It is said that in the days of Sennacherib, King of Nineveh: When I was steward, scribe and when I was an unmarried boy, the soothsayers, Chaldeans and philosophers, said to me that, indeed, I would have a son. After I had great wealth and property, I married sixty women and I built for them sixty large, amazing and splendid palaces and great houses. I was

sixty years old, but I had no son. Immediately I, Ahiqar, went and offered sacrifices and offerings to the gods and I burned incense and myrrh and I said to them: "O gods, give me a son to enjoy while I live and so that he may inherit me and close my eyes and bury me. And from the day of my death until the day of his death, if he spends one golden coin from my wealth every day, it will not be exhausted; my wealth will not decrease." The idols did not answer him a word at all. He left them and suffered and became very saddened, but he turned from his former ways. He supplicated to God and believed with his praying in a deeper sense and he said: "O God of the sky and earth and Creator of all creation, I plead with you to give me a son that I may be comforted by him" and that he may be present at the hour of my death to close my eyes and bury me." [Then] a voice came, saying to him: “Because you have trusted in the gods, and placed your hope in them and did not trust me and offered them offerings, because

of that, behold, you will die without sons and daughters; however, I say to you, behold, take Nadan, your sister's son, and teach him all of your wisdom and he shall inherit you." I took my sister’s son Nadan, raised him and guided him and gave him to eight wet-nurses to suckle him; they fed him well with oil and honey, and they clothed him with scarlet and purple and let him sit on soft rugs and on carpets. And my sister's son Nadan grew up like a praised cedar. And I taught him writing, wisdom and philosophy. And when King Sennacherib returned from his hunt and journey, one day he called me, Ahiqar, his scribe and steward, and said to me: “O my beloved, praiseworthy, cherished, good, wise, skilled [scribe] of my secrets and who knows my secrets. You have grown old and the day of your death approaches; tell me, who is worthy to serve me after your death and departure?” and I said to him: “O my lord, king, live forever and ever! Behold, I have a sister’s son and he is like my son; he is wise and learned." And my lord said: "Go and bring him that I may see him; if he is able to serve me

and stand before me, you shall be released and I will show him mercy for your sake and have mercy on him!" and I Then I prostrated to the king and said: "O my Lord, King, live forever! I ask you, O my lord the king, to support and favor him and he shall be in my place. As I have served you, you shall favor my son." Then he gave him his hand and swore to him an oath that he would treat him with honour and praise. I stood up and said: "How will the king do this?" And I taught my son Nadan and made him understand and he was filled with doctrine and wisdom until he became a scribe like me, and this was what I, the wise Ahiqar, taught and said to him: Also, from the teaching and the wonderful parables of the wise Ahiqar. He spoke on trust in God: ‘O my son, hear my words and give heed to my counsels. Remember my doctrines as a word from the Lord. ’ ‘O my son, Nadan, when you have heard my words, put them in your heart, and do not reveal them except to yourself, lest they be a coal of fire and burn your tongue and cause pain to your body and evil and bring you shame.’

‘by God and the people.’ ‘O my son, when you hear my words, do not reveal them to anyone. When you see [something], say nothing [about it]. ’ ‘My son, do not loosen a sealed bond, and do not seal one that is loosened. ’ ‘My son, make your path and your speech straight, and be quick to listen, but do not be quick to answer. ’ ‘O my son, do not desire outward beauty, for beauty fades and passes away, while a good memory and a good name endure forever. ’ ‘My son, do not take a wife who quarrels with her words, for from words comes bitterness and poison; her net entangles and her trap will catch you. ’ ‘My son, if you see a woman adorned in robes, made up with bad garments and perfumed with oil and perfume, if she is inwardly foolish and shameless and brazen, do not desire her in your heart; do not give her your goods, for you will gain nothing from her; you provoke God to anger and bring his wrath upon you. ’ ‘O my son, do not be hasty in answering; the word is like an almond tree: everyone asked for it an it sprouts before all the trees while its fruit is eaten last; be ’

‘[rather] like a fig tree, for at last it brings forth leaves and its branches incline, and its fruits are eaten before the others. ’ ‘My son, lower your head, gaze and look down; soften your voice and be chaste, silent and humble; do not be contentious and do not raise your voice in pride. If a loud voice were enough to build a house, the donkey would build two palaces a day, and if the plough were guided by strength, it would not be far from the camel's neck. ’ ‘O my son, he who moves stones is a wise man. In the end, he is like a drunkard of wine with a man carried by passions. ’ ‘My son, pour your wine on the graves of the righteous and good men and do not drink it with a wrathful man and perjurer. ’ ‘My son, join wise and God-fearing men, that you may become like them, but do not join the reckless youth, lest you become like them and learn their ways. ’ ‘My son, if you are about to acquire a friend, test him and then take him; if you do not test a person, do not praise him. Test him and then join him. ’ ‘My son, with one who is ’

‘not wise, do not reveal your speech. And do not associate with a drunkard. ’ ‘My son, if you walk with bare feet, do not walk on thorns and thistles; make a path for your children and your children's children.’ ‘O my son, whenever the breeze blows and the sea is calm, put your ship into harbour before the sea is stirred and waves and storms multiply and destroy your ship. Be calm and consider your voyage while you are strong. Think about hired labour and think about your death. ’ ‘My son, when a rich man eats snakes, people say: “He eats them for remedy and strength”; but if the poor eats them, they say: "He eats them from hunger." The diligent and righteous man is thus known. ’ ‘My son, eat your portion only and do not covet what belongs to your friend.’ ‘My son, do not contend with an angry man, and with one who is shameless do not share secrets. ’ ‘My son, meet your enemies with kindness, feel compassion for their suffering and do not rejoice at their fall. ’ ‘My son, do not draw near ’

