LIzincwadi ze-sapiential zavela eGibhithe ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesithathu ye-BC ngesimo semfundiso kusuka kubaba kuya endodaneni yakhe. Imayelana nokufunda ukuphila ngokuhambisana nomqondo oyisisekelo wokuba khona eGibhithe lasendulo: Ma'at.
Ukuqala komcabango waseGibhithe enkulungwaneni yesithathu yeminyaka ye-BC ukucabanga ngempilo evumelana neMa'at njengento yokufunda, ngokususelwa kokuhlangenwe nakho kokhokho abakhulu, hhayi njengomthetho oveziwe waphezulu. Ngakho-ke owokuqala ukuphoqa "ukufundisa" kwakhe, ngokwesiko, yi-Imhotep edumile (cishe ngonyaka we-3 BC), umsunguli wezakhiwo zamatshe ezinkulu, umakhi wesivivane sesinyathelo seNkosi uDjoser (ubukhosi besithathu) eSaqqara.
Imfundiso kaPtahhotep yethulwa njengombhalo ophelele, owaziwa ngamakhophi akamuva. Okuphelele kakhulu yilokho kwePapyrus Prisse (iParis, iBibl. Nat. De France) esukela ebukhosini be-12 (cishe ngo-1990-1785 BC). Ikhombisa kahle ukucabanga kwamakhosi okuhlakanipha aseGibhithe kusukela enkulungwaneni yesithathu yeminyaka BC.
MAXIME 1:
Ngokuthobeka nokutholakala kwamagama aphelele.
Wayesethi encekwini yakhe: "Inhliziyo yakho mayingabi yize ngenxa yalokho okwaziyo; uthatha iseluleko kwabangenalwazi kanye nososayensi, ngoba omunye akafinyeleli emkhawulweni wezobuciko, futhi akekho ochwepheshe othole ukuphelela. Izwi eliphelele lifihliwe kakhulu kunelitshe elihlaza; kodwa itholakala eduze namantombazane asebenza etsheni lokugaya.
MAXIME 2:
Ubuciko bokuphikisana nomuntu ophakeme.
Uma uhlangana nomphikisi osebenzayo, oqondisa inhliziyo yakhe futhi onamandla ngaphezu kwakho, ukugoba izingalo zakho bese uphawula emuva; Angazi inhliziyo yakho ngokumelene naye ngoba ngeke umfanise naye. Kwangathi unganciphisa lowo oziveza kabi ngokungamphikisi lapho enza; Yile ndlela azobekwa ngayo njengengalazi ngokushesha nje lapho inhliziyo yakho ichithe ukukhululeka kwayo.
MAXIME 3: