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Lugalbanda in the mountain cave

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 512 sections

1. A.201

   gud-de3 tu7 gig2-ga gu7-da

   The bull that eats up the black soup, , came to watch over him. He shines (?) in the heavens like the morning star, he spreads bright light in the night -- Suen is greeted as the new moon; Father Nanna gives the direction for the rising Utu. The glorious lord whom the crown befits, Suen, the beloved son of Enlil, the god the lord reached the zenith splendidly. His brilliance like holy Šara holy Utu lapis lazuli , his starry radiance illuminated for him the mountain cave. When Lugalbanda raised his eyes to heaven to Suen, he wept to him as if to his own father. In the mountain cave he raised to him his fair hands:

2. A.202

   mul amar kug en-nu-uĝ3-še3 am3-ši-ri

3. A.203

   mul ud zal-le-da-ke4 an-ne im-sar-re

4. A.204

   ud babbar-re ĝi6-a bi2-ib-bur2-re

5. A.205

   {d}suen ud-sakar-e silim dug4-ga

6. A.206

   a-a {d}nanna {d}utu e3-a-ra si sa2 mu-na-an-šum2

7. A.207

   en giri17-zal men-na tum2-ma

8. A.208

   {d}suen dumu ki aĝ2-ĝa2 {d}en-lil2-la2

9. A.209

   diĝir en si-un3-na me-te-aš bi2-ib-ĝal2

10. A.210

    me-lem4-ma-ni kug {d}šara2-gin7 {d}utu-ke4 [me]-⌈?⌉ {na4}⌈za-gin3⌉-gin7

11. A.211

    muš3-a-ni ḫur-ru-um kur-ra-ka ud mu-na-ĝa2-ĝa2

12. A.212

    {d}suen-ra an-še3 igi ḫe2-en-ši-ib-il2-ia-ka

13. A.213

    a-a tud-da-na-gin7 er2 ba-an-ši-in-pad3

14. A.214

    šu sag9-sag9-ga-ni ḫur-ru-um kur-ra-ka mu-na-zi-zi-zi-i

15. A.215

    lugal an su3-ra2 nu-mu-ra-teĝ3-ĝe26-da

    King whom one cannot reach in the distant sky! Suen whom one cannot reach in the distant sky! King who loves justice, who hates evil! Suen who loves justice, who hates evil! Justice brings joy justly to your heart. A poplar, a great staff, forms a sceptre for you, you who loosen the bonds of justice, who do not loosen the bonds of evil. If you encounter evil before you, it is dragged away behind ……. When your heart becomes angry, you spit your venom at evil like a snake which drools poison.

16. A.216

    {d}suen an su3-ra2 nu-mu-ra-teĝ3-ĝe26-da

17. A.217

    lugal-e niĝ2-si-sa2-e ki aĝ2 niĝ2-erim2-e ḫul gig

18. A.218

    {d}suen-e niĝ2-si-sa2-e ki aĝ2 niĝ2-erim2-e ḫul gig

19. A.219

    niĝ2-si-sa2-e šag4 ḫul2-la si sa2-bi ša-ra-da-a-de6

20. A.220

    {ĝiš}asal de-ḫi gal-am3 u3-luḫ-bi ša-ra-mu2-mu2

21. A.221

    niĝ2-si-sa2-e zu2 keše2-bi e-du8-u3

22. A.222

    niĝ2-erim2 zu2 keše2-bi nu-e-du8

23. A.223

    niĝ2-erim2-e saĝ-bi um-DU.DU eĝer-bi-še3 IM bi2-ib-tum3

24. A.224

    ud šag4-zu i-im-il2-i-am3

25. A.225

    niĝ2-erim2-e muš ze2 guru5-a-gin7 ⌈uš11⌉-zu ši-im-ri-e

26. A.226

    {d}suen-e er2!(A)-na šu ba-an-ši-in-ti nam-til3 mu-na-šum2

    Suen accepted his tears and gave him life. He conferred on his feet the power to stand.

27. A.227

    ĝiri3-ni ĝiri3 ki us2-sa ba-an-taḫ

28. A.228

    2(MAN)-kam-ma-še3 gud babbar an-ur2-ta e3-a

    , as the bright bull rising up from the horizon, the bull resting among the cypresses, a shield standing on the ground, watched by the assembly, a shield coming out from the treasury, watched by the young men -- the youth Utu extended his holy splendour down from heaven …… holy, his brilliance illuminated for him the mountain cave , he bestowed them on holy Lugalbanda in the mountain cave. His good protective god hovered ahead of him, his good protective goddess walked behind him. The god which had smitten him stepped aside went out from him went up and away from him . When he raised his eyes heavenward to Utu, he wept to him as to his own father. In the mountain cave he raised to him his fair hands:

