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(This file includes all manuscripts from Nippur which it has not been possible to assign to the proverb collections numbered in modern editions. The manuscripts are presented in decreasing order of size. Some of the proverbs are duplicated in numbered collections.)

Proverbs: from Nibru


Ni 4166 (Alster 1997 pp. 293-294)

Segment A

1-3. 2 lines fragmentary ...... his hand .......

4-11. 2 lines fragmentary ...... the go-between's fee ...... lion ...... 1 line fragmentary ...... not ...... wife ...... 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1-2. Get on with (?) your assigned work!

3-9. ...... more than a house ...... field ....... The dragon doesn't ...... its rival. In building a house ...... 1 line fragmentary ...... of the strong man. ...... its roar, the lion won't cease .......

10-13. 3 lines fragmentary ...... follow the merchant.

14-17. The palace's water is coming out ....... 3 lines fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing

Segment C

1-2. ...... not ...... to the house. He will not found a city.

3-4. ...... meadow grass is the milk of a lettuce. 1 line fragmentary

5-6. A reed worker ...... the breast of a storm ...... are many.

7. ...... butting against .......

8-13. 6 lines fragmentary


N 4248 (Alster 1997 pp. 290-291)

Segment A

1-2. 2 lines fragmentary

3-7. 5 lines fragmentary

8-13. (cf. Ni 9824 Seg. B ll. 3-5, 6.1.09.d4, 6.2.3: UET 6/2 315 ll. 10-13) 1 line fragmentary Because of my silver, because of my gold, because of my money chest, because of my ...... chest, I am finished.

14-15. ...... good ...... eat ....... unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-3. 2 lines fragmentary

4-9. 6 lines fragmentary


N 3395 (Alster 1997 pp. 288-290)

Segment A

1-3. 1 line unclear
Release the ......! He will not provide the food supply. 1 line unclear

4-8. The donkey of Ancan, the bear (?) of Marhaci, the cat of Meluhha, the elephant of the eastern mountains, bite off Euphrates poplars as if they were leeks.

9. A pickaxe put in the ...... clay is a mongoose in its city. unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1-2. In a complaint, half a gur from the desert ...... seized like a lord .......

3-5. He cannot ...... in his hand. He does not listen ....... He scratches on the ground.

6-7. A courtesan who ...... in the streets ...... doesn't give ...... to a fallen man.

8-9. Like a wild ass which has put ....... 1 line fragmentary

10-11. He who rubbed (?) his nose against a beer vat or a large beer container (?) .......

12-13. 2 lines fragmentary


Ni 4469 (Alster 1997 pp. 295-296)

Segment A

1-4. (cf. 6.1.01.40, 6.1.19.f4) Let ...... be ....... Let his bread be foul food. No man should eat it.

5. 1 line fragmentary

6-8. 3 lines fragmentary

9-12. (cf. 6.1.03.31, 6.1.09.b1, 6.1.11.18, 6.1.15.b8, 6.1.25.4) He captured Simurrum but did not destroy its walls. He built E-ana but then abandoned it. He did not see mighty kingship. Thus Nanni was carried off to the nether world despondent. unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-3. 2 lines fragmentary

4-5. 2 lines fragmentary

6. ...... someone ...... the mounds.

7. Why ......? unknown no. of lines missing

Segment C

1-3. 3 lines fragmentary


Ni 13186 (Alster 1997 p. 297)

Segment A

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-3. 2 lines fragmentary

4. 1 line fragmentary

5-6. 2 lines fragmentary

7-8. (cf. 6.1.13.27) ...... accept ...... one-third .......

9. 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1. ...... no-one .......

2. (cf. 6.1.01.95) ...... you are not a man.

3. 1 line fragmentary

4-5. 2 lines fragmentary

6. 1 line fragmentary


Ni 9697 (Alster 1997 p. 297)

Segment A

1. 1 line fragmentary

2. 1 line fragmentary

3. ...... seek out .......

4. On his returning .......

5. Like a ...... he won't return to his house.

6. ...... a strong man.