‘to a quarrelsome and provoking woman; do not desire the beauty of such a woman. Keep yourself from a woman's beauty that is shameful and not true adornment with cloth[es] and outward beauty; by that she entices and leads you astray. ’ ‘My son, like earrings on an animal's ears that bring no benefit to her, so is the showy woman who does evil in her actions and words, lacking understanding and licentious and is evil; you will gain nothing from her. ’ ‘My son, if your enemy meets you with malice, meet him with good and receive him with wisdom. ’ ‘My son, the wise man may fall, but the righteous man is not removed from his place. ’ ‘My son, when the physician falls ill, another physician can heal him; but wrath has no cure for its sores. ’ ‘My son, if you take into your home one who is foolish and inferior, and he does not accept correction when trouble comes, God may bring trouble upon you. ’ ‘My son, do not withhold chastening from your child. Chastening is to the child as manure to the garden, as the knot of the purse, as the halter to an animal, and as the bolt to a door. ’ ‘My son, restrain your son from ’

‘evil, so that you may have rest in your old age. Educate and correct him while he is small; make him heed your commandments, so that he does not later rebel against you and bring you low among your friends, causing your head to bow in the market, and you to be ashamed of his wickedness of his actions, and you shall be despised his vile baseness. ’ ‘My son, acquire a strong bull and a donkey with good hooves; do not buy a horned bull; and do not join yourself to a petty man. ’ ‘Do not buy an escaped slave or a thieving maid, for everything entrusted to them will be lost. ’ ‘My son, the words of lying and foolish men are like sparrows that fly in the air and are fat; whoever lacks understanding listens to them. ’ ‘My son, do not curse your parents, lest they curse you and God be angry with you. It is said: He who curses his father and mother deserves death; he commits a sin that angers God; but he who honors his father and mother will have a long life on earth and receive good. ’ ‘My son, do not go on the road without a sword, i.e. a good memory ’

‘that will not be forgotten by your tongue, for you do not know where your enemy will meet you, that is, Satan or evil men; be prepared on the road, for the enemies are many. ’ ‘My son, as a tree is adorned with its fruit, leaves and branches, so is a man adorned by a good wife and children and sisters; the man who has neither wife nor children nor brothers in the world will be reviled by his enemies, like a tree in the middle of a field which every passerby plucks and every beast of the field strips its leaves. ’ ‘My son, do not say “My master is foolish and I am wise,” for you will not be honored by him; even if he is reproached and you are praised, do not count yourself among the truly wise if you are not so among people. ’ ‘My son, do not speak boastfully before your lord, lest you become a mockery in his eyes. ’ ‘My son, do not be among those to whom the Lord says, "Go away from my sight," but be among those to whom he says: ’

‘"Come to me." ’ ‘My son, on the day of your mourning, misfortune and hardship, do not curse your lord, lest he hear your words and rebuke you. ’ ‘My son, when your servants stand, do not love one and hate another, for you do not [know] which of them you will favor in the end. ’ ‘My son, a slave who leaves his first masters and goes to others will not find success. ’ ‘My son, a goat that wanders and multiplies its steps will become prey for the wolf. ’ ‘My son, be just and upright in judgment, so that you will rule into old age with honour and be at rest. ’ ‘My son, make your tongue sweet with words of God and make your speech pleasant; speak kindly to people, for the dog's tail gives it bread and its mouth brings blows of stones. ’ ‘My son, do not let your friend tread on your foot lest he tread on your chest; that is, do not let Satan place a small sin on your heart, lest he place a greater one. ’

‘My son, strike a wise man with a word of wisdom and it will be like a refreshing fever in spring; if you strike a fool with a stick, he will not notice and will not understand the good. ’ ‘My son, if you send a wise man to do a task, do not multiply the commands; he will accomplish it as you desire. But if you send a foolish man, do not instruct him before others; go yourself and do it, for he will not do your task as you want even if you give many commands. ’ ‘My son, if they send you on behalf of another, do not go before a noble who may treat you badly, for you do not know [it]. ’ ‘My son, test your son and your servant with bread and something small first, and then hand over your possessions to them. ’ ‘My son, at a meal, withdraw before the perfuming and do not linger until you are anointed with oil and ointment, so that you do not get bruises and marks on your head. ’ ‘My son, the one whose hand is full is called skilled and wise, ’

‘and he whose hand is empty is called poor and helpless, and nobody honors him. ’ ‘My son, when I have eaten bitterness and endured hardship, I have found nothing more bitter than poverty. ’ ‘My son, I have carried iron and lead, but I have seen nothing as heavy as mockery and slander. ’ ‘My son, carrying salt and large stones was not as burdensome as one who mocks while at his father-in-law's house. ’ ‘My son, teach your child hunger and thirst; so he may govern his house properly. ’ ‘My son, do not teach a fool words of wisdom; wisdom to him is like covering his body with oil to make himself fat. ’ ‘My son, if you are needy and impoverished, do not reveal your secret to a friend so that he does not consider you miserly. ’ ‘My son, the blindness of the eye is better than the blindness of the heart, for the former leads to the right way and the latter goes astray. ’ ‘My son, better is a stumble by the foot than a stumble by the tongue; the young man may recover from a fall of the foot but not from the fall of the tongue. ’

