“That my friend should be well is our wish, and that our enemies should be gone!”
A simple wish for the wellbeing of friends and the downfall of enemies.
— Traditional Iraq Wisdom, Iraq
Source: Sumerian proverb tablets (Old Babylonian period, c. 2000-1600 BC), ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq); translated in Bendt Alster, Proverbs of Ancient Sumer (1997)
More Proverbs from Iraq
Possessions are flying birds -- they never find a place to settle.
Material wealth is fleeting and never permanently settles with anyone.
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A man's personal god is a shepherd who finds pasturage for the man.
A person's guardian deity watches over and provides for them, like a shepherd tending sheep.
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The lion who lives a life of compassion will receive it.
Kindness shown to others, even the weak, is eventually returned in kind.
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A loving heart builds houses. A hating heart destroys houses.
Love and cooperation build a household; hatred tears it apart.
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When a trustworthy boat sets sail, Utu seeks out a trustworthy harbour for it.
The sun god Utu guides the honest and trustworthy safely to their destination.
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He who possesses many things is constantly on guard.
Great possessions bring constant worry and vigilance rather than peace.
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