Ahiqar - Story and Proverbs of Ahiqar

Ahiqar

These are the words of Ahiqar, a wise and skilful scribe, counsellor of all Assyria, who instructed Nadin, the son of his sister.

I was Ahiqar, keeper of the seal of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and counsellor over all his kingdom. I was rich in goods and possessions, and I had many wives, but no son was born to me.

I prayed before God and said, “Lord, give me a son who may inherit my house and preserve my name.”

A word came to me: “No son shall be born to you. Take Nadin, the son of your sister, and make him your son.”

So I took Nadin while he was still young. I raised him, clothed him in fine garments, fed him, and taught him writing, wisdom, discipline, and the service of kings. I loved him as my own son.

When Sennacherib died and Esarhaddon his son reigned in Assyria, I said within myself, “I am old. Let Nadin stand before the king in my place.”

I brought Nadin before King Esarhaddon and said, “My lord the king, I have grown old in your service. Here is Nadin, my sister’s son, whom I have raised as my son. Let him stand before you and carry out the work I performed.”

The king received him because of me. I entrusted to him my house, my servants, my possessions, and all that belonged to me. I also began to teach him the words of wisdom.

“My son, hear my words, understand my instruction, and keep them in your heart.

“Whatever you hear, test it before you repeat it. A word is a bird: once released, no man can bring it back.

“My son, do not reveal every matter that enters your heart. A hidden word is your servant; a spoken word becomes your master.

“Do not open your mouth hastily before a king. A king’s word is sharp, and who can turn it aside?

“My son, let your eyes be lowered and your voice restrained before one greater than you. If you honour him, he will honour you.

“Do not answer a ruler in anger. Bend like a reed before the wind, lest you be uprooted like a cedar.

“My son, when you stand before a king, let your hands be ready for service and your tongue ready for truth.

“Do not approach the wife of another man. The taking of another man’s wife is a path to blood.

“Do not gaze upon a woman adorned with beauty, lest desire enter your heart and shame overtake you.

“My son, do not take a wife whose tongue is unrestrained. If her voice is loud in the street, how will peace dwell in your house?

“If a woman is wise and disciplined, value her above treasure. A good wife builds a house; a foolish one tears it down with her hands.

“My son, do not spare your child from correction. A young tree may be bent, but an old trunk cannot be straightened.

“Strike your son while he is young, not from hatred but from love, so that when he is grown he will not strike you.

“The son who is not taught becomes a disgrace to his father and a grief to his mother.

“My son, do not let your servant become idle, lest he become insolent. Give him work, food, and fair judgment.

“Do not withhold wages from the labourer. His hunger will cry out against you.

“My son, do not oppress the poor because he is weak. The cry of the weak reaches God before the voice of the strong.

“Do not mock the blind, the lame, or the afflicted. God made them, and God can humble the proud.

“If you have eaten your fill, remember the hungry. If you have drunk, remember the thirsty.

“My son, give bread to the poor before he asks, and water to the traveller before he calls.

“Better is a little with peace than abundance with strife.

“Better is bread with a friend than meat with an enemy.

“Better is a poor man who speaks truth than a rich man whose mouth is full of lies.

“My son, a lying tongue may gain for a day, but truth remains for generations.

“Do not bear false witness against your neighbour. A false witness digs a pit and falls into it.

“Do not move the boundary stone of the widow, nor seize the field of the orphan.

“My son, do not enter a quarrel that is not yours. A man who seizes a dog by the ears cannot release it without being bitten.

“Do not stand between two angry men. When they are reconciled, they may both turn against you.

“Do not lend to a violent man and do not borrow from a greedy one.

“If you lend, write it down. If you borrow, remember the day of repayment.

“My son, do not become surety for one stronger than you. If he refuses to pay, your house will be taken.

“Do not trust every smiling face. Honey is sweet, but poison may be hidden beneath it.

“Do not despise an enemy because he appears weak. A small scorpion carries deadly venom.

“Do not reveal your secret to a fool. He will scatter it through the streets and call it wisdom.

“My son, consult the wise, even if he is poor. Wisdom is not weighed by silver.

“Do not seek counsel from one who envies you. He will point out a road that leads to your fall.

“Do not travel with a violent man, lest his crime be counted against you.

“Do not lodge with a thief, lest what he steals be found in your hands.

“My son, if you find something on the road, do not say, ‘God has given it to me,’ until you have sought its owner.

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. The day turns, and tomorrow may be yours.

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him water. The shame will be his, but the righteousness yours.

“My son, do not repay good with evil. Even a dog remembers the hand that fed it.

“A man who forgets kindness is like dry ground that drinks rain but produces no fruit.

“Honour the man who saved you in the day of danger. A debt of life is greater than a debt of silver.

“My son, do not despise the old. You also will become old if your days are prolonged.

“Stand before grey hair, and listen when age speaks from experience.

“Do not laugh at one whose strength has failed. The young lion also becomes weak.

“My son, do not be overly sweet, lest men swallow you; and do not be overly bitter, lest they spit you out.

