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Proverbs: collection 4 (Q000798)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Nippur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | Proverbs: collection 4 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q000798 |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Period | Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE |
| Genre | Literary |
| Find spot | Nippur |
| Coordinates | 32.1271, 45.2300 |
Transliteration (ATF)
From Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618)
Machine draft. The right-hand column is machine English from ixmon/atf-to-english (atf-en-t5base-F, 2026-10-17), generated line by line from the transliteration. It is unreviewed and is not a scholarly translation.
| Line | ATF | Machine English (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| proverb 4.1, | ||
| 1 | 1 dug sukud-ra₂ alan gu₃ de₂-de₂ | 1 sukud-vessel, clad in a statue, |
| proverb 4.2, | ||
| 2 | niŋ₂ izi sig₉ me i₃-kal-kal-am₃ egir-ra-bi na | Its behind is a beautiful fire that burns the me. |
| proverb 4.3, | ||
| 3 | MAŠ giŋ₄ MAŠ giŋ₄ ki im-du-a-kam | It is an old male goat, a new female goat born in Imdu. |
| 4 | šub giŋ₄ ki am muš-a-kam | The hand of the young woman is the place of the wild bull |
| proverb 4.4, | ||
| 5 | an an-guru₃ ki šu-ni-še₃ an-la₂ | Heaven, heaven, earth, his hand, heaven |
| proverb 4.5, | ||
| 6 | šul-a-lum-bi al-il₂-il₂ | Its šulalum tree is raised |
| proverb 4.6, | ||
| 7 | u₂-a-gin₇ saŋ-gu₂-ne-ka-ra ba-e-a-ed₃-de₃-de₃-en | We go to the sagune temple like grass. |
| proverb 4.7, | ||
| 8 | ud šu₂-uš ŋiš₃-e a ab-ra-an | “At that time, I bathed in water |
| 9 | uš₂ šag₄-ba-gin₇ gi duru₅-a ab-la₂-en | Like a reed thicket, I spread out a long re[ed] |
| proverb 4.8, | ||
| 10 | lu₂ ga-šum dab₅-ba-ni al-me-a lu₂ du₁₄-da-ka-na ba-an-kur₉ | The one who has been seized, the one who is angry has turned away. |
| proverb 4.9, | ||
| 11 | {tum₉}si-sa₂ tum₉ si-am₃ {tum₉}u₁₈-lu lu₂-bi sig₁₀-ga-am₃ | “It is a šisa tree, it is an ubû tree, that man is reddish. |
| 12 | {tum₉}sa₁₂-ti-um tum₉ šeŋ₁₄-ŋa₂ {tum₉}mar-tu lu₂ til₃-ba dirig-ga | The sātu-priestess, the one who brings in abundance, the Amorite, the man who is elevated in life, |
| 13 | {tum₉}sa₁₂-ti-um tum₉ he₂-ŋal₂-la gu₅-li {d}na-ra-am-{d}suen | “May the sa’tīum-disease be carried off, the wolf Naram-Sîn |
| proverb 4.10, | ||
| 14 | niŋ₂ zu a-na-aš he₂-en-de₃-šu₂ | Who can know you? Why do you fear? |
| proverb 4.11, | ||
| 15 | dim₃-ma-ŋu₁₀ ki na-am₃-ba-al | There is a god in the earth. |
| 16 | aŋ₂ u₂-gu de₂-a-ŋu₁₀ nu-ub-pad₃-de₃-en | You will not find a laborer who pays attention to you. |
| proverb 4.12, | ||
