Proverbs: collection 2 + 6

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 318 sections

A.197
iri ad4-e-ne-ka ba-⌈za⌉ lu2-kaš4-a-kam
In the city of the lame, the cripple is a courier.
A.198
ba-za a-na-am3 gub-ba-⌈bi⌉
How does a cripple stand up?
A.199
sag9-ga-bi pad3-da ḫul-bi u2-gu de2-am3
The good thing is to find it; the bad thing is to lose it.
A.200
?-pad3 ba-ḫul2-le-en
I have found it -- a cause for celebration! I have lost it -- my heart does not ache!
A.201
u2-gu i-ni-in-de2 ⌈šag4⌉-ĝu10 la-ba-gig-ga-am3
A.202
nam-sag9-ga kaš-am3 nam-ḫul kaskal-am3
The good thing is the beer. The bad thing is the journey.
A.203
sag9-ga-ni-še3 tuku-am3 ĝalgaga-ni-še3 taka4-am3
For his pleasure he got married. On his thinking it over he got divorced.
A.204
sag9-ga-ne-ne ḫul-ne-ne
Their pleasure -- their discomfort. Their discomfort -- their pleasure.
A.205
ḫul-ne-ne sag9-ga-ne-ne
A.206
lu2 ur3-ra al-til3-la
Says the man lying on the roof to the man living in the house: It is too bright up here! (unknown no. of lines missing)
A.207
lu2 e2-a-ra al-zalag-zalag-ga-e-še
gap
(unknown no. of lines missing)
B.1
a-šag4 na-[ab-daĝal-e]
A field should not be expanded. Barley …… for him.
B.2
še mu-na-[…]
B.3
?-ba […] u2 de5-ga ba-[…]
…… collected firewood …….
B.4
u2 de5-de5-[ga] kalag-ga-še3
Collecting firewood is for the strong man; the weak man waits for him on dry land.
B.5
sig9-ga bar-rim4-[ma] mu-na-an-[tuš]
B.6
[saĝ sar-ra] ⌈siki⌉ ba-an-tuku-tuku
He who shaves his head acquires ever more hair. And he who gathers firewood acquires ever more grain.
B.7
u2 de5-de5-ga {d}ezina3 ba-an-dirig-dirig-e-še
B.8
[e2 gul-gul]-la gi !-⌈la⌉
He who destroys houses destroys reeds. He who destroys a house destroys gold.
B.9
[e2 gul]-⌈la⌉ kug-sig17 gul-⌈la⌉
B.10
[…] ⌈nu⌉-gur-am3 a nu-ĝar-ra-ba
A …… not returned and not placed in water -- its …… cannot be eaten.
B.11
[…]-bi nu-gu7
B.12
[en]-⌈gin7⌉ DU saĝ-ki DU
Walk like a lord, walk at the front. Walk like a slave, walk like a lord. Build like a lord, build like a slave. Build like a slave, build like a lord. Walk like a lord, walk like a slave. Walk like a slave, walk like a lord.
B.13
⌈saĝ⌉-gin7 DU en-gin7 DU
B.A
[en-gin7] du3 saĝ-gin7 du3
B.B
[saĝ-gin7] du3 en-gin7 du3
B.AA
[en]-gin7 DU saĝ-gin7 DU
B.BB
[saĝ]-⌈gin7⌉ DU en-gin7 DU
B.14
šu šu-a ba-ab-taḫ e2 lu2 al-du3-e
Hand added to hand, and a man's house is built up. Stomach (?) added to stomach (?), and a man's house is destroyed.
B.15
šag4-gal šag4-gal-e ba-ab-taḫ e2 lu2 al-gul-e
B.16
{ĝiš}al u2 nu-kud {ĝiš}kibir2 u2 nu-kud
The hoe cannot cut firewood. The pitchfork cannot cut firewood.
B.17
e2 ĝuruš gal-gal-e-ne-ka {ĝiš}al {ĝiš}dusu al-ur11-⌈ru⌉
In a household of several grown-up young men, the hoe and the work basket must cultivate the fields.
B.18
ama ĝuruš 8-e tu-ud-da niĝ2 sig-ga ba-nu2
The mother who has given birth to eight young men lies down exhausted.
