Incipit: Sinuhe introduces himself.

Death of King Amenemhat.

While on a war campaign,
Sesostris is secretely informed of his father's death
and flies back to Court.

Having discovered a conspiration
the frightened Sinuhe decides to leave Egypt.

Sinuhe flies towards the eastern lands.
Exhausted, thirsty, at the end of his strength
he is on the verge of death.

He is rescued by a tribe of bedouins
who assist him and give him hospitality.

Summoned by Amuneneshi, king of Retenu,
Sinuhe tells him the story of his flight.

Amuneneshi asks Sinuhe about Egypt inner political situation.
Sinuhe - diplomatically - tells him everything is all right
and praises Sesostris' strength and goodness.

Amuneneshi invites Sinuhe to stay with him,
gives him a rich land and makes him
chief of one of his first-rate tribes.

Sinuhe - who has become strong and powerful -
is indispensable for Amuneneshi
who raises him to the rank of general of his army
so that he may have under control
the land and the warlike chiefs of his tribes.

Sinuhe is challenged to a duel
by a champion of the bellicose chiefs of Retenu.

The duel.
Sinuhe kills his challenger and gets his lands and goods.

Sinuhe sees in this victory a sign of divine favour
and prays the God who led him astray
to bring him back to Egypt.

Informed about Sinuhe's wishes
Sesostris invites his former servant
to come back to Egypt
so that he can end his days, in peace,
in his native land.

Full of gratitude
Sinuhe sends a thankful message to Sesostris
telling him that he accepts his magnanimous invitation.

Sinuhe resigns from his office,
bequeaths his goods to his elder son
and leaves Retenu for Egypt,
where he reaches Sesostris' Court.

Sinuhe meets Sesostris,
who wants to know the motives of his flight.
Sinuhe can hardly explain
and puts himself in his king's hands.

The young princesses try to soften the king's heart towards Sinuhe
with a dance and a song in praise of Sesostris
who lets himself be won.

Sinuhe is restored to his old rank,
he obtains goods and benefits
and lives in the king's favour
for the rest of his life.