Khnumhotpe, prince of Beni Hasan, Biography of

Nederhof - English
Created on 2006-11-04 by Mark-Jan Nederhof. Last modified 2009-06-08.
Transliteration and translation for "The biography of Khnumhotpe, prince of Beni Hasan", following
the transcription of De Buck (1948), pp. 67-72, with line numbers following plates 25 and 26 of
Newberry (1893) up to line 200, and following plate 11 of Montet (1930-1935) from line 200
onward.
The transliteration throughout follows Hannig (1995).
For published translations, see Breasted (1906), pp. 279-289, §§ 619-639; Newberry (1893), pp.
57-66. Montet (1930-1935), pp. 131-132, offers a translation of the text from line 199 onward.
Bibliography
• J.H. Breasted. Ancient Records of Egypt -- Volume I. The University of Chicago Press, 1906.
• A. De Buck. Egyptian Readingbook. Ares Publishers, Chicago, Illinois, 1948.
• R.O. Faulkner. A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian. Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum,
Oxford, 1962.
• R. Hannig. Grosses Handwörterbuch Ägyptisch-Deutsch: die Sprache der Pharaonen (2800-950
v.Chr.). Verlag Philipp von Zabern, 1995.
• P. Montet. Les dernières lignes de la grande inscription de Beni Hassan. Kêmi, 3:112-132,
1930-1935.
• P.E. Newberry. Beni Hasan -- Part I. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., London, 1893.

i
1
jrj-pat HAtj-a rx-nsw
1
Prince regent, count, acquaintance of the king,

2
mrrw nTr=f jmj-rA xAswt jAbtt nHrj sA Xnm-Htp mAa-xrw
2
beloved of his god, leader of the eastern lands, Khnumhotep, son of Neheri, justified,

3
jr.n sAt HAtj-a nbt-pr bAqt mAa-xrw
3
born of a count's daughter, lady of the house Baqet, justified.

4 5
jr.n=f m mnw=f sp=f tp m smn x njwt=f
4
He built this as his monument. His foremost deed was adorning his city,

srwD=f rn=f n nHH1

that he might perpetuate his name forever,

1 Read  as  .
6 7
smnx=f sw n Dt m js=f n Xrt-nTr
6 7
and that he might adorn it for eternity in his tomb of the necropolis.

8
srwD=f rn n qnbt =f smnx xft jAwt=sn
He perpetuated the name of his cabinet, elevated according to their offices,

9 10 11
mnxw jmjw nw pr=f Tn.n=f xnt m rt=f
9 10
the excellent ones and inhabitants of his house, whom he raised over his servants,

12 13
jAwt nbt xrpt .n=f Hmwt nbt mj xpr =s rA=f Dd=f
concerning every office that he held and every craft according to its nature. His mouth says:

14
jw rDj.n wj Hm n Hr Hkn-m-mAat
14
'The majesty of Horus: Who rejoices in truth;

1
 15
nbtj Hkn-m- mAat bjk-nbw mAa-xrw
15
Two Ladies: Who rejoices in truth; Gold Horus, justified;

16
nsw-bjtj nbw-kAw-ra sA-ra jmn-m-HAt
16
The king of Upper and Lower Egypt: Nebukaure; Son of Re: Amenemhet,

Dj anx Dd wAs mj ra Dt
given life, stability and dominion, like Re forever, appointed me

17 18
r jrj-pat HAtj-a jmj-ra xAswt jAbtt smA Hr pAxt
17 18
to be prince regent, count, leader of the eastern lands, priest of Horus and Pakhet,

19 20
r jwat jt mwt=j m mn at-xwfw
19
and to the inheritance of the father of my mother in Menat-Khufu.

