Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I Quotes

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Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I Quotes
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“The heart’s intent cannot be known.
Don’t delay! Act on the charge!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
Don’t delay! Act on the charge!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“If you acquire, give to your fellow;
gobbling up is dishonest.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
gobbling up is dishonest.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Rightly filled justice neither falls short nor brims over.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“The arbitrator is a robber,
The peacemaker makes grief,
He who should soothe makes sore.
But he who cheats diminishes justice!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
The peacemaker makes grief,
He who should soothe makes sore.
But he who cheats diminishes justice!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“None light of heart is weighty in conduct.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“You are like a town without a mayor,
Like a troop without a leader,
Like a ship without a captain,
A company without a chief.
You are a sheriff who steals,
A mayor who pockets,
A district prosecutor of crime
Who is the model for the (evil)-doer!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
Like a troop without a leader,
Like a ship without a captain,
A company without a chief.
You are a sheriff who steals,
A mayor who pockets,
A district prosecutor of crime
Who is the model for the (evil)-doer!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Trust not the morrow before it has come; none knows the trouble in it.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“If you avert your face from violence,
who then shall punish wrong doing ?”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
who then shall punish wrong doing ?”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Your heart the weight,
Your two lips are its arms.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
Your two lips are its arms.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Rob not, act against the robber,
Not great is one who is great in greed.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
Not great is one who is great in greed.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Earth’s rightness lies in justice
Speak not falsely, you are great.
Act not tightly, you are weighty
Speak not falsely, you are the balance.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
Speak not falsely, you are great.
Act not tightly, you are weighty
Speak not falsely, you are the balance.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Telling lies is their herbage.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Though the face of the steersman is forward, the boat drifts as it pleases.
Though the king is in the palace,
though the rudder is in your hand,
wrong is done around you.
Long is my plea, heavy my task,
“What is the matter with him ?“ people ask.
Be a shelter, make safe your shore,
See how your quay is infested with crocodiles!
Straighten your tongue, let it not stray,
A serpent is this limb of man.
Don’t tell lies, warn the magistrates,
Greasy baskets are the judges.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
Though the king is in the palace,
though the rudder is in your hand,
wrong is done around you.
Long is my plea, heavy my task,
“What is the matter with him ?“ people ask.
Be a shelter, make safe your shore,
See how your quay is infested with crocodiles!
Straighten your tongue, let it not stray,
A serpent is this limb of man.
Don’t tell lies, warn the magistrates,
Greasy baskets are the judges.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Parrying a blow before it strikes,
Giving a commission to one who is skillful.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
Giving a commission to one who is skillful.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“This peasant said;
He who should rule by law commands theft, Who then will punish crime?
The straightener of another’s crookedness Supports another’s crime.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
He who should rule by law commands theft, Who then will punish crime?
The straightener of another’s crookedness Supports another’s crime.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“The arbitrator is a robber,
The remover of need orders its creation.
The town is a floodwater,
The punisher of evil commits crimes!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
The remover of need orders its creation.
The town is a floodwater,
The punisher of evil commits crimes!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Is this the saying people say: 'A poor man’s name is pronounced for his master’s sake.' It is I who speak to you, and you invoke the high steward!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Truly, he who is yonder will be a wise man.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Truly, he who is yonder will be a living god, Punishing the evildoer's crime.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“A man asked for an early meal.
His wife said: “It is for supper.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
His wife said: “It is for supper.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Life is a passage ; trees fall.
Tread on the evil, put down my misery!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
Tread on the evil, put down my misery!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“It pleases the heart to ignore it.
You have done what pleases their hearts.
You have sustained people among them.
Yet they cover their faces in fear of tomorrow.
There was an old man who was about to die, while his son was a child without knowledge.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
You have done what pleases their hearts.
You have sustained people among them.
Yet they cover their faces in fear of tomorrow.
There was an old man who was about to die, while his son was a child without knowledge.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“How then does every man kill his brother?”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“It is however good when people get drunk. When they drink miyet with happy hearts.
It is however good when mouths shout for joy.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
It is however good when mouths shout for joy.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“One would say; “He is the herdsman of all; there is no evil in his heart.
His herds are few, but he spends the day herding them.
There is fire in their hearts!
If only he had perceived their nature in the first generation!
Then he would have smitten the evil, stretched out his arm against it, would have destroyed their seed and their heirs!
But since giving birth is desired, grief has come and misery is everywhere.
So it is and will not pass, while these gods are in their midst.
Seed comes forth from mortal women ;
it is not found on the road.
Fighting has come, and the punisher of crimes commits them!
There is no pilot in their hour.
Where is he today? Is he asleep ?
Lo, his power is not seen!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
His herds are few, but he spends the day herding them.
There is fire in their hearts!
If only he had perceived their nature in the first generation!
Then he would have smitten the evil, stretched out his arm against it, would have destroyed their seed and their heirs!
But since giving birth is desired, grief has come and misery is everywhere.
So it is and will not pass, while these gods are in their midst.
Seed comes forth from mortal women ;
it is not found on the road.
Fighting has come, and the punisher of crimes commits them!
There is no pilot in their hour.
Where is he today? Is he asleep ?
Lo, his power is not seen!”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“The affairs of the people have gone to ruin.
See, all the craftsmen, they do not work,
The land’s foes have despoiled its craftsmen.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
See, all the craftsmen, they do not work,
The land’s foes have despoiled its craftsmen.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“He who could not find plow-oxen owns cattle.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“See, he who slept wifeless found a noblewoman,
He who was not seen stands.
See, he who had nothing is a man of wealth. The nobleman sings his praise.
See, the poor of the land have become rich, The man of property is a pauper.
See, cooks have become masters of butlers,
He who was a messenger sends someone else.
See, he who had no loaf owns a barn.
His storeroom is filled with another’s goods. See, the baldhead who lacked oil
Has become owner of jars of sweet myrrh.
See, she who lacked a box has furniture.
She who saw her face in the water owns a mirror.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
He who was not seen stands.
See, he who had nothing is a man of wealth. The nobleman sings his praise.
See, the poor of the land have become rich, The man of property is a pauper.
See, cooks have become masters of butlers,
He who was a messenger sends someone else.
See, he who had no loaf owns a barn.
His storeroom is filled with another’s goods. See, the baldhead who lacked oil
Has become owner of jars of sweet myrrh.
See, she who lacked a box has furniture.
She who saw her face in the water owns a mirror.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“Princes in the workhouse,
He who did not sleep on a box owns a bed.
See, the man of wealth lies thirsting.
He who begged dregs has overflowing bowls.
See, those who owned robes are in rags,
He who did not weave for himself owns fine linen.
See, he who did not build a boat for himself owns ships,
Their owner looks at them: they are not his.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
He who did not sleep on a box owns a bed.
See, the man of wealth lies thirsting.
He who begged dregs has overflowing bowls.
See, those who owned robes are in rags,
He who did not weave for himself owns fine linen.
See, he who did not build a boat for himself owns ships,
Their owner looks at them: they are not his.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
“He who poured water on the ground seizes the mighty in misery.”
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms
― Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms