Its time for another installment of Saturday is for Sumerian Proverbs.  Each Saturday I will share a Sumerian proverb in translation.  The proverbs are taken from Bendt Alster’s book, Proverbs of Ancient Sumer.

Today’s proverb is:

“Good Fortune reinforces organization and wisdom”

There is also a variant version of this proverb:

“Good Fortune is embedded in organization and wisdom”

Both of these proverbs seem to suggest a form of cosmic retribution that is often present in their biblical counter-texts.  The biblical book of Proverb also seems to suggest that good fortune is tied to possessing wisdom.  One such example of retributive justice can be found in Proverbs 3:3-4.

3 חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֗ת אַֽל־יַעַ֫זְבֻ֥ךָ קָשְׁרֵ֥ם עַל־גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ כָּ֝תְבֵ֗ם עַל־ל֥וּחַ לִבֶּֽךָ׃

4     וּמְצָא־חֵ֖ן וְשֵֽׂכֶל־ט֑וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֖י אֱלֹהִ֣ים וְאָדָֽם׃

My Translation^:

Vs. 3.  Never let loving kindness and truth leave you;

bind them to your neck,

write them upon the tablet of your heart.

Vs.4. And you will find favor and good success in the eyes of God and Humanity.