The Tale of Sinuhe: and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems 1940-1640 B.C.

Neferti is an Old Kingdom sage who lived during the reign of King Senferu (c.2575-2551 BCE). “The Words of Neferti” depicts a social context for literature of the Middle Kingdom, as it shows the king writing down the speech Neferti has been summoned to give him. Instead of offering entertainment or eulogy, Neferti prophesies doom. Parkinson calls the poem “a tightly organized complaint about the vicissitudes of life” (131) that might reflect fears about the troubled early beginning of the 12th Dynasty.

Neferti’s laments are expressed in dualistic terms, inventories of woe both general and particular, with cosmic, social, and personal chaos all interwoven. Neferti predicts order will be restored by Ameny—likely Amenemhat, founder of the 12th Dynasty, responsible for building the Walls of the Ruler. The most complete remaining manuscript of the poem dates to the 18th Dynasty.

The Dual King Sneferu bids his Council to bring him a clever man “who will tell me a few perfect words / choice verses / which my Majesty will be entertained to hear” (134). They bring him Neferti, a sage from the east and a chief lector priest of Bastet. The King instructs Neferti to speak of what will happen, and he takes up writing materials to record what the priest says.