Now, it is said: In the days of Sennacherib, son of Esarhaddon, the king of Assyria and Nineveh, I was there, Ahiqar, chief of the magi and scribe, and after I had a dream, the soothsayers, together with the astronomers and learned men, said to me: “A son will be born to you, and he will have much money and possess great wealth.” And I married sixty wives and built for them sixty palaces which were great and beautiful and fine and lofty houses, and when I became sixty years old, I had no son. Thereupon, I, Ahiqar, went and offered sacrifices to the gods, and burnt spices and incense to them and stacte.

and said to them, “Indeed, you are gods; give me a son so that I will be pleased with him, and he shall be my heir when I die, and from now until my death—if he spends one golden talent from my wealth every day—he will not exhaust my money and it will not diminish.” The idols, however, did not answer me anything. Thereupon, I left them, and I grieved and was very sad in heart, and I became fervent in my heart and said: “O God of heaven and earth, O Creator of all creatures, I beseech you to give me a son, that I may be comforted by him, and that he may be my heir, and that he may be present when I die so that he may close my eyes.” Then a voice came to me, saying: “Because you have trusted in the gods, and placed your hope in them and have not trusted me, and have offered them offerings, because of that you shall have neither sons nor daughters. But, behold, take Nadan, your sister's son, and make him your son; teach him your doctrine and he shall be your heir." Then I took my sister’s son Nadan to me, and he was a little boy, and I gave him to eighty-eight wet-nurses to bring him up and nurse him; they made him fat with the best food, honey and butter, and he was clothed with byssos and purple and they let him sleep on fine rugs and on carpets. And Nadan grew up, made progress and advanced as a celebrated man, and he learned writing and wisdom. And when Sennacherib the king returned from a journey, after some days he called me, Ahiqar, his scribe and chief priest of the magi, and said to me: “O you, my guardian of my secrets and knower of my hidden []things]. Behold, you have surpassed years and grown old, and the day of your death draws near,” and he said further: “Whom do you want to serve me after your death?” I said: “My lord, king, live forever! Now, behold, I have a sister’s son, he is like a son; I have taught him all my doctrine, and he is wise and

a learned [man].” Afterwards, my lord the king said to me: “Go and bring him that I may see him; if he is able for my service, he should serve me, and you may conduct yourself as you wish, and rest from your work and guide your old age in honour.” Then I, Ahiqar, took my sister’s son Nadan and made him stand before King Sennacherib with his help. And when the king saw him, he rejoiced and said: “May the gods guard him, your son. As you have served me and served my father Esarhaddon and fulfilled all our affairs, in the same manner shall Nadan, your son, [work] after you. He shall serve me and accomplish our affairs, and I like and honour him for your sake and will do good to him.” Then I bowed to the king and said: “My lord king, live forever! I ask you, my lord the king, that you have patience and forgive him his faults. As I have stood in your service, you shall love him, as you loved me, and he will serve you as I served your father from the beginning.” Then Sennacherib gave him his hand and swore to him that he would be to him in great mercy and honour, and he would do for him every good [deed]. Then I, Ahiqar, stood up and kissed the king’s feet, and I took Nadan with me to teach him night and day until he was filled with doctrine, wisdom, and knowledge more than with bread and water. I taught him this: Sayings of Ahiqar ‘Hear, my son Nadan, my words and follow my mind, and remember this, my word ⟨as⟩ the word of God.’ ‘My son Nadan, when you have heard a word, let it die in your heart, and do not reveal it to anyone, lest it remain a hot coal and burn your tongue and make you ill within your heart and make you ashamed before God and the people.’ ‘My son, if you hear some news, do not tell it to someone. If you see something, do not tell it. ’ ‘My son, make your speech straight, hurry to listen, but do not hurry to answer.’ ‘My son, do not desire outward beauty, for beauty fades and passes away, and a good, beneficial good name endures and benefits forever.’ ‘My son, do not take a wife with rebellious words, for by her words she brings forth bitterness and poison, and by the net you will be entangled and by the snare caught. ’ ‘My son, if you see a woman adorned with clothing and anointed with salves and ointments, and she is lustful and confused, do not desire her in your heart. If you give her all that you have, you will find no benefit in her; you have sinned and made God angry, and his wrath is upon you.’ ‘My son, do not be hasty in your answer; for the bitter almond grows before all trees and is the last of all fruits to be tasted; but be like the fig tree which appears last and brings forth its leaves, and its fruits are tasted first among all trees.’ ‘My son, incline your head and look down, observe, soften and quiet your voice and accept discipline; be at rest, meek and quiet, and do not be rebellious; do not raise your voice in pride and arrogance, for if a house were built with a loud and powerful voice, the donkey would build two houses a day, and if the plough were driven with a strong voice and strength, it would never be taken from the camel's armpit. ’ ‘My son, it is better to carry stones with a wise man than to drink wine with a corrupt man.’ ‘My son, pour your wine over the grave of the righteous, and do not drink it with lustful and evil men.’ ‘My son, be a companion to wise and God-fearing men and walk in the right way so that you become like them.’

‘and do not be a companion to foolish men so that you do not become like them and learn their way.’ ‘My son, if you are about to acquire a friend and a companion, test him and then accept him; and if you do not test him, do not praise him. Rather, test him and then gain him!’ ‘My son, with one who is not wise do not distort a word, and with a slandering fool do not destroy what is good.’ ‘My son, do not cling to a foolish, lustful, and evil man so that you do not become like him and learn his way, which is hated by God and the people.’ ‘My son, you have soles on your feet; tread down the thorns and thistles and make a path for your children and grandchildren. ’ ‘My son, whenever the air is calm and the sea is quiet from storms, bring your ship and galley to the harbour, before the sea is stirred up, its storms and waves rise and strike, and the ship sinks and you do not notice it. Consider your departure; and whenever you are strong, consider the end and remember death yourself. ’ ‘My son, if a rich man eats a snake, people say: “He ate it for medicine and benefit,” but when a poor man eats it, they say: “He ate it for his hunger.” Accordingly, with great diligence a man can be righteous and good.’ ‘My son, eat your portion of bread and do not desire what your companions do not like.’ ‘My son, do not be in contact with the lustful [woman], and with one who has no shame do not eat bread and do not share a secret with him.’ ‘My son, meet your adversaries with goodness and be amazed. And when a farmer falls into misfortunes that befall him, do not rejoice at his fall. ’ ‘My son, do not draw near to a quarrelsome woman who bellows, and do not be astonished at the beauty of a lustful and confused woman; for the beauty of a woman is her shame and not an adornment’

