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Translation with transliteration
from hieroglyphs (see the Manuel de Codage)
1: title (Rekhmira line 1)
tp-rd n Hmst n imy-r niwt TAty
n niwt rst n Xnw m xA n TAty
2. introductory regulation
(Rekhmire lines 1-3)
ir irt nbt pA sr TAty Hr sDm
m xA n TAty
Hms.f Hr pHDw Qn Hr sAtw
Snp Hr.f Sd Xr psd.f Sd Xr
rdwy.f [
] Hr.f
Aba r a.f Ssm mabA sn m-bAH.f
imy-r aXnwty Hr wnm.f iry-xt-aq
Hr iab
sSw n TAty r a.f wa ggw n wa
m s nb r-aqA.f
sDm wa Hr sn-nw.f nn rdit sDm
Xry r-HAt Hry
ir Dd Hry nn sDm nb r-a.i xr.t(w)
nDr.t(w).f in wpwtyw n TAty
In any action of this magnate
the vizier to be heard in the bureau of the Vizier,
He should sit on the pehedju-stool,
mat on the ground,
The shenep-garb upon him, a
skin under his back, a skin under his feet,
him,
The aba-staff at his arm, the
thirty rolls laid out before him,
The interior overseer on his
right, the manager with access on his left,
The scribes of the vizier at
his hand, each aligned with the other, each in position.
One person is heard after his
fellow, without one of lower being heard before one of higher status;
If, though, one of higher status
says 'there will be no hearing before me', then he is to be seized by the
envoys of the vizier.
3. reports (Rekhmira 3-5)
smi.tw n.f xtm xtmw r nw wn
st r nw
smi.t(w) n.f xrt mnnww rsy
mHty pr prrt nbt m pr-nswt
smi n.f aK aKt nbt r pr-nswt
ir grt aKt nbt prrt nbt r sAtw
n Xnw in wpwty.f dd aK pr
smi n.f imyw-r Snt Sntw imyw-r
w xrt.sn
To him are reported the condition
of the fortresses of south and north
And the exit of everything
exiting from the Domain of the King
And there is reported to him
the entry of everything entering the Domain of the King
As for anything entering or
leaving the territory of the Residence,
It is his commissioner that
controls the entry and exit
The overseers of dispute, officers,
and overseers of districts report their affairs to him
4. daily encounter with King
and treasurer (Rekhmira 5-8)
aK.f grt r nD-xrt nb a.w.s.
iw smi n.f xrt tAwy m pr.f ra nb
aK.f r pr-aA xft imy-r xtmt
aHa.f r snt mHtt
r mnmn TAty m wbn
m pA sbA n rwt wrty
xr imy-r xtmt ii.f m Hs.f Hna
smit n.f r Dd
hAw.k nb aD wDA
smi.n n.i iry nb sSm r Dd
hAw.k nb aD wDA pr-nswt aD wDA
xr TAty smi.f n imy-r xtmt
r Dd
hAw.k nb aD wDA st nbt n Xnw aD wDA
smi n.i xtm xtmw r nw wn st r nw in iry nb sSm
xr ir m-xt smi wa n wa m pA
sr sn
xr TAty h(A)b.f r wn sbA nb
n pr nswt
r rdi(t) aK aKt nbt prrt nbt m mitt
in wpwty.f dd xpr m sS
Then he is to enter for the
greeting of the Lord l.p.h. when the condition of the Two Lands is reported
to him in his House daily
Until the vizier proceeds from the east from the gate of
the Double Portal
Then the treasurer is to come
to hail him and report to him saying
All your affairs are well and sound
Every authority has reported to me saying
All your affairs are well and sound, the Domain of the King is well and sound
Then the vizier is to report
to the treasurer saying
All your affairs are well and sound, every store of the Residence is well and sound
I have report of the timed closing and opening of strongholds by every authority
Once the two officials have
reported to each other,
Then the vizier is to send
word to open every gate of the Domain of the King
To permit entry of all to enter, all to exit likewise
It is his commissioner who
has it recorded in writing
5. regulation of justice in
bureaus of other officials (Rekhmira 8-9)
m rdi sxm sr nb m wDa-r(y)t
m xA.f
ir xpr sk r wa m nA n srw imy
xA.f
xr.f di.f in.t(w).f r [a]ryt
in TAty xsf n.f r DAt iw.f
im rdi sxm sr nb m Hwt m xA.f
smi.t(w).f wdaw nb nty r xA
di.f sw r.f
It is not permitted that any
official have power over judgment in his bureau
If accusation arises against
one of these officials while in his bureau
then he is to be brought to
the court
and it is the Vizier who prosecutes
him concerning the penalty of his crime
It is not permitted that any
official have power over beating in his bureau
It is to be reported in any
case that concerns the bureau
and he should hand himself
over concerning it
6. envoys (Rekhmira 9-13)
ir wpwty nb hAb TAty m wpwt
n sr m-SAa n sr tpy nfryt r sr n nfryt
m rdi hnn.f m rdi sTA.f [xr]
pA sr
Dd.f tA wpwt n TAty iw.f aHa
m-bAH pA sr
Hr Dd tA.f wpwt Hna prt r aHaw.
