30) Then he spread it out on the shoreline path; its hem settled on the water and its woven edge on the barley. This peasant came on the public path.16
This Nemtinakht said, “Peasant! Take it easy. Do not step17 on my garments.”
This peasant said, “I shall do your pleasure; my way is good.” (B1 35) He went up higher.
This Nemtinakht said, “Is my Upper Egyptian18 barley a path19 for you?”
This peasant said, “Good are my ways. The riverbank is high, and the only ways are under the Upper Egyptian barley. You certainly ordered the closure of our path with your garments. Will you not allow our passage on the path?”20
(B1 40) Then one of these donkeys filled its mouth with a wisp of the Upper Egyptian barley.
This Nemtinakht said, “Look, I will take away your donkey, peasant, because it is eating my Upper Egyptian barley. Note, it will tread (out the grain) because of its harvesting.”21
This peasant said, “My ways are good. (B1 45) Only one (wisp) is destroyed, and for its price,22 I will buy back23 my donkey if you take it for filling its mouth with a wisp of Upper Egyptian barley. Now I know the Lord of this district; it belongs to the Chief Steward, Rensi, son of Meru. Now he is the one who punishes every thief in this entire land. Shall I be robbed in his district?”
(B1 50) This Nemtinakht said, “Is this the proverb that people are saying: ‘A poor man’s name is pronounced on account of his Lord?’ I am speaking to you, and you call forth the Chief Steward.”24
Then he took a stick of green tamarisk to him, and he beat all his limbs with it, took away his donkeys, (B1 55) and brought (them) to his estate. Then this peasant wept very loudly because of the pain of that which was done to him.
This Nemtinakht said, “Do not raise your voice, peasant. Look, you belong to the abode of the Lord of Silence.”25
This peasant said, “You beat me; you steal my goods; you even take away the (B1 60) complaint from my mouth. O Lord of Silence, give me my property. Then I will not wail (because of) the fear of you.”
This peasant spent a week,26 that is, ten days, appealing to this Nemtinakht, but he did not give his approval to it. So this peasant went27 to Ninsu to appeal28 to the Chief Steward, (B1 65) Rensi, son of Meru. He found him coming out of the door of his house to go down to his boat from the court.29
This peasant said, “Would that I be given permission to inform you about this dispute, and may a minister of your choice be allowed to come to me whom I might send back (B1 70) to you concerning it.”
So the Chief Steward, Rensi, son of Meru, allowed his minister of his choice to go before him, and this peasant sent him back with every detail about this dispute. Then the Chief Steward, Rensi, son of Meru, accused this Nemtinakht to the officials who were with him.
(B1 75) They said to him,30 “Surely, this is a peasant of his, who ran away to another beside him. Look, that is what they do to their peasants, who have gone to others beside them. Yes, that is what they do! Is there cause to punish this Nemtinakht on account of a little natron with a little salt? (B1 80) If he is commanded to replace it, he will replace it.”
The Chief Steward, Rensi, son of Meru, was silent. He did not answer these officials, nor did he answer this peasant.
The First Appeal
Then this peasant came to appeal to the Chief Steward, Rensi, son of Meru.31 He said:
“O Chief Steward, my Lord, greatest of the great, (B1 85) guide to all that does not exist and to all that does exist.32
When you go down to the Lake of Ma‘at,33
You will sail on it with a good wind.
No part of your sail will be torn,
Nor will your ship stall.
No disaster will befall your mast
Nor break your yards.
You will not be too powerful,
Nor will you run aground. (B1 90)
You will not be carried away by a wave;
You will not taste the evil of the river.
You will not behold fear.34
Darting fish will come to you.
You will catch fat birds.
For you are a father to the orphan,
A husband to the widow,
A brother to the divorced,
And (B1 95) a cloak to the one who is not a mother.35
Let me make your name in this land according to every good law:
A leader free from malicious greed,
A great one free from wickedness,
One who destroys falsehood,
One who creates truth,
And one who comes to the cry of him who gives voice.36
I speak that you may hear; (B1 100) create truth, O praised one, whom the praised ones praise. Take away my37 needs. Look at me! I am burdened down.38 Examine me! See, I am at loss.39”
Now this peasant made this speech in the time of the Majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebkaure, the justified.40 The Chief Steward, Rensi, son of Meru, (B1 105) went before his Majesty.
He said, “My lord, I have found one from these peasants whose beautiful speech is a reality.41 His goods were stolen,42 and he has come to appeal to me about it.
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