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Proverbs: from Urim

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 673 sections

  1. v125.1

    kug tuku-e za-gin3 tuku-e gud tuku-e udu tuku-e

    He who has silver, he who has lapis lazuli, he who has oxen and he who has sheep wait at the gate of the man who has barley.

  2. v125.2

    ⌈kan4⌉ lu2 še tuku-ka ud mi-ni-ib-zal-zal-e

  3. head

    UET 6/2 270

  4. v126.1

    ur-gir15 ma2-addir-še3 niĝ2 na-me nu-mu-un-šum2

    The dog gives nothing towards the ferryboat, and yet it claps its hand for the ferryboat.

  5. v126.2

    u3 {ĝiš}ma2-addir-ra šu am3-sag3-sag3-ge

  6. head

    UET 6/2 274

  7. v127.1

    ⌈dub⌉-sar-tur bar <numun2> niĝ2-gig-ga

    When the young scribe is absent, it is a bad thing. No rushes are torn up to make his bedding.

  8. v127.2

    {u2}numun2 ki-nu2-ni nu-um-zig3

  9. head

    UET 6/2 276

  10. v128.1

    inim du14-da-ka nam-šeš-e mu-un-dim2-dim2

    Brotherhood is founded on the words of a quarrel. At the witness box, friendship becomes known.

  11. v128.2

    ki inim-ma-ka nam-gu5-li ba-an-zu-zu

  12. head

    UET 6/2 278

  13. v129.1

    i3-ĝen-ĝen-na-ke4-⌈eš⌉ i3-kaš4-kaš4-na-ke4-eš

    Because I was always walking, because I always ran, He carried away, he carried away! is what they called me.

  14. v129.2

    ba-an-tum2 ba-an-tum2 mu-ĝu10-še3 ba-an-⌈dug4⌉

  15. head

    UET 6/2 279

  16. v130.1

    ama-a-tud-še3 su11-lum in-na-[mar] er2 ba-an-pad3

    A home-born slave was treated with contempt, so he wept. He had chaff in his hands, so he bared his teeth in anger.

  17. v130.2

    in-bul-bul šu-na mu-un-ĝal2 zu2 ba-an-zalag

  18. head

    UET 6/2 280

  19. v131.1

    lu2 U [X (X)] {d}inana [X]

    …… Inana …… builds a house for her …….

  20. v131.2

    e2 in-na-du3-⌈e⌉ saĝ X saĝ NI

  21. head

    UET 6/2 285

  22. v132.1

    peš2 tur-re lu2 šu dab5-ba

    A small mouse was caught by a man: I (?) am fleeing from evil, it said.

  23. v132.2

    ⌈erim2⌉ al-kar-re-e-še

  24. head

    UET 6/2 286

  25. v133.1

    in-nu in-dub2-ba in ma-an-dug4

    If I insult, I am insulted. Even if I don't treat someone with contempt, I am still treated with contempt.

  26. v133.2

    su-lum nu-mu-un-mar su-lum mar ma-an-X

  27. head

    UET 6/2 288

  28. v134.1

    en-na kug-zu kug ba-da-an-na-⌈ak⌉

    No matter how much wisdom exerts itself (?), the fool achieves what he needs.

  29. v134.2

    na-ĝa2-<aḫ>-e a2-aš2-bi sa2 bi2-in-dug4-ga

  30. head

    UET 6/2 297

  31. v135.1

    galam-da us2-a galam-a mu-ni-in-zu

    By following craftiness, one learns how to be crafty. By following wisdom, one learns how to be wise.

  32. v135.2

    kug-zu-ta us2-a kug-zu mu-ni-in-zu

  33. head

    UET 6/2 304

  34. v136.1

    ki an ab-dirig a-ba-a šu gul-la

    Earth is greater than heaven. Who can destroy it?

  35. v136.2

    GUL diĝir-ra na4-a ĝar-ra

    A god's …… is founded on stone.

