Who Do You Think Said These Words of Wisdom?

 

In my reading and listening, I came across a set of words of wisdom that very much impressed me. Reading them, it seems like the one who said them had a very good grasp of morality, and human behavior. The wise person who handed down these words was an important person, and wanted those who came after him to benefit from his knowledge. After reading the words below, can you guess who he might have been?

If you are a leader, take responsibility in the matters entrusted to you, and you will accomplish things of note.

If you are a man of authority, be patient when you are listening to the words of a petitioner;  Do not dismiss him until he has completely unburdened himself of what he had planned to say to you.

Great is the Law.

All conduct should be so straight that you can measure it with a plumb-line.

Injustice exists in abundance, but evil can never succeed in the long run.

Punish with principle, teach meaningfully. The act of stopping evil leads to the lasting establishment of virtue.

Those whom God guides do not go wrong. Those whose boat He takes away cannot cross.

If you work hard, and if growth takes place as it should in the fields, it is because God has placed abundance in your hands.

Do not gossip in your neighbourhood, because people respect the silent.

If he who listens listens fully, then he who listens becomes he who understands.

As for the ignorant man who does not listen, he accomplishes nothing. He equates knowledge with ignorance, the useless with the harmful. He does everything which is detestable, so people get angry with him each day.

Only speak when you have something worth saying.

As for you, teach your disciple the words of tradition. May he act as a model for the children of the great, that they may find in him the understanding and justice of every heart that speaks to him, since man is not born wise.

A woman with happy heart brings equilibrium.

Love your wife with passion.

How wonderful is a son who obeys his father!

Do not repeat a slanderous rumour, do not listen to it.

He who has a great heart has a gift from God. He who obeys his stomach obeys the enemy.

So, can you guess who promulgated these words of wisdom?

I will let you have your guesses, and later in the comments I will reveal the truth of whose words they are.

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  1. Mark Alexander Inactive
    Mark Alexander
    @MarkAlexander

    Sounds biblical, but it’s not. Still, from more ancient times…

    • #1
  2. Clavius Thatcher
    Clavius
    @Clavius

    Perhaps Ptahhotep?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maxims_of_Ptahhotep

     

    • #2
  3. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Clavius (View Comment):

    Perhaps Ptahhotep?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maxims_of_Ptahhotep

     

    Yep, you win.  Ptah-hotep lived during the Egyptian Fifth Dynasty, around 2375-2350 BC.  Worked for King Djedkare-Isesi.  I heard Dominic Perry on the Egyptian History Podcast discussing him, and thought his maxims sounded timeless. And they are.

    • #3
  4. Douglas Pratt Coolidge
    Douglas Pratt
    @DouglasPratt

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Clavius (View Comment):

    Perhaps Ptahhotep?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maxims_of_Ptahhotep

     

    Yep, you win. Ptah-hotep lived during the Egyptian Fifth Dynasty, around 2375-2350 BC. Worked for King Djedkare-Isesi. I heard Dominic Perry on the Egyptian History Podcast discussing him, and thought his maxims sounded timeless. And they are.

    Pretty smart for a fellow who can’t keep his arms from falling off.

    • #4
  5. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    RushBabe49:

    As for the ignorant man who does not listen, he accomplishes nothing. He equates knowledge with ignorance, the useless with the harmful. He does everything which is detestable, so people get angry with him each day.

    This is about me, isn’t it?

    Only speak when you have something worth saying.

    By gum, it is about me.

    • #5
  6. Paul Stinchfield Member
    Paul Stinchfield
    @PaulStinchfield

    Percival (View Comment):

    Only speak when you have something worth saying.

    By gum, it is about me.

    That was not worth reading. 😀

    • #6
  7. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    How wonderful to see that some things never change even over millennia. And how comical that leftists think they can socially-engineer human nature away.

    • #7
  8. Paul Stinchfield Member
    Paul Stinchfield
    @PaulStinchfield

    RightAngles (View Comment):

    How wonderful to see that some things change even over millennia. And how comical that leftists think they can socially-engineer human nature away.

    You mean don’t change?

    • #8
  9. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    I was gonna guess Paul. That God line is odd for a polytheistic religion.

    • #9
  10. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    never mind ha

    • #10
  11. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    Paul Stinchfield (View Comment):

    RightAngles (View Comment):

    How wonderful to see that some things change even over millennia. And how comical that leftists think they can socially-engineer human nature away.

    You mean don’t change?

    yes, edited. Thanks

    • #11
  12. American Abroad Thatcher
    American Abroad
    @AmericanAbroad

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    I was gonna guess Paul. That God line is odd for a polytheistic religion.

    I am too lazy to look it up, but perhaps this was written during one of the monotheistic interludes in Egyptian history.  Akhenaten’s rule, perhaps.

    • #12
  13. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    American Abroad (View Comment):

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    I was gonna guess Paul. That God line is odd for a polytheistic religion.

    I am too lazy to look it up, but perhaps this was written during one of the monotheistic interludes in Egyptian history. Akhenaten’s rule, perhaps.

    Nope, written down during the Fifth Dynasty when he lived. Probably by his son, to whom the comments were directed. This is not all of the maxims, and others refer to gods. 
    You really should give a listen to the Egyptian History Podcast. 

    • #13
  14. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    When the pharaoh speaks of “the God,” the reference is to the pharaoh.

    • #14
  15. Ansonia Member
    Ansonia
    @Ansonia

    The style of it seems to have influenced the style of Proverbs.

    • #15
  16. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    When the pharaoh speaks of “the God,” the reference is to the pharaoh.

    Egyptian rulers weren’t pharaohs yet, just kings. They did, however see themselves as equal to gods. 

    • #16
  17. Nanocelt TheContrarian Member
    Nanocelt TheContrarian
    @NanoceltTheContrarian

    Clavius (View Comment):

    Perhaps Ptahhotep?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maxims_of_Ptahhotep

     

    Oh, the things Ricochet know!

    • #17
  18. Clavius Thatcher
    Clavius
    @Clavius

    Nanocelt TheContrarian (View Comment):

    Clavius (View Comment):

    Perhaps Ptahhotep?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maxims_of_Ptahhotep

     

    Oh, the things Ricochet know!

    To be honest, it was a Google search on the second quote that led me to the answer.

    • #18
  19. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    I only missed by a millennia or two in the half dozen I’d have guessed.   I guess wisdom doesn’t change much over the centuries.   In contrast to stupidity?  No. Historical ignorance  makes bad old ideas seem innovative and clever.

    • #19
  20. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    May I once again put in a plug for the Egyptian History Podcast. 

    • #20
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