← All works

Proverbs: collection 1

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 354 sections

1. A.1

   niĝ2-gen6-na-da a-ba in-da-sa2 nam-til3 i3-u3-tud

   Who can compete with righteousness? It creates life.

2. A.2

   niĝ2-erim2-e a2-bi ḫe2-bi2-ib2-kuš2-u3 {d}utu me-da tum3

   If wickedness exerts itself, how will Utu succeed?

3. A.3

   niĝ2 gu2 kud-ku5-ra2 gu2 nam-ba-e-ku5-re6

   You should not cut the throat of that which has already had its throat cut.

4. A.4

   {d}nin-ĝiš-zid-da-ra ga-til3 na-an-na-ab-be2-en

   You should not say to Ninĝišzida: Let me live!

5. A.5

   ⌈kan4⌉-na nam-mu-e-ni-dib-be2

   Do not make me pass through the gate!

6. A.6

   niĝ2 gu2 ĝar-ra niĝ2 gaba ĝar-ra

   What has submitted will exhibit resistance.

7. A.7

   niĝ2 ḫa-lam-ma diĝir-ra-kam šu tu-tu nu-ub-zu

   What has been destroyed belongs to a god. No one is able to take it away.

8. A.8

   ninda-ĝu10 ḫe2-ĝal2 ninda-zu ga-gu7

   Though I still have bread left over, I will eat your bread! Will this endear a man to the household of his friend?

9. A.9

   e2 dub3-sa-na-ka lu2 ba-ni-ib-kal-le

10. A.10

    ninda ḫe2-ĝal2-e {d}nin-kilim ib2-gu7

    If bread is left over, the mongoose eats it. If I have any bread left over, then a stranger will eat it.

11. A.11

    ninda ḫa-ma-ĝal2-e lu2-kur2-ra ib2-gu7

12. A.12

    niĝ2-ĝu10 niĝ2 am3-kur2

    My things changed things.

13. A.13

    niĝ2 i3-pad3-da-zu nu-ub-be2-en

    You don't speak of that which you have found. You talk only about what you have lost.

14. A.14

    niĝ2 u2-gu de2-a-zu ab-be2-en

15. A.15

    niĝ2 ud-bi-ta la-ba-ĝal2-la

    Something which has never occurred since time immemorial: a young woman did not fart in her husband's embrace.

16. A.16

    ki-sikil tur ur2 dam-ma-na-ka še10 nu-ub-dur2-re

17. A.17

    niĝ2 ud tur-ra-kam

    It is a thing of short duration.

18. A.18

    niĝ2-ḫul dim2-ma-zu a-na-am3 na-an-na-ab-be2-en

    Whatever it is that hurts you, don't talk to anyone about it.

19. A.19

    ⌈niĝ2-tuku⌉-tuku al-su3-ud

    Wealth is far away, poverty is close at hand.

20. A.20

    nam-ukur3-ra al-ku-nu

21. A.21

    niĝ2 am3-da-tuku-tuku igi am3-da-uru3-e

    He who possesses many things is constantly on guard.

22. A.22

    [niĝ2]-⌈gur11 niĝ2⌉-ĝiškim-⌈? ši-dugud-dugud⌉

    Possessions make trust of crucial importance.

23. A.23

    niĝ2-gur11 buru5{mušen} dal-dal

    Possessions are flying birds -- they never find a place to settle.

24. A.24

    ki-tuš nu-pad3-de3-dam

25. A.25

    da-ga nam-kug-zu {d}lamma ib2-da-nu2 a2 bi2-ib-ĝar

    Good fortune is embedded in reinforces organisation and wisdom.

26. A.26

    niĝ2 ud-de3 gu7 ur-re ba-an-ĝar

    What is eaten for today (?) was put there by the dog. What is eaten by the dog was put there for today (?).

27. A.27

    niĝ2 ur-re gu7 ud-de3 ba-an-ĝar

28. A.28

    ninda ḫul ba-ĝal2-la gu2-zu gu2-ĝu10 la-ba-ši-šub

    One shouldn't I will not scorn bread which has turned bad.

29. A.29

    ninda MAŠ šag4-da zig3-ga-ab

    Give out only half a loaf voluntarily!

30. A.30

    niĝ2-tuku al di keše2-re niĝ2-gig-ga-am3

    To be wealthy and insist (?) on demanding more is abominable.

31. A.31

    […] UG ĝeštug2-zu […] ⌈?⌉-re

    (1 line fragmentary)

32. A.32

    ⌈niĝ2⌉-? ⌈?⌉-? nidba tag-⌈ga⌉

    (1 line unclear)

33. A.33

    niĝ2 ak-? gu7 nam ḫe2-eb-tar

    Let him decree the fates while consuming what you have made.

