Installation of the Vizier
Encyclopedia
The Installation of the vizier, alt. Instruction of Rekhmire, Regulation laid upon the vizier Rekhmire, is an ancient Egyptian text dating to the New Kingdom
found in Rekhmire
's tomb at Thebes. It describes the office of the Egyptian vizier
, his appointment, his duties, his relationships to other officials, and how to behave.
Two incomplete copies of the Regulation laid upon the vizier Rekhmire have survived, one in the tomb of Woser (reign of Thutmose III
) and another in the tomb of Amenemope
(reign of Amenhotep II
. The vizier's main functions according to the Regulation are in the fields of the judciary, treasury
, war
, interior, agriculture
, and general executive
.
Look to the office of vizier,
Watch over all that is done in it,
Lo, it is the pillar for the whole land.
Lo, being vizier,
Lo, it is not sweet.
Lo, it is bitter as gall.
Lo, he is the copper that shields the gold of his masters house,
Lo, he is not one who bends his face to magistrates and councilors,
Not one who makes of anyone his client.
Lo, what a man does in his master's house will be his happiness,
Lo, he shall not act of another.
Lo, petitioners come from the South and the North,
The whole land is eager for [the counsel of the vizier];
See to it that all is done according to law,
That all is done exactly right,
In his vindication.
Lo, the magistrate who judges in public,
Wind and water report all that he does,
Lo, there is none who ignores his deeds.
If he makes [a mistake in deciding] his case,
And fails to reveal it through the mouth of the clerk,
It will be known through the mouth of him whom he judged,
Through his telling it to the clerk by saying:
"This is not the decision of my case."
If the petitioner is sent....or magistrate,
One will not ignore what he did.
Lo, the magistrate's safety is acting by the rule,
In acting on a petitioner's speech;
"I was not given my right."
Avoid what was said of the vizier Akhtoy,
That he denied his won people for the sake of others,
For fear of being falsely called.
If one of them appealed a judgement,
That he had planned to do to him,
He persisted in denying him,
But that is excess of justice.
Do not judge unfairly,
God abhors partiality;
This is an instruction,
Plan to act accordingly.
Regard one you know like one you don't know,
One near you like one far from you.
The magistrate who acts like this,
He will succeed here in this place.
Do not pass over a petitioner,
Before you have considered his speech.
When a petitioner is about to petition you,
Don't dismiss what he says as already said.
Deny him after you let him hear
On what account you have denied him.
Lo, it is said:
"A petitioner wants his plea considered
Rather than have his case adjudged."
Do not scold a man wrongfully,
Scold where scolding is due.
Cast your fear, that you be feared,
The feared magistrate is a magistrate.
A magistrate's worth is that he does right,
But if a man makes himself feared a million times,
People think something is wrong with him,
And they don't say of him, "He is a man."
This too is said:
A magistrate who lies comes out as he deserves.
Lo, you succeed in doing this office by doing justice,
Lo, doing justice is what is wanted in the actions of the vizier,
Lo, the vizier is its true guardian since the time of god.
Lo, what one says of the vizier's chief scribe:
"Scribe of Justice" one says of him.
As to the hall in which you judge,
It has a room full of decisions.
He who does justice before all people,
He is the vizier.
Lo, a man remains in his office,
If he acts as he is charged,
Innocent is the man who acts as he is told.
Do not act willfully
In a case where the law is known;
For as regards the headstrong man,
The Lord prefers the timid to the headstrong man.
Act then in accord with the charge given you.
Lo.
Text from http://www.touregypt.net/installationofvizier.htm.
New Kingdom
The New Kingdom of Egypt, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt....
found in Rekhmire
Rekhmire
Rekhmire was a noble and official of 18th dynasty Egypt who served as "Governor of the Town" and Vizier during the reigns of Tuthmosis III and Amenhotep II. He was the nephew of Vizier User, who took office at the time of the fifth year of Queen Hatshepsut’s reign. User's official titles included...
's tomb at Thebes. It describes the office of the Egyptian vizier
Vizier (Ancient Egypt)
The vizier was the highest official in Ancient Egypt to serve the king, or pharaoh during the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Vizier is the generally accepted rendering of ancient Egyptian tjati, tjaty etc, among Egyptologists...
