Ninurta's exploits: a šir-sud (?) to Ninurta

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 715 sections

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[…] X ⌈kur-?⌉ […]
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[… in]-⌈da⌉-? ⌈ki-bal⌉ ? […]
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[…] X X ? nu-⌈dib⌉-ba igi-ĝu10 ba-ab-⌈?⌉ […]
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[…] X NE ? ḫe2-en-ĝal2 en-zu gaba-zu mu-un-zig3
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[…] {d}nin-urta ni2-te-a-na ĝiškim i-im-til3
…… Ninurta, having confidence in himself; …… he will be standing; the waters will be dried up as if by the sun's heat; …… he will breathe again, he will be standing full of joy. I shall cause horrid storms to rise against …… of the hero Ninurta ……. …… as for him who resisted (?) the mountains, he has been amazed by his strength. Now I shall give my orders, you are to follow these instructions: (1 line unclear) …… in the fields, let him not diminish the population. …… let him not cause a lack of posterity. Let him not cause to perish the name of all the kinds of species whose destinies I, Enlil, have decreed.
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[…]-un-til-la i-im-gub a ud-gin7 ba-an-ta-ḫad2
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[…]-⌈ba⌉-? zi dug3-ge-eš mi-ni-pa-aĝ2 ḫul2-ḫul2-le i-im-gub
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[X ur]-⌈?⌉ {d}nin-urta-ka-še3 tum9-tum9 ḫul sukud-de3
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[…] X-ba e-ne-am3 kur na-mu-un-tum3 a2-ni u6 im-me
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[i3-ne-eš a2] im-ma-aĝ2 inim im-ma-ab-dab5-be2
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[…]-ib-šar2 ĝiškim til3-la dirig nam-ba-ĝir2-ĝir2-re
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[X X]-a-ni a-šag4 ḫe2-em-mi-in-dab5 uĝ3 nam-ta-ab-la2-e
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[X X] ⌈?⌉-e numun na-an-ga-ma-ab-kal-le
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{d}en-lil2-me-en nam a-na-tar-ra-ĝa2 mu-bi na-ab-ḫa-lam-e
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{ĝiš}tukul-e ⌈?⌉ X X-bi im-ḫuĝ ḫaš2 ba-ni-in-ra
The weapon, its heart ……, was reassured: it slapped its thighs, the Šar-ur began to run, it entered the rebel lands, joyfully it reported the message to Lord Ninurta:
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šar2-ur3-re dub3 i-ni-in-bad ki-bal-a i-in-bur2
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⌈en⌉ [{d}nin-urta]-⌈ra⌉ ḫul2-la-a inim mu-na-ni-ib-be2
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⌈lugal⌉-[ĝu10 …]-zu a-na bi2-in-dug4-ga-ta
My master, …… for you, Enlil has said: As the , before whom the venom has piled up, attacks the enemy, let him take the Asag by the shoulder, let him pierce its liver, let my son enter with it into the E-kur. Then, Ninurta, to the limits of the earth my people will deservedly praise your power. You, lord who trusts in the word of his father, do not tarry, great strength of Enlil. Storm of the rebel lands, who grinds the mountains like flour, Ninurta, Enlil's seal-bearer, go to it! Do not tarry. My master: the Asag has constructed a wall of stakes on an earthen rampart; the fortress is too high and cannot be reached, …… its fierceness does not diminish. (3 lines unclear) My master, …….
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a-ma-ru ⌈uš7⌉ […]-⌈da⌉-ĝar-a lu2-ra su3-su3-de3
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a2-sag3 ne3-ba šu a-ba-ni-ti ze2 ba-ni-in-sud
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[dumu]-⌈ĝu10⌉ e2-kur-ra ḫu-mu-da-ku4-ku4
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{d}nin-urta uĝ3-ĝu10 su3-ud-še3 me-teš2 ḫu-mu-i-i
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en dug4-ga a-a-na-še3 ĝal2-la
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usu maḫ {d}en-lil2-la2 na-an-gub-be2-en
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ud ki-bal kur zid2-gin7 peš-e-de3
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{d}nin-urta kišib-la2 {d}en-lil2-la2 ĝen-a na-ĝal2-en
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lugal-ĝu10 a2-sag3 im-du3-a e2-ĝar8 gag ak-a
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⌈?⌉ dirig-ga šu nu-ru-gu2-da
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[…] X ur5 gu7-u3-bi nu-be4-e
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[…] X ⌈?⌉ nu-zi-zi-i
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[nam]-⌈?⌉-ge X […] nu-zu-e saĝ-ba mu-ri-ib-us2
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[im]-ḫul saĝ-ĝa2 […] X mu-un-dab5-be2
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⌈lugal⌉-ĝu10 me3 ĝiš-bar-⌈re⌉ […] X-ba ba-ni-ib2-sa2-sa2
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[{d}]nin-urta {ĝiš}tukul šukur(IGI.[GAG]) […]-ra [ka] ⌈ba⌉-ab-⌈?⌉
Ninurta opened his mouth to speak to the mace ……. He aimed the lance at the mountains ……. The lord stretched out an arm towards the clouds. Day became a dark night. He yelled like a storm, ……. (2 lines unclear)
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[ĝiš]-gid2-da kur-re i-⌈in-?⌉ […] ⌈mu-un⌉-[…]
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⌈?⌉-e dungu-še3 a2 [… sud]
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[ud] ⌈ku10⌉-ku10-ga-še3 ⌈ba-an⌉-[kur9 …]
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[ud]-gin7 gu3 ba-[an-de2 …]
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X I ĝiš-gid2-[da …]
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{d}nin-urta X […]
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en-e tum9 X […]