‘[the young man does not die by the stumbling of his foot]. ’ ‘My son, a close friend is better than a distant one, and a good name is better than fine oil; the oil fades and the good name endures forever. ’ ‘My son, beauty wastes away and is lost, and the world perishes, but a good name does not perish. ’ ‘My son, for a man without rest in his dwelling, death is better than life. ’ ‘My son, the sound of weeping is better than singing and laughter, for the voice of weeping brings fear and grief about one's sins. ’ ‘My son, a piece of bread in your hand is better than a talent in another's pot. A nearby sheep is better than a distant bull, and a bird in your hand is better than many flying. Small benefit is better than scattered wealth. A living fox is better than a dead lion; a merciful but poor man is better than a rich sinner. ’ ‘My son, a good woolen garment is better than a talent of gold and silver, for gold ’

‘and silver are hidden and concealed and cannot be seen, but wool remains in the market and is visible and useful to the one who wears it. ’ ‘My son, keep words in your heart and do not reveal a secret to your friend; if you do, you lose the sweetness of trust. ’ ‘My son, do not let a word leave your mouth until it has passed through your heart, for it is better to stumble with your foot than with your tongue. ’ ‘My son, when you hear a word from someone, hide it in your heart as if burying it in the ground; thus you will bury and forget it each morning.’ ‘My son, do not stand among those who strive, for from laughter comes an evil word and from an evil word arises strife. From strife comes war and murder. If you are there, you may be killed or called as a witness. Therefore, I command you: go away from there and have rest. ’ ‘My son, do not stand in strife with one stronger than you; meet evil with good deeds. ’

‘[Meet evil with good deeds.] ’ ‘My son, acquire an innocent and pure heart, a steadfast spirit, patience and a good will. There is nothing better than this; you will live a peaceful and delightful life. ’ ‘My son, do not forsake your first friend, lest no other take his place. ’ ‘My son, do not enter the judges' garden and do not marry a judge's daughter.’ ‘My son, help your friend with good words before the ruler, and speak for his deliverance from the lion's mouth.’ ‘My son, do not rejoice over your enemy's death.’ ‘My son, when a person stands without a foundation, when a bird flies without wings, when the raven becomes white as snow, and the bitter becomes sweet as honey, then the fool becomes wise.’ ‘My son, if you are a priest of God, be very careful and come before Him in purity. ’ ‘My son, honor the man whom God has blessed. ’ ‘My son, do not judge a man in his day and do not stand against a river in its course. ’ ‘My son, the eye of man is like a spring ’

‘and it is not satisfied until it is [filled] with dust.’ ‘My son, do not stand among quarrelsome people, for from laughter comes words that lead to quarrel, strife and murder.’ So, Ahiqar ended his words of wisdom which he had been teaching Nadan. When Ahiqar informed the king of all that Nadan had done with his property and wealth. Then I, Ahiqar, had taught this doctrine to Nadan, my sister's son, thinking that he would keep all this doctrine in his heart and stand at the king's gate, and I did not know that he had not listened to my words, but cast them away. And he said this: "Ahiqar, my father, has grown old and has lost his mind.” And Nadan, my son, took my property and squandered my wealth, and did not spare my hardworking servants, and struck them before me and slew my beasts of burden and mules. When I saw what he was doing, I said to him: 'My son, do not touch my property.' It is said in the Proverbs: “What the hand has not acquired, the eye does not respect.” And I made these things known to our lord the king, and the king commanded: "Let no one approach the property

and wealth of Ahiqar the scribe while he is alive – nobody shall approach his wealth and his house." When Ahiqar took Nabuzardan, Nadan’s brother to raise him. Then, when Nadan saw that I had taken his little brother and raised him up, he came with anger before me in my house and acted with malice. He envied him and harbored evil thoughts, saying: “Ahiqar, my father, has grown old, his wisdom is gone, and his words are contemptible. Will he not give his property to my brother and put me out of his house?” And Ahiqar heard the words of Nadan, and he thought; Ahiqar replied to Nadan and said to him: “Woe to my wisdom, my son! How insipid it has become in you!" When my son heard this, he was very angry, and in his heart he prepared evil against me, and he went to the king's gate to carry out the plan in his heart. He wrote evil letters in my name and presented them at the king's gate. He wrote two letters in my name to the enemy kings of king Sennacherib, one (addressed)

to the king of Persia and Elam, in which he wrote: "From Ahiqar, scribe and keeper of the seal of king Esarhaddon, greetings to you, King of Persia and Elam. When you have received this letter, come out at once and come to Assyria and I will deliver Assyria for you and you shall take the kingdom without war and without fighting.” And he sent another letter in my name to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, in which he wrote: When the letter arrives in your hands, go out to meet me in the southern plain on the twenty-fifth of the month of August. I will bring you to Nineveh and you shall take the kingdom there without a fight. And he made them in my handwriting and sealed them with my seal, and threw them into one of the king's chambers. Then Nadan wrote a letter to his father Ahiqar in the king's name. Then he wrote yet another letter in the name of the king [to me]. "From Esarhaddon to Ahiqar, my lord's scribe, greetings. When you have received this letter, assemble the whole army on the mountain and go from there to the Eagles’ Plain on the twenty-fifth of the month,