B.19
e2 lu2 zid-de3 du3-a lu2-lul-e gul-la
The house built by the upright man is destroyed by the treacherous man.
B.20
e2-a lu2 zu-bi mu-un-gul
If a household acquaintance has been exposed to harm, the matter is investigated.
B.21
en3-bi-a ba-tar-re-[(X)]
B.22
e2-e kislaḫ ḫe2-eb2-us2
Let there be unused land adjacent to a house; let there be a threshing-floor adjacent to a field.
B.23
a-šag4-ga sur12 ḫe2-eb2-⌈us2⌉
B.24
e2-a-ni e2 zag iri-gin7 ab-ba ḫe2-[…]
Let the elders …… his house, like a house on the outskirts of the city.
B.25
e2 dam-e gu3 nu-de2-dam
One finds no rest (?) in a house in which a wife does not speak, in which the head of the household (?) does not utter joyous words.
B.26
[ad]-da inim ḫul2 nu-ĝa2-ĝa2-dam
B.27
⌈? nu-ši⌉-ib-⌈?⌉-u3
B.28
[…] X
(2 lines fragmentary)
B.29
[…] X X
B.30
[…] nu-gi4
(1 line fragmentary)
B.31
⌈a⌉-da ab-tuš kur-šag4-še3 igi du8
Those who live near the water look into the heart of the mountains. They don't look in their own direction.
B.32
⌈ni2⌉-bi-še3 igi nu-du8
B.33
a-da-be2 niĝ2 im-[ba nu-zu]
Adapa knows no loss. …… in the heart of the mountains.
B.34
kur-šag4-ge ⌈?⌉ […]
B.35
id2 […]
(1 line fragmentary)
B.36
[(X)] X X […]
(1 line fragmentary) …… someone in the river …….
B.37
⌈lu2⌉ id2-⌈?⌉ […]
B.38
e2-gal gud-de3 kun-[bi ḫe2-dab5]
The palace is an ox; catch it by the tail!
B.39
e2-gal id2 maḫ-[am3] šag4-bi [gud] ⌈du7-du7⌉-[dam]
The palace is a huge river; its interior is a goring bull.
B.40
e2-gal tir-ra-am3 lugal [ur]-⌈maḫ⌉
The palace is a forest. The king is a lion. Nungal overwhelms men with a huge battle-net. Oh Utu, accept my prayer.
B.41
{d}nun-gal {sa}šu2-uš-⌈gal⌉ lu2 bi2-⌈dul⌉-?-e
B.42
{d}⌈?⌉ šu-ĝu10 gid2-i-ma-ni-ib
B.43
[e2]-⌈gal⌉ ki-ma-an-ze2-er nu-⌈?⌉-zu dab5-dab5-be2
The palace is a slippery place which catches those who do not know it.
B.44
e2-gal a-ri-a nu-da13-da13
The palace cannot avoid the waste land. A barge cannot avoid straw. A freeborn man cannot avoid corvée work. A king's daughter cannot avoid the tavern.
B.45
{ĝiš}ma2-gur8 in-nu-da nu-da13-da13
B.46
dumu-gir15-bi du-lum la-ba-an-da13-da13
B.47
[dumu]-munus lugal-la eš2-dam [nu-da13-da13]
B.48
e2-gal ud 1(DIŠ) ama tud-da-am3
The palace -- one day a mother giving birth, the next day a lamenting mother.
B.49
ud 1(DIŠ) ama a-nir-ra-am3
B.50
e2 du3-du3-a-ĝa2 ur5-ra-bi ⌈ĝe26-e⌉-me-⌈en⌉
Through building my house I incurred debt, so I could not afford to cultivate the field I had sowed with seed.
B.51
gana2 ĝar-ĝar-ra-ĝa2 nu-ur11-ru-bi ĝe26-e-me-en
B.52
e2 dumu tab du3-a ḫe2-me-en
May you be a household built up by twin sons.
B.53
e2-še3 ga-ĝen-na saĝ a-ab-kal
I would rather go home.
B.54
e2 kur9-ra-ni 50-am3
Those who enter his house are fifty.
B.55
e2 numun til-til-la-še3 a-ba-am3 mu-un-tum3-me-en
Whom can I bring to a house whose offspring have been annihilated?
