Enki and Ninḫursaĝa

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 311 sections

1
iri{ki} kug-kug-ga-am3 e-ne ba-am3-me-en-ze2-en kur dilmun{ki} kug-ga-am3
Pure are the cities -- and you are the ones to whom they are allotted. Pure is Dilmun land. Pure is Sumer -- and you are the ones to whom it is allotted. Pure is Dilmun land. Pure is Dilmun land. Virginal is Dilmun land. Virginal is Dilmun land. Pristine is Dilmun land.
2
ki-en-gi kug-ga e-ne ba-am3-me-en-ze2-en kur dilmun{ki} kug-ga-am3
3
kur dilmun{ki} kug-ga-am3 kur dilmun sikil-am3
4
kur dilmun{ki} sikil-am3 kur dilmun{ki} dadag-ga-am3
5
dili-ni-ne dilmun{ki}-a u3-bi2-in-nu2
He laid her down all alone in Dilmun, and the place where Enki had lain down with his spouse, that place was still virginal, that place was still pristine. He laid her down all alone in Dilmun, and the place where Enki had lain down with Ninsikila, that place was virginal, that place was pristine.
6
ki {d}en-ki dam-a-ni-da ba-an-da-nu2-a-ba
7
ki-bi sikil-am3 ki-bi dadag-ga-am3
8
dili-ni-ne dilmun{ki}-a u3-bi2-in-nu2
9
ki {d}en-ki {d}nin-sikil-la ba-an-da-nu2-a-ba
10
ki-bi sikil-am3 ki-bi dadag-ga-am3
11
dilmun{ki}-a uga{mušen} gu3-gu3 nu-mu-ni-be2
In Dilmun the raven was not yet cawing, the partridge not cackling. The lion did not slay, the wolf was not carrying off lambs, the dog had not been taught to make kids curl up, the pig had not learned that grain was to be eaten.
12
dar{mušen}-e gu3 dar{mušen}-re nu-mu-ni-ib-be2
13
ur-gu-la saĝ ĝiš nu-ub-ra-ra
14
ur-bar-ra-ke4 sila4 nu-ub-kar-re
15
ur-gir15 maš2 gam-gam nu-ub-zu
16
šaḫ2 še gu7-gu7-e nu-ub-zu
17
nu-mu-un-su2 munu4 ur3-ra barag2-ga-ba
When a widow has spread malt on the roof, the birds did not yet eat that malt up there. The pigeon then did not tuck the head under its wing.
18
mušen-e an-na munu4-bi na-an-gu7-e
19
tum12{mušen}-e saĝ nu-mu-un-da-RU-e
20
igi-gig-e igi-gig-me-en nu-mu-ni-be2
No eye-diseases said there: I am the eye disease. No headache said there: I am the headache. No old woman belonging to it said there: I am an old woman. No old man belonging to it said there: I am an old man. No maiden in her unwashed state …… in the city. No man dredging a river said there: It is getting dark. No herald made the rounds in his border district.
21
saĝ-gig-e saĝ-gig-me-en nu-mu-ni-be2
22
um-ma-bi um-ma-me-en nu-mu-ni-be2
23
ab-ba-bi ab-ba-me-en nu-mu-ni-be2
24
ki-sikil a nu-tu5-a-ni iri-a nu-mu-ni-ib-sig10-ge
25
lu2 id2-da bal-e ĝi6-de3 nu-mu-ni-be2
26
niĝir-e zag-ga-na nu-um-niĝin2-niĝin2
27
nar-e e-lu-lam nu-mu-ni-be2
No singer sang an elulam there. No wailings were wailed in the city's outskirts there.
28
zag iri-ka i-lu nu-mu-ni-be2
29
{d}nin-sikil-la a-a-ni {d}en-ki-ra gu3 mu-na-de2-e
Ninsikila said to her father Enki: You have given a city. You have given a city. What does your giving avail me? You have given a city, Dilmun. You have given a city. What does your giving avail me? You have given ……. You have given a city. What avails me your giving?
