CDLI Literary 000782, ex. 008 (P346254)

Literary tablet excavated in Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar), dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period and now kept in British Museum, London, UK

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Museum Collection(s)

British Museum, London, UK

Museum Number

BM —

Period

Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

Provenience

Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)

Artifact Type

Tablet

Material(s)

Clay

Genre / Subgenre(s)

Literary (ETCSL 5.06.01 Instructions of Shuruppak (witness) Instructions of Shuruppak)

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

-

Witness

tablet
obverse
1. [...] u4 su3-ra2 ri-a
 en: In those distant days, in those (even more) distant days
2. [...] ge6 bad-ra2 ri-a
 en: In those distant nights, in those (even more) distant nights
3. [...] ri#-a# mu su3-ra2 ri-a
 en: In those distant years, in those (even more) distant years
4. u4#-ba gesztux(|GISZ.TUG2|) tuku-ga14-kam inim# zu-a kalam-ma til#?-la#-am3
 en: At that time he was the one of wisdom, the one aware of events, was resident in the land
5. szuruppak{ki}-e gesztux(|GISZ.TUG2|) tuku-ga14-kam# inim zu-a kalam-ma til-la-am3
 en: (The resident of?) Šuruppak, he was the one of wisdom, the one aware of events, was resident in the land
6. szuruppak{ki}-e dumu#-ni#-ra na na-mu-un-de5-ga#?
 en: (The resident of?) Šuruppak instructed
7. szuruppak{ki!} dumu# ubur-tu-tu-ke4
 en: (The resident of?) Shuruppak, the son of Ubartutu
8. zi-u4-su3-ra2 dumu#-ni-ra na na-mu-un-de5-de5
 en: Was instructing his son Ziusudra
9. dumu-gu10 na ga-de5# na de5-gu10 he2-dab5
 en: My son, I shall instruct, may my instruction be grasped
10. na de5#-ga#-gu10# szu nam-bi2-bar-ra
 en: One should not forget my instruction
11. inim# du11-ga na#-ab-ta-bala-e
 en: One should not transgress (my) spoken word
12. na# de5 ab-ba nig2 kal-la gu2-zu# he2#-em-szi-ke3-e
 en: The advice of an elder is something precious, one should pay attention to it
13. dur3{urx(|GA2xKAL|)} gu3 di na-ab-sa10#-sa10 erin2#-zu sza-ra#-ab#-si-il#
 en: One should not buy a braying male donkey, it will split apart your workforce
14. GAN2# kaskal#?-[...] nam-bi2-ib2-ga2-ga2 nam-silig ga-GA2-am3
 en: One should not put down a field (on) a road, there will be crushing/growling(!?) force
15. a-sza3#? kaskal# ka#?-giri3-ka nam-ba-e#-uru4#?-re x-u3 bulug-ga-am3
 en: One should not cultivate a field on a road or pathway, there will be ... of the boundary stake(s)
16. GAN2#-zu#?-am3 pu2 na-an-ni-dun#?-[...] ug3# sza-ri-ib-hul-hul
 en: Do not dig(?) a well/cistern in(!) your field, the people will(?) destroy it for you
17. e2#!? [...]-la nam-bi2-ib2-la2-e kesz2#?-da#? gal2-la!-am3
 en: Do not attach a house(?) to the broad street/town square, there is “binding"(?) (there)
18. szu-du3#?-a# nu#-mu-un-ti lu2#-bi sza-ba-dab5-be2
 en: If one has not accepted(?) a pledge(?) (on his behalf?), that man will seize (you)(?)
19. za-e# [szu] szu#?-du3#-a nam-mu-ak#-[...] lu2# sag bi2-ib2-sal-la-e-a
 en: You, do not make a pledge(?), the one (on whose behalf it was made) will denigrate it(?)
20. lu2#-[...] igi# duh-a na-an#-[...]-bi sza-ri#?-ib#-su#-su
 en: One should not look at (spy on, inspect?) a man, the flood will devastate you(?)
21. ki dux(|LU2xKAR2|)#?-da#?-ka [...]-bi2#?-gub#?-[...]-x
 en: One should not stand (i.e., remain) where there is a quarrel
22. dux(|LU2xKAR2|)#?-de3# lu2#-[...]-ku4
 en: One should not become a witness in the quarrel
23. dux(|LU2xKAR2|)#?-de3# ni2# [...]
 en: Do not make yourself known in the quarrel (i.e., conceal your identity?)
24. [...] x [...]
 en: ...
25. [...] x x
 en: Set quarreling aside
26. [...]-x nigin2-nam-ma#-ni-ib
 en: Regarding abuse, go around it with a different street (instead)
27. [...] ni2#-zu na-an-usz2#-e
 en: One should not steal anything (and thus) kill yourself (by incurring punishment)
28. [...]-x mi-si-ISZ-x? al nam-me
 en: One should not break into a house (and thus) desire the treasure box
29. [...] na#-nam# ul-dab sag na-nam#
 en: The thief is indeed a pirig monster, (but) after he is caught, he is indeed a slave
30. [... sa]-gaz# nam-mu-u3-ak-e [...] x bur2#-re nam-bi2-ib-bar-ra
 en: My son, one should not rob, do not “hew” yourself(?)
31. [...]-an-ak ni2-zu na-an-[...]
