Enki and Ninmaḫ

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 142 sections

1
ud re-a-ta ud an ki-bi-ta ba-an-[dim2-ma-ba]
In those days, in the days when heaven and earth were created; in those nights, in the nights when heaven and earth were created; in those years, in the years when the fates were determined; when the Anuna gods were born; when the goddesses were taken in marriage; when the goddesses were distributed in heaven and earth; when the goddesses …… became pregnant and gave birth; when the gods were obliged (?) …… their food …… dining halls; the senior gods oversaw the work, while the minor gods were bearing the toil. The gods were digging the canals and piling up the silt in Ḫarali. The gods, crushing the clay, began complaining about this life.
2
ĝi6 re-a-ta ĝi6 an ki-bi-ta ⌈ba⌉-[an-dim2-ma-ba]
3
[mu re]-a-⌈ta⌉ mu nam ba-[tar-ra-ba]
4
[{d}a]-⌈nun⌉-na-ke4-ne ba-tu-ud-da-a-ba
5
{d}ama-{d}inana nam-NIR.PA-še3 ba-tuku-a-ba
6
{d}ama-{d}inana an ki-a ba-ḫal-ḫal-la-a-ba
7
{d}ama-{d}inana […] ba-a-peš u3-tud-da-a-ba
8
diĝir kurum6-ma-bi A X X ?-bi-še3 ba-ab-keše2-a-<ba>
9
diĝir šar2-šar2 kiĝ2-ĝa2 al-sug2-ge-eš diĝir tur-tur du2-lum im-il2-il2-e-ne
10
diĝir id2 <im> dun-dun-u3-ne saḫar-bi ḫa-ra-li im-dub-dub-be2-ne
11
diĝir im ar3-ar3-re-ne zi-bi inim am3-ma-ĝar-re-ne
12
ud-ba ĝeštug2 daĝal mud diĝir šar2-šar2 ĝal2-ĝal2
At that time, the one of great wisdom, the creator of all the senior gods, Enki lay on his bed, not waking up from his sleep, in the deep engur, in the subterranean water, the place the inside of which no other god knows. The gods said, weeping: He is the cause of the lamenting! Namma, the primeval mother who gave birth to the senior gods, took the tears of the gods to the one who lay sleeping, to the one who did not wake up from his bed, to her son: Are you really lying there asleep, and …… not awake? The gods, your creatures, are smashing their ……. My son, wake up from your bed! Please apply the skill deriving from your wisdom and create a substitute (?) for the gods so that they can be freed from their toil!
13
{d}en-ki-ke4 engur buru3 a-sur-ra ki diĝir na-me šag4-bi u6 nu-um-me
14
ki-nu2-ni i3-nu2 u3 ku nu-um-zi-zi
15
diĝir er2-ra im-pad-pad-ne a-nir ĝal2 i3-ak im-me-ne
16
lu2 ku-ra i3-nu2-a-ra ki-nu2-bi nu-um-zi-zi-<ra>
17
{d}namma-ke4 ama palil u3-tud diĝir šar2-šar2-ra-ke4-ne
18
er2-ra diĝir-re-e-ne dumu-ni-ir ba-ši-in-de6
19
X mu-un-ši-nu2-u3-nam u3 mu-un-ši-ku-ku-na-nam
20
[X] TE BA [… nu-mu-un]-zi-zi
21
dim3-me2-er šu dim2-dim2-ma-zu X ?-bi im-tu10-tu10-ne
22
du5-mu-ĝu10 ki-nu2-zu zig3-ga [i-bi2] ma-al-la-zu-ta na-aĝ2-kug-zu u3-mu-e-kiĝ2-ĝa2
23
kiĝ2-sig10 dim3-me2-er-e-ne-ke4 u3-mu-[e]-dim2 du2-lum-bi ḫa-ba-tu-lu-⌈ne⌉
24
{d}en-ki-ke4 inim ama-na {d}namma-ke4 ki-nu2-na ba-ta-zig3
At the word of his mother Namma, Enki rose up from his bed. In Ḫal-an-kug, his room for pondering, he slapped his thigh in annoyance. The wise and intelligent one, the prudent, …… of skills, the fashioner of the design of everything brought to life birth-goddesses (?). Enki reached out his arm over them and turned his attention to them. And after Enki, the fashioner of designs by himself, had pondered the matter, he said to his mother Namma: My mother, the creature you planned will really come into existence. Impose on him the work of carrying baskets. You should knead clay from the top of the abzu; the birth-goddesses (?) will nip off the clay and you shall bring the form into existence. Let Ninmaḫ act as your assistant; and let Ninimma, Šu-zi-ana, Ninmada, Ninbarag, Ninmug, …… and Ninguna stand by as you give birth. My mother, after you have decreed his fate, let Ninmaḫ impose on him the work of carrying baskets. (5 lines fragmentary) …… she placed it on grass and purified the birth.