and when you see me approaching you, arrange the troops before me as if you were preparing for war, for messengers have come to me from Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so that they may know what power I have and what my strength is." And he sent this letter to me with two men. When Nadan, my son, gave [me] a letter [from them] he had written in the name of Ahiqar. Then my son Nadan, took one of the letters as if he had found it and read it before the king. And when the king heard this, he was very angry. And while the king was enraged with Ahiqar, he said: "O God, what fault have I done against Ahiqar that he should want to treat me this way!” Then Nadan answered the king about Ahiqar. Then Nadan replied and said to the king: “Do not be angry, my lord the king. Let us go now to the Eagles’ Plain as written in this letter; so that we may know the truth of these things, and that what you have commanded may take place." When the king ordered that they should prepare to go up to the plain to see the truth of this matter, my son Nadan, led the king, and they came and found me and my army with me in the Eagles’ Plain. And when I saw him coming, I set my army before him in array

for war, according to the letter that Nadan my son had sent me. And my son said to the king: "O my lord the king, go to your dwelling in peace; I will bring Ahiqar to you," and the king returned to his home. And my son Nadan came with his message to his father Ahiqar. Then my son Nadan came to me and replied and said to me: "My lord the king has sent me to tell you that all you have done was great, and the king has praised you greatly, and now he is sending the troops away so that everyone may return to his house, and you may go to him alone." [So I came to the king, and when he saw me, he said to me: "You have come, Ahiqar,] When I, your scribe and counsellor from Assyria and Nineveh, was to be given honour and rest, you turned and became my enemy." Then he gave me the letters which resembled my handwriting and were sealed with my seal. Then the king said to me: “Read this letter!” When I read them, my bones became weak, my tongue was chained, and I wished to utter any of the wise words, but I could not. When he handed me the letter written in my name to read, and I read it, my wisdom failed me from the shock I received. Then the king commanded that I be killed

in his house, and I, Ahiqar, replied and said to the king: "Live forever, my lord the king. Since you wish me to be killed, let it be so, for I know I have no fault against you; but command, my lord the king, that I be killed at the door of my house, and that my body be given to my servants to bury." And the king commanded: "So be it." I, Ahiqar, sent word to my wife Eshfagni that she should come to meet me with a thousand maidens dressed in silk and purple and venerable, and that they should weep for me until I die. Prepare bread for my faithful companion, Nabusemakh and for the Parthians with him. Go and meet them and bring them in and I will enter my house with them as a guest. When my wife Eshfagni went to meet them, she was full of wisdom and did all that I had commanded. She went out to meet Nabusemakh and the Parthians and brought them to my house. When my wife, Eshfagni, brought bread to Nabusemakh and the Parthians, she also brought them

wine and mixed it. And she, Eshfagni, served them until they were all drunk and asleep. When the Parthians were drunk from the wine, they fell into a deep sleep, each in his place. I praised God, Lord of heaven and earth, for all that had happened, and I said, 'Truly, You are the Deliverer of the world. You know all that has happened and all that will happen. Look upon me with mercy.' When I, Ahiqar, saw this, I spoke to Nabusemakh: "Lift up your gaze to the sky, Nabusemakh, and see God and remember the salt and bread we ate together. Do not be sad about death. Remember that the father of this king once ordered me to kill you and I did not, because I knew you had done no wrong, but I kept you alive until [the day] the king asked for you. He [later] gave me many presents. Now hide me lest it be known, and he said that you have not killed [me]. But, behold, I have [among] my prisoners a man who deserves

death. Take my cloth[es], put them on him, and wake up the Parthians to kill him. While the man was being killed, he made the Parthians wake up over him, and in their drunkenness they killed this man, and the news spread through Assyria and Nineveh that Ahiqar had been slain. [In the meantime,] the scribe Ahiqar was hidden. Then Nabusemakh and my wife Eshfagni got up and made me a hidden place in the earth; its width was three cubits and its length four cubits and its depth five [cubits] under the threshold of the entry door. They gave me bread and water and left me and told my lord, the king, that Ahiqar had been slain. And this was said by the king: "Woe to me, Ahiqar the scribe and the wise one, the repairer of the breaches of the city. Because of the words of a boy I have lost you.” Then the king commanded: “Make lamentation and wailing for me.” Then the king called my son Nadan and said to him: "Go, make a lamentation for your father.” And Nadan came to my house, and he made no lamentation for me, nor did he remember me, but he gathered adulterous women, and they sat down singing and rejoicing, eating and drinking, and he killed my servants and maidservants and stripped them and beat them; and even

my wife, who had raised him, he did not feel ashamed, but he wanted to commit adultery with her. Then Ahiqar prayed to God in a dark pit. And I heard the voice of my bakers, cooks and even my butlers, while they cried and wept, and I prayed without ceasing for my life. After [some] days, Nabusemakh came and opened before me to bring me bread and water, and I said to him: ‘May God remember me before the king.’ For when he saw me, he said: “Truly, Lord God, the righteous, the God of heaven and earth, behold, is [this] not Ahiqar who sought refuge with you and sacrificed fat bulls? Behold, he is cast into a dark pit, a place where no light falls. Hear, Lord, the voice of your servant and have mercy on him.” This [is] the letter that Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, sent to Esarhaddon, the king of Assyria and Nineveh When the king of Egypt heard that I, Ahiqar had been slain, he was very glad and sent a letter to king Esarhaddon: "The king of Egypt to Esarhaddon king of Assyria and Nineveh, greeting.”

