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Proverbs: collection 4

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 67 sections

1. A.1

   1 dug sukux(SUKUD)-ra2 alan gu3 de2-de2

   Unique: a tall pot and a shouting statue.

2. A.2

   niĝ2 izi sig9 me i3-kal-kal-am3 eĝer-ra-bi na

   What is placed in the fire has a valuable role to play but leaves nothing behind when it's gone.

3. A.3

   ⌈MAŠ⌉ giĝ4 MAŠ giĝ4 ki im-du-a-kam

   Half a shekel is half a shekel wherever you go (?); discarded, it is a shekel belonging to the place of wild cattle and serpents.

4. A.4

   šub giĝ4 ki am muš-a-kam

5. A.5

   an an-guru3 ki šu-ni-še3 an-la2

   He holds up the sky, letting the earth dangle from his hands.

6. A.6

   šul-a-lum-bi al-il2-il2

   He bears the responsibility for it.

7. A.7

   u2-a-gin7 saĝ-gu2-ne-ka-ra ba-e-a-ed3-de3-de3-en

   As a provisioner, I will come down upon those who speak proudly (?).

8. A.8

   ud šu2-uš ĝiš3-e a ab-ra-an

   All day long, oh penis, you ejaculate as if you have blood inside you, and then you hang like a damp reed.

9. A.9

   uš2 šag4-ba-gin7 gi duru5-a ab-la2-en

10. A.10

    lu2 ga-šum dab5-ba-ni al-me-a lu2 du14-da-ka-na ba-an-kur9

    He who was the capturer of someone's assassin became his opponent.

11. A.11

    {tum9}si-sa2 tum9 si-am3 {tum9}u18-lu lu2-bi sig10-ga-am3

    The north wind is a satisfying wind; the south wind is harmful (?) to man. The east wind is a rain-bearing wind; the west wind is greater than those who live there. The east wind is a wind of prosperity, the friend of Naram-Suen.

12. A.12

    {tum9}sa12-ti-um tum9 šeĝ14-ĝa2 {tum9}mar-tu lu2 til3-ba dirig-ga

13. A.13

    {tum9}sa12-ti-um tum9 ḫe2-ĝal2-la gu5-li {d}na-ra-am-{d}suen

14. A.14

    niĝ2 zu a-na-aš ḫe2-en-de3-šu2

    Why should someone who knows something conceal it?

15. A.15

    dim3-ma-ĝu10 ki na-⌈aĝ2⌉-ba-al

    My intelligence (?) has dug the ground; you will not find what I have lost!

16. A.16

    aĝ2 u2-gu de2-a-ĝu10 nu-ub-pad3-de3-en

17. A.17

    ⌈maš2⌉ a-a lu2 ba-ni-in-ed3-de3 kaš-a su-bur2

    A goat can be made to go down into water; in beer it becomes stuck.

18. A.18

    [X] ⌈UL⌉ gu7-ĝu10 ab-X-e

    He will …… which I have eaten (?).

19. A.19

    lu2-tur ga nu-un-⌈da⌉-gu7-a ama-zu sumun2 kurun-a

    Oh little one who is no longer consuming milk, your mother is a wild cow yielding beer.

20. A.20

    ⌈?⌉ teĝ3-ĝa2-ni nu-⌈ub⌉-da-an-til niĝ2-⌈gu7⌉ ab-ta-kud

    He could not overcome his fears, so he cut off what was fuelling them.

21. A.21

    [a] ⌈zig3⌉-ga-gin7 peš10 ḫe2-da-ḫul2

    The riverbank should rejoice as though there were a flood. Enlil should rejoice as though the Tigris were at high water.

22. A.22

    {id2}idigna a-u3-ba ĝal2-la-⌈gin7⌉ {d}en-lil2 ḫe2-da-ḫul2

23. A.23

    [X] sag9-ga-zu zu2 ḫe2-kud

    May your favourite …… bite you.

24. A.24

    [tug2 ḫuĝ]-⌈ĝa2⌉-am3 gada ḫuĝ-⌈ĝa2-am3⌉

    I want to get hold of borrowed clothes, borrowed linen and borrowed lapis lazuli.

25. A.25

    za-<gin3> ḫuĝ-ĝa2-am3 šu ḫe2-ma-ĝal2

26. A.26

    [X X] ⌈X⌉ su-ni i3-⌈še22-še22⌉ X [X X]

    …… anoints his body …… adds water to the subterranean waters.

27. A.27

    X engur a mu-de3-taḫ-e

28. A.28

    […] RI

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

29. gap

    (unknown no. of lines missing)

30. B.1

    […] X X

    (1 line fragmentary) in order to cross …… when he lifts it up ……: The weapon will take care of the oxen rent for me!

31. B.2

    […]-an-na X […] ⌈?⌉-e-da

32. B.3

    [X X X]-⌈ši⌉-ib2-guru3-⌈gur3-?⌉

33. B.4

    {ĝiš}tukul a2 gud ⌈en3 ma⌉-tar-re-e-še

34. B.5

    [X X] mu-⌈na-ab⌉-ši-GI-re-de3-[X] ⌈ĝiš3⌉-am3 ĝiš ab-ra-ra

    Beat the …… behind him they squeezed ……: The water is too hot for me! Then they brought up …… and entrusted …….

35. B.6

    [X] eĝer-?-a-ni in-su-re-eš-a

36. B.7

    ?-ĝu10-uš am3-kum2-e-še

37. B.8

    X ⌈bi2⌉-ed3-de3-eš ĝiškim ba-ab-til3

38. B.9

    tug2 ib2-⌈taka4⌉ ḫa-la dumu geme2-kam

    Left-over clothes are the share of the slave-girl's child; they will fall off her and became nothing but chaff.

39. B.10

    ib2-ta-šub in-bul-bul-a bi2-in-ak

40. B.11

    ḪAR.UŠ šu keše2-da-ni i3 ri-a i3 ⌈šeš4⌉-da-ni

    A …… is his clasped hands; pressed oil, oil for his anointing; a likeness, reeds for his bed.

41. B.12

    aĝ2 sig10-ga A.NUMUN2 mu-nu2-da-ni

42. B.13

    {ĝiš}kiši16 nam-lu2-inim-ma

    The prosopis plant is how a witness should be: fruit pods come forth from it.

43. B.14

    ḫarub-ba-am3 im-ta-e3-a

44. B.15

    šag4 niĝ2-kas7 nu-zu ⌈šag4 igi⌉-ĝal2-tuku

    A heart which does not know accounting -- is that a wise heart?

45. B.16

    lu2 a-šag4 ur11-ru-ke4 a-šag4 ḫe2-ur11-ru

    He who ploughs the fields should plough the fields; he who harvests grain should harvest grain.

46. B.17

    lu2 še šu su-ub-bu-da-ke4 še šu ⌈ḫe2⌉-eb-su-ub-be2

47. B.18

    ka-bi kišib-gin7 MAŠ-am3 bid3-bi u2-a ma3-ur3-am3

    Its mouth, like a seal (?), is half; its anus is the place amongst the grass where boats are pulled from the water.

48. B.19

    muš un-na-dab5 e-ne ka-inim-ma ba-ab-šum2-mu

    After the serpent has been caught for him, he himself casts the incantation.

49. B.20

    ⌈ta⌉-am3 u8-am3 ta-am3 a-a-lum-am3

    What is it, a sheep? What is it, a stag?

50. B.21

    [ta]-⌈am3⌉ ma-mu2 gi4-in-na-kam

    What are the dreams of a slave girl? What are the prayers of a striving (?) slave?

51. B.22

    ta-am3 sizkur2 e-re sig10 ki-in-na-kam

52. B.23

    [X] X e-da-⌈?⌉ til-e-da-gin7

    (1 line unclear) Let my gifts never cease (?) in the presence of his god.

53. B.24

    niĝ2 šu dug4-ga-ĝu10 ki diĝir-ra-na nam-ba-e-til-en

54. B.25

    ama er2 še8-še8 X X X ḪAR-ra bi2-ib2-gu7-en

    …… a weeping mother …… you enjoy the use of …….

55. B.26

    ama-ĝu10 saĝ ⌈rig7⌉ […] ⌈MU⌉

    My mother …… offering; she is behaving as though she were my slave-girl.

56. B.27

    geme2-ĝu10 al-me-a-gin7 e-ak-e

57. B.28

    SIG7-a a sig9-sig9 bi2-⌈in⌉-[…]

    …… a libation (?). …… gave it.

58. B.29

    ⌈lu2⌉ X [X X]-ma-ab mu-šum2-e-še

59. B.30

    lu2 ur3-ra-ke4 lu2 ⌈e2⌉-[a til3-la]-⌈?⌉

    Says the man lying on the roof to the man living in the house: It is too bright up here!

60. B.31

    ⌈mu⌉-[na]-⌈ab⌉-be2-a im-ma-zalag-ge-e-še

61. B.32

    piriĝ-e e2 ni2-te-na-ka-da du3-a ⌈ab⌉-la2-la2

    The lion is tied up with (?) that of which his own house is made.

62. B.33

    lu2-IM ib2-?-ba lu2 gen6-na ba-⌈an⌉-dim2

    That which the thief has taken was made by an honest man.

63. B.34

    ki ab-⌈kal diĝir⌉-ra-kam saḫar-ra-am3 bi2-ib2-šu2-šu2-un

    To appreciate the earth is for the gods; I am merely covered in dust.

64. B.35

    zig3-ga saĝ-niĝ2-gur11-ra-ka bid3 ab-gu5-ul

    In respect of both expenditures and capital goods, the anus is well supplied.

65. B.36

    nam-sis-a bid3 ib-ra ka ba-an-kur9

    Bitterness afflicted the anus; but it entered by way of the mouth.

66. B.37

    gu-du-⌈?⌉ še10 dur2-e dug4-ge ⌈inim dirig⌉-ge am3-ta-ab-tum3

    The anus breaks wind; talking produces excessive words.

67. B.38

    ama ⌈?-?⌉-la ma2-⌈addir⌉-ra a nu-tuku-me-en

    O …… mother, I have no water in the ferry-boat.

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.