Iraq 78, 245–246 (On Wolves and Kings)

SEAL no. 1754

Copy / Photo
Tablet Siglum
BM 13928 (96-2-4.28)
Measurements
circumference
7.0 x 12.3 x 3.1
cm
Collection
British Museum, London
Genre / Classification
Wisdom Literature
Provenance
Text

Obv.

1          [x] ⌈x x x x (x)⌉-ti KU UZ? pa-as⌉-na-qám i-li-⌈ik

2          šum-šu ki-ma di-pa-ar mu-ši-ia-ti i-im-⌈ma-ar

3          it-ti da!⌉-pi-nim i-pi-id-du šum-šu

4          ú-te-ru le-e-ma i-na šu-pa-at qú-ra-di uš-ša-ab

5          a-di bi-ir-ka-šu-ma zí-bi-iš i-da-li-p[a]

6          ⌈ul⌉-li-iš U4-um uš-pa-aš (ras.)-ša(ras.)-ḫu DUMU UR.BAR!.⌈RA!⌉

7          mu-ut-tá-ag-gi-šum-ma i-še-eb-bé

8          ùlaṣa-li-lum i-ip-pu-uš É

9          ú-ul ta-mu-ur i-na ṭá!-pa-aš li-li-a-tim

10        UR.BAR.RA e-li-ip bu-bu-ut ⌈ŠÀ⌉

11        ši-ib-bi-iš ki-ip-pí-iš i-te-né-ep-pu-uš

12        a-na ma-an-ni-šu ú-ša-ka-al aš-ša-tam UR.BAR!.RA

13        ⌈ap⌉-lu ib-ni É-ma i-ši-iḫ ma-ak-ku-ra

14        a-na bu-bu-ti-šu-ú-ma qá-tam ma-an-nu-um

15        li-ma-aš-ši-iš-šu

16        šum-ma ši-ra-am la še20-bi ra-ba-ṣa-am i-de

18        um-ma-at SIPA ta-bi-nim

19        i-da-al-ma ka-la mu-ši-im

20        e-li-ku-nu šu-up-šu-uq

                             

Le. Ed.

21        ⌈e?⌉-li-ka!(ras.) pu-uš--um [x x (x)]

22        [i?-]⌈ša?⌉-a?-lu-ú li-bi-it⌉-ti?

 

Rev.

23        šu-up-šu-uq re-qú-um ki mu-ur-rim i-na ša-⌈di?⌉-[im?]

24        ⌈ša⌉-ki-⌈in uz-nim-ma ša-al-la-tam i-ša-la-al

25        a-li-ik wa-ar-ki LUGAL ú-ul i-ḫa-aṭ-ṭi

26        du-um-qá-am

27        ù at-tari-di-am⌉-ma ra-ma-an-ka

28        kima⌉ ⌈a?⌉-⌈bi?⌉-⌈im?⌉ ra-ma (ras.)šar-ra

29        a-n[a x x x x x] i-na ⌉-er-bi/bé-tim

30        a-d[i] [x x x x] x x e-li mi-im-ma

31        ⌈mu⌉ [...]

                                                            __________

32        ⌈x x ⌉ [...]                                 |

33        (sign traces)                             | ṣa-bi-tum-

34        (sign traces)                             | ma

35        (sign traces)                             | [b]i-⌈it?⌉-ra-at-

36        (sign traces)                             | ma

37–40 (sign traces)

41        [...]                                          x x

42        [...]                                          ⌈ x x GA?⌉-ta-li

43        (sign traces)                             -ti-li-ka?⌉

 

Le. Ed.

44        [(x x)]-ma d⌈GÌR⌉ iq⌉-bi-šum-ma bu-lam na-qí-du-ut sú-ku-lim i-pu-[]

 

Up. Ed.

45        a [...]

46        ⌈at⌉-ta ⌈x x x⌉-a-šui-⌈ba?-ki?⌉

47        [MU?.B]I? [40]+4? ⌈DUB 10-kam⌉

Translation

Obverse

§ 1

1          ... he went away powerlessly.

2          He looks at his offspring like a torch in the nights:

3          Are they catching his offspring with the mighty one?

 

§ 2

4          (When) they brought back eating, he sits in the warrior’s house,

5          until his knees get restless (again) like a vulture.

6          Then, having calmed the cub, the wolf

7          satisfies himself, roaming around.

8          And not sleeping, he builds a house.

 

§ 3

9          Did you not see, in the (time of) becoming fat(?) during the night,

10 (how) the wolf is swollen up because of hunger in (his) belly?

11        He constantly acts like a šibbu-snake, like a snare.

 

§ 4

12        For whom, after all, does the wolf feed a wife?

13        Has (his) son (ever) built a house and become great with respect to possessions?

 

§ 5

14–15  At his hunger, who could possibly match him as to his hand?

16        If he is not sated with flesh, he knows to lurk.

17        Against his hunger ...

18        (could) an army of shepherd(s) (do anything in) the shelter?

 

§ 6

19        He roams about all night long,

20        he is too hard for you (to catch).

 

Lower edge

§ 7

21        Hardship for you (sg.) is [...]

22        ... brickwork.

 

Reverse

§ 8

23        It is very hard to be far away (from the king) like a foal in the mo[untain].

25–26  Who follows the king will not miss any good.

 

§ 9

27        And you yourself, follow (the king)!

28        Love the king like a father!

 

§ 10

29        To ... in the middle/on the meadow,

30        until ... on something.

31–36 (sign traces)

(box on the right side) It is the gazelle who is outstanding(?).

37–43 (sign traces)

 

§ 11

Left edge

44        ... Sumuqan designated to him the cattle (and) he exercised the pastorship of the herd.

 

Upper edge

45        ...

46        You, ... him so that he cries.

47        [It]s [lines]: [4]4, 10th tablet.

Signs in text
392
Words in text
167
Sumerograms in text
18
% of Sum. in text
11
Lines in text
40
Average signs per line in text
9.80
SD of signs per line
5.08
Revision History
Wasserman, Nathan
Photography, web-imaging
08/03/12
Wasserman, Nathan
Online formatting
15/06/17