7. ...... he rolled ....... unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1-2. ...... cut it ...... you will be ill.

3-4. ...... bought ....... ...... dead .......

5-6. ...... open ...... 1 line fragmentary


Ni 9824 (Alster 1997 p. 297)

Segment A

1-2. (cf. 6.1.02.1, 6.1.07.1, 6.2.3: UET 6/2 356 ll. 3-8) You should not eradicate their place in the universe. You should not move the oxen from their places!

3. (cf. 6.1.02.83) An ox is walking around (?); a mace is .......

4. (cf. 6.1.02.4) I looked into the water. My destiny was drifting past.

5. 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1-2. 2 lines fragmentary

3-5. (cf. N 4248 Seg. A ll. 8-13, 6.1.09.d4, 6.2.3: UET 6/2 315 ll. 10-13) ...... because of ....... ...... because of ...... I am finished. unknown no. of lines missing

Segment C

1-3. (cf. 6.1.03.42, 6.1.22: ll. 278-279, 6.2.5: YBC 8713 l. 7) If there is a dispute at the mill, a slave girl reveals (?) what she has stolen.


Ni 9832 (Alster 1997 p. 297)

Segment A

1-3. ...... my ....... Let there be ....... ...... my heart.

4. 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1-4. 4 lines fragmentary

5-7. (cf. 6.1.03.45, 6.1.07.43) ...... finger. You are forever pushing like a millstone torn out of its joint.


N 6119 (Alster 1997 p. 292) and N 4047 (Veldhuis 2000 fig. 8)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-4. What is ...... your mockery to me? ...... whatever he will do ...... to my accounts.

5-6. Come on, clown! Just for once, say: "...... my hips are heavier than 50 mana weight."

8-10. A clown made fun of the city. They made fun of him and he wept.


Ni 3318 (Alster 1997 p. 293)

Segment A

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-5. (cf. 6.1.02.59-60) The vixen quenched her thirst but still her motherly teats were dry. Each fox is even more ...... than its mother.

6. (cf. 6.1.02.61, 6.2.5: P 374) If the hearing of the fox ....... unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1. 1 line fragmentary

2. 1 line fragmentary

3-4. 2 lines fragmentary


Ni 4338 + 4340 (Alster 1997 pp. 294-295)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-5. ...... when his ...... looks around, who ...... child? ...... without ...... raise .......

6-10. ...... sit ...... his hands for me. I will ....... How can I ......? ...... make it strong for you ...... make it strong ...... 1 line fragmentary


Ni 4122 (Alster 1997 p. 293)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-5. (cf. 6.1.03.8) To spit without covering it up with dust, to kiss with the tongue at midday without providing shade, 1 line unclear
are abominations to the god .......

6-9. 4 lines fragmentary


Ni 4300 (Alster 1997 p. 294)

Segment A

1. 1 line fragmentary

2. 1 line fragmentary

3. 1 line fragmentary

4-6. (cf. 6.1.02.6) My fate is her voice: my mother can change it. 2 lines fragmentary

7. 1 line fragmentary

8. 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing

Segment B

1. 1 line fragmentary


Ni 5327 (Alster 1997 pp. 296-297)

1-2. (cf. 6.2.3: UET 6/2 247) The ubuluj bird ...... town square .......

3-6. The ubuluj bird ...... may it ...... my ...... 2 lines fragmentary

7-9. The ubuluj bird ...... 2 lines fragmentary


Ni 4099 (Alster 1997 p. 293)

1-2. 1 line fragmentary ...... the workers ...... young men .......

3. 1 line fragmentary

4. 1 line fragmentary

5. 1 line fragmentary

6. 1 line fragmentary

7. ...... you .......

8. ...... yours.


N 3059 (Alster 1997 p. 430)

1. ...... no-one has .......

2. 1 line fragmentary

3. ...... a modest wife .......

4-5. ...... he will cause a fight ...... 1 line fragmentary

6-7. 2 lines fragmentary


N 5225 (Alster 1997 pp. 291-292)

1. ...... ploughing ...... not ...... a gur.

