EGYPT: The Famine Stele in Aswan

This is the english translation of the Famine Stele

Year 18 of Horus: Neterkhet; the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Neterkhet; Two Ladies: Neterkhet; Gold-Horus: Djoser; under the Count, Prince, Governor of the domains of the South, Chief of the Nubians in Yebu, Mesir. There was brought to him this royal decree.

To let you know:

I was in mourning on my throne, those of the palace were in grief, my heart was in great affliction, because Hapy had failed to come in time in a period of seven years. Grain was scant, kernels were dried up, scarce was every kind of food. Every man robbed his twin, those who entered did not go. Children cried, youngsters fell, the hearts of the old were grieving; legs drawn up, they hugged the ground, their arms clasped about them. Courtiers were needy, temples were shut, shrines covered with dust, everyone was in distress.

I directed my heart to turn to the past, I consulted one of the staff of the Ibis, the chief lector-priest of Imhotep, Son of Ptah South-of-his-Wall: "In which place is Hapy born? Which is the town of the Sinuous one? Which god dwells there? That he might join with me." He stood: "I shall go to Mansion-of-the-Net, it is designed to support a man in his deeds; I shall enter the House of Life, unroll the Souls of Re, I shall be guided by them." He departed, he returned to me quickly, he let me know the flow of Hapy, [his shores] and all the things they contain. He disclosed to me the hidden wonders, to which the ancestors had made their way, And no king had equalled them since.

He said to me: "There is a town in the midst of the deep, surrounded by Hapy, Yebu {Elephantine} by name; it is first of the first, first nome to Wawat, earthly elevation, celestial hill, seat of Re when he prepares to give life to every face. Its temple's name is 'Joy-of-life,' 'Twin Caverns' is the water's name; they are the breasts that nourish all. It is the house of sleep of Hapy, he grows young in it in [his time], [it is the place whence] he brings the flood: bounding up he copulates, as man copulates with woman, renewing his manhood with joy; coursing twenty-eight cubits high, he passes Sema-behdet at seven."

Khnum is there as god ..... his soles, his side is placed near him. The door-bolt is in his hand, the wings of the door open according to his wishes. He is there as Shou, who lives on the banks of his surroundings, this is how he is called. He reckons the land of Upper and Lower Egypt, to give him the portion of each god. He brings ... and .... and geese and fish and all things of which they live. A rope is there with a writing tablet and a mast (?) with his reed door. He is therefore the god who lives on the banks, because Shou is set above (?).

His temple is open towards the the south-east, and Re rises daily opposite him. South of it the water is inapproprate for a mile. A wall guarded day and night separates the Nubians. There is a mountain massif in its eastern region (of Elephantine) containing all the ores, all the precious stones and all the things sought for building the temples of the gods of the North and South, the stalls for sacred animals, the pyramid for the king, all statues that stand in temples and in sanctuaries. Moreover, incense is set before the face of Khnum and around him.

. . . green from all flowers . . . at the beginning there is Elephantine, the end at ..... It is in the east, it is in the west, it is in the midst of the river. At its time of the year the water is clad. There is a place of relaxation for every man. The work on these rocks on both banks . . . of the river in view of the town of Elephantine. There is a stone in its middle, in whose interior evil (?) is contained . . . It is called the rock of Elephantine.

List of the names of the gods in the temple of Khnum: Sothis, Anukis, Hapi, Shou, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Horus, Isis, Nephthys.

Learn the names of the stony materials which are to be found lying in the midst of the rocky mountain, which are in the east and in the west, which are on the island of the river, i.e. Elephantine, which are in the desert, which are inland of the east and west banks, which are in the midst of the river: bekhen, nemi {dead - weathered - granite}, metbekhteb, raqes, uteshi-hedsh {onion stone ?} in the east, perdjen on the west bank, teshy inland from the west bank and they are also found in the river.

Learn the names of the precious stones located upstream and are found at a distance of four miles: gold, silver, copper, iron, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, tehen {chrysocolla ?}, khenem {jasper}, ga-y {radish stone ?}, menu, Hebegti, temi, these are the kinds of stone from the interior of the land. Mehi, maki, ibehti, ore, gesankh, green make up, black make up {antimony ?}, herdes, sehi, mem, saphen, in that part of town.

I heard this and my heart was sad, after I had heard the message (?). I spread my clothes. A purification was done, a secret procession and an offering was presented . . . of bread, beer, geese, cattle, and all the good things for the goddesses at Elephantine, whose name was mentioned.

When I was asleep, my heart was in life and happiness. I found the god standing. I caused him pleasure by worshiping and adoring him. He made himself known to me and said: "I am Khnum, your creator, My arms are around you, to steady your body, to safeguard your limbs. I bestow on you ores with precious (?) stones existing since antiquity that were not worked before to build temples, rebuild ruins, sculpt chapels (?) for his master. I am master of creation. I have created myself, the great ocean which came into being in past times, according to whose pleasure the Nile rises (?)

For I am the master who makes, I am he who makes himself exalted in Nun, who first came forth, Hapy who hurries at will; fashioner of everybody, guide of each man to their hour. I am Tenen, father of Gods, the great Shou living on the shore. The two caves are in a trench (?) below me. It is up to me to let loose the well. I know the Nile, urge himto the field, I urge him, life appears in every nose. As one urges to the field . . . I will make the Nile swell for you, without there being a year of lack and exhaustion in the whole land, so the plants will flourish, bending under their fruit. Renenutet is in all things, everything will be brought forth by the million (?) and everybody . . . in whose granary there had been dearth. The land of Egypt is beginning to stir again, the shores are shining wonderfully, and wealth and well-being (?) dwell with them, as it had been before.

Then I awoke happy (?), my heart was decided and at ease. I decreed this order to the temple of my father Khnum.

Royal sacrifice for Khnum-Re, lord of the cataract, first of Nubia, as reward for what you favour me with. I make you a gift of your western shore by the mountain of the dusk and your eastern shore by the mountain of dawn, from Elephantine to . . . with twelve arouras on the eastern and western shores, with the plants, with the harbours (?) with the river and with every settlement on these arouras. All the peasants working their fields with their labourers and bringing water to their new and high-lying lands, their harvest shall be stored in your granary in excess of the part that used to be your due. All fishermen and trappers and hunters on the water and lion catchers in the desert, I impose on them a duty of one tenth of their catch. Every calf born by the cows on theses aruras shall be given to the stables as a burnt offering and a remaining daily offering. Moreover one tenth of the gold and ivory and the wood and minerals and every tree stem and all things which the Nubians of Khenet-hen-nefer bring to Egypt shall be handed over together with every man who comes with them (?) No vizier shall give orders in these places and levy a tax on them, diminishing what is being delivered to your temple. I make you a gift of this field with the stones and the good fruit bearing land and nothing shall be taken away (?) . . .

Engrave this decree on a stele of the sanctuary in writing, for it happened as said, and on a tablet, so that the divine writings shall be on them in the temple twice. He who spits on it deceitfully shall be given over to punishment.