29. A.229

    gud ḫa-šu-ur2-ra nam-e-a-ak-e

30. A.230

    {kuš}gur21ur3-ra ki us2-sa igi tab unken-na

31. A.231

    {kuš}gur21ur3-ra e2 niĝ2-gur11-ta e3 igi tab ĝuruš-a

32. A.232

    ⌈šul⌉ {d}utu si-muš3 kug-ga-na an-ta mu-ta-la2

33. A.232A

    […] X kug X ⌈GA⌉ […]

34. A.232B

    [me-lem4-a-ni ḫur-ru-um] ⌈kur⌉-ra-ka ud ⌈mu⌉-[na-ĝa2-ĝa2]

35. A.233

    kug {d}lugal-ban3-da ḫur-ru-um kur-ra-⌈ka⌉ mu-na-šum2

36. A.234

    [{d}]⌈udug⌉ sag9-ga-ni an-ta im-ta-la2

37. A.235

    {d}lamma sag9-ga-ni eĝer-a-na ba-e-ĝen

38. A.236

    diĝir niĝ2 mu-ra-ni bar-ta ba-gub ba-ed3-de3 im-ta-an-e3

39. A.237

    {d}utu-ra an-še3 igi ḫe2-en-ši-ib-il2-ia-ka

40. A.238

    a-a tud-da-ni-gin7 er2 ba-an-ši-in-pad3

41. A.239

    šu sag9-sag9-ga-ni ḫur-ru-um kur-ra-ka mu-na-zi-zi-i-zi

42. A.240

    {d}⌈utu⌉ sipad kalam-ma a-a saĝ gig2-ga

    Utu, shepherd of the land, father of the black-headed, when you go to sleep, the people go to sleep with you; youth Utu, when you rise, the people rise with you. Utu, without you no net is stretched out for a bird, no slave is taken away captive. To him who walks alone, you are his brotherly companion; Utu, you are the third of them who travel in pairs. You are the blinkers for him who wears the neck-ring. Like a holy zulumḫi garment, your sunshine clothes the poor man and the scoundrel as well as him who has no clothes; as a garment of white wool it covers the bodies even of debt slaves. . Your sunshine is as mighty as oil. Great wild bulls run forward. (1 line unclear) Hero, son of Ningal, …… to you. (2 lines unclear) Brother …… his brother. He causes his plough to stand in the ……. Praise to you is so very sweet, it reaches up to heaven. Hero, son of Ningal, they laud you as you deserve.

43. A.241

    nu2-a-zu-ne uĝ3 ši-mu-e-da-nu2

44. A.242

    šul {d}utu zi-zi-da-zu-ne uĝ3 ši-mu-e-da-zi-zi-i

45. A.243

    {d}utu za-e-da nu-me-a

46. A.244

    mušen-e gu nu-DU saĝ še29-eš2 nu-di

47. A.245

    lu2 dili du-ur2 šeš-tab-ba-ni-me-en

48. A.246

    {d}utu lu2 2 du 3-kam-ma-bi za-e-me-en

49. A.247

    ḫul3 la2 {ĝiš}igi-tab-ba-ni-me-en

50. A.248

    ukur3-re lu2-lul-e lu2 tug2 nu-tuku-e

51. A.249

    gaba ud-da-zu {tug2}zulumḫi kug-gin7 ša-mu4-mu4

52. A.250

    e2 ur5-ra tug2 siki babbar bar-ba im-dul

53. A.251

    ab-ba-ab-ba gu2-tuku-gin7

54. A.252

    bur-šu-ma-e-ne gaba ud-da-zu

55. A.253

    a-ar3 ud ul-le2-a-aš ši-im-dug3-dug3-ge-ne

56. A.254

    gaba ud-da-zu i3-gin7 rib-ba-am3

57. A.255

    am gal-gal-e dub3 am3-mi-ĝal2

58. A.256

    niĝ2 KU-ba kaš3 niĝ2 DI i3-ib-sur-ra

59. A.257

    ur-saĝ dumu {d}nin-gal-la bur2-bur2-babbar ši-mu-e-ši-ib-za

60. A.258

    ⌈?⌉-ba lu2-lu2 gud sub2-ba-ke4 ⌈?⌉-ba LU2×KAR2-LU2×KAR2 gud ⌈sub2-ba⌉-[…]

61. A.259

    X ⌈du8⌉-a-ni X X X […]

62. A.260

    ⌈šeš šeš-a-ni-a⌉ ba-ši-in-la2

63. A.261

    ⌈apin⌉-a-ni ki a2-ba-ka am3-mi-ni-in-gub-gub-bu

64. A.262

    i-lu-zu dug3-ga dug3-ga-am3 an-e mu-un-ši-ib-us2

65. A.263

    ur-saĝ dumu {d}nin-gal-la me-teš2 am3-i-i-ne

66. A.264

    kug ⌈lugal⌉-ban3-da ḫur-ru-um kur-ra-[ta] im-ma-da-ra-ta-e3

    Holy Lugalbanda came out from the mountain cave. Then caused life-saving plants to be born. The rolling rivers, mothers of the hills, brought life-saving water. He bit on the life-saving plants, he sipped from the life-saving water. After biting on the life-saving plants, after sipping from the life-saving water, here he on his own set a trap (?) in the ground, and from that spot he sped away like a horse of the mountains. Like a lone wild ass of Šakkan he darted over the mountains. Like a large powerful donkey he raced; a slim donkey, eager to run, he bounded along.

