Proverbs: collection 3

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

A.295
{d}utu nu-um-ta-e3
A.296
an gur3-ru ! šu-ni-! la2-a
He holds up the sky, letting the earth dangle from his hands.
A.297
še muš5 niĝ2-gig lu2-gidim-ma-ka
The muš barley is reserved for the necromancer.
A.298
⌈zid2⌉-gig niĝ2-gig diĝir-ra-na-ka
Wheat flour is sacred to his god.
A.299
lu2 {ĝiš}ma2 dirig-ga niĝ2 ?-a di-da
If a man sailing downstream says Give way! (?) -- if the hand touches a woman's genitals over her clothes -- it is an abomination to Suen.
A.300
? ⌈tug2⌉-ga gal4-la šu dug4-ga
A.301
niĝ2-gig {d}suen-na-⌈ka⌉
A.302
{im}šu-rin-na šir3-ra ninda al-⌈?-mu⌉
Carrying bread to the oven whilst singing is an abomination to Inana.
A.303
niĝ2-gig {d}inana-ka
A.304
GA-GA-ĝu10 lu2-ĝu10 sug4-ga mu-da-ab-be2
My …… speaks deceitfully with my man.
A.305
e-ze2 niĝ2-erim2-e an-na-ra-ab-dul
The sheep (?) is shrouded in wickedness for him.
A.306
{gi}šag4-sur nu-ub-⌈ra-aḫ⌉-a zid2-ni nu-šub-be2
If the sieve is not shaken, his flour will not drop from it.
A.307
igi-tum3 la2 gid2-i-da igi du8 niĝ2-gig {d}nin-urta-ke4
Coveting and reaching out for things spying are abominations to Ninurta.
A.308
nam-tar-re gaba-ri-me-en
I am confronting Fate: Speak in the way of a just man, or speak in the way of a wicked man, it makes no difference.
A.309
zid-du dug4-ga-ab erim2-du dug4-ga-ab
A.310
ka-ta ḫe2-ĝal2 šu-a nu-ĝal2
What comes out of one's mouth is not in one's hand.
A.311
[…] X-ra
(2 lines fragmentary) (2 lines fragmentary)
A.312
[…]-⌈?⌉-ra dam-a-ni X [X X]
A.313
u3-u8-a bi2-in-dug4 {ĝiš}ma2 ba-da-an-su
He said: Woe! and the boat sank with him. He said: Alas! and the rudder broke.
A.314
a-la-la bi2-in-dug4 gi-muš ba-da-an-ḫaš
A.315
[gu2] zu-ḫu-ul-la-ni-ta du-du-a
He is walking around despite his wounded neck.
A.316
⌈gu2⌉ bal gu2 ki-ta al-ak-e
He turns things upside down.
A.317
a-šag4 buru4{mušen}-gin7 zu2 e-da-ra-aḫ
He devours things as crows do a field.
A.318
uš-bar du8-a geme2 2(MIN)-a-bi 1(DIŠ)-a-bi uĝ3-il2 du8-a arad 3(EŠ5)-a-bi 2(MIN)-a-bi
A free weaver equals two slave girls one slave girl . A free worker equals three two slaves.
A.319
{ĝiš}mar šu-KU6-am3 nu-mu-NE-dal-la
A spade is like a fisherman who does not make …… fly (?).
A.320
⌈ka⌉-ĝu10 lu2 mu-da-ab-sa2-e
My mouth enables me to rival other men.
A.321
a-na-am3 ne-e um-bar-bar-re-zu
What is this after you split it? And this after you split it?
A.322
u3 ne-e ⌈um⌉-bar-bar-re-zu
A.323
al-ĝal2 {tug2}niĝ2-dara2-am3
When present, it was considered a loincloth; when lost, it is considered fine clothing.
A.324
u2-gu ba-an-⌈de2⌉ tug2-ga-am3
A.325
lu2 dub-saĝ-ĝa2 izi al-gu7-e
If the leader is being devoured by a fire, those behind him don't say: Where is the leader?
A.326
nu-ub-be2 lu2 eĝer-ra me-a lu2 dub-saĝ-ĝa2
A.327
erin2-ta gu3 de2-de2
To call out from among (?) the people.
A.328
si sa2 un-tar-e niĝ2-erim2 ib2-il2-e
When righteousness is cut off, injustice is increased.
B.1
[…] ? X (X) X X X […]
(2 lines fragmentary)
B.2
[…] ? X ? […]
B.3
[…] X X ? X […]
(5 lines fragmentary)
B.4
[…] X […]
B.5
[…] X X […]
B.6
[…] X MU X A X
B.7
[…] 3(EŠ5)
B.8
[…] X ŠU A […]
(1 line fragmentary)
C.1
[…] nu-dug3 […]
…… not good …… strong …….
C.2
[…] ⌈?-?⌉ X A X […]
C.3
[…] X X X ⌈a ?-?⌉ […]
…… drinking water …… (1 line fragmentary)
C.4
[…] X IGI X X […]
C.5
[…] X […]
(1 line fragmentary)
D.1
⌈?⌉ […]
(4 lines fragmentary)
D.2
nin9 […]
D.3
UD […]
D.4
igi-ni […]

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.