Ludlul Bēl Nēmeqi — The complete four-tablet Babylonian poem of the righteous sufferer — 'I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom.' Shubshi-meshre-Shakkan endures catastrophic loss and illness, then is restored through Marduk's mercy and dream-visions. Standard Babylonian Akkadian, ca. 11th–10th century BCE. Good Works Translation from the Akkadian.
The Instructions of Shuruppak — The oldest wisdom text in the world — a father's counsel to his son, composed in Sumer nearly five thousand years ago. Good Works Translation from Sumerian.
The Story of Ahikar — The oldest surviving wisdom tale in world literature — the story of a vizier betrayed by his nephew, rescued by his own good name, and vindicated through proverbs and cunning. From Aramaic and Syriac sources.