reason is this1 that at that time the  
,gods1 even the great ,gods1 were only  

local1 that is to say1 their worship was
 confined to certain towns or districts 
7'nomes'71 and beyond the boundaries of 
these their names lost that power and   
influence which they exerted in their   
peculiar provinces4  ,a book1 therefore1
 which spoke of one ,god only--by       
name--would have been found much limited
 as to popularity and use4 ,hence the   
old moralists and didactic writers1     
whatever ,god they might themselves     
worship1 forebore to mention ,him1 since
 by many readers ,he would not be       
recognised as paramount2 they wrote     
instead1 ',the ,god1' that is1 'the ,god
 of your allegiance1 whoever ,he may    
be4'  ,thus1 were the reader a native of
 ,heliopolis1 his ,god would be ,atmu1  
the ,setting ,sun2 of ,memphis1 ,ptah1  
the ,revealer2 of ,hermopolis1 ,thoth1  
,master of ,divine ,words and ,chief of 
the ,eight4  ,it was for this reason    
that the unknown author of what is      
called the ',negative ,confession'#ag   
makes the deceased say1 ',i have not    

scorned the #cf ,god of my town4'  ,and1
 indeed1 so simply and purely does      
,ptah-hotep speak of the ,god that the  
modern reader can1 without the least    
degradation of his ideals1 consider the 
author as referring to the ,deity of    
monotheism1 and if he be of             
,christendom1 read ,god2 if of ,islam1  
read ,allah2 if of ,jewry1 ,jehovah4#ah 
,no doubt the gulf fixed between        
teaching and practice was as great then 
as now4  ,we have the teaching1 we know 
that the teaching was current all over  
,egypt in various forms1 but of the     
practice we know very little4  ,human   
nature being much the same at all times 
and places1 we must beware of measuring 
the one by the other1 the unknown by the
 known1 and must be content to take such
 counsels as showing the ,egyptian--    
,not what he was1 but what he should    
have been4  ,it is established that they
 were a kindly1 peace-loving people1    
genial and courtly2 but whether         
law-abiding is another matter4  ,we know

 nothing about their laws1 but we know  
#cg that the law-courts were busy1 and  
that legal officials were numerous2 and 
we know1 further1 that their duplicity  
and lack of straightforwardness were    
proverbial among the ,greeks and        
,romans1 and persists to this day4  ,i  
have noted above the resemblance of the 
,egyptian ,instructions to the ,jewish  
didactic books 7,proverbs and           
,ecclesiastes in the ,old ,testament1   
,wisdom of ,solomon and ,ecclesiasticus 
in the ,apocrypha72 this will be obvious
 to all readers4  ,compare1 e4g41 the   
opening of ,ptah-hotep 7,b7 with the    
opening of ,proverbs4   ,it is not      
necessary to point out all the parallels
 in detail4   ,i come1 lastly1 to speak 
of other translations4#ai ,the first    
into any language was that of the ,rev4 
,d4 ,i4 ,heath1 ,vicar of ,brading1     
,isle of ,wight4  ,this version1 which  
first appeared in #ahef1 was ruined by  
the translator's theory that the ,prisse
 ,papyrus contained references to the   

,exodus1 and was written by the         
',shepherd-,king1' ,aphobis4  ,how he   
obtained that name from ,ptah-hotep1 how
 he read the ,exodus into his book1 or  
how he got three-fourths of his         
translation1 it is not possible to say4 
,written in a style which is in itself a
 matter for decipherment1 it is full of 
absurdities and gratuitous mistakes1 and
 #ch is entirely worthless4  ,it is one 
more instance of the lamentable results 
that arise when a person with a         
preconceived ,biblical theory comes into
 contact with ,egyptian records4  ,in   
the following year ,m4 ,chabas did part 
of the papyrus into ,french1 and1 as    
might be expected of an ,egyptologist of
 such attainments1 his version was      
infinitely more accurate than the       
foregoing4  ,in #ahfi ,herr ,lauth made 
a translation--also partial--into       
,latin1 and in #ahhd2 ,m4 ,philippe     
,virey published a careful study and    
complete translation of both books4     
,his rendering#bj was subsequently      

translated into ,english and published  
7with some alterations7 in ,records of  
the ,past1 #ahij1 and has remained the  
only complete translation in ,english4  
,it has been taken bodily 7even the     
footnotes7 into ,myer's ,oldest ,books  
in the ,world1 and has been put into    
charming verse by ,canon ,rawnsley in   
his ,notes for the ,nile4  ,thus it     
appears to be1 in a sense1 the standard 
version4  ,nevertheless1 it leaves very 
much to be desired in point of accuracy1
 although the general sense of each     
section is usually caught4 ,of later    
years ,mr4 ,griffith has done important 
work on this text1 and ,i am indebted to
 his translations for several readings4 
,as regards the version here offered1 ,i
 will only say that it has been done    
with considerable care1 #ci without     
prejudice1 and1 it is thought1 in       
accordance with scientific methods of   
translation2 and that it has been       
compared with all previous renderings1  
and will be found to be1 on the whole1  

the most accurate that has yet appeared4
  ,and now ,i will leave ,ptah-hotep to 
speak for himself4  ,it may be thought  
that he has been introduced at too great
 length2 but ,i would point out that his
 book has been strangely overlooked by  
the educated public hitherto1 although  
it would be difficult to over-estimate  
its importance1 to literature as the    
oldest complete book known1 to ethics   
and theology as the earliest expression 
of the mystery we name ,conscience1 and 
to lovers of antiquity as one of the    
most instructive and touching relics of 
a people and a power that once were     
great and are now brought to nothing4   
,by a happy chance the words of our sage
 have been justified1 in that he said1  
',no word that hath here been set down  
shall cease out of the land for ever4'  
,would indeed that we had more of such  
books as this1 whereby we may a little  
lighten the darkness that lies behind   
the risings of a million suns2 and learn
 how little the human heart1 and the    

elements of human intercourse1 alter    
throughout the ages4  ,and what of the  
other writers of that time1 whose works 
and whose very names are entirely swept 
away8  ,to this there is no better      
answer made than in the lamentation made
 by the harper close upon five #dj      
thousand years ago1 which was written up
 in the tomb of ,king ',entef3  ,those  
that built them tombs1 he sang1 have now
 no resting-place4 ,lo6 what of their   
deeds8  ,i have heard the words of      
,yemhotep and of ,hardedef1 whose       
sayings men repeat continually4         
,behold6 where are their abodes8  ,their
 walls are over-thrown1 and their places
 are not1 even as though they had not   
been4'  ,the burden of ,egypt4          
,,battiscombe ,g4 ,,gunn4  #c1 ,,park   
,,hill ,,road1   ,,croydon4    #a ,much 
ingenuity has been expended to show that
 ,egyptian manners and customs1 books1  
and other things1 were much the same as 
our own1 as though the supposed         
similarity reflected any credit either  

on them or on us4  ,except in customs   
which are common to all times and       
places1 as drinking beer1 writing       
love-letters1 making wills1 going to    
school1 and other things antecedently   
probable1 the ,egyptian life can show   
very few parallels to the life of       
to-day4  #b ,the monuments leave no     
doubt of this4  ,pen and ink were used  
in the ,first ,dynasty1 and speech had  
been reduced to visible signs before    
that4  #c ,about ,b4,c4 #aggj4  ,in all 
,egyptian dates given in this book ,i   
follow ,professor ,petrie's chronology4 
#d ,these are round figures1 of course1 
and in the case of ,solomon and ,moses  
traditional dates4  ,modern criticism   
places ,genesis and ,proverbs much later
 than #aejj and #ajjj ,b4,c4  #e ,see   
,appendix for the literature of this    
papyrus4  #f ,these were kings of the   
,eleventh ,dynasty1 about #bihf ,b4,c4  
#g ,in the translation these divisions  
are indicated1 for purposes of          
reference1 by numbers and letters1 which

