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Proverbs: collection 12

Segment A

12.a1

1-4. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 1) 4 lines fragmentary

12.a2

5-6. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 2) The master ...... does not eat ...... dough .......

12.a3

7. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 3) The master ...... his servant .......

12.a4

8-9. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 4) The master knows. The steward does not know.

12.a5

10. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 5) May the master sleep at your side, and may the mistress slap your face.

12.a6

11-12. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 6) The lord of the house, your ......; ......, a restraint.

12.a7

13. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 7) The lord and lady of the house touch the figurine.

12.a8

14. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 8) The granary collects.

12.a9

15-16. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 9) Outgoings are a matter for both, and now I also am one of them.

12.a10

17. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 10) {The man who is always losing things loses them for the man who has to look for them} {(1 ms. has instead:) ...... doesn't lose things, has lost ...... for him}.

12.a11

18-19. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 11) 2 lines unclear

12.a12

20-21. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 12) A man despises (?) something that stinks: its ...... increases.

12.a13

22-23. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 13) A man lost his clothes: "Let me run away ......."

12.a14

24-26. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. A 1 = Sec. B 13 B obv. i 11 ll. 3-5) 2 lines fragmentary ...... let me .......

12.a15

27-28. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. B 14) 2 lines fragmentary

12.a16

29-30. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. A 2) 1 line unclear
my well-wisher ...... my malefactor.

12.a17

31. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. A 3) ...... seeking ...... the boat reached the city.

12.a18

32. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. A 4) {...... seeking ...... sent back (?)} {(1 ms. has instead:) ...... revealed ...... lapis lazuli ......}.

12.a19

33-37. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. A 5) ...... in order to make an agreement with ...... his fool ...... I will tell him ...... 2 lines fragmentary

12.a20

38-39. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. A 6) ...... not having ...... 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

12.b1

1. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 1) 1 line fragmentary

12.b2

2-3. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 2) My master, your joy ...... very great, and your weeping ...... very great.

12.b3

4-5. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 3) Their masters have changed. They are dressed in mourning (?) clothes.

12.b4

6-7. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 4) Thus says the man whose clothes are torn: "Precious things are strong."

12.b5

8. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 5) A man who can lift the heavens -- and he does not fart.

12.b6

9-10. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 6) A man who behaves like a damp reed towards his fellow men does not tell the truth either.

12.b7

11-12. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 7) A man ...... humiliated ...... reed. The man puts it in a well.

12.b8

13-14. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 8) A man who stole (?) ...... cattle 1 line unclear

12.b9

15-16. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 9) The man whose knees are paralysed has not prayed devoutly to Nintud.

12.b10

17-18. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 10) 2 lines fragmentary

12.b11

19. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. C 11) The wise man ...... unknown no. of lines missing

Segment C

12.c1

1-2. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 1) ...... a witness (?) ....... The slanderer speaks .......

12.c2

3-7. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 2) No-one ...... when he ...... his understanding, ...... the master to the ....... Come! ...... your ...... and I will ...... for enmity.

12.c3

8-9. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 2A) He whose barley sprouts weeps. He who is pouring out water cannot converse.

12.c4

10. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 3; cf. 6.2.5: YBC 9916) A man who didn't tie up his leather sack made his friend angry.

12.c5

11. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 4; cf. 6.2.5: YBC 9906) Even a millstone will float in the river for a righteous man.

12.c6

12-13. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 5) Let the wealthy man eat ....... Let the poor man eat milla flour.

12.c7

14. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 6) The man whose salt is finished .......

12.c8

15. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 7) 1 line fragmentary

12.c9

16. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. D 8) 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing

Segment D

12.d1

1-2. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. E 1) 2 lines fragmentary

12.d2

3-4. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. E 2) ...... man ...... guard ...... field ...... the lot .......

12.d3

5-6. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. E 3; cf. 6.2.3: UET 6/2 282 and UET 6/2 332) A wild ram ...... a poplar ....... unknown no. of lines missing

Segment E

12.e1

1-6. (= Alster 1997 12 Sec. F 1) 6 lines fragmentary

Segment F

(unplaced)
12.f1

1. (= Alster 1997 p. 205 CBS 7800 rev. 1) 1 line fragmentary

12.f2

2. (= Alster 1997 p. 205 CBS 7800 rev. 2) ...... powerless .......

12.f3

3. (= Alster 1997 p. 205 CBS 7800 rev. 3) ...... released ...... the man who plots .......

12.f4

4-5. (= Alster 1997 p. 205 CBS 7800 rev. 4) ...... bound to his wife ...... his penis seeks a litre .......



Revision history

15.iv.2002: JT, editor: adapting translation
27.ix.2002: JAB, editor: proofreading
16.xii.2002: GC, editor: SGML tagging