Wider Ancient Witness Archive · 4.1 Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom Background Archive
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The Instruction of Kagemni
This text is included as a comparative, historical, philosophical, ritual, textual, or fragmentary witness. It is not presented as part of the Restored Bible.
The Instruction of Kagemni
[The close of an old Egyptian instruction; the beginning is lost.]
The respectful man prospers; praise is for the gentle. The tent is open to the silent; wide is the seat of the calm. Do not speak sharply. The knife is sharp against the one who pushes his way, that he be turned aside; do not press forward.
When you sit at table with many, take what is set before you, and do not stare at what is before your neighbor. A piece of bread is pleasing to the heart; do not be greedy, lest you be rebuked. The greedy man is hated; a cup of water quenches the thirst, and a mouthful of herbs steadies the heart. One good thing stands for goodness; a little of something is better than much of nothing. He who is greedy of belly, time passes him by, and he is forgotten in the houses where the belly is the master.
When the vizier had finished writing this for his children, they said, All that is in it is sound; and they did according to it, and it was found good in their hearts beyond anything in the whole land. [Line damaged]
[Fragment breaks here]