Inana's descent to the nether world
- 282
{d}ereš-ki-gal-la gala-<tur> kur-ĝar-ra gu3 [mu-na-de2]-e
Ereškigala said to the gala-tura and the kur-ĝara: Bring your queen ……, your …… has been seized. Inana, because of Enki's instructions, was about to ascend from the underworld. But as Inana was about to ascend from the underworld, the Anuna seized her: Who has ever ascended from the underworld, has ascended unscathed from the underworld? If Inana is to ascend from the underworld, let her provide a substitute for herself.
- 283
tum2-mu-un-ze2-en ga-ša-an-<zu>-ne-[ne] […]-?-ne-ne ba-dab5
- 284
{d}inana inim {d}en-ki-[ka3-ta] ⌈kur⌉-ta ed3
- 285
{d}inana kur-ta ed3-da-ni
- 286
{d}a-nun-na-ke4-e-ne ba-ab-ḫa-za-aš
- 287
a-ba-am3 lu2 kur-ta im-[ta]-ed3-de3 kur-ta silim-ma-ni bi2-in-ed3-de3
- 288
ud-da {d}inana kur-ta ba-ed3-de3
- 289
saĝ-dili saĝ-ĝa2-na ḫa-ba-ab-šum2-mu
- 290
{d}inana kur-ta ba-ed3-de3
So when Inana left the underworld, the one in front of her, though not a minister, held a sceptre in his hand; the one behind her, though not an escort, carried a mace at his hip, while the small demons, like a reed enclosure, and the big demons, like the reeds of a fence, restrained her on all sides.
- 291
lu2 igi-na sukkal nu-me-a {ĝiš}ĝidru šu bi2-in-du8
- 292
bar-ra-na ra-gaba nu-me-a {ĝiš}tukul ur2-ra bi2-in-la2
- 293
gal5-la2 tur-tur gi-šukur-gin7
- 294
gal5-la2 gal-gal gi dub-ba-an-na-gin7 zag-ga-na ba-an-dab5-be-eš
- 295
lu2 e-ne-ra in-ši-re7-eš-am3
Those who accompanied her, those who accompanied Inana, know no food, know no drink, eat no flour offering and drink no libation. They accept no pleasant gifts. They never enjoy the pleasures of the marital embrace, never have any sweet children to kiss. They tear away the wife from a man's embrace. They snatch the son from a man's knee. They make the bride leave the house of her father-in-law They take the wife away from a man's embrace. They take away the child hanging on a wet-nurse's breasts . They crush no bitter garlic. They eat no fish, they eat no leeks. They, it was, who accompanied Inana.
- 296
lu2 {d}inana-ra in-ši-re7-eš-am3
- 297
u2 nu-zu-me-eš a nu-zu-me-eš
- 298
zid2 dub-dub-ba nu-gu7-me-eš
- 299
a bal-bal-a nu-na8-na8-me-eš
- 300
kadra niĝ2 dug3-ge šu nu-gid2-me-eš
- 301
ur2 dam niĝ2 dug3-ge-eš nu-sig9-ge-me-eš
- 302
dumu niĝ2 ku7-ku7-da ne nu-su-ub-ba-me-eš
- 303
dam ur2 lu2-ka ba-ra-an-si-il-si-il-le-eš
- 304
dumu lu2 du10-ub-ta ba-ra-an-zig3-ge-eš
- 305
e2-gi4-a e2 ušbar-ra-ka im-ta-an-e3-eš-am3
- 300A
⌈ur2⌉ lu2-ka dam šu ti-a-me-eš
- 301A
⌈ubur⌉ emeda(UM.ME)da la2-ka dumu šu ti-a-me-eš
- 305A
šum2{sar} niĝ2 sis-a nu-gum-e-me-eš
- 305B
lu2 ku6 nu-gu7-me-eš lu2 ga-raš{sar} nu-gu7-[me-eš]
- 305C
lu2 {d}inana mu-un-ši-re7-[eš-am3]
- 306
{d}inana kur-ta ed3-da-ni
After Inana had ascended from the underworld, Ninšubur threw herself at her feet at the door of the Ganzer. She had sat in the dust and clothed herself in a filthy garment. The demons said to holy Inana: Inana, proceed to your city, we will take her back.
