TD18-7

Los deberes del visir Rejmirea

Texto jeroglfico: Urkunden IV, 1103 - 1117 (revisado)
Traduccin: G. P. F. van den Boorn, The Duties of the Vizier

1.

(1)

Instruction for the session of the governor of the city,

2.
the vizier of the Southern City and of the Residence in the bureau of the vizier.
3.
As for every act of the (aforementioned) official,
4.
the vizier, when hearing (cases) in the bureau of the vizier,
5.
has to sit on the pHDw-chair,
6.
the reed-covered dais on the ground, the vestment on him,
7.
a leather cushion under his back, a leather cushion under his feet,
8.

(2)

the [ ... ] on him, the abA-scepter beside him,

9.
the forty leather rods spread out in front of him,
10.
the great ones of the ten of Upper Egypt in two rows in front of him,
11.
the chamberlain on his right-hand side,

12.
the curator of the access on his left-hand side,
13.
the scribes of the vizier beside him.
14.
while one stands rigid fixedly facing the one opposite to him amongst everyone (present),
15.
one has to be heard after the other
(3)

16.

without allowing the low (ranking official) to be heard before the high (ranking official).
17.
If (however) the high (ranking official) says: No one beside me is to be heard,
18.
(then) he shall be arrested by the messengers of the vizier.
19.
To him is reported the closing of the enclosures on time
20.
and their opening on time.
21.
To him is reported the condition of the southern and northern guard-posts.
22.

(4)

When everything that has to leave the palace leaves, (that) is reported to him.
23.
When everything that has to enter the palace enters, (that) is reported to him.
24.
As for everything that has to enter or leave the area of the residence-city,
25.
however, when it (lit. they) will leave and enter:
26.
it is his messenger who sees to it that (it) leaves and enters.

(5)

27.

The overseers of policemen, the policemen and the overseers of (the) district report to him their affairs.
28.
Now, he shall enter to greet the lord l.h.p.,
29.
each day when the affairs of the Two Lands have been reported to him in his residence.
30.
He shall enter the Great House
31.
when the overseer of the treasury has drawn up his position at the northern flagstaff.
32.
Then the vizier shall move (in) from the East in the doorway of the great double-gate.
33.

(6)

Then the overseer of the treasury shall come to meet him

34.
and he shall report to him saying:
35.
All your affairs are sound and prosperous.
36.
Every responsible functionary has reported to me saying:
37.
All your affairs are sound and prosperous;
38.
the palace is sound and prosperous.
39.
Then the vizier shall report to the overseer of the treasury saying:
40.

(7)

All your affairs are sound and prosperous.

41.
Every department of the residence-city is sound and prosperous.

42.
The closing of the enclosures on time
43.
and their opening on time have been reported to me
44.
by every responsible functionary.
45.
Now after both officials have reported to each other,
(8)

46.

the vizier shall send out to open every doorway of the palace
47.
so as to ensure that everything which has to enter enters
48.
and likewise everything which has to leave (leaves).
49.
It is his messenger who sees to it that (it) happens by means of a writ.
50.
It is not to be allowed that any (chief) official constrols the dispensation of justice in his (own) bureau.
(9)

51.

When a severe accusation is levelled at one of the officials in his bureau,

52.
he (the chief official) will see to it, that he (the subordinate official) is taken to the aryt:
53.
it is the vizier who will punish him according to his offence.
A9

54.

It is not to be allowed that any (chief) official constrols (punishment by) beating in his (own) bureau.
55.

A9

Anyone who has to be judged will have to be reported (to) him (the chief official)
56.

A9

if he falls under the competency of the bureau (of the vizier),

57.
so that he (idem) may hand him (the subordinate official) over to it (the bureau of the vizier).
(10)

58.

As for any messenger whom the vizier sends with a message to an official,
59.
from the highest (lit. first) official to the lowest official:
60.
it is not allowed that he has to bow,
A10

61.

it is not to be allowed that he is ushered in [to] the official.

62.

A10

He tells the message of the vizier,

(11)

63.

standing in front of the official while saying his message,

64.
and (then) he goes out (back) to his post.
65.
It is his message that takes the mayors and settlement-leaders to the aryt;
66.
it is his messenger who gives [instructions to that effect.]
67.
[Now, if] his messenger [comes] complaining:
68.

