Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 643 sections

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iri gud ḫuš {d}teš2 ni2 gal gur3-ru
City, majestic bull bearing vigour and great awesome splendour, Kulaba, ……, breast of the storm, where destiny is determined; Unug, great mountain, in the midst of ……. There the evening meal of the great abode of An was set. In those days of yore, when the destinies were determined, the great princes allowed Unug Kulaba's E-ana to lift its head high. Plenty, and carp floods, and the rain which brings forth dappled barley were then increased in Unug Kulaba. Before the land of Dilmun yet existed, the E-ana of Unug Kulaba was well founded, and the holy ĝipar of Inana in brick-built Kulaba shone forth like the silver in the lode. Before …… carried ……, before ……, before …… carried ……, before the commerce was practised; before gold, silver, copper, tin, blocks of lapis lazuli, and mountain stones were brought down together from their mountains, before …… bathed for the festival, ……, …… time passed. (2 lines missing)
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[kul]-⌈aba4⌉{ki} keše2 […]
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gaba ud-da ki nam tar-[re-da]
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unug{ki} kur gal šag4 […]
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kiĝ2-sig unu2 gal an-⌈na⌉ […]
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ud re-a nam ba-[tar-ra-ba]
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unug{ki} kul-aba4{ki} e2-⌈an⌉-[na] […]
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saĝ il2-la nun-gal-e-ne ⌈mi⌉-[ni-…]
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ḫe2-ĝal2 a-eštub ĝal2
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šeĝx(IM.A) še gu-nu ĝal2
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unug{ki} kul-aba4{ki}-a ib-da-an-tab
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[…]-in-zal
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kur dilmun{ki} [(…)] X in-nu
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e2-an-na unug{ki}-e kul-aba4{ki}-a-ka ki us2-sa-a […] galam-a-am3
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ĝi6-par4 kug {d}inana-ke4
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šeg12 kul-aba4{ki}-ke4 kug ki-in-dar-ra-gin7 pa e3 ak-am3
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[…] X X X nu-il2 bal nu-ak-e
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[… nu]-il2 nam-ga-raš nu-ak-e
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[kug-sig17 kug]-babbar urud nagga {na4}lagab za-gin3-na
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[na4 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2] ⌈kur⌉-bi-ta teš2-bi nu-mu-un-ed3-de3
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[…] ⌈ezem⌉-ma a nu-un-!
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[…] nu-mu-un-dur2-ru
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[…] ud bi2-in-[zal]
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[…]
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[…]
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[… gun3]-gun3
…… was colourfully adorned, and ……, the holy place, was …… with flawless lapis lazuli, its interior beautifully formed like a white meš tree bearing fruit. The lord of Aratta placed on his head the golden crown for Inana. But he did not please her like the lord of Kulaba. Aratta did not build for holy Inana -- unlike the Shrine E-ana, the ĝipar, the holy place, unlike brick-built Kulaba.
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[…] ki kug X [… {na4}za]-gin3 duru5-am3
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⌈šag4⌉-[bi] {ĝiš}meš3 babbar-gin7 gurun il2-la sig7-ga-am3
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{d}inana-ra en aratta{ki}-ke4
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saĝ-men kug-sig17-ga mu-na-ni-in-ĝal2
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en kul-aba4{ki}-a-gin7 nu-mu-na-sag9
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aratta{ki} eš3 e2-an-na ĝi6-par4 ki kug-gin7
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kug {d}inana-ra šeg12 kul-aba4{ki}-gin7 nu-mu-un-na-du3
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ud-ba en šag4-ge pad3-da {d}inana-ke4
At that time, the lord chosen by Inana in her heart, chosen by Inana in her holy heart from the bright mountain, Enmerkar, the son of Utu, made a plea to his sister, the lady who grants desires, holy Inana:
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kur šuba-ta šag4 kug-ge pad3-da {d}inana-ke4
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en-me-er-kar2 dumu {d}utu-ke4
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nin9-a-ni nin kurku2 dug3-ga
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kug {d}inana-ra u3-gul mu-un-na-ĝa2-ĝa2
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nin9-ĝu10 aratta{ki} unug{ki}-še3
My sister, let Aratta fashion gold and silver skilfully on my behalf for Unug. Let them cut the flawless lapis lazuli from the blocks, let them …… the translucence of the flawless lapis lazuli ……. …… build a holy mountain in Unug. Let Aratta build a temple brought down from heaven -- your place of worship, the Shrine E-ana; let Aratta skilfully fashion the interior of the holy ĝipar, your abode; may I, the radiant youth, may I be embraced there by you. Let Aratta submit beneath the yoke for Unug on my behalf. Let the people of Aratta bring down for me the mountain stones from their mountain, build the great shrine for me, erect the great abode for me, make the great abode, the abode of the gods, famous for me, make my me prosper in Kulaba, make the abzu grow for me like a holy mountain, make Eridug gleam for me like the mountain range, cause the abzu shrine to shine forth for me like the silver in the lode. When in the abzu I utter praise, when I bring the me from Eridug, when, in lordship, I am adorned with the crown like a purified shrine, when I place on my head the holy crown in Unug Kulaba, then may the …… of the great shrine bring me into the ĝipar, and may the …… of the ĝipar bring me into the great shrine. May the people marvel admiringly, and may Utu witness it in joy.
