-What is stronger than a braying ass? The load.
-The son who is trained and taught and on whose feet the fetter is put shall prosper.
-Withhold not thy son from the rod, else thou wilt not be able to save him from wickedness.
-If I smite thee, my son, thou wilt not die, but if I leave thee to thine own heart thou wilt not live.
-A blow for a bondman, a rebuke for a bondwoman, and for all thy slaves discipline.
-One who buys a runaway slave or a thievish handmaid squanders his fortune and disgraces the name of his father and his offspring with the reputation of his wantonness.
-The scorpion finds bread but is not pleased, and something bad and is more pleased than if one feeds it…
-The lion will lie in wait for the stag in the concealment of the… and he … and will shed its blood and eat its flesh. Even so is the meeting of men. ..a lion. …
-An ass which leaves its load and does not carry it shall take a load from its companion and take the burden which is not its [own with its own] and shall be made to bear a camel’s load.
-The ass bends down to the she-ass from 1ove of her, and the birds ….
-Two things which are meet, and the third pleasing to Shamash: one who drinks wine and gives it to drink, one who guards wisdom, and one who hears a word and does not tell. Behold that is dear to Shamash. But he who drinks wine and does not give it to drink, and one whose wisdom goes astray, and. .. is seen. …Wisdom….
-To gods also she is dear. For all time the kingdom is hers. In heaven is she established, for the lord of holy ones has exalted her.
-My son, chatter not overmuch so that thou speak out every word that comes to thy mind; for men’s (eyes) and ears are everywhere (trained) upon thy mouth.
-Beware lest it be thy undoing. More than all watchfulness watch thy mouth, and over what thou hearest harden thy heart.
-For a word is a bird: once released no man can recapture it!
-First count the secrets of thy mouth; then bring out thy words by number.” For the instruction of a mouth is stronger than the instruction of war.
-Treat not lightly the word of a king: let it be healing for thy flesh.
-Soft is the utterance of a king; (yet) it is sharper and stronger than a two-edged knife.
-Look before thee: a hard look on the face of a king (means) “Delay not!” His wrath is swift as lightning: do thou take heed unto thyself that he display it not against thine utterances and thou perish before thy time.
-The wrath of a king, if thou be commanded, is a burning fire. Obey it at once. Let it not be kindled against thee and cover thy hands.
-Cover up the word of a king with the veil of the heart.
-Why should wood strive with fire, flesh with a knife, a man with a king? I have tasted even the bitter medlar, and I have eaten lettuce but there is naught which is more bitter than poverty.
-Soft is the tongue of a king, but it breaks like a dragon’s ribs; like a plague, which is not seen.
-Let not thy heart rejoice over the multitude of children nor grieve over their fewness.
-A king is like the Merciful; his voice also is loud: who is there that can stand before him, except one with whom is God?
-Beautiful is a king to behold like Shamash, and noble is his majesty to them that walk the earth. …A good vessel covers a word in its heart, and a broken one lets it out.
-The lion approached to greet the ass: “Peace be unto thee.” The ass answered and said to the lion: …I have lifted sand, and I have carried salt; but there is naught which is heavier than grief!
I have lifted bruised straw, and I have taken up bran; but there is naught which is lighter than a sojourner!’
-War troubles calm waters between good friends!
-If a man be small and grow great, his words soar above him. For the opening of his mouth is an utterance gods, and if he be beloved of gods they will put something good in his mouth to say.
-Many are the stars of heaven whose names no man knows. By the same token, no man knows mankind.
-There is no lion in the sea, therefore they call a flood a lb (lion).
-The leopard met the goat when she was cold. The leopard answered and said to the goat, “Come, I will cover thee with my hide.” The goat answered and said to the leopard, “What need have I for it, my lord ? Take not my skin from me.” For he does not greet the gazelle” except to suck its blood.
-The bear went to the lambs. “Give me one of you and I will be content.” The lambs answered and said to him, “Take whichever thou wilt of us. We are thy lambs.”
-Truly, ’tis not in the power of men to lift up their feet or to put them down without the gods.
