Inana and Bilulu: an ulila to Inana

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 143 sections

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[edin-na {d}dumu-zid-ĝu10 i-lu za-ra i-lu za-ra i-lu] ? mu-un-da-sa2-⌈sa2⌉
She can make the lament for you, my Dumuzid, the lament for you, the lament, the lamentation, reach the desert -- she can make it reach the house Arali; she can make it reach Bad-tibira; she can make it reach Du-šuba; she can make it reach the shepherding country, the sheepfold of Dumuzid …….
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[e2] [a]-⌈ra⌉-li mu-un-<da-sa2-sa2>
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bad3-tibira{ki} mu-un-<da-sa2-sa2>
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du6-šuba-a mu-un-<da-sa2-sa2>
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ki nam-sipad-da mu-un-da-sa2-sa2 amaš {d}dumu-zid-da-ka […]
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sipad lu2 […]
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(1 line missing)
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[…] {d}dumu-[zid]
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(3 lines missing)
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[…]-mu-un
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[…]
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[…] giri17-zal-ĝu10
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[…] ĝar-ra
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[…] UG
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[…] ?
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(5 lines missing)
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[…]-la mu-da-[…]-ba-e i-si-iš […] MU […]
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[…]
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[…] giri17-zal-la-ke4 […]
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[…] NE […] ad-e-eš […] gi4
…… she broods on it:
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[{d}dumu]-⌈zid⌉ ka kug igi sag9-sag9 i-si-iš-bi mu-un-kuš2-u3
O Dumuzid of the fair-spoken mouth, of the ever kind eyes, she sobs tearfully, O you of the fair-spoken mouth, of the ever kind eyes, she sobs tearfully. Lad, husband, lord, sweet as the date, …… O Dumuzid! she sobs, she sobs tearfully.
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⌈ka⌉ kug <igi sag9-sag9 i-si-iš-bi mu-un-kuš2-u3>
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⌈?⌉ ⌈?⌉ nitalam u3-⌈mu⌉-un ?-lum
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[…] {d}dumu-zid-de3 mu-un-kuš2-u3 [i-si-iš-bi] mu-un-kuš2-u3
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kug {d}inana-ke4 […]
Holy Inana …… (1 line fragmentary) The goddess ……. The maiden Inana ……. She was pacing to and fro in the chamber of her mother who bore her, in prayer and supplication, while they stood in attendance on her respectfully:
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ŠID ĜAR nam MUNUS […] NE […] ĜAR nam-[…]
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in-nin lu2 ĝar-ra […] ĝar-[ra …]
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ki-sikil {d}inana lu2 ĝar-ra <…>
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ama5 ama ugu-na-ka mu-un-DU.DU
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e a-ra-zu sun5-sun5 mu-un-na-su8-ug
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a […] ama-ĝu10 da-[…]-dib amaš-še3 ga-ma-e-da-ĝen BI X X da-DU
O my mother …… with your permission let me go to the sheepfold! O my mother Ningal …… with your permission let me go to the sheepfold! My father has shone forth for me in lordly fashion …… Suen has shone forth for me in lordly fashion …….
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ama-ĝu10 ga-ša-an-gal-e da-[…-dib] <amaš-še3 ga-ma-e-da-ĝen>
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a-a-ĝu10 ma-ra-bu7 sun5-na ga-da-[…]-dib BI da-[…]-DU
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{d}suen ma-ra-bu7 sun5-na ga-da-[…]-dib BI da-[…]-DU
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dumu ama ugu-ni kiĝ2-gi4-a-gin7 ama5-ta im-ma-ta-e3
Like a child sent on an errand by its own mother, she went out from the chamber; like one sent on an errand by Mother Ningal, she went out from the chamber. Full knowledgeable my lady was, and also she was full apt, full knowledgeable holy Inana was, and also she was full apt. Beer stored in remote days, in long past days …….