 are not1 of course1 in the original4   
,so also in the ,instruction of         
,amenemh'et 7,appendix74  #h ,pwenet3   
the identification is not certain4  #i  
,fragments of another are in the        
,british ,museum4  #aj ,it has been     
thought to be as late as the            
,seventeenth 7about #afjj ,b4,c471 but  
the balance of opinion favours the      
above-mentioned period4  #aa ,the       
inscriptions and sculptures from this   
tomb have not yet been published1 but a 
work dealing with it will shortly       
appear4  ,the above titles1 excepting   
the first1 are from ,lepsius1 ,denkmler 
aus gypten und thiopien1 ,abth4 ,,ii4   
#dh1 ,berlin1 #ahdi-fh4  #ab ,called    
,ptah-hotep ,i4 by ,egyptologists4  ,for
 a description of his tomb1 see         
,mariette1 ,a41 ,les ,mastabas de       
l',ancien ,empire1 ,paris1 #ahhi1 ,d4   
#fb4  ,for the other ,ptah-hotep under  
,issi1 see ,quibell1 ,j4 ,e41 and       
,griffith1 ,f4 ,l41 ,egyptian ,research 
,account2 ,the ,ramesseum and the ,tomb 

of ,ptah-,hotep1 ,london1 #ahih4  ,also 
,davies1 ,n4 de ,g41 and ,griffith1 ,f4 
,l41 ,egypt ,exploration ,fund2 ,the    
,mastaba of ,ptahhetep and ,akhethetep  
at ,saqqara1 #b vols41 ,london1 #aijj1  
#aija4  ,the little figure on the cover 
of this book is from this tomb4  #ac    
,the ,wisdom of the ,son of ,sirach1    
chap4 xliv4  #ad ,the ,egyptians were   
monogamists at this time1 and the wife  
enjoyed social equality with her        
husband4  #ae ,page #bi1 footnote4  #af 
,nter4  #ag ,this is an arbitrary name  
not existing in the original4  ,it would
 be better named ',the ,declaration of  
,innocence4'  #ah ,it has been thought  
by many ,egyptologists that 'the ,god'  
mentioned in this and other texts is a  
nameless monotheistic abstraction       
transcending all named gods4  ,although 
this theory has the support of many     
great names1 ,i venture to say that the 
evidence for such an important doctrine 
is in the highest degree unsatisfactory4
  #ai ,the books mentioned here are set 

forth in detail in the ,bibliography4   
#bj ,only of ,ptah-hotep4     #da  ,,the
 ,,instruction ,,of ,,ptah-,,hotep  ,the
 ,ethics of ,argument--,manners for     
,guests--,from ,father to ,son--,a ,just
 ,judge--,the ,treatment of             
,servants--,duties of the ,great--,the  
,test of ,friendship--,the ,beauty of   
,obedience--,one ,generation to         
,another--,whom the ,king ,honoureth    
,the ,instruction of the ,governor of   
his ,city1 the ,vizier1 ,ptah-hotep1 in 
the ,reign of the ,king of ,upper and   
,lower ,egypt1 ,issi1 living for ever1  
to the end of ,time4   ,a4  ,the        
,governor of his ,city1 the ,vizier1    
,ptah-hotep1 he said3 ',o ,prince1 my   
,lord1 the end of life is at hand2 old  
age descendeth upon me2 feebleness      
cometh1 and childishness is renewed4    
,he that is old lieth down in misery    
every day4  ,the eyes are small2 the    
ears are deaf4 ,energy is diminished1   
the heart hath no rest4  ,the mouth is  
silent1 and he speaketh no word2 the    

heart stoppeth1 and he remembereth not  
yesterday4  ,the bones are painful      
throughout the body2 good turneth unto  
evil4  ,all taste departeth4  ,these    
things doeth old age for mankind1 being 
evil in all things4  ,the nose is       
stopped1 and he breatheth not for       
weakness 7871 whether standing or       
sitting4  ',command me1 thy servant1    
therefore1 to make over my princely     
authority to my son4  ,let me speak unto
 him the words of them that hearken to  
the counsel of the men of old time2     
those that #db hearkened unto the gods4 
,i pray thee1 let this thing be done1   
that sin may be banished from among     
persons of understanding1 that thou may 
enlighten the lands4'  ,said the        
,majesty of this ,god3#a ',instruct him1
 then1 in the words of old time2 may he 
be a wonder unto the children of        
princes1 that they may enter and hearken
 with him4  ,make straight all their    
hearts2 and discourse with him1 without 
causing weariness4'   ,b4  ,here begin  

the proverbs of fair speech1 spoken by  
the ,hereditary ,chief1 the ,holy       
,father1#b ,beloved of the ,god1 the    
,eldest ,son of the ,king1 of his body1 
the ,governor of his ,city1 the ,vezier1
 ,ptah-hotep1 when instructing the      
ignorant in the knowledge of exactness  
in fair-speaking2 the glory of him that 
obeyeth1 the shame of him that          
transgresseth them4  ,he said unto his  
son3   #a4  ,be not proud because thou  
art learned2 but discourse with the     
ignorant man1 as with the sage4  ,for no
 limit can be set to skill1 neither is  
there any craftsman that possesseth full
 advantages4  ,fair speech is more rare 
than the emerald that is found by       
slave-maidens on the pebbles4  #b4  ,if 
thou find an arguer talking1 one that is
 well disposed and wiser than thou1 let 
thine arms #dc fall1 bend thy back1#c be
 not angry with him if he agree 787 not 
with thee4  ,refrain from speaking      
evilly2 oppose him not at any time when 
he speaketh4  ,if he address thee as one

 ignorant of the matter1 thine          
humbleness shall bear away his          
contentions4  #c4  ,if thou find an     
arguer talking1 thy fellow1 one that is 
within thy reach1 keep not silence when 
he saith aught that is evil2 so shalt   
thou be wiser than he4  ,great will be  
the applause on the part of the         
listeners1 and thy name shall be good in
 the knowledge of princes4  #d4  ,if    
thou find an arguer talking1 a poor man1
 that is to say not thine equal1 be not 
scornful toward him because he is lowly4
  ,let him alone2 then shall he confound
 himself4  ,question him not to please  
thine heart1 neither pour out thy wrath 
upon him that is before thee2 it is     
shameful to confuse a mean mind4  ,if   
thou be about to do that which is in    
thine heart1 overcome it as a thing     
rejected of princes4  #e4  ,if thou be a
 leader1 as one directing the conduct of
 the multitude1 endeavour always to be  
gracious1 that thine own conduct be     
without defect4  ,great is ,truth1      