The lord …… the wind. In his battle he smote the mountains with a cudgel. The Šar-ur made the storm-wind rise to heaven, scattering the people; like …… it tore. Its spittle alone destroyed the townspeople. The destructive mace set fire to the mountains, the murderous weapon smashed skulls with its painful teeth, the club which tears out entrails piled up noses. The lance was stuck into the ground and the crevasses filled with blood. In the rebel lands dogs licked it up like milk. The enemy rose up, crying to wife and child, You did not lift your arms in prayer to Lord Ninurta. The weapon covered the mountains with dust, but did not shake the heart of the Asag. The Šar-ur threw its arms around the neck of the lord:
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me3-ni kur-ra bar-us2 ba-ni-ib-ra
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šar2-ur3-e tum9 an-še3 ba-te uĝ3-bi sag2 ba-ab-dug4
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KA.GAG.KA-gin7 i3-bu-bu-de3
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aḫ6-bi iri ni2-ba mu-un-gul-e
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{ĝiš}tukul zag saga11 di-da kur-re izi ba-šum2
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mi-tum-e zu2 sis-a saĝ im-tu10-tu10
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šita lipiš dirig-ga-e giri17 i3-dub-dub-be2
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ĝiš-gid2-da ki-a ba-ab-du3 sur3 mud-e bi2-ib-tum3
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ki-bal-a ga-gin7 ur-e ba-an-de2
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lu2-erim2-e i-zig3 dam dumu-bi gu3 ba-an-de2
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en {d}nin-urta-ra a2 nu-mu-e-zig3
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{ĝiš}tukul-e kur saḫar-da im-da-ab-šar2 peš a2-sag3-a nu-ub-tuku4
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šar2-ur3-e en-ra šu gu2-bi-še3 ba-an-na-ni-ib-ri-ri
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e ur-saĝ a-na in-ga-ra-ĝal2-la
Hero, ah, whatever further awaits you, do not on any account meddle with the hurricane of the mountains. Ninurta, lord, son of Enlil, I tell you again, it is made like a storm. It is a blister whose smell is foul, like mucus which comes from the nose it is unpleasant, lord, its words are devious, it will not obey you. My master, it has been created against you as a god; who can help you? Hero, it falls on the land as a whirlwind, it scrubs it as if with saltwort, Ninurta, it chases the onagers before it in the mountains. Its terrifying splendour sends the dust into clouds, it causes a downpour of potsherds. In the rebel lands it is a lion striking with savage teeth; no man can catch it. After reducing everything to nothing in the north wind, that one will batter you. The sheepfolds have been closed by ghostly demons. It has dried up the waters in the ground. In the whirlwind storm, the people are finished, they have no solution (?). From an implacable enemy, great hero, lord, turn away, he said quietly.
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mir kur-ra-ke4 ba-ra-bi2-tag-tag-⌈?⌉
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{d}nin-urta en dumu {d}en-lil2-la2 ud-gin7 ši-in-ga-du3
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u3-bu-bu-ul e3-a-bi nu-dug3-ga
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aš-gin7 giri17 e3-a-bi nu-sig10-ge
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en inim gib šag4-še3 nu-ra-gid2
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lugal-ĝu10 diĝir-gin7 mu-ra-an-du3 a-ba saĝ ma-ra-ab-us2-e
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ur-saĝ muru9-a ki ba-ab-us2 naĝa-am3 ⌈?⌉ […] X ⌈?⌉
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{d}nin-urta dur3ur3 kur-ra mu-ni-in-sar-sar-re
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ni2 me-lem4-e saḫar i3-ur4-ru šika im-e-eš i3-šeĝ3
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ki-bal-a piriĝ zu2 sis mu-un-ra lu2 nu-mu-ni-in-dab5-be2
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mir mir-ra lil2 teš2 im-gaz-za-ta ur5 tu11 mu-e-ak-e
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amaš lil2-la2-en-da igi tab-ba a ki-a mi-ni-ib-ḫad2
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ud teš2-e ri-a uĝ3 im-til a2-šu-du7 nu-tuku
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lu2-erim2 zi šag4-ge nu-ĝal2-la
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ur-saĝ gal en gaba-zu zig3-ga-ab sig9-ga-bi im-me
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en-e kur-ra dum-dam mu-ni-ib-za šeg11 gi4 nu-mu-un-gul-e
But the lord howled at the mountains, could not withhold a roar. The hero did not address the rebel lands, he ……. He reversed the evil that it had done ……. He smashed the heads of all the enemies, he made the mountains weep. The lord ranged about in all directions, like a soldier saying I will go on the rampage. Like a bird of prey the Asag looked up angrily from the mountains. He commanded the rebel lands to be silent and ……. Ninurta approached the enemy and flattened him like a wave (?). The Asag's terrifying splendour was contained, it began to fade, it began to fade. It looked wonderingly upwards. Like water he agitated it, he scattered it into the mountains, like esparto grass he pulled it up, like esparto grass he ripped it up. Ninurta's splendour covered the Land, he pounded the Asag like roasted barley, he …… its genitals (?), he piled it up like a heap of broken bricks, he heaped it up like flour, as a potter does with coals; he piled it up like stamped earth whose mud has been dredged. The hero had achieved his heart's desire. Ninurta, the lord, the son of Enlil, …… began to calm down.