2-3. Let great men stir up the conflict for lesser men to fight out.

4-6. The little fellow loves his mother; an older brother ...... an older brother. The man in charge of the offerings (?) ...... a proper (?) offering.

7. 1 line fragmentary


Ni 9829 (Alster 1997 p. 297)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-7. 6 lines fragmentary


Ni 5271 (Alster 1997 p. 296)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2. 1 line fragmentary

3. ...... that smells, really smells.

4. ...... smells, cheese of the anus.

5. ......, one born into debt (?).

6. ...... who sleeps ...... of the fire.


N 7577 + N 7578 (Veldhuis 2000 fig. 10)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2. 1 line fragmentary

3-4. ...... my god's heart ...... 1 line fragmentary

5. 1 line fragmentary


Ni 3981 (Alster 1997 p. 293)

1. Prayer has given birth to his life.

2-4. Where ...... you ....... Where ...... you ....... The son of the just man lies hungry.

5. 1 line fragmentary


CBS 12666 (Veldhuis 2000 fig. 3)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-4. 2 lines fragmentary ...... died.


N 1905 (Alster 1997 pl. 114)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2. 1 line fragmentary

3-4. 1 line fragmentary plotted .......


N 3884 (Veldhuis 2000 fig. 7)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2. 1 line fragmentary

3-4. 2 lines fragmentary


CBS 14213 (Alster 1997 p. 304)

1-3. You ...... a single instruction: "Let me please your heart, let me ...... my strength!"


IM 58660 = 3N-T 731 (Alster 1997 p. 305)

1-3. Thus speaks a widow, a man's junior wife: "What can widows become? They cannot be principal wives!"


N 4909 (Veldhuis 2000 fig. 9)

1. 1 line fragmentary

2-3. 1 line unclear
1 line fragmentary


N 5569 (Veldhuis 2000 p. 395)

1-3. Do not be hostile to the weakling; do not cry for the strong one. To the craftsman his arm .......


CBS 3811 (Alster 1997 p. 303)

1-2. The ox has broken its sinews and is lying in its yoke.


CBS 5971 (Alster 1997 pl. 114)

1-2. 1 line fragmentary ...... drinking .......


CBS 7968 (Alster 1997 p. 303)

1-2. I prostrate myself for the sake of Gula, my lady, but in my own eyes I don't have a place to stand.


IM 58400 = 3N-T 242 (Alster 1997 p. 304)

1-2. Don't cause the oven in a man's house to smoke. The smoke will ruin (?) the bread.


N 6194 (Alster 1997 p. 304)

1-2. Come, you are our son, even from when you did not exist!


UM 55-21-38 = 2N-T 172 (Alster 1997 p. 305)

1-2. It went up to heaven, it rose to heaven.


UM 55-21-278 = 3N-T 179 (Alster 1997 p. 305)

1-2. The fox gnashed its teeth: "Don't swear an oath!"


3N-T 232 + 244 (Alster 1997 p. 304)

1-2. The ditches of the garden should not flow with water, or there will be vermin.


CBS 6551 (Alster 1997 p. 303)

1. Is my ox to provide milk for you?


CBS 7867 (Alster 1997 p. 303)

1. Like a man who eats sesame oil, his anus farts.


CBS 11372 (Alster 1997 p. 304)

1. Talking endlessly is what humankind has most on its mind.


N 2182 (Veldhuis 2000 fig. 5)

1. 1 line fragmentary


N 5925 (Alster 1997 p. 304)

1. He wipes his bread on the pig.


UM 29-16-394 (Alster 1997 p. 305)

1. May the king live in his favourite city.


3N-T 161 (Alster 1997 p. 304)

1. Your role in life is unknown.


3N-T 772 = TIM 10/1 132 (Alster 1997 p. 305)

1. Your ox with its large horns will always return to you.



Revision history

18.vii.2002-30.vii.2002: JT, editor: adapting translation
21.xi.2002-22.xi.2002: JAB, editor: proofreading
16.xii.2002: GC, editor: SGML tagging