‘of her clothing; with her outward beauty she makes herself enticing and causes you to stray.’ ‘My son, as the ear-ring on the ear of an animal is of no advantage to it, so is the beautiful woman who does evil things and whose words show little knowledge; she is lustful and evil.’ ‘My son, if your enemy meets you with malice, meet him with goodness and you will receive mercy. ’ ‘My son, the wise falls and rises, and the just is not moved from his place.’ ‘My son, when the wise man becomes ill, the physician is able to cure and heal him, but for the lustful there is no remedy for his maladies and ulcers.’ ‘My son, when you casually meet a needy and poor man, yield your place and stand up, even if he does not repay you. ’ ‘My son, do not be weary in giving blows to your son, for blows are to the child what manure is to the garden, as the strap to the purse, the halter to the animal, and the lock to the door. ’ ‘My son, restrain your child from evil so that you may be at rest in your advanced age; admonish and beat him while he is young and he will obey your command, so that after a little [time] he does not grow and rise against you and you become ashamed among your friends and lower your head in the streets and squares, and you are ashamed because of his evil deeds and reproached for his wantonness.’ ‘My son, acquire a bull that lies down and a donkey with good hoofs; but do not acquire a horned bull, and do not be a companion to a beardless man. ’ ‘My son, do not acquire a runaway servant nor a thieving maid, for everything that you hand over to them they will lose. ’ ‘My son, the words of lying and foolish men are like sparrows that fly in the air, and they are fat, and he who lacks understanding obeys them. ’ ‘My son, do not give your parents cause to curse you; God will answer them, as it is said’

‘that the one who curses his father and his mother is guilty of death—or rather a sinful death—and God is enraged at him; and the one who honors his father and mother, his life will be prolonged on the earth and he will encounter good. ’ ‘My son, do not walk the way unarmed; keep the remembrance of God and do not let it depart from your mind. It is not known where you will meet your enemies or Satan or evil people. Be prepared on your way, because you have many enemies. ’ ‘My son, as a tree whose fruits, branches, and leaves are splendid, so are a man and woman good with their sons and brothers; and a man who has no wife and children nor brothers in the world is a favor to his enemies and they hate him; and he is likened to a tree by the roadside, which every passer-by eats from, and the beast of the field benefits and tears off its leaves. ’ ‘My son, do not say, “My master is a fool and I am wise,” lest you do not wish to be honored by him; even if he is defiled, how will you be liked by him? And do not count yourself among the wise, while you are far from this eminence among people. ’ ‘My son, do not speak before your master foolish words and nonsense, so that you do not become scorned and despised in his eyes. ’ ‘My son, do not be of those to whom they said, “Go away from my sight,” but of those to whom they said, “Come and draw near to me.” ’ ‘My son, on the day of your pains, evils, and harm that come upon you, do not revile and mock your master and do not disobey him, lest your lord become enraged with you while your slaves are standing before him. Do not hate one and love the other, for you do not know which one of them will choose you at the end. ’

‘My son, the servant who abandons his first master and goes to someone else does not prosper. ’ ‘My son, a goat that goes around and multiplies its tracks will become the prey of the wolves. ’ ‘My son, choose and render a fair and upright judgment, for you will take an honorable old age and be at rest in later years. ’ ‘My son, sweeten your tongue with the word of God and desire the word of your mouth, and speak good and beautiful things to people, for the tail of a dog gives him bread, but his mouth brings him blows. ’ ‘My son, do not let your companion tread on your foot, lest he tread on your chest. This is Satan, your enemy. Do not allow a minor sin to befall you, lest he do [something] great. ’ ‘Smite a man with wise speech, that it may be in his heart like exalted wisdom, for if you smite the fool with many rods, he will not know nor understand anything of [your] goodness. ’ ‘My son, if you send a wise man to fulfill your task, do not multiply the orders you give him, because as you desire he will fulfill [it] for you; and if you send a foolish man, speak with him before the people, or [rather] go yourself and do not send him. For without many words your task [will happen] as you wanted, even if you command very much. My son, when they send you to a place, others do not need to be sent after you. Do not hate a great man, for you will encounter evil from a place you do not know. ’ ‘My son, test your son or your boy with bread or something that is of low value first; then you shall hand over to them your wealth and possessions. ’ ‘My son, withdraw before the wedding meal, and do not tarry until you are anointed. ’

‘for pleasant ointments, so that they do not become for you bruises on your head. ’ ‘My son, he whose hand is full is called wise and praiseworthy, but he whose hand is empty is called poor, needy, and lacking, and nobody serves him. ’ ‘My son, I have eaten bitterness and balsam, and I have seen nothing more bitter than poverty and need. ’ ‘My son, I have carried iron and lead, and I have not seen anything as heavy as a debt. ’ ‘My son, I have carried salt and heavy stones, and they were not as heavy for me as one who mocks and ridicules while living among his in-laws. ’ ‘My son, teach hunger and thirst to your son, so that he may govern his house well. ’ ‘My son, if you are in need and lack something, do not spread out your condition to your friends, lest they gasp at you. The blindness of the eyes is better than the blindness of the heart; for the blindness of the eyes leads to the righteous way, but the blindness of the heart leads to a perverse way. ’ ‘My son, it is better for a man to stumble with his feet than to stumble with his tongue. The boy is not dead when he stumbles with his feet, but when he stumbles with his tongue. ’ ‘My son, a friend who is near is better than a brother who is far away, and a good name is better than much good ointment; for ointment dies, is consumed, and vanishes, but the good name remains forever. My son, beauty decays and vanishes, and the world is consumed and comes to an end. ’ ‘My son, for a man who has no rest in his dwelling, death is better than life. ’ ‘My son, the sound of weeping is better than the voice of singing and laughter, because in the voice of weeping there is fear of God, groaning enters the ear of man, and man laments over his sins. ’