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ur-saĝ-e gu3 ki-bal nu-de2 IGI.U nam-mi-ĝar
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niĝ2 im-ḫul-ḫul im-ZI ba-ab-gi4
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gu2-erim2-e saĝ ĝiš mi-ni-ib-ra-ra kur-ra i-si-iš ba-ab-ĝar
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en-e erin2 niĝ2 ga-ab-kar ?-gin7 šu i3-⌈ni10-ni10⌉-e
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ĝiš-nu11-gin7 kur-ra a2-sag3-ge igi ḫuš ba-ši-in-il2
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ki-bal te-eš ba-ni-in-dug4-ga DI-bi mu-un-gul
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{d}nin-urta erim2-e mu-ni-in-dib AB.ĜAR-gin7 mu-un-si
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a2-sag3 ni2 me-lem4-bi gub-ba sig-še3 ba-ši-gub
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sig-še3 ba-ši-gub nim-še3 u6 bi2-in-dug4
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a-gin7 mu-un-lu3-lu3 kur-ra sag2 bi2-in-dug4
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{u2}numun2-gin7 mu-un-bur12 {u2}numun2-gin7 mu-un-ze2
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ni2 me-lem4-ma-ni kalam-ma dul-[lu]
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a2-sag3 še šeĝ6-ĝa2-gin7 mu-un-dub2 numun-bi im-da-DI
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šeg12 si-il-la2-gin7 teš2-ba bi2-in-ĝar
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šu-gal-an-zu-bi ne-mur-ra-gin7-nam zid2-de3-eš mu-un-dub-⌈dub⌉
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im-du3-a im-bi suḫ-a-gin7 teš2-bi im-mi-in-ĝar
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ur-saĝ-e niĝ2 šag4-ga-na mu-un-⌈?⌉
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{d}nin-urta en dumu {d}en-lil2-la2 i3-X X ba-sed-[de3]
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kur-ra ud-ta im-ma-ra-[zal]
In the mountains, the day came to an end. The sun bade it farewell. The lord …… his belt and mace in water, he washed the blood from his clothes, the hero wiped his brow, he made a victory-chant over the dead body. When he had brought the Asag which he had slain to the condition of a ship wrecked by a tidal wave, the gods of the Land came to him. Like exhausted wild asses they prostrated themselves before him, and for this lord, because of his proud conduct, for Ninurta, the son of Enlil, they clapped their hands in greeting. The Šar-ur addressed these flattering words aloud to its master to Lord Ninurta :
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{d}utu silim-ma mu-na-⌈an⌉-[dug4]
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en-e ib2-la2 {ĝiš}tukul a ⌈mu⌉-[X] X ? uš2-a mu-un-⌈?⌉
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ur-saĝ-e saĝ-ki šu bi2-ib-ur3 ad6-a za-pa-aĝ2 bi2-in-ĝar
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AB.ĜAR-gin7 a2-sag3 ug5-ga-na ma2 gaz ak-da-ni
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⌈? kalam⌉-ma mu-un-na-sug2-ge-eš
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dur3ur3 kuš2-a-gin7 mu-un-na-gurud-de3-eš
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en-e a-ra2 maḫ-a-ni-še3
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{d}nin-urta dumu {d}en-lil2-la2 šu-ta silim ba-ab-sag3-sag3-ge-ne
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šar2-ur3-e an-ta lugal-bi-ir en {d}nin-urta-ra mi2 zid-de3-eš mu-un-ne
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en meš3 maḫ gan2-e a dug4-ga ur-saĝ a-ba za-gin7
Lord, great meš tree in a watered field, hero, who is like you? My master, beside you there is no one else, nor can anyone stand like you, nor is anyone born like you. Ninurta, from today no one in the mountains will rise against you. My master, if you give but one roar, …… how they will praise you! (1 line unclear) Lord Ninurta ……. (7 lines fragmentary) After he had pulled up the Asag like esparto grass in the rebel lands, torn it up like esparto grass, Lord Ninurta …… his club: (1 line unclear) From today forward, do not say Asag: its name shall be Stone. Its name shall be zalag stone, its name shall be Stone. This, its entrails, shall be the underworld. Its valour shall belong to the lord.

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.