Proverbs: collection 8

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 125 sections

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A.1
šaḫ2 e2-a ba-al-ba-al
A pig digging in the house.
A.2
šaḫ2 lu2-šaḫ2-šum-ma mi-ni-ib-šum-e
A pig which was about to be slaughtered by the pig-butcher squealed. (The butcher said:) Your ancestors and forebears walked this road, and now you too are walking it, so why (?) are you squealing?
A.3
gu3 i3-ra-⌈ra⌉ kaskal ninda2-zu
A.4
u3 pa-bil-⌈ga-zu⌉ i3-re7-eš-am3
A.5
u3 za-e al-du-un-⌈na⌉-ni gu3 i3-ra-ra-e-še
A.6
šaḫ2-gin7 ĝiri2-zu X ḪA X ba-ab-X
Like a pig …… your dagger …….
A.7
šaḫ2-gin7 šu ab-⌈kar⌉-kar-!
He snatches things like a pig, as if for himself, but also for his owner.
A.8
i-gi4-in-⌈zu⌉ ni2-te-a-ni lugal-a-ni-!-⌈am3⌉-e-še
A.9
šaḫ2 lu-ḫu-um-ma su3-!
Like a pig spattered with mud.
A.10
šaḫ2 ⌈ninda pax(PAD)-ra2⌉ mu-un-il2
The pig picks up morsels of bread.
A.11
[X] X […] X […]
(1 line fragmentary) (approx. 10 lines missing)
gap
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B.1
X gun2-ni […] X (X) [X X]
…… his burden …… it has not depressed you, it will cheer you up!
B.2
nu-ub-dirig šag4 bi2-zalag-e-⌈še⌉
B.3
! u2-gu de2-a-ta i3-dur2-ru-ne
Having lost the sow, they sit around and strengthen the pigsty.
B.4
{e2}ir-⌈da⌉ !-un-kal-la-ge-ne
B.5
!-gin7 ḫi-li nu-mu-ni-in-ak
Like a sow was she not treated to luxury? Was she not accustomed to demanding barley in the middle of the night?
B.6
ĝi6 MAŠ-a-ka še al nu-mu-ni-in-dug4-e-še
B.7
!-gin7 sun4 la2-a
Wearing a long beard like a goat.
B.8
ud5-de3 saĝ rig7 maš2 gal-la-ka
A goat is the gift of a large kid.
B.9
ud5-de3 ⌈?⌉-X na-ab-be2-a
A goat says to another goat: I too butt my head.
B.10
u3 ĝe26-e saĝ mu-ni-ib-ra-ra
B.11
ud5-de3 nu-ĝen-na e2-ri-a an-zu
Although it has never been there, the goat knows the waste land.
B.12
ud5-de3 ur-bar-ra-be2-ne bi2-in-us2-us2
Some wolves were chasing a goat. It turned around and its feet clattered into each other.
B.13
i3-bal ĝiri3-bi ĝiri3 bi2-in-ra
B.14
dim3-šaḫ2-gin7 bid3-da ka-ga14-na al-sag3
He gets his behind in his mouth, like a hippopotamus (?).
B.15
lu-lim bar dag-ga
A stag wandering in the outlying areas.
B.16
maš-da3 igi nu-la2 ur igi nu-ĝal2-la lu2 šu zig3-zig3-ga igi nu-du8
A gazelle not alert, a dog not on the watch. A man raising his hand in anger does not see clearly.
B.17
maš-da3-gin7 a ud 15-kam i3-naĝ-naĝ
Like a gazelle he is drinking 15 days' worth of water.
B.18
az-e daĝal tag-ga-ab ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 mu-un-ĝen
Get that bear away from us! -- so he has gone to the mountains.
B.19
az-e itid 6-kam-ma ti-ba u3-un-bal
A bear in the sixth month turned onto its side and said: Were An not to give you, oh sleep, to a person, as he does to me -- they would die.
B.20
an u3-sa2 na-an-šum2-mu-un
B.21
ĝa2-a-gin7-nam ḫe2-ug7-e-še
B.22
kir4-gin7 en-na mi-ni-ḫab2-ba nu-gu7-e-en
Like a hyena, you will not eat it unless it stinks.
B.23
umbin su-a i3-udu-še3 ba-an-kur9
The claws of a cat can walk even in sheep fat.
B.24
su-a-gin7 kuš du3-u3-bi eme-am3
As with a cat, it is its tongue that treats its skin.
B.25
su-a ki-in-dar-ra mi-ni-pad3-de3
A cat can find a hole in the ground.
B.26
ka5-a ⌈ur2⌉ am-si-ka ĝiri3-bi mu-un-gub
A fox stamped on the crotch of an elephant: It's enough, it's too much!
B.27
ab-si ab-dirig-⌈e-še⌉
B.28
ka5-a {d}en-lil2-le si-am-e al u3-bi2-in-dug4
A fox demanded of Enlil the horns of a wild bull. While it was wearing the wild bull's horns, it started to rain. But the horns rose high above him, so he could not enter his burrow. Until midnight the wind kept blowing, and the clouds brought rain. Afterwards, when it had stopped raining on him, and he had dried off, he said: I shall return this feature to its rightful owner!
B.29
si-am-e ba-ni-in-la2 im šeĝ14 mu-na-an-zi-zi
B.30
ḫabrud-da-ni nu-mu-da-an-ku4-ku4
B.31
ĝi6 MAŠ-bi-še3 {tum9}mir mir
B.32
muru9 im-šeĝ3-ĝe26
B.33
ugu-ba in-til-la-ta ḫe2-em-ta-ḫad2
B.34
ĝarza2 lugal-a-<ni>-ir ga-ba-ni-ib-gur-e-še
B.35
ka5-a šir am-e al-us2-us2
A fox was pursuing the testicles of a wild bull, as though about to die of hunger.
B.36
i-gi4-in-zu!(ŠUB) en-na šag4-ĝar-ra-na ug5-ga-<DIŠ>-a
B.37
ka5-a eg2 al-DU gu-du gam-ma-ĝu10
A fox was scrabbling in a dyke: Nobody has ever seen my bent-over behind.
B.38
lu2 na-me igi nu-mu-ni-in-<GID2>-du8
B.39
ka5-a sur12 al-du8-e sur12-a nu-tur-tur
A fox was preparing a threshing floor. It did not …… on the threshing floor, but he did not become exhausted.
B.40
u3 ka5-a nu-mu-un-kuš2-u3
B.41
ka5-a gu2 gid2 ?-na-še3 ĝeštug2-ga-ni in-gub-ma
The fox thought about his mother's interference and said: My …… is collapsing.
B.42
⌈?⌉ X-ĝu10 al-guz-guz-e-še
B.43
⌈ka5⌉-a maš2-bi mu-<šub>
The fox dropped her young. They came out as twins.
B.44
maš2-tab-ba-ni mu-ni-in-i-i
B.45
[ka5-a kun-bi] dugud-dam X X ur3 la2-a
The fox's tail is heavy: it carries a …….
B.46
ka5-a si-ĝar-bi ĝiš-?-am3
The fox's door-bolt is a …….
B.47
ka5-a ud5-de3-eš2 an-na-ab-be2
A fox spoke to a goat: Let me put my shoes in your house! It replied: When the dog arrives, I will hang them up on a peg! The fox: If there's a dog staying like that in your house, bring me my shoes. Don't expect me to stay the night!
B.48
{kuš}e-sir2!(TUM)-ĝu10 e2-zu-a ga-mu-ni-ib2-ĝar
B.49
du-u3-da ur-gir15-ra-ka {ĝiš}gag-ta ga-mu-ni-ib2-la2
B.50
tukum-bi ur-gir15-re e2-zu-a ur5-ra-še3 an-til3
B.51
{kuš}e-sir2-ĝu10 DU-u3
B.52
ĝi6 na-an-sa2-e-en-e-še
B.53
ka5-a dur2 {ĝiš}kiši17-še3 in-kur9-ma
A fox went into a den in a thorny bush, and (the dog said:) Hey, come out! But it would not come out. How am I supposed to get in from out here? (exclaimed the dog). So long as you don't chase me away, I will stay sitting here! said the fox.