(12)

While I was sent with a message to official N,

69.
he had me ushered in
70.
(and) he caused something to be put in my neck,
71.
a hearing (having been) held of the official together with [the messenger, ]

72.
[it is the vizier who punishes him (official N)]
73.
[in] accordance with the matter, about which they have been interrogated
(13)

74.

by the vizier in his bureau,

75.
with any type of repression,
76.
in addition to punishing with the cutting off of a limb.
A12

77.

Now, as for every act of the vizier when hearing (cases) in his bureau,
78.

A12

as regards anyone who is [not] efficient in every [duty]

79.
concerning which he (the vizier) questions him,
80.
namely the one who will be unable to exculpate himself
(14)

81.

in a hearing (lit. hearing of him) instituted on the matter,

82.
(he) shall be entered on the criminal register
83.
which is in the great prison;
A13

84.

the same goes for the one who will be unable to exculpate his messenger.
85.

A13

If their wrongdoings (will) occur for a second time,

86.
then there shall be reported and passed on (to the vizier)

(15)

87.

that they are (registered) on the criminal register

88.
(and) a statement on the case for which they were (previously) entered on the register
89.
in accordance with their offence.
90.
As for any written document which the vizier sends [for concerning] any bureau,
91.
namely the one which is not (yet) covered (i.e. closed),
(16)

92.

(it) shall be taken to him with the registers [by] its officials involved,
93.
being under the seal of the investigators (lit. hearers) and its responsible scribes.
94.
He shall open it.
95.
After he has inspected it,
96.
it will be taken to its proper place
97.
sealed with the seal of the vizier.
98.

(17)

However, if he requests a covered (i.e. closed) document,

99.
it is not allowed to be brought by its officials involved.
100.
As for any messenger whom the vizier sends for concerning any petitioner,
101.
he (the vizier) will let him (the messenger) go to him (the petitioner).

102.
However, as for anyone who shall make a petition to the vizier concerning fields,
103.
it is to him(self, the vizier) that he orders (summons) him,
(18)

104.

in addition to consulting (lit. the hearing of) the overseer of fields and the council of the mat.
105.
He will allow him (lit. make to him) a delay of two months for his fields in Upper and Lower Egypt.
106.
But as for his fields that border on the Southern City (and) the Residence,
107.
he allows him (lit. makes to him) a delay of (only) three days,
(19)

108.

as according to the law.

109.
He hears every petitioner according to the (lit. this) law
110.
which is in his hand (i.e. whose enforcement he is charged with).
111.
Now, it is he who shall send for (lit. fetch) the councillors of the (rural) district.
112.
It is he who shall dispatch them
113.
so that they may report to him the matters of their districts.
114.
It is to him that every imyt-pr shall be brought.
115.
It is he who shall seal it.
116.

(20)

It is he who makes the endowment with every Sd-field.

117.
As for any petitioner who says:
118.
Our boundaries are moved,
119.
then one shall inspect that (i.e. whether) they (the boundaries) are under the seal of the officials.
120.
If so,
121.
then he will take away the Sdw-fields of the particular council
122.
which moved them (the boundaries).
123.
Now, as for every mining area,
124.
(viz.) every expedition thereto (lit. any coming thereto)
125.

(21)

when the resources therein are inspected (lit. when things are seen therein),
126.
any petitioner(s request) shall be put in writing(s),
127.
without his being allowed to petition to one who (only) listens.
128.
To him (the vizier) has to be reported every petitioner to the Lord,
129.
after he (the petitioner) has put (his petition) in writing(s).
130.
It is he who dispatches every messenger of the palace
131.
sent to the mayors and the settlement-leaders.

132.

(22)

It is he who dispatches everyone who will circulate all messages of (by) the palace.
133.
It is he who appoints the (leading) member(s) of the magistracy [in] Upper and Lower Egypt
134.
(in) the Thinite Nome (in) the Head of the South.
135.
It is to him that they report the matters accomplished under their charge,
136.
(at) the beginning of every four months.
137.
It is to him that they bring the pertinent documents in their charge,
138.

(23)

together with their councils.

139.
It is he who assembles (lit.: makes the total of) the army contingent
140.
that escorts the Lord when [sailing downstream] and upstream.
141.
It is he who organizes the remainder (of the army)
142.
that stays behind in the Southern City and in the Residence
143.
according to what has been said in the Palace.
144.

