Gerhard Fecht's theory of Egyptian metrics, as developed in three major articles and a monograph,2 is an impressive body of work and one which presents a large challenge. For his theory, if accepted, would greatly affect the rendering of Egyptian texts. A critical examination is all the more urgent as the theory has already found acceptance in some quarters without having been subjected to scrutiny.3 The theory consists of a basic hypothesis and several elaborations. The basic hypothesis states that ancient Egyptian metrics was an accentuating metrics that consisted of the systematized stressing of of meaning. These of were, on the one hand, single words, and on the other, such word-clusters as formed semantic units by virtue of their accentuation, as, for example, finite verb and noun, verb with pronominal suffix and direct object, all status constructus formations, and others. As a result, the individual metrically structured (I use line for his Vers) is a sentence in which specified units of meaning (which he calls cola) carry stresses. Of such stresses there are usually two or three in any one line. This predominance of twoor three-stress lines becomes appa ent when one applies the rules of unit stress in a systematic way. The system of unit-stress was rigidly fixed in Middle Egyptian and remained in force wherever Middle Egyptian was used. And because the stress is carried by units of meaning that are words or word-clusters, the syllables as such do not affect the metrical pattern ; their number may vary, they need not be counted, and their vocalization is irrelevant to the recognition of the metrical scheme. S much for the basic theory, a theory which may fairly be called breathtaking in its sweep, that is, in the manner in which it eliminates the need to determine the vocalization of Egyptian, and the need to think in terms of the stress, or number, of syllables. It is an enticing theory which invites one to try it out in the reading of text , so as to see how far it may be applicable, whether it might require modifications, and, altogether, whether it could move from the realm of a hypothesis to that of an accepted insight. Furthermore, the theory might recommend itself to the attention of Old Testament scholars in connection with the still unresolved and much