The Story and Sayings of Ahiqar the Wise Simon Birol Former editor James Rendel Harris Georg-August Universität Göttingen, Theologische Fakultät, Seminar für Altes Testament Distributed under a Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) License. Great Britain British Library Add. 7200 L Classical Syriac Scribe unknown codex unknown unknown Forshall, J./ Rosen, F. A. 1838. Catalogus codicum manuscriptorum orientalium qui in Museo Britannico asservantur. Pars prima: codices syriacos et carshunicos amplectens, London: British Museum, 93. Wright, W. 1870-2. Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1838, 3 vols., London: British Museum, 3:1207.

2 fols. (fol. 114rv)

East Syriac script

The manuscript is heavily damaged and an unknown amount of pages of it were lost.

proverbs prose Classical Syriac color: red; Serto Jerusalem Convertion to specified TEI by SUB Göttingen [... year]. [It was said to me: "You will not have a son."] I had great wealth; I took sixty wives and built sixty castles for myself, yet from none of them did I have a son. So I built me a great altar of incense, and I swore, saying: "O Lord God, give me a male child, that when I die, he may place dust upon my eyes. Then I heard a voice saying: "O Ahiqar, do not grieve, for you shall not have a son. But behold, Nadan, your sister's son—make him your son, [so that] when he grows up, you may teach him everything. When I heard this, I took Nadan, my sister's son, and he became my son... So I said to him: "Hear my teaching, my son Nadan, and come to my understanding, and be mindful of my words, according to the following sayings." Then Ahiqar began to teach Nadan, his sister's son, and he answered and said to him: My son, when you hear a word, let it die in your heart, and do not reveal it to anyone, lest it become a hot coal in your mouth and burn you, and you brand disgrace upon yourself, become hated on earth, and complain angrily against God. My son, do not tell all that you see, and do not reveal all that you hear. My son, do not loosen a knot that is sealed, nor seal one that is loosened. My son, sweeten your tongue and be mindful of the opening of your mouth, for the tail of a dog gives him bread, but his mouth brings blows. My son, the human eye is a well, and it is not satisfied with riches until [it is filled with dust]. [My son, when] you lift up your eyes [and see a woman bedizened] and beautified, do not desire her [in your heart. For if you give her all that is in your hands,] you will find no [benefit] in her, and you will be guilty of sin before God. My son, do not linger in the house of strife, for from a word comes a quarrel, and from a quarrel comes anger, and from anger comes murder. My son, if a house could be built by a loud voice, the donkey would build two houses in one day; and if the plough were driven by sheer force, its ploughshare would never be loosed from a camel's armpit. It is better to roll stones with a wise man than to drink wine with a fool. My son, you will not be defiled with a wise [man], nor will you become wise with a defiled man. My son, associate yourself with a wise [man] in order to become wise like him; and do not associate yourself with a fool, in order not to be numbered with him. While you have shoes on your feet, tread down the thorns and make a path for your sons and grandsons. My son, the rich [man] has eaten a serpent, and they are saying: "He ate it for medicine"; but [when] the poor [man] ate it, they were saying: "He ate it for his hunger." My son, eat your portion and do not stretch out your hand to your friend. My son, do not eat bread with [a man] who is not ashamed. My son, when you see that your enemy has fallen, do not mock him, lest he rise up and repay you. My son, do not envy your enemy's happiness, nor rejoice in his misfortune. My son, do not go near a fierce and talkative woman, nor one who has a loud voice. For the beauty of a woman is her good sense, and the word of her mouth is her adornment. My son, if your enemy meets you with evil, meet him with excellence. My