When Esarhaddon received the messengers of Pharaoh with his letter, he read: “A fortress, for I have one that shall be built between sky and earth. Look, send me a wise man, an architect, that I may give him everything and ask him; he shall give me an answer. If you send me a man who will do all that I ask, I will collect the tribute of Egypt for three years and send [it] into your hands. If you do not send me a man who does what I say, [then] collect and send me this messenger and the tribute of Assyria and Nineveh for three years.” Then King Esarhaddon gathered all the nobles of his kingdom and showed it to them, because of the letter from Pharaoh. When this letter was read before the king, he sent for all nobles and wise men of the kingdom and said: “Which of you may go to Egypt and give an answer to Pharaoh?" Then the nobles gave an answer to the king; they all said: "You know, our lord the king, that matters like this were solved in your days and in the days of your father by the scribe Ahiqar. Now [it is] his son Nadan. He has learned his writing, he knows his wisdom;

he shall go and solve this matter.” So Nadan was brought to the king and heard his voice. Then, when Nadan heard [these] words, he cried with a loud voice before the king and said: “[Even if] the gods are not able to do such things, how can the people be able to do so?” And when king Sennacherib heard [these words] of Nadan, he suffered greatly, was grieved, descended from his throne, sat on the ashes, and wept. And as he wept, he said: "Woe unto you, wise scribe Ahiqar, whom I have lost by the words of a boy, and I have nobody like you. Who will give you back to me today, and I will weigh him in gold?” Then Nabusemakh told the king about the scribe Ahiqar. When Nabusemakh heard such words from the king, he fell down on his face, prostrated himself and said to the king: “Live forever. Anyone who disregards the words of his lord is guilty of death. And I have disregarded the word of your kingdom; command me to be crucified on wood, for Ahiqar, whom you commanded me to kill, lives.” Then the king replied to Nabusemakh: “Speak, Nabusemakh,

for you are a good and righteous man; you do no evil. If it is as you say, show me Ahiqar alive, and I will give you great talents and many talents and a hundred cloths of purple. When Nabusemakh heard these [words] from the king, he began to say to him: “I want one thing from my lord the king: tell me that you will not remember this evil deed of mine and that you will not be angry with me.” And so the king gladly swore to him. Then Nabusemakh opened before me, the scribe Ahiqar. Then Nabusemakh entered the chariot and sat down at that hour, and like the wind that blows, he came to me and opened before me, and I ascended. Because I put my hope in God, I was not ashamed. When Nabusemakh brought [⟨Ahiqar⟩] to the king, I fell on [my] face, and my hair came down to my shoulders, and my beard reached my chest, and my body was covered with dust, and my nails were long like those of an eagle. When the king saw [this], he wept much and said to me: “O Ahiqar, I have not sinned against you, but it is your son whom you raised who has caused you harm." When Ahiqar replied

to the king with an answer; then he replied and said to the king: "My lord, now that I have seen your face, I have nothing evil [towards you].” Then, the king said to me: “Go to your house, shave your head, wash your body with water and rest for forty days, and then come to me." So I went to my house and did as my lord the king commanded me, and I sat down for twenty days. And when I had recovered, I came before the king. Then I, Ahiqar, came to the king after I had come out of the prison, and he spoke about the letter that the Egyptians had sent. Then the king replied and said to me: “See, Ahiqar, what the Egyptians have written to us, and what tribute they have imposed on Assyria and Nineveh. Then Ahiqar gave an answer to the king. Then he replied and said to him: My lord the king, live forever! In this matter, do not be anxious. I will go to Egypt and give an answer, and to all your enemies. I will give parables and I will bring you the tribute of Egypt. When the king heard this,

he rejoiced greatly and made a great day, and the sorrow left his mind. He sacrificed fattened oxen and sheep and gave me great talents, and he made Nabusemakh sit at the head of us and gave him the first rank and promoted him. When Ahiqar wrote a letter to his wife. And in the morning of the day, I wrote a letter to my wife Eshfagni: "When this letter reaches you, tell my hunter to catch two eaglets for me and tell my servants to bring me cotton, and that they make for me two wheels and their inner part should be one little toe and their width a thousand cubits, and command the carpenters to make me two balloons, and give my boys Nabulhal and Tabshalem to seven nurses to nurse them so that they grow up, and they make the eaglets stand, and the boys shall grow with them. They shall feed them two sheep a day, and teach the boys to say: ‘Make straight the mud and smear; the architects, guests of the king, are idle.’ My wife was very wise; she did all that I commanded. When Ahiqar took the command from the king to go to Egypt.