appointing a straight path2 never hath  
it been overthrown since the #dd reign  
of ,osiris4#d  ,one that oversteppeth   
the laws shall be punished4             
,overstepping is by the covetous man2   
but degradations 787 bear off his       
riches1 for the season of his evil-doing
 ceaseth not4  ,for he saith1 ',i will  
obtain by myself for myself1' and saith 
not1 ',i will obtain because ,i am      
allowed4'  ,but the limits of justice   
are steadfast2 it is that which a man   
repeateth from his father4  #f4  ,cause 
not fear among men2 for this the ,god   
punisheth likewise4 ,for there is a man 
that saith1 ',therein is life'2 and he  
is bereft of the bread of his mouth4    
,there is a man that saith1 ',power is  
therein'2 and he saith1 ',i seize for   
myself that which ,i perceive4' ,thus a 
man speaketh1 and he is smitten down4   
,it is another that attaineth by giving 
unto him that hath not2 not he that     
causeth men dread4  ,for it happeneth   
that what the ,god hath commanded1 even 

that thing cometh to pass4  ,live1      
therefore1 in the house of kindliness1  
and men shall come and give gifts of    
themselves4  #g4  ,if thou be among the 
guests of a man that is greater than    
thou1 accept that which he giveth thee1 
putting it to thy lips4  ,if thou look  
at him that is before thee 7thine host71
 pierce him not #de with many glances4  
,it is abhorred of the soul#e to stare  
at him4  ,speak not till he address     
thee2 one knoweth not what may be evil  
in his opinion4 ,speak when he          
questioneth thee2 so shall thy speech be
 good in his opinion4  ,the noble who   
sitteth before food divideth it as his  
soul moveth him2 he giveth unto him that
 he would favour--it is the custom of   
the evening meal4  ,it is his soul that 
guideth his hand4  ,it is the noble that
 bestoweth1 not the underling that      
attaineth4  ,thus the eating of bread is
 under the providence of the ,god2 he is
 an ignorant man that disputeth it4  #h4
  ,if thou be an emissary sent from one 

noble to another1 be exact after the    
manner of him that sent thee1 give his  
message even as he hath said it4        
,beware of making enmity by thy words1  
setting one noble against the other by  
perverting truth4  ,overstep it not1    
neither repeat that which any man1 be he
 prince or peasant1 saith in opening the
 heart2 it is abhorrent to the soul4    
#i4  ,if thou have ploughed1 gather     
thine harvest in the field1 and the ,god
 shall make it great under thine hand4  
,fill not thy mouth at thy neighbours'  
table4444#f  ,if a crafty man be the #df
 possessor of wealth1 he stealeth like a
 crocodile from the priests4  ,let not a
 man be envious that hath no children2  
let him be neither downcast nor         
quarrelsome on account of it4  ,for a   
father1 though great1 may be grieved2 as
 to the mother of children1 she hath    
less peace than another4  ,verily1 each 
man is created to his destiny by the    
,god1 ,who is the chief of a tribe1     
trustful in following him4  #aj4  ,if   

thou be lowly1 serve a wise man1 that   
all thine actions may be good before the
 ,god4  ,if thou have known a man of    
none account that hath been advanced in 
rank1 be not haughty toward him on      
account of that which thou knowest      
concerning him2 but honour him that hath
 been advanced1 according to that which 
he hath become4  ,behold1 riches come   
not of themselves2 it is their rule for 
him that desireth them4  ,if he bestir  
him and collect them himself1 the ,god  
shall make him prosperous2 but ,he shall
 punish him1 if he be slothful4  #aa4   
,follow thine heart during thy lifetime2
 do not more than is commanded thee4    
,diminish not the time of following the 
heart2 it is abhorred of the soul1 that 
its time of ease be taken away4         
,shorten not the daytime more than is   
needful to #dg maintain thine house4    
,when riches are gained1 follow the     
heart2 for riches are of no avail if one
 be weary4  #ab4  ,if thou wouldest be a
 wise man1 beget a son for the pleasing 

of the ,god4  ,if he make straight his  
course after thine example1 if he       
arrange thine affairs in due order1 do  
unto him all that is good1 for thy son  
is he1 begotten of thine own soul4      
,sunder not thine heart from him1 or    
thine own begotten shall curse thee4    
,if he be heedless and trespass thy     
rules of conduct1 and is violent2 if    
every speech that cometh from his mouth 
be a vile word2 then beat thou him1 that
 his talk may be fitting4  ,keep him    
from those that make light of that which
 is commanded1 for it is they that make 
him rebellious4#g  ,and they that are   
guided go not astray1 but they that lose
 their bearings cannot find a straight  
course4  #ac4  ,if thou be in the       
chamber of council1 act always according
 to the steps enjoined on thee at the   
beginning of the day4  ,be not absent1  
or thou shall be expelled2 but be ready 
in entering and making report4 ,wide#h  
is the seat of one that hath made       
address4  ,the council-chamber acteth by

 strict rule2 and all its plans are in  
accordance with method4 ,it is the ,god 
that #dh advanceth one to a seat        
therein2 the like is not done for       
elbowers4  #ad4  ,if thou be among      
people1 make for thyself love1 the      
beginning and end of the heart4  ,one   
that knoweth not his course shall say in
 himself 7seeing thee71 ',he that       
ordereth himself duly becometh the owner
 of wealth2 ,i shall copy his conduct4' 
,thy name shall be good1 though thou    
speak not2 thy body shall be fed2 thy   
face shall be seen among thy neighbours2
 thou shalt be provided with what thou  
lackest4  ,as to the man whose heart    
obeyeth his belly1 he causeth disgust in
 place of love4 ,his heart is wretched  
7871 his body is gross 7871 he is       
insolent toward those endowed of the    
,god4  ,he that obeyeth his belly hath  
an enemy4#i  #ae4  ,report thine actions
 without concealment2 discover thy      
conduct when in council with thine      
overlord4  ,it is not evil for the envoy

 that his report be not answered1 ',yea1
 ,i know it1' by the prince2 for that   
which he knoweth includeth not this4    
,if he 7the prince7 think that he will  
oppose him on account of it1 he thinketh
 ',he will be silent because ,i have    
spoken4'#aj  #af4  ,if thou be a leader1
 cause that the rules #di that thou hast
 enjoined be carried out2 and do all    
things as one that remembereth the days 
coming after1 when speech availeth not4 
,be not lavish of favours2 it leadeth to
 servility 7871 producing slackness4    
#ag4  ,if thou be a leader1 be gracious 
when thou hearkenest unto the speech of 
a suppliant4  ,let him not hesitate to  
deliver himself of that which he hath   
thought to tell thee2 but be desirous of
 removing his injury4  ,let him speak   
freely1 that the thing for which he hath
 come to thee may be done4  ,if he      
hesitate to open his heart1 it is said1 
',is it because he 7the judge7 doeth the
 wrong that no entreaties are made to   
him concerning it by those to whom it   

happeneth8' ,but a well-taught heart    
hearkeneth readily4  #ah4  ,if thou     
desire to continue friendship in any    
abode wherein thou enterest1 be it as   
master1 as brother1 or as friend2       
wheresoever thou goest1 beware of       
consorting with women4  ,no place       
prospereth wherein that is done4  ,nor  
is it prudent to take part in it2 a     
thousand men have been ruined for the   
pleasure of a little time short as a    
dream4 ,even death is reached thereby2  
it is a wretched thing4  ,as for the    
evil liver1 one leaveth him for what he 
doeth1 he is avoided4  ,if his desires  
be not gratified1 he regardeth 787 no   
laws4  #ej  #ai4  ,if thou desire that  
thine actions may be good1 save thyself 
from all malice1 and beware of the      
quality of covetousness1 which is a     
grievous inner 787 malady4  ,let it not 
chance that thou fall thereinto4 ,it    
setteth at variance fathers-in-law and  
the kinsmen of the daughter-in-law2 it  
sundereth the wife and the husband4  ,it