in wpwt.f iT HAtyw-a HKAw-Hwt
n aryt
in wpwty.f dd tp[-rd
]
[
] wpwty.f Hr anan r Dd
hab.kwi m wpwt n sr mn
rdi.n.f sTA.t(w).i rdi.n.f
di.tw nkt Hr nHbt.i
sDm xpr pA sr Hna [pA wpwty
]
[
] DAt nA Sny st Hr.s in TAty
m xA.f
m idryt nbt m-HAw-Hr xsf m
swA at
As to any envoy sent by the
vizier on a mission to an official from first to lowest
It is not permitted that he
bow or be summonsed [before] that official
He is to say the message of
the vizier, standing in front of that official
Saying his message and (then)
going to his post
It is his message that brings
the mayors and governors of domains to the court
It is his messenger who declares
the instr[uctions
]
[should] the envoy return saying
'I was sent on a mission to
such and such an official
and he had me summonsed and
he had something placed on my neck'
and the case has been heard
of the official and [the envoy
]
[it is the vizier who punishes]
from the case heard by the vizier in his bureau
by means of any suppression
in addition to the punishment by severing a limb
7. the labour register (Rekhmira
13-15)
ir grt irt nbt TAty Hr sDm
m xA.f
ir nty nb [n] mnx m
-pt nbt
sDm.ty.fy sw Hr.s
tm.ty.fy dr n.f sDb m sDm.f
xpr r.s
xr wAH.t(w) Hr Sfd n xbnty
wnn m xnrt wr
tm.ty.fy dr sdbw n wpwty.f
m [
] mitt
ir iw sp.sn ky sp xr smi.t(w)
swADt ntt Hr Sfdw n xbnty
Ssr mdt wAH st Hr.s Hr pA Sfd
r wDAt Knw.sn
Now, as for any action of the
vizier in hearing cases in his bureau,
as for anyone [in]efficient
in any [mission?] whom he will hear concerning it
or anyone whose (labour) duty
he will not remove when his hearing comes to it
Then it is to be added to the
roll of transgressors that is in the Main Enclosure
and likewise for any official
of his in
whose duty he will not remove
If their case arises again,
then the entry on the roll of transgressors should be reported
with a summary of the case
for which they were added on the roll concerning their failing
8. documents (Rekhmira 15-17)
ir sSw nb habw TAty [
] xA
nb m nty nn st Hbs
xr iT.t(w) n.f Hna Sfdw iryw
irw
Hr xtm n sDm sSw irw m-sA.sn
xr.f pgA.f sw
xr ir-m-xt mAA.f sw x[r] iT.]t(w).f
r st.f xtm Hr xtm n TAty
ir grt dbH.f sSw Hbs
m rdi iT.t(w).f in iryw irw
As for any documents sent by
the vizier [to an official of?] any bureau as 'not concealed'
then such can be brought to
him with the rolls of the relevant keepers
on the seal of the hearer of
the relevant bureaucrats after them
and he is to open it
and when he has seen it, then
it may be [put] in its place sealed with the seal of the vizier
If, though, he requests 'concealed'
documents,
it is not permitted that they
be brought by the relevant keepers
9. petitions and fields (Rekhmira
17-19)
ir grt wpwty nb hAb TAty r.f
Hr sprty nb
iw di.f Sm n.f
ir grt spr.ty.fy nb n TAty
Hr AHwt
wD.f sw n.f
m-HAw sDm n imy-r aHwt Hna
DADAt nt TmA
irr.f wDf r.f Hr Abd 2 n AHwt.f
m Sma tA-mHw
ir swt AHwt.f nty tkn n niwt
rst [n Xnw]
ir.f wDf r.f Hr hrw 3 m ntt
r hp
sDmt.f sprty nb xft hp pn nty
m-a.f
Now as for any envoy the vizier
sends concerning, on any petitioner,
He should permit access to
him
Now as for anyone petitioning
the vizier concerning fields
he is to order him to him
in addition to hearing by the
overseer of fields and the board of the register (?)