25
ḫal-an-kug niĝin2 šag4 kuš2-u3-da-na ḫaš im-mi-⌈ni⌉-[ra]
26
ĝeštug2 ĝizzal en3 tar […] nam-kug-zu mud me-dim2 niĝ2-nam-ma SIG7-EN SIG7-ḪI im-ta-an-e3
27
{d}en-ki-ke4 a2-ni ba-ši-in-de6 ĝeštug2 i3-ni10-ni10-e
28
{d}en-ki-ke4 mud me-dim2 ni2-te-a-na šag4-bi ĝeštug2-ta u3-mu-ni-de5-ge
29
ama-ni {d}namma-ra gu3 mu-un-na-de2-e
30
ama-ĝu10 mud mu-ĝar-ra-zu i3-ĝal2-la-am3 zub-sig3 diĝir-re-e-ne keše2-i3
31
šag4 im ugu abzu-ka u3-mu-e-ni-in-šar2
32
SIG7-EN SIG7-ḪI im mu-e-kir3-kir3-re-ne za-e me-dim2 u3-mu-e-ni-ĝal2
33
{d}nin-maḫ-e an-ta-zu ḫe2-ak-e
34
{d}nin-imma3 {d}šu-zi-an-na {d}nin-ma-da {d}nin-barag <{d}nin-barag>
35
{d}nin-mug {d}ŠAR.ŠAR.GABA {d}nin-gun3-na
36
tud-tud-a-zu ḫa-ra-gub-bu-ne
37
ama-ĝu10 za-e nam-bi u3-mu-e-tar {d}nin-maḫ zub-sig3-bi ḫe2-keše2
38
[…] i3-du3 nam-lu2-ulu3 […]
39
[…]-? nam-lu2-ulu3 am3-[ma-…]
40
[…] ? saĝ-e saĝ am3-⌈ma⌉-[…]
41
[…] dim2-zu unu6 RI-zu ga-a-⌈am3⌉
42
[…] SAR-e ĝiš-nu11 mi-ni-in-il2 nam-?-[ulu3 …]
43
[…] sag2 numun2-e mi-ni-in-ri u3-tud na-bi mu-de5
44
{d}en-ki-ke4 kiĝ2 ni10-ni10-da [X] mi-ni-in-la2 šag4-bi ba-ḫul2
Enki …… brought joy to their heart. He set a feast for his mother Namma and for Ninmaḫ. All the princely birth-goddesses (?) …… ate delicate reed (?) and bread. An, Enlil, and Lord Nudimmud roasted holy kids. All the senior gods praised him: O lord of wide understanding, who is as wise as you? Enki, the great lord, who can equal your actions? Like a corporeal father, you are the one who has the me of deciding destinies, in fact you are the me.
45
ama-ni {d}namma {d}nin-maḫ-še3 ĝišbun na-am3-ma-ni-in-ĝar
46
gu2 SIG7-EN SIG7-ḪI nun-ne-ke4 nam-tar gi saĝ ninda i-im-gu7-e
47
an-e {d}en-lil2-bi en {d}nu-dim2-mud-e maš kug i-im-šeĝ6-šeĝ6
48
diĝir šar2-šar2-ra-ke4-e-ne ka tar i-im-si-il-le-ne
49
en ĝeštug2 daĝal-la a-ba-a ĝeštug2 i3-de5-ge
50
en gal {d}en-ki-ke4 niĝ2 ak-ak-zu-še3 a-ba-a i3-sig10-ge
51
a-a tud-da-gin7 me nam tar-tar-ra me za-e al-me-en-na
52
{d}en-ki-ke4 {d}nin-maḫ-e kaš im-na8-na8-ne šag4-bi ul mu-un-te
Enki and Ninmaḫ drank beer, their hearts became elated, and then Ninmaḫ said to Enki: Man's body can be either good or bad and whether I make a fate good or bad depends on my will.
