Inana and Šu-kale-tuda

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 303 sections

1
⌈in-nin⌉ me gal-gal-la ⌈barag⌉-ge4 ḫe2-du7
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?
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⌈{d}⌉inana me gal-gal-la barag kug-ge si-a
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⌈{d}⌉inana-ke4 e2-an-na-ka u6 di-de3 gub-ba
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⌈ud⌉-ba {lu2}ki-sikil kur-ra ba-e-a-ed3
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kug {d}inana-ke4 kur-ra ba-e-a-ed3
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niĝ2-erim2 niĝ2-si-sa2 zu-zu-⌈de3⌉
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šag4 kalam-ma-ka igi kar2-⌈kar2-de3⌉
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lul zid pad3-de3-de3 kur-ra ba-e-a-il2
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i3-ne-eš2 lu2 ⌈lu2⌉-ra a-na na-an-dug4
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lu2 ⌈lu2⌉-ra ⌈dili⌉ a-na na-an-taḫ
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nin-ĝu10 am-da kur-⌈ur2⌉-ra an-⌈?⌉-gub me šu am3-du7-du7
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?
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{d}inana taraḫ-⌈maš⌉ [kur]-⌈bad3⌉-? ⌈an-?⌉-gub me šu am3-du7-du7
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i3-ne-[eš2] ⌈lu2⌉ lu2-⌈ra a⌉-na na-an-dug4
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lu2-⌈ulu3⌉ lu2-ulu3-⌈ra dili⌉ a-⌈na⌉ na-an-taḫ
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ud-ba ⌈X X⌉-e an mu-un-šub ki mu-⌈un⌉-šub kur-ra ba-e-a-il2
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, …… ĝipar ……. 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?
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{d}inana-[ke4] [an] ⌈mu⌉-un-šub ki mu-un-šub kur-ra ba-e-a-il2
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unug{ki}-[ga] e2-an-na mu-⌈ni⌉-[šub] ⌈kur⌉-ra ba-e-a-il2
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⌈zabalam{ki}⌉-a gi-gun4 mu-⌈ni⌉-[šub kur]-ra ba-e-a-il2
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e2-an-⌈na⌉ ⌈ed2⌉-da-ni X […] ⌈ĝi6⌉-par4-⌈ra⌉ […] la2
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⌈{d}?⌉ […] tug2-ba13 la2 AN-⌈ra⌉ [… kur-ra ba]-⌈e⌉-a-il2
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[i3-ne-eš2] ⌈lu2⌉ lu2-ra [a-na na]-⌈an⌉-dug4
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[lu2-ulu3 lu2]-ulu3-⌈ra⌉ [dili a-na na-an-taḫ]
gap
(1 line missing)
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[…] X
(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?
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[…] ⌈DIM2⌉
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[…] BA DIM2
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[…] X BA DIM2
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[…] ⌈BA⌉ DIM2
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[…] X LA2
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[…] ⌈AM3⌉
gap
(7 lines missing)
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[X X] X en3 tar ki ⌈kiĝ2⌉-[ĝa2 …] im-mi-in-kuš2-a-⌈ta⌉
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[dag] agrun-na-ĝu10-uš ni2-te-na ḫu-mu-un-du
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⌈i3-ne⌉-eš2 lu2 lu2-ra a-na an-na-dug4
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[lu2 lu2-ra dili a-na na-an-taḫ]
gap
(2 lines missing)
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[…] X KA X […]
(2 lines missing) (3 lines fragmentary) He will …… its feet, he 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?
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X […] X ba-ra-⌈an⌉-[…]
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⌈?⌉ […] ⌈?⌉ im-dim2-e ⌈?⌉ […]
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ĝiri3-⌈bi⌉ [X] X-e inim im-ma-⌈ab⌉-[be2]
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ĝeštug2-⌈ĝeštug2⌉-ga inim mu-ni-[ib-taḫ-e]
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ugax(U2.NAĜA){mušen} inim ⌈ga⌉-ra-ab-dug4 inim-[ĝu10-še3 ĝeštug2-zu]
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ugax(U2.NAĜA){mušen} eš3-[a] inim ga-ra-ab-dug4 ⌈inim⌉-[ĝu10-še3 ĝeštug2-zu]
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šembi-zid [nam]-išib eridug{ki}-[ga]
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i3 ⌈a bur⌉ za-⌈gin3⌉-na-ka ĝal2-[la-bi]
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dag ⌈agrun⌉-na-ka gub-⌈ba-bi⌉
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tun3 um-me-DU zu2 um-⌈me⌉-gub
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⌈umaḫ⌉ ga-raš{sar}-ke4 sar nisig-ga-ka ki um-⌈me-ni⌉-tag
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[…] X-ta ⌈?⌉-[…-bur12-…]
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i3-ne-eš2 lu2-u3 lu2-ra a-na na-⌈an⌉-dug4
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lu2-u3 lu2-ra dili a-na na-an-taḫ
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⌈uga⌉{mušen} inim lugal-⌈a-na⌉-še3 saĝ ⌈keše2 ba⌉-ši-in-ak
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 leeks, an oddity standing up 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?
