Proverbs: collection 28
- A.1
⌈{ĝiš}⌉! mu-ni nu-pad3-da su-ni i3-pad3-da
The battle-club does not find out his name, it just finds his flesh.
- A.2
iri{ki} mu ḫu-mu-kur2-kur2 mu-ĝu10 ḫu-mu-⌈gen6⌉-na
The city may change its name, but let my name stand!
- A.3
{d}nin-kilim ni2 diĝir-⌈ra⌉ nu-zu
The mongoose does not know fear of god.
- A.4
ĝiš-šub us2-sa ama-zu ḫul2-⌈la⌉
Accept your lot and make your mother happy! Run fast and make your god happy!
- A.5
kaš4 tuku-ma diĝir-zu ḫul2-⌈la⌉
- A.6
⌈te8{mušen} ka ?⌉-kam ba-an-⌈kur9⌉
An eagle (?) enters a man's mouth.
- A.7
nim kur9-ra-am3 ka-zu ba-⌈nim⌉-am3
When a fly enters, your mouth will buzz .
- A.8
{ĝiš}ĝidru gud ḫa-pa-gaz {kuš}a2-si udu ḫa-pa-šum2
Let the ox be struck with a stick and let the sheep be given the whip. Where there is no toughness, no one can go about their business, not even a plenipotentiary.
- A.9
ki saĝ-ki nu-ĝal2-ta lu2 nu-dib2 e-ne sukkal-a
- A.10
šag4 {ĝiš}ĝidru-kam i3 ḫe2-en-de2
If oil is poured into the inside of a sceptre .
- A.11
lu2 diĝir-ra-a-ni nu-mu-un-kal-kal lu2-bi ki nu-tum3
If a man does not treasure his god, that man will not be buried. His heir will not provide him with water libations ……. (1 line fragmentary)
- A.12
ibila-a-ni a nu-de2 AN ⌈saĝ⌉ [X X]-⌈?⌉
- A.13
ḫa-ma-da-gub-be2 [X X] X
- A.14
er2 geme2-kam U8 […]
…… a slave girl's tears …… spouse …… is a slave girl's child. …… boat …… his marsh …… his marsh …… (2 lines fragmentary) (unknown no. of lines missing)
- A.15
dumu geme2-kam ⌈dam⌉ […]
- A.16
ambar-a-ni ma2 […]
- A.17
gu2 ambar-a-ni […]
- A.18
[X] X BU IGI X […]
- A.19
[X X X] X […]
- gap
(unknown no. of lines missing)
- B.20
X šeš šeš […]
(1 line fragmentary)
- B.21
⌈dam⌉ nu-ĝar-ra tu-[ku-a-ĝu10-ne]
In marrying (?) a malicious husband .
- B.22
tur5-ra ⌈?-ga⌉ lu2 […]
Disease that afflicts the heart …… a man.
- B.23
u4-ma e2 nu-tuku e2 ⌈?-a⌉ [X X]
The wild beasts (?) have no houses; …….
- B.24
utul2 tu-KA šu bar ĝal2 ? nu-⌈ši⌉-[X] niĝ2-gig {d}utu-kam
A tureen …… released (?) …… not …… dust ……: it is an abomination to Utu.
- B.25
nitaḫ du-du niĝ2 pad3-da
When a man walks about, he finds something. When a woman walks about, she loses something.
- B.26
munus du-du niĝ2 ugu!(GUL) bi2-ib-de2
- B.27
lu2 ḫuĝ še sa-ra ḫa-bi2-ib-gi4
You really …… to the hireling selling roasted grain.
- B.28
saĝ i-bi2 dug4-ga
A slave wafting smoke.
- B.29
e2-gal {ĝiš}tir-!-am3
The palace is a forest. The king, the lion, subdues men with a huge net like Nungal.
- B.30
lugal ur-maḫ-e {d}nun-⌈gal⌉ {ĝiš}sa-uš-! ĝuruš-e ?-?
- B.31
e2-ta e3 sila-ta kur9-ra geme2 nin-a-ni-ta ĝišbun-ni bi2-in-ĝar
When the mistress left the house and the slave girl came in from the street, away from her mistress the slave girl set up her own banquet.
- B.32
še nu-ĝal2 ? iri{ki}-kam
Where there is no grain, this is a sign of vengeance turned toward a city. Where there are no reeds, it is the worst of all poverty.
- B.33
gi [nu]-⌈ĝal2⌉ nam-ukur3!((USAR?)) nam-ukur3!(USAR)ur2 dirig-ga
- B.34
ḫu-su ga-me-en ašgab!(LU2)-e-ne
I bow over your thighs is what the leather-workers say. I swear by Enki that it will take no time at all is what the fullers say.
- B.35
zi {d}en-ki-a ! za3-le {lu2}azlag2-e-ne
- B.36
ku6 al-šeĝ6-ĝa2 ḫa-ra-ab!(BA)-sed6-sed6-de3
When the fish is too hot, let him cool it down for you and pick out the bones for you. …… go ……, I …… happy …….
- B.37
[ĝiri3]-⌈pax(PAD)⌉-ra2 de5-de5-ga
- B.38
[X X] ?-ba-DU ĝe26-e [X X]-⌈?⌉-le-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.