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ama ga-ša-an-gal-e kiĝ2-gi4-a-gin7 <ama5-ta im-ma-ta-e3>
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nin-ĝu10 gal mu-un-zu gal in-ga-an-tum2-mu
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kug {d}inana-ke4 gal mu-un-zu <gal in-ga-an-tum2-mu>
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kaš ud re ud su3-ra2 dur2-ru-na-bi-a
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(approx. 19 lines missing)
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[…] amaš-ta […]
…… from the sheepfold. (1 line missing) …… to the house of old woman . There the shepherd, head beaten in, ……, Dumuzid, head beaten in, ……; Ama-ušumgal-ana, head beaten in, …….
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(1 line missing)
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[e2 um]-⌈ma⌉ {d}bi-lu-lu!(be-li-li)-še3 […]
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ki-bi-a sipad saĝ-a ra […]
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{d}dumu-zid saĝ-a ra
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{d}ama-ušumgal-an-na saĝ-a ra
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udu lugal-ĝa2 {d}dumu-zid-da-ke4 edin-na […]
The sheep of my master, of Dumuzid, in the desert ……. O Inana, a man who was not the shepherd was returning beside my master's sheep!
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{d}inana {lu2}sipad nu-me-a
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udu lugal-ĝa2 zag-ba mu-un-gi4-gi4
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nin-e nitalam-ni-ir šir3 mu-un-ši-ib2-u3-tud šir3 mu-un-ši-ib-dim2-e
The lady created a song for her young husband, fashioned a song for him, holy Inana created a song for Dumuzid, fashioned a song for him:
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[kug] [{d}]⌈inana⌉-ke4 {d}dumu-zid-ra <šir3 mu-un-ši-ib2-u3-tud šir3 mu-un-ši-ib-dim2-e>
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[mu]-⌈lu⌉ nu2 su8-ba mu-lu nu2 en-nu-uĝ3-ba me-gub
O you who lie at rest, shepherd, who lie at rest, you stood guard over them! Dumuzid, you who lie at rest, you stood guard over them! Ama-ušumgal-ana, you who lie at rest, you stood guard over them! Rising with the sun you stood guard over my sheep (?), lying down by night only, you stood guard over my sheep (?)!
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{d}dumu-zid mu-lu nu2 en-<nu-uĝ3-ba me-gub>
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{d}ama-ušumgal-an-na mu-<lu> <nu2 en-nu-uĝ3-ba me-gub>
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{d}utu-da gub-ba DI-ĝa2 en-<nu-uĝ3-ba me-gub>
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ĝi6-da nu2-nu2 DI-ĝa2 en-nu-uĝ3-ba me-gub
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ud-bi-a um-ma {d}bi-lu-lu
Then the son of old woman Bilulu, matriarch and her own mistress, -- Ĝirĝire, a man on his own, fit for prospering and a knowledgeable man -- was filling pen and fold with his captured cattle, and was stacking his stacks and piles of grain. He quickly left scattered his victims struck down with the mace. Širru of the haunted desert, no one's child and no one's friend, sat before him and held converse with him.
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bur-šu-ma nin ni2-te-na-ka
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dumu-ni ĝir2-ĝir2-e lu2 dili-am3
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ul4-ul4-e am3-tum2 lu2 i3-zu-am3
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gud dab5-ba-ni tur3 amaš-e am3-si
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guru7-du6-ra-ni gu2 am3-gur-gur
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ul4-ul4-la šita2 tag-ga-na sag2 mu-un-ne-dug4
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dumu na!(ni) gu5-li na šir3-ru edin-lil2-la2
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igi-ni-še3 i3-tuš inim mu-un-da-ab-be2
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ud-bi-a nin-e šag4-ga-ni a-na am3-de6
That day what was in the lady's heart? What was in holy Inana's heart? To kill old woman Bilulu was in her heart! To make good the resting place for her beloved young husband, for Dumuzid-ama-ušumgal-ana -- that was in her heart! My lady went to Bilulu in the haunted desert. Her son Ĝirĝire like the wind there did …… Širru of the haunted desert, no one's child and no one's friend, …….