“Be neither too near nor too far. A measured friendship endures.

“Do not visit your neighbour too often, lest he become weary of you.

“Do not remain too long at another man’s table. Hospitality may turn into resentment.

“My son, eat what is set before you and do not complain. The host’s bread is honour.

“Do not stretch your hand toward the best portion before the elders.

“Let another praise you, not your own mouth.

“My son, if you are wise, conceal part of your wisdom. The full vessel makes little sound, but the empty jar is heard from afar.

“A fool’s laughter is loud, but his understanding is small.

“The fool throws a stone into a well, and a hundred wise men cannot draw it out.

“A fool’s mouth is a door without a bolt.

“My son, if a fool insults you, do not answer according to his folly. Silence may be heavier than a blow.

“Do not argue with a drunkard. When he becomes sober, he will not remember, but you will carry the shame.

“Wine reveals what the heart has hidden.

“Too much wine turns the wise man into a fool and the strong man into a child.

“My son, do not sleep while others labour for you. The master who sleeps at harvest will hunger in winter.

“Do not delay today’s work until tomorrow. Tomorrow has its own burden.

“The ant has no ruler, yet it gathers its food in season.

“Observe the bee: though small, it makes sweetness for kings.

“My son, wealth grows by care and vanishes through negligence.

“A little added to a little becomes much; much scattered a little at a time becomes nothing.

“Do not spend before you receive.

“Do not count another man’s wealth as your own.

“My son, if you acquire riches, do not set your heart upon them. Riches grow wings and fly away.

“A good name is better than a full storehouse.

“Wisdom is better than weapons, and understanding is stronger than a wall.

“My son, a word spoken at the right time is like food to the hungry.

“A harsh answer kindles anger; a gentle answer cools it.

“Do not shout where a quiet word will be heard.

“My son, keep away from the doorway of a slanderer. Today he speaks to you about another; tomorrow he will speak to another about you.

“Do not repeat every accusation. Search out the truth before judgment.

“A judge who hears one side only is blind in one eye.

“My son, when two men contend, hear both before you speak.

“Do not accept a gift that bends justice. A gift blinds the eyes of the clear-sighted.

“Do not condemn a man because of his clothing, nor honour a fool because of his wealth.

“My son, pride goes before destruction. The tall cedar is struck by lightning while the low shrub remains.

“Humility raises a man, but arrogance prepares his fall.

“Do not boast of tomorrow, for you do not know what the night will bring.

“My son, remember death when you are strong, and weakness when you are praised.

“No king carries his crown into the grave, and no rich man takes his silver beneath the earth.

“Do good while your hand has power. After death, no man returns to finish neglected kindness.

“My son, fear God, honour the king, and do not join those who seek rebellion.

“Do not curse the king even in your chamber, for a bird may carry the sound.

“Serve faithfully, but do not speak beyond what is entrusted to you.

“My son, a king tests his servants as a goldsmith tests metal in fire.

“Be faithful in a small matter, and a greater matter may be entrusted to you.

“Do not use the king’s property for yourself. What belongs to the palace has many eyes.

“My son, if you are sent with a message, repeat it exactly. Do not add your own words and do not subtract from it.

“A messenger who changes the message changes peace into war.

“My son, do not expose the weakness of your lord. The garment that covers him also covers you.

“If your master is angry, withdraw without insolence. When the fire cools, speak.

“My son, discipline your tongue, your appetite, and your eyes. A city without walls is safer than a man without self-control.

“The heart of a man is deep water. Wisdom draws from it carefully.

“My son, do not be ashamed to learn. The one ashamed to ask remains ignorant.

“A wise man learns even from a child; a fool rejects instruction from an elder.

“Do not say, ‘I know,’ before you have understood.

“My son, write wisdom upon your heart, for ink may fade and tablets may break.

“Wisdom guards the man who guards it.

“Where wisdom enters, folly flees.

“My son, hear these words and keep them. If you obey, they will be life to you. If you despise them, your own folly will punish you.”

I taught Nadin all these things and many other words. But he did not keep them. When he became secure in my house, he began to mistreat my servants, waste my goods, beat the animals, and spend what I had gathered.

I rebuked him, but he did not listen. I said within myself, “Perhaps his younger brother will receive instruction.” So I brought the younger one into my house. But Nadin became jealous and corrupted him also.

Then Nadin plotted evil against me. He forged letters in my name: one to the king of Egypt and one to the ruler of another land, saying, “Come into the plain on the appointed day, and I will deliver Assyria into your hands.”

He also wrote a letter as though from the king, commanding me to assemble the army in the plain for review.

I believed the king’s command and gathered the forces. Nadin then carried the forged letters before Esarhaddon and said, “See what Ahiqar has written. He intends to betray your kingdom.”

The king read the letters and became furious. He sent Nabusumiskun, an officer who had eaten the bread of the royal house, saying, “Find Ahiqar and kill him, for he has plotted against the kingdom.”

Nabusumiskun came to me with two men. When I saw him, I said, “Why has my lord sent you?”

