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Do Not Loiter in Dispute
00:02:51
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| The Advice of an Acadian Father to his Son, Circa 2200 before Christ. | |
| Do not set out to stand around in the assembly. | |
| Do not loiter when there is a dispute, for in the dispute they will have you as an observer. | |
| Then you will be made witness for them, and they will involve you in a lawsuit to affirm something that does not concern you. | |
| In case of a dispute, get away from it, disregard it. | |
| If a dispute involving you should flare up, calm it down. | |
| A dispute is a covered pit, a wall which can cover over its foes. | |
| It brings to mind what one has forgotten, and makes an accusation against a man. | |
| Do not return evil to your adversary. | |
| Requite with kindness the one who does evil to you. | |
| Maintain justice for your enemy. | |
| Be friendly to your enemy. | |
| Give food to eat, beer to drink, grant what is requested. | |
| Provide for and treat with honour. | |
| at this one's god takes pleasure it is pleasing to shamash who will repay him with favour do good things be kind all your days do not honour a slave girl in your house she should not rule your bedroom like a wife Do not give yourself over to slave girls. | |
| Let this be said amongst your people. | |
| The household which a slave girl rules she disrupts. | |
| Do not marry a prostitute, whose husbands are legion. | |
| An Ishtar woman who is dedicated to a god. | |
| A Kulmashitu woman. | |
| When you have trouble, she will not support you. | |
| When you have a dispute, she will be a mocker. | |
| There is no reverence or submissiveness in her. | |
| Even if she is powerful in the household, get rid of her, for she pricks up her ears at the footsteps of another. | |
| My son, if it be the wish of a ruler that you belong to him, if you are entrusted with his closely guarded seal, open his treasure house and enter it, for no one but you may do it. | |
| Uncounted wealth you will find inside, but do not covet any of that. | |
| Nor set your mind on a secret crime, for afterwards the matter will be investigated, and the secret crime you have committed will be exposed. | |
| Do not speak ill, only speak good. | |
| Do not say evil things, speak well of people. | |
| He who speaks ill and says evil, people will waylay him because of his debt to Shamash. | |
| Do not talk too freely. | |
| Watch what you say. | |
| Do not express your innermost thoughts even when you are alone. | |
| What you say in haste you may regret later. | |
| Exert yourself to restrain your speech. | |
| Worship your God every day. | |
| Sacrifice and pious utterance are the proper accompaniment of incense. | |
| Have a free will offering for your God, for this is proper toward a God. | |