53
{d}nin-maḫ-e {d}en-ki-ra gu3 mu-na-de2-e
54
me-dim2 na-aĝ2-lu2-ulu3-ta sag9-ge ḫul ma-al-la-a-kam
55
ki šag4 gi4-a-ĝu10 na-aĝ2-tar bi2-ib-sig10-ge bi2-ib-ḫul-e
56
{d}en-ki-ke4 {d}nin-maḫ-e mu-na-ni-ib-gi4-gi4
Enki answered Ninmaḫ: I will counterbalance whatever fate -- good or bad -- you happen to decide. Ninmaḫ took clay from the top of the abzu in her hand and she fashioned from it first a man who could not bend his outstretched weak hands. Enki looked at the man who cannot bend his outstretched weak hands, and decreed his fate: he appointed him as a servant of the king.
57
nam-tar šag4-ge de6-a-zu sag9-ge ḫul ma-al ga-am3-ši-ib2-la2
58
{d}nin-maḫ-e im ugu abzu-a šu-ni mu-ni-in-ti
59
lu2 gi šu šu2-šu2 sa2-sa2-de3 nu-gam lu2-u3 am3-ma-ni-in-dim2
60
{d}en-ki-ke4 lu2 gi šu šu2-šu2 sa2-sa2-de3 nu-gam igi du8-a-ni-ta
61
nam-bi i-ni-in-tar saĝ lugal-la-ke4 am3-ma-ni-in-gub
62
gi4-bi ĝiš-nu11 gi4-gi4 lu2 u6-e am3-ma-ni-in-dim2
Second, she fashioned one who turned back (?) the light, a man with constantly opened eyes (?). Enki looked at the who turned back (?) the light, the man with constantly opened eyes (?), and decreed his fate allotting to it the musical arts, making him as the chief …… in the king's presence.
63
{d}en-ki-ke4 ĝiš-nu11 gi4-gi4 lu2 u6-e igi [du8-a-ni-ta]
64
nam-bi i-ni-in-tar nam-nar mi-ni-in-ba
65
[X] gal ušumgal-la igi lugal-la-ke4 am3-[ma]-ni-in-[gub]
66
peš-bi [ĝiri3 2] ḫum ĝiri3 dab5-ba-a [am3-ma-ni-in-dim2] [lu2] peš-bi {lu2}lil u3-tud-bi lu2-u3 am3-ma-[…]
Third, she fashioned one with both feet broken, one with paralysed feet. Enki looked at the one with both feet broken, the one with paralysed feet and …… him for the work of …… and the silversmith and ……. She fashioned one, a third one, born as an idiot. Enki looked at this one, the one born as an idiot, and decreed his fate: he appointed him as a servant of the king.
67
{d}en-[ki-ke4] ĝiri3 ! ḫum ĝiri3 dab5-ba igi [du8-a-ni-ta] {d}en-ki-ke4 {lu2}lil u3-tud-bi lu2-u3 igi du8-a-ni-⌈ta⌉
68
kiĝ2 […] kug-babbar-dim2 me-lem4-ma-ni ⌈am3⌉-[ma]-ni-in-[X] nam-bi i-ni-⌈in-tar⌉ saĝ lugal-la-ke4 im-ma-ši-in-gub
69
peš-gi lu2 a sur-sur-ra am3-[ma]-ni-dim2
Fourth, she fashioned one who could not hold back his urine. Enki looked at the one who could not hold back his urine and bathed him in enchanted water and drove out the namtar demon from his body.
70
{d}en-ki-ke4 lu2 a sur-sur-ra igi du8-a-ni-ta
71
a mu7-mu7 mi-ni-in-tu5 nam-tar su-bi am3-ma-ni-in-zig3
72
peš-peš-gi munus nu-u3-tud am3-ma-ni-in-dim2
Fifth, she fashioned a woman who could not give birth. Enki looked at the woman who could not give birth, and decreed her fate: he made (?) her belong to the queen's household. …… as a weaver, fashioned her to belong to the queen's household.
73
{d}en-ki-ke4 munus nu-u3-tud igi du8-a-ni-ta
74
nam-bi ⌈mi⌉-ni-in-tar e2-mi2-a-ke4 am3-ma-ni-in-du3 uš-bar mu-ni-in-du8 e2-mi2-a-kam am3-ma-ši-in-dim2
75
peš-bal-gi lu2 su-ba ĝiš3 nu-ĝar gal4-la nu-ĝar am3-ma-ni-dim2
Sixth, she fashioned one with neither penis nor vagina on its body. Enki looked at the one with neither penis nor vagina on its body and gave it the name 'Nibru eunuch (?)', and decreed as its fate to stand before the king.