B.54
ĝa2-nu e3-im-ta ed2-de3 nu-ub-zu
B.55
gu2-e-ta a-na-gin7-nam i3-kur9-re-en
B.56
en-na-me-še3-am3 na-an-sar-sar
B.57
al-tuš-en-e-še
B.58
ka5-⌈a⌉ […]
The fox ……. He is more full of lies than anyone.
B.59
e-ne dirig ne-e lul ab-dirig-e-še
B.60
ka5-a zig3-ga-gin7 za-pa-aĝ2-zu a-gar3-re ab-gur-e-še
Like an aroused (?) fox, your cry echoes (?) over the fields.
B.61
ka5-a a-na-am3 al-ak-a
What will the dog do about what the fox is doing?
B.62
ur-gir15-re a-na-am3 mu-un-ši-ib-ak-de3
B.63
ka5-a nam-lul-la ĝeštug2-ga-ni in-gub-ma
The fox set his mind on some treachery: I am throwing it out. I am carrying it to the river.
B.64
ba-šub-bu-de3-en id2-da mi-ni-ib-tum2-en-e-še
B.65
ka5-a {ĝiš}ilar-e mu-un-ni10-ni10
A fox walked around a throw-stick: Who is going to give a party as good as that?
B.66
kaš-de2-a ne-en dug3-ga a-ba-a ba-ab-šum2-mu-e-še
B.67
ka5-a lu2-igi-ze2-ze2 u3-bi2-in-dab5
A fox had been caught by a partially-sighted (?) man: Is this why you are crying? The fox replied: Set me free!
B.68
ne-eš2 er2 mu-e-še8-še8 šu ba-mu-u8-e-še
B.69
ur2 ka5-a-ka uzu al-du8-e
Someone cooking (?) meat at the den (?) of a fox said: One doesn't mention this in front of the mongoose. (unknown no. of lines missing)
B.70
ugu {d}nin-kilim-ma!(da) nu-um-me ba-ab-dug4
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(unknown no. of lines missing)
C.1
⌈lu2⌉ še tuku-tuku X u3 mu-⌈un⌉-[ku-ku]
The man who owns much barley may sleep (?). (1 line unclear)
C.2
X MU gud NE-ba-an
C.3
⌈?⌉{mušen}-re im-du3-a gu3 u3-⌈bi2⌉-[in-de2]
While the francolin calls out on the wall, the …… bird, not measuring two fingers, …….
C.4
[ḫe2]-uš2{mušen} 2 šu-si nu-la2-e […]
C.5
[bi2]-⌈za⌉-[za]{mušen}-gu3-balaĝ-ĝa2-⌈?⌉-[gir5-za-na{mušen}]
When the bizaza-gu-balaĝa-kar-girzana bird twitters (?), …… tongue …….
C.6
[X] ad u3-mu-ni-⌈in⌉-[ĝar]
C.7
[X] X UN eme en-nu-[…]
C.8
[X] X X X (X) X
(1 line fragmentary) (approx. 10 lines missing)
gap
(approx. 10 lines missing)
D.1
[X] X X […]
(1 line fragmentary) …… speaking ……; …… said …….
D.2
[X X (X)] ⌈al⌉-dug4-⌈e⌉ […]
D.3
[X] ⌈?⌉ ma-an-dug4-e-[še]
D.4
uga{mušen} {dug}saḫar an-⌈da⌉-[X]
A raven had (?) a porous jar. A fox asked: Where do you sprinkle the water? I sprinkle in the Tigris and the Euphrates, it replied, Why do you ask?
D.5
ka5-a en3 i-ni-in-tar [(X)]
D.6
me-am3 i-ib2-su3-e
D.7
{id2}idigna {id2}buranun-na-⌈še3⌉ i-ni-in-su3-e

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.