‘his sins. ’ ‘My son, a loaf of bread in your hand is better than a talent in the pot of your friends; and a lamb that is near you is better than a bull that is far away; and a weak sparrow in your hand is better than a thousand sparrows that fly. Poverty that gathers is better than riches that scatter. A living fox is better than a dead lion; indeed, a despised man who does good deeds is better than one who is mighty but defiled in sin. My son, a good woolen garment is better than a talent of gold and silver, for gold and silver are hidden in the earth and unseen, but wool is seen in the streets and its beauty by the one who wears it. ’ ‘My son, restrain a word within your heart and it will do you good; do not reveal the secret to your friend, for when you reveal it, you have betrayed it. ’ ‘My son, let not a word go forth from your mouth until you have counseled within your heart; for it is better for a man to stumble in his heart than to stumble with his tongue. ’ ‘My son, if you hear a word from someone, place it in your heart as in the earth. Each time you tread upon it, you bury it and it perishes. ’ ‘My son, if you hear a word from someone, place it in your heart as in the earth. Each time you tread upon it, you bury it and it perishes. ’ ‘My son, do not remain among those who quarrel, for from laughter comes an evil word, from an evil word comes strife, from strife comes war, and from war comes death. And if you are there, you will be killed or they will call you as a witness. Therefore, I say to you: flee from there and be at rest. ’ ‘My son, do not stand in a quarrel lest you meet someone stronger than you and words pass away from you. Cease evil with good. ’ ‘My son, acquire an innocent and humble heart, patience, and good will; for there is nothing better in the world, and you will have a peaceful and delightful life. ’

‘My son, do not distance yourself from your first friend, lest your other friend does not remain faithful to you. ’ ‘My son, aid your friend in distress; speak well for him before the ruler, and plead for his deliverance from the lion’s mouth. ’ ‘My son, do not rejoice over your enemy’s death, but remember that you will soon be his neighbor in the grave. ’ ‘My son, honor those who are older than you. Do well to them, stand up for them, and greet them; if they do not repay you, God will repay you. My son, when you see someone who fears God, honor him, obey him, and receive him before he speaks to you, that he may pray and bless you. My son, be a companion of God in purity: stand before him in holiness, do not turn away, but remain mindful of Him. ’ ‘My son, if the waters should stand still in their flow, if the sparrows cease to fly in the sky, if the raven turns white, and if the bitter becomes sweet like honey—then the fool may be corrected and become wise. ’ ‘My son, if you want to be wise, keep your tongue from lies, your hand from theft, and your eyes from lustful glances, and you shall be called wise. ’ ‘Be humble in your youth and submissive, be gentle, quiet, and obedient, so that your sweetness will be honored by all and you will be loved. ’ ‘My son, do not contend with a man in his time of power, and do not cross a river in its flood and its waves. ’ ‘My son, the human eye is like a fountain of water; it is never satisfied with possessions until it is filled with dust. ’ ‘My son, do not meddle in a marriage matter: if it prospers, they will not praise you; if it fails, they will blame you and reproach you. ’ ‘My son, everyone who is elegant in his dress is also elegant in his speech. ’ ‘My son, if you steal stolen goods and it is permitted... ’

‘for you by the ruler, give him his share so that you may escape safely; otherwise, you will taste every bitterness and bear every harm. ’ ‘Give to the hand that was once full and is now hungry, not to the hand that was hungry and is now satisfied. ’ ‘My son, drive away with stones the dog that abandons its first masters and follows you, for he will not remain by your side. ’ ‘My son, let the wise man strike you with many blows, but do not let the foolish man anoint you with sweet perfumes. ’ ‘My son, whoever trusts in love finds consolation in this world and delight at the end. ’ ‘My son, there are four things the king does not rely upon with confidence: the power of the chief of the magi, the corruption of the administration, the defilement of the mind, and the oppression of the province. ’ ‘My son, there are four others: the intelligent and the foolish, the rich and the poor. ’ The proverbs and commands of the wise Ahiqar are finished. And I, Ahiqar, supposed that all I had taught my sister’s son Nadan was kept by him, preserved in his heart, that he would benefit much from it, and that he would stand in my place before Sennacherib and serve him. But I did not know that all I had taught him he neither kept nor benefited from, that he did not listen to my words nor keep my commands. Instead, he scorned me and said: “Ahiqar has grown old, his mind is gone, he errs and forgets, and he knows nothing.” And Nadan began to destroy my riches and properties, he struck my male and female servants, sold my horses and mules, and squandered my possessions and goods. When I, Ahiqar, saw that he had no pity on my household or my property, I said to him: “Do not draw near to what I possess...”

and do not trouble the people of my house and my servants. As long as I am alive in my old age, no one shall have power over my riches and possessions." Thereupon, I, Ahiqar, took Nabuzardan, the brother of Nadan, to teach him and to take his brother’s place. And when Nadan saw his brother in my house, he was enraged and became very angry with him. He began to accuse and to rage with great wrath, and he said: “Ahiqar has gone mad, his wisdom has perished, and his knowledge has withdrawn, for he is handing over his property and house to my brother Nabuzardan, a little boy without sense or intelligence, and he is expelling me from his house.” And when I heard [these words], I, Ahiqar, said: “Woe to my wisdom—how foolishly I have acted and demeaned it before my son Nadan.” And he sat and wrote to accuse me, Ahiqar, laying falsehood and oppression upon me. And he wrote two letters to the hostile kings of Sennacherib and his enemies. One letter was to King Akhi, the son of Samḥalim, king of Persia and of magianism, and he wrote this in it: “From King Sennacherib and from Ahiqar, his scribe and chief magician: greeting, life, honour, and the kissing of hands and feet. Peace shall be between me and you, O excellent king! At the time this letter reaches you, rise quickly without delay and come to me to Assyria, and I will hand over the kingdom to you without war or effort.” And he wrote another letter in the name of Ahiqar to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and he wrote this in it: “Peace shall be between me and you, O king. At the time this letter reaches you, be prepared and come to me