 gathereth unto itself all evils2 it is 
the girdle of all wickedness4#aa  ,but  
the man that is just flourisheth2 truth 
goeth in his footsteps1 and he maketh   
habitations therein1 not in the dwelling
 of covetousness4  #bj4  ,be not        
covetous as touching shares1 in seizing 
that which is not thine own property4   
,be not covetous toward thy neighbours2 
for with a gentle man praise availeth   
more than might4  ,he that is covetous  
cometh empty from among his neighbours1 
being void of the persuasion of speech4 
,one hath remorse for even a little     
covetousness when his belly cooleth4    
#ba4  ,if thou wouldest be wise1 provide
 for thine house1 and love thy wife that
 is in thine arms4  ,fill her stomach1  
clothe her back2 oil is the remedy of   
her limbs4  ,gladden her heart during   
thy lifetime1 for she is an estate      
profitable unto its lord4  ,be not      
harsh1 for gentleness mastereth her more
 than strength4  ,give 787 to her that  
for which she sigheth and that toward   

which her #ea eye looketh2 so shalt thou
 keep her in thine house4444  #bb4      
,satisfy thine hired servants out of    
such things as thou hast2 it is the duty
 of one that hath been favoured of the  
,god4  ,in sooth1 it is hard to satisfy 
hired servants4  ,for one#ab saith1 ',he
 is a lavish person2 one knoweth not    
that which may come from him4'  ,but on 
the morrow he thinketh1 ',he is a person
 of exactitude 7parsimony71 content     
therein4'  ,and when favours have been  
shown unto servants1 they say1 ',we go4'
  ,peace dwelleth not in that town      
wherein dwell servants that are         
wretched4  #bc4  ,repeat not extravagant
 speech1 neither listen thereto2 for it 
is the utterance of a body heated by    
wrath4  ,when such speech is repeated to
 thee1 hearken not thereto1 look to the 
ground4  ,speak not regarding it1 that  
he that is before thee may know wisdom4 
,if thou be commanded to do a theft1    
bring it to pass that the command be    
taken off thee1 for it is a thing       

hateful according to law4  ,that which  
destroyeth a vision is the veil over it4
  #bd4  ,if thou wouldest be a wise man1
 and one sitting in council with his    
overlord1 apply thine heart unto        
perfection4  ,silence is more profitable
 unto thee than abundance of speech4    
,consider #eb how thou may be opposed by
 an expert that speaketh in council4    
,it is a foolish thing to speak on every
 kind of work1 for he that disputeth thy
 words shall put them unto proof4  #be4 
,if thou be powerful1 make thyself to be
 honoured for knowledge and for         
gentleness4  ,speak with authority1 that
 is1 not as if following injunctions1   
for he that is humble 7when highly      
placed7 falleth into errors4  ,exalt not
 thine heart1 that it be not brought    
low4#ac  ,be not silent1 but beware of  
interruption and of answering words with
 heat4 ,put it far from thee2 control   
thyself4   ,the wrathful heart speaketh 
fiery words2 it darteth out at the man  
of peace that approacheth1 stopping his 

path4  ,one that reckoneth accounts all 
the day passeth not an happy moment4    
,one that gladdeneth his heart all the  
day provideth not for his house4 ,the   
bowman hitteth the mark1 as the         
steersman reacheth land1 by diversity of
 aim4  ,he that obeyeth his heart shall 
command4#ad  #bf4  ,let not a prince be 
hindered when he is occupied2 neither   
oppress the heart of him that is already
 laden4  ,for he shall be hostile toward
 one that delayeth him1 but shall bare  
his soul #ec unto one that loveth him4  
,the disposal of souls is with the ,god1
 and that which ,he loveth is ,his      
creation4  ,set out1 therefore1 after a 
violent quarrel2 be at peace with him   
that is hostile unto thee his opponent4 
,it is such souls that make love to     
grow4  #bg4  ,instruct a noble in such  
things as be profitable unto him2 cause 
that he be received among men4  ,let his
 satisfaction fall on his master1 for   
thy provision dependeth upon his will4  
,by reason of it thy belly shall be     

satisfied2 thy back will be clothed     
thereby4  ,let him receive thine heart1 
that thine house may flourish and thine 
honour--if thou wish it to              
flourish--thereby4  ,he shall extend    
thee a kindly hand4 ,further1 he shall  
implant the love of thee in the bodies  
of thy friends4  ,forsooth1 it is a soul
 loving to hearken4#ae  #bh4  ,if thou  
be the son of a man of the priesthood1  
and an envoy to conciliate the          
multitude14444#af speak thou without    
favouring one side4  ,let it not be     
said1 ',his conduct is that of the      
nobles1 favouring one side in his       
speech4'  ,turn thine aim toward exact  
judgments4  #ed  #bi4  ,if thou have    
been gracious at a former time1 having  
forgiven a man to guide him aright1 shun
 him1 remind him not after the first day
 that he hath been silent to thee       
concerning it4  #cj4  ,if thou be great1
 after being of none account1 and hast  
gotten riches after squalor1 being      
foremost in these in the city1 and hast 

knowledge concerning useful matters1 so 
that promotion is come unto thee2 then  
swathe not thine heart in thine hoard1  
for thou art become the steward of the  
endowments of the ,god4  ,thou art not  
the last2 another shall be thine equal1 
and to him shall come the like fortune  
and station4  #ca4  ,bend thy back unto 
thy chief1 thine overseer in the ,king's
 palace1 for thine house dependeth upon 
his wealth1 and thy wages in their      
season4  ,how foolish is one that       
quarrelleth with his chief1 for one     
liveth only while he is gracious4444    
,plunder not the houses of tenants2     
neither steal the things of a friend1   
lest he accuse thee in thine hearing1   
which thrusteth back the heart4#ag  ,if 
he know of it1 he will do thee an       
injury4  ,quarrelling in place of       
friendship is a foolish thing4  #ee     
#cb4  ,concerning continence4  #cc4  ,if
 thou wouldest seek out the nature of a 
friend1 ask it not of any companion of  
his2 but pass a time with him alone1    

that thou injure not his affairs4       
,debate with him after a season2 test   
his heart in an occasion of speech4     
,when he hath told thee his past life1  
he hath made an opportunity that thou   
may either be ashamed for him or be     
familiar with him4  ,be not reserved    
with him when he openeth speech1 neither
 answer him after a scornful manner4    
,withdraw not thyself from him1 neither 
interrupt 787 him whose matter is not   
yet ended1 whom it is possible to       
benefit4  #cd4  ,let thy face be bright 
what time thou livest4  ,that which     
goeth into the storehouse must come out 
therefrom2 and bread is to be shared4   
,he that is grasping in entertainment   
shall himself have an empty belly2 he   
that causeth strife cometh himself to   
sorrow4  ,take not such an one for thy  
companion4  ,it is a man's kindly acts  
that are remembered of him in the years 
after his life4#ah  #ce4  ,know well thy
 merchants2 for when thine affairs are  
in evil case1 thy good repute among thy 

