Proverbs: collection 22

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 207 sections

gap
(approx. 18 lines missing)
19
[…] ? […]-de3
(1 line fragmentary)I pick the bones from the fish …….
20
[ku6-ta] ĝiri3-pax(PAD)-ra2 […] ⌈?⌉-de5-de5-ge
21
[…]-⌈ĝu10⌉ za-e NE KA
(5 lines fragmentary)
22
[…]-da-la2-en
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[…]-⌈sag9⌉-ge
24
[…] X-⌈?-e⌉
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[…] X-⌈e⌉
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[…] X il2
(2 lines fragmentary) (4 lines missing)
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[…] ⌈il2⌉
gap
(4 lines missing)
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[…] X
(1 line fragmentary)
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[mu]-⌈ud⌉-na-[ĝu10] [ĝiri3-pax(PAD)-ra2] ⌈šag4 ku6-ta⌉ […]-⌈de5⌉-de5-ge
My husband picks the bones from the fish for me.
34
[u2 dam]-⌈?⌉ ze2-ba [edin-na nu]-⌈un⌉-mu2
A plant as sweet as a husband does not grow in the desert.
35
[šaḫ2 …] X il2-e
A pig ……. Where is my husband? it said. When it realised (?) its fate ……. (approx. 11 lines missing)
36
[me-a dam]-⌈ĝu10⌉ im-me
37
[nam-tar …]-⌈na-te⌉
gap
(approx. 11 lines missing)
49
[dumu-nitaḫ tur]-⌈?⌉-am3 [e2 ad]-da-ni [sar]-ra
The chasing away of a younger son from the house of his father is an abomination to Ninurta.
50
⌈niĝ2-gig⌉ ⌈{d}⌉nin-urta-kam
51
⌈dug4-ga⌉-ab dug4-ga
Speak! is spoken. Rise! is risen.
52
⌈zig3⌉-ga-ab zig3-ga
53
⌈?⌉-ab-X ga-ab-?
Let me ……. Let me ……. (4 lines unclear)Its …… will be destroyed by wickedness …… Utu …….
54
lu2 ⌈ki⌉ X ?
55
KA ⌈AN⌉ X [X] RA
56
⌈nu⌉-mu-[da]-⌈?⌉-DI-e
57
DI X [X (X)]-DI
58
kud-⌈kud⌉-da-bi
59
niĝ2-erim2-e
60
ḫa-lam-me-⌈de3⌉
61
{d}utu ? aĝ2 X ⌈A⌉
62
sag9-ga ⌈šu-am3⌉
Good is in the hands. Evil is also in the hands.
63
ḫul šu am3-ga-am3
64
[sag9-ga] šag4-ge [šu nu-bar]-re
The heart does not let go of the good; but the heart cannot let go of the evil either. As if it were a fertile spot, the heart does not abandon the good.
65
[ḫul šag4-ge šu nu-di-ni-bar-re]
66
[sag9-ge ki dur5-ru-am3 šag4-ge nu-da13-da13]
67
[ḫul] e2 ⌈niĝ2⌉-[gur11-ra ur5-e la]-⌈ba⌉-an-⌈gu7⌉-[e]
The evil does not feed a storehouse with interest.
68
ḫul-da id2-da ma2 ḫe2-en-da-an-su
Let the boat sink in the river along with the evil.
69
an-edin-na ⌈{kuš}⌉ummud [ḫe2]-dar-dar
Let the waterskin split in the high desert. (approx. 10 lines missing)
gap
(approx. 10 lines missing)
80
⌈kalag-?⌉-[še3] sig9-ga [bar-rim4-ma] nam X […]
…… for the strong man; the weak man …… on dry land.
81
⌈?⌉ [X X X] nam-ba-⌈an⌉-[gi4]-⌈gi4⌉
Don't offer advice …….
82
NUN ME-ME [X X]
(3 lines fragmentary)
83
X NI [X X]
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lu2 ? [X X X]
85
ud al-[e3 …] ⌈? ?⌉-[tar …]
By sunrise decisions are made …….
86
igi-zu X X […] ḫe2-en-ši-⌈ĝal2⌉
Keep your attention fixed on …….
87
⌈ĝiš-?⌉ u3-⌈us2⌉-[sa-ab] ⌈ama⌉-zu ḫul2-[la-ab]
Accept your lot and make your mother happy! Run fast and make your god happy!
88
⌈kaš4⌉ dug4-ga-[ab] diĝir-zu ḫul2-[la-ab]
89
⌈? ?⌉ […] NI
(5 lines fragmentary) (approx. 4 lines missing)
90
⌈UŠ⌉ X [X] ⌈?⌉-dug3-⌈?⌉
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? X [(X)] X
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[X X X] X X
93
[…] X-ga
gap
(approx. 4 lines missing)
98
⌈?⌉ […]
(4 lines fragmentary) (approx. 25 lines missing)
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dumu […]
100
dumu […]
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⌈?⌉ […]
gap
(approx. 25 lines missing)
127
[X X] X X […]
(7 lines fragmentary) (approx. 6 lines missing)
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AN [X X] ⌈?⌉ X [X]
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[…]
130
X […] X [X]
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⌈2(MIN)⌉ [i3]-⌈lul⌉-lul [X]
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[X X] X ḫa-ba-X [X]
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[X] TUG2 X ba-⌈?⌉-[X]
gap
(approx. 6 lines missing)
140
[…]
(5 lines fragmentary) If I have any bread left over, a stranger consumes it.
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X […]
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BAR […]
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lu2 X […]
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ḪA X […]
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⌈?-?⌉-[ĝal2-e] ⌈lu2⌉-kur2-⌈ra⌉ [ib2-gu7]
146
an ⌈uga⌉[{mušen}-am3] ki ⌈{d}nin⌉-[kilim-am3]
In the sky there is the raven; on the earth there is the mongoose; in the desert there is the lion ……; ……, where shall I go?
147
edin-e [ur-maḫ-e] ? X [… me-še3 ga-ĝen]
148
alan [mu-sag9]
The figure is good. The father-in-law rejoices over it: It is just like a real person!
149
ušbar7 mu-[un-da-ḫul2]
150
i-⌈gi4⌉-[in-zu lu2-ulu3-am3]
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X PA […]
(4 lines fragmentary) (4 lines missing)
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E ZI-ZI […]
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X X E […]
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[X X] X X […]
gap
(4 lines missing)
159
mušen […]
…… a bird ……. A bird …… your net …… came. …… was confused. …… went …… as his name ……. Reeds …… standing in deep waters. …… his eyes …… Utu ……. A young girl …… the house of her (?) father-in-law (?) ……. Sitting ……. Her eyes …… her women's quarters …….
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mušen X […]
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sa-⌈zu⌉ […]
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i3-⌈DU⌉ […]
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i3-suḫ3-⌈suḫ3⌉ […]
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ba-an-DU […]
165
mu-ni-še3 ⌈?⌉-[X]
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{gi}en3-bar [X]
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a gal-la gub-⌈?⌉
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igi-ni {d}utu ⌈AN⌉ [X X]
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ki-sikil e2 ⌈?⌉ […]
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tuš-a ⌈?⌉ [X X]
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igi-ni ama5-ni [X X]
172
an al-šu2-šu2-[ru] im nu-šeĝ3-[am3]
It became cloudy, but it did not rain. It rained, but not enough for people to undo their sandals. The Tigris was not surging at its inlet, so water did not fill the arable lands.
173
im al-⌈šeĝ3⌉ {kuš}e-sir2 [nu-du8-e]
174
{id2}idigna [ka-ba] nu-un-[zur-re]

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.