When the Assyrians and the Ninevites heard this, they rejoiced with great joy and returned to their places. I replied and said to the king: “My lord the king, give me permission,” and I took with me a force and went away. When I reached the lodgings for the night, I dismissed the force and let the eaglets go, and I tied the wheel to their feet and made my boys sit on them, and let them go up, and they ascended to a height. And it happened that the boys cried out as they had learned: “Bring bricks, guests, mud and plaster; the architects of the king, behold, are idle,” and then I stored them by me. Entry of Ahiqar into Egypt with the messengers of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt When I reached Egypt, the workman of the king made it known, and the king commanded and gave me a dwelling-place. When the king commanded that Ahiqar should enter to him, I went to him and sent him my greetings. Then [⟨the king⟩] asked me: “What is your name?” And I said to him: “Abiqam, an ant of the ants of the king.” He became angry and said to me: "Am I so small to your lord that he should send me an ant to give me an answer?” And he said to me:

“Go, Abiqam, to your resting-place, and come to me before morning.” And Pharaoh commanded his lords: “For tomorrow, be covered in red robes.” And in the morning the king put on byssus and silk, and sat on his throne, and his nobles sat around him, and the king commanded, and I entered before him. And he said to me: "O Abiqam, what am I like, and what are my nobles like?” I said to him: "My lord, you resemble Bel, and your nobles resemble his priests." Again he said to me: “Go, O Abiqam, and come to me in the early morning.” When the king commanded his nobles to change their cloth[es]. And he, the king, commanded his nobles to put on white cotton cloth tomorrow, and the king put on fine white cloth and sat on his throne, and his nobles stood before him and around him. [The king] commanded, and I went before him, and he said to me: "Abiqam, to whom do I resemble and to whom do my lords resemble?” When I told him the answer, I replied and said to him: "You are like the sun, and your nobles are like [its] rays." Again he said to me: "Go, Abiqam, and come to me tomorrow.” When [⟨the king⟩] commanded his lords to change their cloth[es]. And Pharaoh commanded

his nobles to change their cloth[es]: “Tomorrow, put on black cloth, and the doors of the palace shall be covered [with] black and scarlet, and the king clothed himself in cloth of scarlet.” Then Pharaoh commanded that Abiqam should enter before him. I went in, and he said to me: "Abiqam, to whom do I resemble, and whom do my nobles resemble?" I said to him: "You, king, are like the moon, and your nobles are like the stars." He said to me: "Go, Abiqam, and come to me tomorrow.” Then the king commanded his lords: “Tomorrow you shall put on dyed cloth of many colours, garments of various colours, and the gates of the palace shall be covered with embroidered red,” and the king put on fine needlework cloth. Then Pharaoh commanded that Abiqam should enter. I entered, and [the king] said to me: "To whom do I resemble, and to whom do my nobles resemble?" And I replied and said to him: "You resemble [the month of] Nisan, and your nobles resemble its flowers." When the king heard this, he was full of joy, and he said to me: “Abiqam, once you likened me to Bel and my lords to his priests; the second time you likened me to the moon and my lords to its stars; and the third time you likened me to Nisan and my nobles to its flowers. But still say to me, your lord Esarhaddon, what is he like?"

When Ahiqar answered Pharaoh, I said to him: "God forbid that I should mention my lord Esarhaddon while you are seated, for my lord Esarhaddon resembles the heavens, and his nobles resemble lightning. When he wills, he brings dew and rain; the wind blows, the rain falls, and he causes prosperity to rise over the lands of his kingdom. He can stop the sun from shining and hide its rays; he can restrain Bel and his priests from going about the cities; he can stop the moon from rising and dim the stars. When he wishes, he commands the north wind and causes hail and rain and can destroy Nisan and its flowers." When King Pharaoh heard these words, he became angry. Pharaoh then asked Ahiqar his name, and Ahiqar replied: "I am Ahiqar." Pharaoh said: "By the life of your lord Esarhaddon, what is your name?" Ahiqar answered: "I am the scribe Ahiqar, the signet in the hands of King Esarhaddon." The king said: "Are you alive?" and I answered: "I am alive and I have seen my lord, King Esarhaddon,

and my life has been prolonged, and God has delivered me from what my hands did not do." The king said: "Come to me tomorrow and tell me a word that no one has heard before — not I, nor any of my nobles, and not in the city of Egypt." When Ahiqar was asked for such a word, I, Ahiqar, went away and wrote a letter that read: "From Pharaoh, King of Egypt, to Esarhaddon, King of Assyria and Nineveh, greeting[s]! Kings need kings, and judges need judges; at this time we lack talents, and silver is low in my treasury. Command that you send me nine hundred talents of silver from your treasury, and I will return it in a short time." I rolled up the letter and gave it to him. I said to him, "[What is written in this letter] has not been heard by your nobles, nor has Egypt heard such a thing; it is a word unheard by you or anyone else." Everyone said “We have heard [it], and it is true.” " When they read the letter they were astonished. [The Pharaoh] said to me: "Ahiqar, build me a fortress

between sky and earth, and let its height from the ground be a thousand cubits." At that moment I took the eaglets from their places, tied the wheels to their feet to the required measure, and made the boys ride on their backs, so that they cried out: "Bring mud, plaster, tiles; the king's architects are idle," and when the nobles saw this they were astonished. Then I, Ahiqar, took a stick and began to strike Pharaoh's nobles until they hastened to bring what was needed for the building. Then the king said: "Go away, Ahiqar; who can provide what they ask?" and I said to him: "Why do you invoke the name of my lord Esarhaddon in your mouth? If he were here and wished to build, he would build two fortresses in one day!" The king said to me: "Stop the minaret for now and come to me early [in] the morning." When morning came I went to him, and he said: "Ahiqar, explain this matter: the stallion of your master neighs in Assyria and Nineveh, and our horses hear its voice here and their foals abort." Then I, Ahiqar, went out

