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Proverbs: of unknown provenance

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 6 - Proverb collections · 254 sections

1. v21.1

   ka5-a ĝeštug-bi al-gig

   If the hearing of the fox is bad, its foot will be crippled.

2. v21.2

   ĝiri3-bi al-guz-e

3. head

   YBC 7320 (Alster 1997 p. 331)

4. v22.1

   a-la-zu ni e2 du3-du3-a

   Your exuberance is something that creates a household; the young people (?) get married.

5. v22.2

   nam-tur-ra X dam tuku

6. head

   YBC 7331 (Alster 1997 p. 331)

7. v23.1

   inim-inim niĝ2-si-sa2 tum2-ma

   The god of the river ordeal will admire the hearts of those who bear words of truth.

8. v23.2

   {d}id2-lu2-<ru>-gu2 šag4-bi u6 di-e

9. head

   YBC 7344 (Alster 1997 p. 331)

10. v24.1

    lu2-ulu3 diĝir-da nu-me-a

    A man without a personal god does not procure much food nor even a little food.

11. v24.2

    nu la-ba-gu nu la-ba-tur-ra

12. head

    YBC 7347 (Alster 1997 p. 331)

13. v25.1

    lu2 igištu-ke4 izi ⌈al-gu7⌉-e

    If a leader is being consumed by fire, those behind him don't say: Where is the leader?

14. v25.2

    lu2 eĝer na-⌈ab-be2⌉ me-am3 lu2 du11-⌈saĝ⌉

15. head

    YBC 7348 (Alster 1997 p. 332)

16. v26.1

    amaš šeg9-bar-ĝu10 en-nam

    My wild stag's pen is lordly: the clan is fifty strong, for they multiply in the grass.

17. v26.2

    ildum2 50-am3 u2-a ba-an-lu

18. head

    YBC 7693 (Alster 1997 p. 332)

19. v27.1

    ĝiš-gu2-ka ḫa-mu-ra-an-KU TAR ḪU

    May the criminal (?) …… for you ……. May the farmer in charge of the oxen put out (?) your wages for you.

20. v27.2

    engar gu4-ra-ke4 addir ḫa-mu-ra-an-⌈sag3⌉-ge

21. head

    YBC 9908 (Alster 1997 p. 333)

22. v28.1

    niĝ2-gur11 [niĝ2]-gur11 lugal

    Property. A king's property -- it enters, but does not go straight (?); it goes out, but never stops.

23. v28.2

    an-ku4-ku4 nu-si-sa2 ab-ta-e3-a nu-silig-ge

24. head

    YBC 9916 (Alster 1997 p. 333)

25. v29.1

    lu2 {kuš}a2-ĝa2-la2-ni nu-keše2-da gu5-li-ni-da

    The man who did not tie up his waterskin made his friend angry.

26. v29.2

    šag4 bi2-in-dab5

27. head

    Homsy Collection no. 21 (Waetzoldt 2001 p. 538)

28. v30.1

    ⌈mu⌉ sa4-sa4 ? inim {d}šakkan2-⌈ta⌉⌉

    Granting him a name, a dog (?) by the command of Šakkan.

29. head

    Homsy Collection no. 22 (Waetzoldt 2001 p. 539)

30. v31.1

    nin ? an-na pad3-da nu-pad3-da

    The lady found the bull calf of heaven -- but has not yet found it.

31. head

    NBC 8072 (Alster 1997 p. 329)

32. v32.1

    {d}lum-ma lu2 niĝ2 sag9-ga-ra sag9-ga-aš ḫe2-na-ĝal2

    May Luma grant prosperity to him who performs good deeds.

33. head

    P 376 (Alster 1997 p. 334)

34. v33.1

    {ĝiš}banšur {d}en-lil2-la2-ka ba-ĝal2-la

    They are present on Enlil's offering table.

35. head

    TIM 10/1 2 (Alster 1997 p. 334)

36. v34.1

    a-ba zi-bi mu-un-tuku-e-še

    Who has the breath for that, as they say?

37. head

    UIOM 1999 (Alster 1997 p. 334)

38. v35.1

    iri ad4-lu2-u3-ka ba-za lu2-kaš4!(DU)-e-kam

    In the city of the lame, the halt are couriers.

39. head

    YBC 1993 (Alster 1997 p. 329)

40. v36.1

    na4 kalag-ga-gin7 ki-zu2-?-ra nu-tuku

    Like a grinding stone, it has no sharp edge.

41. head

    YBC 7282 (Alster 1997 pp. 329-330)

42. v37.1

    a-a ?-⌈li⌉ a-a keše2 saĝ ⌈ama⌉ bi2-dug4

    The father is attractive, the father is bound, he is a slave (?)! said the mother.

43. head

    YBC 7297 (Alster 1997 p. 330)

44. v38.1

    KU.ĜA2.NUN-⌈tir⌉-ra{mušen} gu3 de2 {ĝiš}šinig-am6 me-te-bi

    The voice of the forest kuĝanun bird is the glory of the tamarisks.

45. head

    YBC 7300 (Alster 1997 p. 330)

46. v39.1

    TUR.UZ.ZA{mušen} gu3 de2 ambar-am3 me-te-bi

    The voice of the duck (?) is the glory of the marshes.

47. head

    YBC 8934 (Alster 1997 p. 332)

48. v40.1

    ga-ra-ab-šum2-bi lu2-ra ga-ni-in-us2

    Were I to go up to the man who said: Let me give it to you!

49. head

    YBC 8937 (Alster 1997 p. 333)

50. v41.1

    lugal dub-sar lugal dur maḫ id2-da gib-ba

    The king is a scribe, the king is a mighty bond blocking the river.

51. head

    YBC 9906 (Alster 1997 p. 333)

52. v42.1

    ⌈lu2⌉ si sa2-⌈ra {na4}⌉kinkin(ḪAR) id2-<UD>-⌈da⌉ mu-na-<šu2>-dirig-dirig

    A millstone will float in the river for a righteous man.

53. head

    YBC 9912 (Alster 1997 p. 333)

54. v43.1

    ḫaš2 ba-ra-an-gid2-nam lu2 še-ĝiš-i3 ⌈bi2⌉-ib2-il2-il2

    I am stretching my legs on your behalf, says a man delivering sesame.

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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.