He may apply a delay for it
of two months for his fields in Upper or Lower Egypt
but for his fields which are
adjacent to the Southern City [and the Residence]
he is to apply a delay for
it of three days in accordance with the rule
and should har any official
in accordance with this rule which is with him
10. councillors of districts
(Rekhmira 19)
ntf grt inn Knbtyw nw w
ntf hAb.sn smi.sn n.f xrt ww.sn
inn.t(w) n.f imt-pr nb ntf
xtm st
Now he is the one who fetches
the district councillors
He is the one who sends them
out, and they report to him the state of their districts
He is brought every deed of
conveyance and it is he who seals them
11. field boundaries (Rekhmira
20)
ntf irr sAH m Sdw nb
ir sprty nb nty r Dd mnmn tASw.n
xr mA.t(w) nty st Hr xtm n
srw
ir xpr xr.f Sd.f Sdw n tA DADAt
smnmnt st
It is he who applies the terrain
for every plot of land
As for any petitioner who would
say 'our boundaries have moved'
then it is checked that they
are under the seal of officials
If it has happened, then he
is to take the plot of the board that moved them
12. expeditions (Rekhmira 20-21)
ir grt biat nbt iit nb r.s
m [m]A[.tw] xt im.s
wnn.t(w) Hr irt sprty nb m
sSw nn rdit spr.f n sDm
smi.t(w) n.f sprty nb n nb
r-sA irr.f m sSw
Now as for any mining land,
any arrival at it, when the items from it are seen
any petitioner is to be recorded
in writing without allowing him to petition a hearer
and any petitioner to the Lord
is to be reported to him after he has recorded in writing
13. despatching envoys (Rekhmira
21-22)
ntf sbb wpwty nb n pr nswt
hAb n HAtyw-a HKAw-Hwt
ntf sbb pXrty nb wDyt nbt nt
pr nswt
It is he who despatches any
envoy of the Domain of the King
sending to the mayors and governors
of domains
It is he who despatches any
circulator of any decree of the Domain of the King
14. the members of officialdom
(Rekhmira 22-23)
ntf irr nty m srwt [
]
Sma tA-mHw tp-rs TA-wr
smi.sn n.f xprt nbt m-a.sn
tp Abd 4 nb
inn.sn [n].f sSw iry m-a.sn
Hna DADAt.sn
It is he who appoints a member
of the officialdom [
]
of Upper and Lower Egypt and
the Abydene district of the Head of the South
They report to him anything
that happens through them every four months
They are to bring him the relevant
records with them and their board
15. military expeditions (Rekhmira
23-24)
ntf irr dmD n mSa mnmn Hr Sms
nb m xd m xnt
ntf irr Hr-a wnn m niwt rst
m Xnw
xft Ddt m pr nswt
inn.t(w) n.f ATw n Tt HKA r
xA.f Hna DADAt nt mSa
r rdit n.sn tp-rd n mSa
It is he who appoints the muster
of the army moved to follow the Lord north or south
It is he who calculates the
arrears left in the Southern City and the Residence
in accordance with what is
stated in the Domain of the King
To him are brought the commanders
of the crew of the ruler and the army board
to be given the instructions
of the army
16. restatement of primacy
(Rekhmira 24)
imy grt aK iAt nbt HAt-r iAt
nt nfryt r xA n TAty r nD-Hr snnw.f
17. appointments (Rekhmira
24-25)
ntf sbb r swA nhwt xft Ddt
m pr nswt
ntf sbb Knbtyw nw ww r irt
a m tA r Dr.f
ntf sbb HAtyw-a HKAw Hwt r
skA r Smw
ntf irr imy-r Snt m xA n pr
nswt
ntf irr sDm HAtyw-a HKAw-Hwt
prrw m rn.f n Sma tA-mHw
It is he who despatches to
cut trees as stated in the Domain of the King
It is he who despatches district
councillors to make outlet channels in the entire land
It is he who despatches mayors
and governors of domains at ploughing and harvest
It is he who appoints overseers
of enquiry in a bureau of the Domain of the King
It is he who appoints the hearer
of mayors and governors of domains
who have gone out in his name
to Upper and Lower Egypt
18. reporting (Rekhmira 26)
smi.t(w) n.f mdwt nb
smi.t(w) n.f xrt mnnw Sma
nDrt nb nty r awAt [
]
ntf irr HAK n spat nb ntf sDm
sw
Every matter is reported to
him
To him is reported the state
of the fortresses of Upper Egypt
and arrest of any would-be
brigand [
]
It is he who allots spoils
to each district, it is he who judges it
19. lands (Rekhmira 26-27)
ntf sbb mSa sSw nw TmA
r irt sSm n nb
wnn sS spAt m xA.f n sDmt Hr
AHwt nb
ntf irr tASw n spAt nb sm (?)
nb
Htp-nTr nb xtm nb
It is he who despatches the
multitude of bureaucrats of the register (?)
to calculate the expenditure
of the Lord
District records are to be
in his bureau for hearings on any fields
It is he who makes the boundaries
for every district, every garden plot,
every temple estate (?), every
sealed land (?)