 en: Do not sexually penetrate(?) the bridegroom, do not ... yourself
reverse
1. [...] tuku#-da# [...] nam-mu-un-KA-x inim-sig-ga [...]
 en: Do not “play”(?) with a married young woman, the slander (arising from it) is formidable
2. [...] lu2# dam tuku#-da# dur2# nam-bi2#-e#-ga2-ga2
 en: My son, one should not sit in a chamber(?) with someone who is married
3. [...]-mu2#?-de3 ni2-zu na-an-pe#-el-la2
 en: One should not quarrel and (thus) spoil yourself
4. [...]-gur5#?-gu2-gu2 sag gu2 sal#-sal#-la#
 en: Do not ... lies, (the act?) “thins out/flattens the head/denigrates and ...?”
5. [...]-tar#-tar#-re inim-zu gar-ra#-am3#
 en: One should not boast/(overly) praise, your word is set (within it)
6. [...] nam#-gi4-gi4 igi dugud nu-mu-un-da-il2#
 en: One should not advise, a serious gaze is(?) never lifted away from him(?)
7. lu2#-[...] nig2-zuh-a nam-mu-da-gu7-e
 en: One should not eat/consume something stolen(?) with someone else
8. szu#-[...] x na-di-ni-ib#-su-su#?
 en: If your hands are bloody(?) one should not submerge them in ...(?)
9. giri3#? HAR#?-re gu4 sza-ba#?-[...]-ib-su-su# udu# sza#-ba-ri-ib-su#-su#
 en: One should replace a scratched/ground down(?) bone/foot(?) with an (entire) ox or a sheep(?)
10. u3-nu-gar-ra x-[...] na-ab-be2-e
 en: One should not speak ... with inappropriateness
11. egir-bi gesz-bur-gin7 [...] x x-szi-ib2-la2-e
 en: Or else in the future(?), like a trap, ... will bind ... to you(?)
12. u2 nu-kin2-ga2-sze3 udu-zu sag2# nam-me
 en: One should not scatter your sheep towards (a place where) pasture has not been sought (before)
13. us2 nu-si-ga-sze3 [...]-hun-e
 en: One should not hire the ox of another man for (work on) a property line that is not set
14. us2 si-ga [...]-am3
 en: A set property line is a set road
15. kaskal ge6 na-an-du-un# [...] hul#-a
 en: Do not go (on) a road (at) night, its midst is (both) good and evil (portending?)
16. ansze-edin-na na-ab#-[...]-e-zal
 en: One should not buy an onager you will have spend the day with at its side
17. geme2-zu gesz3 na-an-[...]-in-sa4
 en: One should not have sex with your female worker, she will chew you up(?)
18. u2 a2 zi-da#? [...]-ni10#-ni10
 en: One should not curse(!) with/at your right side(?), ... will return ... towards (your?) hand(?)
19. a szu nu-gid2#-de3# [...]-ra-gal2
 en: Do not pour/bring out(?) water that has not been examined/accepted(?), weakened arms(?) are there for you
20. mah-bi# nig2#?-[...] x-[...]-x-szub-be2#
 en: Abandon something that is long/offered(?) with pomp(?) and it will abandon ...(?)
21. a2#-tuku na-an#-usz2#?-e szul#-hi na-[...]-x-gul#?-[...]
 en: One should not kill a strong man or destroy the outer wall
22. x-x na-an#-usz2#-e iri#-ta na-an#-gur!-re#
 en: One should not kill a young man/worker(?) (or) turn him away from the city
23. [... na]-an#-bad#-e lu2-bi sza-ba-e#-[...]-x-kur2?
 en: One should not remove a debt-bearer, that man will be(?) estranged to you
24. [...] GAN2 nam-ba-e-ga2-ga2#
 en: One should not put down a field adjacent to an arrogant/shy(?) (person)
25. [...]-de3# szi-mu-un-szi-ib2-da13#?-da13#?
 en: He will leave it to you to go to(?) that female worker
26. x [...] lu2#-ka na-ab-ta!-bala-e
 en: One should not rebel from the ... of that man
27. igi# du-un# [igi] du#-un szi-mu#-un#-szi-ib2-be2-e-ne
 en: (Even if?) “Lead, lead!” they say to you
28. gi#-sig# {gesz#}kiri6#-ka da-x nam-bi2-duh-e
 en: One should not release the bond(?) at the reed fence of an orchard
29. sug4-ga-ab# sug4#-ga-ab szi-mu-un-szi-ib2-be2-e-ne
 en: “Replace it, replace it!” they will say on (the owner's) behalf(?)
30. ur nam-mu#-un#-gu7-en dux(LU2) nam-ur3-ur3-re
 en: Do not feed a dog/stranger, one should not drag around(?) a quarrel(?)
31. [...]-mu#-gu7-en lu2 ki nam-us2-sa
 en: My son, do not use(!?) force, do not put a man on the ground
32. [...] gesz3# a2 zi na-an-e3 GISZ-e ba#-e#-x-du11?
 en: One should not rape the child of a man, ...
33. [...] x igi#?-bi x szi-sir5-re#
 en: The slanderer, (like) a spindle(?), spins his(!) eyes/gaze
34. [...] sza3-ge nu-mu-e-KAR2#-[...]
 en: One is not to stand at the front, you will not have changed your mind (once getting there?)
  blank space
35. [...] {disz}dam-qi2-i3-li2-szu
 en: "Long-tablet" of Damqi-ilišu
36. [...] u4# 3(disz)-kam
 en: It is the month of ..., 3rd day

