(1) ḥtp-ḏı͗ nswt ḥtp-ḏı͗ Jnp,w ḫnt,(j)-zḥ-nṯr tp(,j)-ḏw=f jm,j-Wt nb-tꜣ-ḏsr nb-qrs-nfr-m-ẖr(,t)-nṯr ḥtp-ḏı͗ Wsı͗r qrs.t(w)=f nfr m jz=f n,t(j) m jmn,t ḫpı͗=f ḥr wꜣ,t(.pl) nfr.t(.pl) — An offering which the king gives (and) an offering which Anubis gives, foremost of the divine booth, one who is upon his mountain, who is in Wet (i.e. the place of embalming), lord of the sacred land, lord of a good burial in the necropolis, (and) an offering which Osiris gives: that he be buried well in his tomb which is in the West, that he may travel upon the good ways,
(2) šms.t(w)=f jn kꜣ.pl=f šzp.t(w) ꜥ=f jn nṯr-ꜥꜣ sšmı͗.t(w)=f ḥr wꜣ,t.pl ḏsr.t ḫpp.t jmꜣḫ,w.pl ḥr=s(n) sjꜥ(r).t(w)=f n nṯr-ꜥꜣ m ı͗mꜣḫ,w — that he be followed by his kas, that his hand may be received by the great god, that he may be conducted upon the sacred ways on which the honored ones travel, that he may be ascended to the great god as an honored one,
(3) mrr.w nṯr-ꜥꜣ nb-jmꜣḫ nb-qrs-nfr-m-ẖr(,t)-nṯr pr(,t)-ḫrw (t’ ḥnq,t pꜣw,t) n=f m jmn,t ꜥꜣı͗(.t) wr,t sꜣḫ.t(w)=f jn ẖr(,j)-ḥ(ꜣ)b(,t).pl wt.pl ꜥšꜣ wr,t — whom the great god loves, possessor (lit., lord) of honor, possessor (lit., lord) of a good burial in the necropolis. An invocation offering (of bread, beer, and cake) is for him in the West, very greatly. May he be glorified by the lector priests and embalmers very much,
(4) m Wpı͗-rnp,t m Ḏḥw,t(y)t m Tp(,j)-rnp,t m Wꜣg m Ḥ(ꜣ)b-Zkr m Ḥ(ꜣ)b-wr m Rkḥ m Sꜣḏ m Pr,t-Mnw — in the New Year’s Day festival, in the Thoth (festival), in the First of the Year (festival), in the Wag (festival), in the Sokar festival, in the Great festival, in the Burning (festival), in the Sadj (festival), in the Coming Forth of Min (festival),
(5) m Smd(,t) Ꜣbd,w m Tp(,j).pl-rnp,t.pl m tp.pl mḏ.pl nb.pl m ḥ(ꜣ)b nb ꜥꜣ m ẖr,t-hrw rꜥw-nb mꜣ-ḥḏ ḫꜣ jwꜣ ḫꜣ r’ ḫꜣ ṯ(rp) ḫꜣ — in the Half-Month (festival) and the Month (festival), in the Beginning of the Year (festivals), in the beginnings of all the decades, in every great festival, in the daily needs of every day: 1000 oryx, 1000 cattle, 1000 r’-geese, 1000 ṯrp-geese
(6) z,t ḫꜣ s ḫꜣ mnw,t ḫꜣ šs ḫꜣ mnḫ,t ḫꜣ t ḫꜣ pꜣ,t ḫꜣ hnq,t ḫꜣ m t’ wꜣb n nṯr ꜥꜣ n (j)m(,j)-r’-wp,(w)t-ḥtp(,w)-nṯr-m-pr.du jmꜣḫ,w-ḫr-nṯr-ꜥꜣ — 1000 z,t-geese, 1000 s-geese, 1000 pigeons, 1000 alabaster (vessels), 1000 cloth, 1000 bread (loaves), 1000 cakes, 1000 beer as pure food (lit., bread) for the good god, for the overseer of the allocations of the god’s offering in the two houses, honored one before the great god
(7) ẖr(,j)-tp-nswt mdw-rḫ,yt jwn-Knmw,t ḥr(,j)-sštꜣ-n-wḏꜣ-mdw ḥm-nṯr-Mꜣꜥ,t sẖꜣ,w-ꜥ-(n-)nswt-ḫft-ḥr (j)m(,j)-r’-zẖꜣ,w(.pl)-mr,(w)t jmꜣḫ,w-ḫr- Jnp,w tp(,j)-ḏw=f jm,j-wt — royal chamberlain (lit., he who is at the head of the king), staff of the Rekhyt people, pillar of Kenmut, one privy to the secrets of judgement, priest of Ma’at, scribe of the document(s) of the king in the presence, overseer of scribe(s) of the meret-servants, honored one before Anubis, upon his mountain, Imiut (lit., who is in the place of embalming),
(8) sẖꜣ,w-ꜥ-(n-)nswt-ḫft-ḥr (j)m(,j)-r’-zẖꜣ,w(.pl)-mr,(w)t Jdw — scribe of the document(s) of the king in the presence, overseer of the scribe(s) of the meret-servents,[4] Idu
The architrave consists of two large blocks joining precisely over the center of the door (text described below) and a standing figure of Idu at the right facing left. He holds a long staff diagonally with his right hand and a scepter horizontally with his left, the scepter passing behind him, and wears a short pointed skirt painted yellow, a broad collar and wristlet painted blue, and a tight fitting wig; the body was painted red. All color has now disappeared. Above these fitting blocks is an overhang (eave) with sloping element, (east), and above these blocks two additional fitting blocks, the shorter block on the right (west), with the two lines of text arranged so that the first reads from right to left and continues the text in the second line from left to right (see text below). The hieroglyphs are finely cut with considerable interior detail. The six blocks which compose this monumental architrave are set on the natural rock above the entrance; they are now the only masonry blocks used in the chapel, which is otherwise cut from the natural rock.