67. A.265

    ud-bi-a zid-du šag4 kuš2-u3 {d}en-lil2-la2-ka ? nam-til3-la i-im-tud

68. A.266

    id2 ḫal-ḫal-la ama ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ke4 a nam-til3-la im-tum3

69. A.267

    u2 nam-til3-la-ka zu2 nam-mi-in-gub

70. A.268

    a nam-til3-la-ka UM nam-mi-in-rig7

71. A.269

    u2 nam-til3-la-ka zu2 ḫe2-em-gub-bu-a-ka

72. A.270

    a nam-til3-la UM ḫe2-em-rig7-a-ka

73. A.271

    gu2-e-ta umbin 1(DIŠ)-a-ni ki mu-un-dab5-dab5

74. A.272

    ki-bi-ta anše kur-kur-ra-gin7 am3-?-e

75. A.273

    dur3ur3 dili du-e {d}šakkan2-na-ke4 ḫur-saĝ i3-⌈si-il⌉-[le]

76. A.274

    dur3ur3 uru16 gal-gin7 kušum i3-tag-tag-ge

77. A.275

    dur3ur3 sal-la kaš4-e kiĝ2-ĝa2-am3 kaš4 im-mi-dar-dar

78. A.276

    ĝi6-bi-ta ud te-en-⌈še3⌉ na-ĝen

    That night, in the evening, he set off, hurrying through the mountains, a waste land in the moonlight. He was alone and, even to his sharp eyes, there was not a single person to be seen. With the provisions stocked in leather pails, provisions put in leather bags, his brothers and his friends had been able to bake bread on the ground, with some cold water. Holy Lugalbanda had carried the things from the mountain cave. He set them beside the embers. He filled a bucket …… with water. In front of him he split what he had placed. He took hold of the …… stones. Repeatedly he struck them together. He laid the glowing (?) coals on the open ground. The fine flintstone caused a spark. Its fire shone out for him over the waste land like the sun. Not knowing how to bake cakes, not knowing an oven, with just seven coals he baked giziešta dough. While the bread was baking by itself, he pulled up šulḫi reeds of the mountains, roots and all, and stripped their branches. He packed up all the cakes as a day's ration. Not knowing how to bake cakes, not knowing an oven, with just seven coals he had baked giziešta dough. He garnished it with sweet date syrup.

79. A.277

    ḫur-saĝ šag4-sig {d}suen-ne-ka kaš4 mi-ni-ib-kar-kar-re

80. A.278

    1(DIŠ)-a-ni-im lu2 igi niĝin lu2 nu-mu-un-da-bar-re

81. A.279

    {kuš}maš-li-um-e niĝ2 si sa2-e

82. A.280

    {kuš}a-ĝa2-la2-e niĝ2 sa2 dug4-dug4-ga

83. A.281

    šeš-a-ne-ne gu5-li-ne-ne

84. A.282

    a sed4-gin7 ninda ki-a mu-un-da-an-du8-uš-am3

85. A.283

    kug {d}lugal-⌈ban3-da⌉ ḫur-rumum kur-ra-ta im-ma-ra-an-il2-il2

86. A.284

    gu2 ne-mur-⌈ra⌉-ka ba-an-še21

87. A.285

    {ĝiš}buniĝ2(LAGAB×ĜAR) X ⌈NE⌉ A bi2-in-ra

88. A.286

    igi-ni-še3 mu-un-ta-ĝar-ra mu-un-?-⌈?⌉

89. A.287

    ⌈NA4 ?⌉ šu im-ma-an-ti X

90. A.288

    teš2-bi ḫe2-em-ra-ra-a-⌈?⌉

91. A.289

    u3-dub2 dar-dar-ra gu2 edin-e ba-ni-in-⌈?⌉

92. A.290

    {na4}zu2 sal-la izi bi2-in-[…]

93. A.291

    izi-bi šag4-sig-ga ud-gin7 mu-na-an-⌈e3⌉

94. A.292

    {ninda}gug2 du8 nu-zu {im}šu-rin-na nu-zu

95. A.293

    ne-mur 7-ta ninda gi-izi-eš-ta-a ba-ra-an-du8

96. A.294

    ninda ni2-bi-a en-na am3-šeĝ6-šeĝ6

97. A.295

    gi-šul-ḫi kur-ra ur2-ba mi-ni-in-bur12-bur12 pa-ba mi-ni-in-suḫ-suḫ

98. A.296

    gu2-en gug2-ga-ka šukur2-ud-še3 zu2 ba-ni-in-keše2-keše2

99. A.297

    {ninda}gug2 du8 nu-zu {im}šu-rin-na nu-zu

100. A.298

     ne-mur 7-ta ninda gi-izi-eš-ta ba-ra-an-du8

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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.