on the 25th of the month of Āb, and I will bring you into Assyria and Nineveh, and I will hand over the kingdom to you without battle or effort.” And he made his handwriting similar to mine and sealed the letters with his seal and threw them into the palace. And he wrote another letter in the name of King Sennacherib, my lord, and sent it to me, Ahiqar, and he wrote this in it, saying: “From King Sennacherib to my honourable chief of the magi, scribe, and keeper of my secrets, Ahiqar, greeting! At the time this letter reaches you, take the troops with you, go out, and meet me on Mount Ṣoḥu. I am going on ahead to the Plain of the Eagles on the 25th of the month Āb. And when you see that I am approaching you, set the troops against me as if to fight me and wage war, because there are messengers and envoys from Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, with me, so that they may test, see, and know the power of your troops and become afraid of you, because they are our enemies and adversaries.” He sent the letters with men from the king’s servants. And Nadan took one of these letters that he had written and threw it into my lord’s palace as if he had found it at that moment; Nadan found it and read it before King Sennacherib. And when the king heard what was in the letter, he was very disturbed and grieved, and he said: “My God, what sin have I committed against Ahiqar that he wrote those lines to my enemy and adversary Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and pays me such a wage?” Nadan said to King Sennacherib: “Do not be angry or sad, but arise with us and let us go to the Eagles’ plain on the date mentioned in the letter, and [then] we shall know the matter completely, whether [it]

is true or not.” The king arose and went [there]. King Sennacherib and my son Nadan came to the Eagles’ plain, and they found me exposed with the troops gathered around me. And when I, Ahiqar, saw them coming and they came near us, then I did as it was written in the letter and moved the troops to set war against them. And when my lord the king Sennacherib saw what I had done, he was terrified of me, and he thought that I had risen against him and had made an arrangement with his enemies and adversaries. And I did not notice or know the plot and guile that Nadan had devised against me. Nadan said to the king: “Behold, you know the truth of the matter; now do not grieve or be saddened, but return to your chamber and do not fear. I will bring Ahiqar to you, bound and chained, because he has risen against you and transgressed.” The king Sennacherib returned to his house, saddened and grieving. And my son Nadan came to me and said: “By God, King Sennacherib was very pleased with you, and he praised and exalted you because you have done what was in his letter. Now he has sent me after you so that you and I may be present before him alone. Dismiss the troops, each to his house.” So I dismissed the troops, and I came with Nadan to the king and greeted him. And when he saw me he said to me: “You have come, Ahiqar, my scribe and governor of my kingdom, you whom I loved and to whom I said, ‘Go and rest.’ Now you have turned my love for you into enmity, set your eyes against me, and become one of my enemies.” And he brought forth and gave me the letters which Nadan had written in my name; they were written as in my hand and sealed with my seal. When I read them, I was appalled

and my bones weakened; I trembled with fear, and my joints were bound, and when I wanted to utter one of my wise words, I could not find any. Then Nadan shouted at me and said: “Go away from before the king, O foolish old man, and give your hands to be chained and your feet to be fettered and locked in shackles.” And the king turned his face away from me, and he was very angry with me, and he said to the executioner, named Nabusemakh: “Arise, take Ahiqar, go and slay him, and carry his head a hundred cubits from his body.” Then I, Ahiqar, prostrated myself before the king and said to him: “Live, my lord the king, forever. Since you have chosen my death, your will shall be done. I know of no fault in myself. But I ask my lord the king to command that I be put to death at the door of my house, and that my body be given to my servants to bury me, and your will shall be done.” The king said to the executioner: “Go, kill Ahiqar at the door of his house, and give his body to be buried.” Thus, after I, Ahiqar, went out from before the king, I sent [a letter] to my wife and said to her: “Meet me on my way and bring with you a thousand maidens clothed in linen and purple robes to mourn my death and weep over me before I die. And you, O my wife, return to the house and prepare a table for the executioner and the soldiers, that they may eat and drink; mix for them a pleasant wine and serve them.” My wife, Eshfagni, was an intelligent woman, full of great knowledge, and she did as I said to her. And she prepared a table before them and mixed a drink of dates for them, and they ate and drank, and she served them

and they became drunk, and each one slept in his place. Then I, Ahiqar, said to the executioner: “Lift up your eyes and remember the bread and water that we shared together. I know that I have no fault, but Nadan has betrayed and deceived me. Do not enter into my sin and kill me, for I am falsely accused. Remember and bring to mind the day when Esarhaddon, the father of this king, was angry with you and commanded me to kill you; when I knew that you had no fault, I hid you and did not kill you until the day when the king’s anger ceased and he was appeased and remembered you; and he commanded, and I brought you before him; he dealt well with you and gave you many gifts. Now hide me and repay my kindness and mercy as I did for you, and conceal me in a place! Behold, I have a guilty servant who deserves death, and his name is Medyapar. He is liable to death for his many crimes. Bring him out and clothe him, while they do not know whom they have slain; let his head be set a hundred cubits away, and give his body to be buried.” The news spread through Assyria and Nineveh that Ahiqar had been slain. Then the executioner and my wife made me a hidden place under the earth; they dug a chamber for me fourteen cubits long and seven cubits wide under the threshold of the door; they brought me there and hid me, and they placed bread beside me, and left me there, covered in that pit, and went away. They informed the king that “Ahiqar is dead according to your command.” And when the news went through Assyria and Nineveh, they howled and their faces fell over me, and they said:

“Woe for Ahiqar, the skilful scribe who knows riddles! Woe to us because of you—how can we find someone like you to stand in your place and take your office?” And King Sennacherib called Nadan and said to him: “Go and make mourning and lamentation for your uncle Ahiqar, and be at rest, mourn, and weep for him.” But when the lustful and hard-hearted Nadan came, he did not weep or grieve, nor did he speak a word in my memory; instead he gathered adulterous and depraved men, and they began to eat, drink, get drunk, dance, and sing. And Nadan began to seize my servants and maidservants and strip them naked, beat and strike them, and force them into evil [things]; and he was not ashamed of my wife, who had brought him up as her son, but he wanted to defile her, to sin with her, and to uncover her nakedness. And I, oppressed and hidden under the earth, heard the chastisement of my servants and maidservants, their weeping and their oppression. When I was alone, I wept and was saddened. Afterwards, I cried to the merciful God and prayed. After a few days, Nabusemakh came to me, and he consoled and comforted me, and he brought me bread and water. When he rose to leave, I said to him, ‘Cry to God that He let me escape from this place.’ He cried out and said: “O merciful and praiseworthy God, remember Nabusemakh, who thinks on You! Hear his prayer and receive his supplication.” And when Pharaoh heard that Ahiqar, the excellent wise man, knower and solver of riddles, had been slain, he rejoiced with great joy and wrote a letter and sent it, saying: “From Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to Sennacherib, king of Assyria and Nineveh, greeting and peace to you. Know, O king, that I desire to build for myself a fortress between sky and earth, and I want

you to send me from you a builder and stonecutter who knows how to build as I desire and who will know how to reply to every question that I may address to him. If you send me a man who can build me a fortress and do the [things] that I said, I will send you the tribute of Egypt and every land and its borders for three years, but if you do not send with our legate this [one], send to us the three-year tribute of Assyria, and Nineveh, When this letter came and it was read before Sennacherib, the king called and gathered all the nobles, the wise men, the philosophers, soothsayers, skilled men, and astronomers, and he read that letter before them and said to them: "Which of you can go to Egypt and give the answer to the king, Pharaoh?" They answered him: "We know, our lord the king, that these questions and riddles nobody knows or understands, except the wise Ahiqar alone; he will read, solve, and explain them. We are not able to know his teaching nor his knowledge. However, now, you have his sister’s son, Nadan; he has learned his teaching and wisdom; call him and ask him this question; he will solve this question that we are not able to explain.” Then the king called for Nadan and he read the letter. Nadan answered and said: "My lord the king, I see that this man has spoken nonsense and erred! Who can make a building between sky and earth? Not even the gods are able to do so! This letter is a derision!" And when King Sennacherib heard these words of Nadan, he suffered greatly, wept, descended from his throne, sat on ashes, and said: "Woe unto me, Ahiqar, the skilled wise man and knower of my [hidden things] and questions

woe to me for you, O teacher of my land and guide of my kingdom. How shall I find you, or where shall I ask for you? Woe to me for you—how is it that I brought and lost your composition* by the words of a foolish boy without knowledge, without faith, and without grace? Who will give you to me and announce to me that, behold, Ahiqar is alive, and bring him to me? He shall receive half of my kingdom.” When I, Nabusemakh, heard these words from the king and saw his weakness and weeping, I approached him, prostrated myself, and said: "My lord, I have transgressed your command, and every servant who breaks his lord’s command is guilty of crucifixion. If you wish, crucify me, for I have broken your command. But I knew that you were driven to weeping and regret over his death, and I know that he was oppressed; behold now, Ahiqar is alive and concealed in a hidden place!” When the king heard my speech, he rejoiced greatly and said: “O good servant, if your word is true, I will make you rich; if I see Ahiqar alive, you shall have half of my kingdom and a hundred talents of gold.” Then the executioner Nabusemakh said to the king: “Forgive my crimes and do not remember my faults.” The king swore to him that he would not oppose him, and at that time Nabusemakh went and came to me and opened the door and took me out. And Ahiqar said: “I trust in God and I am not ashamed.” Then Nabusemakh brought me and we went to the king. And when I was present before him, I blessed and prostrated myself on the ground before him. And the hair of my head was [long] and had grown down to my shoulders, and my beard had reached my chest, and my nails were like the nails of an eagle, and my body was wasted and weakened, and my face was like the color of ashes and withered.

And when the king saw me—how I had become—and looked at me for a long time, he was saddened and felt shame because of me. He was not able to speak a single word to me because of his weeping. And he said to me: “O Ahiqar, I have not sinned against you, but it is your son Nadan who has done evil to you!” Then I said to him: "My lord, live forever! Now that God has shown me your face, I have lost nothing.” And the king replied and said: “Praise be to the Lord who saw and knew that you had been oppressed. Go now, O Ahiqar, to the bath; shave your head and cut your nails; eat and drink for forty days until your strength returns to you, and come to me." I, Ahiqar, went to the house and did as the king said; I stayed and waited twenty days, and I came to him, for the king’s business was urgent. And when I was present before him, he took out the question that the Egyptians had sent him, and said: “Take and see, Ahiqar, what the Egyptians have sent us after your death; they have prevailed. All our people have gone and fled to Egypt because of the rumor of wealth they want from us.” And when Ahiqar read the letter and understood what was in it, he said to the king: "Do not be saddened or angered, my lord. I will go and give an answer to Pharaoh. I will solve this question, and I will bring the tributes and wealth from Egypt, and I will bring back all those who have fled, and I will confound all your enemies with the help of God and your kingdom." When the king heard my speech, he rejoiced greatly and gave me and my wife many gifts. He raised the executioner to a higher rank and bestowed on him many gifts. The next day I, the weak Ahiqar, wrote a letter to my wife and said to her: "At the time when this letter reaches your hands, send out the hunters to catch for us two

eaglets, and tell the hemp workers to make for us two ropes of cotton, each a thousand cubits long, and tell the carpenters to make two big boxes, and give Nabulhal and Tabshalem to the wet nurses to nurse them, and kill a sheep every day and feed it to the eagles so that they may grow. And you shall make the children ride on the backs of the eagles while they are small and no burden. Tie the ropes to the feet of the eagles, and the eagles shall fly in the air and the children ride on their backs for a short time, so that they may become accustomed to carrying them; and when they rise in the air, teach the children to shout, while they are flying on the backs of the eagles: 'Bring us mortar, lime, mud, and bricks and stones, because the builders and workers are idle, for they want to build a fortress in the sky.” And make them ascend and come down to you until I come. And my wife Eshfagni was wise and intelligent, and she did all that I had ordered. After a few days I, Ahiqar, said to the king to command: “Let me go out, my lord, so that I may go to Egypt, for the time has come for me to continue my way." He gave me the command, and I took with me a large troop and continued a day’s journey. And we stood in a wide plain, and I took the eagles out of the cages and tied the ropes to their feet, and made the children ride on their backs, and they flew through the air until no one could see them, and as they rose, the children cried and said on the eagles’ backs: "Bring us mortar, mud, bricks, and stones because the builders and workers are idle, and they want to build a fortress on high.” Then I drew them down as I had commanded my wife. When the Assyrians, who had fled

