The Commission to Abydos
1Live the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khekure (Sesostris III), who is given life forever and ever. Royal command to the hereditary prince, count, ..., wearer of the royal seal, sole companion, lord of the double gold-house, lord of the double silver-house, chief treasurer, Ikhernofret, revered: “My majesty commands that you shall be sent up-river to Abydos, to make monuments for my father Osiris, First of the Westerners, to adorn his secret place with the gold, which he caused my majesty to bring from Upper Nubia in victory and in triumph. Lo, you shall do this in ... for offering, in satisfying my father Osiris, since my majesty sends you, my heart being certain of your doing everything according to the desire of my majesty; since you have been brought up in the teaching of my majesty; you have been in the training of my majesty, and the sole teaching of my palace. My majesty appointed you ..., while you were a young man of 26 years. My majesty has done this, (because) I have seen you to be one excellent in character, ready of tongue on coming forth from the body, and sufficient in speech. My majesty [sends] you to do this, (since) my [majesty] has recognized that no one doing it possesses your good qualities. Quickly go, and do according to all that my majesty has commanded.” I did according to all that his majesty commanded, by adorning all that my lord commanded for his father, Osiris, First of the Westerners, lord of Abydos, great, mighty one residing in Thinis. I acted as “Son, Whom He Loves,” for Osiris, First of the Westerners, I adorned the great ... forever and ever. I made for him a portable shrine, the “Bearer-of-Beauty” of the “First-of-the-Westerners,” of gold, silver, lazuli, fragrant woods, carob wood, and meru wood. (I) fashioned the gods belonging to his divine ennead, (I) made their shrines anew. I caused the lay priests to know how to do their duties, (I) caused them to know the stipulation of every day, the feasts of the beginnings of the seasons. I superintended the work on the sacred barque, I fashioned (its) chapel. I decked the body of the lord of Abydos with lazuli and malachite, electrum, and every costly stone, among the ornaments of the limbs of a god. I dressed the god in his regalia by virtue of my office as master of secret things, and of my duty as wab-priest. I was pure-handed in decking the god, a sem-priest of clean fingers. I celebrated the (feast of) “Going Forth” of Upwawet, when he proceeded to champion his father. I repelled the foe from the sacred barque, I overthrew the enemies of Osiris. I celebrated the “Great Going Forth,” following the god at his going. I sailed the divine boat of Thoth upon .... I equipped the barque (called) “Shining-in-Truth” of the lord of Abydos, with a chapel. (I) put on his regalia when he went forth to ... Peker; I led the way of the god to his tomb before Peker; I championed Wennofer at “That Day of the Great Conflict”; I slew all the enemies upon the flats of Nedyt. I conveyed him into the barque (called) “The Great,” when it bore his beauty; I gladdened the heart of the eastern highlands; I ...ed the rejoicing in the western highlands. When they saw the beauty of the sacred barge, as it landed at Abydos, they brought [Osiris, First of the Westerners, lord] of Abydos to his palace, and I followed the god into his house, to attend to his ..., when he resumed his seat. I loosed the knot in the midst of ... his attendants, among his courtiers.