Egyptian religious poetry

VI. DUTY TO GOD, THE KING AND ONE’S NEIGHBOUR

ti

I spEAK of a great matter, and cause that ye shall hearken. I give unto you a thought for eternity, a rule of life for living in righteousness and for spending a lifetime in happiness.

Honour the King, the Eternal, in your bodies ; resort unto the Lord in your hearts. For he is Understanding and knoweth the secrets of the heart, his eyes search out all men. He is the Sun by which all mankind sees. He illumines the Two Lands more than the sun ; he makes the Two Lands greener than a High Nile, he fills the Two Lands with strength and Life. The nostrils are cold when he inclines to terror, but when he is gracious men breathe the air. To them that serve him he gives Life and Strength ; to them that tread his path he gives food, for the King himself is Life and Strength and his word is Abundance. He it is who shall nurture the coming generations, for he is the Creator, the Begetter that begets the people.

He is Bast, who protects the Two Lands ; he that fears him shall escape his wrath. But to him who transgresses his command, he is Sekhmet. Fight for his Name and defend his life, then shall you escape adversity. He that is loyal to the King shall be honoured, but for his enemies there is no tomb and their bodies shall be thrown into the water.

Do this that ye may prosper ; yea, it is profitable for you for ever. [E.E.L., p. 84]

1 Tnstruction written for his children by Se-hotep-yb-Ré, the scribe. Ii2