449
landmark, or has he refused to set up a true landmark? Has he
removed bound, border, or landmark? Has he broken into his
neighbour's house? Has he drawn near his neighbour's wife? Has
he shed his neighbour's blood? Has he stolen his neighbour's
garment?”^396
The list of questions reminds us of the negative confession of
the Osirian creed, but the end and purpose of it is different. They
are the questions put to the penitent in order that the priest may
discover why the wrath of the gods has fallen upon him. They
relate to this life only, not to the next; conformity to the moral
code they imply brings with it no assurance of eternal happiness,
it is a guarantee only against suffering and misfortune in the
present world. The point of view of the Babylonian was that of
the friends of Job.
Morality, in fact, was left in large measure to the legislator.
An old code, which seems to have been ascribed to the god
Ea, asserts explicitly the responsibility of the ruler, and his
amenability to divine punishment for unrighteous dealing.
“If the king does not give heed to justice,”it begins,“his
people will perish and his land be enfeebled.^397
“If he gives no heed to the law of the land, Ea, the king of
destinies, will change his destiny, and visit him with misfortune. [490]
“If he gives no heed to his nobles, his days shall [not] be long.
“If he gives no heed to the wise, his land will revolt against
him.
“If he gives heed to the (law-)book, the king will behold the
strengthening of his land.
“If he gives heed to the writing (sipir) of Ea, the great gods
will establish him in counsel and knowledge of justice.
(^396) Zimmern,Die Beschwörungstafeln Shurpu, p. 3 sqq.
(^397) We may notice that it is the people, and not the king, who will suffer for
the misdeeds of the latter; cp. 2 Sam. xxiv. 17, and Horace,Ep.i. 12, 20:
“quicquid delirant reges, plec tuntur Achivi.”