- 307
{d}nin-šubur-ra-ke4 kan4 ganzer-[ra-ka] ĝiri3-ni-še3 ba-an-šub
- 308
saḫar-ra ba-da-an-tuš tug2-mu-dur7-ra ba-an-mur10
- 309
gal5-la2-e-ne kug {d}inana-ra gu3 mu-un-na-de2-e
- 310
{d}inana iri-zu-še3 ĝen-ba e-ne ga-ba-ab-tum2-mu-de3-en
- 311
kug {d}inana-ke4 gal5-la2-e-ne mu-un-ne-ni-gi4-gi4
Holy Inana answered the demons: This is my minister of fair words, my escort of trustworthy words. She did not forget my instructions. She did not neglect the orders I gave her. She made a lament for me on the ruin mounds. She beat the drum for me in the sanctuaries. She made the rounds of the gods' houses for me. She lacerated her eyes for me, lacerated her nose for me. She lacerated her ears for me in public. In private, she lacerated her buttocks for me. Like a pauper, she clothed herself in a single garment.
- 312
sukkal e-ne-eĝ3 sag9-sag9-ga-ĝu10
- 313
ra-gaba e-ne-eĝ3 ge-en-gen6-na-ĝu10
- 314
[na] de5-ga-ĝu10 šu nu-un-bar-re
- 315
[e-ne]-eĝ3 ma-ra-[ab-dug4]-ga-ĝu10-uš gu2-ni [la]-ba-da-[an-ši-šub]
- 316
er2 du6-du6-dam ma-an-ĝa2-ĝa2
- 317
šem3 gu2-en-na ma-an-du12-am3
- 318
e2 diĝir-re-e-ne ma-an-niĝin2-niĝin2
- 319
i-bi2-ni ma-an-ḫur giri17-ni ma-an-ḫur
- 319A
⌈ĝeštug2⌉-[ga]-ni ki u6 di ma-ḫur
- 320
ki mu-lu-da nu-di ḫaš4-gal-a-ni ma-an-ḫur
- 321
mu-lu nu-tuku-gin7 tug2 dili-a im-ma-an-mur10
- 322
e2-kur-re e2 {d}mu-ul-lil2-la2-še3
All alone she directed her steps to the E-kur, to the house of Enlil, and to Urim, to the house of Nanna, and to Eridug, to the house of Enki. She wept before Enki. She brought me back to life. How could I turn her over to you? Let us go on. Let us go on to the Šeg-kuršaga in Umma.
- 323
urim2{ki}-ma e2 {d}nanna-še3
- 324
uru2-ze2-eb{ki} e2 {d}am-an-ki-ka3-še3
- 325
ĝiri3-ni dili mu-un-gub
- 325A
igi {d}am-an-ki-ka3 er2 bi2-še8-še8
- 326
e-ne ma-a-ra mu-un-til3-le-en
- 327
e-ne ta-gin7 nam-ma-ra-ab-ze2-eĝ3-⌈en⌉-[ze2-en]
- 328
ga-an-ši-re7-de3-en umma{ki}-a šeg12-kur-šag4-ga-še3 ga-am3-ši-re7-de3-en
- 329
⌈umma⌉[{ki}-a] šeg12-kur-šag4-ga-ta
At the Šeg-kuršaga in Umma, Šara, in his own city, threw himself at her feet. He had sat in the dust and dressed himself in a filthy garment. The demons said to holy Inana: Inana, proceed to your city, we will take him back.
- 330
{d}šara iri-ni-a ĝiri3-ni-še3 ba-an-šub
- 331
saḫar-ra ba-da-an-tuš tug2-mu-dur7-ra ba-an-mur10
- 332
gal5-la2-e-ne kug {d}inana-ra gu3 mu-na-de2-e
- 333
{d}inana iri-zu-še3 ĝen-ba e-ne ga-ba-ab-tum2-mu-de3
- 334
kug {d}inana-ke4 gal5-la2-e-ne mu-na-ni-ib-gi4-gi4
Holy Inana answered the demons: Šara is my singer, my manicurist and my hairdresser. How could I turn him over to you? Let us go on. Let us go on to the E-muš-kalama in Bad-tibira.
- 335
en3-du ⌈du⌉ {d}šara-ĝu10
- 336
umbin kud-ku5-ra-ĝu10 gu2-tar la2-ĝu10
- 337
en3 ta-gin7 nam-ma-ra-ni-ib-ze2-eĝ3-ĝen
- 338
ga-e-re7-en-de3-en bad3-tibira{ki}-a e2-muš3-kalam-ma-še3 ga-an-ši-re7-en-de3-en
- 339
bad3-tibira{ki}-a e2-muš3-kalam-ma-ta
At the E-muš-kalama in Bad-tibira, Lulal, in his own city, threw himself at her feet. He had sat in the dust and clothed himself in a filthy garment. The demons said to holy Inana: Inana, proceed to your city, we will take him back.