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kug {d}inana-ke4 šag4-ga-ni a-na am3-⌈de6⌉
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um-ma!(u3-mu-un) {d}bi-lu-lu ug5-⌈ge⌉-[de3] šag4-ga-ni ⌈am3⌉-[de6]
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nitalam ki aĝ2-ĝa2-ni {d}dumu-zid-{d}ama-⌈ušumgal⌉-[an-na-ra]
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ki-nu2 dug3-dug3-ge-de3 šag4-ga-ni nam-[de6]
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nin-ĝu10 {d}bi-lu-lu edin-lil2-la2 ba-an-[…]
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dumu-ni ĝir2-ĝir2-e lil2-la2-a-bi bi2-⌈in⌉-[…]
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dumu na gu5-li na šir3-ru edin-lil2-la2 […]
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kug {d}inana-ke4 eš2-dam-ma ba-ni-in-kur9 […]
Holy Inana entered the alehouse, stepped into a seat, began to determine fate: Begone! I have killed you; so it is indeed, and with you I destroy also your name: May you become the waterskin for cold water that is used in the desert! May her son Ĝirĝire together with her become the protective god of the desert and the protective goddess of the desert! May Širru of the haunted desert, no one's child and no one's friend, walk in the desert and keep count of the flour, and when water is libated and flour sprinkled for the lad wandering in the desert, let the protective god of the desert and the protective goddess of the desert call out: Libate!, call out: Sprinkle!, and thereby cause him to be present in the place from which he vanished, in the desert! Let old woman Bilulu gladden his heart!
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ki-tuš-a ba-e-gub nam mu-ni-ib-tar-re
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ĝen-na ba-ug5-ge-en na-nam-ma-am3 mu-zu ga-ba-da-ḫa-lam-e
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{kuš}ummud a sed niĝ2 edin-na ḫe2-me-en
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dumu-ni ĝir2-ĝir2-re e-ne-bi-da
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{d}udug edin-na {d}lamma edin-na ḫe2-em-ma-da-me-eš-am3
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dumu na gu5-li na šir3-ru ⌈edin⌉-lil2-la2
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edin-na ḫa-mu-ni-ib2-du zid2 ḫu-mu-ni-ib2-ŠID-e
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ĝuruš edin-na du a ub-ta-an-bal-bal zid2 ub-ta-an-dub-dub
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{d}udug edin-na {d}lamma edin-na
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[…] sed-a ḫu-mu-ni-ib-be2 dub-a ḫu-mu-ni-ib-be2
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ki sa-ḫa-a-na [edin]-⌈na⌉ ḫu-mu-un-ĝal2
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um-ma {d}bi-lu-lu šag4-ga-ni ḫu-mu-ḫul2-le
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i3-ne-eš2 {d}utu ud ne ur5 ḫe2-en-na-⌈nam⌉
And immediately, under the sun of that day, it truly became so. She became the waterskin for cold water that is used in the desert. Her son Ĝirĝire together with her became the protective god of the desert and the protective goddess of the desert. Širru of the haunted desert, no one's child and no one's friend, walks in the desert and keeps count of the flour, and when water is libated and flour sprinkled for the lad wandering in the desert, the protective god of the desert and the protective goddess of the desert call out: Libate!, call out: Sprinkle!, and thereby cause him to be present in the place from which he vanished, in the desert. Old woman Bilulu gladdens his heart. Inana put out her hand to the lad on the ground, put out her hand to Dumuzid on the ground, his death-bound hands ……
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{kuš}ummud [a sed niĝ2 edin-na i3-me]
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dumu-ni [ĝir2]-⌈ĝir2⌉-re e-ne-bi-da
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[{d}]udug edin-na {d}lamma edin-na im-ma-an-da-an-me-eš-am3
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[dumu] ⌈na⌉ gu5-li na šir3-ru edin-lil2-la2
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[edin]-⌈na⌉ mu-ni-ib2-ĝen zid2 mu-ni-ib-ŠID-e
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[ĝuruš edin]-na du a ub-ta-an-bal-bal zid2 ub-ta-<an-dub-dub>
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{d}udug edin-na [{d}]lamma edin-na
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[…] sed-a mu-ni-ib-be2 dub-[a mu-ni-ib-be2]
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ki sa-ḫa-a-na edin-na [mu-un-ĝal2 …]
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um-ma {d}bi-lu-lu šag4-ga-[ni mu-ḫul2-e]
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{d}inana-ke4 ĝuruš ki-e šu ⌈mu⌉-[…]
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{d}dumu-zid ki-[e šu mu-…]
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šu du3-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.