The Shipwrecked Sailor

Translation and Commentary by James L. Carroll

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A i a w b p f m n r h H x X z s S o k g t T d D
A i a w b p f m n r h H x X z s S o k g t T d D

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Dd.in Smsw iqr Then the Trustworthy Sailor Said: wDA ib=k HAt-a "Prosper your heart, my Captain, mk pH.n=n Xnw Behold, we have reached the interior [of Egypt] Ssp xrpw a hammer having been seized Hw mnit the mooring post having been struck HAt.t rdi.t Hr tA the towrope having been placed on land rdi Hknw praise having been given dwA nTr God having been praised s nb Hr Hpt sn.nw=f every man embracing his companions iswt=tn ii.t ad.t your crew having arrived safely nn nhw n mSa.w=n without a loss of our crew! pH.n=n pH.wy wAwAt We reached the end of northern Nubia, sn.n=n snmwt We passed by the land of kush. mk rf n ii=n m Htp Look at us, we have come in peace tA=n pH=n sw we have come to our land!"	The story opens with our hero, the sailor, speaking to his captain who is about to speak to Pharaoh. The term 'Xnw' means literally 'interior' and the author makes plays on this word repeatedly throughout the text, giving it every possible shade of meaning from "interior of Egypt" or "home" as used here, to the interior of an island, to the interior of a boat. The story of the shipwrecked sailor is predominantly about reaching home, and the joys of family. Although they have all reached home safely, something has obviously gone wrong with this expedition, and the captain is afraid to go and speak to Pharaoh. Whatever went wrong is never explained.
sDm rk n=i HAt-a Listen to me my captain ink Sw HAw I am free of excess [or exaggeration]^a ia tw wash yourself imi mw Hr Dba.w=k place water upon your fingers^b ix wSb=k wSd.t=k so that you can answer what is asked of you mdw=k n nsw ib=k m-a=k so that you can speak to the king with your heart in your hand. [idiom for bravery?] wSb=k nn nitit so that you may answer without stammering iw rA n s nHm=f sw a man's speach can always save him iw mdw=f di=f TAm n=f Hr his words will always give him a covering [veil] for his face^c ir=k m xr.t ib=k you will do what you want, s.wrd pw Dd n=k speaking to you is tiring or s.wrd pw Dd. n=k what you have said is discouraging^d	a) There is a definite wit about this story. Here the sailor claims to be free of any exaggeration, but he is about to launch into a totally unbelievable story. b) The ritual of washing is here preparatory to entering the presence of Pharaoh. c) Another major theme of the text is that the words of a man can always save him. Later in the text the sailor will "reach" a god, (meaning he has convinced the god not to kill him) by means of carefully crafted words. He is implying that his captain can, through carefully crafted words escape from the wrath of Pharaoh, a god on earth. It is interesting that the ritual washing is supposed to give the captain courage to speak to Pharaoh. It is therefore not just clever words that the sailor believes will save his captain, but ritual preparation to make those words clever. d) The last line is ambiguous. The sailor seems to be reacting to his captain's discouragement, and is either saying that talking to the captain is discouraging (because he isn't getting any hope from what the sailor is telling him) or he is reacting to some previously given information about what has gone wrong with the voyage, and is recognizing that the captain is in a discouraging situation.
sDd=i rf n=k mitt iry xpr(.w) m-a=i Ds=i Let me tell you something similar that happened to me myself. Sm=kwi r biA n ity I was going to the quarry of the sovereign hA=kwi r wAD-wr m dpt nt mH 120 m Aw=s mH 40 m wsx=s I went to sea in a boat of 120 cubits in its length and 40 cubits in its breadth sqd 120 im=s m stp n kmt 120 of the choicest sailors of Egypt in it. mA=sn pt mA=sn tA makA-ib=sn r mA.w Whether they look at heaven, or whether they look at the earth, their hearts are braver than lions. sr=sn Da n ii.t they can foretell a storm before its coming nSny n xpr.t=f foul weather before its formation	To overcome the discouragement of his captain, the sailor launches into a story about what happened to him once upon a time....
