Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta
- 297
sumun2-gin7 ḫaš2-a-na mu-un-gur
- 298
nim-saḫar-ra-gin7 tir ud zal-le-na mu-un-ĝen
- 299
šeg12 kul-aba4{ki}-a-ka ĝiri3 ḫul2-la mu-ni-in-gub
- 300
kisal maḫ-e kisal gu2-en-na-ka kiĝ2-gi4-a i-ib2-bur2
- 301
lugal-a-ni-ir en kul-aba4⌈{ki}⌉-[ra]
- 302
ka-ni-gin7 šu mu-na-an-gi4
- 303
gud-gin7 gu3 mu-na-an-sig10
- 304
gud ri-ri-gin7 ĝeštug2 mu-na-an-[ĝa2-ĝa2]
- 305
lugal-e zag zid-da-ni NE im-mi-in-⌈tuš⌉
- 306
zag gab2-bu-ni im-ma-ni-in-gi4
- 307
i3-ge-en aratta{ki} ĝalga šum2-ma im-ma-zu im-me
- 308
ud im-zal {d}utu im-ta-e3-a-ra
After day had broken and Utu had risen, the sun god of the Land lifted his head high. The king combined the Tigris with the Euphrates. He combined the Euphrates with the Tigris. Large vessels were placed in the open air, and he stood small vessels beside them, like lambs lying on the grass. …… vessels were placed in the open air adjacent to them. Then the king, Enmerkar, the son of Utu, placed wide apart the ešda vessels, which were of gold. Thereupon, the …… clay tablet, the pointed stylus of the assembly, the golden statue fashioned on a propitious day, beautiful Nanibgal, grown with a fair luxuriance, Nisaba, the lady of broad wisdom, opened for him her holy house of wisdom. He entered the palace of heaven, and became attentive. Then the lord opened his mighty storehouse, and firmly set his great lidga measure on the ground. The king removed his old barley from the other barley; he soaked the greenmalt all through with water; its lip …… the ḫirin plant. He narrowed the meshes of the carrying nets. He measured out in full (?) the barley for the granary, adding for the teeth of locusts. He had it loaded on the packasses at whose sides reserve donkeys were placed. The king, the lord of broad wisdom, the lord of Unug, the lord of Kulaba, despatched them directly to Aratta. He made the people go on to Aratta on their own, like ants out of crevices. Again the lord added instructions for the messenger going to the mountains, to Aratta:
- 309
{d}utu kalam-ma-ka saĝ bi2-ib-il2
- 310
lugal-e {id2}idigna {id2}buranuna-bi-da im-ma-da-an-tab
- 311
{id2}buranun-na {id2}idigna-da im-ma-da-an-tab
- 312
bur gal-gal an-ne2 ba-sug2-su8-ug
- 313
bur tur-tur sila4 u2-šim dur2-gin7 zag-bi-a im-ma-an-us2
- 314
bur i-gi8 an-na da-bi-a ba-su8-ug
- 315
lugal-e eš-da kug-sig17-ga-ke4
- 316
en-me-er-kar2 dumu {d}utu-ke4 dub3 mu-un-bad-ba9-re6
- 317
ud-bi-a dub i-gi8 im me-a gi-gag unken-na
- 318
alan kug-sig17-ga ud dug3-ga tud-da
- 319
{d}nanibgal sig7-ga KA×LI sikil ?-da
- 320
{d}nisaba nin ĝeštug2 daĝal-la-ke4
- 321
e2-ĜEŠTUG2.{d}NISABA kug-ga-ni ĝal2 mu-na-an-taka4
- 322
e2-gal an-na-ka kur9-ra-ni ĝeštug2 mu-un-ĝa2-ĝa2
- 323
en-e e2-nun maḫ-a-ni ĝal2 ba-an-taka4
- 324
{ĝiš}li2-id-ga maḫ-a-ni ki ⌈ba⌉-[an]-us2
- 325
lugal-e še-ta še libir-ra-ni šu ba-ra-an-⌈bal⌉
- 326
munu4 ki-šar2-ra a ba-ni-in-[si]
- 327
nundum-bi {u2}ḫirinḫu-ri2-in AN [X]-sug4-ge
- 328
{sa}al-kad5-e igi im-mi-in-tur-tur
- 329
še guru7 ka i-ni-in-si zu2 buru5{mušen}-e bi2-in-taḫ
- 330
anše barag la2-e um-mi-in-la2
- 331
anše-bal-e da-bi-a ba-an-sig10
- 332
lugal en ĝeštug2 daĝal-la-ke4
- 333
en unug{ki}-ga en kul-aba4{ki}-ke4
- 334
ḫar-ra-an aratta{ki}-ke4 si bi2-in-sa2
- 335
nam-lu2-ulu3 kiši6 ki-in-dar-ra-gin7
- 336
aratta{ki}-aš ni2-ba mu-un-sub2-be2-eš
- 337
en-e kiĝ2-gi4-a kur-še3 du-ur2
- 338
aratta{ki}-aš inim mu-na-ab-taḫ-e
- 339
kiĝ2-gi4-a en aratta{ki}-ra u3-na-dug4 u3-na-de3-taḫ
Messenger, speak to the lord of Aratta and say to him: The base of my sceptre is the divine power of magnificence. Its crown provides a protective shade over Kulaba; under its spreading branches holy Inana refreshes herself in the shrine E-ana. Let him snap off a splinter from it and hold that in his hand; let him hold it in his hand like a string of cornelian beads, a string of lapis lazuli beads. Let the lord of Aratta bring that before me. So say to him.
