Instruction of Amenemope

Budge1924 English printed page 153

THE TEACHING OF AMEN-EM-APT 153 166. Let every man have his hour {i.e., let every man choose his own time for his own affairs). XXVI. 167. Form not the habit of ordering thyself to seek for more than thou hast 168. [When] thy own goods and possessions are in thy safe keeping. XXVII. 169. If valuable goods which have been obtained by robbery have been brought together by thee 170. They will not pass the night in thy hands, 171. At daybreak certainly they will not be in thy house. 172. They will look at the place where they were, and most assuredly they will not be [there] ; they have swallowed them- selves. 173. Either the ground has opened its mouth, and swallowed them up straightway, 174. (Col. X). And they have sunk down deep in the abyss [thereof] ; 175. [Or] they have become a great broken heap through rust (or, decay) ; 176. [Or] they have become submerged in the room [for waste] ; 177. [Or] they have made for themselves wings like the geese, 178. [And] have spread their wings and flown up into the sky. XXVIII. 179. Make not thyself to take pleasure in rich treasures that have been obtained by robbery,