Da pr iw=n m wAD-wr tp-a sAH=n tA A storm burst forth while we were at sea before we struck land^a fA.t TAw ir=f wHmyt a wind came up, and it created a howling nwyt im=f nt mH 8 a wave came with it, of 8 cubits in xt HH n=i s and a mast [or other piece of wood] broke and it hit me [literally "it broke to me" meaning either it hit him, or broke off for him to hold on to, I can't tell which]	a) This is the first of the many highly ironic points of this story. Just one line after telling us that this crew could foretell a storm before it came, we are told that a storm burst forth that they couldn't foretell, and they were caught in it, and couldn't reach land in time.
aHa.n dpt mt(=t) Then the boat died ntyw im=s n sp wa im of those who were in it, not one survived. aHa.n=i rdi=kwi r iw in wAw n wAD-wr Then I was carried to an island by a wave of the sea ir.n=i hrw 3 I spent 3 days wa=kwi ib=i m sn.nw=i I was alone, my heart as my sole companion sDr=kwi m Xnw n kAp n xt qni.n=i Swyt I slept in the interior^a of a hut of wood, I embraced nothingness [or I slept in the interior of the enclosure of a tree, I embraced the shadows]	a) Interior, here the word Xnw is being played on again, but here it is the interior of the hut or enclosure of the tree in which he found shelter. Homes, temples, and enclosures all provide shelter of one sort or another.
aHa.n dwn.n=i rd.wy=i r rx di.t=i m r=i Then I stretched my legs in order to find something to eat [literally to give me something for my mouth] gm.n=i dAb.w iArrt im I found figs and grapes there iAq.t nb.t Sps.t vegetables and every noble thing kAw im Hna nqwt Ssp.t mi ir.t=s and sycamore figs, with notched figs and cucumbers like they were cultivated rm.w im Hna Apd.w fish with birds^a nn ntt nn st m Xnw=f there was not anything that was not in the interior^b of it	a) This list highly resembles the lists of items from an offering list, implying that the items he found were of a ritual nature, and that the island is more than just a normal island but is also a type of temple. b) Another play on Xnw, here the interior refers to the interior of the island rather than home in Egypt. The word can also mean the interior of a temple again implying that the island is a type of temple. Because the word elsewhere refers to returning home to Egypt the implication is that returning home Egypt is like entering a temple. This follows the major theme of the work of the value of family, friends, and home. Although the sailor has found an island that is in essence a temple, what he really wants is to return to the temple of his home.
aHa.n ssA.n(=i) wi Then I satisfied myself rdi.n=i r tA n wr Hr a.wy=i spilling the great abundance in my arms on the ground [literally: I gave to the land of the great abundance in my arms] Sdt=i DA s.xpr.n=i xt I made a fire-drill, and built a fire ir.n=i sb n sDt n nTr.w I made a burnt offering to the gods
aHa.n sDm.n=i xrw qri Then I heard a rushing sound ib=kwi wAw pw n wAD-wr I thought that it was another wave of the sea xt.w Hr gmgm trees were breaking tA Hr mnmn and the ground was quaking kf.n=i Hr=i I uncovered my face gm.n=i HfAw pw iw=f m ii.t and I discovered that it was a snake that was coming n sw mH 30 he was 30 cubits long xbsw=f wr=s r mH 2 His beard was longer than 2 cubits! ha.w=f sxr.w m nbw his body was overlaid with gold in.wy.fy m xsbd mAa and his eyebrows were of real lapis lazuli arq sw r xnt and he was bent [or reared] up in front
iw wp.n=f r=f r=i iw=i Hr Xt=i m-bAH=f He opened his mouth against me while I was upon my belly in his presence Dd=f n=i and he said to me nm in tw (sp 2) nDs "Who brought you, Who brought you little man? nm in tw Who brought you? ir wdf=k m Dd n=i in tw r iw pn if you delay in telling me who brought you to this island rdi=i rx=k tw iw=k m ss xpr.t m nty n mA.t=f I will give you to know yourself as ashes, becoming like someone who never was seen [i.e. who never existed]." iw mdw=k n=i nn wi Hr sDm st "You speak to me, without my understanding it iw=i m-bAH=k xm nn wi because I am in your presence! I don't know myself!
