Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria

The Lament for Urim

The lament for Urim

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

He has abandoned his cow-pen and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. The wild bull has abandoned his cow-pen and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. The lord of all the lands has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. Enlil has abandoned the shrine Nibru and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. His wife Ninlil has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Ninlil has abandoned that house, the Ki-ur, and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. The queen of Kic has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Ninmah has abandoned that house Kic and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold.

She of Isin has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Ninisina has abandoned the shrine Egal-mah and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. The queen of Unug has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Inana has abandoned that house Unug and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Nanna has abandoned Urim and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. Suen has abandoned E-kic-nu-jal and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. His wife Ningal has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Ningal has abandoned her Agrun-kug and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. The wild bull of Eridug has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. Enki has abandoned that house Eridug and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold.

(1 ms. adds 1 line: ...... (partially preserved name of a goddess) has abandoned that house Larag and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold.) Cara has abandoned E-mah and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. Ud-sahara has abandoned that house Umma and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Bau has abandoned Iri-kug and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. She has abandoned her flooded chamber and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Her son Ab-Bau has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. Ab-Bau has abandoned Ma-gu-ena and has let the breezes haunt his sheepfold. The protective goddess of the holy house has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold.

The protective goddess has abandoned E-tarsirsir and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. The mother of Lagac has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Jatumdug has abandoned that house Lagac and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. She of Nijin has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. The great queen has abandoned that house Sirara and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. She of Kinirca has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Dumuzid-abzu has abandoned that house Kinirca and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. She of Gu-aba has abandoned it and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold. Ninmarki has abandoned the shrine Gu-aba and has let the breezes haunt her sheepfold.

1st kirugu.

She has let the breeze haunt her sheepfold, she groans grievously over it. O cow, your lowing no longer fills the byre, the cow-pen no longer brings joy (?) to the prince.

Its jicgijal.

O city, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. Your lament is bitter, O city, the lament made for you. In his righteous destroyed city its lament is bitter. In his righteous destroyed Urim, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. Your lament is bitter, O city, the lament made for you. In his destroyed Urim its lament is bitter. How long will your bitter lament grieve your lord who weeps? How long will your bitter lament grieve Nanna who weeps?

O brick-built Urim, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O E-kic-nu-jal, your lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O shrine Agrun-kug, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O shrine Ki-ur, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O shrine Nibru, city, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O brick-built E-kur, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O Ja-jic-cua, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O Ubcu-unkena, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O brick-built Iri-kug, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you.

O E-tarsirsir, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O Ma-gu-ena, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O brick-built Isin, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O shrine Egal-mah, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O brick-built Unug, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. O brick-built Eridug, the lament is bitter, the lament made for you. How long will your bitter lament grieve your lord who weeps? How long will your bitter lament grieve Nanna who weeps?

O city, your name exists but you have been destroyed. O city, your wall rises high but your Land has perished. O my city, like an innocent ewe your lamb has been torn from you. O Urim, like an innocent goat your kid has perished. O city, your rites have been alienated from you, your powers have been changed into alien powers. How long will your bitter lament grieve your lord who weeps? How long will your bitter lament grieve Nanna who weeps?

2nd kirugu.

In his righteous destroyed city its lament is bitter. In his destroyed Urim its lament is bitter.

Its jicgijal.

Together with the lord whose house had been devastated, his city was given over to tears. Together with Nanna whose Land had perished, Urim joined the lament. The good woman, to disquiet the lord concerning his city, Ningal, to give him no rest concerning his Land, approached him for the sake of his city -- bitterly she weeps. She approached the lord for the sake of his house -- bitterly she weeps. She approached him for the sake of his devastated city -- bitterly she weeps. She approached him for the sake of his devastated house -- before him she makes its bitter lament.

The woman, after she had composed her song (?) for the tearful balaj instrument, herself utters softly a lamentation for the smitten (?) house: "The storm that came to be -- its lamentation hangs heavy on me. Raging about because of the storm, I am the woman for whom the storm came to be. The storm that came to be -- its lamentation hangs heavy on me. The bitter storm having come to be for me during the day, I trembled on account of that day but I did not flee before the day's violence. Because of this wretched storm I could not see a good day for my rule, not one good day for my rule.

"The bitter lament having come to be for me during the night, I trembled on account of that night but I did not flee before the night's violence. The awesomeness of this storm, destructive of cities, truly hangs heavy on me. Because of its existence, in my nightly sleeping place, even in my nightly sleeping place truly there was no peace for me. Nor, because of this wretched storm, was the quiet of my sleeping place, not even the quiet of my sleeping place, allowed to me. (2 mss. add 1 line: Truly I did not forsake my Land.)

"Because there was bitterness in my Land, I trudged the earth like a cow for its calf. My Land was not delivered from fear. Because there was bitter distress in my city, I beat my wings like a bird of heaven and flew to my city; and my city was destroyed in its foundations; and Urim perished where it lay. Because the hand of the storm appeared above, I screamed and cried to it "Return, O storm, to the plain". The storm's breast did not rise.

"To me, the woman, in the Agrun-kug, my house of queenship, they did not grant a reign of distant days. Indeed they established weeping and lamentation for me. As for the house which used to be where the spirit of the black-headed people was soothed, instead of its festivals wrath and terror indeed multiply. Because of this wretched storm, heavy spirit, and lament and bitterness, lament and bitterness have been brought into my house, the favourable place, my devastated righteous house upon which no eye had been cast. My house founded by the righteous was pushed over on its side like a garden fence.

"For E-kic-nu-jal, my house of royalty, the good house, my house which has been given over to tears, they granted to me as its lot and share: its building, falsely, and its perishing, truly. Wind and rain have been made to fall on it, as onto a tent, a shelter on the denuded harvest ground, as onto a shelter on the denuded harvest ground. Urim, my all-surpassing chamber, the house and the smitten city, all have been uprooted. Like a shepherd's sheepfold it has been uprooted. The swamp has swallowed my possessions accumulated in the city."

3rd kirugu.

Urim has been given over to tears.

Its jicgijal.

"On that day, when such a storm had pounded, when in the presence of the queen her city had been destroyed, on that day, when such a storm had been created, when they had pronounced the utter destruction of my city, when they had pronounced the utter destruction of Urim, when they had directed that its people be killed, on that day I did not abandon my city, I did not forsake my land.

"Truly I shed my tears before An. Truly I myself made supplication to Enlil. "Let not my city be destroyed," I implored them. "Let not Urim be destroyed," I implored them. "Let not its people perish," I implored them. But An did not change that word. Enlil did not soothe my heart with an "It is good -- so be it".

"A second time, when the council had settled itself in the pre-eminent place, and the Anuna had seated themselves to ratify decisions, I prostrated (?) myself and stretched out my arms. Truly I shed my tears before An. Truly I myself made supplication to Enlil. "Let not my city be destroyed," I implored them. "Let not Urim be destroyed," I implored them. "Let not its people perish," I implored them. But An did not change that word. Enlil did not soothe my heart with an "It is good -- so be it".

"They gave instructions that my city should be utterly destroyed. They gave instructions that Urim should be utterly destroyed. They decreed its destiny that its people should be killed. In return for the speech (?) which I had given them, they both bound me together with my city and also bound my Urim together with me. An is not one to change his command, and Enlil does not alter what he has uttered."

4th kirugu.

Her city has been destroyed in her presence, her powers have been alienated from her.

Its jicgijal.

Enlil called the storm -- the people groan. He brought the storm of abundance away from the Land -- the people groan. He brought the good storm away from Sumer -- the people groan. He issued directions to the evil storm -- the people groan. He entrusted it to Kij-gal-uda, the keeper of the storm. He called upon the storm that annihilates the Land -- the people groan. He called upon the evil gales -- the people groan.

Enlil brought Gibil as his aid. He called the great storm of heaven -- the people groan. The great storm howls above -- the people groan. The storm that annihilates the Land roars below -- the people groan. The evil wind, like a rushing torrent, cannot be restrained. It attacks the weapons of the city and completely devours them. At the horizon it ...... -- the people groan. In front of the storm, heat blazes -- the people groan. The midday heat burns with the furiously battling storm.

After the haze had lifted at noon, he made fires blaze. He locked up the day and the rising of the bright sun together with the good storm. In the Land he did not let the bright sun rise; it shone like the evening star. In the delightful night, the time when coolness sets in, he redoubled the south wind.

The scorching potsherds made the dust glow (?) -- the people groan. He swept the winds over the black-headed people -- the people groan. Sumer was overturned by a snare -- the people groan. It attacked (?) the Land and devoured it completely. Tears cannot influence the bitter storm -- the people groan.

The reaping storm dragged across the Land. Like a flood storm it completely destroyed the city. The storm that annihilates the Land set up its powers in the city. The storm that will make anything vanish came doing evil. The storm blazing like fire performed its task upon the people. The storm ordered by Enlil in hate, the storm which wears away the Land, covered Urim like a garment, was spread out over it like linen.

5th kirugu.

The storm, like a lion, has attacked unceasingly -- the people groan.

Its jicgijal.

Then the storm was removed from the city, that city reduced to ruin mounds. It was removed from Father Nanna's city reduced to ruin mounds -- the people groan. Then, the storm was taken from the Land -- the people groan. (2 mss. add 1 line: The good storm was taken from Sumer -- the people groan.) Its people littered its outskirts just as if they might have been broken potsherds. Breaches had been made in its walls -- the people groan. On its lofty city-gates where walks had been taken, corpses were piled. On its boulevards where festivals had been held, heads lay scattered (?). In all its streets where walks had been taken, corpses were piled. In its places where the dances of the Land had taken place, people were stacked in heaps. They made the blood of the Land flow down the wadis like copper or tin. Its corpses, like fat left in the sun, melted away of themselves.

The heads of its men slain by the axe were not covered with a cloth. Like a gazelle caught in a trap, their mouths bit the dust. Men struck down by the spear were not bound with bandages. As if in the place where their mothers had laboured, they lay in their own blood. Its men who were finished off by the battle-mace were not bandaged with new (?) cloth. Although they were not drunk with strong drink, their necks drooped on their shoulders. He who stood up to the weapon was crushed by the weapon -- the people groan. He who ran away from it was overwhelmed (?) by the storm -- the people groan. The weak and the strong of Urim perished from hunger. Mothers and fathers who did not leave their houses were consumed by fire. The little ones lying in their mothers' arms were carried off like fish by the waters. Among the nursemaids with their strong embrace, the embrace was pried open.

The Land's judgment disappeared -- the people groan. The Land's counsel was swallowed by a swamp -- the people groan. The mother absconded before her child's eyes -- the people groan. The father turned away from his child -- the people groan. In the city the wife was abandoned, the child was abandoned, possessions were scattered about. The black-headed people were carried off from their strongholds. Its queen like a bird in fright departed from her city. Ningal like a bird in fright departed from her city. All the treasures accumulated in the Land were defiled. In all the storehouses abounding in the Land fires were kindled. In its ponds Gibil, the purifier, relentlessly did his work.

The good house of the lofty untouchable mountain, E-kic-nu-jal, was entirely devoured by large axes. The people of Cimacki and Elam, the destroyers, counted its worth as only thirty shekels. They broke up the good house with pickaxes. They reduced the city to ruin mounds. Its queen cried, "Alas, my city", cried, "Alas, my house". Ningal cried, "Alas, my city," cried, "Alas, my house. As for me, the woman, both my city has been destroyed and my house has been destroyed. O Nanna, the shrine Urim has been destroyed and its people have been killed."

6th kirugu.

In her cow-pen, in her sheepfold the woman utters bitter words: "The city has been destroyed by the storm."

Its jicgijal.

Mother Ningal, like an enemy, stands outside her city. The woman laments bitterly over her devastated house. Over her devastated shrine Urim, the princess bitterly declares: "An has indeed cursed my city, my city has been destroyed before me. Enlil has indeed transformed my house, it has been smitten by pickaxes. On my ones coming from the south he hurled fire. Alas, my city has indeed been destroyed before me. On my ones coming from the highlands Enlil hurled flames. Outside the city, the outer city was destroyed before me -- I shall cry "Alas, my city". Inside the city, the inner city was destroyed before me -- I shall cry "Alas, my city". My houses of the outer city were destroyed -- I shall cry "Alas, my houses". My houses of the inner city were destroyed -- I shall cry "Alas, my houses".

"My city no longer multiplies for me like good ewes, its good shepherd is gone. Urim no longer multiplies for me like good ewes, its shepherd boy is gone. My bull no longer crouches in its cow-pen, its herdsman is gone. My sheep no longer crouch in their fold, their herdsman is gone. In the river of my city dust has gathered, and the holes of foxes have been dug there. In its midst no flowing water is carried, its tax-collector is gone. In the fields of my city there is no grain, their farmer is gone. My fields, like fields from which the hoe has been kept away (?), have grown tangled (?) weeds. My orchards and gardens that produced abundant syrup and wine have grown mountain thornbushes. My plain that used to be covered in its luxurious verdure has become cracked (?) like a kiln.

"My possessions, like a flock of rooks rising up, have risen in flight -- I shall cry "O my possessions". He who came from the south has carried my possessions off to the south -- I shall cry "O my possessions". He who came from the highlands has carried my possessions off to the highlands -- I shall cry "O my possessions". My silver, gems and lapis lazuli have been scattered about -- I shall cry "O my possessions". The swamp has swallowed my treasures -- I shall cry "O my possessions". Men ignorant of silver have filled their hands with my silver. Men ignorant of gems have fastened my gems around their necks. My small birds and fowl have flown away -- I shall say "Alas, my city". My slave-girls and children have been carried off by boat -- I shall say "Alas, my city". Woe is me, my slave-girls bear strange emblems in a strange city. My young men mourn in a desert they do not know.

"Woe is me, my city which no longer exists -- I am not its queen. Nanna, Urim which no longer exists -- I am not its owner. I am the good woman whose house has been made into ruins, whose city has been destroyed, in place of whose city a strange city has been built. I am Ningal whose city has been made into ruins, whose house has been destroyed, in place of whose house a strange house has been built.

"Woe is me, the city has been destroyed, my house too has been destroyed. Nanna, the shrine Urim has been destroyed, its people killed. Woe is me, where can I sit, where can I stand? Woe is me, in place of my city a strange house is being erected. I am the good woman in place of whose house a strange city is being built. Upon its removal from its place, from the plain, I shall say "Alas, my people". Upon my city's removal from Urim, I shall say "Alas, my house"."

The woman tears at her hair as if it were rushes. She beats the holy ub drum at her chest, she cries "Alas, my city". Her eyes well with tears, she weeps bitterly: "Woe is me, my city which no longer exists -- I am not its queen. Nanna, the shrine Urim which no longer exists -- I am not its owner. Woe is me, I am one whose cow-pen has been torn down, I am one whose cows have been scattered. I am Ningal on whose ewes the weapon has fallen, as in the case of an unworthy herdsman. Woe is me, I have been exiled from the city, I can find no rest. I am Ningal, I have been exiled from the house, I can find no dwelling place. I am sitting as if a stranger with head high in a strange city. Debt-slaves ...... bitterness .......

"I am one who, sitting in a debtors prison among its inmates, can make no extravagant claims. In that place I approached him for the sake of his city -- I weep bitterly. I approached the lord for the sake of his house -- I weep bitterly. I approached him for the sake of his destroyed house -- I weep bitterly. I approached him for the sake of his destroyed city -- I weep bitterly. Woe is me, I shall say "Fate of my city, bitter is the fate of my city". I the queen shall say "O my destroyed house, bitter is the fate of my house". O my brick-built Urim which has been flooded, which has been washed away, O my good house, my city which has been reduced to ruin mounds, in the debris of your destroyed righteous house, I shall lie down alongside you. Like a fallen bull, I will never rise up from your wall (?).

"Woe is me, untrustworthy was your building, and bitter your destruction. I am the woman at whose shrine Urim the food offerings have been terminated. O my Agrun-kug, the all-new house whose charms never sated me, O my city no longer regarded as having been built -- devastated for what reason? O my house both destroyed and devastated -- devastated for what reason? Nobody at all escaped the force of the storm ordered in hate. O my house of Suen in Urim, bitter was its destruction."

7th kirugu.

"Alas, my city, alas, my house."

Its jicgijal.

O queen, how is your heart ......! How you have become! O Ningal, how is your heart ......! How you have become! O good woman whose city has been destroyed, now how do you exist? O Ningal whose Land has perished, how is your heart ......! After your city has been destroyed, now how do you exist? After your house has been destroyed, how is your heart ......! Your city has become a strange city, now how do you exist? Your house has turned to tears, how is your heart ......! You are not a bird of your city which has been reduced to ruin mounds. You cannot live there as a resident in your good house given over to the pickaxe. You cannot act as queen of a people led off to slaughter.

Your tears have become strange tears, your Land no longer weeps. With no lamentation prayers, it dwells in foreign lands. Your Land like ....... Your city has been made into ruins; now how do you exist? Your house has been laid bare, how is your heart ......! Urim, the shrine, is haunted by the breezes, now how do you exist?

Its gudu priest no longer walks in his wig, how is your heart ......! Its en priest no longer lives in the jipar, now how do you exist? The uzga priest who cherishes purification rites makes no purification rites for you. Father Nanna, your icib priest does not make perfect holy supplications to you. Your lumah priest does not dress in linen in your holy giguna shrine. Your righteous en priest chosen in your ardent heart, he of the E-kic-nu-jal, does not proceed joyously from the shrine to the jipar. The aua priests do not celebrate the festivals in your house of festivals. They do not play for you the cem and ala instruments which gladden the heart, nor the tigi. The black-headed people do not bathe during your festivals. Like ...... mourning has been decreed for them; their appearance has indeed changed.

Your song has been turned into weeping before you -- how long will this last? Your tigi music has been turned into lamentation before you -- how long will this last? Your bull is not brought into its pen, its fat is not prepared for you. Your sheep does not live in its fold, its milk is not made abundant for you. Your fat carrier does not come to you from the cow-pen -- how long will this last? Your milk carrier does not come to you from the sheepfold -- how long will this last? An evildoer has seized your fisherman who was carrying fish -- how long will this last? Lightning carried off your fowler who was carrying birds -- how long will this last? The teme plants grow in the middle of your watercourses which were once suitable for barges, and mountain thornbushes grow on your roads which had been constructed for waggons.

My queen, your city weeps before you as its mother. Urim, like a child lost in a street, seeks a place before you. Your house, like a man who has lost everything, stretches out (?) its hands to you. Your brick-built righteous house, like a human being, cries "Where are you?". My queen, you have indeed left the house, you have left the city. How long will you stand aside from your city like an enemy? Mother Ningal, you confronted your city like an enemy. Although you are a queen who loves her city, you abandoned your sheepfold. Although you are one who cares for her Land, you set it on fire.

Mother Ningal, return like a bull to your cattle-pen, like a sheep to your fold, like a bull to your cattle-pen of former days, like a sheep to your fold. My queen, like a young child to your room, return to your house. May An, king of the gods, declare "Enough!" to you. May Enlil, king of all the lands, decree your fate. May he restore your city for you -- exercise its queenship! May he restore Nibru for you -- exercise its queenship! May he restore Urim for you -- exercise its queenship! May he restore Isin for you -- exercise its queenship!

8th kirugu.

"My powers have been alienated from me."

Its jicgijal.

Alas, storm after storm swept the Land together: the great storm of heaven, the ever-roaring storm, the malicious storm which swept over the Land, the storm which destroyed cities, the storm which destroyed houses, the storm which destroyed cow-pens, the storm which burned sheepfolds, which laid hands on the holy rites, which defiled the weighty counsel, the storm which cut off all that is good from the Land, the storm which pinioned the arms of the black-headed people.

9th kirugu.

The storm which does not respect .......