, his appointment, his duties, his relationships to other officials, and how to behave.
Two incomplete copies of the Regulation laid upon the vizier Rekhmire have survived, one in the tomb of Woser (reign of Thutmose III
Thutmose III
Thutmose III was the sixth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. During the first twenty-two years of Thutmose's reign he was co-regent with his stepmother, Hatshepsut, who was named the pharaoh...
) and another in the tomb of Amenemope
Amenemope
Amenemope the son of Kanakht is the ostensible author of the Instruction of Amenemope, an Egyptian wisdom text written in the Ramesside Period. He is portrayed as a scribe and sage who lived in Egypt during the 20th Dynasty of the New Kingdom and resided in Akhmim , the capital of the ninth nome...
(reign of Amenhotep II
Amenhotep II
Amenhotep II was the seventh Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt. Amenhotep inherited a vast kingdom from his father Thutmose III, and held it by means of a few military campaigns in Syria; however, he fought much less than his father, and his reign saw the effective cessation of hostilities...
. The vizier's main functions according to the Regulation are in the fields of the judciary, treasury
Treasury
A treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
, war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, interior, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, and general executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
.
Translated English Text
His majesty said to him:Look to the office of vizier,
Watch over all that is done in it,
Lo, it is the pillar for the whole land.
Lo, being vizier,
Lo, it is not sweet.
Lo, it is bitter as gall.
Lo, he is the copper that shields the gold of his masters house,
Lo, he is not one who bends his face to magistrates and councilors,
Not one who makes of anyone his client.
Lo, what a man does in his master's house will be his happiness,
Lo, he shall not act of another.
Lo, petitioners come from the South and the North,
The whole land is eager for [the counsel of the vizier];
See to it that all is done according to law,
That all is done exactly right,
In his vindication.
Lo, the magistrate who judges in public,
Wind and water report all that he does,
Lo, there is none who ignores his deeds.
If he makes [a mistake in deciding] his case,
And fails to reveal it through the mouth of the clerk,
It will be known through the mouth of him whom he judged,
Through his telling it to the clerk by saying:
"This is not the decision of my case."
If the petitioner is sent....or magistrate,
One will not ignore what he did.
Lo, the magistrate's safety is acting by the rule,
In acting on a petitioner's speech;
"I was not given my right."
Avoid what was said of the vizier Akhtoy,
That he denied his won people for the sake of others,
For fear of being falsely called.
If one of them appealed a judgement,
That he had planned to do to him,
He persisted in denying him,
But that is excess of justice.
Do not judge unfairly,
God abhors partiality;
This is an instruction,
Plan to act accordingly.
Regard one you know like one you don't know,
One near you like one far from you.
The magistrate who acts like this,
He will succeed here in this place.
Do not pass over a petitioner,
Before you have considered his speech.
When a petitioner is about to petition you,
Don't dismiss what he says as already said.
Deny him after you let him hear
On what account you have denied him.
Lo, it is said:
"A petitioner wants his plea considered
Rather than have his case adjudged."
Do not scold a man wrongfully,
Scold where scolding is due.
Cast your fear, that you be feared,
The feared magistrate is a magistrate.
A magistrate's worth is that he does right,
But if a man makes himself feared a million times,
People think something is wrong with him,
And they don't say of him, "He is a man."
This too is said:
A magistrate who lies comes out as he deserves.
Lo, you succeed in doing this office by doing justice,
Lo, doing justice is what is wanted in the actions of the vizier,
Lo, the vizier is its true guardian since the time of god.
Lo, what one says of the vizier's chief scribe:
"Scribe of Justice" one says of him.
As to the hall in which you judge,
It has a room full of decisions.
He who does justice before all people,
He is the vizier.
Lo, a man remains in his office,
If he acts as he is charged,
Innocent is the man who acts as he is told.
Do not act willfully
In a case where the law is known;
For as regards the headstrong man,
The Lord prefers the timid to the headstrong man.
Act then in accord with the charge given you.
Lo.
Text from http://www.touregypt.net/installationofvizier.htm.