(24)

It is to him, [to] his office, that the captain of the Rulers crew and the army staff have to be brought,
145.
in order that they be given the instruction of the army.
146.
Now, let every officialstarting with the lowest rankingenter

147.
the bureau of the vizier to pay his respects to his colleague (the vizier).
148.
It is he who dispatches to cut down sycamores according to what has been said in the palace.
(25)

149.

It is he who dispatches the councillors of the district

150.
to construct the (inlet- / outlet-) channels in the whole country.
151.
It is he who dispatches the mayors and the settlement-leaders
152.
to take care of the cultivation and the harvest (?).
153.
It is he who appoints the overseer of police in the hall of the palace.
154.
It is he who holds the hearing of the mayors and settlement-leaders
155.
who have gone out in his name to Upper and Lower Egypt.
156.

(26)

It is to him that every legal matter has to be reported.

157.
It is to him that the affairs of the fortress of Upper Egypt have to be reported
158.
(as well as) every arrest of (any) one who is involved in plundering [ ... ].
159.
It is he who assigns the spoils (of war) to each town district.
160.
It is he who judges him (the plunderer).
161.
It is he who dispatches the group (of) scribes of the mat to execute the instruction(s) of the lord.

(27)

162.

If there has to be the document of the (pertinent) town district ( = local and registry) in his office,
163.
it is for the matters that are heard concerning any field.
164.
It is he who establishes the boundaries of every domain,
165.

W26

(of) every vegetable plot, (of) every divine offering, of everything to be sealed (officially in this respect).
166.
It is he who enforces every promulgation (of the king).
167.
It is he who hears any complaint
168.

A23

[ ... ] when a man goes to law with his colleague.

(28)

169.

It is he who appoints anyone to be appointed to the aryt.

170.
It is to him that anyone who has to be interrogated in the palace has to come.
171.
It is he who hears every decree (of the king).
172.
It is he who investigates concerning the ending of any divine offering.
173.
It is he who provides every provision consisting of food
174.
to everyone to whom it should be given.
A24

175.

It is he who [ ... ] in the southern city (and) the residence.

176.

(29)

It is he who will seal it with his seal.

177.
It is he who hears every case.
178.
It is he who collects the deliveries of the workshops.
P9

179.

To him (?) the great council reports its deliveries (and) the revenues at his side.
W30

180.

It is he who hears the workshop personnel (?) [ ... ]

A25

181.

(30)

[ ... ] everything delivered to (?) the arryt and everything offered to the arryt.
182.
It is he who hears concerning it.
183.
It is he who opens the Gold-House together with the overseer of the treasury.
184.
It is he who inspects the deliveries of / to [ ... ]
185.
[ ...................................................................... ]
(31)

186.

[ ... ] the steward together with the great council.

187.
It is he who makes the inventory of all cattle that need to be inventorized.
A26

188.

It is he who inspects the drink-supply (?) at the beginning of every ten days
189.

A26

[ ..................................................]
190.
[ ................................................. ]
191.

(32)

[ ... ] concerning every issue (of ?) the arryt.

192.
The mayors, the settlement-leaders and every common citizen (?) report to him their deliveries.
A27

193.

Every overseer of the district and every policeman reports to him every conflict [ ... ]
194.
[ ...................................................................... ]
(33)

195.

[ The ... ] report to him the dues per month (?)

196.
so as to specify (?) the deliveries.
197.
The sealers [ ... ]
A28

198.

[ ... ] the rising of Sothis, the start of the inundation,

199.

A28

the (height of the) flood [ ... ]

200.

A28

(34)

[ ... ] of the overseer of the district, of the policeman, of [ ... the Re]sidence.
201.
It is he who assigns ships to everyone to whom a ship needs to be assigned.
202.
It is he who dispatches every messenger of the pr-nsw to [ ... ]
A29

203.

[ ... ] when the lord is on expedition.

204.

A29

(35)

It is he who [ ... ] his [ ... ]

205.
There has to be reported to him by each council of the vanguard (and ?) the rearguard of the fleet (?).
206.
It is he who seals every written decree of [ ... ]

A30

207.

[ ... ] dog of the guardsman of dogs

208.

A30

dispatched on a mission of the pr-nsw.

(36)

209.

Each report is reported to him by (?) the door-keeper of the arryt reporting (?) on him (?).
210.
(As for) every act of him ( = the vizier) when hearing (cases) in the bureau of the vizier,
211.
the administrators (?) [ ... ]