Its jicgijal.

The storm which knows no mother, the storm which knows no father, the storm which knows no wife, the storm which knows no child, the storm which knows no sister, the storm which knows no brother, the storm which knows no neighbour, the storm which knows no female companion, the storm which caused the wife to be abandoned, which caused the child to be abandoned, the storm which caused the light in the Land to disappear, the storm which swept through, ordered in hate by Enlil -- father Nanna, may that storm swoop down no more on your city. May your black-headed people see it no more.

May that storm, like rain pouring down from heaven, never recur. May that storm, which struck down all the black-headed living beings of heaven and earth, be entirely destroyed. May the door be closed on it, like the great city-gate at night-time. May that storm not be given a place in the reckoning, may its record be hung from a nail outside the house of Enlil.

10th kirugu.

Until distant days, other days, future days.

Its jicgijal.

From distant days when the Land was founded, O Nanna, the humble people who lay hold of your feet have brought to you their tears for the smitten house, playing music before you. May the black-headed people, cast away from you, make obeisance to you. In your city reduced to ruin mounds may a lament be made to you. O Nanna, may your restored city be resplendent before you. Like a bright heavenly star may it not be destroyed, may it pass before you.

The personal deity of a man brings you a greeting gift; a supplicant utters prayers to you. Nanna, you who have mercy on the Land, Lord Acimbabbar -- as concerns him who speaks your heart's desire, Nanna, after you have absolved that man's sin, may your heart relent towards him who utters prayers to you. (3 mss. add 1 line: The personal deity of this man brings you a present.) He looks favourably on the man who stands there with his offering. Nanna, you whose penetrating gaze searches hearts, may its people who suffered that evil storm be pure before you. May the hearts of your people who dwell in the Land be pure before you. Nanna, in your restored city may you be fittingly praised.

11th kirugu.

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

The Lament for Ur

The Lament for UR

From : Thorkild Jacobsen, The Treasures of Darkness: A History of Mesopotamian Religion.

The goddess of Ur seems to be the mourning or lament leader and, on command, the people mourn. ("the goddess of Ur, Ningal, tells how she suffered under her sense of coming doom.")

When I was grieving for that day of storm, that day of storm, destined for me, laid upon me, heavy with tears, that day of storm, destined for me, laid upon me heavy with tears, on me, the queen.

Though I was trembling for that day of storm, that day of storm destined for me -- I could not flee before that day's fatality. And of a sudden I espied no happy days within my reign, no happy days within my reign. Though I would tremble for that night, that night of cruel weeping destined for me, I could not flee before that night's fatality. Dread of the storm's floodlike destruction weighed on me, and of a sudden on my couch at night, upon my couch at night no dreams were granted me.

And of a sudden on my couch oblivion, upon my couch oblivion was not granted. Because (this) bitter anguish had been destined for my land -- as the cow to the (mired) calf -- even had I come to help it on the ground, I could not have pulled my people back out of the mire. Because (this) bitter dolor had been destined for my city, even if I, birdlike, had stretched my wings, and, (like a bird), flown to my city, yet my city would have been destroyed on its foundation, yet Ur would have perished where it lay. Because that day of storm had raised its hand, and even had I screamed out loud and cried; "Turn back, O day of storm, (turn) to (thy) desert," the breast of that storm would not have been lifted from me. Then verily, to the assembly, where the crowd had not yet risen, while the Anunnaki, binding themselves (to uphold the decision), were still seated, I dragged my feet and I stretched out my arms, truly I shed my tears in front of An.

Truly I myself mourned in front of Enlil: "May my city not be destroyed!" I said indeed to them. "May Ur not be destroyed!" I said indeed to them. "And may its people not be killed!" I said indeed to them.

But An never bent towards those words, and Enlil never with an, "It is pleasing, so be it!" did soothe my heart. (Behold,) they gave instruction that the city be destroyed, (behold,) they gave instruction that Ur be destroyed, and as its destiny decreed that its inhabitants be killed. Enlil (wind god or spirit) called the storm.

The people mourn.

Winds of abundance he took from the land. The people mourn.

Good winds he took away from Sumer. the people mourn.

Deputed evil winds. The people mourn.

Entrusted them to Kingaluda, tender of storms.

He called the storm that annihilates the land. The people mourn.

He called disastrous winds. The people mourn.

Enlil -- choosing Gibil as his helper -- called the (great) hurricane of heaven. The people mourn.

The (blinding) hurricane howling across the skies -- the people mourn -- the tempest unsubduable like breaks through levees, beats down upon, devours the city's ships,

(all these) he gathered at the base of heaven. The people mourn.

(Great) fires he lit that heralded the storm. The people mourn.

And lit on either flank of furious winds the searing heat of the desert.

Like flaming heat of noon this fire scorched.

The storm ordered by Enlil in hate, the storm which wears away the country,

covered Ur like a cloth, veiled it like a linen sheet.

On that day did the storm leave the city; that city was a ruin.

O father Nanna, that town was left a ruin. The people mourn.

On that day did the storm leave the country. The people mourn.

Its people('s corpses), not potsherds, littered the approaches.

The walls were gaping; the high gates, the roads, were piled with dead.

In the wide streets, where feasting crowds (once) gathered, jumbled they lay.

In all the streets and roadways bodies lay.

In open fields that used to fill with dancers, the people lay in heaps.

The country's blood now filled its holes, like metal in a mold; bodies dissolved -- like butter left in the sun.

(Nannar, god of the Moon and spouse of Ningal, appeals to his father, Enlil)

O my father who engendered me! What has my city done to you?

Why have you turned away from it?

O Enlil! What has my city done to you?

Why have you turned away from it?

The ship of first fruits no longer brings first fruits to the engendering father, no longer goes in to Enlil in Nippur with your bread and food portions!

O my father who engendered me! Fold again into your arms my city from its loneliness!

O Enlil! Fold again my Ur into your arms from its loneliness! Fold again my (temple) Ekishnugal into your arms from its loneliness!

Let renown emerge for you in Ur! Let the people expand for you: let the ways of Sumer, which have been destroyed, be restored for you!

Enlil answered his son Suen (saying): "The heart of the wasted city is weeping, reeds (for flutes) of lament grow therein, its heart is weeping, reeds (for flutes) of lament grow therein, its people spend the day in weeping.

O noble Nanna, be thou (concerned) about yourself, what truck have you with tears?

There is no revoking a verdict, a decree of the assembly, a command of An and Enlil is not known ever to have been changed.

Ur was verily granted a kingship -- a lasting term it was not granted.

From days of yore when the country was first settled, to where it has now proceeded, Who ever saw a term of office completed? Its kingship, its term of office, has been uprooted. It must worry. (You) my Nanna, do you not worry! Leave your city!"

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

The Lament for Unug

The lament for Unug

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

SEGMENT A

(beginning of 1st kirugu)

The ...... which had developed -- its wiping clean (?) was to be accomplished (?). The ...... of heaven and earth put their divine powers ...... to sleep (?).

1 line fragmentary

...... mortal man multiplied to become as numerous as the gods. When together ...... had achieved a momentous decision, the ...... of the gods ....... Enki and Ninki determined the consensus -- deemed worthless. Enul and Ninul assigned the fate, .......

When together An and Enlil had created it, that one resembled ....... When Ninlil had given it features, that one was fit for ....... When together Aruru, Suen and Enki had fashioned its limbs, that one turned pitch black, as at night, halfway through the watch, ....... All the great gods paled at its immensity and...... was brought about. Like a great wild bull which bellows mightily, that one filled the world with its roar.

As its gigantic horns reached up to heaven, who trembled in his very core? As it was piled up over the mountains like a battle-net, who turned away? Who caused wailing and lamenting in those streets and ......? Unug, like a loyal citizen in terror, set up an alarm (and exclaimed) "Rise up!" Why did its hand seize Unug? Why did the benevolent eye look away? Who brought about such worry and lamenting and ......?

That one drew nearer. That one settled upon the ground. Why would he withdraw? Who distorted Unug's good sense and deranged its good counsel? Who smashed its good udug deity? Who struck its good lama deity too? Who desecrated the fearsome radiance which crowned it? Who brought about mob panic in Unug? Who ...... sickness too? Along with the city, the foreign lands ......, who ...... in the temple of Unug? That one ........

small no. of lines missing

SEGMENT B

(continuation of 1st kirugu)

1 line fragmentary

Who made ......? Why was ...... expanded? Who made the black-headed people become so numerous? Who overthrew ......? ...... was destroyed -- who restored ......? Who confronted ......? That one crushed ....... That one .......

small no. of lines missing

SEGMENT C

(probable beginning of 2nd kirugu)

1 line fragmentary

...... and Utu, who in human form renders judgment at the law court of heaven, set and did not rise again. ...... bore a heavy burden of sin. ...... the altered verdicts of the lord Nunamnir. ...... who can smite ......? ...... and they approach (?). ...... he brings ...... forth. ...... of Enlil ....... He ...... and puts an end to .......

small no. of lines missing

SEGMENT D

(continuation of 2nd kirugu)

1 line fragmentary

...... each and every one ....... ...... its ways were ....... ...... its destruction and demolition, ....... The ...... of the gods ...... attention. ......, who neglected ......, ...... the city watched as the evil ghost approached. ...... breathed painfully, he wept bitterly. ...... there was no nodding of the head.

He consoled himself with tears and laments -- the city trembled. A defiled hand smote him and flattened his skull -- the city collapsed. The fearsome radiance overwhelmed each and every observer (?). The capital city, canal inspector for all the lands, became like one who spreads havoc. The faithful cowherds themselves overturned every single cattlepen. The chief shepherds themselves burned (?) every sheepfold. They built them up like grain heaps, they spread them out like grain piles, they themselves flattened them. ...... they drenched the fields with water, they turned the city into a swamp. They did all that. Like reeds in a wasteland, life could not be revived. They brought ruination. Evil things menaced (?) the city. A hush settled over the awed hearts of its people like a cloak.

Its good udug deities went away, its lama deities ran off. Its lama deity (said) "Hide in the open country" and they took foreign paths. The city's patron god turned against it and its shepherd abandoned it. Its guardian spirit, though not an enemy, was exiled (?) to a foreign place. Thus all its most important gods evacuated Unug, they kept away from it. They hid out in the hills and wandered (?) about in the haunted plains. In the city built upon peace, food and drink were overturned like a saman vessel. In the pasture lands a tumultuous noise arose, the asses and sheep were driven away. Elderly people and babies, taking their rest, ...... in front ....... They saw ...... and slaughtered (?) .......

3 lines fragmentary

small no. of lines missing

SEGMENT E

(continuation of 2nd kirugu)

He ...... and opened his clenched fist. He ...... and reached out his hand. The ...... of Sumer, the city whose king crossed over to an enemy land, to ....... -- he smote it with the might of his weapon. He ...... and turned the place into dust. He ...... and piled the people up in heaps. ...... when will its charms be restored?

2nd kirugu.

The ...... of heaven ...... and the people ...... to the limits of heaven.

Its jicgijal.

He ......, stretched forth his hand and induced terror in the land. Enlil struck out with great ferocity. He announced: "A devastating deluge shall be invoked. At its front war shall be a ...... axe, at its rear it shall be a ....... Its scales shall be a harrow, its back shall be flames. Its countenance shall be a malevolent storm that enshrouds heaven and earth. The glint of its eyes shall be lightning that flashes far like the Anzud bird. Its mouth shall be grotesque -- a blaze that extends as far as the nether world. Its tongue shall be an inferno, raining embers, that sunders the Land. Its arms shall be the majestic Anzud bird that nothing can escape when it spreads wide its talons.

"Its ribs shall be crowbars that let light pass inside like the sun's rays. Knotted at both its hips shall be city-destroying slingstones. Its great haunches shall be dripping knives, covered with gore, that make blood flow. Its muscles shall be saws that slash, its feet those of an eagle. It shall make the Tigris and Euphrates quaver, it shall make the mountains rumble. At its reverberation the hills shall be uprooted, the people shall be pitched about like sheaves, Sumer and Akkad shall shiver, they shall be flooded like a harvest crop. The foolish shall rejoice, they shall exclaim: "Let it come -- we shall be seeing war and battle in the city, how the sacred precinct (?) is destroyed, how the walls are battered down, how the city's peace is disrupted, how among the loyal families honest men are transformed into traitors."

"But the sensible shall beat their breasts and droop (?) their heads. At midnight they shall toss about tearfully and suffer insomnia. In bed, under the covers, they shall be unable to sleep soundly, they shall wander about the city. They shall wring their hands, their courage shall run out: "May our allies serving in times of war mobilise their forces for peace. May the word of Enlil be sent back, may it turn tail. May the venom of Nunamnir's anger become exhausted. May those vicious men who have seized the E-kur be punished. May those who have set their sight upon Nibru be swept away."

3rd kirugu.

My heart is filled with sorrow, I am tear-stricken.

Its jicgijal.

Oh, Sumer! Alas -- your spirit! Alas -- your structure! Alas -- your people! The word of An, having been assigned its place, has destroyed the sacred precinct (?). The pronouncement of Enlil, having been set in motion, ....... The devastating deluge ....... The great and fierce ......, the lord Nergal ....... ...... like Gibil, Nergal .......

1 line fragmentary

War ...... enemy lands ...... echoed. Like arrows in a quiver ....... Evildoers in Sumer ....... Gutium, the enemy, overturned ....... Sumer, caught in a trap, ....... Its people were thrown into turmoil ....... The mighty heroes of Sumer ....... ...... the heart of a hurricane ....... They advanced like the front rank of troops, ....... Like ...... they were crushed, every one of them ....... Their war veterans gave up, their brains were muddled. The troop leaders, the most outstanding of the men, were viciously hewn down. Gutium, the enemy, ...... weapons ....... Not looking at each other ...... Like a swelling flood, like ......, Subir poured into Sumer.

They ...... like stampeding goats, they tore apart the corpses of the population. They mutilated Sumer and Akkad, they pulverised it as with a pestle. They destroyed its settlements and habitations, they razed them to ruin mounds. The best of Sumer they scattered like dust, they heaped up ....... They massacred its populace, they finished off young and old alike. They destroyed the city of the Anuna gods, they set it aflame. They put out both Unug's eyes, they uprooted its young shoots. They wandered all through the libation places of the Anuna gods. And even Kulaba, which is the primeval city, they turned into a place of murder.

4th kirugu.

Alas -- Sumer! Alas -- its people!

Its jicgijal.

Unug! They seized your wharf and your borders and ....... At Unug shouts rang out, screams reverberated, its captured men ....... The noise reached to the south. The south was destroyed and ....... The impact forced its way to the uplands. The uplands were struck and ....... To the right and left no people moved about, no habitations were built. There was no ...... and the mobilisation of troops did not ....... ...... rose up to heaven. Heaven perished and its strength did not ....... ...... upon the earth. The earth was scattered, and it did not ....... All the settlements were dispersed -- Unug stood all alone. It was a bull, it was a champion, it was immense with pride, but it ...... to the weapons. All night and even until midday battle was waged, and afterwards it did not .......

Battering rams and shields were set up, they rent its walls. They breached its buttresses, they hewed the city with axes. They set fire to its stations, they ...... the city's dwellings. They destroyed it, they demolished it. Unug, the good place, was ...... with dust. Like a great wild bull wounded with an arrow, ....... Like a wild cow pierced with a spear, ....... The mighty one rushed with his weapons and ...... implements of war. Subir, rising up like a swelling floodwave, ....... They trampled (?) through the streets and ....... They let the blood of the people flow like that of a sacrificial cow, they tore out everthing that had been built.

The citizens of Unug ....... They...... and threw down ....... They ...... and put an end to ....... They seized ....... They struck ....... They destroyed ....... They ...... They demolished ....... They set up ....... They heaped up ....... They put an end to ...... and did not leave behind ....... ...... Subir entered ......

5th kirugu.

...... cried out "...... has been created" and he smeared dust ......

Its jicgijal.

...... reached ......

19 fragmentary lines

unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT F

(probable beginning of another kirugu)

The enemy land ....... Zabalam ....... In Urim, the E-kic-nu-jal ....... Cattllepen and sheepfold ......, evil ....... The land of Subir .......

200-300 lines missing

SEGMENT G

(part of 11th kirugu)

All the great gods ....... The Anuna gods .......

1 line fragmentary

Sovereigns .......

1 line fragmentary

unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT H

(beginning of 12th kirugu)

Lady Inana whose greatness is vaster than the mountains, hovering like An, vested with grandeur like Enlil, like her father, perfect by night and in the heat of the day, like Utu, surpassing in vigour, singularly exalted in all the four regions -- let Icme- Dagan take pleasure in relaxing in your temple, let him murmer to you in your temple, let him raise his head to you in your E-ana.

Let Icme- Dagan serve you as your steward. Let him prepare great bulls for you. Let him dedicate great offerings to you. Let him make the beer, fat and oil plentiful for you. Let him make syrup and wine flow for you as from stone jars. Let Icme- Dagan, son of Enlil on the king's pedestal, bow in homage to you. May he make the ub and ala drums resound grandly for you. May the tigi sound sweetly for you, and may the zamzam play for you. May they play ...... on the tigi for you, expressing your prayers and supplications before you.

In bringing forth ......, all that there are, at your E-jipar in Unug, as a humble man who has grasped your feet, as a pious one who has experienced your exaltedness, he has brought a lament as offering to you and will ....... As for everything that happened to Sumer and Akkad, which he has witnessed in Unug, the aggrieved place, may the best singers perform songs there.

If the Anuna gods emerge tearfully, let them promise to us that as it was when heaven and earth came about, nothing of that time shall be changed. If An looks kindly upon that man and at the well-built city, the place of determining fate, proclaim "Man and city! Life and well-being!" for him. Let praises ring out. Let him be made surpassing above all, to his right or left. Tireless lama deity, take hold of his head, pronounce his fate in charitable words -- by the command of An and Enlil it will remain unaltered for a long time.

12th kirugu.

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

The Lament for Sumer - Urim

The lament for Sumer and Urim

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

To overturn the appointed times, to obliterate the divine plans, the storms gather to strike like a flood.

An, Enlil, Enki and Ninhursaja (2 mss. have instead: Ninmah) have decided its fate -- to overturn the divine powers of Sumer, to lock up the favourable reign in its home, to destroy the city, to destroy the house, to destroy the cattle-pen, to level the sheepfold; that the cattle should not stand in the pen, that the sheep should not multiply in the fold, that watercourses should carry brackish water, that weeds should grow in the fertile fields, that mourning plants should grow in the open country, that the mother should not seek out her child, that the father should not say "O my dear wife!", that the junior wife should take no joy in his embrace, that the young child should not grow vigorous on his knee, that the wet-nurse should not sing lullabies; to change the location of kingship, to defile the seeking of oracles, to take kingship away from the Land, to cast the eye of the storm on all the land, to obliterate the divine plans by the order of An and Enlil; after An had frowned upon all the lands, after Enlil had looked favourably on an enemy land, after Nintud had scattered the creatures that she had created, after Enki had altered the course of the Tigris and Euphrates, after Utu had cast his curse on the roads and highways; so as to obliterate the divine powers of Sumer, to change its preordained plans, to alienate the divine powers of the reign of kingship of Urim, to humiliate the princely son in his house E-kic-nu-jal, to break up the unity of the people of Nanna, numerous as ewes; to change the food offerings of Urim, the shrine of magnificent food offerings; that its people should no longer dwell in their quarters, that they should be given over to live in an inimical place; that Cimacki and Elam, the enemy, should dwell in their place; that its shepherd, in his own palace, should be captured by the enemy, that Ibbi-Suen should be taken to the land Elam in fetters, that from Mount Zabu on the edge of the sea to the borders of Ancan, like a swallow that has flown from its house, he should never return to his city; that on the two banks of the Tigris and of the Euphrates bad weeds should grow, that no one should set out on the road, that no one should seek out the highway, that the city and its settled surroundings should be razed to ruin-mounds; that its numerous black-headed people should be slaughtered; that the hoe should not attack the fertile fields, that seed should not be planted in the ground, that the melody of the cowherds' songs should not resound in the open country, that butter and cheese should not be made in the cattle-pen, that dung should not be stacked on the ground, that the shepherd should not enclose the sacred sheepfold with a fence, that the song of the churning should not resound in the sheepfold; to decimate the animals of the open country, to finish off all living things, that the four-legged creatures of Cakkan should lay no more dung on the ground, that the marshes should be so dry as to be full of cracks and have no new seed, that sickly-headed reeds should grow in the reed-beds, that they should be covered by a stinking morass, that there should be no new growth in the orchards, that it should all collapse by itself -- so as quickly to subdue Urim like a roped ox, to bow its neck to the ground: the great charging wild bull, confident in its own strength, the primeval city of lordship and kingship, built on sacred ground.