-Truly, ’tis not in thy power to lift up thy foot or to put down. If a good thing come forth from the mouths of men, it is well for them, and if an evil thing come forth from their mouths, the gods will do evil unto them.
-If God’s eyes are on men, a man may chop wood in the dark without seeing, like a thief, who demolishes a house and…Bend not thy bow and shoot not thine arrow at a righteous man, lest God come to his help and turn it back upon thee.
-If thou be hungry, my son, take every trouble and do very labor, then wilt thou eat and be satisfied and give to thy children.
-If thou bend thy bow and shoot thine arrow at a righteous man, from thee is the arrow but from God the guidance.
-If thou be needy, my son, borrow corn and wheat that thou mayest eat and be sated and give to thy children with thee.
-Take not a heavy loan or from an evil man. Moreover, if thou take a loan, give no rest to thyself until thou repay the 1oan.
-A loan is sweet as [. ..], but its repayment is grief.
-My son, hearken not with thine ears to a lying man.
-For a man’s charm is his truthfulness; his repulsiveness, the lies of his lips. At first a throne is set up for the liar, but in the end they find out his lies and spit in his face.
-A liar’s neck is cut [i.e. he speaks very softly?] like a. ..virgin that is hidden from sight, like a man who causes misfortune which does not proceed from God.
-Despise not that which is in thy lot, nor covet a wealth which is denied thee. Multiply not riches and make not great thy heart. Whosoever takes no pride in the names of his father and mother, may the sun not shine upon him; for he is a wicked man.
-From myself has my misfortune proceeded: with whom shall I be justified ? The son of my body has spied out my house: what can I say to strangers? My son has been a false witness against me: who, then, has justified me? From my house has gone forth wrath: with whom can I strive and win?
-Reveal not thy secrets before thy friends, lest thy name become despised of them.
-With him who is more exalted than thou, quarrel not. With him who is. .. and stronger than thou, contend not; for he will take of thy portion and add it to his. Behold even so is a small man (who strives) with a great one.
-Remove not wisdom from thee …. Gaze not overmuch lest thy vision be dimmed.
-Be not (too) sweet, lest they swallow thee: be not (too) bitter lest they spit thee out.
-If thou wouldst be exalted, my son, humble thyself before God, who humbles an exalted man and exalts a lowly man.
-What men’s lips curse, God does not curse. God shall twist the twister’s mouth and tear out his tongue.
-Let not good eyes be darkened, nor good ears be stopped, and let a good mouth love the truth and speak it.
-A man of becoming conduct whose heart is good is like a mighty city which is situated upon a mountain. There is none that can bring him down. Except a man dwell with God, how can he be guarded by his own refuge ? …, but he with whom God is, who can cast him down?
-A man knows not what is in his fellow’s heart. So when a good man sees a wicked man let him beware of him. Let him not join with him on a journey or be a neighbor to him–a good man with a bad man.
-The bramble sent to the pomegranate tree saying, “The bramble to the pomegranate: Wherefore the multitude of thy thorns to him that touches thy fruit ?” …The pomegranate tree answered and said to the bramble, “Thou art all thorns to him that touches thee.” All that come in contact with a righteous man are on his side.
-A city of wicked men shall on a gusty day be pulled apart, and in …its gates be brought low; for the spoil of the righteous are they.
-Mine eyes which I lifted up unto thee and my heart which I gave thee in wisdom hast thou scorned, and thou hast brought my name into disgrace .
-If the wicked man seize the corners of thy garment, leave it in his hand. Then approach Shamash: he will take his and give it to thee.
-Hunger makes bitterness sweet, and thirst sourness.
-…If thy master entrust to thee water to keep and thou do it faithfully, he may leave gold with thee… A man one day said to the wild ass, ” Let me ride upon thee, and I will maintain thee … ” Said the wild ass, “Keep thy maintenance and thy fodder, and let me not see thy riding.” …Let not the rich man say, “In my riches I am glorious.”
-Do not show an Arab the sea nor a Sidonian the desert; for their work is different.
Ahiqar’s Proverbs
– Dr. Arthur Brown