to Egypt, heard all that I had done, they returned to their lands and their places. The remembrance of the entry of Ahiqar into Egypt before Pharaoh Now, when I, Ahiqar, and my troops reached Egypt and I went to the gate of Pharaoh the king, they came and informed him on my behalf and said: “Sennacherib has sent you a man as you asked. What is your command?” And Pharaoh the king commanded and gave us a place, and we—my troops and I—rested there, and Pharaoh the king commanded and they brought me in to him. And when I was present before him, I prostrated myself, and he said to me: “What is your name?” I said to him: “I am your servant Abiqam, an ant of the ants of Sennacherib.” When Pharaoh heard this, the king dismissed me and said: "Go, Abiqam, to your dwelling and come to me tomorrow.” He commanded all his lords: “Tomorrow, all of you, put on red clothes and come to me.” And when it was morning, the king put on purple and sat on his throne, and all his counselors stood before and around him, and he commanded and had me brought in before him, and he said to me: "O Abiqam, what do I resemble and what do my troops resemble?” I said to him: "My lord, you resemble the idol Bel, and your lords resemble its deacons." Then he said to me: “Go, O Abiqam, to your dwelling and come to me tomorrow.” And he commanded all his nobles: “Put on white garments of cotton tomorrow and come to me.” And the king put on garments whiter than linen and sat on his throne with his counselors standing before him. The king commanded and I was brought before him, and he said to me: "O Abiqam,

to whom do I resemble and to whom do my lords resemble?” I said: "You resemble the sun, and your lords resemble [its] rays." Then he said: "Go to your dwelling and come to me tomorrow!” He commanded his lords: “Tomorrow, dress yourselves in embroidered and black clothes,” and the king dressed himself in silk, and he sat on his throne, and he commanded, and I was brought before him. He said to me: "To whom do I resemble, and to whom do my lords resemble?" I said to him: "You resemble the moon, and your lords the shining stars." He said to me: "Go to your dwelling and come back to me tomorrow.” After I went out, he commanded his lords that they together put on embroidered garments of various colors, and that before the temple’s gates it should be red; the king put on purple and sat on his throne. He commanded and they brought me in before him. He said to me: "Abiqam, to whom do I resemble, and to whom do my lords resemble?" I said to him: "You resemble the month of Nisan and your lords resemble its flowers and blossoms." And when the king heard this, he rejoiced greatly and said to me: “O Abiqam, the first time you likened me to the idol Bel and my lords to his servants; the second time, to the sun and my lords to its rays; the third time, to the moon and my officers to the stars; and the fourth time, to the month of Nisan and my officers to its flowers and blossoms. But now tell me: your lord Sennacherib—what is he like, and what are his lords like?" Then I cried out and said to him: "God forbid that I should mention the name of my lord the king while you are sitting on your throne, but rise to your feet and I will tell you what my lord the king is like.” Then Pharaoh rose from his throne and I said to him:

"My lord Sennacherib resembles the power of the wind, and his nobles resemble lightning. When he wills, the wind blows, the rain falls, and mud is formed; and when he also commands, thunders thunder and lightning flashes; he prevents the sun from shining and its rays from appearing and being seen; he destroys the statue of Bel and its lords so that they are not able to go in the streets, and he commands the moon not to rise. When he wills again, he commands the northern quarter and it becomes windy, and he raises winds and it begins to rain and hail, and it works upon and ruins its flowers and blossoms." And when King Pharaoh heard these words, he was greatly astonished, then calmed, and then angry, and he said to me: "Truly, what is your name?" Then I said to him: "I am Ahiqar, scribe of King Sennacherib." The king said to me: "We have heard that Ahiqar is killed, and now you are alive?" I said to him: "It is by the grace and mercy of God. A plot, guile, flattery, and oppression from evil persons came upon me; they lied against me before the king and he ordered my death; but the Lord saved me from murder; blessed is the one who puts his trust in him." Then the king answered and said to me: "Go, O Ahiqar, to your dwelling and come to me tomorrow and tell me a word which I have not heard, nor have my lords heard, nor anyone in Egypt." I went to my dwelling and thought to myself what word I could say that had not been heard at all. I, Ahiqar, acted cleverly and wrote a letter and said: "From Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to Sennacherib, king of Assyria and Nineveh, greeting! You should know, my brother, that brothers need brothers and kings need kings. Now, at this moment I lack income, and my treasure and my provisions are spent; I ask you to lend me nine hundred talents of gold, and after a short time I will send and return your gold." I folded the letter, and at early dawn it was presented

to Pharaoh: “Say to me a word, Ahiqar, that has not been heard at all, neither by my lords nor by the inhabitants of my city.” I brought forth the letter and gave it to him. And when he read it, they were amazed and astonished, and said: "Truly and verily, we have never heard this word at all, nor has it been heard in our city.” And I said to him: “Truly, Assyria and Nineveh have a debt owed to them; Egypt shall repay it.” When they heard this, they were amazed and astounded. I handed over the debt, and in the same hour they accepted it. Thereupon the king said: "O Ahiqar, I ask you to build me an amazing and exalted fortress, where I can reside all my days, and it shall be between sky and earth; its height shall be two thousand cubits.” I said to him: “The report and the setting are clear. My lord, I will build you a fortress as you wish and desire; but, my lord, the builders and workmen shall be from me, while the lime, the mortar, the mud, and the stones shall be [provided] by you." And Pharaoh said: "So it shall be.” And immediately I took the two eagles out of their box and tied the ropes on their feet and made the children ride on their backs, and the eagles flew, and the children cried and said: "Bring us the lime and the mortar, mud, lime, bricks, and the stones, for King Pharaoh's craftsmen are idle and the workmen remain and want to build for King Pharaoh a fortress in the sky." Again, they said: "Mix us wine." When Pharaoh and his lords saw this, they were amazed and astonished and were ashamed. I, Ahiqar, took a stick and began to strike the king's lords so that they would bring them everything that they asked for, and I shouted to my troops that they strike Pharaoh’s lords with a stick so that they bring stones and mortar to the builders. And when they could not bear the blows, they were overpowered