(1) ḏd(=j) prı͗.n(=j) m njw.t hꜣ.n(=j) m spꜣ,t(=j) jrı͗.n(=j) Mꜣꜥ,t n nb=s sḥtp.n(=j) nṯr m mrr.t=f ḏd.n(=j) nfr wḫm(=j) nfr ḏd.n(=j) mꜣꜥ jrı͗.n(=j) mꜣꜥ ḏı͗(=j) t’ n ḥqr ḥbs — I say: I came forth from my town, I descended from my district (specifically) after I did Ma’at for its lord (and) I caused the god to be satisfied with what he desired. As I spoke well, so I repeated well; as I spoke justly, so I acted justly. I gave bread to the hungry (and) clothing
(2) <s> n ḥꜣ(,y) snḏ(=j) n jtj(=j) j(ꜣ)m(=j) n mw.t=j m sḫm.t.n(=j) jm n-zp ḏd(=j) ḫ,t nb(.t) ḏw(.t) jw(=j) šb(=j) r rmṯ(.w) nb.w n mrr(=j) hr(w).t bꜣ(q).t wnn ı͗mꜣḫ(=j) ḫr nṯr ḫr rmṯ ḏ,t — to the naked. I was in awe of my father (and) I was pleasant to my mother whenever I was able. I never spoke anything bad, (nor) was I evil (or) crooked1 Simpson (1976), p. 20, n. 4: Edel, in MDIK 13 (1944) 31 ; for bꜣḳ, see Barta, Aufbau, 99, no. 133 f, and Blackman, Meir IV, 25, n. 16. towards any people, because I desired to be content and safe2 Simpson (1976), p. 20, translated “I desired that one be satisfied and one be unmolested,” with a note on the last word: Edel, in MDIK 13 (1944) 35. (and) that I be a justified one before the god and people forever.
At the right end of the architrave, facing lines (1) to (8) of the inscription, is a striding figure of Idu, facing left. He wears a tight wig, a broad collar, and bracelets on each wrist, and a pointed, pleated skirt. He holds a long frequently discussed and illustrated staff in his right hand and a sekhem-wand, passing behind the skirt, in his left.
(1) ḥtp-ḏı͗ nswt ḥtp-ḏı͗ Jnp,w ḫnt,(j)-zḥ-nṯr tp(,j)-ḏw=f jm,j-Wt nb-tꜣ-ḏsr nb-qrs-nfr-m-ẖr(,t)-nṯr ḥtp-ḏı͗ Wsı͗r qrs.t(w)=f nfr m jz=f n,t(j) m jmn,t ḫpı͗=f ḥr wꜣ,t(.pl) nfr.t(.pl) — An offering which the king gives (and) an offering which Anubis gives, foremost of the divine booth, one who is upon his mountain, who is in Wet (i.e. the place of embalming), lord of the sacred land, lord of a good burial in the necropolis, (and) an offering which Osiris gives: that he be buried well in his tomb which is in the West, that he may travel upon the good ways,
(2) šms.t(w)=f jn kꜣ.pl=f šzp.t(w) ꜥ=f jn nṯr-ꜥꜣ sšmı͗.t(w)=f ḥr wꜣ,t.pl ḏsr.t ḫpp.t jmꜣḫ,w.pl ḥr=s(n) sjꜥ(r).t(w)=f n nṯr-ꜥꜣ m ı͗mꜣḫ,w — that he be followed by his kas, that his hand may be received by the great god, that he may be conducted upon the sacred ways on which the honored ones travel, that he may be ascended to the great god as an honored one,
(3) mrr.w nṯr-ꜥꜣ nb-jmꜣḫ nb-qrs-nfr-m-ẖr(,t)-nṯr pr(,t)-ḫrw (t’ ḥnq,t pꜣw,t) n=f m jmn,t ꜥꜣı͗(.t) wr,t sꜣḫ.t(w)=f jn ẖr(,j)-ḥ(ꜣ)b(,t).pl wt.pl ꜥšꜣ wr,t — whom the great god loves, possessor (lit., lord) of honor, possessor (lit., lord) of a good burial in the necropolis. An invocation offering (of bread, beer, and cake) is for him in the West, very greatly. May he be glorified by the lector priests and embalmers very much,
(4) m Wpı͗-rnp,t m Ḏḥw,t(y)t m Tp(,j)-rnp,t m Wꜣg m Ḥ(ꜣ)b-Zkr m Ḥ(ꜣ)b-wr m Rkḥ m Sꜣḏ m Pr,t-Mnw — in the New Year’s Day festival, in the Thoth (festival), in the First of the Year (festival), in the Wag (festival), in the Sokar festival, in the Great festival, in the Burning (festival), in the Sadj (festival), in the Coming Forth of Min (festival),
(5) m Smd(,t) Ꜣbd,w 3 Simpson (1976), p. 20, transliterated: m . . . nt ꜣbd and translates: “at the half-month (and) month festivals.” m Tp(,j).pl-rnp,t.pl m tp.pl mḏ.pl nb.pl m ḥ(ꜣ)b nb ꜥꜣ m ẖr,t-hrw rꜥw-nb mꜣ-ḥḏ ḫꜣ jwꜣ ḫꜣ r’ ḫꜣ ṯ(rp) ḫꜣ — in the Half-Month (festival) and the Month (festival), in the Beginning of the Year (festivals), in the beginnings of all the decades, in every great festival, in the daily needs of every day: 1000 oryx, 1000 cattle, 1000 r’-geese, 1000 ṯrp-geese
(6) z,t ḫꜣ s ḫꜣ mnw,t ḫꜣ šs ḫꜣ mnḫ,t ḫꜣ t ḫꜣ pꜣ,t ḫꜣ hnq,t ḫꜣ m t’ wꜣb n nṯr ꜥꜣ n (j)m(,j)-r’-wp,(w)t-ḥtp(,w)-nṯr-m-pr.du jmꜣḫ,w-ḫr-nṯr-ꜥꜣ — 1000 z,t-geese, 1000 s-geese, 1000 pigeons, 1000 alabaster (vessels), 1000 cloth, 1000 bread (loaves), 1000 cakes, 1000 beer as pure food (lit., bread) for the good god, for the overseer of the allocations of the god’s offering in the two houses, honored one before the great god
(7) ẖr(,j)-tp-nswt mdw-rḫ,yt jwn-Knmw,t ḥr(,j)-sštꜣ-n-wḏꜣ-mdw ḥm-nṯr-Mꜣꜥ,t sẖꜣ,w-ꜥ-(n-)nswt-ḫft-ḥr (j)m(,j)-r’-zẖꜣ,w(.pl)-mr,(w)t jmꜣḫ,w-ḫr- Jnp,w tp(,j)-ḏw=f jm,j-wt — royal chamberlain (lit., he who is at the head of the king), staff of the Rekhyt people, pillar of Kenmut, one privy to the secrets of judgement, priest of Ma’at, scribe of the document(s) of the king in the presence, overseer of scribe(s) of the meret-servants, honored one before Anubis, upon his mountain, Imiut (lit., who is in the place of embalming),
(8) sẖꜣ,w-ꜥ-(n-)nswt-ḫft-ḥr (j)m(,j)-r’-zẖꜣ,w(.pl)-mr,(w)t Jdw — scribe of the document(s) of the king in the presence, overseer of the scribe(s) of the meret-servents,4 Simpson (1976), p. 21, n. 6: On the mrt-serfs, see Abd el Mohsen Bakir, Slavery in Pharaonic Egypt, 22-25. Idu
At the right end of the architrave, facing lines (1) to (8) of the inscription, is a striding figure of Idu, facing left. He wears a tight wig, a broad collar, and bracelets on each wrist, and a pointed, pleated skirt. He holds a long frequently discussed and illustrated staff in his right hand and a sekhem-wand, passing behind the skirt, in his left.
1 Simpson (1976), p. 20, n. 4: Edel, in MDIK 13 (1944) 31 ; for bꜣḳ, see Barta, Aufbau, 99, no. 133 f, and Blackman, Meir IV, 25, n. 16.
2 Simpson (1976), p. 20, translated “I desired that one be satisfied and one be unmolested,” with a note on the last word: Edel, in MDIK 13 (1944) 35.
3 Simpson (1976), p. 20, transliterated: m . . . nt ꜣbd and translates: “at the half-month (and) month festivals.”
4 Simpson (1976), p. 21, n. 6: On the mrt-serfs, see Abd el Mohsen Bakir, Slavery in Pharaonic Egypt, 22-25.