friends is a channel 787 which is       
filled4  ,it is more important than the 
dignities of a man2 and #ef the wealth  
of one passeth to another4  ,the good   
repute of a man's son is a glory unto   
him2 and a good character is for        
remembrance4  #cf4  ,correct chiefly2   
instruct conformably therewith4  ,vice  
must be drawn out1 that virtue may      
remain4  ,nor is this a matter of       
misfortune1 for one that is a gainsayer 
becometh a strife-maker4  #cg4  ,if thou
 make a woman to be ashamed1 wanton of  
heart1 one known by her townsfolk to be 
falsely placed1 be kind unto her for a  
space1 send her not away1 give her to   
eat4  ,the wantonness of her heart shall
 esteem thy guidance4   ,c4  ,if thou   
obey these things that ,i have said unto
 thee1 all thy demeanour shall be of the
 best2 for1 verily1 the quality of truth
 is among their excellences4  ,set the  
memory of them in the mouths of the     
people2 for their proverbs are good4    
,nor shall any word that hath here been 

set down cease out of this land for     
ever1 but shall be made a pattern       
whereby princes shall speak well4  ,they
 7my words7 shall instruct a man2 how he
 shall speak1 after he hath heard them2 
yea1 he shall become as one skilful in  
obeying1 excellent in speaking1 after he
 hath heard them4  ,good fortune shall  
befall him1 for he shall be of the      
highest rank4  ,he shall be gracious to 
the end of his life2 he shall be #eg    
contented always4  ,his knowledge shall 
be his guide 787 into a place of        
security1 wherein he shall prosper while
 on earth4  ,the scholar#ai shall be    
content in his knowledge4  ,as to the   
prince1 in his turn1 forsooth1 his heart
 shall be happy1 his tongue made        
straight4 ,and in these proverbs his    
lips shall speak1 his eyes shall see1   
and his ears shall hear1 that which is  
profitable for his son1 so that he deal 
justly1 void of deceit4  #ch4  ,a       
splendid thing is the obedience of an   
obedient son2 he cometh in and listeneth

 obediently4  ,excellent in hearing1    
excellent in speaking1 is every man that
 obeyeth what is noble2 and the         
obedience of an obeyer is a noble thing4
  ,obedience is better than all things  
that are2 it maketh good-will4  ,how    
good it is that a son should take that  
from his father by which he hath reached
 old age 7,obedience74  ,that which is  
desired by the ,god is obedience2       
disobedience is abhorred of the ,god4   
,verily1 it is the heart that maketh its
 master to obey or to disobey2 for the  
safe and sound life of a man are his    
heart4  ,it is the obedient man that    
obeyeth what is said2 he that loveth to 
obey1 the same shall carry out commands4
  #eh  ,he that obeyeth becometh one    
obeyed4  ,it is good indeed when a son  
obeyeth his father2 and he 7his father7 
that hath spoken hath great joy of it4  
,such a son shall be mild as a master1  
and he that heareth him shall obey him  
that hath spoken4  ,he shall be comely  
in body and honoured by his father4     

,his memory shall be in the mouths of   
the living1 those upon earth1 as long as
 they exist4#bj  #ci4  ,let a son       
receive the word of his father1 not     
being heedless of any rule of his4      
,instruct thy son thus2 for the obedient
 man is one that is perfect in the      
opinion of princes4  ,if he direct his  
mouth by what hath been enjoined him1   
watchful and obedient1 thy son shall be 
wise1 and his goings seemly4            
,heedlessness leadeth unto disobedience 
on the morrow2 but understanding shall  
stablish him4  ,as for the fool1 he     
shall be crushed4  #dj4  ,as for the    
fool1 devoid of obedience1 he doeth     
nothing4  ,knowledge he regardeth as    
ignorance1 profitable things as hurtful 
things4  ,he doeth all kind of errors1  
so that he is rebuked therefor every    
day4  ,he liveth in death #ei therewith2
 it is his food4  ,at chattering speech 
he marvelleth1 as at the wisdom of      
princes1 living in death every day4 ,he 
is shunned because of his misfortunes1  

by reason of the multitude of           
afflictions that cometh upon him every  
day4  #da4  ,a son that hearkeneth is as
 a ,follower of ,horus4#ba  ,he is good 
after he hearkeneth2 he groweth old1 he 
reacheth honour and reverence4 ,he      
repeateth in like manner to his sons and
 daughters1 so renewing the instruction 
of his father4  ,each man instructeth as
 did his begetter1 repeating it unto his
 children4  ,let them in turn speak with
 their sons and daughters1 that they may
 be famous in their deeds4  ,let that   
which thou speakest implant true things 
and just in the life of thy children4   
,then the highest authority shall       
arrive1 and sins depart from them4  ,and
 such men as see these things shall say1
 ',surely that man hath spoken to good  
purpose1' and they shall do likewise2   
or1 ',but surely that man was           
experienced4'  ,and all people shall    
declare1 ',it is they that shall direct 
the multitude2 dignities are not        
complete without them4'  ,take not any  

word away1 neither add one2 #fj set not 
one in the place of another4  ,beware of
 opening444#bb in thyself4  ,be wary of 
speech when a learned man hearkeneth    
unto thee2 desire to be stablished for  
good in the mouth of those that hear    
thee speaking4  ,if thou have entered as
 an expert1 speak with exact 787 lips1  
that thy conduct may be seemly4  #db4   
,be thine heart overflowing2 but refrain
 thy mouth4  ,let thy conduct be exact  
while amongst nobles1 and seemly before 
thy lord1 doing that which he hath      
commanded4  ,such a son shall speak unto
 them that hearken to him2 moreover1 his
 begetter shall be favoured4  ,apply    
thine heart1 what time thou speakest1 to
 saying things such that the nobles who 
listen declare1 ',how excellent is that 
which cometh out of his mouth6'  #dc4   
,carry out the behest of thy lord to    
thee4  ,how good is the teaching of a   
man's father1 for he hath come from him1
 who hath spoken of his son while he was
 yet unborn2 and that which is done for 

him 7the son7 is more than that which is
 commanded him4  ,forsooth1 a good son  
is of the gift of the ,god2 he doeth    
more than is #fa enjoined on him1 he    
doeth right1 and putteth his heart into 
all his goings4   ,d4  ,if now thou     
attain my position1 thy body shall      
flourish1 the ,king shall be content in 
all that thou doest1 and thou shalt     
gather years of life not fewer than ,i  
have passed upon earth4  ,i have        
gathered even fivescore and ten years of
 life1 for the ,king hath bestowed upon 
me favours more than upon my            
forefathers2 this because ,i wrought    
truth and justice for the ,king unto    
mine old age4     ,,it ,,is ,,finished  
,,from ,,its ,,beginning ,,to ,,its     
,,end    ,,even ,,as ,,found ,,in       
,,writing4    #a ,the ,king4  #b ,title 
of an order of the priesthood4  #c ,the 
customary attitude of a submissive      
inferior at that time4  #d ,the ,god    
,osiris was believed to have reigned on 
earth many thousand years before ,mns1  

the first historical king4  #e ,soul    
ka'1 and throughout this work4   ,ka' is
 translated person in  #bb1 will in     
#bg4  #f ,an obscure or corrupt phrase  
here follows1 which does not admit of   
satisfactory translation4  #g           
,translation doubtful4  #h i4e4         
comfortable4  #i ,his belly1 presumably4
  #aj ,the above translation is not     
satisfactory2 the text may be corrupt4  
,no intelligible translation of it has  
yet been made4  #aa i4e4 all wickedness 
is contained therein4  #ab ,a servant4  
#ac ,compare ,prov4 xvii4 #ah4  #ad ,so 
also in life1 by diversity of aim1      
alternating work and play1 happiness is 
secured4  ,tacking is evidently meant in
 the case of the steersman4  #ae ,this  
section refers to the relations between 
the son of a nobleman and his tutor1    
dwelling on the benefits from former    
pupils in high places1 if their         
schooldays have been pleasant4  ,the    
last sentence of this section1 as of    
sections #bc and #be1 is somewhat       

