Wisdom Literature

Sumerian scribes recorded collections of proverbs, which are similar in style to their biblical counterparts. Some are attributed to Shuruppak, the father of Ziusudra, the flood survivor. For example, “Hand added to hand, the house of a man is built up; stomach added to stomach, the house of a man is ruined” (Kramer, Biblical Parallels, 24).

There is also a Sumerian account that closely mirrors the biblical story of Job. “Man and His God” tells of an afflicted man who remains true to his god in spite of his many sufferings. As a result of his faithfulness, the god removes his suffering (COS 1.179:573–575).

A passage from the book of Ecclesiastes has a Sumerian parallel. The phrases in Eccl 4:9–12, “Two are better than one,” and “A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart” (NASB), bear a strong resemblance to a passage from the poem of Gilgamesh and Huwawa. This Sumerian composition also declares that success is more likely through the cooperation of individuals (Aaron Shaffer, “New Light on the Three-Ply Cord,” 159–60).