16 lMy son, mlet tears fallm over the dead;

nShow thy griefn and wail out thy lamentation.

In accordance with what is due to him bury his body,

oAnd hide not thyselfo pwhen he expiresp.

17 qLet thy weeping be bitter and thy wailing passionateq;

And make mourning such as befits him:

A day or two on account of rgossipr—

And be consoled son account of (thy) [sorrow]s.

18 tFor out of sorrowt proceedeth ubaneu;

vEven sov wsadness of heartw x[prostrateth] vigourx.

S y19 z[Worse than death is abiding sorrow],

G(S) And an unfortunate life is cursed by the heartz.

HB 20 aAnd let him no more occupy thy thoughtsa:

bDismiss the remembrance of him, and remember the endb.

HB 21 c dRemember him not, for he hath no hoped;

Thou canst not profit him, while thou harmest thyself.

22 cRemember his doom, for it is the doom of thyself—

eHise yesterday, and thine to-day!

23 fWhen the dead is at rest, let his memory restf;

And be consoled when his soul departeth.

(a) 38:24–30. The superiority of the scribe over the labourer and artisan

(= 1 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 4 distichs).