30
iri mu-e-šum2 iri mu-e-šum2 nam-ĝu10 šum2-ma-zu
31
dilmun iri mu-e-šum2 iri <mu-e-šum2 nam-ĝu10 šum2-ma-zu>
32
[X X] mu-e-šum2 iri <mu-e-šum2 nam-ĝu10 šum2-ma-zu>
33
[iri kar] id2-da nu-un-tuku-a
You have given ……, a city that has no river quay. You have given a city. What does your giving avail me? (1 line fragmentary) A city that has no fields, glebe or furrow (3 lines missing)
34
[X X] mu-e-šum2 iri <mu-e-šum2 nam-ĝu10 šum2-ma-zu>
35
[…] X […] X
36
[iri a-šag4] a-gar3 [ab-sin2 nu-un-tuku]-a
gap
(3 lines missing)
40
[{d}utu an-na gub-be2-e]
(Enki answered Ninsikila:) When Utu steps up into heaven, fresh waters shall run out of the ground for you from the standing vessels (?) on Ezen's (?) shore, from Nanna's radiant high temple, from the mouth of the waters running underground.
41
[gir16 DU-a gaba EZEN{ki}-na-ta]
42
[e2-suḫur si {d}nanna-a-ta]
43
[ka a ki-a DU.DU-ta a dug3 ki-ta … DU]
44
ĝiri3-ma-an gal-la-za a ḫe2-em-ta-ed3-de3
May the waters rise up from it into your great basins. May your city drink water aplenty from them. May Dilmun drink water aplenty from them. May your pools of salt water become pools of fresh water. May your city become an emporium on the quay for the Land. May Dilmun become an emporium on the quay for the Land.
45
iri-zu a ḫe2-ĝal2-la ḫu-mu-ra-na8-na8
46
dilmun{ki} a ḫe2-<ĝal2-la ḫu-mu-ra-na8-na8>
47
pu2 a sis-a-zu pu2 a dug3-ga ḫe2-em
48
iri-zu e2-gun2 kar-ra kalam-ma-ka ḫe2-a
49
dilmun{ki} e2-<gun2 kar-ra kalam-ma-ka ḫe2-a>
49A
kur tu-⌈uk-ri-iš⌉{ki} kug-sig17 ḫa-ra-li
May the land of Tukriš hand over to you gold from Ḫarali, lapis lazuli and ……. May the land of Meluḫa load precious desirable cornelian, meš wood of Magan and the best abba wood into large ships for you. May the land of Marḫaši yield you precious stones, topazes. May the land of Magan offer you strong, powerful copper, dolerite, u stone and šumin stone. May the Sea-land offer you its own ebony wood, …… of a king. May the 'Tent'-lands offer you fine multicoloured wools. May the land of Elam hand over to you choice wools, its tribute. May the manor of Urim, the royal throne dais, the city ……, load up into large ships for you sesame, august raiment, and fine cloth. May the wide sea yield you its wealth.
49B
{na4}za-gin3 [X X] X-ga ḫu-mu-ra-bal-bal-[e]
49C
kur me-luḫ-ḫa{ki} {na4}gug niĝ2 al di kal-la
49D
{ĝiš}meš3 šag4-gan ĝiš-ab-ba sig5-ga
49E
ma2 gal-gal ḫu-mu-ra-ab-sa2
49F
kur mar-ḫa-ši{ki} na4 kal-la {na4}⌈du8⌉-[ši-a]
49G
gaba ḫu-mu-ra-ab-[X]
49H
kur ma2-gan{ki} urud niĝ2 kalag-ga usu-[(X)]
49I
{na4}esi {na4}U {na4}šu-min3 ḫu-mu-[X]
49K
kur ab-ba{ki}-ke4 {ĝiš}esi me-te-⌈bi⌉ [X] lugal-la ḫu-mu-ra-ab-[X (X)]
49L
kur za-lam-ĝar{ki} siki gun3!(IŠ) sag9-ga [X] ḫu-mu-ra-ab-[X]
49M
kur elam{ki}-ma siki igi saĝ5 gu2-⌈un⌉-[gu2-un] ḫu-mu-ra-ab-bal-[bal-e]
49N
eš3 urim2{ki} barag nam-lugal-la iri⌈{ki}⌉ […]
49O
še-i3-ĝiš tug2 maḫ tug2 sig5 ma2 gal-[gal] ḫu-mu-ra-ab-[sa2]
49P
a-ab-ba daĝal-la ḫe2-ĝal2-bi ḫu-⌈mu⌉-[…]
49Q
iri{ki} <tuš> ki-tuš-bi ki-tuš dug3-⌈ga⌉-[am3]
The city's dwellings are good dwellings. Dilmun's dwellings are good dwellings. Its grains are little grains, its dates are big dates, its harvests are triple ……, its wood is …… wood.