propos des bottes4  #af ,an obscure     
phrase is here4  #ag ,literally1 ,it is 
that which preventeth the heart from    
advancing 787  ,a curious phrase4  #ah  
,literally1 after his stick or sceptre4 
#ai ,who knows them4  #bj ,the greater  
part of this section is a play upon the 
root 'sdem1 which in its meaning        
includes our hear 7listen7 and obey4    
,this tiresome torture of words is      
frequent in ,egyptian1 especially in old
 religious texts4  #ba ,the ,followers  
of ,horus are a legendary dynasty of    
demigods1 believed by the ,egyptians to 
have ruled for about #ac1djj years after
 the reign of ,horus1 and before that of
 ,mns4  ,there is also an order of      
spirits of this name4  #bb ,a word of   
unknown meaning2 apparently some kind of
 plant4  ,such a word seems out of place
 here1 and may be idiomatic1 like our   
flowery language4  ,but the preceding   
line obviously refers to this book4     
#fb  ,,the ,,instruction ,,of           
,,ke',,gemni  ,on ,avoiding ,offence    

#a4a ,the cautious man flourisheth1 the 
exact one is praised2 the innermost     
chamber openeth unto the man of silence4
  ,wide#b is the seat of the man gentle 
of speech2 but knives are prepared      
against one that forceth a path1 that he
 advance not1 save in due season4  #b4  
,if thou sit with a company of people1  
desire not the bread that thou likest3  
short is the time of restraining the    
heart1 and gluttony is an abomination2  
therein is the quality of a beast4  ,a  
cup of water quencheth the thirst1 and a
 mouthful of melon supporteth the heart4
  ,a good thing standeth for goodness1  
but some small thing standeth for       
plenty4#c  ,a base man is he that is    
governed by his belly2 he departeth only
 when he is no longer able to fill full 
his belly in men's houses4  #fc  #c4    
,if thou sit with a glutton1 eat with   
him1 then depart 7874  ,if thou drink   
with a drunkard1 accept drink1 and his  
heart shall be satisfied4  ,refuse not  
meat when with a greedy man4  ,take that

 which he giveth thee2 set it not on one
 side1 thinking that it will be a       
courteous thing4  #d4  ,if a man be     
lacking in good fellowship1 no speech   
hath any influence over him4  ,he is    
sour of face toward the glad-hearted    
that are kindly to him2 he is a grief   
unto his mother and his friends2 and all
 men cry1 ',let thy name be known2 thou 
art silent in thy mouth when thou art   
addressed6'  #e4  ,be not haughty       
because of thy might in the midst of thy
 young soldiers4  ,beware of making     
strife1 for one knoweth not the things  
that the ,god will do when ,he          
punisheth4  ,the ,vizier caused his sons
 and daughters to be summoned1 when he  
had finished the rules of the conduct of
 men4  ,and they marvelled when they    
came to him4  ,then he said unto them1  
',hearken unto everything that is in    
writing in this book1 even as ,i have   
said it in adding unto profitable       
sayings4'  ,and they cast themselves on 
their bellies1 and they read it1 even as

 it was in writing4  ,and it was better 
in their opinion than any thing in this 
land unto its limits4  ,now they were   
living when ,his ,majesty1 the ,king of 
,upper and ,lower ,egypt1 ,,heuni1 #fd  
departed1 and ,his ,majesty1 the ,king  
of ,upper and ,lower ,egypt1 ,,senf,,ru1
 was enthroned as a gracious king over  
the whole of this land4  ,then was      
,ke'gemni made ,governor of his ,city   
and ,vizier4   ,,it ,,is ,,finished4    
#a ,the original is not divided into    
sections4  #b i4e4 comfortable  #c ,this
 is a rather dark saying1 but apparently
 the author means that although the duly
 instructed guest will only partake     
moderately of the abundance before him1 
what he eats is as good as the rest4    
,his portion will be equal to the whole 
as regards quality1 though inferior as  
regards quantity4     #fe  ,,appendix   
,the ,instruction of ,amenemh'et ,i4 is 
here given as a contrast to the         
foregoing4  ,it is a ,testament1        
however1 rather than an ,instruction1   

and contains more historical matter than
 didactic4  ,it is written in a terse   
and pointed style1 combined with the    
parallelism and antithesis which was the
 prevailing vehicle of poetic thought in
 ,egyptian4  ,the rank of its author and
 the exceeding bitterness of his mood   
make it a document of great interest4   
,there is no reason to doubt its        
authenticity4  ,this ,king was the      
founder of the glorious ,twelfth        
,dynasty1 a period which has been called
 the ,golden ,age of ,egypt4  ,he ruled 
from about #bggh-bgdh ,b4,c41 and1      
although he describes himself as        
over-lenient1 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       
,egypts4  ,the circumstances in which   
the new dynasty arose are not known2 nor
 have we any other record of the attempt
 on his life1 here recounted4 #ff ,in   
the twentieth year of his reign he      
associated his son1 ,senwesert ,i41 with

 him in a co-regency which lasted ten   
years4  ,from #h we gather that the     
attempted assassination took place just 
before the dual rule2 while the         
,instruction was evidently penned       
shortly before the writer's death4  ,the
 'house' referred to is presumably his  
pyramid-tomb1 called                    
,ke'-nfer-amenemh'et4  ,amenemh'et is   
exalted and good4  ,the site of this    
building is not known4  ,this           
,instruction was popular as a school    
exercise in the ',new ,kingdom1' and we 
possess several copies or parts of      
copies4  ,there is no good text for the 
latter part 7 #ab ff71 which is corrupt 
in such ,,mss4 as contain it4  ,i have  
used the critical text of ,mr4          
,griffith1 published in the ,zeitschrift
 fr gyptische ,sprache1 #ahif4  ,it is  
hoped that the ,bibliography will be    
useful to students of the books of      
,ptah-hotep and ,ke'gemni4  ,b4 ,g4 ,g4 
#fg  ,,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-,r'1 ,son
 of the ,sun ,,amenemh',,et1 the        
,justified4#a  ,he speaketh thus in     
discovering words of truth unto his     
,son1 the ,lord of the ,world3  #a4     
,shine forth1 he saith1 even as the     
,god4  ,hearken to that which ,i say    
unto thee3 that thou may reign over the 
land1 that thou may govern the world1   
that thou may excel in goodness4  #b4   
,let one withdraw himself from his      
subordinates entirely4  ,it befalleth   
that mankind give their hearts unto one 
that causeth them fear4   ,mix not among
 them alone2 fill not thine heart with a
 brother2 know not a trusted friend2    
make for thyself no familiar dependents2
 in these things is no satisfaction4    
#c4  ,when thou liest down have care for
 thy very life1#b since friends exist   
not for a man in the #fh day of         
misfortunes4  ,i gave to the beggar1 and

 caused the orphan to live2 ,i made him 
that had not to attain1 even as he that 
had4  #d4  ,but it was the eater of my  
food that made insurrection against me2 
to whom ,i gave mine hands1 he created  
disturbance thereby2 they that arrayed  
them in my fine linen regarded me a     
shadow2 and it was they that anointed   
themselves with my spices that entered  
my harem4  #e4  ,my images are among the
 living2 and my achievements are among  
men4 ,but ,i have made an heroic story  
that hath not been heard2 a great feat  
of arms that hath not been seen4        
,surely one fighteth for a lassoed ox   
that forgetteth yesterday2#c and good   
fortune is of no avail unto one that    
cannot perceive it4  #f4  ,it was after 
the evening meal1 and night was come4   
,i took for myself an hour of ease4  ,i 
lay down upon my bed1 for ,i was weary4 
,my heart began to wander 7874  ,i      
slept4  ,and lo6 weapons were           
brandished1 and there was conference    
concerning me4  ,i acted as the serpent 