- 340
{d}lu2-lal3-e iri-ni-a ĝiri3-ni-še3 ba-an-šub
- 341
saḫar-a im-da-an-tuš tug2-mu-dur7-ra ba-an-mur10
- 342
gal5-la2-e-ne kug {d}inana-ra gu3 mu-na-de2-e
- 343
{d}inana iri-zu-še3 ĝen-ba e-ne ga-ba-ab-tum2-mu-un-de3-en
- 344
kug {d}inana-ke4 gal5-la2-e-ne mu-na-ni-ib-gi4-gi4
Holy Inana answered the demons: Outstanding Lulal follows me at my right and my left. How could I turn him over to you? Let us go on. Let us go on to the great apple tree in the plain of Kulaba.
- 345
{d}lu2-lal3 zag e3-a a2 zid-da gab2-bu-ĝu10 us2-sa
- 346
e-ne ta-gin7 nam-ma-ra-ab-ze2-eĝ3-en-ze2-en
- 347
ga-e-re7-de3-en {ĝiš}ḫašḫur gul-la edin kul-aba4{ki}-še3 [ga-an-ši-re7-en-de3-en]
- 348
{ĝiš}ḫašḫur gul-la edin kul-aba4{ki}-še3 ĝiri3-ni-še3 ba-e-re7re-eš
They followed her to the great apple tree in the plain of Kulaba. There was Dumuzid clothed in a magnificent garment and seated magnificently on a throne. The demons seized him there by his thighs. The seven of them poured the milk from his churns. The seven of them shook their heads like ……. They would not let the shepherd play the pipe and flute before her (?).
- 349
{d}dumu-zid tug2 maḫ-a i-im-mur10 maḫ-a dur2-a dur2 im-ma-ĝar
- 350
gal5-la2-e-ne ḫaš4-a-na i-im-dab5-be2-eš
- 351
{dug}šakir 7-e ga mu-un-de2-eš-am3
- 352
7-am3 X-TU-ra-gin7 saĝ mu-un-da-sag3-ge-ne
- 353
sipad-de3 gi-gid2 gi-di-da igi-ni šu ⌈nu⌉-mu-un-tag-ge-ne
- 354
igi mu-un-ši-in-bar igi uš2-a-ka
She looked at him, it was the look of death. She spoke to him (?), it was the speech of anger. She shouted at him (?), it was the shout of heavy guilt: How much longer? Take him away. Holy Inana gave Dumuzid the shepherd into their hands.
- 355
inim i-ne-ne inim lipiš gig-ga
- 356
gu3 i-ne-de2 gu3 nam-tag-tag-ga
- 357
en3-še3 tum3-mu-an-ze2-en
- 358
kug {d}inana-ke4 su8-ba {d}dumu-zid-da šu-ne-ne-a in-na-šum2
- 359
lu2 e-ne lu2 mu-un-ne-re7-eš-am3
Those who had accompanied her, who had come for Dumuzid, know no food, know no drink, eat no flour offering, drink no libation. They never enjoy the pleasures of the marital embrace, never have any sweet children to kiss. They snatch the son from a man's knee. They make the bride leave the house of her father-in-law.
- 360
lu2 {d}dumu-zid mu-un-ši-re7-eš-am3
- 361
u2 nu-zu-me-eš a nu-zu-me-eš
- 362
zid2 dub-dub-ba nu-gu7-me-eš
- 363
a bal-bal-a nu-na8-na8-me-eš
- 364
ur2 dam niĝ2 dug3-ge-eš2 nu-sig9-ge-eš
- 365
dumu niĝ2 ku7-ku7-da ne nu-su-ub-me-eš
- 366
dumu lu2 du10-ub-ta ba-ra-an-zig3-ge-eš
- 367
e2-gi4-a e2 ušbar-ra-ka um-ta-an-e3-eš
- 368
{d}dumu-zid-de3 er2 im-da-pad3 šex(SIG7)-šex(SIG7) i3-ĝa2-ĝa2
Dumuzid let out a wail and wept. The lad raised his hands to heaven, to Utu: Utu, you are my brother-in-law. I am your relation by marriage. I brought butter to your mother's house. I brought milk to Ningal's house. Turn my hands into snake's hands and turn my feet into snake's feet, so I can escape my demons, let them not keep hold of me.
- 369
ĝuruš-e {d}utu-ra an-še3 šu-ni ba-an-na-zig3
- 370
{d}utu murum5-ĝu10-me-en ĝe26-e mussa-zu-me-en
- 371
e2 ama-zu-še3 i3 gur3-ru-me-en
- 372
e2 {d}nin-gal-še3 ga gur3-ru-me-en
- 373
šu-ĝu10 šu muš-a u3-mu-ni-in-šum2
- 374
ĝiri3-ĝu10 ĝiri3 muš-a u3-mu-ni-in-šum2
← Previous · Next → — showing 301–400 of 440
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.