34. A.34

    niĝ2 nu-dug3 ga-dug4-dug4

    I always seem to be speaking about unpleasant things.

35. A.35

    niĝ2-sam2-ma sig10-ga šag4-ta ib2-ta-e3

    When a purchase is settled it is soon out of mind.

36. A.36

    niĝ2 igi nu-du8-a-gin7 mu-un-ak

    He did something never seen before.

37. A.37

    [niĝ2] ⌈u2⌉ nu-gu7 am kur-ra-ka

    That which does not eat grass is a wild bull of the mountains. That which does not drink water is a gazelle of the mountains.

38. A.38

    [niĝ2] a nu-naĝ maš-da3 kur-ra-ka

39. A.39

    [ninda] šu-a ti-a ⌈li-bi2⌉-in-gur-ra

    One does not return borrowed bread.

40. A.40

    niĝ2 ⌈e2⌉ zig3-ga niĝir-e an-ḫul2

    The herald rejoices when the estate makes expenditures.

41. A.41

    [niĝ2] ⌈e2⌉ de5-⌈de5-ga aĝrig⌉-e an-ḫul2

    The steward rejoices when the estate increases its income.

42. A.42

    [niĝ2] ? X X ?-e-sam2

    …… slave …… bought …….

43. A.43

    niĝ2 nam-til-til-de3-en eĝer-bi ga-ra-an-da-am3

    Don't pick things now; they will bear fruit later.

44. A.44

    niĝ2 inim bal-e-en-na-zu

    Who will listen to your translations?

45. A.45

    a-ba-am3 ĝiš mu-ra-an-tuku-tuku

46. A.46

    niĝ2 ab-ak-ak-na-zu niĝ2 ak tur lu2 ne in-nu

    What you are doing is a small accomplishment. That man is not doing a man's work.

47. A.47

    ninda i3-sig10 šu nu-un-gur

    Bread is served but it is not used for wiping. Water is poured out, and then drunk by the ground. In the nether world, the most honoured place, since it is water and food, it is called a water libation.

48. A.48

    a ib2-ta-de2 ki-in-du ba-ab-naĝ

49. A.49

    kur-ra ki kal-la-kal-la-ba

50. A.50

    a-am3 u2-am3 a-de2-da mu-pad3-de3-dam

51. A.51

    ninda-gin7 an-pad […]-da-an-šar2

    He broke it like bread and mixed it with …….

52. A.52

    ninda-ni niĝ2-u2-zug4 ḫe2-a

    Let his bread be foul food; no man should eat it.

53. A.53

    lu2 nam-bi2-in-šu2-šu2

54. A.54

    ninda-ni ninda nunuz dalla ḫe2-a zi-ni ḫe2-am3-su-ub a-ka-<al>-šu lu pe-lu-[u2]-ma […]

    Let his food be bread and …… eggs, so that it clogs his throat.

55. A.55

    ninda-ni ĝiri3-pax(PAD)-ra2 dalla ḫe2-a zi-ni ḫe2-keše2 a-ka-<al>-šu lu da-du-ma li-ip-!-iq-šu

    Let his food be …… bones, so that it sticks in his throat.

56. A.56

    ninda-ni uzu ⌈dalla⌉ [ḫe2-a] zi-ni ḫe2-⌈en⌉-[…]

    Let his food be …… meat, so that it …… his throat.

57. A.57

    niĝ2 maḫ gu7-⌈gu7⌉ […] ⌈?⌉ nu-KU

    He who eats too much …… cannot …….

58. A.58

    niĝ2-zu2-gub-zu X-ra-gin7 pad-ma-an-de3-eb

    Break a bit of your lunch off for me like a …….

59. A.59

    ninda tun3-pad daĝal-le X i3-ta ab-ta-šar2

    …… a thick piece of bread …… mixed it with fat.

60. A.60

    zid2-gu ama-a-⌈?⌉-[(X)]-! lal3 i3-nun-ta ḫe2-eb2-ta-ḫi a-nir-bi nu-gul-e

    Although the chickpea-flour of the home-born slaves …… is mixed with honey and ghee, there is no end to their lamentations.

61. A.61

    dabin a-šag4-ga {uzu}suš2-am3

    Barley flour, in the fields, is meat fat.

62. A.62

    a-šag4-ga ninda ĝal2-la dili-e-eš gu7-u3-da

    Whatever food is available in the fields is to be eaten alone.

63. A.63

    zid2-gu munus-munus-e e2-gal-e ba-ab-du7

    Chickpea-flour is appropriate for every woman in the palace.

64. A.64

    ninda in-na-til-la-am3

    His bread is finished.

65. A.65

    {ninda}gug2 du8 šag4 niĝ2-silaĝ-ĝa2 in-nu-u3

    There is no baked cake in the middle of the dough.