21
smn.n=f n=j wD Sma
21
He erected the Upper Egyptian boundary marker for me,

22 23 24
smn x.n=f mHtj mj pt ps S.n=f jtr aA Hr jAt =f
while restoring the northern, like heaven. He divided the great river along its middle,

25
mj jrryt n jt mwt=j
25
as was done for the father of my mother,

26
m tpt- rA prt m rA n Hm n
by the pronouncement that issued from the mouth of the majesty of

27 28
Hr wHm-mswt nbtj wHm-mswt bjk-nbw (wHm-)mswt
27 28
Horus: Who repeats birth; Two Ladies: Who repeats birth; Gold Horus: Who repeats birth;

29
nsw-bjtj sHtp-jb-ra sA-ra jmn-m-HAt
29
The king of Upper and Lower Egypt: Sehotepibre; Son of Re: Amenemhet,

2
Dj anx Dd wAs mj ra Dt
given life, stability and dominion, like Re forever.

30 31
rDjt=f1 sw r jrj-pat HAtj-a jmj-ra xAswt jAbtt
30
He appointed him to be prince regent, count, leader of the eastern lands,
1 Written fDjt=f.

32
m mnat-xwfw smn.n=f wD Sma
32
in Menat-Khufu. He erected the Upper Egyptian boundary marker,

33 34
smnx mHtj mj pt psS.n=f jtr a A Hr jAt=f
33
while restoring the northern, like heaven. He divided the great river along its middle,

35 36
gs=f jAb n Dwt-Hr r-mn-m xAst jAb tt
35
its eastern side to the Mountain of Horus reached as far as the eastern land.

37 38
m jt Hm=f dr=f js ft xaw m jtm Ds=f
38
At the coming of His Majesty, he repelled evil, appearing as Atum himself,

39 40
smnx=f gm t.n=f wAs.tj jTt njwt m snnwt=s
40
and he restored what he found ruined and what one city had taken from another,

41 42 43
Dj=f rx njwt tAS=s r njwt sm nx wDw=sn mj pt
41 43
while he let city know its boundary with city, restoring their boundary markers like heaven,

44 45
rx mw=sn r ntt m sS sjp r ntt m jswt
44 45
and know their waters according to what was in writing, investigating what was of old,

46 47
n-aAt-n mrr=f mAat aHa.n rDj.n=f s w r jrj-pat HAtj-a
because he loved justice so much. Then he appointed him to be prince regent and count,

jmA-a Hrj-tp aA n mA-HD

esteemed assistant and great chief of Ma-hedi.

3
48 49 50
smn.n=f wDw Sma m tAS=f r wnt
48 50
He erected the Upper Egyptian boundary markers as his boundary to Unet,

51 52
mHtj=f r jnpwt psS .n=f jtr aA Hr jAt =f
and his northern to Input. He divided the great river along its middle,

53
mw=f AHwt=f jsr=f S a=f r-mn-m xAswt jmntt
its water, its fields, its tamarisks and its sand reached as far as the western lands.

54 55
rDj.n=f sA=f smsw=f nxt mAa-xrw nb jmAx
54 55
He appointed his eldest son Nekht, justified and revered,

56 57 58
r HqA jw at=f m mnat-xwfw m Hst aAt nt xr nsw
57 58
to be ruler of his inheritance in Menat-Khufu, as a great favour of the king,

59
m wDt pr t rA n Hm n Hr anx-mswt
by the command that issued from the mouth of the majesty of Horus: Living of birth;

60
nbtj anx-mswt bjk-nbw anx-mswt
60
Two Ladies: Living of birth; Gold Horus: Living of birth;

61
nsw-bjtj xpr-kA-ra sA-ra s-n-wsrt
61
The king of Upper and Lower Egypt: Kheperkare; Son of Re: Sesostris,

62 63
Dj anx Dd wAs mj ra Dt saH=j t p n mswt=j
62
given life, stability and dominion, like Re forever. The foremost nobility of my birth was

64 65
wD A mwt=j r jrt-pat HAtt-a
65
that my mother proceeded to become regentess and countess,

66
m sAt HqA n mA-HD r Hwt-sHtp-jb-ra
66
as the daughter of the ruler of Ma-hedi, to Hut-Sehotepibre,

4
67
Dj anx Dd wAs mj ra Dt
67
given life, stability and dominion, like Re forever,

68 69
r Hmt n jrj-pat HAtj-a HqA njwwt mAt
68
and to become the wife of the prince regent, count, ruler of the new settlements,

70
mAT.n nsw jmt n bjtj
70
praised by the king of Upper Egypt, pupil of the king of Lower Egypt,