B.56
e2 lugal-bi nu-tuš-a šag4-bi-a nu-gur-re-en
I don't return to a house whose master is not at home.
B.57
[…] X i3-bal […] ?
(1 line fragmentary) (unknown no. of lines missing)
gap
(unknown no. of lines missing)
C.1
⌈?⌉ ma-da an-šum2-⌈?⌉ en ki pa-rim4-bi-im
When the land is given (?), …… is its dry land.
C.2
mušen an-na um{mušen}-e dug3-ga
A bird in the sky is as good as an um bird.
C.3
ku6 engur-ra eštub{ku6} gi dug3-ga
A fish in the deep is as good as a carp in the reeds.
C.4
niĝ2-ur2-limmu2 peš2-ĝiš-gi dug3-ga
Four-legged creatures are as good as marsh rats.
C.5
mušen ba-dal-dal ama dili-bi ba-an-tuš
All the birds flew away, and their mother alone stayed.
C.6
mušen ba-dal-dal {d}nin-a-zu ḫa-la-zu-e-še
Ninazu, a bird flying around is your share.
C.7
mušen-du3 ĝiš-pap-ḫal-la-ka niĝ2 al-gu7-e
In the fowler's trap (?) is what he eats.
C.8
mušen ku6 gu7-e u3 nu-um-ši-ku-[ku]
He who lives from birds and fish cannot sleep.
C.9
⌈mušen⌉ KA.DUB.ŠEŠ a-na-am3 ab-⌈?⌉
What did the …… bird do?
C.10
um{mušen} gu3 de2 […] nu-⌈?⌉ […]-a gu-du gid2 […]
The um bird's voice is unpleasant. …… sticking out its backside …….
C.11
um{mušen} saĝ-ki [(X)] nu-X [(X)]
The um bird's forehead is not …….
C.12
um{mušen}-gin7 a am3-gir5-gir5-⌈e⌉
He sneaks into the water like an um bird.
C.13
ir7-saĝ{mušen} gu3 de2-de2 {ĝiš}kiri6 me-te-bi
The wood pigeon's (?) voice is the glory of the garden.
C.14
[dar{mušen} gu3] de2 a-šag4-ga me-te-⌈bi⌉-[im]
The francolin's voice is the glory of the fields.
C.15
[… gu3] ⌈de2⌉ [e2]-⌈gal⌉-la me-te-⌈bi⌉-[im]
The voice of the …… is the glory of the palace. (unknown no. of lines missing)
gap
(unknown no. of lines missing)
D.1
diĝir sizkur-ra me-te-bi-im
Offerings are the glory of the gods.
D.2
[…]{mušen} ku6 engur-ra-ke4 […] ba-ab-taḫ
The fish of the marshes added (?) …… to the …… bird.
D.3
[a-ra2]-⌈bu⌉{mušen} niĝ2 a2-ba-ka nu-gu7
The arabu fowl was not eaten in time.
D.4
[…] ?-ta I NE-NE […] […]{mušen} DU ⌈?⌉ […]
(1 line fragmentary) (1 line fragmentary)
D.5
[X] ?-ba nu-gur-re {im}šu-rin-na-ta ba-gur-re […] ⌈?⌉ X-ba nu-nir-ra
…… does not come back, it comes back from the oven. (1 line fragmentary)
D.6
[…] ⌈saĝ⌉-du suḫur{ku6} saĝ-du maš2-gur-ra-ŠEŠ{ku6} […]{mušen}-ra ḫe2-da-gu7-e
Let the head of a suḫur carp be eaten with the head of a mašgurašeš fish …… bird .
D.7
⌈a2⌉-še ĝiš-gi-a nam-mu-nu2-de3-en peš2-ĝiš-gi-a [i3]-⌈gu7⌉-e-en
Now, you should not sleep in the reedbeds: the marsh rats will eat you.
D.8
[…] ⌈na⌉-an-de2-e-en ⌈?⌉ gub-gub-e an-DU
(1 line unclear)
D.9
⌈id2⌉-da a na-de2-en peš2-bi am3-ed3-de3
Don't pour water into a river. The rats will come up.
D.10
[X] u5{mušen}
…… an u bird, …… cut and carried a single swallow away. …… its food.

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.