of the desert4#d  #g4  ,i awoke to      
fight2 ,i was alone4  ,i found one      
struck down1 it was the captain of the  
guard4  ,had ,i received quickly the    
arms from his hand1 #fi ,i had driven   
back the dastards by smiting around4    
,but he was not a brave man on that     
night1 nor could ,i fight alone2 an     
occasion of prowess cometh not to one   
surprised4  ,thus was ,i4  #h4  ,behold1
 then1 vile things came to pass1 for ,i 
was without thee2 the courtiers knew not
 that ,i had passed on to thee my power1
 ,i sat not with thee on the throne4#e  
,let me1 then1 make thy plans4  ,because
 ,i awed them not ,i was not unmindful  
of them2 but mine heart bringeth not to 
remembrance the slackness of servants4  
#i4  ,is it the custom of women to      
gather together assailants8 are         
assassins reared within my palace8 was  
the opening done by cutting through the 
ground8  ,the underlings were deceived  
as to what they did4#f  ,but misfortunes
 have not come in my train since my     

birth2 nor hath there existed the equal 
of me as a doer of valiance4  #aj4  ,i  
forced my way up to ,elephantin1 ,i went
 down unto the coast-lakes2#g ,i have   
stood upon the boundaries of the land1  
and ,i have seen its centre4  ,i have   
set the limits of might by my might in  
my deeds4  #aa4  ,i raised corn1 ,i     
loved ,npi#h2 the ,nile begged of me    
every valley4  ,in my reign none #gj    
hungered2 none thirsted therein4  ,they 
were contented in that which ,i did1    
saying concerning me1 ',every           
commandment is meet4'  #ab4  ,i overcame
 lions2 ,i carried off crocodiles4  ,i  
cast the ,nubians under my feet2 ,i     
carried off the ,southern ,nubians2 ,i  
caused the ,asiatics to flee1 even as   
hounds4  #ac4  ,i have made me an house1
 adorned with gold1 its ceiling with    
lapis lazuli1 its walls having deep     
foundations4  ,its doors are of copper1 
their bolts are of bronze4  ,it is made 
for ever-lasting2 eternity is in awe of 
it4  ,i know every dimension thereof1 ,o

 ,lord of the ,world6  #ad4  ,there are 
divers devices in buildings4  ,i know   
the pronouncements of men when inquiring
 into its beauties2 but they know not   
that it was without thee1 ,o my son1    
,senwesert2 life1 safe and sound1 be to 
thee--by thy feet do ,i walk2 thou art  
after mine own heart2 by thine eyes do  
,i see2 born in an hour of delight1 with
 spirits#i that rendered thee praise4   
#ae4  ,behold1 that which ,i have done  
at the beginning1 let me set it in order
 for thee at the end2 let me be the     
landing-place of that which is in thine 
heart4  ,all men together set the ,white
 ,crown on the ,offspring of the ,god1  
fixing it unto its due place4  ,i shall 
begin thy praises when in the ,boat of  
,ra4  ,thy kingdom hath been from       
primeval time2 not by my doing1 #ga who 
have done valiant things4  ,raise up    
monuments1 make beautiful thy tomb4  ,i 
have fought against him whom thou       
knowest2 for ,i desire not that he      
should be beside thy ,majesty4  ,life1  

safe and sound1 be to thee4   ,,it ,,is 
,,finished4    #a ,a ceremonial title   
applied to deceased persons1 analogous  
to our the late4  ,justified is not an  
exact rendering1 but it is usual1 and   
will serve4  #b ,literally1 heart4  #c  
,an allusion to the people of ,egypt1   
whom he had freed from the foreign      
oppressors4  #d i4e4 he remained quiet  
but watchful4  #e ,referring to the     
co-regency with his son4  #f ,referring 
to the attempted assassination4  #g ,the
 limits1 south and north1 of his        
kingdom4  #h ,the god of corn4  #i ,or1 
unborn souls 7hmmw74     #gb  ,,an      
,,explanation ,,of ,,names ,,occurring  
,,in ,,this ,,book4   ,,amenemh',,et  4 
4 4 4  ,the ,god ,amn is to the fore4   
,,heuni  4 4 4 4 4 4 4  ,i have smitten4
  ,issi  4 4 4 4 4 4 4  ,of unknown     
meaning4  ,,ke',,gemni 4 4 4 4 4 4  ,i  
have found a soul2 or1 ,a soul is       
found for me4  ,,ptah-,,hotep 4 4 4 4 4 
,the ,god ,ptah is satisfied1 alluding  
either to the belief that to beget      

a child was pleasing to the ,god1 or    
to the dedication of the child to the   
,god4  ,,seh,,tep-',,eb-,r'  4 4        
,contenting the heart of the ,god ,ra4  
,,senf,,ru  4 4 4 4 4 4  ,the           
beautifier4  ,,senwesert  4 4 4 4 4  ,of
 doubtful meaning2 connected with       
,the ,goddess ,wesert4   ,other         
spellings of these names are3           
,amenemhat2 ,huna2 ,assa1 ',esse'2      
,ptahhetep2 ,sehetepabra1 ,rasehetepab2 
,seneferu2 ,usertesen4     #gc          
,,bibliography  ,brugsch1 ,h4           
,hieroglyphisches-demotisches ,wrterbuch
 444 vols4 v4-vii4  ,leipzig1 #ahhj ff4 
,contains explanations of many difficult
 passages4  ,budge1 ,e4 ,a4 ,w4  ,an    
,egyptian ,reading ,book4  ,london1     
#ahhh4  ,second edition1 with           
transliteration into italics and        
vocabulary1 ,london1 #ahif4  ,contains  
the most convenient transcript of the   
,p4,p4  ,follows throughout that of     
,virey 7see below74   ,for some         
amendments see ,griffith in ,proc4      

,s4,b4,a4 7below74  ,the first edition  
is more accurate 7for this text7 than   
the second4  ,the vocabulary needs      
revision4  ,chabas1 ,f4  ,le plus ancien
 livre du monde2 tude sur le papyrus    
,prisse4  ,revue archologique1 premire  
srie1 xv4 anno4  ,paris1 #aheg4         
,contains a discussion of the text1     
etc41 and partial translation4  ,chabas1
 ,f4  ,le papyrus ,prisse4  ,zeitschrift
 fr gyptische ,sprache4 ,berlin1 #ahgj4 
,discusses the meaning of various words4
  ,chabas1 ,f4  ,le plus ancien livre du
 monde2 tude sur le papyrus ,prisse4    
,bibliothque orientale1 vol4 ii4        
,paris1 #ahgb4  ,the work of #aheg      
recast4  ,dumichen1 ,j4  ,les sentences 
de ,kakemni4  ,les ,bibles et les       
initiateurs religieux de l'humanit1 vol4
 ii4 part i4  ,paris1 #ahhd4 ,contains a
 translation of ,kg4  ,griffith1 ,f4 ,l4
  ,notes on ,egyptian ,texts of the     
,middle ,kingdom1 iii4 ,proceedings of  
the ,society of ,biblical ,archaeology1 
vol4 xiii4  ,london1 #ahij4  ,discusses 