49R
dilmun{ki} ki-tuš-bi ki-tuš dug3-⌈ga⌉-[am3]
49S
še-bi še di4-di4-la2-[am3]
49T
zu2-lum-bi zu2-lum gu-ul-⌈gu⌉-[la]
49U
buru14-bi 3-am3 […]
49V
ĝiš-bi ĝiš X X […]
50
i3-ne-eš2 {d}utu ud ne-a
At that moment, on that day, and under that sun, when Utu stepped up into heaven, from the standing vessels (?) on Ezen's (?) shore, from Nanna's radiant high temple, from the mouth of the waters running underground, fresh waters ran out of the ground for her.
51
{d}utu an-na gub-be2-e
52
gir16 DU-a gaba EZEN{ki}-na-ta
53
⌈e2⌉-suḫur si {d}nanna-a-ta
54
ka a ki-a DU.DU-ta a dug3 ki-ta mu-na-ra-DU
55
ĝiri3-[ma-an] gal-la-na a im-ta-ed3-de3
The waters rose up from it into her great basins. Her city drank water aplenty from them. Dilmun drank water aplenty from them. Her pools of salt water indeed became pools of fresh water. Her fields, glebe and furrows indeed produced grain for her. Her city indeed became an emporium on the quay for the Land. Dilmun indeed became an emporium on the quay for the Land. At that moment, on that day, and under that sun, so it indeed happened.
56
iri-ni a ḫe2-ĝal2-la im-ta-na8-na8
57
dilmun{ki} a ḫe2-<ĝal2-la im-ta-na8-na8>
58
pu2 a sis-a-ni <pu2> a dug3-ga na-nam
59
a-šag4 a-gar3 ab-sin2-a-ni še mu-na-ab-⌈X-?⌉
60
iri-ni e2-gun2 kar-ra kalam-ma-ka na-nam
61
dilmun{ki} e2-gun2 <kar-ra kalam-ma-ka na-nam>
62
i3-ne-eš2 {d}utu ud ne-a ur5 ḫe2-na-nam-ma
63
dili-ni TAR ĝeštug2-ge tuku-a {d}nin-tur5 ama kalam-ma-še3
All alone the wise one, toward Nintur, the country's mother, Enki, the wise one, toward Nintur, the country's mother, was digging his phallus into the dykes, plunging his phallus into the reedbeds. The august one pulled his phallus aside and cried out: No man take me in the marsh.
64
{d}en-ki-ke4 ĝeštug2-ge tuku-a {d}nin-tur5 <ama kalam-ma-še3>
65
ĝiš3-a-ni eg2-a ba-an-ši-in-dun-e
66
ĝiš3-a-ni gi-a gir5-gir5-e ba-an-ši-gir5-gir5-e
67
ĝiš3-a-ni bar-še3 maḫ-ḫe ša-ba-ra-an-zi-zi
68
gu3 bi2-in-de2 ambar-ra lu2 nu-mu-un-dab-be2
69
{d}en-ki-ke4 gu3 bi2-in-de2
Enki cried out: By the life's breath of heaven I adjure you. Lie down for me in the marsh, lie down for me in the marsh, that would be joyous. Enki distributed his semen destined for Damgalnuna. He poured semen into Ninḫursaĝa's womb and she conceived the semen in the womb, the semen of Enki.
70
zi an-na i3-pad3
71
nu2-a ambar-ra nu2-a ambar-ra giri17-zal
72
{d}en-ki-ke4 a {d}dam-gal-nun-na-ka-ni mi-ni-in-dug4
73
{d}nin-ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ke4 a šag4-ga ba-ni-in-ri
74
a šag4-ga šu ba-ni-in-ti a {d}en-ki-ka3-ka
75
ud 1-am3 itid 1-a-ni
But her one month was one day, but her two months were two days, but her three months were three days, but her four months were four days, but her five months were five days, but her six months were six days, but her seven months were seven days, but her eight months were eight days, but her nine months were nine days. In the month of womanhood, like fine (?) oil, like fine (?) oil, like oil of abundance, Nintur, mother of the country, like fine (?) oil, gave birth to Ninnisig.
76
ud 2-am3 itid 2-a-ni
77
ud 3-am3 itid 3-a-ni
78
ud 4-am3 itid 4-a-ni
79
ud 5-am3 itid 5-a-ni
80
ud 6-am3 itid 6-a-ni
81
[ud] 7-am3 itid 7-a-ni

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. Copyright holders: Jeremy Black, Graham Cunningham, Jarle Ebeling, Esther Flückiger-Hawker, Eleanor Robson, Jon Taylor and Gábor Zólyomi. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. Source.