and humbled, and they fled from us and entered their houses; and Pharaoh was shaken and said: "O Ahiqar, are you mad? Who can bring up to them what they ask for from such a height?” I said to him: "You are confused; if my lord Sennacherib were here, he would build two fortresses in one day." Then Pharaoh answered me and said: "Stop building the fortress now, because we have no need of it; go to your dwelling, and tomorrow come to me." And when it became morning, I came and entered to him, and he said to me: "O Ahiqar, what is this story: the lustful horse of your master Sennacherib neighs there in Assyria and Nineveh, and our mares hear his voice here and miscarry." Then I left him and went out and commanded my servants to ensnare a cat for me, and I commanded my servants to strike it with many blows until it mewed, and the Egyptians heard [it] and went in and made it known to Pharaoh the king; and he called me and said to me, "Why are you hitting that cat?” I said to him: “This cat has done me great harm, O my lord, and this wretched one has harmed me much. There was a rooster with a beautiful and remarkable voice, and it was given to me by my lord Sennacherib, and it announced the hours of the night; and that night this cursed one went to Assyria and ate my rooster.” Then Pharaoh answered and said to me: "Ahiqar, I see how much you have aged; your wisdom has diminished and your knowledge has shortened: between Egypt and Assyria there are more than three hundred and sixty parasangs; how could a cat cover all that distance in one night, take off the rooster’s head, and come back here?" I said: "Between Egypt and Assyria there is all this distance; how can my lord’s horse neigh there

and cause your horses to miscarry here?" And when the king heard this, he was dazed and hurried, and he knew that I had solved his question. Again he said to me: "Explain to me this parable too: A builder built a pillar with eight thousand seven hundred and sixty-three courses, and its shadow is on three hundred and sixty-five stones; and he planted above it twelve trees of cedar and fixed to each cedar thirty long branches, or rather sticks, and to each stick two branches of dates, one white and the other black." Then I said to King Pharaoh: "The herdsmen of Assyria and Nineveh know this: The builder is God who built the year, and it is the pillar; he set the hours of the year to eight thousand seven hundred and sixty-three hours, and he fixed the days of the year to three hundred and sixty-five days. The twelve cedars are the twelve months of the year, each cedar has thirty sticks, that is, thirty days, and on each stick there are two branches, one white and the other black." Pharaoh said to me again: "O Ahiqar, wind me two ropes [made] of the sand of the sea." I said to him: "My lord, command that they bring me from your treasury such a rope that I may make one like it." The king said to me: "Put your words aside; if you do not make me the rope, I will not give you the tribute." Then I went behind the house and made two holes in the wall, and the sun came through the holes, and I filled my hands with sand from the sea and poured it into the holes, and it began to twist like a cable, and I said to the king: "Command your servants to take the cables. And whenever you wish, I will make many such cables for you.” Then the king and his lords were astonished, and the king said: "O Ahiqar, we have a new millstone of a very remarkable kind;

it is broken and I want you to sew it for us." And they set it before me, and I saw another stone, broken like it, and I put it before Pharaoh and said to him: "Know, O my lord, that I am a stranger here and I have not brought with me the tools of the carvers. Command the beloved tailors of our city to cut us a needle from this stone and I will sew it for you." Then Pharaoh and all his lords laughed and said: "Blessed be the Lord who has given you such teaching, acumen, and great knowledge that surpasses understanding, O Ahiqar." The memory of the departure of Ahiqar from the land of Egypt and his return to Sennacherib of Assyria and Nineveh When Pharaoh and his lords saw that they had been overcome, and that I had explained all their sayings and solved all his riddles, and they could not defame me with an argument, then Pharaoh gave me the property and the three-year tribute of Egypt and of the lands. He offered me nine hundred talents of gold, and I wrote in my letter that they were borrowed from my lord the king, and he made me and my troops abound [with] many talents and gave me permission to return to my land. I kissed his knees and set out on my way. When I arrived to King Sennacherib, he came to meet me and was very glad and made me sit at his right and said to me: “O Ahiqar, ask for everything that you want and desire to make you rich.” I said to him: "My lord, live forever. Whatever you will give me, I give to Nabusemakh, for through him God gave me this life.” Then the king began to ask me about everything that I had done before Pharaoh, and I told [it] one by one, and he listened and was astonished. And again

I brought forth the property and talents that came to him, and his joy rose to the utmost. And he said: “How much shall I give you?” I said to him: “I want your peace. I do not need anything, but command that my sister’s son Nadan be given to me, because he has transgressed against me; do not require his blood of me.” Then he commanded, and my sister’s son Nadan was given to me, and they took him and brought him to my house. They bound him with iron chains and shackled him, and afterwards I began to strike him with bitter and hard blows. I struck him a thousand blows on his feet, a thousand on his shoulders, and a thousand on his belly. Every day I struck him as much as he was able to bear, and I threw him into the privy where he breathed a foul stench. I gave him bread and water to be nourished in measure, and I commanded Nabulhal and Tabshalem to watch over him and told them to write all the words that I said to the foolish Nadan, whom I honored and loved, and he did not understand it, but acted deceitfully toward me and desired my death and the loss of my life. Every time I entered and went out, I condemned him, and they wrote the words. Then I, Ahiqar, began to say to him my speech ‘My son, it is said in a saying: he who does not hear with his ears, they make him hear with his neck.’ ‘He said to me: "Why are you angry with me?" I said: "Because I honored you and raised you, and made you sit on the throne of the kingdom, and you cast me down from my seat and wanted my death; but God saved me [while] I was oppressed, for He strikes down the proud and cares for the broken-hearted."’ ‘My son, you have been like a scorpion who strikes his sting on a rock and does not notice it; and he struck a needle and said’

