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!ndeed the well,born man [. . .] through lack of recognition and
the child of his lady has
become the son of his maidservant.
III
!ndeed the desert is throughout the land the nomes are laid
waste andbarbarians[!!!#$]from abroad have come to
%gypt[!!!#2].
!ndeed men arrive [. . .] and indeed there are no %gyptians
[!!!#3]anywhere.
!ndeed gold and lapis la+uli silver and tur0uoise carnelian and
amethyst Ibhet,stoneand [. . .] are strung on the necks of
maidservants. 4ood things are throughout the land
(yet) housewives say: "5h that we had something to eat6"
!ndeed [. . .] noblewomen. Their bodies are in sad plight by
reason of their rags andtheir hearts sink when greeting [one
another].
!ndeed the builders [of pyramids have become] cultivators and
those who were in thesacred bark are now yoked [to it]. one shall
indeed sail northward to 7yblos today-
what shall we do for cedar trees for our mummies and with the
produce of which priestsare buried and with the oil of which
[chiefs] are embalmed as far as 'eftiu8 They come
no more- gold is lacking [. . .] and materials for every kind of
craft have come to an end.The [. . .] of the palace is despoiled.
9ow often do people of the oases come with their
festival spices mats and skins with fresh rdmt,plants grease of
birds . . . 8
!ndeed laughter is perished and is [no longer] made- it is
groaning that is throughout
the land mingled with complaints.
I!!ndeed every dead person is as a well,born man. Those who were
%gyptians [have
become] foreigners and are thrust aside.
!ndeed hair [has fallen out] for everybody and the man of rank
can no longer bedistinguished from him who is nobody.
!ndeed great and small [say]: "! wish ! might die." Little
children say: "9e should nothave caused [me] to live."
!ndeed the children of princes are dashed against walls and the
children of the
neck [!#$]are laid out on the high ground [!#2].
;s for the butler he is ruined. There are no remedies for it-
noblewomen suffer like
maidservants minstrels are at the looms within the weaving,rooms
and what they sing
to the /ongstress,goddess is mourning. Talkers [. . .]
corn,rubbers.!ndeed all female slaves are free with their tongues
and when their mistress speaks it is
irksome to the maidservants.
http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem3-1http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem3-1http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem3-2http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem3-2http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem3-3http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem4-1http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem4-2http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem3-1http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem3-2http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem3-3http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem4-1http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htm#rem4-2
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7ehold the possessors of robes are now in rags while he who
could not weave for
himself is now a possessor of fine linen.
7ehold he who could not build a boat for himself is now the
possessor of a fleet- theirerstwhile owner looks at them but they
are not his.
7ehold he who had no shade is now the possessor of shade while
the erstwhile
possessors of shade are now in the full blast of the storm.
!III
7ehold he who slept wifeless through want [finds] riches while
he whom he never saw
stands making dole.7ehold he who had no property is now a
possessor of wealth and the magnate praises
him.
7ehold the poor of the land have become rich and the [erstwhile
owner] of property isone who has nothing.
7ehold serving,men have become masters of butlers and he who was
once a messengernow sends someone else.
7ehold he who had no loaf is now the owner of a barn and his
storehouse is providedwith the goods of another.
7ehold she who had no bo< is now the owner of a coffer and
she who had to look at herface in the water is now the owner of a
mirror.
I"
[7ehold] those who once owned beds are now on the ground while
he who once slept ins0ualor now lays out a skin,mat for
himself.
7ehold a man is slain beside his brother who runs away and
abandons him to save hisown skin.
There are seventeen sections in all detailing the various types
o misery which have
beallen !gypt"
This translation is ta#en rom the webpage o $ndre %ollinger
Who #indly allows non&commercial use o his materials
http'//neertiti"iwebland"com/tets/ipuwer"htm
http'//neertiti"iwebland"com/inde"html
http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htmhttp://nefertiti.iwebland.com/index.htmlhttp://nefertiti.iwebland.com/texts/ipuwer.htmhttp://nefertiti.iwebland.com/index.html
