reached a good old age, I have lived with kings, I have enjoyed favours under their Majesties, and affection hath been shown to me in the Palace, life, strength, health [be to them!].  The divine wife, the chief royal wife Maatkara, whose word is truth, showed several favours to me.  I held in my arms her eldest daughter, the Princess Neferura, whose word is law, when she was a nursling, I the bearer of the royal seal, who captured my prisoners, Aahmes, who am surnamed Pen-Nekheb, did this.  I was never absent from the king at the time of fighting, beginning with Nebpehtira (Amasis I), and continuing until the reign of Menkheperra (Thothmes III).  Tcheserkara (Amenhetep I) gave me in gold two rings, two collars, one armlet, one dagger, one fan, and one pectoral (?).  Aakheperkara (Thothmes I) gave me in gold four hand rings, four collars, one armlet, six flies, three lions, two axe-heads.  Aakheperenra gave me in gold four hand rings, six collars, three armlets (?), one plaque, and in silver two axe-heads.

[Footnote 1:  The nomads of the Syrian desert.]

[Footnote 2:  The titles, King of the North, King of the South, and the words, “whose word is truth” occur with each name; they are omitted in the translation.]

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF TEHUTI, THE ERPA

The autobiographies given hitherto are those of soldiers, sailors, and officials who in the performance of their duties travelled in Nubia, the Egyptian Sudan, the Eastern Sudan, the Red Sea Littoral, Sinai, and Western Asia.  The following autobiography is that of one of the great nobles, who in the eighteenth dynasty assisted in carrying out the great building schemes of Queen Hatshepset and Thothmes III.  Tehuti was an hereditary chief (erpa), and a Duke, and the Director of the Department of the Government in which all the gold and silver that were brought to Thebes as tribute were kept, and he controlled the distribution of the same in connection with the Public Works Department.  The text begins with the words of praise to Amen-Ra for the life of Hatshepset and of Thothmes III, thus:  “Thanks be to Amen-[Ra, the King of the Gods], and praise be to His Majesty when he riseth in the eastern sky for the life, strength, and health of the King of the South, the King of the North, Maatkara (Hatshepset), and of the King of the South, the King of the North, Menkheperra (Thothmes III), who are endowed with life, stability, serenity, and health like Ra for ever.  I performed the office of chief mouth (i.e. director), giving orders.  I directed the artificers who were engaged on the work of the great boat of the head of the river [called] Userhatamen.  It was inlaid (or overlaid) with the very best gold of the mountains, the splendour of which illumined all Egypt, and it was made by the King of the South, the King of the North, Maatkara,[1] in connection with the monuments which he made for his father Amen-Ra, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, who is endowed with life like Ra for ever.