It is difficult to prove that in Ancient Egypt a 99-year lease of land was intended to be permanent, but most scholars are inclined to believe that it was; see J.G. Manning, "Land and Power in Ptolemaic Egypt", p. 189 ( Google Books ). Some other examples of Egyptian 99-year leases are listed in a thesis by E. Karev, "Slavery and Servitude in Late Period Egypt", pp.189-191 ( PDF ).
The translation is adapted from T. Andrzejewski,, "Un contrat ptolemaïque de Djeme" ( PDF ). In typical Egyptian fashion, the length of the lease is defined by using two different measurements: 1204½ 30-day months = 36,135 days = 99 365-day years.
In year 51, second month of the harvest season, day 12, of king (l.p.h.) Ptolemy (l.p.h.), benevolent god, son of Ptolemy (l.p.h.) and queen (l.p.h.) Cleopatra (l.p.h.), his sister, and queen (l.p.h.) Cleopatra (l.p.h.) his wife, benevolent gods; of the priest of Alexander (l.p.h.), and of the saviour gods, of the brother gods, of the benevolent gods, of the gods who love their fathers, 2 of the gods who manifest themselves, of the god who loves his mother, of the god whose father is noble, of the benevolent gods; and of the bearer of the trophy of victory {athlophoros} of Berenice (l.p.h.), the benevolent; and of the bearer of the golden basket {kanephoros} before Arsinoē (l.p.h.) who loves her brother; and of the priestess of Arsinoē who loves her father; as well as of those who are established in Rakoti, and in Psoï which is in the district of Ne.
Said the god's father, the prophet of Amun-Re king of the gods, the servant of . . . , the servant of Horus, the prophet of Wr (?), the scribe of Nḫt (?), 3 the servant of the benevolent gods, of the gods who love their fathers, of the gods who manifest themselves, of the god who loves his mother, of the god whose father is noble, of the benevolent gods, the first prophet of Amun, the second prophet of Amun, the prophet to Djeme, and the rest, Espemetis, son of Wesirwer, to the pastophoros of Amenope of Western Thebes, Medj (?), son of Harsiese, whose mother is Tcherenthut: I have rented out to you 6 land cubits, which make 4 600 square cubits, which make again 6 land cubits, from my estate belonging to Amun of Djeme, which is located in the southern quarter of Djeme. The neighbours of these 6 land cubits : to the south, my estate belonging to Amun of Djeme; to the north, the King's street, to the east, my estate belonging to Amun of Djeme that I rented from Petekhons, son of Jehopehib; to the west, my estate which is among the estates belonging to Amun of Djeme that I rented from 5 Petemin, son of Petethut; this is the sum of the neighbours of the entire plot of land, of which half belongs to Hor, son of Harsiese, your younger brother.
It belongs to you, it is yours, the aforementioned plot of land, which measures 6 land cubits, which make 600 square cubits, which make again 6 land cubits. I have nothing in the world against you as regards it, from the aforementioned day. Everyone who rises up against you, because of the plot of land in my name, I will remove him from you; you 6 may build a house where you may live, you, and your children, and your children's children, from the aforesaid day, for 99 years, which equal 1204 months and a half, which equal again 99 years, without any detriment.
Written by Harsiese, son of Khenstefnakhte, who writes in the name of Espemetis son of Wesirwer, the prophet of Djeme.
7 Written by Khenstefnakhte, son of Harsiese, after he had viewed the aforesaid document.
{ Names of 12 witnesses on the reverse: }
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