Consult previous versions and their differences
Consult sign list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
Consult word list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

  • Artifact type: Tablet
  • Material: Clay
  • Measurements (mm):
  • Weight:
  • Artifact Preservation:
  • Condition Description:
  • Join Information:
  • Seal no.:
  • Seal information:
  • Artifact comments:

  • Genre(s): Literary (ETCSL 5.06.01 Instructions of Shuruppak (witness) Instructions of Shuruppak)
  • Language(s): Sumerian

  • history: Alster, Shuruppak, 026

    [Alster1974Shuruppak] Alster, Bendt. 1974. The Instructions of Suruppak : A Sumerian Proverb Collection.

  • history: UET 6, 0169

    [Gadd1963] Gadd, Cyril J., and Aaron Shaffer. 1963, 1966.

  • Composite No.:
  • Museum No.: BM —
  • Accession No.:

  • Provenience: Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
  • Elevation:
  • Stratigraphic Level:
  • Excavation No: U —
  • Findspot Square:
  • Findspot Comments:

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2023-06-15 at 20:34:30 Rattenborg, Rune Artifact Rattenborg, Rune Geomapping Landscapes of Writing Rattenborg, Rune approved View
2019-06-12 at 09:31:02 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-06-01 at 14:34:08 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-05-29 at 21:01:58 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2018-02-11 at 09:30:42 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2017-01-15 at 16:05:37 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2015-11-26 at 17:00:57 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2011-10-10 at 07:44:20 Wagensonner, Klaus Atf Wagensonner, Klaus CDLI approved View
2006-11-02 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact Foxvog, Daniel A.; Guerra, Dylan; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Wolfe, Jared N. CDLI approved View

Consult this artifact as presented on the website of collections and projects:

This artifact is a witness to the following composite(s):

Composite Score
CDLI Literary 000782 (Instructions of Shuruppak) composite (P478969) View the score

General Notes: -
CDLI Notes: -
Cite this Artifact
“CDLI Literary 000782, Ex. 008 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346254.
CDLI Literary 000782, ex. 008 artifact entry (No. P346254). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346254 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000782, ex. 008 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346254 (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2024-04-25]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000782, ex. 008 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346254},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346254},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346254
LB  - CDLI:P346254
M1  - 2024/4/25/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000782, ex. 008 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346254
ER  -
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