aHa.n rdi=f wi m r=f Then he put me in his mouth iT=f wi r st=f nt snDm so that he could take me to his dwelling place wAH=f wi nn dmi.t=i wDA=kwi nn iT.t im=i he set me down, I wasn't touched and I wasn't injured, there was nothing taken from me. [as in no bites taken out of me]
iw wp.n=f r=f r=i iw=i Hr Xt=i m-bAH=f He opened his mouth against me while I was on my belly in his presence. aHa.n Dd.n=f n=i Then he said to me nm in tw (sp 2) nDs "Who brought you, who brought you little man nm in tw r iw pn n wAD-wr nty gs(.wy)=fy m nwy who brought you to this island of the sea whose borders are waves?"
aHa.n wSb.n=i n=f st a.wy=i xAm m-bAH=f Then I answered him, with my arms raised in his presence. Dd=i n=f I said to him: ink pw hA=kwi r biA m wpw.t ity "I was going down to the quarry as a messenger of the king m dpt nt mH 120 m Aw=s mH 40 m wsx=s in a boat of 120 cubits in length, and 40 cubits in bredth. sqd 120 im=s m stp n kmt with 120 of the choicest sailors of Egypt in it. mA=sn pt mA=sn tA makA-ib=sn r mA.w Whether they look at heaven, or whether they look at the earth, their hearts are braver than lions. sr=sn Da n ii.t=f they can foretell a storm before its coming nSny n xpr.t=f foul weather before its formation wa im nb makA-ib=f nxt=f r sn.nw=f each in his heart was steadier, his arm more powerful than his companion nn wxA m Hr-ib=sn there was not a sluggart among them. Da pr iw=n m wAD-wr tp-a sAH=n tA A storm burst forth while we were at sea before we struck land fA(i).t TAw ir=f wHmyt a wind came up, and it created a howling nwyt im=f nt mH 8 a wave came with it, of 8 cubits in xt H(w)H n=i s(y) and a mast [or other piece of wood] broke and it hit me aHa.n dpt mt=t Then the boat died ntyw im=s n sp wa im Hr-xw=i of those who were in it, not one survived, except for me. mk wi r gs=k behold me, down beside you. aHa.n in=kwi r iw pn n wAw n wAD-wr Then I was taken to this desert island by a wave of the sea.
Dd.in=f n=i He said to me m snD m (sp 2) nDs do not fear, do not fear, little man m Atw Hr=k do not hide your face pH.n=k wi you have reached me mk nTr rdi.n=f anx=k behold, God, He has caused you to live. in.n=f tw r iw pn n kA nn ntt nn st m Xnw=f When he brought you to this island of souls, there is nothing that is not in its interior. iw=f mH Xr nfr.(w)t nb.t it is full possessing every good thing. mk tw r ir.t Abd Hr Abd r km.t=k Behold you will spend month on month until you have spent Abd 4 m Xnw n iw pn four months in the interior of this island iw dp.t r ii.t sqd.w im=s rx n=k then a boat will come from the interior with sailors in it that are known to you Sm=k Hna=sn r Xnw you will go with them to the interior mt=k m niwt=k and you will die in your own city