Its fate cannot be changed. Who can overturn it? It is the command of An and Enlil. Who can oppose it?

An frightened the very dwellings of Sumer, the people were afraid. Enlil blew an evil storm, silence lay upon the city. Nintud bolted the door of the storehouses of the Land. Enki blocked the water in the Tigris and the Euphrates. Utu took away the pronouncement of equity and justice. Inana handed over victory in strife and battle to a rebellious land. Ninjirsu poured Sumer away like milk to the dogs. Turmoil descended upon the Land, something that no one had ever known, something unseen, which had no name, something that could not be fathomed. The lands were confused in their fear. The god of the city turned away, its shepherd vanished.

The people, in their fear, breathed only with difficulty. The storm immobilised them, the storm did not let them return. There was no return for them, the time of captivity did not pass. What did Enlil, the shepherd of the black-headed people, do? Enlil, to destroy the loyal households, to decimate the loyal men, to put the evil eye on the sons of the loyal men, on the first-born, Enlil then sent down Gutium from the mountains. Their advance was as the flood of Enlil that cannot be withstood. The great wind of the countryside filled the countryside, it advanced before them. The extensive countryside was destroyed, no one moved about there.

The dark time was roasted by hailstones and flames. The bright time was wiped out by a shadow.(2 mss. add 2 lines: On that bloody day, mouths were crushed, heads were crashed. The storm was a harrow coming from above, the city was struck by a hoe.) On that day, heaven rumbled, the earth trembled, the storm worked without respite. Heaven was darkened, it was covered by a shadow; the mountains roared. Utu lay down at the horizon, dust passed over the mountains. Nanna lay at the zenith, the people were afraid. The city ...... stepped outside. The foreigners in the city even chased away its dead. Large trees were uprooted, the forest growth was ripped out. The orchards were stripped of their fruit, they were cleaned of their offshoots. The crop drowned while it was still on the stalk, the yield of the grain diminished.

3 lines fragmentary

They piled ...... up in heaps, they spread ...... out like sheaves. There were corpses floating in the Euphrates, brigands roamed the roads. The father turned away from his wife without saying "O my wife!" The mother turned away from her child without saying "O my child!" He who had a productive estate neglected his estate without saying "O my estate!" The rich man took an unfamiliar path away from his possessions. In those days the kingship of the Land was defiled. The tiara and crown that had been on the king's head were both spoiled. The lands that had followed the same path were split into disunity. The food offerings of Urim, the shrine of magnificent food offerings, were changed for the worse. Nanna traded away his people, numerous as ewes.

Its king sat immobilised in the palace, all alone. Ibbi-Suen was sitting in anguish in the palace, all alone. In E-namtila, his place of delight, he wept bitterly. The devastating flood was levelling everything. Like a great storm it roared over the earth -- who could escape it? -- to destroy the city, to destroy the house, so that traitors would lie on top of loyal men and the blood of traitors flow upon loyal men.

1st kirugu.

The storms gather to strike like a flood.

Jicgijal to the kirugu.

The house of Kic, Hursaj-kalama, was destroyed. Zababa took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved dwelling. Mother Bau was lamenting bitterly in her E-Iri-kug. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

1 line fragmentary

2 lines missing

"Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

Kazallu, the city of teeming multitudes, was cast into confusion. Numucda took an unfamiliar path away from the city, his beloved dwelling. His wife Namrat, the beautiful lady, was lamenting bitterly. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its river bed was empty, no water flowed. Like a river cursed by Enki its opening channel was dammed up. On the fields fine grains grew no more, people had nothing to eat. The orchards were scorched like an oven, its open country was scattered. The four-legged wild animals did not run about. The four-legged creatures of Cakkan could find no rest.

Lugal-Marda stepped outside his city. Ninzuana took an unfamiliar path away from her beloved dwelling. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Isin, the shrine that was not a quay, was split by onrushing waters. Nininsina, the mother of the Land, wept bitter tears. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Enlil smote Dur-an-ki with a mace. Enlil made lamentation in his city, the shrine Nibru. Mother Ninlil, the lady of the Ki-ur shrine, wept bitter tears. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

Kec, built all alone on the high open country, was haunted. Adab, the settlement which stretches out along the river, was treated as a rebellious land.(1 ms. has instead: was deprived of water.) The snake of the mountains made his lair there, it became a rebellious land. The Gutians bred there, issued their seed. Nintud wept bitter tears over her creatures. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. In Zabalam the sacred Giguna was haunted. Inana abandoned Unug and went off to enemy territory. In the E-ana the enemy set eyes upon the sacred Jipar shrine. The sacred Jipar of en-ship was defiled. Its en priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off to enemy territory. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

A violent storm blew over Umma, brickwork in the midst of the highlands. Cara took an unfamiliar path away from the E-mah, his beloved dwelling. Ninmul cried bitter tears over her destroyed city. "Oh my city, whose charms can no longer satisfy me," she cried bitterly. Jirsu, the city of heroes, was afflicted with a lightning storm. Ninjirsu took an unfamiliar path away from the E-ninnu. Mother Bau wept bitter tears in her E-Iri-kug. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

On that day the word of Enlil was an attacking storm. Who could fathom it? The word of Enlil was destruction on the right, was ...... on the left. What did Enlil do in order to decide the fate of mankind? Enlil brought down the Elamites, the enemy, from the highlands. Nance, the noble daughter, was settled outside the city. Fire approached Ninmarki in the shrine Gu-aba. Large boats were carrying off its silver and lapis lazuli. The lady, sacred Ninmarki, was despondent because of her perished goods. Then the day ......, burning like ....... The province of Lagac was handed over to Elam. And then the queen also reached the end of her time.

Bau, as if she were human, also reached the end of her time: "Woe is me! Enlil has handed over the city to the storm. He has handed it over to the storm that destroys cities. He has handed it over to the storm that destroys houses." Dumuzid-abzu was full of fear in the house of Kinirca. Kinirca, the city of her noble youth, was ordered to be plundered. The city of Nance, Nijin, was delivered to the foreigners. Sirara, her beloved dwelling, was handed over to the evil ones. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar of en-ship was defiled. Its en priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off to enemy territory.

Mighty strength was set against the banks of the Id-nuna-Nanna canal. The settlements of the E-danna of Nanna, like substantial cattle-pens, were destroyed. Their refugees, like stampeding goats, were chased (?) by dogs. They destroyed Gaec like milk poured out to dogs, and shattered its finely fashioned statues. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar of en-ship was defiled. Its en priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off to enemy territory.

A lament was raised at the dais that stretches out toward heaven. Its heavenly throne was not set up, was not fit to be crowned (?). It was cut down as if it were a date palm and tied together. Accu, the settlement that stretches out along the river, was deprived of water. At the place of Nanna where evil had never walked, the enemy walked. How was the house treated thus? The E-puhruma was emptied. Ki-abrig, which used to be filled with numerous cows and numerous calves, was destroyed like a mighty cattle-pen. Ningubalag took an unfamiliar path away from the Ja-bur. Niniagar wept bitter tears all alone. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar of en-ship was defiled. Its en priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off to enemy territory.

Ninazu deposited his weapon in a corner in the E-gida. An evil storm swept over Ninhursaja at the E-nutura. Like a pigeon she flew from the window, she stood apart in the open country. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. In Jicbanda, the house that was filled with lamentation, lamentation reeds grew. Ninjiczida took an unfamiliar path away from Jicbanda. Azimua, the queen of the city, wept bitter tears. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

On that day, the storm forced people to live in darkness. In order to destroy Kuara, it forced people to live in darkness. Ninehama in her fear wept bitter tears. "Alas the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Asarluhi put his robes on with haste and ....... Lugalbanda took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved dwelling.(1 ms. adds: Ninsun .......) "Alas the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

Eridug, floating on great waters, was deprived (?) of drinking water. In its outer environs, which had turned into haunted plains, ....... The loyal man in a place of treachery ....... Ka-hejala and Igi-hejala .......

"I, a young man whom the storm has not destroyed, ....... I, not destroyed by the storm, my attractiveness not brought to an end, ....... We have been struck down like beautiful boxwood trees. We have been struck down like ...... with coloured eyes. We have been struck down like statues being cast in moulds. The Gutians, the vandals, are wiping us out. We turned to father Enki in the abzu of Eridug. ...... what can we say, what more can we add? ...... what can we say, what more can we add?

"...... we have been driven out of Eridug. We who were in charge of ...... during the day are eclipsed (?) by shadows. We who were in charge of ...... during the night are ...... by the storm. How shall we receive among our weary ones him who was in charge during the day? How shall we let him who was in charge by night go astray among our sleepless ones? Enki, your city has been cursed, it has been given to an enemy land. Why do they reckon us among those who have been displaced from Eridug? Why do they destroy us like palm trees, us who were not violent? Why do they break us up, like a new boat that has not ......?"

After Enki had cast his eyes on a foreign land,

1 line unclear

...... have risen up, have called on their cohorts. Enki took an unfamiliar path away from Eridug. Damgalnuna, the mother of the E-mah, wept bitter tears. "Alas the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar of en-ship was defiled. Its en priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off to enemy territory.

In Urim no one went to fetch food, no one went to fetch water. Those who went to fetch food, went away from the food and will not return. Those who went to fetch water, went away from the water and will not return. To the south, the Elamites stepped in, slaughtering ....... In the uplands, the vandals, the enemy, ....... The Tidnum daily strapped the mace to their loins. To the south, the Elamites, like an onrushing wave, were ....... In the uplands, like chaff blowing in the wind, they ...... over the open country. Urim, like a great charging wild bull, bowed its neck to the ground.

What did Enlil, who decides the fates, then do? Again he sent down the Elamites, the enemy, from the mountains. The foremost house, firmly founded, ....... In order to destroy Kisiga, ten men, even five men ....... Three days and three nights did not pass, ...... the city was raked by a hoe. Dumuzid left Kisiga like a prisoner of war, his hands were fettered.

5 lines fragmentary

She rode away from her possessions, she went to the mountains. She loudly sang out a lament over those brightly lit mountains: "I am queen, but I shall have to ride away from my possessions, and now I shall be a slave in those parts. I shall have to ride away from my silver and lapis lazuli, and now I shall be a slave in those parts. There, slavery, ...... people, who can ...... it? There, slavery, Elam ......, who can ...... it? Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. My queen, though not the enemy, went to enemy land. Ama-ucumgal-ana ...... Kisiga. Like a city .......

2nd kirugu.

1 line fragmentary

1 line missing

Jicgijal to the kirugu.

7 lines missing or fragmentary

Enlil threw open the door of the grand gate to the wind. In Urim no one went to fetch food, no one went to fetch water. Its people rushed around like water being poured from a well. Their strength ebbed away, they could not even go on their way. Enlil afflicted the city with an evil famine. He afflicted the city with that which destroys cities, that which destroys houses. He afflicted the city with that which cannot be withstood with weapons. He afflicted the city with dissatisfaction and treachery. In Urim, which was like a solitary reed, there was not even fear. Its people, like fish being grabbed in a pond, sought to escape. Its young and old lay spread about, no one could rise.

At the royal station (?) there was no food on top of the platform (?). The king who used to eat marvellous food grabbed at a mere ration. As the day grew dark, the eye of the sun was eclipsing, the people experienced hunger. There was no beer in the beer-hall, there was no more malt for it. There was no food for him in his palace, it was unsuitable to live in. Grain did not fill his lofty storehouse, he could not save his life. The grain-piles and granaries of Nanna held no grain. The evening meal in the great dining hall of the gods was defiled. Wine and syrup ceased to flow in the great dining hall. The butcher's knife that used to slay oxen and sheep lay hungry in the grass. Its mighty oven no longer cooked oxen and sheep, it no longer emitted the aroma of roasting meat. The sounds of the bursaj building, the pure ...... of Nanna, were stilled. The house which used to bellow like a bull was silenced. Its holy deliveries were no longer fulfilled, its ...... were alienated. The mortar, pestle and grinding stone lay idle; no one bent down over them.

The Shining Quay of Nanna was silted up. The sound of water against the boat's prow ceased, there was no rejoicing. Dust piled up in the unuribanda of Nanna. The rushes grew, the rushes grew, the mourning reeds grew. Boats and barges ceased docking at the Shining Quay. Nothing moved on your watercourse which was fit for barges. The plans of the festivals at the place of the divine rituals were altered. The boat with first-fruit offerings of the father who begot Nanna no longer brought first-fruit offerings. Its food offerings could not be taken to Enlil in Nibru. Its watercourse was empty, barges could not travel.

There were no paths on either of its banks, long grass grew there. The reed fence of the well-stocked cattle-pen of Nanna was split open. The reed huts were overrun, their walls were breached. The cows and their young were captured and carried off to enemy territory. The munzer-fed cows took an unfamiliar path in an open country that they did not know. Gayau, who loves cows, dropped his weapon in the dung. Cuni-dug, who stores butter and cheese, did not store butter and cheese. Those who are unfamiliar with butter were churning the butter. Those who are unfamiliar with milk were curdling (?) the milk. The sound of the churning vat did not resound in the cattle-pen. Like mighty fire that once burnt, its smoke is extinguished. The great dining hall of Nanna .......

Suen wept to his father Enlil: "O father who begot me, why have you turned away from my city which was built (?) for you? O Enlil, why have you turned away from my Urim which was built (?) for you? The boat with first-fruit offerings no longer brings first-fruit offerings to the father who begot him. Your food offerings can no longer be brought to Enlil in Nibru. The en priests of the countryside and city have been carried off by phantoms. Urim, like a city raked by a hoe, is to be counted as a ruin-mound. The Ki-ur, Enlil's resting-place, has become a haunted shrine. O Enlil, gaze upon your city, an empty wasteland. Gaze upon your city Nibru, an empty wasteland.

"The dogs of Urim no longer sniff at the base of the city wall. The man who used to drill large wells scratches the ground in the market place. My father who begot me, enclose in your embrace my city which is all alone. Enlil, return to your embrace my Urim which is all alone. Enclose in your embrace my E-kic-nu-jal which is all alone. May you bring forth offspring in Urim, may you multiply its people. May you restore the divine powers of Sumer that have been forgotten."

3rd kirugu.

O good house, good house! O its people, its people!

Jicgijal.

Enlil then answered his son Suen: "There is lamentation in the haunted city, reeds of mourning grow there. (1 ms. adds the line: In its midst there is lamentation, reeds of mourning grow there.) In its midst the people pass their days in sighing. (1 ms. adds the line: My son, the noble son ......, why do you concern yourself with crying?) Oh Nanna, the noble son ......, why do you concern yourself with crying? The judgment uttered by the assembly cannot be reversed. The word of An and Enlil knows no overturning. Urim was indeed given kingship but it was not given an eternal reign. From time immemorial, since the Land was founded, until people multiplied, who has ever seen a reign of kingship that would take precedence for ever? The reign of its kingship had been long indeed but had to exhaust itself. O my Nanna, do not exert yourself in vain, abandon your city."

Then my king, the noble son, became distraught. Lord Acimbabbar, the noble son, grieved. Nanna who loves his city left his city. Suen took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved Urim. In order to go as an exile from her city to foreign territory, Ningal quickly clothed herself and left the city. The Anuna stepped outside of Urim.

...... approached Urim. The trees of Urim were sick, its reeds were sick. Laments sounded all along its city wall. Daily there was slaughter before it. Large axes were sharpened in front of Urim. The spears, the arms of battle, were prepared. The large bows, javelin and shield gathered together to strike. The barbed arrows covered its outer side like a raining cloud. Large stones, one after another, fell with great thuds.(1 ms. adds the line: Daily the evil wind returned in the city.) Urim, confident in its own strength, stood ready for the murderers. Its people, oppressed by the enemy, could not withstand their weapons.

In the city, those who had not been felled by weapons succumbed to hunger. Hunger filled the city like water, it would not cease. This hunger contorted people's faces, twisted their muscles. Its people were as if drowning in a pond, they gasped for breath. Its king breathed heavily in his palace, all alone. Its people dropped their weapons, their weapons hit the ground. They struck their necks with their hands and cried. They sought counsel with each other, they searched for clarification: "Alas, what can we say about it? What more can we add to it? How long until we are finished off by this catastrophe? Inside Urim there is death, outside it there is death. Inside it we are to be finished off by famine. Outside it we are to be finished off by Elamite weapons. In Urim the enemy oppresses us, oh, we are finished."

The people took refuge (?) behind the city walls. They were united in fear. The palace that was destroyed by onrushing water was defiled, its doorbolts were torn out. Elam, like a swelling flood wave, left (?) only the ghosts. In Urim people were smashed as if they were clay pots. Its refugees were unable to flee, they were trapped inside the walls.(1 ms. adds 3 lines: Like fish living in a pond, they tried to escape. The enemy seized the E-kic-nu-jal of Nanna. They ripped out its heavy .......) The statues that were in the treasury were cut down. The great stewardess Niniagar ran away from the storehouse. Its throne was cast down before it, she threw herself down into the dust.

Its mighty cows with shining horns were captured, their horns were cut off. Its unblemished oxen and grass-fed sheep were slaughtered.(1 ms. adds the line: They were cut down as date palms and were tied together.) The palm-trees, strong as mighty copper, the heroic strength, were torn out like rushes, were plucked like rushes, their trunks were turned sideways. Their tops lay in the dust, there was no one to raise them. The midriffs of their palm fronds were cut off and their tops were burnt off. Their date spadices that used to fall (?) on the well were torn out. The fertile reeds, which grew in the sacred ......, were defiled. The great tribute that they had collected was hauled off to the mountains.

The house's great door ornament fell down, its parapet was destroyed. The wild animals that were intertwined on its left and right lay before it like heroes smitten by heroes. Its gaping-mouthed dragons and its awe-inspiring lions were pulled down with ropes like captured wild bulls and carried off to enemy territory. The fragrance of the sacred seat of Nanna, formerly like a fragrant cedar grove, was destroyed. (1 ms. adds the line: Its architrave ...... gold and lapis lazuli.) The glory of the house, whose glory was once so lovely, was extinguished. Like a storm that fills all the lands, it was built there like twilight in the heavens; its doors adorned with the heavenly stars, its ....... Great bronze latches ...... were torn out. Its hinges ....... Together with its door fittings it (?) wept bitterly like a fugitive. The bolt, the holy lock and the great door were not fastened for it. The noise of the door being fastened had ceased; there was no one to fasten it. The ...... and was put out in the square.