‘to the needle: “Behold, my sting is harder than yours.”’ ‘My son, you have been to me like a goat standing over the madder to eat from it. The madder said to the goat: "Why do you eat me, for your skin is dyed by me." The goat answered and said: "While I live, I eat from you, and when I die, they will even pull up your shoots and sprinkle my hide with you."’ ‘My son, you have been to me like one who takes stones to throw at God, and the stones do not reach God, and it is called a sin.’ ‘My son, you were to me like a man who sees his companion shivering from cold and takes a pitcher of water and pours [it] over his head. My son, if you had killed me, you would have been able to take my position and be my heir.’ ‘My son, know that if the tail of the swine were seven ells long, it would not take the place of the horse, [even] if its hair were soft as scarlet.’ ‘My son, I said that you should stand in my place and take my office, strengthen my learning and my way. You have not accepted my teaching and you do not listen to my words, you are not pleasing to God and He has not heard your voice.’ ‘My son, you have been to me like a lion that meets a donkey in the morning, and the lion said to the donkey: "Peace to you." The donkey said to him: "Your welcome be for him who tied me here in the evening. If only I had not seen your face."’ ‘My son, you have been to me like a snare on a dunghill. A sparrow said to the snare: "What are you doing here?" The snare said: "Behold, I am praying to the exalted God." The sparrow said: "What is this that you lean on?" The snare said: "This is my rod that I lean on at the time of prayer." [Then] the sparrow said: “And what is this in your mouth?” The snare said: “This is the food and drink for those who are caught by me.” The sparrow said: “Come near to me,” and the sparrow came near to eat’

‘and the snare caught it by the neck. The sparrow answered and said to the snare: “If this bread of yours is for the hungry, may God not accept your offering nor your mercy; and if this is your fasting and your prayer, may God not hear your fasting nor your prayer, and may He not end well with you."’ ‘My son, you have been to me like a transient weevil in the wheat; it is of no use and it destroys the wheat. ’ ‘My son, you have been to me like the dog for whom it was cold and who entered the house to warm himself, and after he was warmed, he began to bark at the household. ’ ‘My son, you have been to me like a swine that went with the leaders to the bathhouse to bathe, and when it bathed and went out from the bathhouse, it found a ditch of mud, went down, and wallowed. ’ ‘The dog that does not eat of its quarry will become the portion of wolves; my son, the hand that is not industrious and is without benefit and is lustful and immoderate shall be cut off from its shoulder; my son, the eye with which I cannot see, the soothsayers shall pluck out.’ ‘My son, I showed you the face of the king and brought you to great honor and raised you up, and instead of good you rewarded me with evil. To the one who does evil to you, what will you repay?’ ‘My son, you have been to me like the cat [also possible: weasel], to which they say: “Abandon theft, and you shall be the king’s necklace of gold.” And she said: “I will not abandon the skill of my father and my mother.” ’ ‘My son, I fed you with every pleasant meal, and you did not let me be satisfied with even a little bread, and I was buried and covered, and you sought my murder.’ ‘My son, I let your stature grow up like a beautiful cedar, but you defiled my life and made me descend to a pit with many winds.’ ‘My son, I thought that you built me a fortified tower so that I might be saved in it from my enemies, but the Lord saved me from you. Because I sought every good for you and you repaid me with evil. I seek to gouge out your eyes and cut your tongue, and with a sword’

‘take your head, and I will do every evil thing to you."’ ‘And Nadan answered and said to me: “Far be it from you to receive evils, but do with me according to your kindnesses, and forgive me all that I have sinned against you; God forgives the misdeeds of debtors and the sins of sinners, and He welcomes those who repent. You, accept me to tend your horses, feed your swine, and remove your dung, and I will be called an evil man and you a good man."’ ‘I said to him: “My son, the youth of the eagle prevails over the youth of the impure raven.’ ‘My son, they said to the wolf: “Keep away from the vicinity of the flock of sheep, lest its dung come upon you.” The wolf said: "I will not go away, for the droppings of the sheep are medicine for my eyes.” The wolf was brought to the scribe, my son, so that he might instruct him. The master said to him: “Say A, B.” And the wolf answered and said: “Sheep and kid in my belly.”’ ‘My son, from the time I taught you I have told you that God is a ruler and an upright and righteous judge. To those who do well, He returns good; to those who do ill, He returns evil, and He places on their heads Gehenna and torment; as for me and you, there is no one but God as ruler, and He will return to you according to your deeds.”’ ‘My son, they placed the donkey's head on the table and it fell and rolled on the ground. The people said it was angry with itself for not receiving honor and glory.’ ‘My son, the word is verified which says, He whom you have begotten, call him your son, and he whom you have brought up, call him your slave. My son, there is nothing more true than this word: If he is your sister's son, strike him against the wall and throw him to the ground. It is God who knows the hidden things and renders to each one according to his works, whether good or bad. He will judge between me and you. As for me, I say nothing more to you. But the Lord will give ’

‘you what you deserve.”’ When Nadan the fool heard these words, he immediately swelled up and became like a leathern bottle, and his sides burst and he perished and died. His end was perdition and he went to Gehenna, for it is said in the Book of Proverbs thus: To him that did good, the Lord will render good, and He will reward evil with evil; and he who digs a pit for his friend will fall into it, and he who sets a trap will be snared by it and will stumble into an infernal abyss.

Here ends the story of the wise and skilled, a good teacher and Persian philosopher, Ahiqar, who at first was an idol-worshipper, and in his old age believed in God and in His great name. You, hearer, may the Lord forgive your sins and send over you mercy and pity and save you from evil and hateful things and, at all times, from chastisement and from calamities, misfortunes, and wars. May the Lord fill your hearts with every understanding and knowledge of the spirit and the body so that you purify your hearts from all anger and murmuring and from all sin. By the prayer of all anchorites, martyrs, and holy persons, and by the intercession of the ascetics and the supplications of the prophets and apostles, and by the mercy of God, Lord of all—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in truth, Amen. The story of the wise and skilled teacher Ahiqar is finished.