20. appeals (Rekhmira 27-28)
ntf irr Sd-r nb
ntf sDm anan nb Sm s r mdwt
Hna snnw.f
ntf dhn dhnw nb r aryt
iw n.f Snw nb m pr nswt
ntf sDm wDt nb
ntf sDm Hr nfrw n Htp-nTr nb
ntf Htr Htr nb m aK [n] dd
n.f sw
It is he who makes every investigation
(?)
It is he who hears every appeal
(?) when a man goes to dispute with his second
It is he who appoints anyone
to be appointed at the palace gate
Anyone to be questioned comes
to him in the Domain of the King
It is he who hears every decree
It is he who hears cases of
loss for every temple estate
It is he who fixes all fixed
dues as supplies for recipients
21. The final broken lines
of the composition (Rekhmira 28-36)
Rekhmira 28-29:
ntf irr [
] nb m niwt rst m
Xnw
ntf xtm st Hr xtm.f
ntf sDm mdwt nb
ntf irr xbt inw n gs-prw
smi n.f DADAt wrt Htr saKw
r gs.f
ntf sDm Sna [
]
It is he who
every
in the
Southern Town and in the Residence
and it is he who seals it with
his seal
It is he who hears every case
It is he who makes the allotment
(?) of income for the estates
To him the great board reports
the dues entered on his side
It is he who hears (cases of)
the provisioning quarters [
]
Rekhmira 29-30
[
] nb innt n arryt drpt nb
n arryt
ntf wn pr-nbw Hna imy-r xtmt
ntf mA inw n kpny [
]
[
] every [
] brought to the
palace, everything offered to the palace
It is he who opens the gold
house with the treasurer
It is he who inspects the produce
of Kepny (Byblos)
Rekhmira 31
[
] imy-r pr wr Hna DADAt wrt
ntf irr wpwt m awt nb irrw
wpwt im.sn
ntf mA swrt tp hrw md nb
[
]
[
] the high steward and the
great board
It is he who makes lists of
every herd of which lists are made
It is he who inspects the
every ten days
Rekhmira 32
[
] Hr mdt nbt arryt
iw HAtyw-a HKAw-Hwt twAw nb
smi.s(n) n.f inw.sn
iw imy-r w nb Sntw nb smi.s(n)
n.f Snt nb
[
]
[
] concerning every case of
the palace
The mayors, governors of domains
and every subject report their income to him
Every district overseer and
investigator reports every investigation to him
Rekhmira 33
[
]-tyw smi.sn n.f Xrt r Abd
r mtr inw
iw xtmtyw kfAw-ib
[
]
prt spdt wHa Hap
smi.t(w) n.f Hwt [
]
[
] n n im-r w n Sntw n [
]
[
]s report to him the condition
by the month for precision of income
The trusted sealers
[
]
the rising of Sepdet and the
release of the Flood
To him is reported the striking
[
]
[
] to the district overseer,
to the investigator, to [
]
Rekhmira 34
[
X]nw
ntf SA aHaw r SAw nb n.f sw
ntf sbb wpwtyw nb n pr nswt
r [
]
[
] xft wnn nb m mSa
ntf irr s[
] i [..] nb m [
]
[of the Resi]dence
It is he who assigns ships
to everyone to whom they are to be assigned
It is he who despatches every
envoy of the Domain of the King to [
]
[
] when the Lord is on expedition
It is he who makes [
]the Lord
in [
]
Rekhmira 35
[
].f
smi.t(w) n.f in Knbt nb nt
HAt aHaw pH aHaw
ntf xtm wDw nb n [
]
[
] Tsm n mniw Tsmw sbb m wpwt
nt pr nswt
smi.t(w) n.f smi nb [
]
[
] him (?)
To him report is made by every
council of the start of ships and end of ships
It is he who seals every decree
of [
]
[
] dogs to the keepers of
dogs despatched on missions of the Domain of the King
To him is reported every report
[
]
Rekhmira 36
iry-aA n arryt smi Hr.f irt.f
nb
Hr sDm m xA n TAty
ATww [
]
Doorkeeper of the palace gate
reporting before him all he does
in hearing in the bureau of
the vizier
the commanders [
]
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