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Proverbs: collection 11

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 138 sections

1. gap

   (approx. 4 lines missing)

2. A.5

   ⌈? ?-ba mu-un⌉-X

   …… the storehouse …….

3. A.6

   til3-la lul-la ḫul na-an-gu-<ul>-en

   As long as you live you should not increase evil by lying; for if you do, to succumb will be your lot.

4. A.7

   ga-am3 ḫa-la-zu mu-un-ĝal2

5. A.8

   u2 de5-de5-ga kalag-ga-še3

   To collect firewood is a job for the strong man. The weak man sits waiting for him on dry land.

6. A.9

   sig9-ga bar-rim4-ma mu-un-na-tuš

7. A.10

   [X] ḪA RA NE lib-ba teš2-ba

   (1 line unclear) Let an articulate man live in the house with you like a wicked poor man. Like my own affairs, antimony paste (?) is air: let …… fat be eaten in the mist.

8. A.11

   inim-zu ? ḫul-a-gin7 e2-a <ḫu-mu-e>-da-an-til3

9. A.12

   aĝ2 ĝa2-a-gen6-nam šem-bi2 lil2-e

10. A.13

    u3 li9 bar-šeĝ3-e ḫe2-gu7-e

11. A.14

    gala-a ma2 še-ka-ni ḫa-ba-an-da-su-su

    Although the lamentation priest's grain boat was sinking, he would be walking on dry land.

12. A.15

    bar-rim4-ma ḫa-ba-e-ĝen

13. A.16

    {d}am-an-⌈ki⌉

    Enki (2 lines fragmentary)

14. A.17

    [X X] X ⌈kar-kar⌉ [X] X X

15. A.18

    […] SU […]-e-še

16. A.19

    […] RI

    (5 lines fragmentary) (approx. 14 lines missing)

17. A.20

    […] UŠ

18. A.21

    […] A RI

19. A.22

    […]-de2

20. A.23

    […] X-⌈a⌉

21. gap

    (approx. 14 lines missing)

22. B.1

    ⌈na⌉-[an-ni] [libir-ra mu-un-kal]

    Nanni appreciated his old age. He built Enlil's temple but did not complete it. He built a wall around Nibru, but ……. He captured Simurrum, but did not suppress it. In misery he ……. Thus Nanni was brought to the nether world depressed at heart.

23. B.2

    e2 {d}[en-lil2-la2] [i3-du3] nu-[un-til]

24. B.3

    bad3 ⌈nibru⌉[{ki}] [i3-du3] KA ŠE […]

25. B.4

    si-mu-⌈ur⌉-[ru{ki}] [i3-dab5] gu2-bi [nu-…-gid2] šag4 ⌈ḫul⌉ […]

26. B.5

    ur5 na-⌈an⌉-[ni] [šag4 sig-ga] kur-še3 ba-[ra-an-de6]

27. B.6

    ga-gid2 mu-⌈da⌉-[ku5-ru]

    (1 line fragmentary) …… its hands …… to the edge of the desert.

28. B.7

    ⌈šu-bi ba edin⌉ [X X] ⌈MU⌉ […]

29. B.8

    gid2-bi mu-⌈da-ab⌉-X

    When it stretches, it …….

30. B.9

    bi2-in-dug4 nu-mu-un-gen6

    He spoke but did not keep his word. He keeps speaking but shies away from his responsibilities.

31. B.10

    ab-be2 ab-da-ab-gur

32. B.11

    in dub2-dub2-bu-⌈ra⌉ in mu-⌈un-na-an⌉-ĝal2

    He who insults is insulted. He who sneers is sneered at.

33. B.12

    giri17 ur5 giri17 mu-⌈un⌉-na-⌈ur5⌉-e

34. B.13

    ⌈gi4⌉-in ?-⌈?⌉-me na-ab-be2-e

    So says the slave girl: It has been carried away!

35. B.14

    diĝir u3-mu-un-na-ke4 ḫu-mu-⌈dar-dar⌉-e-e-še

    Let the master's god split it, then.

36. B.15

    ugula a2 ? ĝa2-? nu-! saĝ sag3-ge nu-ĝa2-ĝa2

    The overseer does not know how to assign the work and so cannot stop the trembling (?).

37. B.16

    a-ša4 ĝiš-gi-a nam-mu-nu2-de3-en

    Now, you should not sleep in the reedbeds.

38. B.17

    ⌈peš2⌉-ĝiš-gi-ke4 [i3-gu7-e-en]

    The rats of the reedbeds will eat you. (approx. 5 lines missing)

39. gap

    (approx. 5 lines missing)

40. B.23

    […] X

    (2 lines fragmentary) …… guard …… reach out to you ……. (approx. 21 lines missing)

41. B.24

    […] X-me-en

42. B.25

    […] ⌈en⌉-nu-uĝ3

43. B.26

    [(X) ba]-⌈ra⌉-gid2

44. gap

    (approx. 21 lines missing)

45. C.1

    X […]

    (1 line fragmentary)

46. C.2

    […]

    (1 line missing)

47. C.3

    ⌈?⌉ ? […]

    (1 line fragmentary)

48. C.4

    niĝ2 gu […]

    (2 lines fragmentary)

49. C.5

    igi ba-⌈da-an⌉-X […]

50. C.6

    si nu-e-⌈da⌉-il2-⌈?⌉

    You cannot butt me with your horns! Why are you butting? I am running away!

