Wider Ancient Witness Archive · 4.1 Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom Background Archive
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Sumerian Proverbs
This text is included as a comparative, historical, philosophical, ritual, textual, or fragmentary witness. It is not presented as part of the Restored Bible.
Sumerian Proverbs
[A selection from the Sumerian collections of proverbs.]
Whoever has walked with truth gives life.
A heart never created hatred; speech created hatred.
He who eats too much cannot sleep.
Friendship lasts a day; kinship lasts forever.
You should not pass judgment when you drink beer.
Tell a lie, and then tell the truth: it will be counted as a lie.
Into an open mouth a fly enters.
Whatever a man acquires, he must leave behind.
The poor man chews whatever he is given.
Wealth is far away; poverty is close at hand.
A restless hand and a quiet mouth are good for a household.
Who can compete with righteousness? It makes life last.
The fox could not build his own house, so he came to the house of his friend as a conqueror.
Build like a lord, and you will live like a servant; build like a servant, and you will live like a lord.
Do not cut the throat of that which has already been cut.
What comes forth from the heart? Reverence builds the house.