  36. head

    UET 6/2 314

  37. v137.1

    ⌈nir⌉-ĝal2-⌈e ka⌉ diĝir-ra-kam

    To the trustworthy man belongs a divine voice (?). The barge on the river and the chariot on the road come to him.

  38. v137.2

    ⌈ma2⌉-gur8 id2-⌈da⌉ {ĝiš}gigir ḫar-ra-an-na mu-na-da-ĝen

  39. head

    UET 6/2 316

  40. v138.1

    munus-e šag4 X mu-un-na-⌈te⌉

    A woman …… womb (?): A figure is growing as tall as the grass.

  41. v138.2

    alan sukud-⌈da⌉ u2-gin7 bi2-⌈in⌉-[mu2]

  42. head

    UET 6/2 319

  43. v139.1

    gidim mu-na-an-ug5-⌈ga⌉

    A ghost who had died said: You shouldn't carry oil.

  44. v139.2

    u2 li na-ab-tum3-mu-⌈e⌉-[še]

  45. head

    UET 6/2 323

  46. v140.1

    gu3 lal3-gin7 [X (X)]

    Like a sweet voice …….

  47. v140.2

    MU KA GI [X (X)]

    (1 line fragmentary)

  48. head

    UET 6/2 327

  49. v141.1

    mu-na-⌈?⌉-[X X] nam-ba-na-ab-[X]

    One should not …… someone who ……; one should greet someone who says something.

  50. v141.2

    niĝ2 bi2-in-⌈dug4⌉-[ga] silim mu-na-ab-dug4

  51. head

    UET 6/2 385

  52. v142.1

    e2-bar-ra eš-kiĝ2-zu-gin7 eg2-zu-gin7 pa5-zu-gin7 ta-bi!(ZI)-ni bi-ti-ka X X bi-it i-ik-ka X-⌈ik⌉ pa-la-ak-ka ḪI X

    Your outhouse is like your ……, like your canal, like your dykes. Of what importance is it to you as a scribe?

  53. v142.2

    dub-sar-e a-na-bi-me-en [X] X ṭup-šar-ru-tim […] X-u2-ka

  54. head

    UET 6/3 588

  55. v143.1

    GA AN TA AN DA

    (2 lines unclear)

  56. v143.2

    GA A GIG A U2 ? MA AB GU U2

  57. head

    U.8814 (UET 6/3 p. 84)

  58. v144.1

    nam-kal-la

    Value -- anything of mine that is hired.

  59. v144.2

    niĝ2-nam-⌈ĝu10⌉ ba-a-?

  60. head

    UET 6/2 226

  61. v145.1

    lu2 teš2 <nu>-tuku-tuku ḫu-ru-⌈?⌉-bi

    The stupidest of all shameless men.

  62. head

    UET 6/2 235

  63. v146.1

    anše šag4 dirig-ke4 in-nu-⌈da⌉ gu2-ni am3-⌈ši⌉-la2

    The overstuffed donkey must carry the straw on its neck.

  64. head

    UET 6/2 249

  65. v147.1

    uga{mušen}-gin7 munu4 gu-la-še3 igi-zu am3-da-ĝal2

    Like a raven, you have your eyes on enormous quantities of malt.

  66. head

    UET 6/2 253

  67. v148.1

    lu2-ulu3 diĝir-da nu-[me-a] a2-tuku i-bi2-za la-ba-ši-ĝal2

    A man without a god -- for a strong man it is no loss.

  68. head

    UET 6/2 256

  69. v149.1

    lu2 niĝ2-gen6-na ḫe2-šub-ba zig3-ga-bi a-ab-gu-ul

    The expenses (?) of those who neglect justice are numerous.

  70. head

    UET 6/2 298

  71. v150.1

    ḫa-la ḫa-la-še3 ĝa2-ĝa2 niĝ2-gig {d}utu-kam

    Adding an inheritance share to an inheritance share is an abomination to Utu.

  72. head

    UET 6/2 312

  73. v151.1

    AN ?-ba DI-bi gi4-gi4 ĝiškim zid an-na

    When …… answers ……, it is a good omen from heaven.

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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.