51. C.7

    a-na-aš-am3 si il2-i-de3-en

52. C.8

    i3-du-de3-en

53. C.9

    sukud-gin7 [X X]

    Like a tall person …… not …… lifting …… lifting.

54. C.10

    nu-X [X] il2-i [X] X

55. C.11

    ab-il2 [X] X

56. C.12

    X [X X X] ⌈A⌉ […] ⌈TI⌉

    (1 line fragmentary) Letting water flow into the dykes (1 line fragmentary)

57. C.13

    [X X]-⌈?⌉ pa4-ugur2-še3 dug4-ga

58. C.14

    […] X MUNUS nu-DI

59. C.15

    ⌈gir⌉ ab-ba saĝ ni2-ba sal-sal

    A gir fish of the sea, whose head is wider than its body.

60. C.16

    id2-da-ta {d}ga-ša-an-an lu2-ĝu10 ḫe2-gu7-gu7

    From the river, oh Inana, let my man eat.

61. C.17

    peš2 ki ba-ba-al-ba-al

    Rats dig the ground. (approx. 24 lines missing)

62. gap

    (approx. 24 lines missing)

63. D.1

    […] X [X X X] ⌈?-?⌉ [X (X)]

    (3 lines fragmentary)

64. D.2

    [X (X)] gi4-in-⌈na⌉

65. D.3

    X MU gi4-in-a-kam

66. D.4

    aĝ2-ĝa2 aĝ2 gal-la-am3

    My affairs are great affairs, my offices are great offices.

67. D.5

    me-ĝu10 me gal-la-am3

68. D.6

    šag4-bi zig3-ga ugula nam-me

    An exciteable man should not become an overseer. A shepherd should not become a farmer.

69. D.7

    sipad engar nam-me

70. D.8

    ⌈saĝ⌉ {ĝiš}ĝidru-ka i3 ḫe2-en-de2

    Were you to pour oil onto the top of a sceptre.

71. D.9

    šag4 ĝiš-ta dilim2 a-ba-am3

    From within a tree, a spoon. Who is it?

72. D.10

    e2-gal ni2-bi-še3 gam-e-dam

    A palace will fall of its own accord.

73. D.11

    sig-sig a-ga-de3{ki}-še3 i3-gi4-in

    Oh whirlwind, I despatched you towards Agade. What did you accomplish in Agade? The dream was favourable! (approx. 26 lines missing)

74. D.12

    a-ga-de3{ki}-a a-na-am3 i3-ak maš2-ĝi6 zid-da

75. gap

    (approx. 26 lines missing)

76. E.1

    šu gi4-⌈gi4⌉ [niĝ2-gig {d}nin-urta-kam]

    To take revenge is the prerogative of Ninurta.

77. E.2

    gu5-li-ĝu10 sag9-ga ḫe2-am3-me-am3 ḫul-me DU-am3

    That my friend should be well is our wish, and that our enemies should be gone! May those friendly to you reach their goal as a ship does a friendly harbour!

78. E.3

    sag9-ga-zu ma2 kar sag9-ga-gin7 kar-ra ⌈ḫe2-em-us2⌉

79. E.4

    ḫul-zu a-ĝi6-a-ĝi6 ⌈id2⌉-da-gin7 ⌈iri⌉-ni-še3 ḫa-ba-gi4

    May your enemy, like the flood waters of a river, return to his city.

80. E.5

    ⌈a⌉-da ab-tuš kur-šag4 igi du8

    Those who live near the water look into the mountains. They don't look in their own direction.

81. E.6

    ni2-bi-še3 igi nu-du8

82. E.7

    a-da-ab-e niĝ2 im-ba nu-zu

    Adapa knows no loss as he walks within the mountains.

83. E.8

    kur-šag4-ge di-di

84. E.9

    til3-la til3-la

    Living is living. But to live (?) like (?) a lord! (approx. 30 lines missing)

85. E.10

    ⌈en⌉-[gin7] ⌈til3-?⌉

86. gap

    (approx. 30 lines missing)

87. F.1

    X […]

    (3 lines fragmentary)

88. F.2

    X […]

89. F.3

    X […]

90. F.4

    […]

    (3 lines missing)

91. F.5

    […]

92. F.6

    […]

93. F.7

    ⌈lu2⌉ […]

    (3 lines fragmentary) …… merchant …… partner …….

94. F.8

    ⌈lul⌉ […]

95. F.9

    lu2 […]

96. F.10

    dam-⌈gara3⌉ […]

97. F.11

    tab-ba X […]

98. F.12

    kud-kud-a ⌈gi⌉-[gur ba-ab-dab5]

    The cripple (?) took a reed basket. For (?) his words a man beats him. (unknown no. of lines missing)

99. F.13

    inim-!-⌈ni⌉-[ra lu2 al-sag3-e]

100. gap

     (unknown no. of lines missing)

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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.