| 17 | maš₂ a-a lu₂ ba-ni-in-ed₃-de₃ kaš-a su-bur₂ | The kid of the father who had engendered him was poured out with beer. |
| proverb 4.13, | ||
| 18 | x UL gu₇-ŋu₁₀ ab-X-e | ... eating ... |
| proverb 4.14, | ||
| 19 | lu₂-tur ga nu-un-da-gu₇-a ama-zu sumun₂ kurun-a | Young man, who does not eat milk, your mother sprinkles wild wild cows. |
| proverb 4.15, | ||
| 20 | ni₂ teŋ₃-ŋa₂-ni nu-ub-da-an-til niŋ₂-gu₇ ab-ta-kud | (Sum) She does not dwell in fear, she does not eat. (Akk) She did not dwell with fear. |
| proverb 4.16, | ||
| 21 | a zig₃-ga-gin₇ peš₁₀ he₂-da-hul₂ | May he rejoice with you like rising water |
| 22 | {id₂}idigna a-u₃-ba ŋal₂-la-gin₇ {d}en-lil₂ he₂-da-hul₂ | Like a flowing Tigris, may Enlil rejoice with you. |
| proverb 4.17, | ||
| 23 | x sag₉-ga-zu zu₂ he₂-kud | May your good ... be cut off. |
| proverb 4.18, | ||
| 24 | tug₂ huŋ-ŋa₂-am₃ gada huŋ-ŋa₂-am₃ | It is a cloth, it is linen. |
| 25 | za-gin₃ huŋ-ŋa₂-am₃ šu he₂-ma-ŋal₂ | May he carry off the lapis lazuli |
| proverb 4.19, | ||
| 26 | x x X su-ni i₃-še₂₂-še₂₂ X x x | ... weeps ... |
| 27 | X engur a mu-de₃-tah-e | ... pours water in the deep. |
| proverb 4.20, | ||
| 28 | x RI | ...; |
| proverb 4.41, | ||
| 1 | x X X | |
| 2 | x-an-na X x bal-e-da | ... with him ... |
| 3 | x x x-ši-ib₂-guru₃-gur₃-ru | -ibgururu |
| 4 | {ŋiš}tukul a₂ gud en₃ ma-tar-re-e-še | “If he asks after the weapons of oxen, |
| proverb 4.42, | ||
| 5 | x x mu-na-ab-ši-GI-re-de₃-x ŋiš₃-am₃ ŋiš ab-ra-ra | ... he will ... for him. It is an empty wind, it is a pure wind. |
| 6 | x egir-ra-a-ni in-su-re-eš-a | After he has returned, |
| 7 | ugu-ŋu₁₀-uš am₃-kum₂-e-še | They are bringing it to us. |
| 8 | X bi₂-ed₃-de₃-eš ŋiškim ba-ab-til₃ | ... they gathered, and he has lived. |
| proverb 4.43, | ||
| 9 | tug₂ ib₂-taka₄ ha-la dumu geme₂-kam | It is the share of the daughter of the slave woman. |
| 10 | ib₂-ta-šub in-bul-bul-a bi₂-in-ak | he took away, he destroyed, and he did |
| proverb 4.44, | ||
| 11 | |HAR.UŠ| šu keše₂-da-ni i₃ ri-a i₃ šeš₄-da-ni | Hand of Kešeda, oil of Ria and oil of Swallow |
| 12 | aŋ₂ sig₁₀-ga A-|ZI&ZI.LAGAB| mu-nud-da-ni | the good wages of the azi-lagû-festival, his meal |
| proverb 4.45, | ||
| 13 | {ŋiš}kiši₁₆ nam-lu₂-inim-ma | “The witchcraft of the people |
| 14 | harub-ba-am₃ im-ta-e₃-a | he brought out from the granary. |
| proverb 4.46, | ||
| 15 | šag₄ niŋ₂-kas₇ nu-zu šag₄ igi-ŋal₂-tuku | The one who does not know the niŋkaš ritual, the one who sees it |
| proverb 4.47, | ||
| 16 | lu₂ a-šag₄ ur₁₁-ru-ke₄ a-šag₄ he₂-ur₁₁-ru | The one who irrigates the field, may he sprinkle the field |
| 17 | lu₂ še šu su-ub-bu-da-ke₄ še šu he₂-eb-su-ub-be₂ | May the one of the hand of the šubû-demon tear out his hand |
| proverb 4.48, | ||