The food offerings ...... of his royal dining place were altered. In its sacred place (?) the tigi, cem and ala instruments did not sound. Its mighty tigi ...... did not perform its sacred song. Verdicts were not given at the Dubla-mah, the place where oaths used to be taken. The throne was not set up at its place of judgment, justice was not administered. Alamuc threw down his sceptre, his hands trembling. In the sacred bedchamber of Nanna musicians no longer played the balaj drum. The sacred box that no one had set eyes upon was seen by the enemy. The divine bed was not set up, it was not spread with clean hay. The statues that were in the treasury were cut down. The cook, the dream interpreter, and the seal keeper did not perform the ceremonies properly. They stood by submissively and were carried off by the foreigners. The holy usga priests of the sacred lustrations, the linen-clad priests, forsook the divine plans and sacred divine powers, they went off to a foreign city.

In his grief Suen approached his father. He went down on his knee in front of Enlil, the father who begot him: "O father who begot me, how long will the enemy eye be cast upon my account, how long ......? The lordship and the kingship that you bestowed ......, father Enlil, the one who advises with just words, the wise words of the Land ......, your inimical judgment ......, look into your darkened heart, terrifying like waves. O father Enlil, the fate that you have decreed cannot be explained, the ...... of lordship, my ornament." ...... he put on a garment of mourning.

Enlil then provided a favourable response to his son Suen: "My son, the city built for you in joy and prosperity was given to you as your reign. The destroyed city, the great wall, the walls with broken battlements: all this too is part of that reign. ...... the black, black days of the reign that has been your lot. As for dwelling in your home, the E-temen-ni-guru, that was properly built -- indeed Urim shall be rebuilt in splendour, the people shall bow down to you. There is to be bounty at its base, there is to be grain. There is to be splendour at its top, the sun shall rejoice there. Let an abundance of grain embrace its table. May Urim, the city whose fate was pronounced by An, be restored for you." Having pronounced his blessing, Enlil raised his head toward the heavens: "May the land, south and highland, be organised for Nanna. May the roads of the mountains be set in order for Suen. Like a cloud hugging the earth, they shall submit to him. By order of An and Enlil it shall be conferred."

Father Nanna stood in his city of Urim with head raised high again. The youth Suen could enter again into the E-kic-nu-jal. Ningal refreshed herself in her sacred living quarters. (1 ms. adds the line: In Urim she could enter again into her E-kic-nu-jal.)

4th kirugu.

There is lamentation in the haunted city, mourning reeds grew there. In its midst there is lamentation, mourning reeds grew there. Its people spend their days in moaning.

Jicgijal.

bitter storm, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. O storm that destroys cities, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. O storm that destroys houses, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. Indeed the storm that blew on Sumer, blew also on the foreign lands. Indeed the storm that blew on the land, blew on the foreign lands. It has blown on Tidnum, it has blown on the foreign lands. It has blown on Gutium, it has blown on the foreign lands. It has blown on Ancan, it has blown on the foreign lands. It levelled Ancan like a blowing evil wind. Famine has overwhelmed the evildoer; those people will have to submit.

May An not change the divine powers of heaven, the divine plans for treating the people with justice. May An not change the decisions and judgments to lead the people properly. To travel on the roads of the Land: may An not change it. May An and Enlil not change it, may An not change it. May Enki and Ninmah not change it, may An not change it. That the Tigris and Euphrates should again carry water: may An not change it. That there should be rain in the skies and on the ground speckled barley: may An not change it. That there should be watercourses with water and fields with grain: may An not change it. That the marshes should support fish and fowl: may An not change it. That old reeds and fresh reeds should grow in the reed-beds: may An not change it. May An and Enlil not change it. May Enki and Ninmah not change it.

That the orchards should bear syrup and grapes, that the high plain should bear the macgurum tree, that there should be long life in the palace, that the sea should bring forth every abundance: may An not change it. The land densely populated from south to uplands: may An not change it. May An and Enlil not change it, may An not change it. May Enki and Ninmah not change it, may An not change it. That cities should be rebuilt, that people should be numerous, that in the whole universe the people should be cared for; o Nanna, your kingship is sweet, return to your place. May a good abundant reign be long-lasting in Urim. Let its people lie down in safe pastures, let them reproduce. O mankind ......, princess overcome by lamentation and crying! O Nanna! O your city! O your house! O your people!

5th kirugu.

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

The Lament for Nibru

The lament for Nibru

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

After the cattle pen had been built for the foremost divine powers -- how did it become a haunted place? When will it be restored? Where once the brick of fate had been laid -- who scattered its divine powers? The lamentation is reprised: how did the storeroom of Nibru, the shrine Dur-an-ki, become a haunted place? When will it be restored? After Ki-ur, the sanctuary, had been built, after the brickwork of E-kur had been built, after Ubcu-unkena had been built, after the shrine Egal-mah had been built -- how did they become haunted? When will they be restored?

How did the true city become empty? Its precious designs have been defiled! How were the city's festivals neglected? Its magnificent rites have been thrown into disorder! In the heart of Nibru, where the divine powers were allotted and the black-headed people prolificly multiplied, the city's heart no longer revealed any sign of intelligence -- there where the Anuna used to give advice! In Ubcu-unkena, the place for making great judgments, they no longer impart decisions or justice!

Where its gods had established their dwellings, where their daily rations were offered, their daises erected, where the sacred royal offering (?) and the evening meal in their great banquet hall were destined for the pouring out of choice beer and syrup -- Nibru, the city where the black-headed people used to cool themselves in its spreading shade -- in their dwellings Enlil fell upon them as if they were criminals. It was he who sent them scattering, like a scattered herd of cattle. How long until its lady, the goddess Ninlil, would ask after the inner city, whose bitter tears were overwhelming?

As though it were empty wasteland, no one enters that great temple whose bustle of activity was famous. As for all the great rulers who increased the wealth of the city of Nibru -- why did they disappear? For how long would Enlil neglect the Land, where the black-headed people ate rich grass like sheep? Tears, lamentation, depression and despair! How long would his spirit burn and his heart not be placated? Why were those who once played the cem and ala drums spending their time in bitter lamenting? Why were the lamenters sitting in its brick buildings? They were bewailing the hardship which beset them.

The men whose wives had fallen, whose children had fallen, were singing "Oh! Our destroyed city!". Their city gone, their homes abandoned -- as those who were singing for the brick buildings of the good city, as the lamenters of wailing, like the foster-children of an ecstatic no longer knowing their own intelligence, the people were smitten, their minds thrown into disorder. The true temple wails bitterly.

1st kirugu

...... built the temple, Ninlil .......

Its jicgijal

The true temple gave you only tears and lamentation -- it sings a bitter song of the proper cleansing-rites that are forgotten! The brickwork of E-kur gave you only tears and lamentation -- it sings a bitter song of the proper cleansing-rites that are forgotten! It weeps bitter tears over the splendid rites and most precious plans which are desecrated -- its most sacred food rations neglected and ...... into funeral offerings, it cries "Alas!". The temple despairs of its divine powers, utterly cleansed, pure, hallowed, which are now defiled! The true temple, which it is bitter to enter on one's own, passes the time ...... tears.

Because the sealings of the abundant materials stored in the temple have been broken open, they have placed the loads on the ground. Because the property in its well-tended storehouses has been sent back, it says "What will they weigh out for me now?"; because the enemies who do not know good from evil have cut off all good things, it sings a bitter dirge; because they have finished off its populace there like animals, it cries "Oh! my Land!". Because they have piled up the young women, young men and their little children like heaps of grain, it cries "Woe!" for them. Because they have splashed their blood on the ground like a rain-storm, there is no restraint to its crying.

The temple, like a cow whose calf is cut off, groans bitterly to itself; it is grief-stricken, and the sweet-voiced lamenters, like nursemaids singing a lullaby, respond tearfully with its name. In anguish they bewail the fact that the city's lord has smashed heads there, that he has looked away from it and toward a foreign land instead. The true temple of all the countries, which had come before him -- what have the black-headed people, who had taken a true path, done, what have they forsaken, that their lord has become enraged with them and walks in anger?

2nd kirugu

It voices bitter cries because he has removed the great divine powers from within it.

Its jicgijal

How long will the city's lord who became angry with it not turn to it, not say "Alas!" for it? Why did he cut off the road to its brickwork? He made the noisy pigeons fly away from their windows. Why did he transform the appearance of the temple which knew voices, where they used to while away the days in sweet playing of tigi drums in the brick buildings? The temple, once a place to offer salutations in humility, is now as deathly silent as a temple which no one reveres!

As though its purification priest's equipment were not utterly sacred, as though its cleansing-rites did not bring calm in all countries, he has abandoned it, turned his breast away from it, among dejection and lamentation he has made it a sacrilege. After its fate, how long till his face would be streaked with teardrops? He rejected it thus as though it were a blasphemy! Why has joy left its brickwork? Night and day he has filled its heart with tears! Even now, he has made it foreign and a sacrilege!

Its lord, who has despoiled it like an evil wind, has destroyed that city and its temples! He has ripped out their foundations, struck them with the adze, killed wives and their children within it, he has turned that city into a deserted city -- when would he restore its ancient property? Its possessions have been carried off by the wind! Enlil turned the city which used to be there into a city no longer!

He made its mind wander! He threw its intelligence into disorder and made it haunted! He took away its food and its water! He brought to an end its days of familiarity with milk and with beer! The temple which he has made a sacrilege utters bitter lamentations; he has made its eyes blurred with tears. The lamenters who perform the dirges respond to it sorrowfully. No one touches the arm of the city's lord who has removed its divine powers! No one intercedes!

3rd kirugu

How did Enlil make all his greatest divine powers fly away! No one ever touches his arm! No one ever intercedes!

Its jicgijal

I am going down to my dirge singer of bitter fates and I shall weep tearfully to him. Even now the lamenters who are expert in song make ululating wails over me! Now my people who are overcome by hardship voice laments for me one by one! Even now the places of refuge of my people whose hearts are burning in dark distress have been made known to me! My people whose hearts have been broken on the bitter way perform the lullabies of my young ones for me in tears!

The well-built houses, ladies' dwellings, were falsely founded, and they have been eroded by the winds! They are making a lament for me of how the foe has finished off my Land! They are addressing the cries of my heart, overwhelmed with bitterness, in order to soothe it! They are beginning their laments about my lord Enlil! He will have mercy and compassion on me -- Enlil, father of the black-headed people, he who will give the order to restore me!

4th kirugu

My heart is dark, I am destroyed, I am in chaos, I have been devastated!

Its jicgijal

In the foremost brick buildings they sing that your fate is bitter! Even now, to Enlil who will accept your tears for you, weeping bitter tears of your own accord, speak supplications to your lord himself concerning what he did to you, concerning that fate! Say to him "My lord, how long? Look upon me with favour, my lord!". Say "Why ......?". Say "May your heart be soothed for me -- overturn this sacrilege for your own good! The day is ......!". Say "Re-enter for me your dwelling in my darkened shrines!". Say "Like a bright, cleansed, sacred day, give ...... for your own good!". Say "......!". Say "Your misfortunes ...... will rebuild it!".

Perhaps by this means I can make him have compassion and mercy for you. Depression has weakened your heart, but I am the one who has established good cheer for you. He will fix it forever as your lot that you shall lift your head high, he will make good again the hostilities he is directing against you.

5th kirugu

In the city which does not know freedom he struck them down.

Its jicgijal

Even now your lord has smitten the enemy fury for you! He has had mercy on you and decreed your fate! He has said "Enough", so that he has removed lamentation from your brick buildings! In good mood and with a joyful heart he has entered in there again for you! Ninurta, the mighty commissioner, has looked after things! He stood there before the hero, his provider Icme- Dagan, and issued the command to him to completely rebuild the E-kur, the most precious shrine! He has restored its ancient property! Enlil has ordered Icme- Dagan to restore its ziggurat temple, to make it shine like the day, to make fitting the dais upon its platform!

He has put back in their place the rites which the enemy disordered and desecrated, along with the scattered divine powers! He has given him his sacred unchangeable decision that they should sanctify and purify again the cleansing-rites which the enemy had put a stop to! He has told Icme- Dagan, his beloved shepherd, that spirited bulls and spirited bucks should be slaughtered! When decrees the fate of the sacred royal offering place (?), he will offer salutations and stand there daily in supplication and prayer.
2 lines fragmentary

6th kirugu

How long before you will rest at ease?

Its jicgijal

How long will the brickwork strain its eyes upwards in tears and lamentations? Even now your lord, the Great Mountain Enlil, supreme in the universe, has removed lamentation from your brick buildings and made favourable your humour!

Now, city, your lord who has had compassion and mercy for you, Father Enlil, lord of all countries, who has commanded that you be restored, and the great mother Ninlil, who entreated him in prayer there, and the brickwork itself which said to him "Steady the trembling of Nibru!" and said to him "Rebuild my women's quarters for me! Re-establish my temples for me!" -- he who mulled things over so that he came to a decision about them, Enlil, who found agreeable his command of true words, who beneficently entered the true temple which had suffered destruction -- he himself is removing what he turned upon you in distress.

Just as he silenced you, when he made joy enter again he decreed as your fate the sound of choice beer and syrup being poured out to overflowing. "Enough! It is time to stifle the lament" he said to you himself. Because you have been living in a state of neglect, Enlil who has decreed your fate has said "My city, you have placated my sacred heart towards you!". He has returned to you! "Nibru, you have placated my sacred heart towards you!". He has returned to you! True city, he has decreed your great fate and made your reign long! Nibru, he has decreed your great fate and made your reign long!

Enlil himself has commanded Icme- Dagan that the E-kur should shine like the day! Steady sunlight shines into the Ki-ur; he has brought daylight in there again for you! Ninlil has decreed your fate in the Jajiccua! Enlil and Ninlil together founded daises in the E-kur! They dined there and enjoyed choice beer! They deliberated how to make the black-headed people secure in their dwellings! They have brought back to you the people who had been completely devastated! They have gathered back together the children whom they turned away from their mothers! The populace goes with you in their secure strongholds! Shrine Nibru, Great Mountain Enlil has returned to you!

7th kirugu

How you suffer! How depression exhausts you!

Its jicgijal

Even now, they command Icme- Dagan that Sumer and Akkad should be restored at your feet, that their scattered people should be returned to their nests! They have brought the news that the magnificent rites of Eridug would not be forgotten, its heart sending forth wisdom, so that good sense should be allotted! The Anuna, the lords who decree fates, order that Adab should be rebuilt, the city whose lady fashions living things, who promotes birthing!

An and Enlil have advised that Urim should be restored, founded in a pasture, its divine powers distinct from the rest! They command the prince of the city Larsa, the herald of the universe, the judge of the numerous people, to secure its foundations, to follow the proper path! They have taken a decision concerning Unug- Kulaba, the sacred city, the handiwork of the gods, and restored it. They have brought news of the removal of all foes and enemies from the region of Zabalam, the city where the Mistress of Heaven concentrated her forces.

An and Enlil have looked with their beneficent gaze on Lagac, the mooring-pole of heaven, and the shrine Jirsu, established long ago. They have removed the treacherous Tidnum from that temple in Umma, Sig-kur-caga, which had been ill treated! It is the great gods who have commanded that the foundations of Kic should be secured, at the edge of Sumer and Akkad, its dominion superlative! Marad, the city in whose river water flows, in whose fields is fine grain -- the Anuna who took those things away from it returned them to it again!

Isin, the provisioner of the Anuna, awe-inspiring since times of old -- An, Enlil, Enki and Ninmah have made its reign long! By their command they have handed it over and expressed their approval! They have entrusted it to Ninurta, the champion, the strong hero! They have told Ninisina, the exalted child of An, the incantation priest of the Land, to rest calmly in her sacred dwelling, Egal-mah! They have told Damu, the chief barber of Nunamnir, healer of the living, to make the foreign countries bow at the feet of his father and mother!

8th kirugu

An, Enlil, Enki and Ninmah have given their orders!

Its jicgijal

Now see! Enlil has fixed a good day in the land! He has even now ordered the day for Nibru to raise its neck to heaven! He himself has provided a good day for the E-kur to shine! He himself has raised up the day for the Ki-ur's magnificent manifestation! He himself has restored the day for Sumer and Akkad to expand! He himself has set aside the day for houses to be built and storerooms to be enclosed! He himself has brought out the day for seeds to sprout and living things to be born! He has brought out the day for building cattle pens and founding sheepfolds!

The ewes which bore lambs have filled the pens! (1 ms. has instead the line: Ewes have given birth in the folds, their lambs have filled the pens!) The goats which bore kids have filled the folds! The ewes which flocked with their lambs have swelled the sheepfold! The goats which flocked with their kids have caused the pens to be widened! He himself has set the day for turning destruction to the good! He has ...... the day ...... evil! He has brought in Icme- Dagan as assistance for the day for establishing justice in the land!

9th kirugu

Although Sumer and Akkad had been desecrated by the foe, afterwards hearts were appeased, spirits soothed! All the great gods thus had compassion! They looked upon those sunk in exhaustion and brought them up out of it! They restored your city which had been razed to ruins! Enlil, king of all countries, restored its shining property which had been scattered, which had been devastated! There where the populace rested in the cool after building their nests, in Nibru, the mountain of the greatest divine powers, from where they had taken an unfamiliar path -- at Enlil's word the Anuna, those very lords who determine the fates, ordered that the temples which they had forsaken and the jewels, put there long ago, which had been carried off by the wind, should all be restored!

He has established there dining in joy within! Enlil has given the command to Icme- Dagan, his joyous, reverent sacral officiant, who daily serves, to sanctify its food, to purify its water! He has commanded him to purify its defiled divine powers! He has put in order its disordered and scattered rites, he has put back in their place the most sacred things, neglected and defiled. He decrees as a fate the offering of daily rations and the grinding up of fine meal and flour. He has decided to make bread plentiful on the table, to make loaves numerous!

10th kirugu

Father Enlil, the lord whose command cannot be altered, prince of all countries, has fixed among the black-headed people, and commanded for their benefit, a time when no one is to speak hostile words to another, when a son is to respect his father, a time to establish humility in the Land, for the inferior to be as important as the mighty, a time when the younger brother, fearing his big brother, is to show humility, a time when the elder child is to treat the younger child reasonably and to pay heed to his words, a time to take neither weak nor strong away into captivity, but to serve with great acts of good, a time to travel the disordered roadways, to extirpate evil growths, a time when anyone is to go where they will, to hurl no insults at one's fellow, (1 ms. has instead the line:a time when anyone is to go where they will, to carry oneself humbly in the plain, to perform no sacrilege,) a time no one is to speak hostile words to another, to perform no sacrilege, (1 ms. has instead the line:a time to go from one's own city to a foreign city, to have no fear on the plain, to perform no sacrilege,) a time to remove bitterness from the Land, to establish light therein, a time when darkness is to be lifted in the Land, so that living things should rejoice.

11th kirugu

Now, see! After that time, Enlil, the prince who is full of pity, has been beneficent to his hero who had laid the ...... brick! He put in order again for him the divine powers which had been desecrated by the enemy! He sanctified again the defiled rites for him! He purified its ziggurat temple and made it resplendent for him! Within he made abundance plentiful, he filled it with choice beer and syrup! He established there at that time the pleasing of hearts, the appeasing of spirits, the ameliorating of moods!

Icme- Dagan himself stood in prayer to Enlil and offered salutations! When he had begun the lament and spoken the supplication, the prince of all countries treated his body with oil of abundance as if it were the sweetest syrup! And his prayer was heard -- Enlil looked upon him with favour, Icme- Dagan whose words bring Enlil pleasure! Enlil's constant attendant, with whose thoughts he agrees! Because the humble one prostrated himself in his devotions and served there, because he will entreat him in supplication and will do obeisance, because he will complete and honour the royal offering and will return, because he will keep watch over everything and will not be negligent, Enlil has promised to Icme- Dagan his dominion of extended years!