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kug-sig17 kug-babbar ḫa-ma-an-galam-e
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{na4}za-gin3 duru5 lagab-ta […]
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su3-ra2-aĝ2 {na4}za-gin3 ⌈duru5⌉ […] X
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unug{ki}-ga kur kug […] X X du3
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e2 an-ta [ed3-da ki]-gub-ba-za
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[aratta{ki} eš3] e2-an-na ḫe2-en-du3
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[ĝi6]-par4 kug-ga [dur2] ĝar-ra-za
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šag4-bi aratta{ki} ḫa-ma-an-galam-e
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ĝe26-e šag4-ba amar za-gin3-na ? ga-mu-ni-[…]-la2
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aratta{ki} ⌈unug⌉[{ki}-še3] gu2 ĝiš ḫa-ma-[ĝa2-ĝa2]
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nam-lu2-u18-lu aratta{ki}-[ke4]
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na4 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 ⌈kur⌉-[bi] ḫa-ma-ab-ed3
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eš3 gal ḫa-ma-du3-e unu2 gal ḫa-ma-ĝa2-ĝa2
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unu2 gal ⌈unu2⌉ [diĝir-re-e-ne-ke4 pa] e3 [ḫa]-ma-ab-ak-e
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me-ĝu10 kul-aba4{ki}-[a] si ḫa-ma-ni-ib-sa2-e
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abzu kur kug-gin7 ḫa-ma-ab-mu2-mu2
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eridug{ki} ḫur-saĝ-gin7 ḫa-ma-ab-sikil-e
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eš3 abzu kug ki-in-dar-ra-gin7 pa e3 ḫa-ma-ab-ak-e
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ĝe26-e abzu-ta za3-mi2 dug4-ga-ĝu10-ne
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eridug{ki}-ta me de6-a-ĝu10-ne
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nam-en-na men eš3 bar-gin7 sig7-ga-ĝu10-ne
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unug{ki} kul-aba4{ki}-a saĝ-men kug ĝal2-la-ĝu10-ne
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[PA.A] eš3 gal-la-ke4 ĝi6-par4-ra ḫu-mu-un-tum2-mu
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[PA.A] ĝi6-par4-ra-ke4 eš3 gal-la ḫu-mu-un-tum2-mu
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[nam]-⌈lu2⌉-ulu3 u6 dug3-ge-eš ḫu-mu-un-e
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[{d}]⌈utu⌉ igi ḫul2-la ḫe2-em-ši-bar-bar-re
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[ud-bi]-a giri17-zal an kug-ga nin kur-ra igi-ĝal2
Thereupon the splendour of holy An, the lady of the mountains, the wise, the goddess whose kohl is for Ama-ušumgal-ana, Inana, the lady of all the lands, called to Enmerkar, the son of Utu:
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in-nin9 {d}ama-ušumgal-an-na šembi2-zid-da-ni
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{d}inana nin kur-kur-ra-ke4
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en-me-er-kar2 dumu {d}utu-ra gu3 mu-na-de2-e
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en-me-er-kar2 ĝa2-nu na ga-e-de5 na de5-ĝu10 ḫe2-e-dab5
Come, Enmerkar! I shall offer you advice: let my counsel be heeded. I shall speak words to you; let them be heard. Choose from the troops as a messenger one who is eloquent of speech and endowed with endurance. Where and to whom shall he carry the important message of wise Inana? Let him bring it up into the Zubi mountains, let him descend with it from the Zubi mountains. Let Susa and the land of Anšan humbly salute Inana like tiny mice. In the great mountain ranges, let the teeming multitudes grovel in the dust for her. Aratta shall submit beneath the yoke to Unug. The people of Aratta shall bring down the mountain stones from their mountains, and shall build the great shrine for you, and erect the great abode for you, will cause the great abode, the