from before the king and commanded my servants to catch a cat, and they beat it until the Egyptians heard [it] and reported to the king that "Ahiqar seized a cat and struck it." [When] the king heard [this], he said to me: "Why do you insult our gods?" I said: "King, live forever. This cat has done me great harm, not a trifle. My lord the king gave me a rooster and its voice was very beautiful, and every time I wanted to [be] at the king’s gate, it cried at that time and wake me from my sleep, and I should go to the king's gate. Last night this cursed cat went to Assyria and Nineveh, took the head of that rooster, and returned [here]." Then the king said to me: "You have grown arrogant and foolish; between Egypt and Assyria there are many parasangs; how could this cat go and return in one night?"

So I said to him: "If there are three hundred and sixty parasangs between Assyria and Egypt, and your horses hear the voice of our horses and their foals abort, the same [is true] of the cat." When the king heard this he was ashamed and said to me: "O Ahiqar, there is another thing I will tell you: I have a great pillar and above it twelve cedars. Above each cedar are thirty wheels, and above each wheel run two [things], one white and the other black." I said to the king: "My lord, the herdsmen and shepherds know this: the pillar is the year, the twelve cedars are the months, the thirty wheels are the days of the month, and the two runners, one black and one white, are night and day." Again he said to me: "Set aside your words for now; I ask you to twist two long ropes from the dust, five cubits long and as narrow as a little toe." I replied: "My lord the king, command them to bring from your treasury a rope [of dust] so that I may make one like it."

He said to me: "I do not know what you mean. If you do not twist the rope I requested, you will not receive the tribute from Egypt." So I, Ahiqar,, went out and spent the night thinking. In the early morning an idea came to me. I went behind the palace where the king sat, made a small hole in the wall toward the sun so sunlight entered the palace, and through another hole I let dust fall and and threw [it] into the hole, and they saw it by its course, while they were turned about. [So] I replied and said to the king: "Command my lord the king to have them revolve it, and as much as you wish, I will make ropes like them." When the king and all his nobles saw this they were amazed and ashamed. Then the king commanded: "Bring me the broken millstone." He said to me: "Ahiqar, mend this millstone for me." At that hour I took a pestle from a mill and placed it before him and said: "My lord the king, I am a stranger here

and do not have the carvers' tools. Command your carvers to bring a piece like this pestle and I will mend it at once." When the king heard this he laughed and said: "Blessed is the day you were born, Ahiqar. May it be honored before the gods of Egypt. Now that I have seen you alive, I celebrate with a great feast." The departure of Ahiqar from Egypt and his return to Esarhaddon, king of Assyria and Nineveh. When Pharaoh was satisfied in all things, I answered his questions, confounded his riddles, and made them void; he then gave me the three years' tribute of Egypt, and I took the nine hundred talents which I had asked for in the letter that I had claimed were borrowed from my lord. I received talents and honor from the king and his nobles. Quickly King Esarhaddon went out to meet me. When I returned from Egypt and reached the city, Esarhaddon went out to meet me and rejoiced greatly. He came before me and placed me near him on his throne. He said to me: "Ask of me, O Ahiqar, all that you desire, and I will give it to you until you are rich." I said: "O my lord the king, live forever. If there is anything beneficial for me, grant it; but what I ask is that you show favor to Nabusemakh. I owe my life to God and to Nabusemakh, who preserved me. I have hope in God and was saved from death. Therefore, do good to him." The king rewarded him with many gifts and talents and honored him. I sat before the king and related the events one by one and explained their meanings. He listened and was greatly astonished. Afterwards I presented the wealth, silver, and gold I had brought from Egypt, and he rejoiced exceedingly. He asked: "How much do you want from me?" and I replied: "I ask nothing but your well-being. What shall I do with any other profit?"

Now I beseech your kindness: grant me my sister's son Nadan so that I may take vengeance on him and do not demand his blood." The king ordered that he be brought, and I took him to my house, bound him in iron chains, fettered his hands and feet, and put an iron ring on his neck. I scourged him with severe chastisements and beat him with hard strokes, reminding him of my possessions, teaching, knowledge and wisdom. I said to him: "You did not accept my teaching and did not heed my words; you do not listen to God and you do not know him; you did not heed my voice." ‘O my son, you have been to me like a lion who saw a donkey in the early morning. The lion said to the donkey: 'Welcome, O my beloved brother,' and the donkey replied: 'This welcome will come from the one who tied me in the evening and failed to bind me.'"’ ‘O my son, you were to me like a snare hidden on a dunghill; a sparrow came and saw the snare and said to it: 'O brother, what are you doing here?' The snare said: 'I am praying to God, praise be to Him!' The sparrow asked: 'What is this wood that you hold?' ’

‘The snare said to the sparrow: 'This is my rod on which I lean in prayer.' Then the sparrow asked: 'And what is this in your mouth?' The snare said: 'This is food I have prepared for the hungry and poor who come near me.' And the sparrow said: “I came near and [want to] eat. I am hungry.” The snare replied: “Come near, o my brother, do not be afraid!" The sparrow drew near to eat, and the snare closed and caught the sparrow by the neck. The sparrow answered the snare: 'If this bread is for the hungry, may God not accept your fast and prayers and alms; if this is your fasting and prayer, may God not reward you with good.'" ’ ‘O my son, you have been to me like a weevil in the wheat that is useless and destroys the grain. ’ ‘My son, you have been to me like someone who sowed ten measures of wheat in a field and reaped the same amount; the owner said: 'I have gained nothing; if you were here, I would not ask for you.' ’

