Proverbs: collection 3

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 351 sections

A.1
gub-gub-bu-de3 tuš-tuš-de3
To stand and to sit, to spur on the donkeys, to support (?) the prince: who has the breath for that?
A.2
zib2 anše dab5-dab5-be2-de3 dumu lugal-la de2-de2-de3
A.3
a-ba zi-bi mu-un-tuku
A.4
emeda(UM.ME)da dumu lugal-la-gin7 bad3-si-a igi al-bar-bar-re
You are peering out from the parapet like the prince's nurse.
A.5
a ed3-de3-na-aš umaḫ-bi ḫe2-naĝ-e a i-⌈i-de2⌉ bi2-ib-gur3-re-a a ⌈umaḫ⌉-bi ḫe2-naĝ-e
Because you draw water, the swamp may drink. You draw water for pouring out, so that the swamp may drink water.
A.6
u2-DUL.DIN-ka niĝ2 nu-sag9-ga gana2 zid-še3 mu2-a ed3-a
Unpleasant …… plants grow towards rise up to a good field.
A.7
e-ri-ib-gu7-en ti-ri2-ga al-deḫi2-me-en
I will feed you even though you are an outcast (?). I will give you drink even though you are an outcast (?). You are still my son, even if your god has turned against you.
A.8
e-ri-ib-naĝ-e ti-ri2-ga al-deḫi2-me-en
A.9
dumu-ĝu10-me-en diĝir-zu kur2-ra-am3
A.10
ud-da ga-ĝen na-gada-kam
I will go today is what a herdsman says; I will go tomorrow is what a shepherd-boy says. I will go is I will go, and the time passes.
A.11
ud ul-la ga-ĝen sipad-tur-ra-kam
A.12
ga-ĝen ga-ĝen-na-am3 ud mi-ni-ib-zal-zal-e
A.12A
niĝ2-gur11 lil2-še3 ba-an-te
Wealth is exposed to the winds. The churned milk, although it isn't river mud, is diverted into cracks in the ground.
A.13
ga i3-ti-ir-da gu2-en-na nu-me-a
A.14
ki-in-dar mu-da-ab-tar
A.15
[…] X TI
(2 lines fragmentary)
A.16
[…] X
A.16A
šu nu-luḫ-ḫa kaš i3-de2-a
To serve beer with unwashed hands, To spit without trampling upon it, to sneeze without covering it with dust, to kiss with the tongue at midday without providing shade, are abominations to Utu.
A.17
uš7 dug4-ga ĝiri3 nu-saga11-a
A.18
giri17 te-en-na saḫar nu-gi4-a
A.19
eme ak an-bar7 an-dul3 nu-ĝa2-ĝa2
A.20
niĝ2-gig {d}utu-kam
A.21
sipad ĝiš3-a-ni nu-{ĝiš}kiri6 suḫur-a-ni
A shepherd his penis, a gardener his hair. An unjust heir who does not support a wife, or who does not support a child, has no cause for celebration.
A.22
ibila nu-gen6-na dam nu-il2 dumu nu-il2 giri17-zal-še3 nu-il2
A.23
sipad ḫe2-em-ta-ab-ed3-de3-a
If you get rid of the shepherd, then his sheep will not return.
A.24
udu-ni šu-a li-bi2-in-gi4
A.25
sipad kug-zu mu-na-?-a-kam
Because the clever shepherd became confused, his sheep did not return.
A.26
udu-ni šu-a li-bi2-in-gi4
A.27
sipad-tur kuš2-a-ni ama-ni nu-mu-un-da-an-zu
A shepherd-boy when weary cannot recognise his own mother.
A.28
ud ma-ra-an-ĝal2 zid2 ma5-a
While you still have light, grind the flour.
A.29
am-e niĝ2-gig {ĝiš}apin-na-kam
The wild bull is taboo for the plough.
A.30
tur gu7-a lu2 nu-til-le
To eat modestly doesn't kill a man, but to covet will murder you. To eat a little is to live splendidly. When you walk about, keep your feet on the ground!
A.31
igi-tum3 la2 saĝ ĝiš ra-ra
A.32
tur-bi gu7-a maḫ-bi til3-la
A.33
dib-dib-be2 ĝen-na ĝiri3 ki-a sig10-bi2-ib
A.34
en-na til3-la gu5-li-ni-im
As long as he is alive, he is his friend. When he is dead, he is his worst demon.
A.35
ud ug5-ga gal5-la2 gal-la-ni-im
A.36
nam-gu5-li niĝ2 ud 1-a-kam 3-a-kam
Friendship lasts for just one day three days but collegiality lasts forever.
A.37
nam-gi4-me-a-aš niĝ2 da-ri2-kam
A.38
du14 ak-e ki nam-gi4-me-aš-kam nam-šeš-gal-la-še3
Quarrelling occurs wherever there are colleagues one of the group is senior to the rest . Slander occurs even where there has been purification.
A.39
eme sig gu7-e ki nam-luḫ-še3 i3-ĝal2
A.40
kaskal niĝ2 gu7-da lu2 nu-kuš2-u3
When travelling, a man does not tire of eating. He gathers in food all day long.
A.41
ud šu2-uš-e ki bi2-ib-de5-de5-ge
A.42
su nam-lu2-ulu3-ka a gig i3-ĝal2
There are bitter tears in human flesh.
A.43
nisig nu-sam2 NIĜIN sam2-e dug4-ge nu-tab-ba-e