71 72
r saH=f n jmj-rA njwt nHrj mAa-xrw nb jmAx jn wj
71
concerning his rank of leader of the city, Nehri, justified and revered.

nsw-bjtj nbw-kAw-ra
The king of Upper and Lower Egypt Nebukaure,

73
Dj anx Dd wAs mj ra Dt
73
given life, stability and dominion, like Re forever, brought me

74
m sA HAtj-a r jwat HqAt jt mwt=j
74
as son of a count into the inheritance of the rule of the father of my mother,

75 76
n-aA t-n mrr=f mAat jtm pw Ds=f nbw-kAw-ra
because he loved justice so much. He is Atum himself, Nebukaure,

77
Dj anx Dd wAs Aw-jb=f mj ra Dt
77
given life, stability, dominion and happiness, like Re forever.

78 79 80
Dj.n=f w j r HAtj-a m rnpt-sp 19 m mnat-xwfw aHa.n smn x.n=j sj
79
He appointed me to be count in the year 19, in Menat-Khufu. Then I adorned it,

81 82
aHa=s xpr.w m jxt nbt srwD .n=j rn n jt=j
81
and it acquired all kinds of things. I perpetuated the name of my father.

5
 83 84
smnx.n=j Hwwt- kAw jrjw Sms.n=j twtw =j r Hwt-nTr
I restored their mortuary chapels. I followed my statues to the temple.

85 86
smAa.n=j n=sn pAt=sn t Hnqt qbHw jrp snTr wabt
85 86
I brought to them their offerings of bread, beer, libation, wine, incense and meat-offering,

87 88
sjp n Hm-kA smnx .n=j sw m AHwt m rt
assigned to the mortuary priest. I endowed him with fields and servants.

89
wD.n =j prt-r-xrw t Hnqt kA Apdw
I commanded a mortuary offering of bread, beer, oxen and fowl,

90
m Hb nb n Xrt-nTr m tpj-rnpt wpt-rnpt
90
at every feast of the necropolis, at New Year's Day, the opening of the year,

91
rnpt-aAt rnpt-nDst
91
the feast of the great year and the feast of the small year,

92 93
arq rnpt Hb wr m rkH aA m rkH nDs
93
the end of the year, the great feast, at the Great Burning and at the Little Burning,

94
m 5-Hrj w-rnpt m Sdt Sa
at the five epagomenal days, at the taking of the sand1,
1 Reading very uncertain.

95
m Abd 12 smdt 12
95
at the 12 monthly feasts and the 12 mid-monthly feasts,

96 97
Hb nb n tpj-tA nfr tpj-Dw jr grt Hm-kA rmT nbt
97
every feast of the happy living and of the dead. As for the mortuary priest or any person

6
98 99
Xnn.tj=sn st n wnn=f n wnn sA=f Hr nst=f
98
who shall disturb them, he shall not be, and his son shall not be in his place.

100 101
wr Hst=j m stp-sA r smr wa tj nb
The praise of me in the palace was greater than that of any sole companion.

102 103 104

Tn.n=f wj x ntw saHw=f [Dj].kw Xr-HAt wnw Xr-HAt=j
103 104
He raised me over his nobles. I was [placed] before those who had been before me.

105 106 107

jab.n qnbt nt aH r Djt Hstj xftw dhn=j
106 107
The cabinet of the palace assembled to give praise according to my appointment,

108 109
xftw Hswt xprt m-bAH
108 109
according to the favour that came to pass in the presence of

110
tpt-rA nt nsw D s=f
the pronouncement of the king himself.

111 112 113

n xpr mjtt n bA kw pA.n nb=sn Hst st
Never happened the like to servants whom their lords had praised.

114
rx.n=f st-ns=j nxn qmA=j
114
He knew my eloquence while my appearance was youthful.

115 116 117

j w=j m jmAxy n xr nsw Hst=j xr Snwt=f
116 117
I was honoured with the king, my praise was with his courtiers,

118 119
jm At=j m-bAH smrw=f
119
and the fondness for me was before his companions.

120
jrj-pat HAtj- a nHrj sA Xnm-Htp nb jmAx
The prince regent and count Khnumhotep son of Nehri, revered.

