The Peasant And The Workman

There dwelt in the Sekhet Hemat—or Salt Country—a peasant called the
Sekhti, with his wife and children, his asses and his dogs; and he
trafficked in all good things of the Sekhet Hemat to Henenseten. Behold
now he went with rushes, natron, and salt, with wood and pods, with stones
and seeds, and all good products of the Sekhet Hemat. And this Sekhti
journeyed to the south unto Henenseten; and when he came to the lands of
the house of Fefa, north of Denat, he found a man there standing on the
bank, a man called Hemti—the workman—son of a man called Asri, who was a
serf of the high-steward Meruitensa. Now said this Hemti, when he saw the
asses of Sekhti, that were pleasing in his eyes, “Oh that some good god
would grant me to steal away the goods of Sekhti from him!”

Now the Hemti’s house was by the dike of the tow-path, which was
straightened, and not wide, as much as the width of a waistcloth: on the
one side of it was the water, and on the other side of it grew his corn.
Hemti said then to his servant, “Hasten! bring me a shawl from the house,”
and it was brought instantly. Then spread he out this shawl on the face of
the dike, and it lay with its fastening on the water and its fringe on the
corn.

Now Sekhti approached along the path used by all men. Said Hemti: “Have a
care, Sekhti! you are not going to trample on my clothes!” Said Sekhti, “I
will do as you like, I will pass carefully.” Then went he up on the higher
side. But Hemti said, “Go you over my corn, instead of the path?” Said
Sekhti: “I am going carefully; this high field of corn is not my choice,
but you have stopped your path with your clothes, and will you then not
let us pass by the side of the path?” And one of the asses filled its
mouth with a cluster of corn. Said Hemti: “Look you, I shall take away
your ass, Sekhti, for eating my corn; behold it will have to pay according
to the amount of the injury.” Said Sekhti: “I am going carefully; the one
way is stopped, therefore took I my ass by the inclosed ground; and do you
seize it for filling its mouth with a cluster of corn? Moreover, I know
unto whom this domain belongs, even unto the lord steward Meruitensa. He
it is who smites every robber in this whole land; and shall I then be
robbed in his domain?”

Said Hemti, “This is the proverb which men speak: ‘A poor man’s name is
only his own matter.’ I am he of whom you spake, even the lord steward of
whom you think.” Thereon he took to him branches of green tamarisk and
scourged all his limbs, took his asses, and drave them into the pasture.
And Sekhti wept very greatly, by reason of the pain of what he had
suffered. Said Hemti, “Lift not up your voice, Sekhti, or you shall go to
the demon of silence.” Sekhti answered: “You beat me, you steal my goods,
and now would take away even my voice, O demon of silence! If you will
restore my goods, then will I cease to cry out at your violence.”

Sekhti stayed the whole day petitioning Hemti, but he would not give ear
unto him. And Sekhti went his way to Khenensuten to complain to the lord
steward Meruitensa. He found him coming out from the door of his house to
embark on his boat, that he might go to the judgment-hall. Sekhti said:
“Ho! turn, that I may please thy heart with this discourse. Now at this
time let one of thy followers, whom thou wilt, come to me that I may send
him to thee concerning it.” The lord steward Meruitensa made his follower,
whom he chose, go straight unto him, and Sekhti sent him back with an
account of all these matters. Then the lord steward Meruitensa accused
Hemti unto the nobles who sat with him; and they said unto him: “By your
leave: As to this Sekhti of yours, let him bring a witness. Behold thou it
is our custom with our Sekhtis; witnesses come with them; behold, that is
our custom. Then it will be fitting to beat this Hemti for a trifle of
natron and a trifle of salt; if he is commanded to pay for it, he will pay
for it.” But the high steward Meruitensa held his peace; for he would not
reply unto these nobles, but would reply unto the Sekhti.

Now Sekhti came to appeal to the lord steward Meruitensa, and said, “O my
lord steward, greatest of the great, guide of the needy:


When thou embarkest on the lake of truth—
Mayest thou sail upon it with a fair wind;
May thy mainsail not fly loose.
May there not be lamentation in thy cabin;
May not misfortune come after thee.
May not thy mainstays be snapped;
Mayest thou not run aground.
May not the wave seize thee;
Mayest thou not taste the impurities of the river;
Mayest thou not see the face of fear.

May the fish come to thee without escape;
Mayest thou reach unto plump water-fowl.
For thou art the orphan’s father, the widow’s husband,
The desolate woman’s brother, the garment of the motherless.
Let me celebrate thy name in this land for every virtue,
A guide without greediness of heart;
A great one without any meanness.

Destroying deceit, encouraging justice;
Coming to the cry, and allowing utterance.

Let me speak, do thou hear and do justice;
O praised! whom the praised ones praise.

Abolish oppression, behold me, I am overladen,
Reckon with me, behold me defrauded.”


Now the Sekhti made this speech in the time of the majesty of the King
Neb-ka-n-ra, blessed. The lord steward Meruitensa went away straight to
the King and said: “My lord, I have found one of these Sekhti, excellent
of speech, in very truth; stolen are his goods, and he has come to
complain to me of the matter.”

His Majesty said: “As thou wishest that I may see health! lengthen out his
complaint, without replying to any of his speeches. He who desireth him to
continue speaking should be silent; behold, bring us his words in writing,
that we may listen to them. But provide for his wife and his children, and
let the Sekhti himself also have a living. Thou must cause one to give him
his portion without letting him know that thou art he who is giving it to
him.”

There were given to him four loaves and two draughts of beer each day;
which the lord steward Meruitensa provided for him, giving it to a friend
of his, who furnished it unto him. Then the lord steward Meruitensa sent
the governor of the Sekhet Hemat to make provision for the wife of the
Sekhti, three rations of corn each day.

Then came the Sekhti a second time, and even a third time, unto the lord
steward Meruitensa; but he told two of his followers to go unto the
Sekhti, and seize on him, and beat him with staves. But he came again unto
him, even unto six times, and said:


“My Lord Steward—
Destroying deceit, and encouraging justice;
Raising up every good thing, and crushing every evil;
As plenty comes removing famine,
As clothing covers nakedness,
As clear sky after storm warms the shivering;
As fire cooks that which is raw,
As water quenches the thirst;
Look with thy face upon my lot; do not covet, but content me
without fail; do the right and do not evil,”


But yet Meruitensa would not hearken unto his complaint; and the Sekhti
came yet, and yet again, even unto the ninth time. Then the lord steward
told two of his followers to go unto the Sekhti; and the Sekhti feared
that he should be beaten as at the third request. But the lord steward
Meruitensa then said unto him: “Fear not, Sekhti, for what thou hast done.
The Sekhti has made many speeches, delightful to the heart of his Majesty,
and I take an oath—as I eat bread, and as I drink water—that thou shalt be
remembered to eternity.” Said the lord steward, “Moreover, thou shalt be
satisfied when thou shalt hear of thy complaints.” He caused to be written
on a clean roll of papyrus each petition to the end, and the lord steward
Meruitensa sent it to the majesty of the King Neb-ka-n-ra, blessed, and it
was good to him more than anything that is in the whole land: but his
Majesty said to Meruitensa: “Judge it thyself; I do not desire it.”

The lord steward Meruitensa made two of his followers to go to the Sekhet
Hemat, and bring a list of the household of the Sekhti; and its amount was
six persons, beside his oxen and his goats, his wheat and his barley, his
asses and his dogs; and moreover he gave all that which belonged unto the
Hemti to the Sekhti, even all his property and his officers, and the
Sekhti was beloved of the King more than all his overseers, and ate of all
the good things of the King, with all his household.