| 18 | ka-bi kišib-gin₇ MAŠ-am₃ bid₃-bi u₂-a ma₃-ur₃-am₃ | Its mouth is as sealed as a sealed document, its offering is full of grass. |
| proverb 4.49, | ||
| 19 | muš un-na-dab₅ e-ne ka-inim-ma ba-ab-šum₂-mu | (Sum) The snake seized him, how is he to be smitten? (Akk) How is it that he is seized by a snake? It is the wording of a curse |
| proverb 4.50, | ||
| 20 | ta-am₃ u₈-am₃ ta-am₃ a-a-lum-am₃ | What is it? It is ewe, what is it that is alive? |
| proverb 4.51, | ||
| 21 | ta-am₃ ma-mu₂ gi₄-in-na-kam | What is it that makes me a slave? |
| 22 | ta-am₃ sizkur₂ e-re sig₁₀ ki-in-na-kam | What is the sizkur prayer of the faithful servant? |
| proverb 4.52, | ||
| 23 | x X e-da-gu₇ til-e-da-gin₇ | Like one who eats ..., finished. |
| 24 | niŋ₂ šu dug₄-ga-ŋu₁₀ ki diŋir-ra-na nam-ba-e-til-en | Do not abandon the place of his squabble |
| proverb 4.53, | ||
| 25 | ama er₂ še₈-še₈ X X X HAR-ra bi₂-ib₂-gu₇-en | The mother weeps, she eats ... |
| proverb 4.54, | ||
| 26 | ama-ŋu₁₀ saŋ rig₇ x MU | “Ama-būšu, present ... |
| 27 | geme₂-ŋu₁₀ al-me-a-gin₇ e-ak-e | Like a maidservant, she does it. |
| proverb 4.55, | ||
| 28 | ziₓ(IGI@g)-a a sig₉-sig₉ bi₂-in-x | He ... reddish water |
| 29 | lu₂ X x x-ma-ab mu-šum₂-e-še | The one who ..., he will be satisfied. |
| proverb 4.56, | ||
| 30 | lu₂ ur₃-ra-ke₄ lu₂ e₂-a til₃-la-ka | The one of the roof, the one living in the house, |
| 31 | mu-na-ab-be₂-a im-ma-zalag-ge-e-še | he said to him and made it shine for him |
| proverb 4.57, | ||
| 32 | piriŋ-e e₂ ni₂-te-na-ka-da du₃-a ab-la₂-la₂ | The piriŋ priestess, who built the house of his own free will, is carried away. |
| proverb 4.58, | ||
| 33 | lu₂-IM ib₂-dab₅-ba lu₂ gen₆-na ba-an-dim₂ | The one who seized the ..., the good man, fashioned it. |
| proverb 4.59, | ||
| 34 | ki ab-kal diŋir-ra-kam sahar-ra-am₃ bi₂-ib₂-šu₂-šu₂-un | It is the place of the abkal priestess of the intercalary river, it is dust. |
| proverb 4.60, | ||
| 35 | zig₃-ga saŋ niŋ₂-gur₁₁-ra-ka bid₃ ab-gu₅-ul | (Sum) The ziggurat of the sa-nigur-nišgur temple is trembling (Akk) It is being teeming(?) at the rising of the mountain |
| proverb 4.61, | ||
| 36 | nam-sis-a bid₃ ib-ra ka ba-an-kur₉ | He opened the mouth to speak with supplication. |
| proverb 4.62, | ||
| 37 | gu-du-e še₁₀ dur₂-e dug₄-ge inim dirig-ge am₃-ta-ab-tum₃ | The gudu-priestess, the one who sits on the throne, brings forth a favorable word. |
| proverb 4.63, | ||
| 38 | ama sikil-sikil-la ma₂-addir-ra a nu-tuku-me-en | I am a pure mother who has no water to drink on the boat. |
Sources & licences
- Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618) · ORACC project editions, https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ ; cite the individual project (see texts.extra_json.project)
Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-18.