76
{d}en-ki-ke4 lu2 su-ba ĝiš3 nu-ĝar gal4-la nu-ĝar igi du8-a-ni-ta
77
{d}nibru{ki} tiru(GAL.?)-e mu-e mu-ni-in-sa4-a
78
igi lugal-la-ke4 gub-bu-de3 nam-bi a-ma-ni-in-tar
79
{d}nin-maḫ-e im niĝin2 šu-na ki-a mu-un-šub lul-aš lib mu-un-ĝar {d}en-ki-ke4 im šu-niĝin2-na ki-a in-šub lul-aš i3-ni-gi
Ninmaḫ threw the pinched-off clay from her hand on the ground and a great silence fell Enki threw all (?) the clay to the ground and was greatly ……. The great lord Enki said to Ninmaḫ: I have decreed the fates of your creatures and given them their daily bread. Come, now I will fashion somebody for you, and you must decree the fate of the newborn one!
80
en gal {d}en-ki-ke4 {d}nin-maḫ-a-ra gu3 mu-un-[na]-de2-e
81
lu2 šu dim2-ma-zu-še3 nam-bi i-ni-in-tar ninda i-ni-in-šum2
82
ĝe26-e ga-na ga-mu-ra-ab-dim2 za-e u3-tud-bi nam-bi tar-ra-ab
83
{d}en-ki-ke4 me-dim2 saĝ-ĝa2 X-? ka šag4-ba a-ma-ni-dim2
Enki devised a shape with head, …… and mouth in its middle, and said to Ninmaḫ: Pour ejaculated semen into a woman's womb, and the woman will give birth to the semen of her womb. Ninmaḫ stood by for the newborn ……. and the woman brought forth …… in the midst ……. In return (?), this was Umul: its head was afflicted, its place of …… was afflicted, its eyes were afflicted, its neck was afflicted. It could hardly breathe, its ribs were shaky, its lungs were afflicted, its heart was afflicted, its bowels were afflicted. With its hand and its lolling head it could not not put bread into its mouth; its spine and head were dislocated. The weak hips and the shaky feet could not carry (?) it on the field -- Enki fashioned it in this way.
84
{d}nin-maḫ-a-ra gu3 mu-un-na-de2-e
85
a ĝiš3 ak šag4 munus-a-ka ri-a a gan šag4 munus-a-ka a šag4-ga-na munus-bi mu-un-u3-tud
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{d}nin-maḫ […] u3-tud-bi-še3 am3-mi-ni-gub
87
munus-bi ud-bi […] GA AŠ X KA šag4-ba i-in-šub saĝ-bi-iš [ba]-⌈ra⌉-an-e3
87A
{d}nin-[maḫ] […] i3-si-ig
88
gi4-bi u4-mu-ul a-za-ad-bi gig-ga ki nam-X-bi gig-ga igi-bi gig-ga gu2-bi gig-ga
89
zi til-til ti sur-sur mur gig-ga šag4 gig-ga lipiš gig-ga
90
šu-bi!(NI) a-za-ad la2-la2 ka-bi-še3 ninda nu-ĝar murgu2 [saĝ]-du ze2-re
91
zag-še sur ĝiri3 sur-sur a-gar3 nu-DU am3-ma-ni-⌈in⌉-dim2
92
{d}en-ki-ke4 {d}nin-maḫ-ra gu3 mu-na-de2-e
Enki said to Ninmaḫ: For your creatures I have decreed a fate, I have given them their daily bread. Now, you should decree a fate for my creature, give him his daily bread too. Ninmaḫ looked at Umul and turned to him. She went nearer to Umul asked him questions but he could not speak. She offered him bread to eat but he could not reach out for it. He could not lie on ……, he could not ……. Standing up he could not sit down, could not lie down, he could not …… a house, he could not eat bread. Ninmaḫ answered Enki: The man you have fashioned is neither alive nor dead. He cannot support himself (?).
93
lu2 šu dim2-ma-zu nam i-ni-in-tar ninda mi-ni-[šum2]
94
za-e lu2 šu dim2-ĝu10-uš nam-bi tar-ra-ab ninda ḫe2-[…-šum2]
95
{d}nin-maḫ-e u4-mu-ul igi [du8-a-ni-ta e-ne]-še3 ba-e-gi4
96
u4-mu-ul mu-na-te en3 mu-na-tar-tar-re dug4-ga nu-zu-e
97
ninda gu7-a-ni-še3 mu-na-ab-de6 šu nu-mu-na-da-gid2-⌈de3⌉
98
{ĝiš}gur8-u6 ? nu-mu-na-nu2 nu-mu-da-an-ĝal2-ĝal2
99
gub [nu]-mu-da-tuš nu-mu-da-nu2 e2 nu-mu-da-[X] ninda nu-mu-da-[gu7]

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.