7
121 122 123
kt Hswt jryt n=j Dj.tw sA=j smsw nxt jr .n Xty
121 122
Another favour granted to me: My eldest son Nekhet, born of Kheti, was appointed

124 125
r HqA jnpwt r jwat jt mwt =f
124
to be ruler of Input, and to the inheritance of the father of his mother,

126 127
sxpr m smr w atj Djw r HAt nt tA- Smaw
was made sole companion and was appointed to be chief of Upper Egypt.

128 129
Djw n=f Tn w saH jn Hm n Hr sSmw-tAwj
129
Every dignity was conferred on him by the majesty of Horus: Leader of the Two Lands;

130
nbtj sxaj-mAat bjk-nbw Htp-nTrw
130
Two Ladies: Who makes truth appear; Gold Horus: Who placates the gods;

131
nsw-bjtj xaj-xpr-ra sA-ra s-n-wsrt
131
The king of Upper and Lower Egypt: Khakheperre; Son of Re: Sesostris,

132
Dj anx Dd wAs mj ra Dt jr =f mnw=f m jnpwt
given life, stability and dominion, like Re forever. He built his monuments in Input,

133 134
m smnx gmt.n=f wS(.tj) jT t.n njwt m snnwtj=s
133
restoring what he found damaged and what one city had taken from another,

135 136
rDj rx=f tAS=f r xdt sjp r ntt m jswt
135 136
letting it know its boundary according to the land register, investigating what was of old,

137 138
Dj wD r tAS =f Sma
137
placing a boundary marker at his Upper Egyptian boundary,

8
 139 140
smnx mHtj mj pt smn Hr sxwt nt xrw
139 140
and restoring the northern, like heaven, erecting on the fields of the lowland

141
dmD-smA r wD 15
141
a total of 15 boundary markers,

142 143
smn Hr A Hwt=f mHtj tAS =f r wAbwt
establishing on its northern fields its boundary as far as Wabut.

144 145
psS.n=f jtr aA Hr jAt=f gs=f jmntj n jnpwt
144 145
He divided the great river along its middle, its western side to Input

146
r-mn-m xAs wt jmntt
reaching as far as the western lands,

147 148
xft spr jrj-pat HAtj-a Xnm-Htp sA nxt mAa-xrw nb jmAx r-Dd
when the prince regent and count Nakht son of Khnumhotep, justified and revered,

149 150
n rx mw=j Hswt wrt nt xr nsw
149
petitioned: "My waters do not know the great favour from the king."

151 152 153

ky wr m nD m smr watj aA jm n sm rw
151 152
Another prince was appointed as sole companion, greatest of the companions,

154 155
aSA jn w pr-nsw smr wa nn wn Hr xw=f
155
numerous in gifts from the palace, sole companion, whose equal has never been,

156 157
sDmw n =f sDmw rA wa Htm rAw
157
to whom the authorities listen, only mouth that silences the mouths,

158
jnn Axt n nb=s rA-aA xAswt
158
who brings advantage to its possessor, entry of the foreign lands,

9
 159 160
n Hrj sA Xnm-Htp sA Xnm-H tp jr.n nbt-pr Xty
Khnumhotep son of Khnumhotep son of Nehri, born of the lady of the house Kheti.

161 162 163

sanx.n=j rn n jtw =j gm.n=j wS(.w) Hr sbAw
161 163
I kept alive the names of my forefathers that I'd found obliterated upon the doorways,

164 165 166 167

rx m t jt mtj m Sdt nn Djt ky m ab k y jsT sA pw mnx
165
legible, accurately spelled, without confusing one with another. He is an excellent son,

168
srwD rn n t pjw-a
who perpetuates the names of the ancestors,

169 170
nHrj sA Xnm-Htp mAa-xrw nb jmAx saH=j tp m
170
Khnumhotep son of Nehri, justified and revered. My foremost nobility was

171 172 173

smnx .n=j Hrt sn s r jrrt jt =f
that I built a tomb, as a man should imitate what his father did.