66. A.66

    ninda 2(MIN) ⌈MAŠ⌉-ta-am3 du8-u3-de3 šag4-ĝu10 am3-tum3-de3

    My heart urged me to bake two loaves out of a half. My hands were unable to take them out of the oven.

67. A.67

    šu-ĝu10 {im}šu-rin-na-ta nu-ub-ta-ed2-de3

68. A.68

    ninda {ĝiš}ma2-am3 a {ĝiš}gi-muš-am3

    Bread is the boat, water is the punt-pole.

69. A.69

    {ĝiš}šu-kar2-ĝu10 šum2-ma-ab

    Give me my tools and I will launch my boat.

70. A.70

    {ĝiš}ma2-ĝu10 zag ga-ab-tag

71. A.71

    ukur3 ḫa-ba-ug7 nam-ba-da-til3-i

    Let the poor man die, let him not live. When he finds bread, he finds no salt. When he finds salt, he finds no bread. When he finds meat, he finds no condiments. When he finds condiments, he finds no meat. When he finds oil, he finds no jar. When he finds a jar, he finds no oil.

72. A.72

    ninda i3-pad3 mun nu-pad3 mun i3-pad3 ninda nu-pad3

73. A.73

    uzu i3-pad3 gazi nu-pad3 gazi i3-pad3 uzu nu-pad3 i3 i3-pad3 šaĝan nu-pad3 šaĝan i3-pad3 i3 nu-pad3

74. A.74

    e-sir2-ra ḫe2-du silim-eš2 gu3 nu-um-de2

    When he walks on the streets no one greets him. And when he comes home to his wife, Bad Name is what he is called.

75. A.75

    e2-a i-ni-in-kur9 ⌈nitalam⌉-ma-ni-še3 mu ḫul mu-bi-⌈im⌉

76. A.76

    ukur3 nam-til3-bi nam-uš2-da ⌈?⌉-[ub-dirig]

    The lives of the poor do not survive their deaths.

77. A.77

    ninda pax(PAD)-ra2 šum2-sikil zil2-la2-še3

    For morsels of bread and fine onions, the food of the school (?).

78. A.78

    ninda e2-?-⌈ba⌉-[a-kam]

79. A.79

    [ninda] pax(PAD)-ra2 šum2-sikil zil2-la2-še3 u2 ze2 ⌈BI⌉ […]

    For morsels of bread and fine onions, …… (1 line fragmentary)

80. A.80

    X LA2 A bi2-in-[(X)]

81. A.81

    [X X (X)]-? na-ab-ĜAR […]

    (1 line fragmentary)

82. A.82

    […]-ke4 […]

    (1 line fragmentary) (unknown no. of lines missing)

83. gap

    (unknown no. of lines missing)

84. B.1

    […] X

    (5 lines fragmentary)

85. B.2

    ⌈?⌉ […]

86. B.3

    […] ⌈?⌉-ra-? ga-[…]

87. B.4

    […] ⌈?⌉ na-ab-X […]

88. B.5

    […] ⌈AN⌉ am3-⌈?-?⌉ […]

89. B.6

    […] ⌈?⌉-diĝir […]

    (2 lines fragmentary)

90. B.7

    […] gaba ḪAR-ra […]

91. B.8

    ⌈iri⌉{ki} ŠEŠ ga-ba-da-X X X gen6-na

    (2 lines fragmentary)

92. B.9

    ⌈ŠEŠ-?⌉ ga-ba-da-X X X-en

93. B.10

    […] ⌈?⌉-ga ba-da-[…]

    (2 lines fragmentary)

94. B.11

    ⌈?⌉ GI […]

95. B.12

    iri{ki} nu ur-gir15-ra ka5-a nu-banda3

    In the city where there are no dogs, the fox is boss.

96. B.13

    iri{ki} ad4-ne-ka ba-za lu2-kaš4-e

    In the city of the lame, a cripple is the courier.

97. B.14

    iri{ki} nam-bi nu-tar-re

    The city's fate cannot be determined; its book-keeper is a merchant.

98. B.15

    saĝ-tun3-bi dam-gar3-ra

99. B.16

    iri{ki} nam-uš2 ĝal2-la-še3 anše-bal-gin7 ḫe2-ni-ib-sar-re

    You should drive them like pack-asses into a death-stricken city.

100. B.17

     iri{ki}-da nam-da-ĝar-re-en-na iri{ki}-bi

     When you are expelled from a city, that city and its king are carried off.

Next → — showing 1–100 of 354

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. Copyright holders: Jeremy Black, Graham Cunningham, Jarle Ebeling, Esther Flückiger-Hawker, Eleanor Robson, Jon Taylor and Gábor Zólyomi. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. Source.