Ahikar Passing On His Wisdom

“Hear, O my son Nadan, and come to the understanding of me, and be mindful of my words, as you would the words of God.

My son Nadan, if thou hast heard a word, let it die in thy heart, and reveal it to no man; lest it become hot coal in thy mouth and burn thee, and thou lay a blemish on thy soul, and be angered against God.

My son, do not tell all that thou hearest, and do not disclose all that thou seest.

My son, do not loosen a knot that is sealed and do not seal one that is loosed.

My son, commit not adultery with the wife of thy neighbor; lest others should commit adultery with thy wife.

My son, be not in a hurry, like the almond tree whose blossom is the first to appear, but whose fruit is the last to be eaten, but be equal and sensible, like the mulberry tree whose blossom is the last to appear, but whose fruit is the first to be eaten.

My son, it is better to remove stones with a wise man than to drink wine with a fool.

My son, with a wise man thou wilt not be depraved, and with a depraved man thou wilt not become wise.

My son, the rich man eats a snake, and then say he ate it for medicine. And the poor man eats it, and they say, for his hunger he ate it.

My son, if thine enemy meets thee with evil, meet thou him with wisdom.

My son, walk not in the way unarmed; because thou knowest not when thy enemy shall come upon thee.

My son, let thy words be true, in order that thy lord may say to thee, “Draw near me,” and thou shalt live.

My son, lie not in thy speech before thy lord, lest thou be convicted, and he shall say to thee, “Away from my sight!”

My son, smite with stones the dog that has left his own master and followed after thee.

My son, the flock that makes many tracks becomes the portion of the wolves.

My son, test thy son with bread and water, and then thou canst leave in his hands thy possessions and thy wealth.

My son, I have carried iron and removed stones, and they were not heavier on me than a man who settles in the house of his father-in-law.

My son, I have carried salt and removed lead, and I have not seen anything heavier than that a man should pay back a debt which he did not borrow.

My son, better is he that is blind of the eye than he that is blind of heart, for the blind of eye straightway learneth the road and walketh in it: but the blind of heart leaveth the right way and goeth into the desert.

My son, let not a word go forth from thy mouth until thou hast taken counsel within thy heart: because it is better for a man to stumble in his heart than to stumble with his tongue.

My son, put not a gold ring on thy finger when thou hast not wealth; lest fools make a mockery of thee.”

Ahikar the Wise

The Story of Ahikar, also known as the Words of Ahikar, is an ancient narrative that first appears in Imperial Aramaic inscriptions from the 5th century BCE. Ahikar was a chancellor to Assyrian Kings Sennacherib and Esarhaddon, known for his deep wisdom. The tale begins with Ahikar adopting his nephew, Nadab (also known as Nadan or Nadin), whom he intends to make his successor. However, Nadab betrays Ahikar, falsely accusing him of treason, which leads to Ahikar’s imprisonment and death sentence. In a twist of fate, Ahikar’s life is spared by an executioner whom Ahikar had previously rescued. The executioner substitutes another prisoner’s body to fake Ahikar’s death.

Later versions of the story depict Ahikar emerging from hiding to assist the king of Egypt on Esarhaddon’s behalf, eventually returning to his former glory. Upon his return, he confronts Nadab, who meets a grim fate. The narrative is enriched with a collection of proverbs and wise sayings, which are thought to have originally been a separate document. These sayings bear similarities to various ancient sources, including the Biblical Book of Proverbs and the Wisdom of Sirach.

The story of Ahikar has been influential across cultures and is found in many versions and translations, including Greek, Armenian, Arabic, and Syriac texts. It’s considered one of the earliest examples of “international books” in world literature, reflecting themes of wisdom, betrayal, and justice that resonate across different cultures and epochs.