son, when you see a man older than you, stand up before him. [܂܂܂]ܬ [܂܂܂]ܡܪ [܂]ܝܼ܂ ܗܘܝܬ ܐܬܐܡܪ ܠܝܼ܂ [܂܂܂] ܕܒܪܐ ܠܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܠܟ܂ ܘܥܘܬܪܐ ܣܓܿܝܐܐ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܼܐ ܠܝ܂ ܢـ[܂]ܐ ܫ[܂܂܂] ܢ̈ܫܐ ܫܬܝܢ [܂]ܣܒ[܂] ܢܣܿܒܬ ܠܝ܂ ܘܒܢ݀ܝܬ ܠܝ ܫܬܝܢ ܒܝܼܪ̈ܢ܂ ܘܒܪܐ ܠܐ ܗܼܘܼܐܘ ܠܝ ܡܢ ܚܕܐ ܡܢܼܗ̈ܝܢ܂ ܗܝܕܝܢ ܒܢܿܝܬ ܠܝܼ ܥܠܝܬܐ ܚܕܐ ܕܒܵܣܡܐ ܪܒܬܐ܂ ܘܢܿܕܪܬ ܘܐܡܿܪܬ܂ ܕܐܘܿܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܐ܁ ܗܒܼܠܝ ܒܪܐ ܕܟܪܐܼ ܕܟܕ ܐܼܡܘܬ ܢܪܡܸܐ ܥܦܪܐ ܥܠ ܥܝ̈ܢܝ܂ ܗܝܕܝܢ ܗܕܐ ܒܪܬ ܩܠܐ ܐܫܬܡܸܥܬ ܠܝܼ܂ ܕܐܘ ܐܚܝܩܪ ܂ ܠܐ ܣܓܼܝ ܬܛܪܦ܂ ܠܐ ܗܿܘܐ ܠܟ ܒܪܐ܂ ܐܠܐ ܗܐ ܢܕܢ ܒܪ ܚܬܟ ܗܘܸ ܥܒܸܕ ܠܟ ܒܪܐܿ܂ ܐܝܢܐ ܕܡܢ ܬܪܒܝܬܗ ܟܠܡܕܡ ܬܫܟܚ ܠܡܠܦܘܬܗ܂ ܗܝܕܝܢ ܟܕ ܫܡܿܥܬ ܗܕܐ܁ ܢܣܒܿܬ ܠܢܕܢ ܒܪ ܚܬܝ ܘܗܘܸܐ ܠܝ ܒܪܐ܂܂ ܘܗܟܢܐ ܐܡܿܪ ܗܿܘܝܬ ܠܗ܂ ܫܡܼܥ ܝܘܠܦܢܝ ܒܪܝ ܢܕܢܿ ܂ ܘܬܐ ܠܬܪܥܝܬܝ܂ ܘܗܘܹܝ ܘܗܘܲܝ ܕܟܝܪ ܠܡ̈ܠܝ ܐܝܟ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܠܗܝܢ܂܂܂ ܐܠܗ̈ܝܢ܂܂܂ ܘܗܝܕܝܢ ܫܪܝ ܐܚܝܩܪ ܠܡܠܦܘܬܗ ܠܢܕܢ ܒܪ [܂]ܬܗ܂ ܚܬܗ܂ ܘܥܢܐ ܘܐܡܼܪ ܠܗ܂ ܒܪܝ ܐܢ ܫܡܥܼܬ ܡܠܬܐ ܬܡܘܬ ܒܠܒܟ܆ ܘܠܐܢܫ ܠܐ ܬܓܠܸܐ ܕܠܐ ܗܘܐܿ ܬܗܘܐܿ ܓܡܘܪܬܐ ܒܦܘܡܟ ܘܲܬܟܿܘܝܟ܂ ܘܡܘܡܐ ܬܣܝܡ ܒܢܦܫܟܿ ܘܥܠ ܐܪܥܐ ܬܣܬܢܸܐܼ ܘܥܠ ܐܠܗܐ ܬܬܪܥܡ ܫܡܼܥܬ ܡܠܬܼܐ ܬܡܘܬ ܒܠܒܟ܂ ܠܐ ܗܘܬ ܓܐܪܐ ܕܬܒܙܥܟ ܘܬܦܘܩ܂ Sir 19,10. ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܟܠ ܕܚܿܙܐ ܐܢܬ ܠܐ ܬܐܡܪ܆ ܘܟܠ ܕܫܡܿܥ ܐܢܬ ܠܐ ܬܓܸܠܐ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܐܣܪܐ ܕܚܬܝܡ ܠܐ ܬܼܫܪܸܐ܂ ܘܗܘܿ ܕܫܪܸܐ ܠܐ ܬܚܬܘܡ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܐܲܚܠܵܐ ܠܫܢܟ ܘܐܛܐܸܒ ܒܡܦܬܚ ܦܘܡܟ܂ ܡܛܠ ܕܕܘܢܒܗ ܕܟܠܒܐ ܝܗܿܒܠܗ ܠܚܡܐ܇ ܘܦܘܡܗ ܝܗܿܒܠܗ ܡܚ̈ܘܬܐ ܠܐ ܬܟܠܐ ܡܪܕܘܬܐ ܡܢ ܛܠܝܐ܂ ܡܛܠ ܕܐܢ ܡܚܐ ܐܢܬ ܠܗ ܠܐ ܡܐܬ܂ Prov 8,6. ܂ ܒܪܝ ܥܝܢܗ ܕܒܪܢܫ ܡܒܘܥܐ ܗܼܝ ܘܠܐ ܣܒܥܐ ܢ̈ܟܣܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܫܝܘܠ ܘܐܒܕܢܐ ܠܐ ܣܒܥܝܢ܂ ܗܟܢܐ ܐܦ ܥܝܢܗܘܢ ܕܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܠܐ ܣܒܥܐ Prov 27,20. ܟܠܗܘܢ ܦܬ̈ܓܡܐ ܠܐܝܢ܂ ܠܐ ܢܣܒܥ ܓܒܪܐ ܠܡܡܠܠܘ܂ ܘܠܐ ܣܒܥܐ ܥܝܢܐ ܠܡܚܙܐ܂ ܘܠܐ ܡܠܝܐ ܐܕܢܐ ܠܡܫܡܥ܂ Eccl 1,8. [܂]ܪܝܡ ܬܪܝܡ ܥܝ̈ܢܝܟ ܘܡܨܒܬܐ܇ ܠ[܂] ܬܪܓܝ[܂] ܠܐ ܬܪܓܝܗܿ ܠܗܿ ܟܠܡܕܡ ܕ[܂܂]ܬ ܕܐܝܬ ܝܬܝܪܐܿ ܒܗܿ ܠܐ ܬܫܟܚܼ܂ [܂]ܚܛ[܂܂] ܘܚܛܗܐ [܂܂܂]ܗܐ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܬܚܘܒ܂܂܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܒܒܝܬܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܢܨܝܢܼ ܠܐ ܬܩܘܡ ܡܛܠ ܕܡܢ ܡܠܬܐ ܗܘܝܐ ܡܨܘܬܐ܂ ܘܡܢ ܡܨܘܬܐ ܡܬܬܥܝܪ ܫܚܩܐܿ܂ ܘܡܢ ܫܚܩܐ ܗܘܿܐ ܩܛܠܐ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܐܠܘ ܒܩܠܐ ܪܡܐ ܡܬܒܢܸܐ ܗܘܼܐ ܒܝܬܐܿ܂ ܚܡܪܐ ܬܪܝܢ ܒ̈ܝܬܝܢ ܒܝܘܡܐ ܚܕ ܒܢܿܐ ܗܘܼܐܿ܂ ܘܐܼܠܘ ܒܚܝܠܐ ܬܩܝܦܐ ܡܬܕܒܪܐ ܗܘܼܐ ܦܿܕܵܢܐܿ܂ ܚܪܒܐ ܕܦܕܢܐܿ ܡܢ ܬܚܝܸܬ ܫܚܬܗ ܕܓܡ[܂]ܐ ܕܓܡܠܐ ܠܐ ܡܬܓܪܕܝܐ܂܂܂܂ ܛܒܘ ܠܡܗܦܟܘ ܟܐܼܦܐ ܥܡ ܓ[܂܂]ܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܚܟܝܡܐܿ܂ ܛܵܒ ܡܢ ܕܠܡܫܬܐ ܚܡܪܐ ܥܡ ܓܒܪܐ ܣܟܠܐ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܥܡ ܚܟܝܡܐ ܠܐ ܬܣܪܘܚ܂ ܘܥܡ ܣܪܘܚܐ ܠܐ ܬܬܚܟܡ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܐܬܠܘܐ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܚܟܝܡܐ ܕܬܬܚܟܡ ܐܟܘܬܗ܂ ܘܠܐ ܬܬܠܘܸܐ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܣܟܠܐ܇ ܕܠܡܐ ܬܬܡܸܢܐ ܐܟܘܬܗ ܕܡܗܠܟ ܥܡ ܚܟܝܡܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܚܟܝܡ܂ ܘܕܡܗܠܟ ܥܡ ܣܟܠܐ ܢܒܐܫ ܠܗ܂ Prov 13,20. ܂܂ ܥܕ ܐܝܬ ܡ ܡܣ̈ܢܐ ܒܪ̈ܓܠܝܟ ܕܘܫ ܕܪܕܪ̈ܐ ܘܥܒܸܕ ܐܘܪܚܐ ܠܒܢܝ̈ܟ ܘܠܒ[܂܂] ܘܠܒܢܝ ܒܢ̈ܝܟ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܒܪ ܥܬܝܪ̈ܐ ܐܿܟܠ ܚܘܝܐ܂ ܘܐܡ ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܕܠܐܣܝܘܬܐ ܐܟܠܗ܂ ܘܐܟܠܗܿ ܒܪ ܡܣܟ̈ܢܐ܂ ܘܐܡܪ[܂܂] ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܠܟܦܢܗ ܐܟܠܗ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܐܟܘܠ ܡܢܬܟ܂ ܘܥܠ ܕܚܒܪ[܂] ܕܚܒܪܟ ܠܐ ܬܘܫܛ ܐܝܕܟ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܥܡ ܕܠܐ ܡܬܚܡܨ ܠܚܡ ܠܚܡܐ ܠܐ ܬܐܟܘܠ܂ ܠܐ ܬܚܫܡ ܥܡ ܓܒܪܐ ܚܘܪܐ܂ ܘܠܐ ܬܪܓ ܡܢ ܡܟܘܠܬܗ܂ Prov 23,6. ܒܪܝ ܐܢ ܚܿܙܐ ܐܢܬ ܣܢܐܟ ܕܢܦܝܠ܂ ܠܐ ܬܿܗܿܠ ܒܗ܂ ܕܠܡܐ ܢܩܘܡ ܘܢܦܪܥܟ܂܂ ܡܐ ܕܢܦܠ ܒܥܠܕܒܒܟ ܠܐ ܬܚܕܐ܂ ܘܡܐ ܕܡܣܬܚܦ ܠܐ ܢܕܘܨ ܠܒܟ܂ Prov 24,17. ܒܪܝ ܒܛܒܬܗ̈ ܕܣܢܐܟ ܠܼܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܚܿܣܡ܂ ܘܒܒܝ̈ܫܬܗܿ ܠܐ ܬܚܕܐ܂ ܡܐ ܕܢܦܠ ܒܥܠܕܒܒܟ ܠܐ ܬܚܕܐ܂ ܘܡܐ ܕܡܣܬܚܦ ܠܐ ܢܕܘܨ ܠܒܟ܂ Prov 24,17. ܒܪܝ ܠܐܢܬܬܐ ܠܫܢܝܬܿܐ ܘܦܟܝܢܬܐ ܘܠܐܝܕܐ ܕܪܡ ܩܠܗܿ ܠܐ ܬܬܩܼܪܒ܂ ܡܛܠ ܕܫܘܦܪܗܿ ܕܐܢܬܬܐ ܛܥܡܗܿ܂ ܘܡܠܸܬ ܘܡܸܠܲܬ ܦܘܡܗܿ ܗܕܪܗܿ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܐܢ ܐܪܥܟ ܣܢܐܟ ܒܒܝܫ܂ ܐܪܘܥ ܐܢܬ ܒܛܒ܂܂ ܒܪܝ ܐܢ ܚܙܐ ܐ[܂܂] ܐܢܬ ܐܢܫ ܕܩܫܝܫ ܡܢܟ ܩܘܡ ܡܢ ܩܕܡܘܗܝ ܡܢ ܩܕܡ ܣܒܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܩܿܐܡ܂ ܘܗܘܝܬ ܡܝܩܪ ܠܡܿܢ ܕܩܫܝܫ ܡܢܟ܂ Lev 19,32.