The Oldest Literature in the world. Timeless Quotes.

 Timeless Wisdom from the oldest surviving literature

"Instructions of Shuruppak"

Did you know the earliest recorded written literature originated in ancient Mesopotamia? The Sumerian civilization first developed writing around 3400 B.C., when they began making markings on clay tablets in a script known as cuneiform.  

So today we feature one of the two oldest literature, that dates back about 4.6 Milleniums. The Instructions of Shuruppak. Shuruppak was the last Sumerian king and passed these words down to his son. The literature is full of emence wisdom that has survived the tides of time and notably applicable to people like you and me. Below are some of the words of this wise king, in their direct comprehendable translation form.

• A loving heart maintains a family; a hateful heart destroys a family. 

The  Sumerian proverbs version is; 

"A loving heart builds houses. A hating heart destroys houses." 

• You should not use violence.
• Nothing at all is to be valued, but life should be sweet. 

You should not serve things; things should serve you.

• The instructions of an old man are precious.
• A thief is a lion, but after he has been caught, he will be a slave.
• The night: it can hide both good and evil.
• The eyes of the slanderer always move around as shiftily as a spindle.
• You should never remain in his presence; his intentions should not be allowed to have an effect on you.

When it is about someone's else bread, it is easy to say "I will give it to you", but the time of actual giving can be as far away as the sky. If you go after the man who said "I will give it to you", he will say "I cannot give it to you -- the bread has just been finished up".

• The artistic mouth recites words; the harsh mouth brings litigation documents; the sweet mouth gathers sweet herbs.
• Heaven is far, earth is most precious, but it is with heaven that you multiply your goods, and all foreign lands breathe under it.
• At harvest time, at the most priceless time, collect like a slave girl, eat like a queen; my son, to collect like a slave girl, to eat like a queen, this is how it should be.
• To speak arrogantly is like an abscess: a herb that makes the stomach sick.
• Fate is a wet bank; it can make one slip

"The elder brother is indeed like a father; the elder sister is indeed like a mother. Listen therefore to your elder brother, and you should be obedient to your elder sister as if she were your mother.

You should not work using only your eyes; you will not multiply your possessions using only your mouth.

You should not speak arrogantly to your mother; that causes hatred for you.

• You should not question the words of your mother and your personal god.
• The mother, like Utu, gives birth to the man.
• Without suburbs a city has no centre either.

It is inconceivable that something is lost forever.

I sure hope that you learnt something, though not new, you agree that wisdom transcend beyond the limits of time.