He promised him that he will be a man of pre-eminent kingship! He promised him that he will be a king whose reign is good! He promised him that he shall have the people inhabit safe dwellings! Enlil found agreement in what he had said to the numerous people! On the day for decreeing fates, every part of Sumer and Akkad, among the black-headed people flocking like sheep, among their well-tended people, will praise forever the majesty of the Great Mountain Nunamnir, enkara weapon of the universe! It is his awe-inspiring way!

12th kirugu

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

The Lament of Eridug

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

Version 1

SEGMENT A

(beginning of 1st kirugu)

4 lines missing

The roaring storm covered it like a cloak, was spread over it like a sheet. It covered Eridug like a cloak, was spread over it like a sheet. In the city, the furious storm resounded ....... In Eridug, the furious storm resounded ....... Its voice was smothered with silence as by a sandstorm. Its people ....... Eridug was smothered with silence as by a sandstorm. Its people .......

Its king stayed outside his city as if it were an alien city. He wept bitter tears. Father Enki stayed outside his city as if it were an alien city. He wept bitter tears. For the sake of his harmed city, he wept bitter tears. Its lady, like a flying bird, left her city. The mother of E-mah, holy Damgalnuna, left her city. The divine powers of the city of holiest divine powers were overturned. The divine powers of the rites of the greatest divine powers were altered. In Eridug everything was reduced to ruin, was wrought with confusion.

The evil-bearing storm went out from the city. It swept across the Land -- a storm which possesses neither kindness nor malice, does not distinguish between good and evil. Subir came down like rain. It struck hard. In the city where bright daylight used to shine forth, the day darkened. In Eridug where bright daylight used to shine forth, the day darkened. As if the sun had set below the horizon, it turned into twilight. As if An had cursed the city, alone he destroyed it. As if Enlil had frowned upon it, Eridug, Ec-abzu, bowed low.

1st kirugu.

It cried out bitterly: "O the destruction of the city! The destruction of the house!"

Its jicgijal.

A second time the storm destroyed the city -- its song was plaintive. ...... was breached (?). ...... intensified the lament. It cut the lock from its main gate. The storm dislodged its door. ...... It stacked the people up in heaps. ...... on its own destroyed it. It turned ...... into tears. ...... defiled ......

1 line missing

...... It distorted its appearance. ...... It distorted its appearance. It circled its ...... wall. It overturned its foundations. Throughout his city, the pure, radiant (?) place, the foundations were filled with dust. It cast down its ziggurat, the shrine which reaches up to heaven, into a heap of debris. The loftiness of its awe-inspiring door-ornament, befitting a house, collapsed. It cut down the gate, its Great-Ziggurat of Heaven and Earth Covered with Terrible Awesomeness, its shining door, and it broke through its bolt. It ripped out its doorframe. The house was defaced.

2nd kirugu.

The destruction of Eridug! Its destruction was grievous.

Its jicgijal.

At its lion-faced gate, the place where fates are determined, it mutilated the copse (?) forming the architrave of the house ....... Ka-hejala and Igi-hejala, the doorkeepers of the house, ....... Prematurely they destroyed it utterly. They completely altered ....... At the gate of the fattening-shed, the animal-fattener ...... the great offerings. Its birds and fish were neglected there. Destruction ....... Throughout his house, radiant (?) in silver and lapis lazuli, tears .......

The hired man and the governor ....... The festivals ...... grandly ....... Holy songs, songs of all kinds ....... The cem drum and ala drum ....... The great divine powers, all the divine powers ....... The place of the gods of heaven and earth ....... The judgment by the king, the holy sceptre at his right side, ....... The en priestess, lumah priest and nindijir priestess .......

The minister Isimud ....... Strangers to the house ...... its side. Eridug, Ec-abzu, ...... silently. The enemy ...... the cleansed tugmah robe. ...... a man ...... the people ....... Along with the fluids spilled from his guts, his blood spilled forth. The ......, which like the azure sky was embellished forever, ...... grasped .......

3rd kirugu.

2 lines fragmentary

Its jicgijal.

...... distressed and anxious ...... like a pigeon .......

1 line fragmentary

The birds of the destroyed city ...... a nest. The ukuku bird, bird of heart's sorrow, ...... the place. Pain ....... The area became entangled in wild thorn bushes. It ...... wild thorn bushes. The Cimackians and Elamites, the destroyers, looked at the holy kettles which no one may look at. In the E-jectug- Nisaba, the house of wisdom, ...... covered over ....... The divine powers which embellish the abzu ....... When the holy treasures stored in the treasury were put ......, when, like a mist lying heavily on the earth, ......, they went like small birds shooed from their hiding places.

7 lines fragmentary

unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT B

(continuation of 4th kirugu)

Father Enki uttered a lament for himself .......

4th kirugu.

Bitterly Father Enki uttered a lament for himself.

Its jicgijal.

Because of this, Enki, king of the abzu, stayed outside his city as if it were an alien city. It bowed its neck down to the ground. Eridu's lady, holy Damgalnuna, the faithful cow, the compassionate one, clawed at her breast, clawed at her eyes. She uttered a frenzied cry. She held a dagger and a sword in her two hands -- they clashed together.

She tore out her hair like rushes, uttering a bitter lament: "You, my city whose woman does not dwell there, whose charms do not satisfy her -- where is a lament uttered bitterly for you? Eridug! You, my city whose woman does not dwell there, whose charms do not satisfy her -- where are tears wept for you? I fall like a bull in your lofty ...... falls ....... I am ....... My heart ...... queen ......."

unknown no. of lines missing

(incorporating end of 5th kirugu)

SEGMENT C

(continuation of 6th kirugu)

1 line fragmentary

...... far away ...... the great gods. The lord Enlil, king of the lands, looked maliciously at Sumer. He demolished it. He destroyed the Ki-ur, the great place. He razed with the pickaxe all of the shining E-kur. He destroyed it but did not abandon it -- at the lunches, in his great dining-hall, they call his name.

Aruru, the sister of Enlil, destroyed her city Irisajrig. In Kec, the creation place of the Land, the people saw inside its holy sanctuary where daylight had been unknown. She destroyed it but did not abandon it -- at the lunches, in her great dining-hall, they call her name. The lord Nanna, the lord Acimbabbar, destroyed his city Urim. He decimated the Land with famine. He committed a sacrilege against the E-kic-nu-jal. He struck at its heart. He destroyed it but did not abandon it -- at the lunches, in his great dining-hall, they call his name.

Inana, the queen of heaven and earth, destroyed her city Unug. Fleeing from the E-ana, the house of seven corners and seven fires......, she destroyed it but did not abandon it -- at the lunches, in her great dining-hall, they call her name.

( Damgalnuna speaks:) "My beloved, who has ever seen such a destruction as that of your city Eridug!"

6th kirugu.

"My beloved, for how long was it built? For how long is it destroyed? ...... adornment of the abzu."

Its jicgijal.

"Lord Enki, who has ever seen such a destruction as that of your city Eridug? Who has ever seen such a misfortune as that of Ec-abzu, your house?" No one goes up to his offering terrace. At the lunches, in his great dining-hall, they do not call his name. Enki, king of the abzu, felt distressed, felt anxious. At the words of his spouse, he himself began to wail. He lay down and fasted.

My king, you must not be distressed, you must not be anxious. Father Enki, you must not be distressed, you must not be anxious. Son of An, return your heart to your Ki-ur and your attention to your city. Living in an alien city is miserable -- return your attention to your city. Living in an alien house is miserable -- return your attention to your house. What can anyone compare with this city? -- Return your attention to your city. What can anyone compare with this house? -- Return your attention to your house. Eridug's day is long. Its night is over.

May your throne say to you "Sit down". May your bed say to you "Lie down". May your house say to you "Be rested". May your holy dais also say joyfully to you "Sit down". May your father An, the king of the gods, satisfy your heart. A person, a humble man, brings you a lament over your wife's faithful house. When he sings it before you, may that person soothe your heart. When he recites a prayer, look kindly upon him.

7th kirugu.

It destroyed your ...... and struck against your house.

Its jicgijal.

...... and may he restore it for you.

2 lines fragmentary

Do not hide like a criminal .......

A version from Ur

(UET 6 142)

SEGMENT A

House of princely powers, standing in mighty water -- the waters have receded from it ....... One can walk on its wide swamp. Within it grow wild thorn bushes. The delightful boat Antelope of the abzu -- the waters have receded from it; ...... its sheepfold ...... the wharf. They were Sirsir, the tutelary deity, and the man who rides the boat. At the prow ...... was hurled down in front of them. Evildoers destroyed the house, and its rites were disturbed.

At the giguna shrine, the sacred house, evildoers ....... The E-unir -- the shrine raises its head as high as heaven. Its shadow .......

At the great gate, the lion-faced gate, the place where fates are determined, evildoers ....... They set fire to its door. Ka-hejala and Igi-hejala, the doorkeepers of the house, ....... ...... Enki, at the ...... place, ...... its people. ...... the destroyed place, the abzu ...... the powers of the Anuna gods.

3 lines fragmentary

unknown no. of lines missing

(continuation of 3rd kirugu)

SEGMENT B

Eridug ....... City in the reed-beds ....... In Eridug, bull and cow ....... Without being a marsh boar ....... Eridug, like a bull ....... The lady of the city cried, "My city ......!"

3rd kirugu.

Father Enki! O your house, o your city, o your people ...... the mountains.

Its jicgijal.

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

Instructions of Shuruppag

The instructions of Shuruppag

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

Lost Tablet, Instructions of shuruppk

This Tablet WAS one of the oldest (about 2,500 BC, tablets in the Iraq Museum of Bagdad but was destroyed during the second Iraq-American War in 2003.

In those days, in those far remote days, in those nights, in those faraway nights, in those years, in those far remote years, at that time the wise one who knew how to speak in elaborate words lived in the Land; Curuppag, the wise one, who knew how to speak with elaborate words lived in the Land. Curuppag gave instructions to his son; Curuppag, the son of Ubara- Tutu gave instructions to his son Zi-ud-sura: My son, let me give you instructions: you should pay attention! Zi-ud-sura, let me speak a word to you: you should pay attention! Do not neglect my instructions! Do not transgress the words I speak! The instructions of an old man are precious; you should comply with them!

You should not buy a donkey which brays; it will split (?) your midriff (?).

You should not locate a field on a road; ....... You should not plough a field at (1 ms. adds: a road or) a path; ....... You should not make a well in your field: people will cause damage on it for you. You should not place your house next to a public square: there is always a crowd (?) there.

You should not vouch for someone: that man will have a hold on you; and you yourself, you should not let somebody vouch for you (1 ms. adds:: that man will despise (?) you).

You should not make an inspection (?) on a man: the flood (?) will give it back (?) to you.

You should not loiter about where there is a quarrel; you should not let the quarrel make you a witness. You should not let (?) yourself ...... in a quarrel. You should not cause a quarrel; ....... ...... the gate of the palace ....... Stand aside from a quarrel, ...... you should not take (?) another road.

You should not steal anything; you should not ...... yourself. You should not break into a house; you should not wish for the money chest (?). A thief is a lion, but after he has been caught, he will be a slave. My son, you should not commit robbery; you should not cut yourself with an axe.

You should not make a young man best man. You should not ...... yourself. You should not play around with a married young woman: the slander could be serious. My son, you should not sit alone in a chamber with a married woman.

You should not pick a quarrel; you should not disgrace yourself. You should not ...... lies; ....... You should not boast; then your words will be trusted. You should not deliberate for too long (?); you cannot bear ...... glances.

You should not eat stolen food with anyone (1 ms. has instead: a thief). You should not sink (?) your hand into blood. After you have apportioned the bones, you will be made to restore the ox, you will be made to restore the sheep.

You should not speak improperly; later it will lay a trap for you.

You should not scatter your sheep into unknown pastures. You should not hire someone's ox for an uncertain ....... A safe ...... means a safe journey.

You should not travel during the night: it can hide both good and evil.

You should not buy an onager: it lasts (?) only until the end of the day.

You should not have sex with your slave girl: she will chew you up (?).

You should not curse strongly: it rebounds on you.

You should not draw up water which you cannot reach (1 ms. has instead: grasp): it will make you weak.

1 line unclear

You should not drive away a debtor: he will be hostile towards you.

You should not establish a home with an arrogant man: he will make your life like that of a slave girl. You will not be able to travel through any human dwelling without be being shouted at: "There you go! There you go!"

You should not undo the ...... of the garden's reed fence; "Restore it! Restore it!" they will say to you.

You should not provide a stranger (?) with food; you should not wipe out (?) a quarrel.

My son, you should not use violence (?); ....... You should not commit rape on someone's daughter; the courtyard will learn of it.

You should not drive away a powerful (1 ms. has instead: strong) man; you should not destroy the outer wall. You should not drive away a young man; you should not make him turn against the city.

The eyes of the slanderer always move around as shiftily as a spindle. You should never remain in his presence; his intentions (?) should not be allowed to have an effect (?) on you.

You should not boast in beer halls (1 ms. has instead: breweries) like a deceitful man: (1 ms. adds: then your words will be trusted.)

Having reached the field of manhood, you should not jump (?) with your hand. The warrior is unique, he alone is the equal of many; Utu is unique, he alone is the equal of many. With your life you should always be on the side of the warrior; with your life you should always be on the side of Utu.

Curuppag gave these instructions to his son. Curuppag, the son of Ubara- Tutu, gave these instructions to his son Zi-ud-sura.

A second time, Curuppag gave instructions to his son. Curuppag, the son of Ubara- Tutu gave instructions to his son Zi-ud-sura: My son, let me give you instructions: you should pay attention! Zi-ud-sura, let me speak a word to you: you should pay attention! Do not neglect my instructions! Do not transgress the words I speak! (1 ms. adds the line: The instructions of an old man are precious; you should comply with them! )

The beer-drinking mouth ....... My little one ....... The beer-drinking mouth ....... Ninkasi .......

5 lines unclear

Your own man will not repay (?) it for you. The reed-beds are ......, they can hide (?) slander.

The palace is like a mighty river: its middle is goring bulls; what flows in is never enough to fill it, and what flows out can never be stopped.

When it is about someone's else bread, it is easy to say "I will give it to you", but the time of actual giving can be as far away as the sky. If you go after the man who said "I will give it to you", he will say "I cannot give it to you -- the bread has just been finished up".

Property is something to be expanded (?); but nothing can equal my little ones.

The artistic mouth recites words; the harsh mouth brings litigation documents; the sweet mouth gathers sweet herbs.

The garrulous (1 ms. has instead: liar) fills (?) his bread bag; the haughty one brings an empty bag and can fill his empty mouth only with boasting.

Who works with leather will eventually (?) work with his own leather.

The strong one can escape (?) from anyone's hand.

The fool loses something. When sleeping, the fool loses something. "Do not tie me up!" he pleads; "Let me live!" he pleads.

The imprudent decrees fates; the shameless one piles up (?) things in another's lap: "I am such that I deserve admiration".

A weak wife is always seized (?) by fate.

If you hire a worker, he will share the bread bag with you; he eats with you from the same bag, and finishes up the bag with you. Then he will quit working with you and, saying "I have to live on something", he will serve at the palace.

You tell your son to come to your home; you tell your daughter to go to her women's quarters.

You should not pass judgment when you drink beer.

You should not worry unduly about what leaves the house.

Heaven is far, earth is most precious, but it is with heaven that you multiply your goods, and all foreign lands breathe under it.

At harvest time, at the most priceless time, collect like a slave girl, eat like a queen; my son, to collect like a slave girl, to eat like a queen, this is how it should be.

Who insults can hurt only the skin; greedy eyes (?), however, can kill. The liar, shouting, tears up his garments. Insults bring (?) advice to the wicked. To speak arrogantly is like an abscess: a herb that makes the stomach sick.

1 line is unclear

My words of prayer bring abundance. Prayer is cool water that cools the heart. Only (?) insults and stupid speaking receive the attention of the Land.

Curuppag gave these instructions to his son. Curuppag, the son of Ubara- Tutu, gave these instructions to his son Zi-ud-sura.

A third time, Curuppag gave instructions to his son. Curuppag, the son of Ubara- Tutu gave instructions to his son Zi-ud-sura: My son, let me give you instructions: you should pay attention! Zi-ud-sura, let me speak a word to you: you should pay attention! Do not neglect my instructions! Do not transgress the words I speak! (Some mss. add the line: The instructions of an old man are precious; you should comply with them! )

You should not beat a farmer's son: he has constructed (?) your embankments and ditches.

You should not buy a prostitute: she is a mouth that bites. You should not buy a house-born slave: he is a herb that makes the stomach sick. You should not buy a free man: he will always lean against the wall. You should not buy a palace slave girl: she will always be the bottom of the barrel (?). You should rather bring down a foreign slave from the mountains, or you should bring somebody from a place where he is an alien; my son, then he will pour water for you where the sun rises and he will walk before you. He does not belong to any family, so he does not want to go to his family; he does not belong to any city, so he does not want to go to his city. (1 ms. adds 2 lines: He cannot knock at the door of ......, he cannot enter .......) He will not ...... with you, he will not be presumptuous with you.

My son, you should not travel alone eastwards. Your acquaintance should not .......

A name placed on another one ......; you should not pile up a mountain on another one.

Fate is a wet bank; it can make one slip.

The elder brother is indeed like a father; the elder sister is indeed like a mother. Listen therefore to your elder brother, and you should be obedient to your elder sister as if she were your mother.

You should not work using only your eyes; you will not multiply your possessions using only your mouth.

The negligent one ruins (?) his family.

The need for food makes some people ascend the mountains; it also brings traitors and foreigners, since the need for food brings down other people from the mountains.

A small city provides (?) its king with a calf; a huge city digs (?) a house plot (?).

...... is well equipped. The poor man inflicts all kinds of illnesses on the rich man. The married man is well equipped; the unmarried makes his bed in a haystack (?). He who wishes to destroy a house will go ahead and destroy the house; he who wishes to raise up will go ahead and raise up.

By grasping the neck of a huge ox, you can cross the river. By moving along (?) at the side of the mighty men of your city, my son, you will certainly ascend (?).

When you bring a slave girl from the hills, she brings both good and evil with her. The good is in the hands; the evil is in the heart. The heart does not let go of the good; but the heart cannot let go of the evil either. As if it were a watery place, the heart does not abandon the good. Evil is a store-room .......
(1 ms. adds: 2 lines unclear)
May the boat with the evil sink in the river! May his waterskin split in the desert!

A loving heart maintains a family; a hateful heart destroys a family.

To have authority, to have possessions and to be steadfast are princely divine powers. You should submit to the respected; you should be humble before the powerful. My son, you will then survive (?) against the wicked.

You should not choose a wife during a festival. Her inside is illusory (?); her outside is illusory (?). The silver on her is borrowed; the lapis lazuli on her is borrowed (1 ms. has instead the line: ......; the jewellery on her is borrowed, the jewellery on her is borrowed). The dress on her is borrowed; the linen garment on her is borrowed. With ...... nothing (?) is comparable.

You should not buy a ...... bull. You should not buy a vicious bull; ...... a hole (?) in the cattle-pen .......

One appoints (?) a reliable woman for a good household.

You should not buy a donkey at the time of harvest. A donkey which eats ...... will ...... with another donkey.

A vicious donkey hangs its neck; however, a vicious man, my son, .......

A woman with her own property ruins the house.

A drunkard will drown the harvest.

A female burglar (?) ...... ladder; she flies into the houses like a fly. A she-donkey ...... on the street. A sow suckles its child on the street. A woman who pricked herself begins to cry and holds the spindle which pricked (?) her in her hand. She enters every house; she peers into all streets. ...... she keeps saying "Get out!" She looks around (?) from all parapets. She pants (?) where there is a quarrel.

2 lines unclear

Marry (?) ...... whose heart hates (?). My son, ......

4 lines unclear

A heart which overflows with joy .......