Not buying vegetables (?) Buying …… , a promise (?) not fulfilled (?), handing over worthless money, not removing a mote from the eye.
A.44
šu nu-kug gub-ba-e u2 igi-ta nu-ub-ta-a-an-ed3
A.45
šu gid2-e šu mu-da-gid2-e
A hand will stretch out towards an outstretched hand. A hand will open for an opened hand.
A.46
šu bur2-ra ? mu-[da]-!-e
A.47
kug tuku šag4 an-ḫul2 še tuku ur5 an-sag9
He who has silver is happy; he who has grain feels comfortable; he who has livestock can sleep.
A.48
niĝ2-ur2-limmu2 tuku-e u3 mu-un-ši-ku-ku
A.49
{d}en-lil2 IN ZI im-ge4-en-na-ĝu10
Enlil, ……, my loincloth is is not gone (?).
A.50
{tug2}niĝ2-dara2-ĝu10 du-um nu-?-X
A.51
{d}en-lil2-le a-na-am3 in-ak in-bul-bul
What did Enlil make? Chaff! The lance struck. It went into the flesh.
A.52
{urud}šukur in-sig10 su mu-ni-ib-te-te
A.53
{d}utu bar-ra ḫe2-NE-[X]-šu2
When the sun is setting outside so that you cannot even recognise the hand in front of you, go indoors!
A.54
ni2-zu šu nu-zu-am3 kur9-ni-ib
A.55
{d}iš-bi-er3-ra lugal-e šu-ni X ?-e
King Išbi-Erra …… with his hand …… (1 line fragmentary)
A.56
? […] de2-a
A.57
X […]-⌈?⌉-an-kud-da
(2 lines fragmentary) (2 lines fragmentary)
A.58
[…] X
A.A
? ĝal2 X [X] X
A.B
X ? ĝal2 X X
A.59
⌈?⌉ UR X X X X
(4 lines fragmentary)
A.60
A X ? [X] X
A.61
abula X ?
A.62
X X ?
A.63
{d}en-lil2-le X X ?
Enlil …… (2 lines fragmentary)
A.64
? ? an-na X X X X
A.65
iri-am3 […]
A.66
[na-an-ni libir-ra mu-un-kal]
Nanni cherished his old age. He built the temple ……. He built a wall around Nibru, but ……. He built E-ana, but after abandoning it, ……. He captured Simurrum, but did not …… its wall. He never saw mighty kingship. Thus Nanni was carried off to the nether world.
A.67
[e2] mu-?-[du3] X X X X
A.68
? nibru[{ki}] [i3-du3 …]
A.69
e2-an-na mu-du3 u3-mu-un-[šub] ?-ma-an-DU
A.70
si-mu-ru ?-? bad3-e nu-⌈?⌉-[X]
A.71
?-⌈lugal⌉ kalag-⌈ga⌉ igi nu-mu-[du8]
A.72
ur5 na-an-? kur-ra ba-ra-!-[de6]
A.73
U3 niĝ2 KA X […]
(2 lines fragmentary) like beer …… in front of him …….
A.74
KA šu-a ba-an-X […]
A.75
kaš-gin7 igi-na ? X X […]
A.76
ud-da ga-til3-e gud-gin7 ⌈saman⌉ [bi2-in-la2]
He who says I will live for today is bound like a bull on a nose-rope.
A.77
ur-{d}namma mu-ša-lum gal-gal e2 {d}en-lil2-la2 […]
Ur-Namma …… large mirrors in Enlil's temple.
A.78
na-an-ni libir-ra-ni mu-na-⌈kal⌉
Nanni cherished his old age: I am what an old man should be.
A.79
ĝe26-e lu2 libir-ra-ka-e-še
A.80
geme2 niĝ2 ḫi-li-a-ke4 {d}iškur diĝir lugal LIL2-e
The voluptuous slave girl says: Let Iškur, …… god …… king …… split the fertile ground like a cucumber.
A.81
ukuš2-gin7 ki dug3 ḫu-mu-un-dar-⌈re⌉
A.82
geme2 ig DU-da
A slave girl is one who …… the door. The slave girl from the palace offers advice (?) continually. The slave from the palace eats the ex-voto offering .
A.83
geme2 e2-gal-la za-ra dug4-dug4
A.84
arad e2-gal-la ga-til3-ba gu7-gu7
A.85
geme2 kug-du8-a-ni mu-un-de6
A slave girl carried her release money with her. …… 30 minas.
A.86
30 ma-⌈?⌉ im-ba an-[X X]
A.87
geme2 ni2 te-a-gin7 {ĝiš}naĝa3 bi2-gur4-⌈gur4⌉
You grind with the pestle like a fearful slave girl.
A.88
⌈geme2⌉ {ĝiš}ba-an-⌈e⌉ nu-ub-si-⌈?⌉
The slave girl who neglected to fill the containers grumbled: It does not fill (?) to the top; it does not fill (?) the middle.
A.89
dum-dam an-da-ab-za
A.90
ka nu-un-[si]
A.91
murub2 nu-?-[e-še]
A.92
e2-ta e3 sila-ta kur9-ra gi4-in-e
When the lady left the house and the slave girl entered from the street, away from her lady the slave girl sat at her own banquet.
A.93
ga-ša-an-na-ni ĝišbum-ma bi2-in-tuš
A.94
e2-{na4}kinkin(ḪAR)-na du14 ḫe2-en-⌈?⌉
When there is a dispute at the mill, a slave girl reveals (?) what she has stolen.
A.95
geme2 niĝ2 zuḫ-a-ni pa im-mi-?-?
A.96
geme2-da nu2-da-ni ? kalag-da X
He who sleeps with a slave girl …… with a strong male …… what the slave girl has stolen, what the lady …… with a man -- one person does not reveal to another.

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.