the text1 correcting some previous      
errors in transcription4  ,translation  
of ,kg4 and  ,a1 ,b of ,ph4  ,griffith1 
,f4 ,l4  ,egyptian ,literature4  ,a     
,library of the #gd ,world's ,best      
,literature4  ,new ,york1 #ahih-i4      
,contains translation of many sections4 
,heath1 ,d4 ,i4  ,on a ,,ms4 of the     
,phoenician ,king ,assa1 ruling in      
,egypt before  ,abraham3 ,a ,record of  
the ,patriarchal ,age2 or ,the ,proverbs
 of ,aphobis1 ,b4,c4 #aijj2 now first   
fully translated4  ,monthly ,review4    
,london1 ,july1 #ahff4  ,the first      
'translation' of ,kg4 and ,ph4          
,afterwards issued as a pamphlet1       
,london1 #aheh4  ,lauth1 ,f4 ,j4  ,der  
,autor ,kadjimna vor #edjj ,jahren4     
,sitzungsberichte der kgl4 bayer4       
,akademie der ,wissenschaften4          
,munchen1 #ahfi1 ii4 ,contains an       
analysis of ,kg4  ,lauth1 ,f4 ,j4  ,der 
,prim ,ptah-hotep ber das ,alter3       
,ptah-hoteps ,ethik4 ,sitzungsberichte  
der kgl4 bayer4  ,akademie der          

,wissenschaften4 ,mnchen1 #ahgj1 ii1    
,heft i1 ,beilage4  ,contains analysis  
and translation into ,latin and ,german 
of the greater part of ,ph4  ,mahaffy1  
,j4 ,p4  ,prolegomena to ,ancient       
,history1 part ii4  ,london1 #ahga4     
,contains translations from ,lauth's    
rendering4  ,myer1 ,t4  ,the ,oldest    
,books in the ,world4  ,new ,york1      
#aijj4  ,contains ,virey's translation  
and notes4  ,petrie1 ,w4 ,m4 ,f4        
,religion and ,conscience in ,ancient   
,egypt4  ,london1 #ahih4  ,contains     
translations of many sections by ,f4 ,l4
 ,griffith4  ,prisse d',avennes1 ,e4    
,facsimile d'un papyrus gyptien1 trouv  
,thebes1 donn  la ,bibliothque ,royale  
de ,paris1 et publi par ,e4 ,p4 d',a4   
,paris1 #ahdg4  ,rawnsley1 ,h4 ,d4      
,notes for the ,nile1 together with a   
,metrical ,rendering of the ,hymns of   
,ancient ,egypt1 and of the ,precepts of
 ,ptah-hotep 7the ,oldest ,book in the  
,world74  ,london1 #ahib4  ,revillout1  
,e4  ,les deux prfaces du papyrus       

,prisse4  ,revue gyptologique1 tome vii4
  ,paris1 #ahif4  ,contains translation 
of ,kg4 and  ,a of ,ph4  ,revillout1 ,e4
  ,les ,maximes de ,ptah-hotep4  ,revue 
gyptologique1 tome x4  ,paris1 #aijb4   
,contains translation and text of ,ph4  
,virey1 ,p4  tudes sur le papyrus       
,prisse1 le livre de ,kagimna et les    
leons de ,ptah-hotep4  ,bibliothque de  
#ge l'cole des ,hautes-tudes1 fasc4 #gj4
  ,paris1 #ahhg4  ,contains complete    
translation and elaborate discussion of 
the text2 also glossary4  ,virey1 ,p4   
,the ,precepts of ,ptah-hotep 7the      
,oldest ,book in the ,world74  ,records 
of the ,past1 new series1 vol4 iii4     
,london1 #ahij4 ,contains a translation 
of ,ph4     ,printed by ,hazell1 ,watson
  ,viney1 ,ld41 ,london and ,aylesbury4 
,,the ,,wisdom ,,of ,,the ,,east        
,,series  ,edited by ,l4                
,,cranmer-,,byng and ,dr4 ,s4 ,a4       
,,kapadia   ,the object of the ,editors 
of this ,series is a very definite one4 
,they desire above all things that1 in  

their humble way1 these books shall be  
the ambassadors of good-will and        
understanding between ,east and ,west1  
the old world of ,thought and the new of
 ,action4  ,in this endeavour1 and in   
their own sphere1 they are but followers
 of the highest example in the land4    
,they are confident that a deeper       
knowledge of the great ideals and lofty 
philosophy of ,oriental thought may help
 to a revival of that true spirit of    
,charity which neither despises nor     
fears the nations of another creed and  
colour4  ,finally1 in thanking press and
 public for the very cordial reception  
given to the ,wisdom of the ,east       
,series1 they wish to state that no     
pains have been spared to secure the    
best specialists for the treatment of   
the various subjects at hand4   ,,london
  ,,john ,,murray1 ,,albemarle ,,street1
 ,w4   ,,wisdom ,,of ,,the ,,east       
,,series  ,in ,pott l#fmo1 price #a_/-  
each net in cloth limp 7excepting the   
first two volumes7   ,the ,teachings of 

,zoroaster  ,,and  ,the ,philosophy of  
the ,parsi ,religion  ,translated with  
,introduction by ,,dr4 ,s4 ,a4          
,,kapadia1 ,lecturer ,university        
,college1 ,london1 #b_/- net4   ,the    
,awakening of the ,soul  ,from the      
,arabic of ,,ibn ,,tufail4  ,translated 
with ,introduction by ,,paul ,,bronnle1 
,ph4,d4  #a_/f net4   ,the ,duties of   
the ,heart  ,by ,,rabbi ,,bachye4       
,translated from the ,hebrew with       
,introduction by ,,edwin ,,collins1     
,hollier ,hebrew ,scholar1 ,u4,c4,l4    
,the ,classics of ,confucius     ,i4    
,the ,book of ,history 7,shu-,king7     
,by ,w4 ,,gorn ,,old    ,,ii4 ,the ,book
 of ,odes 7,shi-,king7        ,by ,l4   
,,cranmer-,,byng4   ,,iii4 ,the ,book of
 ,changes 7,i-,king7 ,in preparation4   
,the ,sayings of ,lao ,tzu  ,from the   
,chinese4  ,translated with             
,introduction by ,,lionel ,,giles1 of   
the ,british ,museum4   ,the ,religion  
of the ,koran  ,with ,introduction by   
,,arthur ,n4 ,,wollaston1 ,c4,i4,e4     

,women and ,wisdom of ,japan  ,with     
,introduction by ,s4 ,,takaishi4   ,the 
,rose ,garden of ,sa'di  ,selected and  
,rendered from the ,persian with        
,introduction by ,l4 ,,cranmer-,,byng4  
,the ,wisdom of ,israel3 ,being         
,extracts from the ,babylonian ,talmud  
and ,midrash ,rabboth  ,translated from 
the ,aramaic with an ,introduction by   
,,edwin ,,collins4   ,the ,instructions 
of ,ptah-,hotep  ,from the ,egyptian4   
,translated with ,introduction by       
,,battiscombe ,g4 ,,gunn4    ,others in 
preparation1 and will be duly announced 
,all literary communications to be      
addressed to the ,editors at #d1        
,,harcourt ,,buildings1 ,,inner         
,,temple1 ,,london    ,n4,b4--,the      
,editors will be pleased to receive     
suggestions and communications from all 
persons interested in ,oriental         
literature4