abode of the gods, to shine forth for you; will make your me flourish in Kulaba, will make the abzu grow for you like a holy mountain, will make Eridug shining for you like the mountain range, will cause the abzu shrine to shine forth for you like the glitter in the lode. When in the abzu you utter praise, when you bring the me from Eridug, when, in lordship, you are adorned with the crown like a purified shrine, when you place on your head the holy crown in Unug Kulaba, then may the …… of the great shrine bring you into the ĝipar, and may the …… of the ĝipar bring you into the great shrine. May the people marvel admiringly, and may Utu witness it in joy. Because …… shall carry daily, when …… in the evening cool ……, -- in the place of Dumuzid where the ewes, kids and lambs are numerous, the people of Aratta shall run around for you like the mountain sheep in the akalag fields, the fields of Dumuzid. Rise like the sun over my holy breast! You are the jewel of my throat! Praise be to you, Enmerkar, the son of Utu!
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inim ga-ra-ab-dug4 ĝizzal ḫe2-ši-ak
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kiĝ2-gi4-a inim zu zag-še tuku erin2-ta u3-ba-e-re-pad3
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inim gal {d}inana gal-zu inim-ma-ke4 me-a ḫu-mu-na-ab-tum3
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ḫur-saĝ zubi-še3 ḫe2-bi2-in-ed3-de3
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ḫur-saĝ zubi-ta ḫe2-em-ma-da-ra-ed3-de3
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šušin{ki}-e kur an-ša4-an{ki}-a-še3
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peš2 tur-gin7 giri17 šu ḫu-mu-na-ab-ĝal2
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ḫur-saĝ gal-gal ni2-ba lu-a
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saḫar-ra ḫu-mu-na-da-gur4-gur4-e
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aratta{ki} unug{ki}-še3 gu2 ĝiš <ḫa>-ma-ĝa2-ĝa2
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nam-lu2-ulu3 aratta{ki}-ke4
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na4 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 kur-bi um-ta-ab-ed3
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eš3 gal ḫa-ra-du3-e unu2 gal ḫa-ra-ĝa2-ĝa2
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unu2 gal unu2 diĝir-re-e-ne-ke4 pa e3 ḫa-ra-ab-ak-e
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me-zu kul-aba4{ki}-a si ḫa-ra-ni-ib2-sa2-e
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abzu kur kug-gin7 ḫa-ra-ab-mu2-mu2
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eridug{ki} ḫur-saĝ-gin7 ḫa-ra-ab-sikil-e
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eš3 abzu kug ki-<in>-dar-ra-gin7 pa e3 ḫa-ra-ab-ak-e
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za-e abzu-ta za3-mi2 dug4-ga-zu-ne
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eridug{ki}-ta me de6-a-[zu-ne]
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nam-en men-na eš3 bar-[gin7 sig7-ga]-zu-ne
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unug{ki}-e kul-aba4{ki}-a saĝ-⌈men⌉ [kug ĝal2-la]-zu-ne
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PA.A eš3 gal-la-ke4 ĝi6-par4-ra ḫu-mu-e-tum2-mu
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[PA.A] ĝi6-par4-ra-ke4 eš3 gal-la ḫu-mu-e-tum2-mu
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[nam-lu2-ulu3] u6 dug3-ge-eš ḫe2-mu-e-e
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{d}utu igi ḫul2-la ḫe2-mu-e-ši-bar-bar-re
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[nam]-lu2-ulu3 aratta{ki}-ke4
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[X] NE ud šu2-uš-ta um-[ta]-ab-il2-ke4-eš
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[X] NE ud te-en-e um-ma-[te]-e-ta
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ki {d}dumu-zid-da u8 maš2 ?-ni lu-a

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.