HS 1919+ HS 1936

SEAL no. 29763 · HS 1919+ HS 1936 · Wisdom Literature · Monologue · Nippur (mod. Nuffar) · 60 lines · 389 words · 802 signs · 20 Sumerograms

Transliteration

Obv.

beginning broken

1 [oooooooo]x-⸢aḫ⸣ [o (o)]-⸢ru⸣ x ⸢lum⸣-x

2 [ooooooo] x du-ra-ni qa-at be-lí

3 [o o o o o (o)] a-šib a-na kam-ma-al

4 [i]z-mu-ru m[a-a kalû(^lúGALA)] ⸢ú⸣-ram-me-ku ma-a ^lúpa-ši-šu

5 it-ta(-)šá(-)⸢a⸣ [o o o (o)] ka-li-ši-na ma-a iš-pa-ra

6 us-su ma-a asû(^lú⸢A⸣.[ZU]) uš-ši-pu ma-a āšip(KA.PIRIG.GA)

7 ⸢ša⸣ di-iš-šá i[l-tu-k]u? ka-li-šú-nu ma-a ṭupšar(DUB.SAR)

8 ⸢ib⸣-ru ma-a bārû(^lúḪAL^⸢meš⸣) [i-b]ar-ru ma-a ba-a-a-ar

9 ša ú-ṣu ú-šap-[r]i-šú ka-li-šú-nu ma-a mun-daḫ-ṣu

10 ⸢ip⸣-nu ma-a la-as-s[i-m]u iṣ-ru-ḫu ma-a qar-ra-⸢du⸣

11 ša ga-mi-ru-tu i-[p]u-šú ka-li-šú-nu ma-a it-ba-ra

12 ša pár-sa-ta id-bu-bu ka-li-šú-nu ma-a mun-dal-ku

13a ki-ma e-gi-ta a-bu-uk ter-⸢tú⸣ ṭè-e-mu →

13b šur-ru-ku ilum(DINGIR)-ma qa-a-a-áš

14 muš-tam-gi-ra i-[b]e-el eṭlūti(^lúGURUŠ^meš)

15a u₄-mu la šap-ra nišū(UN^meš) l[i-q]í-pu →

15b ri-gim-šú kīma(GIM) ṣil-le-e ú-saḫ-ḫa-al!(AḪ) ida(Á)

16 šá qātī(ŠU^min) i-⸢ti⸣-qu šá is-ra-mu ú-ṭi

17a bur-ma!(LU)-am šaḫapi(ŠAḪ-GIŠ.GI) qātī(ŠU^min) lu-⸢ú⸣ ḫum-mu-uṭ →

17b–18 ú-la-a-bi | ú-pa-a-di ana a-pi-šu-ma

19a armi(AMAR.MAŠ.DÀ) ṣabīti(MAŠ.DÀ) lu-še-ni-qa-šu [enzātu(Ù]Z^meš) →

19b a-na tulê(UBUR) ummī(AMA)-šú e-ṭa-a īnā(IGI^min)-šú

20 būr(AMAR) ayyali(SI.MUL) li-te-ʾ-⸢a⸣ [ḫe-me]-ti (?) ṭa-ab-tú

21 a-na ri-gim [um-mi-š]u (?) ba-šá-a uznā(GEŠTU^min)-šu

22 mi-ra-an nēši(UR.M[AḪ) (o o) li]-kul šīrī(UZU)-ma

23 da-mu li-na-a[ṣ-ṣi-ib o o o eli(UG]U) ṣērī(EDIN)-šú-ma

24 mi-ra-an šēlebi(KA₅.⸢A⸣) [līrub (?)] ina ēkalli(É.GAL)

25 ⸢šu⸣-kut-tu lu ⸢zu-ʾu⸣-[nu lu sa]-aḫ-ru bal-[tú]

26 mi-⸢ra-an⸣ [barbari liššuk (?) d]u-muq šīri(UZ[U) ø]

27 ana na-pa-⸢li⸣ [o o o o (o o o)] x-uz [o]

28 a-tam iṣṣūrī(MUŠEN^⸢meš⸣) x [o o o o o o (o o o o)]

29 šá x[oooooooo(oooo)]

Rev.

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30 [o o o o o o o o o (o o o o o)]

31 ⸢e?-ra-a⸣ [o o o o o o o o (o o o)]

32 ḫaṭṭi(^gišGIDRU) bīni(⸢ŠINIG⸣) [o o o o o o o (o o o)]

33 bu-ṣa-a ma-a!(MIN)-t[u o o o o o o o (o o o)]

34 la-ab-ba-a ina ma-x [...]

35 abārâ(A.GAR₅-a) tu-pa-aṣ-ṣ[a? o o (o o o)]-⸢zu-uš⸣ [o o (o o)]

36 a-na na-pa-aṣ ka-x [o o (o o o)-r]a?-na-⸢tu⸣ [o o o (o o)]

37 [ḫ]u-še-e parzillî(AN.BAR-i) [o o o o o (o)-t]a ḫu-x [o o]

38 ⸢iš-še⸣-gu ri-i-[mu o o o (o o)] ta-ri-x [(o)]

39 ri-⸢tuk⸣ ⸢la⸣-a la ^⸢lú⸣ [o o o (o)] x-a a-za-mil-lu₄ x [(o)]