Nothing at all is to be valued, but life should be sweet. You should not serve things; things should serve you. My son, .......

You should not ...... grain; its ...... are numerous.

You should not abuse a ewe; otherwise you will give birth to a daughter. You should not throw a lump of earth into the money chest (?); otherwise you will give birth to a son.

You should not abduct a wife; you should not make her cry (?). The place where the wife is abducted to .......

"Let us run in circles (?), saying: "Oh, my foot, oh, my neck!". Let us with united forces (?) make the mighty bow!"

You should not kill a ......, he is a child born by ....... You should not kill ...... like ......; you should not bind him.

The wet-nurses in the women's quarters determine the fate of their lord.

You should not speak arrogantly to your mother; that causes hatred for you. You should not question the words of your mother and your personal god. The mother, like Utu, gives birth to the man; the father, like a god, makes him bright (?). The father is like a god: his words are reliable. The instructions of the father should be complied with.

Without suburbs a city has no centre either.

My son, a field situated at the bottom of the embankments, be it wet or dry, is nevertheless a source of income.

It is inconceivable (?) that something is lost forever.

...... of Dilmun ......

o get lost is bad for a dog; but terrible for a man (1 ms. has instead: An unknown place is terrible; to get lost is shameful (?) for a dog). On the unfamiliar way at the edge of the mountains, the gods of the mountains are man-eaters. They do not build houses there as men do; they do not build cities there as men do.

1 line unclear

For the shepherd, he stopped searching, he stopped bringing back the sheep. For the farmer (?), he stopped ploughing the field.

1 line unclear

This gift of words is something which soothes the mind ......; when it enters the palace, it soothes the mind ....... The gift of many words ...... stars.

These are the instructions given by Curuppag, the son of Ubara- Tutu.

Praise be to the lady who completed the great tablets, the maiden Nisaba, that Curuppag, the son of Ubara- Tutu gave his instructions!

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

Inscription Umma and Lagash

Sumerian Inscription Umma and Lagash

Lagash and Umma were two Sumerian cities located 18 miles apart.

These documents were found on clay cylinders and date from about 2500 BC At the time of the events recorded here, Entemena is king of Lagash. His uncle, Eannatum, had been king earlier and was responsible for the treaty with Lagash mentioned in these documents. The names of the rulers of Lagash are confusing: Eannatum was king of Lagash at the time the original treaty with Umma was negotiated. Enannatum was Eannatum's brother and succeeded him on the throne. Entemena, Enannatum's son and Eannatum's nephew, was king of Lagash at the time of the dispute described in the documents.

Document I

By the immutable word of Enlil, king of the lands, father of the gods, Ningirsu and Shara set a boundary to their lands. Mesilim, King of Kish, at the command of his deity Kadi, set up a stele [a boundary marker] in the plantation of that field.

Ush, ruler of Umma, formed a plan to seize it. That stele he broke in pieces, into the plain of Lagash he advanced. Ningirsu, the hero of Enlil, by his just command, made war upon Umma. At the command of Enlil, his great net ensnared them. He erected their burial mound on the plain in that place.

Document II

Eannatum, ruler of Lagash, brother of the father of Entemena [who put up this inscription] ... for Enakalli, ruler of Umma, set the border to the land. He carried a canal from the great river to Guedin . He opened the field of Ningirsu on its border for 210 spans to the power of Umma. He ordered the royal field not to be seized. At the canal he inscribed a stele. He returned the stele of Mesilim to its place. He did not encroach on the plain of Mesilim. At the boundary-line of Ningirsu, as a protecting structure, he built the sanctuary of Enlil, the sanctuary of Ninkhursag .... By harvesting, the men of Umma had eaten one storehouse-full of the grain of Nina [goddess of Oracles], the grain of Ningirsu; he caused them to bear a penalty. They brought 144,000 gur,, a great storehouse full, [as repayment]. The taking of this grain was not to be repeated in the future.

Urlumma, ruler of Umma drained the boundary canal of Ningirsu, the boundary canal of Nina; those steles he threw into the fire, he broke [them] in pieces; he destroyed the sanctuaries, the dwellings of the gods, the protecting shrines, the buildings that had been made. He was as puffed up as the mountains; he crossed over the boundary canal of Ningirsu. Enannatum, ruler of Lagash, went into battle in the field of Ugigga, the irrigated field of Ningirsu. Entemena, the beloved son of Enannatum, completely overthrew him. Urlumma fled. In the midst of Umma he killed him. He left behind 60 soldiers of his force [dead] on the bank of the canal "Meadow- recognized-as-holy-from-the-great-dagger." He left these men-their bones on the plain. He heaped up mounds for them in 5 places. Then Ili Priest of Ininni of Esh in Girsu, he established as a vassal ruler over Umma.

Document III

Ili, took the ruler of Umma into his hand. He drained the boundary canal of Ningirsu, a great protecting structure of Ningirsu, unto the bank of the Tigris above from the banks of Girsu. He took the grain of Lagash, a storehouse of 3600 gur . Entemena, ruler of Lagash declared hostilities on Ili, whom for a vassal he had set up. Ili, ruler of Umma, wickedly flooded the dyked and irrigated field; he commanded that the boundary canal of Ningirsu; the boundary canal of Nina be ruined.... Enlil and Ninkhursag did not permit [this to happen]. Entemena, ruler of Lagash, whose name was spoken by Ningirsu, restored their canal to its place according to the righteous word of Enlil, according to the righteous word of Nina, their canal which he had constructed from the river Tigris to the great river, the protecting structure, its foundation he had made of stone ....

Based on: George A. Barton, "Inscription of Entemena #7" in: The Royal Inscriptions of Sumer and Akkad (New Haven, CT; Yale Univ., 1929) pp. 61, 63 and 65. Reprinted in D. Brendan Nagle and Stanley M. Burstein, The Ancient World: Readings in Social and Cultural History (Englewood CLiffs, NJ; Prentice Hall, 1995) pp. 30-31.

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

Inana and Shu-kale-tuda

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

The mistress who, having all the great divine powers, deserves the throne-dais; Inana, who, having all the great divine powers, occupies a holy throne-dais; Inana, who stands in E-ana as a source of wonder -- once, the young woman went up into the mountains, holy Inana went up into the mountains. To detect falsehood and justice, to inspect the Land closely, to identify the criminal against the just, she went up into the mountains. -- Now, what did one say to another? What further did one add to the other in detail?

My lady stands among wild bulls at the foot of the mountains, she possesses fully the divine powers. Inana stands among stags in the mountain tops, she possesses fully the divine powers. -- Now, what did one say to another? What further did one add to the other in detail?

Then the ...... left heaven, left the earth and climbed up into the mountains. Inana left heaven, left the earth and climbed up into the mountains. She left E-ana in Unug and climbed up into the mountains. She left the giguna in Zabalam and climbed up into the mountains. As she had gone up from E-ana, ...... jipar ....... Inana ...... her cloak ...... and climbed up into the mountains. -- Now, what did one say to another? What further did one add to the other in detail?

1 line missing

7 lines fragmentary

7 lines missing

After ...... had tired ...... with questions and searching, may ...... come alone (?) to the back-room of my shrine. -- Now, what did one say to another? What further did one add to the other in detail?

2 lines missing

3 lines fragmentary

"He will ...... its feet", he ( Enki) says. Full of wisdom he adds the following words: "Raven, I shall give you instructions. Pay attention to my instructions. Raven, in the shrine I shall give you instructions. Pay attention to my instructions. First, chop up (?) and chew (?) the kohl for the incantation priests of Eridug with the oil and water which are to be found in a lapis-lazuli bowl and are placed in the back-room of the shrine. Then plant them in a trench for leeks in a vegetable plot; then you should pull out (?) ......". -- Now, what did one say to another? What further did one add to the other in detail?

The raven paid exact attention to the instructions of his master. It chopped up (?) and chewed (?) the kohl for the incantation priests of Eridug with the oil and water which were to be found in a lapis-lazuli bowl and were placed in the back-room of the shrine. It planted them in a trench for leeks in a vegetable plot; then it pulled out (?) ....... A plant growing in a plot like a leek, an oddity standing up (1 ms. has instead: sticking up) like a leek stalk -- who had ever seen such a thing before?

1 line unclear

That a bird like the raven, performing the work of man, should make the counterweight blocks of the shadouf bump up and settle down; that it should make the counterweight blocks of the shadouf bump down and rise up -- who had ever seen such a thing before?

Then the raven rose up from this oddity, and climbed up it -- a date palm! -- with a harness. It rubbed off the kohl (?) ...... which it had stuffed into its beak onto the pistils (?). ...... just as with a date palm, which......, a tree growing forever -- who had ever seen such a thing before? Its scaly leaves surround its palm heart. Its dried palm-fronds serve as weaving material. Its shoots are like surveyor's gleaming line; they are fit for the king's fields. Its (?) branches are used in the king's palace for cleaning. Its dates, which are piled up near purified barley, are fit for the temples of the great gods. That a bird like the raven, performing the work of man, makes the counterweight blocks of the shadouf bump up and settle down; that it makes the counterweight blocks of the shadouf bump down and rise up -- who had ever seen such a thing before? At his master's command, the raven stepped into the abzu. -- Now, what did one say to another? What further did one add to the other in detail?

...... Cu-kale-tuda was his name. ......, a son (?) of Igi-sigsig, the ......, was to water garden plots and build the installation for a well among the plants, but not a single plant remained there, not even one: he had pulled them out by their roots and destroyed them. Then what did the storm wind bring? It blew the dust of the mountains into his eyes. When he tried to wipe the corner of his eyes with his hand, he got some of it out, but was not able to get all of it out. He raised his eyes to the lower land and saw the exalted gods of the land where the sun rises. He raised his eyes to the highlands and saw the exalted gods of the land where the sun sets. He saw a solitary ghost. He recognised a solitary god by her appearance. He saw someone who fully possesses the divine powers. He was looking at someone whose destiny was decided by the gods. In that plot -- had he not approached it five or ten times before? -- there stood a single shady tree at that place. The shady tree was a Euphrates poplar with broad shade. Its shade was not diminished in the morning, and it did not change either at midday or in the evening.

Once, after my lady had gone around the heavens, after she had gone around the earth, after Inana had gone around the heavens, after she had gone around the earth, after she had gone around Elam and Subir, after she had gone around the intertwined horizon of heaven, the mistress became so tired that when she arrived there she lay down by its roots. Cu-kale-tuda noticed her from beside his plot. Inana ...... the loincloth (?) of the seven divine powers over her genitals. ...... the girdle of the seven divine powers over her genitals ....... ...... with the shepherd Ama-ucumgal-ana ....... ...... over her holy genitals ....... Cu-kale-tuda undid the loincloth (?) of seven divine powers and got her to lie down in her resting place. He had intercourse with her and kissed her there. After he had had intercourse with her and kissed her, he went back to beside his plot. When day had broken and Utu had risen, the woman inspected herself closely, holy Inana inspected herself closely.

Then the woman was considering what should be destroyed because of her genitals; Inana was considering what should be done because of her genitals. She filled the wells of the Land with blood, so it was blood that the irrigated orchards of the Land yielded, it was blood that the slave who went to collect firewood drank, it was blood that the slave girl who went out to draw water drew, and it was blood that the black-headed people drank. No one knew when this would end. She said: "I will search everywhere for the man who had intercourse with me". But nowhere in all the lands could she find the man who had had intercourse with her. -- Now, what did one say to another? What further did one add to the other in detail?

The boy went home to his father and spoke to him; Cu-kale-tuda went home to his father and spoke to him: "My father, I was to water garden plots and build the installation for a well among the plants, but not a single plant remained there, not even one: I had pulled them out by their roots and destroyed them. Then what did the storm wind bring? It blew the dust of the mountains into my eyes. When I tried to wipe the corner of my eyes with my hand, I got some of it out, but was not able to get all of it out. I raised my eyes to the lower land, and saw the high gods of the land where the sun rises. I raised my eyes to the highlands, and saw the exalted gods of the land where the sun sets. I saw a solitary ghost. I recognised a solitary god by her appearance. I saw someone who possesses fully the divine powers. I was looking at someone whose destiny was decided by the gods. In that plot -- had I not approached it five or ten (1 ms. has instead: three or six hundred) times before? -- there stood a single shady tree at that place. The shady tree was a Euphrates poplar with broad shade. Its shade was not diminished in the morning, and it did not change either at midday or in the evening.

"Once, after my lady had gone around the heavens, after she had gone around the earth, after Inana had gone around the heavens, after she had gone around the earth, after she had gone around Elam and Subir, after she had gone around the intertwined horizon of heaven, the mistress became so tired that when she arrived there she lay down by its roots. I noticed her from beside my plot. I had intercourse with her and kissed her there. Then I went back to beside my plot.

"Then the woman was considering what should be destroyed because of her genitals; Inana was considering what should be done because of her genitals. She filled the wells of the Land with blood, so it was blood that the irrigated orchards of the Land yielded, it was blood that the slave who went to collect firewood drank, it was blood that the slave girl who went out to draw water drew, and it was blood that the black-headed people drank. No one knew when this would end. She said: "I will search everywhere for the man who had intercourse with me". But nowhere could she find the man who had had intercourse with her."

His father replied to the boy; his father replied to Cu-kale-tuda: "My son, you should join the city-dwellers, your brothers (1 ms. has instead: who are your brothers). Go at once to the black-headed people, your brothers! Then this woman will not find you among the mountains." He joined the city-dwellers, his brothers all together. He went at once to the black-headed people, his brothers, and the woman did not find him among the mountains.

Then the woman was considering a second time what should be destroyed because of her genitals; Inana was considering what should be done because of her genitals. She mounted on a cloud, took (?) her seat there and ....... The south wind and a fearsome storm flood went before her. The pilipili (one of the cultic personnel in Inana's entourage) and a dust storm followed her. Abba-cucu, Inim-kur-dugdug, ...... adviser ....... Seven times seven helpers (?) stood beside her in the high desert. She said: "I will search everywhere for the man who had intercourse with me". But nowhere could she find the man who had intercourse with her.

The boy went home to his father and spoke to him; Cu-kale-tuda went home to his father and spoke to him: "My father, the woman of whom I spoke to you, this woman was considering a second time what should be destroyed because of her genitals; Inana was considering what should be done because of her genitals. She mounted on a cloud, took (?) her seat there and ....... The south wind and a fearsome storm flood went before her. The pilipili (one of the cultic personnel in Inana's entourage) and a dust storm followed her. Abba-cucu, Inim-kur-dugdug, ...... adviser ....... Seven times seven helpers (?) stood beside her in the high desert. She said: "I will search everywhere for the man who had intercourse with me". But nowhere could she find the man who had intercourse with her."

His father replied to the boy; his father replied to Cu-kale-tuda: "My son, you should join the city-dwellers, your brothers. Go at once to the black-headed people, your brothers! Then this woman will not find you among the mountains." He joined the city-dwellers, his brothers all together. He went at once to the black-headed people, his brothers, and the woman did not find him among the mountains.

Then the woman was considering a third time what should be destroyed because of her genitals; Inana was considering what should be done because of her genitals. She took a single ...... in her hand. She blocked the highways of the Land with it. Because of her, the black-headed people ....... She said: "I will search everywhere for the man who had intercourse with me". But nowhere could she find the man who had intercourse with her.

The boy went home to his father and spoke to him; Cu-kale-tuda went home to his father and spoke to him: "My father, the woman of whom I spoke to you, this woman was considering a third time what should be destroyed because of her genitals; Inana was considering what should be done because of her genitals. She took a single ...... in her hand. She blocked the highways of the Land with it. Because of her, the black-headed people ....... She said: "I will search everywhere for the man who had intercourse with me". But nowhere could she find the man who had intercourse with her."

When day had broken and Utu had risen, the women inspected herself closely, holy Inana inspected herself closely. "Ah, who will compensate me? Ah, who will pay (?) for what happened to me? Should it not be the concern of my own father, Enki?" Holy Inana directed her steps to the abzu of Eridug and, because of this, prostrated herself on the ground before him and stretched out her hands to him: "Father Enki, I should be compensated! What's more, someone should pay (?) (1 ms. has instead: make up) for what happened to me! I shall only re-enter my shrine E-ana satisfied after you have handed over that man to me from the abzu." Enki said "All right!" to her. He said "So be it!" to her. With that holy Inana went out from the abzu of Eridug. She stretched herself like a rainbow across the sky and reached thereby as far as the earth. She let the south wind pass across, she let the north wind pass across. From fear, (1 ms. adds: solitary) Cu-kale-tuda tried to make himself as tiny as possible, but the woman had found him among the mountains.

Holy Inana now spoke to Cu-kale-tuda: "How ......? ...... dog ......! ...... ass ......! ...... pig ......!"

1 line missing

Cu-kale-tuda replied to holy Inana: "My lady (?), I was to water garden plots and build the installation for a well among the plants, but not a single plant remained there, not even one: I had pulled them out by their roots and destroyed them. Then what did the storm wind bring? It blew the dust of the mountains into my eyes. When I tried to wipe the corner of my eyes with my hand, I got some of it out, but was not able to get all of it out. I raised my eyes to the lower land, and saw the exalted gods of the land where the sun rises. I raised my eyes to the highlands, and saw the exalted gods of the land where the sun sets. I saw a solitary ghost. I recognised a solitary god by her appearance. I saw someone who possesses fully the divine powers. I was looking at someone whose destiny was decided by the gods. In that plot -- had I not approached it three or six hundred times before? -- there stood a single shady tree at that place. The shady tree was a Euphrates poplar with broad shade. Its shade was not diminished in the morning, and it did not change either at midday or in the evening.

When he had spoken thus to her, ...... hit ....... ...... added (?) ....... ...... changed (?) him ....... She (?) determined his destiny ......, holy Inana spoke to Cu-kale-tuda: "So! You shall die! What is that to me? Your name, however, shall not be forgotten. Your name shall exist in songs and make the songs sweet. A young singer shall perform them most pleasingly in the king's palace. A shepherd shall sing them sweetly as he tumbles his butter-churn. A young shepherd shall carry your name to where he grazes the sheep. The palace of the desert shall be your home."

5 lines unclear

Cu-kale-tuda ......

1 line missing

Because ...... destiny was determined, praise be to ...... Inana!

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

A Mythic Narrative Inana

A mythic narrative about Inana

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

SEGMENT A

unknown no. of lines missing

1 line fragmentary

Holy Inana ....... The hero, youthful Utu, ....... At dead of night ....... E-ana ....... Inana ....... The great (?) heavens .......

unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT B

1 line fragmentary

...... E-ana came forth from heaven, ...... the lady of heaven set her mind to capturing the great heavens, ...... Inana set her mind to capturing the great heavens, ...... set her mind to capturing the great heavens from the ...... of heaven, ...... youthful Utu, she set her mind to capturing the great heavens.

Holy Inana spoke to her brother the hero, youthful Utu: "My brother, I want to tell you something -- pay attention to my speech. ...... Utu, my twin, I want to tell you something -- pay attention to my speech."

Her brother the hero, youthful Utu, answered holy Inana: "My sister, I swear an oath by the life of heaven, I swear by the life of the rainbow (?) of heaven, my ......, ......, I swear by the life of my throne, by my majesty: I will follow what my sister says to me, I will follow what holy Inana says to me."

The maiden Inana answered her brother the hero, youthful Utu: "......, my spouse (?), has made love to me, has kissed me. I wanted ...... for him but ...... he did not give it to him. I hastened (?) with him ...... but majestic An would not give him E-ana. The heavens are ours, the earth is ours: E-ana should be captured from An. After you have taken ......, listen to what I say to you. Examine ...... for me, you must observe these instructions: ...... the evil wind, the south wind, against me."

approx. 23 lines missing

SEGMENT C

1 line fragmentary

( Adagbir speaks:) "...... great net. ...... the flood. ...... the fisherman."

