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Document Details :

Title: Samaritan Proverbs
Author(s): POWELS, Sylvia
Journal: Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Volume: 28    Date: 1990   
Pages: 76-95
DOI: 10.2143/ANES.28.0.525713

Abstract :
Proverbs are spread everywhere in Samaritan literature, but still the Samaritan treasure of proverbs does not seem to be very large. A great number of them are translations from familiar Arabic sayings into the Samaritan dialect, and are included in the standard compilations of Arabic proverbs. It is not surprising, however, that after living for more than one thousand years in an Arabic Neighbourhood, the Samaritans have adopted proverbs as well. Like many Arabic sayings, every proverb consists of two hemistichs with the same end-rhyme. Still on the other hand it might be possible that the parallels, at least partly, are mere coincidences. This is certainly not true for Hebrew wisdom literature, especially the biblical Book of Proverbs, because these books are known to the Samaritans.

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