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šem-bi-⌈zid⌉ nam-išib ⌈eridug{ki}⌉-ga
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i3 ⌈a⌉ bur ⌈za⌉-[gin3-na-ka] ĝal2-la-bi
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dag ⌈agrun⌉-[na-ka] ⌈gub⌉-ba-bi
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tun3 ⌈im⌉-[ma]-⌈DU zu2 im-ma-gub⌉
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umaḫ ga-raš⌈{sar}⌉-[ke4] ⌈sar⌉ nisig-ga-ka ki im-ma-ni-in-tag
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[…-ta] im-mi-in-bur12-bur12
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nisig ga-raš{sar}-gin7 sar-e mu2-a
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ga-raš{sar}-⌈gin7⌉ [nu]-⌈erim2⌉ ba-gub-ba si sa2-a a-ba igi im-mi-in-du8-a
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igi X i3-ur4-⌈ur4⌉ [(X)] ⌈im⌉-ma-ni-mu2-mu2 mu-ĝen-na im-ĝen
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mušen uga[{mušen}]-gin7 a2 lu2 kiĝ2-kiĝ2-e
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lag an-še3 sag3-ge-da ki-še3 tuš-u3-da
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lag ki-še3 sag3-ge-da an-še3 ed2-de3-da a-ba-a igi im-mi-in-du8-a
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uga{mušen} nu-erim2-ta ba-ra-an-zig3
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 …… the ground, a tree growing forever -- who had ever seen such a thing before? Its scaly leaves surround its palmheart. 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?
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{ĝiš}⌈ĝišnimbar⌉ tubax(TUG2)-la2-a-še3 an-na ba-e-a-ed3
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⌈?⌉-[zid …] ka-bi ba-du8-du8-a
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pa [šu gur]-⌈gur⌉-ra ka bi2-in-su-ub-su-ub
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{ĝiš}⌈ĝišnimbar-gin7⌉ TUR UŠ ki-in-⌈?⌉
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ĝiš da-ri2 mu2-a a-ba-a igi im-mi-in-du8-a
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{ĝiš}eme-EŠ2.UŠ-{ĝiš}eme-EŠ2.UŠ-bi {ĝiš}šag4-ĝišnimbar-bi na-nam
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{ĝiš}eme-šu-ru-ug-{ĝiš}eme-šu-ru-ug-bi {ĝiš}niĝ2-ĝišnimbar-bi na-nam
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{ĝiš}peš-tur-ZI-bi ⌈eš2⌉-gana2-a-kam
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gan2-ne2 lugal-la-ka me-te-aš im-mi-ib-ĝal2
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{ĝiš}pa-ni e2-gal lugal-la-ka na de5 ba-ab-šum2-mu
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zu2-lum-bi še nir-ra zag-ga sig9-ga-am3
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e2 diĝir gal-gal-e-ne-ka me-te-aš im-mi-ib-ĝal2
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mušen uga{mušen}-gin7 a2 lu2 kiĝ2-kiĝ2-e
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⌈lag⌉ an-še3 sag3-ge-da ki-še3 tuš-u3-da
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⌈lag⌉ ki-še3 sag3-ge-da ⌈an⌉-še3 ed2-<de3>-da ⌈a-ba⌉-a igi im-mi-in-du8-a
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⌈inim⌉ dug4-ga lugal-a-na-ka <mušen> uga{mušen} abzu-⌈še3 al⌉-kur9
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[i3-ne]-⌈eš2⌉ lu2-u3 ⌈lu2⌉-ra a-na na-⌈an-dug4⌉
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[lu2-u3 lu2-ra] ⌈dili⌉ a-na na-⌈an-taḫ⌉
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[X X (X)] [šu-kal-le]-⌈tud⌉-da mu-⌈ni⌉ [na]-⌈nam⌉
…… Šu-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 stormwind 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 10 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.
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[… dumu] [{d}]⌈?⌉-sig7-sig7 lu2 X X-ke4
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[mu2-sar-e] ⌈a⌉ sig10-sig10-ge5-da-ni
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[nisig-ga da] pu2 ak-da-ni
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[nisig dili-e nu-me]-⌈a⌉ a-na nu-me-a-bi
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[ur2-ba im]-⌈ta-an⌉-bal zu2 im-ta-an-gaz
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[tum9-dal] ⌈a⌉-na-am3 de6-a-bi
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[igi-ni saḫar] ⌈kur⌉-ra im-mi-ib-ra
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[ub igi-ni] šu sa2-sa2-da-ni
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[niĝ2 im-ma-ra-an]-⌈si⌉-ig zag-bi-a nu-un-zu
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[sig-še3 igi mu-un-il2 diĝir] ⌈un3⌉-na kur ud e3-ke4-ne igi bi2-in-du8-ru
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[nim-še3 igi mu-un-il2 diĝir un3]-⌈na⌉ kur ud šu2-ke4-ne igi bi2-in-du8-ru
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[{d}gidim dili du-ra igi] ⌈mu-ni⌉-[in-du8]
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[diĝir dili] ⌈du-ra⌉ [ĝiškim mu-ni-in-zu]
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me šu du7-du7-⌈da⌉ [igi bi2-in-du8]
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nam tar-ra diĝir-re-⌈e⌉-[ne-še3 igi mu-ni-in-ĝal2]
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sar-e ki 5 [10 nu-te-a-ba]

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.