Holy Inana embarked (?) on the ....... The barge ....... The rope ....... The south wind, that south wind, rose up. The evil wind, that evil wind, rose up. In the distant heavens ....... Hienhi-sag ....... The fisherman ....... The reed thickets and the tall-growing reeds .......

Inana spoke to Adagbir: "Youthful Utu ....... The barge ......."

2 lines fragmentary

approx. 15 lines missing

SEGMENT D

( Inana speaks:) "I ....... ...... the way ......."

2 lines fragmentary

Adagbir answered holy Inana: "My lady, you cannot ....... Your divinity ....... The fisherman ...... the south wind. My lady, if you travel on the barge, and he raises the south wind, that south wind, and he raises the evil wind, that evil wind, barges and small boats will sink in the marshes."

Whenever (?) he approached the ...... with his great net, as (?) it came out of the flood, the swelling sea, it lashed the water and made an evil .......

Holy Inana answered the fisherman: "If you are to find ...... E-ana ...... and I am to gaze in admiration ...... at that place, you said ...... the narrow passage."

Adagbir answered holy Inana: "...... through the reed thickets and the tall-growing reeds. For you ...... find E-ana, which came forth from heaven."

Adagbir, ...... of Enlil, ...... through the reed thickets and the tall-growing reeds. She gazed in admiration at E-ana which had come forth from heaven.

Cul-a-zida, An's herdsman, grasped the cosmic tethering rope in his hands. After he had brought the ...... forth from the sky, he overcame the protective deities. He ...... and kept it below the horizon.

Having drunk cleansing water from the Ulaya river, Inana stamped on the scorpion and cut off its tail. Like a lion it bellowed in an angry roar but its cries died down. ...... she threw it ...... and made it secure.

Having heard its ...... cries, ...... poured forth the ......, the clay of creation, ...... and laid it .......

2 lines missing

...... the great lady of heaven delivered those words to An.

Having heard those words, An slapped his thighs in ......, his voice filled with sighs of grief: "What has my child done? She has become greater than me! What has Inana done? She has become greater than me! From now on, the normal length of daylight becomes shorter, and daylight converts to night-time. From today, when the day's watch is three units long, daylight is equal to night-time." And now, when day began, it was indeed so.

An, who created gods and humankind, gazed at holy Inana (1 ms. adds: and addressed the favourite wife who travels by his side), unable to describe this arrogance, this arrogance -- An was unable to describe (1 ms. adds: to Inana) this arrogance, this arrogance: "My child, ...... you did not say ...... -- you were able to capture E-ana! Inana, ...... you did not say ...... -- you were able to capture E-ana! E-ana should be as firm as heaven, it should not be toppled (1 ms. has instead: its attractions should never be exhausted). Its name should be "The Settlement of the Land". (1 ms. adds: It should have no rival.) Mankind, all of the people, should prostrate themselves at her (?) feet." And now, under that sun and on that day, it was indeed so.

She had captured E-ana from An! She secured it ....... Now Inana speaks of the E-ana as the house that is the place of the lady. The goddess who has attained her triumphant position, Inana who has attained her triumphant position, declares in the good place: "I have captured E-ana from An."

Because you are unmatched among the Great Princes, maiden Inana, praising you is magnificent!

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

More...

Inana and Iddin-Dagan

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

I shall greet her who ascends above, her who ascends above, I shall greet the Mistress who ascends above, I shall greet the great lady of heaven, Inana! I shall greet the holy torch who fills the heavens, the light, Inana, her who shines like daylight, the great lady of heaven, Inana! I shall greet the Mistress, the most awesome lady among the Anuna gods; the respected one who fills heaven and earth with her huge brilliance; the eldest daughter of Suen, Inana! For the young lady I shall sing a song about her grandeur, about her greatness, about her exalted dignity; about her radiantly ascending at evening; about her filling the heaven like a holy torch; about her stance in the heavens, as noticeable by all lands, from the south to the highlands, as that of Nanna or of Utu; about the greatness of the Mistress of heaven!

1st kirugu.

Her rising is that of a warrior.

Jicgijal.

When standing in the heavens she is the good wild cow of An, on earth she instils respect; she is the lady of all the lands. She received the divine powers in the abzu, in Eridug; her father Enki presented them to her. He placed the lordship and kingship in her hands. She takes her seat on the great dais with An; she determines the fates in her Land with Enlil. Monthly, at the new moon, the gods of the Land gather around her so that the divine powers are perfected. The great Anuna gods, having bowed before them, stand there with prayers and supplications and utter prayers on behalf of all the lands. My lady decrees judgments in due order for the Land. (2 mss. add the line: Inana decides verdicts for the Land together with Enlil.) Her black-headed people parade before her.

2nd kirugu.

Making silver aljar instruments sound for her, they parade before her, holy Inana. I shall greet the great lady of heaven, Inana! Making holy ub and holy lilis drums sound for her, they parade before her, holy Inana. I shall greet the great lady of heaven, Inana! Beating (?) holy balaj and holy lilis drums for her, they parade before her, holy Inana. I shall greet (1 ms. adds: in (?) her grandeur, in (?) her greatness, in (?) her exalted dignity as she ascends radiantly at evening,) the eldest daughter of Suen (some mss. have instead: the great lady of heaven), Inana!

3rd kirugu.

Combing (?) their hair (?) for her, male prostitutes parade before her, holy Inana. Their locks of hair at the back are adorned for her with coloured bands (?); they parade before her, holy Inana. Clothed (?) in the leather (?) of divinity, they parade before her, holy Inana. The trustworthy man (1 ms. has instead: king) and the proud lady, the doyenne of the great wise women, parade before her, holy Inana. Those who are in charge (?) of beating (?) the soothing balaj drums parade before her, holy Inana. Each girded with a sword belt, the strength of battle, they parade before her, holy Inana. Grasping a spear, the strength of battle, in their hands, they parade before her, holy Inana.

4th kirugu.

Dressed with men's clothing on the right side, they parade before her, holy Inana. I shall greet the great lady of heaven, Inana! Adorned (?) with women's clothing on the left side, they parade before her, holy Inana. I shall great the great lady of heaven, Inana! Competing with skipping ropes of (?) coloured cords for her, they parade before her, holy Inana. I shall greet the eldest daughter of Suen (1 ms. has instead: the great lady of heaven), Inana!

5th kirugu.

Young men put into neck-stocks (?) sing to her and parade before her, holy Inana. Young women, cugia priestesses, coiffured, parade before her, holy Inana. ...... sword and dagger for her, they parade before her, holy Inana. With daggers in their hands, ...... kurjara priests parade before her, holy Inana. Those who cover their swords with gore spatter blood as they parade before her, holy Inana. Blood is poured on the dais standing in the guena hall, as tigi, cem and ala drums are made to sound loudly.

The Mistress stands alone in the pure heavens. From the midst of heaven my lady looks with joy at all the lands and the black headed people, who are as numerous as sheep (1 ms. has instead: ewes). (some mss. add the line: They parade before her, holy Inana). I praise the lady of the evening, Inana, the august one, the young lady, Inana. The lady of the evening reaches the borders of heaven! (1 ms. has instead: The lady exalted as high as the heaven, Inana), is august!

6th kirugu.

When at evening, the radiant star, the Venus star, the great light which fills the holy heavens, the lady of the evening, ascends above like a warrior, the people in all the lands lift their gaze to her. The men purify themselves, the woman cleanse themselves. The oxen toss (?) their heads in their yoke. The sheep stir up dust in their pens. Because of my lady, the numerous beasts of Cakkan, the creatures of the plain, the four-legged animals under the broad heavens (1 ms. has instead: of the broad high (?) plain), the orchards and gardens, the plots, the green reed-beds, the fish of the deep, the birds of heaven, all hasten to their sleeping places. All the living creatures and the numerous people bend the knee before her. When called for (?) by my lady the matriarchs plentifully provide food and drink, and my lady refreshes herself in her Land. There is play in the Land, which is made festive. The young men take pleasure in their spouses.

From the midst of heaven my lady looks down with joy. They parade before her, holy Inana. The lady of the evening, Inana, is august; I praise the young lady, Inana. The lady of the evening, her grandeur reaches the borders of heaven!

7th kirugu.

At night the skilled and beautiful one (?), the joy of An, the ornament of broad heaven, appears like moonlight; in the heat of the noon she appears like sunlight. After the storehouses of the Land have been filled with fine food, and all the lands and the black-headed people have assembled, (1 ms. adds: and the storehouses of the Land have been made full (?),) those who sleep on the roofs and those who sleep by the walls step up before her with ...... and bring her their cases. Then she makes her orders known, and identifies the evil. She judges the evil as evil and destroys the wicked. She looks with favour on the just and determines a good fate for them.

From the midst of heaven my lady looks down with joy. They parade before her, holy Inana. The lady exalted as high as the heaven, Inana, is august! I praise the young woman, Inana. The lady exalted as high as the heaven, her grandeur reaches the borders of heaven.

8th kirugu.

The beautiful lady, the joy of An, has ascended above like a warrior. She carries there what befits the ...... of heaven. She takes counsel with An in his lofty place. Among youths and heroes (some mss. have instead: heroic youths), may she be alone chosen!

Jicgijal.

She is mighty, she is respected, she exalted, she is august and great, she is surpassing in youthfulness.

Cagbatuku.

As the lady, admired by the Land, the lone star, the Venus star, the lady elevated as high as the heaven, ascends above like a warrior, all the lands tremble before her ....... The faithful black-headed people bow to her. The young man travelling on the road directs himself by her. The oxen raise their heads in their yoke to her. (2 mss. add: The melody of the song of those tending the cattle resounds ...... on the plain. The farmer ...... the cattle ...... their yoke in the Land.) With her the storehouses of the Land prosper.

Everybody hastens to holy Inana. For my lady in the midst of heaven the best of everything is prepared (?). In the pure places of the plain, at its good places, on the roofs, on the rooftops, the rooftops of the dwellings (?), in the sanctuaries (?) of mankind, incense offerings like a forest of aromatic cedars are transmitted to her. They sacrifice alum sheep, long-haired sheep, and fattened sheep for her. They purify the earth for the Mistress, they carry out purification rites for her (some mss. have instead: celebrate her in songs).

They fill the tables of the Land with ghee, dates, cheese, and seven sorts of fruits as first-fruit offerings for her. They pour dark beer for her, they pour light beer for her. Dark beer, emmer beer, and emmer beer for my lady bubble in the cagub jar and the lamsari vat for her. From pastes of honey mixed with ghee (some mss. add the line: From ...... mixed with ghee), they bake date-syrup cakes for her. They pour out early-morning beer, flour, flour in honey, honey, and wine of sunrise for her. The personal gods of the people also attend upon her with food and drink. They provide the Mistress with food in the holy place, the pure place. (some mss. have instead: They purify the earth for the Mistress, they celebrate her in songs.)

From the midst of heaven my lady looks down with joy. They parade before her, holy Inana. Inana, the lady exalted as high as the heaven is august! I praise the young lady, Inana. The lady exalted as high as the heaven, her grandeur reaches the borders of heaven!

9th kirugu.

When the black-headed people have assembled in the palace, the house that advises the Land, the neck-stock of all the foreign countries, the house of the river of ordeal, a dais is set up for Ninegala. The divine king stays there with her. At the New Year, on the day of the rites, in order for her to determine the fate of all the countries (1 ms. has instead: in order for the life of all the countries to be attended to), so that during the day (?) the faithful servants can be inspected, so that on the day of the disappearance of the moon the divine powers can be perfected, a bed is set up for my lady. Esparto grass is purified with cedar perfume and arranged on that bed for my lady, and a coverlet is smoothed out on the top (?) of it.

In order to find sweetness in the bed on the joyous coverlet, my lady bathes her holy thighs. She bathes them for the thighs of the king; she bathes them for (some mss. have instead: with head held high she goes to) the thighs of Iddin-Dagan. Holy Inana rubs herself with soap; she sprinkles oil and cedar essence on the ground.

The king goes to her holy thighs with head held high, (some mss. add: she goes to the thighs of Iddin-Dagan,) he goes to the thighs of Inana with head held high. Ama-ucumgal-ana lies down beside her and caresses her holy thighs (some mss. have instead: (says:) "O my holy thighs! O my holy Inana!"). After the lady has made him rejoice with her holy thighs on the bed, after holy Inana has made him rejoice with her holy thighs on the bed, she relaxes (?) with him on her bed: " Iddin-Dagan, you are indeed my beloved!"

To pour libations, to carry out purification rites, to heap up incense offerings, to burn juniper resin (?), to set out food offerings, to set out offering-bowls, he goes into her Egal-mah. She embraces her beloved spouse, holy Inana embraces him. She shines like daylight on the great throne dais (1 ms. has instead: the throne at one side (?)) and makes the king position himself next (?) to her like the sun.

Abundance and celebration are prepared before her in plenty. He arranges a rich banquet for her. The black-headed people line up before her. With instruments loud enough to drown out the south wind-storm, with sweet sounding aljar instruments, the glory of the palace, and with harps, the source of joy for mankind, musicians perform songs which delight her heart. The king sees to what is eaten and drunk, Ama-ucumgal-ana sees to what is eaten and drunk. The palace is in festive mood, the king is joyous. The people spend the day amid plenteousness. Ama-ucumgal-ana stands in great joy. May his days be long on the splendid throne! He proudly (?) occupies the royal dais.

They praise my lady on my behalf (?) with the hymns of heaven and earth. "You are the Mistress born together with heaven and earth." In the holy place, the pure place, they celebrate the Mistress in songs: "Joy of the black-headed people, ornament of the assembly, Inana, eldest daughter of Suen, lady of the evening, your praise is good!".

From the midst of heaven my lady looks down with joy. They parade before her, holy Inana. Inana, the lady elevated as high as the heavens, is august! (some mss. have instead: The lady of the evening, her grandeur reaches the borders of heaven!)

10th kirugu.

She is mighty, she is respected, she is exalted, she is august and great, she is surpassing in youthfulness!

Jicgijal.

A cirnamursaja of Ninsiana.

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

Inana and Enki

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

SEGMENT A

about 6 lines missing

She ...... of the desert. She put the cu-gura, the desert crown, on her head. ...... when she went out to the shepherd, to the sheepfold, ...... her genitals were remarkable. ...... her genitals were remarkable. She praised herself, full of delight at her genitals, she praised herself, full of delight at her genitals. She looked at ......, she looked at ......, she looked at .......

"When I have gratified the lord ......, when I have made ...... brilliant, when I have made ...... beautiful, when I have made ...... glorious, when I have ......, when I have made ...... perfect, when I have made ...... luxuriant, when I have made ...... exuberant, when I have made ...... shining (?), when I have made ...... return, when I have made ...... brilliant, when I have made ...... shimmering, I shall direct my steps to the abzu, to Eridug, I shall direct my steps to Enki, to the abzu, to Eridug, and I myself shall speak coaxingly to him, in the abzu, in Eridug, I myself shall speak coaxingly to Enki, in the abzu, in Eridug. ...... had her go out ......."

about 21 lines missing

SEGMENT B

" Inana, ...... it is I who ....... I, Inana, personally intend to go to the abzu (1 ms. has instead: intend to go to Eridug). I shall utter a plea to the lord Enki. Like the sweet oil of the cedar, who will ...... for my holy ...... perfume? It shall never escape me that I have been neglected by him who has had sex."

On that day the maiden Inana, holy Inana, directed her steps all by herself towards Enki's abzu in Eridug. On that day, he of exceptional knowledge, who knows the divine powers in heaven and earth, who from his own dwelling already knows the intentions of the gods, Enki, the king of the abzu, who, even before holy Inana had approached within six miles of the abzu (1 ms. has instead: the temple) in Eridug, knew all about her enterprise -- Enki spoke to his man, gave him instructions: "Come here, my man, listen to my words."

1 line fragmentary

about 2 lines missing

SEGMENT C

"...... she will drink, ...... she will eat. Come here! ....... I will ......, ...... do. The maiden ...... the abzu and Eridug, Inana ...... the abzu and Eridug ....... When the maiden Inana has entered the abzu and Eridug, when Inana has entered the abzu and Eridug, offer her butter cake to eat. Let her be served cool refreshing water. Pour beer for her, in front of the Lions Gate, make her feel as if she is in her girlfriend's house, make her ...... as a colleague. You are to welcome holy Inana at the holy table, at the table of An."

After Enki had spoken thus to him, Isimud the minister followed his master's instructions closely. He let the maiden into the abzu and Eridug. He let Inana into the abzu and Eridug. When the maiden had entered the abzu and Eridug, when Inana had entered the abzu and Eridug, she got butter cake to eat. They poured cool refreshing water for her, and they gave her beer to drink, in front of the Lions Gate. He made her feel as if she was in her girlfriend's house, and made her ...... as a colleague. He welcomed holy Inana at the holy table, at the table of An.

So it came about that Enki and Inana were drinking beer together in the abzu, and enjoying the taste of sweet wine. The bronze aga vessels were filled to the brim, and the two of them started a competition, drinking from the bronze vessels of Urac.

about 35 lines missing

SEGMENT D

"I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......." Holy Inana received heroism, power, wickedness, righteousness, the plundering of cities, making lamentations, rejoicing. "In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......."

Holy Inana received deceit, the rebel lands, kindness, being on the move, being sedentary. "In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......."

Holy Inana received the craft of the carpenter, the craft of the coppersmith, the craft of the scribe, the craft of the smith, the craft of the leather-worker, the craft of the fuller, the craft of the builder, the craft of the reed-worker. "In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......."

Holy Inana received wisdom, attentiveness, holy purification rites, the shepherd's hut, piling up glowing charcoals, the sheepfold, respect, awe, reverent silence. "In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......."

Holy Inana received the bitter-toothed (?) ......, the kindling of fire, the extinguishing of fire, hard work, ......, the assembled family, descendants. "In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......."

Holy Inana received strife, triumph, counselling, comforting, judging, decision-making. "In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......." Holy Inana received ......, ......,

about 78 lines missing

SEGMENT E

"He has given me righteousness. He has given me the plundering of cities. He has given me making lamentations. He has given me rejoicing.

"He has given me deceit. He has given me the rebel lands. He has given me kindness. He has given me being on the move. He has given me being sedentary.

"He has given me the craft of the carpenter. He has given me the craft of the coppersmith. He has given me the craft of the scribe. He has given me the craft of the smith. He has given me the craft of the leather-worker. He has given me the craft of the fuller. He has given me the craft of the builder. He has given me the craft of the reed-worker.

"He has given me wisdom. He has given me attentiveness. He has given me holy purification rites. He has given me the shepherd's hut. He has given me piling up glowing charcoals. He has given me the sheepfold. He has given me respect. He has given me awe. He has given me reverent silence.

"He has given me the bitter-toothed (?) ....... He has given me the kindling of fire. He has given me the extinguishing of fire. He has given me hard work. He has given me ....... He has given me the assembled family. He has given me descendants. He has given me strife. He has given me triumph. He has given me counselling."

about 34-35 lines missing

SEGMENT F

Enki spoke to the minister Isimud: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Since she said that she would not yet depart from here for Unug Kulaba, that she would not yet depart from here to the place where Utu ......, can I still reach her?" But holy Inana had gathered up the divine powers and embarked onto the Boat of Heaven. The Boat of Heaven had already left the quay. As the effects of the beer cleared from him who had drunk beer, from him who had drunk beer, as the effects of the beer cleared from father Enki who had drunk beer, the great lord Enki turned his attention to the ...... building. The lord looked up at the abzu. King Enki turned his attention to Eridug.

