Proverbs: collection 24

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 19 sections

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[…] A ⌈?⌉ […]
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2
⌈šaḫ2⌉ [niga] ⌈ab⌉-šum-de3 ⌈!⌉ [i3-gu7-a-ĝu10 ga-ab-sug6-e-še]
When a fattened pig is about to be slaughtered, one says I must replace what I eat. As the piglet snuffles around, it says I can no longer take pleasure in eating.
3
⌈{šaḫ2}ze2⌉-eḫ tur-e ⌈šu⌉ [al-gu4-ud-gu4-ud-de3] sag9-ga-aš-am3 ĝe26-⌈e⌉ [nu-gu7-e-še]
4
e2 gul-gul-e [kug i3-gul-e]
He who annihilates a house destroys silver. He who destroys a house destroys gold.
5
e2 gul-e kug-⌈sig17⌉ [i3-gul-e]
6
dam ⌈u3⌉-mu-⌈un-si⌉ gam-[am3 geme2 ug5-ga-am3]
The lord's wife kneels, the slave girl dies. The lord kneels, the slave dies.
7
u3-mu-un-⌈si⌉ gam-[am3 arad ug5-ga-am3]
8
ga-gid2 ⌈mu⌉-un-⌈da⌉-[ku5-ru šu-bi bar edin-na mu-da-an-DU]
…… its hands …… to the edge of the desert.
9
im-ba am3-ĝa2-⌈ĝa2⌉ […]
There will be losses ……. It will be done …….
10
ba-ab-ak i3-[…]
11
saĝ bul-e ⌈id2⌉-[da bal-e]
He who tosses his head succeeds in crossing the river.
12
{kuš}ummud ⌈zi⌉ [lu2-kam] {kuš}e-sir2 [igi lu2-kam]
A man's waterskin is his life. A man's sandals are his eyes. A man's wife is his supervisor (?). A man's son is his protective shade. A man's daughter is his eager servant (?). A man's daughter-in-law is his policeman.
13
dam dim4-ma ⌈lu2⌉-[kam] ⌈dumu-nitaḫ⌉ ĝissu ⌈lu2⌉-[kam]
14
dumu-munus saĝ šu ĝar lu2-kam e2-gi4-a gal5-la2 ⌈lu2⌉-[kam]
15
{d}utu bar-ra šu ḫe2-⌈en-ne⌉-[šu2] ni2-zu šu nu-zu-a ⌈kur9⌉-ni-[ib]
When the sun is setting outside so that you cannot see a hand in front of you, go inside!
16
kaš ga-an-ze2-eb-ba ušur!(UKUR3) [nu]-⌈mu⌉-un-kal-[e]
I would make the beer sweet but my neighbour would not appreciate it.
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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.