Instructions of Shuruppak
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The Instructions of Shuruppak are a significant example of Sumerian wisdom literature. Wisdom literature, intended to teach proper piety, instill virtue, and preserve community standards, was common t
Fragments of the Instructions of Shuruppak: "Shurrupak gave instructions to his son: Do not buy an ass which brays too much. Do not commit rape upon a man's daughter, do not announce it to the courtyard. Do not answer back against your father, do not raise a 'heavy eye.'". From Adab, c. 2600 – c. 2500 BCE
Wisdom literature
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Wisdom literature is a genre of literature common in the ancient Near East. It consists of statements by sages and the wise that offer teachings about divinity and virtue. Although this genre uses tec
Instructions of Shuruppak
…The Instructions of Shuruppak (or, Instructions of Šuruppak) are a significant example of Sumerian wisdom literature. Wisdom literature, intended to teach proper piety, instill virtue, and preserve community standards, was common throughout the ancient Near East. Its…
Tablet of the Dialogue between a Man and His God, c. 19th–17th centuries BC, Louvre
Illuminated manuscript depicting Job, his friends, and the leviathan, Mount Athos, c. 1300