40a ardu(ÌR) ek-ṣi be-la-⸢šu⸣ x [oo] →

40b [man-nu ina (?)] ki-na-at-te-e-šu šá-ni-in ina ni-i-ri

41 a-na ardi(ÌR) meš-ru-ú [(o o) o] x-⸢su⸣ ú-pe-ṣi

42 la še-mu-ú li-i[r-re-d]i (?) i-na ap-pa-ti e-ra

43a šá ardi(ÌR) ek-ṣi a-a ⸢id⸣-[gu-l]u (?) pa-ni-šu →

43b áš-liš liš-pil-ma la-[a]n-⸢šu⸣ lid-gul

44 ug-gu-uk pu-ut alpi(GU₄) a-[rik] ⸢nar-ba⸣-ṣi ku-ra-tu₄ ár-kát-su

45 ḫi-ṣe-en ki-šad mu-u[r a-g]a-⸢li⸣ a-na pa-te-e pak-kar-ta

46 ta-ta-ra-an-⸢ni⸣ [ø] kab-ta-ti tu-lam-mìn

47 ar-ki-tuk lu-⸢ú⸣ [lal-l]a-⸢ra⸣ ú-na-aṣ-ṣab man-⸢nu⸣

48 pa-na-ma šap-t[i-i]a te-te-qí ⸢mar⸣-t[i] (?)

49 ⸢ár⸣-ka-ti b[u-un]-na-ka ú-dáš-šap [lal-la-riš (?)]

50 i-na pa-ni-i[a lìb-b]a? ta-aṣ-ṣa-ra-aḫ x [o o]

51 tu-ut-tir-ra-[(ma) t]e-bir-an-ni-ma ṣi-bu-tú u[l tak-šu-ud (?)]

52 ⸢ta-at⸣-x [o (o)]-⸢ma⸣ túb-te-el-li ⸢i⸣-[šá-tíš (?)]

53 [o o o (o o)] ⸢i⸣-šá-tam-ma ⸢at-ta⸣-kip [o o o]

54 [o o o o o]-⸢ra⸣-a-t[u₄oo] x [o o (o o)]

55 [o o o o o o] x ⸢šá⸣ [o o o o o o o]

Translation

Obv.

beginning broken

1 [...] ... [...] ...
2 [...] ... walls, the hand of the lord,

3 [...] sitting against the adversary:

4 [(He who) s]ings, [“lamentation priest”; (he who)] bathes, “purification priest.”

5 (Who) moves [the shuttle here and there], everyone (calls him) “weaver”;

6 (He who) heals, “h[ealer”; (he who)] exorcises, “exorcist.”
7 (He) who ch[ec]ks the wedge, everyone (calls him) “scribe”;

8 (He who) divines, “diviner”; [(he who) h]unts, “huntsman”;

9 (He) who shoots an arrow, everyone (calls him) “archer.”

10 (He who) outstrips, “run[ne]r”; (he who) [ru]shes, “warrior.”

11 (He) who has power, everyone (calls him) “friend”;
12 (He) who says things clearly, everyone (calls him) “wise.”

13a By negligence I broke the order and the command,
13b (But) “A god alone can grant prolongation (of life)” (= Theodicy 196),

14 (And) “he who makes amends is a ruler of men” (= Quotation?).

15a Let people [tru]st an unchained lion:
15b His roar shall needle the arm like a thorn,
16 (A thorn) which cut the hands, which sliced the forearm.

17a Let a wild boar piglet be swift-footed -
17b–18 He will take (nothing but) a soiled rag captive to his canebrake.

19a Let [nanny go]ats suckle the fawn of agazelle—
19b His eyes (will look) impatiently for his mother’s breast.

20 Let the calf of a deer lick fine [but]ter —
21 His ears (will) bend towards the voice of h[is mother].

22 [Le]t the lio[n] cub [(...)] eat flesh —
23 Let him suc[k] the blood [... o]ver him.

24 [Let] the fox cub [enter] the palace,
25 Let [(the palace)] be adorned with the ornament, [let it be wra]pped in dign[ity],

26 [Let] the cub of [the wolf bite the cho]icest me[at],

27 To forage for [...] ... [...]

28 [Let] the hatchling of the bird [...]

29 ... [...]

Rev.

beginning broken

30 [...]

31 Copper [...]

32 A stick of tamarisk [...]

33 (Does) the land [...] to a hyena?

34 (Does) [...] in the ... to a lion?

35 Will you sinter lead [...] ... [...]?
36 In order to crush ... [...] ... [...]

37 Scraps of iron ... [...] ... [...]

38 A bu[ll] becomes infuriated, [...] ... [(...)]
39 The bull in your hand ... [...] ... a sack ...

40a [Let] the insolent slave [disrespect] his master—
40b [Who among] his peers will rival him at the yoke?

41 To a slave, riches crushed his ... [...],
42 Let the disobedient be le[d aw]ay with a ox-goad of hard wood!

43a Of the insolent slave, let his face not be s[ee]n!
43b Let (only) he who goes down sixty meters see his figure!

44 Your rage is an ox’s forehead (i.e., a trapezoid): the base is wide, (but) its length is short;

45 Hug the neck of a [do]nkey foa[l] to open ...

46 You have insulted me, hurting my feelings,
47 After you(r actions), even if (I) were [hon]ey, who would suck (me)?

48 In the past you have daubed my li[ps] with ga[ll].
49 In the future I will sweeten your f[a]ce [like honey].

50 Before m(y actions), you were burning (with rage in your) [hear]t ... [...];

51 You have, again, cross-examined me, [without achieving] the purpose.

52 You have ... [...], you kept extinguishing [like] f[ire].

53 [...] the fire, I have gored [...]

54-55 [...] ... [...]

Michael P. Streck and Nathan Wasserman, Sources of Early Akkadian Literature (SEAL), seal.huji.ac.il. No commercial use is allowed. Published under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives). Reproduced unmodified. Cite as SEAL no. 29763; view on seal.huji.ac.il.