174 175
jr.n n=f jt=j Hwt-kA m mr-nfrt m jnr nfr n anw
174
My father built for himself a mortuary chapel in Mer-neferet, of good limestone,

176 177
r srwD rn=f n nHH s mnx=f sw n Dt
176
in order to perpetuate his name forever. He adorned it for eternity,

178
rn=f anx(.w) m rA n pat
178
so that his name might live in the mouths of the people,

179 180
Dd .w m rA n anxw Hr js=f n Xrt-nTr
180
and remain in the mouths of the living and on his tomb of the necropolis,

181 182
m pr=f mnx n nHH st =f nt Dt
in his excellent house of eternity, his place of everlastingness,

10
 183 184
xft Hswt nt xr nsw mrwt=f m stp-sA
183 184
according to the favour from the king and the love of him in the palace.

185
HqA.n=f njwt=f m sDt n fxt=f m TAm
185
He ruled his city when he was an infant before his circumcision.

186 187
jr.n=f jpt nsw Swtj=f jb A=sn
186
He executed a royal commission and his two plumes danced

188 189
m xnw n qAbt=f m rx nsw st-ns=f
188 189
when he was a child at his mother's breast, for the king knew his eloquence

190
nxn qmA=f sbk- anx sA nHrj mAa-xrw nb jmAx
while his appearance was youthful, Nehri son of Sobek-ankh, justified and revered,

191 192
Tn.n=f xnt saHw=f r HqA njwt=f xprt HAtj-a Xnm-Htp
191 192
whom he raised over his nobles to rule his city. Achievements of count Khnumhotep:

193 194 195

jr.n(=j) mnw m-Xnw n njwt=j qd .n=j wxA gm .n(=j) m AA
193
I built a monument within my city. I rebuilt a colonnaded hall that I found in ruins.

196 197
saHa.n=j sw m wxAw n-mAt sS m rn=j Ds=j
196 197
I erected it with columns anew, inscribed with my own name.

198 199 200

sanx.n=j rn n jt=j H r=s[n] [sS].n=j jrt=j Hr m nw nb
198
I kept alive the name of my father upon them. I inscribed what I did upon every monument.

201 202
jr.n=j aA n mH 7 m aS n ngAw r sbA tp n js
201
I made a door of seven cubits of cedar from Negau, for the first doorway of the tomb,

11
 203
aAwj-rA n mH 5 Ssp 2 r kAr n at Spst
203
and double doors of five cubits and two palms, for the shrine of the august chamber

204
ntt m-Xnw n js pn
204
that is within this tomb.

205
dbHt- Htp prt-r-xrw t Hnqt kA Apd
The requisites for a mortuary offering of bread, beer, oxen and fowl,

206 207
Hr mn w nb jr.n=j sAp.n=j mr qd sbxt=f
207
were on every monument that I built. I inundated a pond and built its portal

208
DD TAw n w Ax pn
that gave air to this colonnaded hall.

209
wr mnw=j m-Xnw n njwt tn r jtw=j
My monuments within this city were greater that those of my forefathers,

210 211
sDt njwt tn mnx mn w smt=s
210
a child of this city,1 and the monuments of its burial place were more excellent
1 Montet reads some verb in place of sDt with the meaning "to bloom" ("épanouir"), leading to something like: "This
city bloomed, as the monuments ...".

212 213
r tpjw -a jrrw Xr-HA t=j jnk saH mnw
than those of the ancestors built before me. I was distinguished in monuments.

214 215
sbA.n=j Hmwt nb wnt tm.tj m-Xnw njwt tn
214 215
I taught every craft that had been forgotten within this city,

216 217 218

n m rwt mnx rn=j Hr mnw nb jr.n=j grg Hr =j
217
so that my name might be excellent upon every monument that I built, founded on me

12
 219
nn mnst jm shA. n=j jmw ky
without fault. I made the ship of another descend,1

1 I take  as determinative. Alternatively one could read ky Sps, "another nobleman", as independent phrase.
220 221
jrj-pat HAtj-a nHrj sA Xnm- Htp jr.n bAqt mAa-xrw nb jmAx
220
prince regent and count Khnumhotep son of Nehri, born of Baqet, justified and revered.

222
xrp js jmj-rA xtmt bAqt
222
Supervisor of the tomb, treasurer Baqet.'

13