He showed me the command.

I tore my clothes and said, “What evil have I done? Yet the king’s command must be obeyed.”

Then I reminded Nabusumiskun: “Do you remember when Sennacherib was angry with you and ordered me to kill you? I hid you in my house until the king’s anger passed, and afterward I restored you to him.”

He wept and said, “As you saved my life, I will save yours. There is a prisoner condemned to death whose body resembles yours. I will kill him and show his head to the king. You must hide in a secret place.”

He took me to a hidden chamber beneath my own house. My faithful servant guarded me and brought me bread and water.

Nabusumiskun killed the condemned man, displayed his body, and announced that Ahiqar was dead. Nadin seized my house and possessions and treated my servants cruelly. He rejoiced, saying, “Ahiqar is gone, and all that belonged to him is mine.”

[The early Aramaic manuscript is broken here.]

Afterward the king of Egypt sent a letter to Esarhaddon, saying, “Build me a palace between heaven and earth. Send a man who can answer every question I ask. If you do this, I will pay you tribute. If you cannot, you shall pay tribute to me.”

The king assembled the wise men and scribes of Assyria, but none could answer. Then he remembered Ahiqar and lamented, saying, “If Ahiqar were alive, he would deliver us.”

Nabusumiskun saw the king’s grief and said, “My lord, if you promise me safety, I will tell you something.”

The king promised.

He said, “Ahiqar is alive. I did not kill him, because he once saved my life.”

The king rejoiced and commanded that I be brought. I came from hiding with long hair, overgrown nails, and a body weakened by confinement. The king wept when he saw me. He embraced me and said, “Forgive me, Ahiqar. Your enemy deceived me.”

I answered, “May the king live. Let me first regain strength, and then I will serve you.”

When I had washed, eaten, and been clothed, the king showed me the letter from Egypt.

I said, “Do not fear. I will go and answer the king of Egypt.”

I prepared two young eagles and trained them to carry boys in baskets. I also prepared ropes and instructed the boys what to say.

I travelled to Egypt. Pharaoh asked, “Who are you?”

I answered, “I am Ahiqar, servant of Esarhaddon.”

He said, “Your lord has sent you to build me a palace between heaven and earth.”

The next day I released the eagles. They rose into the air carrying the boys. The boys cried, “Bring stones, clay, and timber to the builders! Why do you leave us idle?”

Pharaoh said, “How can we send materials into the sky?”

I answered, “How then can we build a palace there?”

Pharaoh was astonished.

He asked me many riddles and demanded likenesses. I answered him with wisdom. He asked for ropes made from sand. I bored holes in the wall where sunlight entered, scattered sand in the beams, and said, “Twist these ropes according to the pattern.” He could not do it.

He asked for a broken millstone to be sewn together. I said, “Cut thread from another stone, and I will sew it.”

He asked what resembled a king, his nobles, and his kingdom. I answered according to the signs he set before me.

At last Pharaoh acknowledged the wisdom given to me. He paid the tribute he had promised and sent gifts to Esarhaddon.

I returned to Assyria. The king came out to meet me and honoured me before all the court.

Then I asked that Nadin be delivered into my hands. The king said, “Do with him according to your wisdom.”

I brought Nadin into my house and bound him near the doorway. I gave him a small amount of bread and water and instructed my servant to guard him. Day after day I rebuked him with words of wisdom.

“My son, you were to me like a scorpion hidden in clothing. When it was warmed, it stung the one who warmed it.

“My son, you were like a dog that was rescued from cold water and then shook the water over its rescuer.

“You were like a pig that entered the bath and, when it came out, rolled again in the mud.

“You were like a serpent carried in the bosom until it bit the breast that warmed it.

“You were like a bird that cut down the tree in which it had built its nest.

“You were like the axe that boasted against the tree, forgetting that its handle came from wood.

“You were like a well that swallowed the man who dug it.

“You were like a lion’s cub raised among men; when grown, it devoured those who fed it.

“You were like a wolf entrusted with sheep.

“You were like a pot whose handles broke while it was full.

“You returned evil for good and death for life.

“I gave you my house, and you sought my grave.

“I raised you as a son, and you became my accuser.

“I taught you truth, and you forged lies.

“I placed you before the king, and you removed me from his presence.

“I gave you honour, and you covered me with shame.

“My son, the snare you laid caught your own feet. The pit you dug has become your dwelling.

“God is just. He may delay judgment, but He does not forget.”

Nadin answered, “My father, forgive me. I will tend your animals and clean the dung from your house.”

I said, “You cannot repair with words what you destroyed by treachery. Had you merely wasted my wealth, I could have forgiven you. But you sought my life and endangered the kingdom.”

As I continued to rebuke him, his body swelled and his life departed.

Thus the evil of Nadin returned upon his own head.

I, Ahiqar, lived afterward in honour before the king. I kept wisdom, remembered the God who delivered me, and taught those willing to hear.

Blessed is the one who guards wisdom and does not repay good with evil.