The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer (Ludlul bēl nēmeqi, Babylonian)

This ancient Babylonian wisdom text, known as Ludlul bēl nēmeqi, is an anonymous poem exploring the theme of an innocent man's suffering. It is a significant precursor to the biblical Book of Job, grappling with questions of divine justice and human hardship.

Sources for The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer (Ludlul bēl nēmeqi, Babylonian)

• Read the full text
• https://www.ebl.lmu.de/corpus/L/2/2
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlul_b%C4%93l_n%C4%93meqi

The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer (Ludlul bēl nēmeqi, Babylonian) in Wisdom Literature

Held in the Wisdom Literature chamber of the Babel Nexus Index.

• Maxims of Ptahhotep (Egyptian) (−2400)
• The Instructions of Shuruppak (Sumerian) (−2600)
• Instructions of Amenemhat (Egyptian) (−1900)
• Disputations or Literary Debates (Sumerian) (−2000)
• The Story of Aḥikar (Aramaic) (−500)
• Counsels of Wisdom (Babylonian) (−1000)
• Dialogue of Pessimism (Babylonian — "Nothing Is Of Value") (−1000)
• Instructions of Šūpê-amēli (Akkadian) (−1100)
• Instructions of Kagemni (Egyptian) (−2300)
• Nig-Nam Nu-Kal — "Nothing is of Value" (Sumerian) (−2000)
• Maxims of Ali ibn Abi Talib (c. 660)