Enki spoke to Isimud the minister: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Where are the office of en priest, the office of lagal priest, divinity, the great and good crown, the royal throne?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

"Where are the noble sceptre, the staff and crook, the noble dress, shepherdship, kingship?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

"Where are the office of egi-zi priestess, the office of nin-dijir priestess, the office of icib priest, the office of lu-mah priest, the office of gudu priest?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

"Where are constancy, ......, ......, going down to the underworld, coming up from the underworld, the kur-jara priest?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

"Where are the sword and club, the cultic functionary saj-ursaj, the black garment, the colourful garment, the ...... hair-style, the ...... hair-style?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

"Where are ......?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

"Where are the standard, the quiver, sexual intercourse, kissing, prostitution, ...... running (?)?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

"Where are forthright speech, deceitful speech, grandiloquent speech, ......, the cultic prostitute, the holy tavern?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

"Where are the holy nijin-jar shrine, ......, the hierodule of heaven, loud musical instruments, the art of song, venerable old age?" "My master has given them to his daughter."

about 33-36 lines missing

SEGMENT G

...... king ...... in the house of Enki should not forget a word. ...... full of advice, loud voiced, knowing much ....... They said: "By the bolt of the temple door, a frog spoke." He showed him to a place. Enki grasped the frog by his right paw. He showed him into his holy ....... He received ...... the halub tree and his box-tree. He gave ...... to the bird of heaven. He gave ...... to the fish of the subterranean waters.

11 lines fragmentary

about 10-15 lines missing

SEGMENT H

The prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just now reached the ...... Quay." "Go now! The Enkum are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her!"

The minister Isimud spoke to holy Inana: "My lady! Your father has sent me to you. Inana, your father has sent me to you. What your father said was very serious. What Enki spoke was very serious. His important words cannot be countermanded." Holy Inana replied to him: "What has my father said to you, what has he spoken? Why should his important words not be countermanded?" "My master has spoken to me, Enki has said to me: " Inana may travel to Unug, but you are to get the Boat of Heaven back to Eridug for me"."

Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her mouth, he got the Enkum to seize hold of the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana addressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched your feet!"

So Inana got hold again of the divine powers which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for the second time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just now reached the holy ......." "Go now! The fifty giants of Eridug are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her!"

Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her mouth, he got the fifty giants of Eridug to seize hold of the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana addressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched your feet!"

So Inana got hold again of the divine powers which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for the third time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just now reached the UL.MA hill." "Go now! The fifty lahama of the subterranean waters are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her!"

Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her mouth, he got the fifty lahama of the subterranean waters to seize hold of the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana addressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched your feet!"

So Inana got hold again of the divine powers which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for the fourth time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just now reached the Field Hill." "Go now! All the great fish together ...... are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her!"

Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her mouth, he got all the great fish together ...... to seize hold of the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana addressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched your feet!"

So Inana got hold again of the divine powers which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for the fifth time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just now reached ......." "Go now! ......, the guardians of Unug, are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her!"

Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her mouth, he got the ......, the guardians of Unug, to seize hold of the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana addressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched your feet!"

So Inana got hold again of the divine powers which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for the sixth time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just now reached the Id-surungal ......." "Go now! The Id-surungal ...... are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her! ...... from holy Inana."

Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her mouth, he got the Id-surungal ...... to seize hold of the Boat of Heaven. ...... from holy Inana. Holy Inana addressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched your feet!"

So Inana got hold again of the divine powers which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then

1 line fragmentary

...... Unug ......

1 line fragmentary

...... the Boat of Heaven. Nincubur ......, ...... the Boat of Heaven. A seventh time ......

1 line fragmentary

The great princely scion, holy ....... Holy Inana ...... the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana at that time .......

Her minister Nincubur spoke to holy Inana: "My lady, today you have brought the Boat of Heaven to the Gate of Joy, to Unug Kulaba. Now there will be rejoicing in our city, now there will be rejoicing in our city. ...... barges on our river ......."

Holy Inana replied to her: "Today I have brought the Boat of Heaven to the Gate of Joy, to Unug Kulaba. It shall pass along the street magnificently. The people shall stand in the street full of awe. "

1 line fragmentary

...... in joy. ...... the old men of the city ...... comfort, ...... the old women ...... counsel, ...... the young men ...... strength of arms, ...... the children ...... joy. ...... Unug.

1 line fragmentary

1 line missing

3 lines fragmentary

"...... festival ...... the Boat of Heaven. He shall recite great prayers. The king shall slaughter bulls, shall sacrifice sheep. He shall pour beer from a bowl. He shall have the cem and ala drums sound, and have the sweet-sounding tigi instruments play. The foreign lands shall declare my greatness. My people shall utter my praise."

When she had ...... the Boat of Heaven to the Gate of Joy at Unug Kulaba, it passed magnificently along the street. It reached the maiden's house, and she ...... its place. ...... the purified well, her principal well. Inana ...... the divine powers which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven, at the Jipar Gate. At the Agrun Chamber ....... Holy Inana ...... the Boat of Heaven .......

The prince addressed his minister Isimud, Enki spoke to the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just now reached the White Quay." "Go now, ...... admiration. ...... admiration ...... the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana ....... ...... admiration ....... "

about 3 lines missing

SEGMENT J

" Inana, you have brought with you the office of en priest, you have brought with you the office of lagal priest, you have brought with you divinity, you have brought with you the great and good crown, you have brought with you the royal throne.

"You have brought with you the noble sceptre, you have brought with you the staff and crook, you have brought with you the noble dress, you have brought with you shepherdship, you have brought with you kingship.

"You have brought with you the office of egi-zi priestess, you have brought with you the office of nin-dijir priestess, you have brought with you the office of icib priest, you have brought with you the office of lu-mah priest, you have brought with you the office of gudu priest.

"You have brought with you constancy, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you going down to the underworld, you have brought with you coming up from the underworld, you have brought with you the kur-jara priest.

"You have brought with you sword and club, you have brought with you the cultic functionary saj-ursaj, you have brought with you the black garment, you have brought with you the colourful garment, you have brought with you the ...... hair-style, you have brought with you the ...... hair-style.

"You have brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you .......

"You have brought with you the standard, you have brought with you the quiver, you have brought with you sexual intercourse, you have brought with you kissing, you have brought with you prostitution, you have brought with you ...... running (?).

"You have brought with you forthright speech, you have brought with you deceitful speech, you have brought with you grandiloquent speech, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you the cultic prostitute, you have brought with you the holy tavern.

"You have brought with you the holy nijin-jar shrine, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you the hierodule of heaven, you have brought with you loud musical instruments, you have brought with you the art of song, you have brought with you venerable old age.

"You have brought with you heroism, you have brought with you power, you have brought with you wickedness, you have brought with you righteousness, you have brought with you the plundering of cities, you have brought with you making lamentations, you have brought with you rejoicing.

"You have brought with you deceit, you have brought with you the rebel lands, you have brought with you kindness, you have brought with you being on the move, you have brought with you being sedentary.

"You have brought with you the craft of the carpenter, you have brought with you the craft of the coppersmith, you have brought with you the craft of the scribe, you have brought with you the craft of the smith, you have brought with you the craft of the leather-worker, you have brought with you the craft of the fuller, you have brought with you the craft of the builder, you have brought with you the craft of the reed-worker.

"You have brought with you wisdom, you have brought with you attentiveness, you have brought with you holy purification rites, you have brought with you the shepherd's hut, you have brought with you piling up glowing charcoals, you have brought with you the sheepfold, you have brought with you respect, you have brought with you awe, you have brought with you reverent silence.

"You have brought with you the bitter-toothed (?) ......, you have brought with you the kindling of fire, you have brought with you the extinguishing of fire, you have brought with you hard work, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you the assembled family, you have brought with you descendants.

"You have brought with you strife, you have brought with you triumph, you have brought with you counselling, you have brought with you comforting, you have brought with you judging, you have brought with you decision-making.

"You have brought with you the establishing of plans (?), the attractiveness of women, you have brought with you ...... to handle the perfect divine powers, you have brought with you ...... small ......, you have brought with you ...... exalted ......, you have brought with you the holy tigi, holy lilis, ub, meze and ala drums, you have brought with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought with you all of the ......, ...... beer."

2 lines fragmentary

6 lines missing

Where the woman ...... joy ......, she named it with the name "The house Ganzer is rebuilt". Where the trader said "Fifty shekels" but when he brought (?) it there was less, she named that place with the name "Potsherds and scrap metal (?)". Where the boat ......, she named it with the name "......". Where the boat came to dock at the quay, she named that place with the name "White Quay". Where ......, she named that place with the name "Blue Quay".

Enki spoke to holy Inana: "In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will establish ...... in my abzu for the woman."

( Inana speaks:) "Why has this one now entered here? ...... taking the divine powers from me?"

3 lines fragmentary

(A third deity speaks:) "May the ...... in your name!"

4 lines fragmentary

"May there be ...... a festival! May ...... pass their time ...... at the gate of your Jipar! May the citizens of your city, Inana, the citizens of Unug, live ......! And as for you, Enki -- may ...... your city, Eridug ......, and has indeed restored ......."

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

Inana and Ebih

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

Goddess of the fearsome divine powers, clad in terror, riding on the great divine powers, Inana, made complete by the strength of the holy ankar weapon, drenched in blood, rushing around in great battles, with shield resting on the ground (?), covered in storm and flood, great lady Inana, knowing well how to plan conflicts, you destroy mighty lands with arrow and strength and overpower lands.

In heaven and on earth you roar like a lion and devastate the people. Like a huge wild bull you triumph over lands which are hostile. Like a fearsome lion you pacify the insubordinate and unsubmissive with your gall.

My lady, on your acquiring the stature of heaven, maiden Inana, on your becoming as magnificent as the earth, on your coming forth like Utu the king and stretching your arms wide, on your walking in heaven and wearing fearsome terror, on your wearing daylight and brilliance on earth, on your walking in the mountain ranges and bringing forth beaming rays, on your bathing the girin plants of the mountains (in light), on your giving birth to the bright mountain, the mountain, the holy place, on your ......, on your being strong with the mace like a joyful lord, like an enthusiastic (?) lord, on your exulting in such battle like a destructive weapon -- the black-headed people ring out in song and all the lands sing their song sweetly.

I shall praise the lady of battle, the great child of Suen, maiden Inana.

( Inana announced:) "When I, the goddess, was walking around in heaven, walking around on earth, when I, Inana, was walking around in heaven, walking around on earth, when I was walking around in Elam and Subir, when I was walking around in the Lulubi mountains, when I turned towards the centre of the mountains, as I, the goddess, approached the mountain it showed me no respect, as I, Inana, approached the mountain it showed me no respect, as I approached the mountain range of Ebih it showed me no respect.

"Since they showed me no respect, since they did not put their noses to the ground for me, since they did not rub their lips in the dust for me, I shall personally fill the soaring mountain range with my terror.

"Against its magnificent sides I shall place magnificent battering-rams, against its small sides I shall place small battering-rams. I shall storm it and start the 'game' of holy Inana. In the mountain range I shall start battles and prepare conflicts.

"I shall prepare arrows in the quiver. I shall ...... sling stones with the rope. I shall begin the polishing of my lance. I shall prepare the throw stick and the shield.

"I shall set fire to its thick forests. I shall take an axe to its evil-doing. I shall make Gibil, the purifier, bare his holy teeth at its watercourses. I shall spread this terror through the inaccessible mountain range Aratta.

"Like a city which An has cursed, may it never be restored. Like a city at which Enlil has frowned, may it never again lift its neck up. May the mountain tremble when I approach. May Ebih give me honour and praise me."

Inana, the child of Suen, put on the garment of royalty and girded herself in joy. She bedecked her forehead with terror and fearsome radiance. She arranged cornelian rosettes around her holy throat. She brandished the seven-headed cita weapon vigorously to her right and placed straps of lapis lazuli on her feet.

At dusk she came forth regally and followed the path to the Gate of Wonder. She made an offering to An and addressed a prayer to him.

An, in delight at Inana, stepped forward and took his place. He filled the seat of honour of heaven.

( Inana announced:) " An, my father, I greet you! Lend your ear to my words. You have made me terrifying among the deities in heaven. Owing to you my word has no rival in heaven or on earth. You have given me the ...... and the cilig weapon, the antibal and mansium emblems.

"To set the socle in position and make the throne and foundation firm, to carry the might of the cita weapon which bends like a mubum tree, to hold the ground with the six fold yoke, to extend the thighs with the fourfold yoke, to pursue murderous raids and widespread military campaigns, to appear to those kings in the ...... of heaven like moonlight, to shoot the arrow from the arm and fall on fields, orchards and forests like the tooth of the locust, to take the harrow to rebel lands, to remove the locks from their city gates so the doors stand open -- King An, you have indeed given me all this, and .......

"You have placed me at the right hand of the king in order to destroy rebel lands: may he, with my aid, smash heads like a falcon in the foothills of the mountain, King An, and may I ...... your name throughout the land like a thread.

"May he destroy the lands as a snake in a crevice. May he make them slither around like a sajkal snake coming down from a mountain. May he establish control over the mountain, examine it and know its length. May he go out on the holy campaign of An and know its depth. The gods ......, since the Anuna deities have .......

"How can it be that the mountain did not fear me in heaven and on earth, that the mountain did not fear me, Inana, in heaven and on earth, that the mountain range of Ebih, the mountain, did not fear me in heaven and on earth? Because it showed me no respect, because it did not put its nose to the ground, because it did not rub its lips in the dust, may I fill my hand with the soaring mountain range and hand it over to my terror.

"Against its magnificent sides let me place magnificent battering rams, against its small sides let me place small battering rams. Let me storm it and start the 'game' of holy Inana. In the mountain range let me set up battle and prepare conflicts.

"Let me prepare arrows in the quiver. Let me ...... sling stones with the rope. Let me begin the polishing of my lance. Let me prepare the throw stick and the shield.

"Let me set fire to its thick forests. Let me take an axe to its evil-doing. Let me make Gibil, the purifier, bare his holy teeth at its watercourses. Let me spread this terror through the inaccessible mountain range Aratta.

An, the king of the deities, answered her: "My little one demands the destruction of this mountain -- what is she taking on? Inana demands the destruction of this mountain -- what is she taking on? She demands the destruction of this mountain -- what is she taking on?

"It has poured fearsome terror on the abodes of the gods. It has spread fear among the holy dwellings of the Anuna deities. It has poured its terror and ferocity over this land. It has poured the mountain range's radiance and fear over all the lands. Its arrogance extends grandly to the centre of heaven.

"Fruit hangs in its flourishing gardens and luxuriance spreads forth. Its magnificent trees are themselves a source of wonder to the roots of heaven. In Ebih ...... lions are abundant under the canopy of trees and bright branches. It makes wild rams and stags freely abundant. It stands wild bulls in flourishing grass. Deer couple among the cypress trees of the mountain range.

"You cannot pass through its terror and fear. The mountain range's radiance is fearsome. Maiden Inana, you cannot oppose it." Thus he spoke.

The mistress, in her rage and anger, opened the arsenal and pushed on the lapis lazuli gate. She brought out magnificent battle and called up a great storm. Holy Inana reached for the quiver. She raised a towering flood with evil silt. She stirred up an evil raging wind with potsherds.

My lady confronted the mountain range. She advanced step by step. She sharpened both edges of her dagger. She grabbed Ebih's neck as if ripping up esparto grass. She pressed the dagger's teeth into its interior. She roared like thunder.

The rocks forming the body of Ebih clattered down its flanks. From its sides and crevices great serpents spat venom. She damned its forests and cursed its trees. She killed its oak trees with drought. She poured fire on its flanks and made its smoke dense. The goddess established authority over the mountain. Holy Inana did as she wished.

She went to the mountain range of Ebih and addressed it: "Mountain range, because of your elevation, because of your height, because of your attractiveness, because of your beauty, because of your wearing a holy garment, because of your reaching up to heaven, because you did not put your nose to the ground, because you did not rub your lips in the dust, I have killed you and brought you low.

"As with an elephant I have seized your tusks. As with a great wild bull I have brought you to the ground by your thick horns. As with a bull I have forced your great strength to the ground and pursued you savagely. I have made tears the norm in your eyes. I have placed laments in your heart. Birds of sorrow are building nests on these flanks."

For a second time, rejoicing in her fearsome terror, she spoke out righteously: "My father Enlil has poured my great terror over the centre of the mountains. On my right side he has placed a weapon. On my left side a ...... is placed. My anger, a harrow with great teeth, has torn the mountain apart.

"I have built a palace and done much more. I have put a throne in place and made its foundation firm. I have given the kurjara cult performers a dagger and prod. I have given the gala cult performers ub and lilis drums. I have changed the headgear of the pilipili cult performers.

"In my victory I rushed towards the mountain. In my victory I rushed towards Ebih, the mountain range. I went forward like a surging flood, and like rising water I overflowed the dam. I imposed my victory on the mountain. I imposed my victory on Ebih."

For destroying Ebih, great child of Suen, maiden Inana, be praised.

Nisaba be praised.

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts

A balbale to Inana - Dumuzid

A balbale to Inana and Dumuzid

(Dumuzid-Inana A)

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

The brother speaks gently to his sister, Utu speaks gently to his sister, he speaks tenderly to holy Inana: "Young lady, the flax in the garden beds is full of loveliness, Inana, the flax in the garden beds is full of loveliness, like the barley in the furrows, overflowing with loveliness and delight. Sister (1 ms. has instead: Young lady), you took a fancy to a grand length of linen; Inana, you took a fancy to a grand length of linen. I will dig up the plants for you and give them to you. Young lady (1 ms. has instead: My sister), I will bring you flax from the garden beds. Inana, I will bring you flax from the garden beds."

" Brother (1 ms. has instead: My brother), when you have brought me flax from the garden beds, who will ret it for me? Who will ret it for me? Who will ret that flax for me?"

"My sister, I will bring it to you already retted! Inana, I will bring it to you already retted!"

" Brother (1 ms. has instead: My brother), when you have brought it to me already retted, who will spin it for me? Who will spin it for me? Who will spin that flax for me?"

"My sister, I will bring it to you already spun! Inana, I will bring it to you already spun!"

" Brother (1 ms. has instead: My brother), when you have brought it to me already spun, who will twine it for me? Who will twine it for me? Who will twine that flax for me?"

"My sister, I will bring it to you already twined! Inana, I will bring it to you already twined!"

"Brother, when you have brought it to me already twined, who will warp it for me? Who will warp it for me? Who will warp that flax for me?"

"My sister, I will bring it to you already warped! Inana, I will bring it to you already warped!"

"Brother, when you have brought it to me already warped, who will weave for me? Who will weave for me? Who will weave that flax for me?"

"My sister, I will bring it to you already woven! Inana, I will bring it to you already woven!"

"Brother, when you have brought it to me already woven, who will bleach it for me? Who will bleach it for me? Who will bleach that linen for me?"

"My sister, I will bring it to you already bleached! Inana, I will bring it to you already bleached!"

"Brother, when you have brought it to me already bleached, who will lie down on it with me? Who will lie down on it with me? Who will lie down on that linen with me?"

"There shall lie down with you, there shall lie down with you, there shall lie down with you your bridegroom! Ama-ucumgal-ana shall lie down with you, the companion of Enlil shall lie down with you, the issue of a noble womb shall lie down with you, the offspring of a ruler shall lie down with you."

"Is it true?-- He is the man of my heart! He is the man of my heart! Brother, he is the man who has spoken to my heart! He does no hoeing, yet heaps up piles of grain; he delivers grain regularly to the storehouse, a farmer who has numerous piles of grain (1 ms. has instead: plentiful grain); a shepherd whose sheep are heavy (?) with wool."

A balbale of Inana.

September 25, 2011
0
Published in Clay Tablets from Sumer, Babylon and Assyria
Written by LC Geerts