Proverbs: collection 22

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

175
a-⌈gar3⌉-[re nu-si-si]
176
nu-[…]
(3 lines fragmentary) (1 line missing)
177
igi X […]
178
⌈?⌉ […]
gap
(1 line missing)
180
[X (X)] X ḫe2-⌈ĝal2⌉
(2 lines fragmentary) …… is that of a thief.
181
[X] X gu7 DU
182
{lu2}ni2-zu-ka-kam
183
il2-mu-ub
Carry it! -- I will carry it. Add more! -- I will speak.
184
ga-ba-ab-il2
185
taḫ-mu-ub
186
ga-ba-ab-dug4
187
lu2-lul-la-še3 ni2 buluĝ5
He builds himself up in the manner of a liar -- but he cannot raise himself up while carrying a waterskin in his hand.
188
ni2 nu-il2 {kuš}a2-ĝa2-la2 šu-še3 la2
189
an i3-gur3-ru ki šu-ni-še3 la2
He holds up the sky, letting the earth dangle from his hands.
190
usu-tuku lugal ki-in-du-ke4
The mighty man is the ruler of the earth.
191
ḫa-ma-da-gub-be2-en gudug-e-ne
You should serve me is what the purification priests say. I bow over your hips is what the leather-workers say. I swear by Enki that your garments will take no time in this house is what the fullers say.
192
ib2-a gam-me-en !-e-ne
193
zi {d}en-⌈ki⌉ e2-a ba-ra-zal-zal-[e] {lu2}!-e-[ne]
194
dumu dam-⌈e⌉-[ne] šaĝan-la2-[e]-⌈ne⌉
Children and wives and trading agents! How they use up silver! And how they use up barley!
195
kug ta ⌈ba-an⌉-de6
196
u3 še ⌈ta⌉ [ba]-⌈an⌉-de6
197
tur-[tur (X)]-ra lagab ⌈{na4}za⌉-gin3-na
No matter how small they are, they are still blocks of lapis lazuli.
198
kug [X X] ⌈ib2⌉-dirig
Silver greater than …… let me make increase …….
199
[X X] ga-ba-an-lu
200
[X X] teš2-bi [dumu] lugal-la-kam
…… together …… is a prince.
201
[šag4] ⌈gu7⌉ ub-dirig [a]-nir-ra
When a feeding belly becomes bloated, it is lamentable -- a belly made obedient by the prince.
202
šag4 gu3 sig10-ga dumu lugal-la-ke4
203
sukux(SUKUD)-ra2 an-na šu nu-um-la2
No one is tall enough to reach up and touch the heavens. No one is broad enough to encompass the whole earth. No one is strong enough even to stretch himself fully in his bed. But you who roar like a storm -- may you establish yourself like a lion.
204
daĝal-e ki-in-du ⌈?⌉-[ba]-an-šu2-šu2
205
[kalag]-⌈ga⌉ ki-nu2 ⌈ni2 nu⌉-mu-un-gid2-de3
206
[za-e]-me-en [ud]-⌈gin7⌉ dug4-dug4-ga ⌈piriĝ⌉-gin7 ni2 ḫe2-gub
207
[X X (X)] X kiri6-a
…… in a garden ……. (1 line fragmentary) (approx. 3 lines missing)
208
[…] X
gap
(approx. 3 lines missing)
212
⌈engar DU⌉ [X X] X U3
(2 lines fragmentary)
213
TUR X […] ki
214
šu-ni {ĝiš}banšur-ra
His hand is on the table; his tongue is in the palace.
215
eme-ni e2-gal-la
216
tur-bi gu7-a maḫ-bi til3-⌈la⌉
To eat a little is to live splendidly. When you walk about, keep your feet on the ground!
217
di4-di4-⌈? ĝen⌉-na ĝiri3-zu ⌈?⌉-[a] ⌈gub⌉-ba
218
ib2 dab ba-an-de2
He who was seized by anger (?) poured it out (?): I will glare (?)! In my enraged state I will destroy a boundary wall (?) for you! My anger (?) will be malign! He who was seized by anger (?) poured it out -- it did not matter to him.
219
igi bar-ra ga-ba-ab-il2
220
šag4 si-ĝu10 im-du3-a ga-ra-a-gul
221
ib2 ḫe2-ḫul
222
ib2 dab ba-an-de2
223
nu-mu-un-kal-la
224
a-na ga-ab-dug4
Whatever I say, I will say it twice, and then I will repeat it again.
225
2(MIN) ga-ab-dug4
226
2(MIN) ga-ab-taḫ
227
lul i3-sun7
The liar is arrogant. He always lies. He always slanders.
228
lul dug4-dug4
229
eme sig dug4-dug4
230
an-kur2
Treacherous! Malicious! Shifty-eyed!
231
an-kur2-kur2
232
igi an-kur2-kur2
233
bi2-za-za
How can the frog stand up? How can he even sit down?
234
a-na-am3 gub-ba-ni
235
a-na-am3 tuš-a-ni
236
du-du nam-gir5-re a2-bi in-ĝal2
Moving about facilitates being an immigrant.
237
di4-di4-ba X [X]
Walking around (?) …… lasts long. (8 lines fragmentary)The liar tells me a lie (?). (1 line fragmentary) (approx. 6 lines missing)
238
ud mu-da-⌈?⌉-[e]
239
dumu X [X X]
240
AN AŠ UD mu-⌈da⌉-[X X X]
241
šul-šul X [X]-⌈bi⌉
242
igi-ni im-⌈?⌉-[X] X
243
i3-DU [X (X)] X
244
a-na-⌈am3⌉ X [X] X
245
⌈saĝ⌉ NI X [X] RI
246
X ki lu2 X ĝal2
247
lu2-lul i-lu
248
⌈ma⌉-ab-be2-a
249
[X] X ? an-de2
gap
(approx. 6 lines missing)
256
[…] X [X]
(15 lines fragmentary)
257
[…] ⌈kur2⌉-ra
258
[…]-⌈?⌉
259
[…] ⌈gi⌉ NE
260
[…] UL
261
[…] ⌈du⌉-a
262
[…]-bal-a
263
[…] X-ra
264
[…]-⌈ni⌉
265
[…]-⌈ra⌉
266
[…] X-kam
267
[…]-ra
268
[…]-un-zu
269
[…] KI-ma
270
X [X X] X tud-da
271
igi {d}utu šudu3-de3
Utu's glance is prayerful. Utu's heart is compassionate. A devotee of Utu is among the holy. Allotted by Utu to be fortunate, a …… ship reaches the quay.
272
šag4 {d}utu daĝal-la
273
dumu {d}utu kug-ga-kam
274
šub-ba {d}utu sag9-ge-de3
275
ma2 gu7-gu7 kar-ra an-dab5-be2
276
lu2 gu7-a
A god seizes the man who eats …….
277
diĝir an-dab5-be2
278
e2-⌈{na4}⌉kinkin(ḪAR)-⌈e⌉ du14 [ḫe2]-en-⌈ĝal2⌉
If there is a dispute at the mill, a slave girl will bring out (?) what she has stolen (?).
279
geme2 niĝ2 ⌈?⌉-a ḫe2-em-ma-ab-ed3-de3
280
⌈gala⌉-e ur-maḫ-e ⌈edin⌉-na ni2 mu-ni-ib-teĝ3-ĝe26
A lamentation priest became afraid of a lion in the desert, and said: From Inana's gate ……. The purification priests come to you, asking: What is your brother doing in the desert?"
281
⌈kan4⌉ {d}inana-ta X-be2-ne

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.