‘If you were here, I would not ask for you." ’ ‘O my son, you have been to me like a partridge that with its sweet voice gathers other partridges and they are all caught with it. ’ ‘O my son, you have been to me like a dog that enters a bath to warm itself from the cold; once warmed, it barks at them and is driven out and struck until it is blinded. ’ ‘O my son, you have been to me like a swine that went with leaders to the bath, bathed, and then went out from the bath. He saw an efflux []lit.: disease] of a stinking bath. He ascend and wallowed in filth. ’ ‘O my son, you have been to me like a vessel made to hold earrings of gold, yet it remains unclean and stained. ’ ‘O my son, you have been to me like a he-goat that leads its companions to the slaughter and does not save itself. ’ ‘O my son, the dog that does not eat of the hunt; its portion will be taken by wolves.’ ‘My son, the hand that does not work and is not industrious shall be cut off from the shoulder. O my son, ’

‘the eye that cannot see light shall be plucked out and bound. ’ ‘O my son, I have shown you the face of the king, and I have brought you honor, and I have taught you and brought you up, and I have done you all good. How do you repay me?’ ‘My son, you have been to me like a tree which said to those who came to cut it down: “Ah, unless your hand was on me and my power, you would not have been able [to overcome] me." ’ ‘My son, if the gods steal, by whom shall they swear? And if [⟨a lion⟩] seizes a land, how is he able to nourish himself from it?’ ‘My son, I have shown you the face of the king and great ones and brought you great honor, and you have repaid my good servants with evil; and with what will you reward my bad servants? ’ ‘My son, you have been to me like the cat to whom it is said: “Abandon thieving, and you shall go in and out as you will.” And this cat said to them: "If I had eyes of beryl, I would not abandon my thieving for them.” ’ ‘My son, you were to me as a serpent that was on a bush and went into a river. And the lion saw it and said: “Bad rides on bad, and worse than both carries them away.” The serpent said to that lion: “Behold, will you return ’

‘the goat to its lords?” ’ ‘My son, you have been to me like foals that become killers of their mothers. ’ ‘My son, I have given you to taste all that is sweet and you did not satisfy me with coarse bread. I have anointed you with sweet ointments, and you have defiled my body with dust. I made you drink old wines and you did not satisfy me with measured water.’ ‘My son, you were to me like a mole climbing to the surface of the ground to complain to God about his eyes. An eagle came and took him away.’ ‘Nadan answered and said to me: “Far be it from you, my lord, that these [things] happen without mercy. But do to me as to your friends. [When] a person sins, even God forgives his sins. Now you, forgive me and I will serve your horses, or pasture your sheep or swine, and I will be called an evil man, and you will be called a good [man].’ ‘I answered and said to him: “My son, you have been to me like the palm tree that stood by a river and did not yield its fruit. Its lord came and wanted to uproot it. The palm tree said to him: “Give me this one year, and I will bring you forth cnicus.” Its lord said to it: “O wretch, you have not been industrious with your fruit; how will you be industrious with what is not yours? ’

‘My son, the old age of the eagle is better than the youth of the vulture.’ ‘My son, they said to the wolf: “Keep away from the sheep.” It said: "The droppings are good for my eyes.” They said to him: “Learn to say A, B,” it said: “Sheep and kid.”’ ‘My son, they placed the donkey's head on the table and it rolled and fell in the dust. They said about it: “It was angry because it did not receive honor, but wrath.” ’ ‘The word is verified which says, "Whomsoever you have begotten, call him your son, and whomsoever you have brought up, call him your slave. My son, there is nothing more true than this word: Seize and dash your sister's son with a stone, Hurrah! My son, you, O my son: God is [the one] who knows the hidden things and renders everyone according to his works, and he is the one who judges between me and you from now on and beyond. I say nothing [more] to you. May God reward you as you are worth.’ And when the foolish Nadan heard this word, he suddenly swelled up and became like a swollen leathern bottle, and his entrails burst from his sides; from his evil zeal he was undone and overwhelmed, and he died and perished, and his end was perdition and he went into Gehenna, and the evil in his evilness. As it is said in the Book of the Proverbs: He who does good [things] will be repaid, and he who does

evil, evil will fall upon him. And whoever digs a pit for his friend shall fall into it, and he who sets a trap for his brother shall be caught by it.

Here ends the story and parables of the wise and skilled philosopher Ahiqar. He who was at first an idol-worshipper and in the end [of his days] he believed in God and confessed His great name. And you, O blessed hearer, may God forgive your misdeeds and sins. And may He pour out His mercy on you, protect you from evil and from every harm and insolence and from every misfortune and fault. And may He fill your hearts with all understanding and spiritual knowledge until your soul becomes strong and calm from every wrath, envy and calumny and from every sin, and may you be saved by the prayers of the Lady Virgin Mary and may you be crowned with the good and the peaceful. Praise to the Lord of the worlds, and upon all of us mercy and pity forever and ever. Amen. The story of the Assyrian Ahiqar has ended, and unceasing praise to God; so be it, Amen.