rS wy sDd dpt n=f sni xt mr how happy is it to say what he has experienced after the pain has passed. sDd=i rf n=k mitt iry xpr.w m iw pn let me tell you something similar which happened in this island wn=i im=f Hna sn.w=i Xrd.w m oAb=sn I lived on it together with my siblings, and my children in their coils [i.e. wound up with them like snakes do] km.n=n HfAw 75 m msw=i Hna sn.w=i a total of 75 snakes, my children with my siblings nn sHA=i nk sA.t ktt in.t n=i m sSA I will not recall to you a small daughter brought to me by prayer aHa.n sbA hA.w pr.n nA m xt m a=f Then a star fell, and these went up in flames with it xpr.n r=s nn wi Hna Am ny ???it happened that I did not burn with them??? nn wi m Hr-ib=sn becaise I was not in their midst aHa.n=i mt=kwi n sn gm.n=i st m XAy.t wa.t


















ir qn{n}=k dAr ib=k mH=k qni=k m Xrd.w=k sn=k Hm.t=k mA=k pr=k nfr st r xt nb.t pH=k Xnw wn=k im=f m qAb n sn.w=k wn=k rf dmA=kwi Ht Xt=i dmi.n=i sAtw m-bAH=f Dd=i rf n=k sDd=i bAw=k n ity di=i sSA=f m aA=k di=i in.t n=k ibi Hknw iwdnb XsAyt snTr n gs-pr.w sHtp.w nTr nb im=f sDd=i rf xpr.t Hr=i m mA=tn m bA.w=k dwA-nTr tw n=k m niwt xft Hr qnb.wt tA r Dr=f sft=i n=k iw.w m sb n sDt wSn.n=i n=k Apd.w di=i in.t n=k Haw Atp.w Xr Spss nb n km.t mi ir.t n nTr mrr=i rmT.w m tA wA n rx sw rmT.w aHa.n sbt.n=f im=i m nn Dd.n=i m nf m ib=f Dd=f n=i n wr.n=k antiw xpr.t nb snTr ink is HqA pwn.t antiw n=i im sw Hknw pf Dd.n=k in.t=f bw pw wr n iw pn xpr is iwd=k tw r st tn n sp mA=k iw pn xpr m nwy aHa.n dpt tf ii.t(i) mi sr.t.n=f xnt aHa.n Sm=kwi rdi.n wi Hr xt qA siA.n=i ntyw m Xnw=s aHa.n Sm=kwi r smit st gm.n=i sw rx st aHa.n Dd.n=f n=i snb=t(i) (sp 2) nDs r pr=k mA=k Xrd.w=k imi rn=i nfr m niwt=k mk Xr.wt=i pw im=k aHa.n rdi.n(=i) wi Hr Xt=i a.wy=i HAm m-bAH=f aHa.n rdi.n=f n=i sb.wt m antiw Hknw iwdnb XsAyt ti Sps SAas msdm.t sdw nw mama mrry.wt aA.t n.t snTr nDHyt n Ab.w Tsm.w gwf.w kyw.w Spss nb nfr aHa.n Atp.n=i st r dpt tn xpr.n rdi.t wi Hr Xt=i r dwA-nTr n=f aHa.n Dd.n=f n=i mk tw r spr r Xnw n abd 2 mH=k qni=k m Xrd.w=k rnpy=k m Xny qrst=k aHa.n hA(i)=kwi r mryt m hA.w dpt tn aHa.n=i Hr iAS n mSa.w nty m dpt tn rdi.n=i Hknw Hr mryt n nb n iw pn ntyw im=s r mitt iry na.t pw ir.n=n m xd r Xnw n ity spr.n=n r Xnw Hr Abd 2 mi Dd.t.n=f nb.t aHa.n aq=kwi Hr ity ms.n=i n=f in.w pn in.n=i m Xnw n iw pn aHa.n dwA-nTr.n=f n=i xft Hr qnb.wt tA r Dr=f aHa.n rdi=kwi r Smsw sAH=kwi m tp rmT.w 200 mA wi r-sA sAH tA r-sA mA=i dpt.n=i sDm rk n r=i mk nfr sDm n rmT.w aHa.n Dd.n=f n=i m ir iqr Xnms in-m rdi.t mw n Apd HD-tA n sft=f dwA iw=f pw HAt=f r pH(.wy)=fy mi gmyt m sS m mDAt sS iqr n Dba.w=f imny sA imny-aA anx(=w) (w)D(A=w) s(nb=w)