The Third Column of Šimâ Milka: A New Attempt

Abstract

Šimâ milka is a wisdom composition known from Late Bronze Age sources found at Hattusa, Emar, and Ugarit. Many studies have been dedicated to this composition, but the fragmentary nature of sources prevented the understanding of several passages, and large portions of the text remain unpreserved or incomplete. The present article attempts a new reconstruction of the third column of the Emar manuscript by placing two fragments at the end of the column, rather than in the middle as in previous editions. This placement results in the restoration of the same line order in the Emar, Ugarit, and Hattusa manuscripts.