The Concept of Discipline in the Wisdom of Ahiqar and in the Wisdom Literature of the Ancient Near East
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/lark.3936Keywords:
discipline, Syriac, Aramaic , Ahiqar, wisdomAbstract
The Wisdom of Ahiqar is known not only for its wisdom and aphoristic content but also for its historical features and importance, which is evident in the exitance of different versions from different historical periods and in different languages. The oldest version of Ahiqar found is in Aramaic and dates back to the fifth century BC, but some have suggested that it was written before that period because it narrates events during the time of King Sennacherib of Assyria (late eighth century – early seventh century BC). The text of Ahiqar contains both narrative and wisdom sayings. The place of the narrative and wisdom sayings differs between the Aramaic version and other versions. What distinguishes this wisdom is that it has parallels in the wisdom of the ancient Near East, especially the wisdom of ancient Egypt and the Hebrew wisdom (books of wisdom in the Hebrew Bible). Ahiqar has an educational purpose in his teachings and wisdom and shows the principles and ethics of his world and surroundings. Ahiqar praises the general ethics of respect, honesty, trustworthiness and good conduct. Given the multiplicity of topics in the wisdom of Ahiqar, this study focuses on the subject of discipline in Ahiqar in its Aramaic, Syriac and Arabic versions, comparing them with each other on the one hand, and with other examples of ancient Near Eastern wisdom on the other hand, using the comparative analysis method. This study concludes that the influence and impact, regarding the subject of discipline, between ancient Near Eastern wisdom and the wisdom of Ahiqar usually appears in the thematic content, but differs in the style of expression, and it seems that there was some knowledge between them. For Ahiqar, the concept of discipline focuses on education and instruction using hardness (rod) when necessary, because the goal of discipline is to form the individual’s character and teach a way of life that protects the individual from error.
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