- 340
ĝidru-ĝa2 ur2-bi me nam-nun-na-ka
- 341
pa-bi kul-aba4{ki}-a an-dul3-eš i3-ak
- 342
pa mul-mul-la-bi eš3 e2-an-na-ke4
- 343
kug {d}inana-ke4 ni2 im-ši-ib-te-en-ten
- 344
ĝidru um-ta-an-kid7 ḫu-mu-un-da-ĝal2
- 345
na4-gug-ĝiš-dili na4-za-gin3-ĝiš-dili-gin7 šu-ni-a ḫu-mu-un-ĝal2
- 346
en aratta{ki}-ke4 igi-ĝu10-še3 ḫu-mu-un-tum2 e-ne-ra dug4-mu-na-ab
- 347
ur5-gin7 ḫu-mu-na-ab-be2-a-ka
After he had thus spoken to him, the messenger went on his way to Aratta; his feet raised the dust of the road, and made the little pebbles of the hills thud; like a dragon prowling the desert, he was unopposed. After the messenger reached Aratta, the people of Aratta stepped forward to admire the packasses. In the courtyard of Aratta, the messenger measured out in full (?) the barley for the granary, adding for the teeth of locusts. As if from the rains of heaven and the sunshine, Aratta was filled with abundance. As when the gods return to their seats (?), Aratta's hunger was sated. The people of Aratta covered their fields with the water-soaked greenmalt. Afterwards, couriers and šatam officials ……. (2 lines unclear)
- 348
kiĝ2-gi4-a aratta{ki}-aš du-ni
- 349
saḫar kaskal-la ĝiri3-ni mu-un-si mu-un-e3
- 350
na4 tur-tur ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ke4 suḫ3-saḫ4 mu-un-da-ab-za
- 351
ušumgal edin-na-ba kiĝ2-ĝe26-gin7 gaba-ri nu-mu-ni-in-tuku
- 352
kiĝ2-gi4-a aratta{ki}-aš um-ma-te-a-ra
- 353
nam-lu2-ulu3 aratta{ki}-ke4
- 354
anše barag la2-e u6 di-de3 im-ma-sug2-sug2-ge-eš
- 355
kiĝ2-gi4-a kisal aratta{ki}-ka
- 356
še guru7 ka bi2-in-si zu2 buru5{mušen}-e bi2-in-taḫ
- 357
šeĝx(IM.A) an-na ud ĝal2-la-gin7
- 358
aratta{ki} ḫe2-ĝal2-la i3-du3
- 359
diĝir dur2-bi-a ba-da-ab-gi4-a-⌈gin7⌉
- 360
aratta{ki} šag4-ĝar-ra-ni am3-la2-[la2]
- 361
nam-lu2-ulu3 aratta{ki}-[ke4]
- 362
munu4 a sig9-ga-na a-šag4 mu-ni-[ib-X]
- 363
⌈eĝer⌉-ba ra2-gaba šag4-tam […]
- 364
[X] KI A taka4-ba […]
- 365
X [X] X […]
- 365B
[…] X X NI […]
- 366
dumu-[dumu] aratta{ki} ⌈ĝeštug2⌉ […]
The citizens of Aratta were mindful; he revealed the matter to Aratta. Consequently, in Aratta, from the hand ……. …… his hand …… to the lord of Unug.
- 367
aratta{ki}-aš inim mu-un-bur2
- 368
ur5-da aratta{ki}-a šu-⌈ta⌉ […]
- 370
en unug{ki}-ga-ra šu-ni i-im-[…]
- 371
me-en-de3 sug4-ga lul-la-⌈be2⌉-[eš2]
As for us, in the direst hunger, in our direst famine, let us prostrate ourselves before the lord of Kulaba!
- 372
en kul-aba4{ki}-a-ra {na4}gug ⌈lul⌉-[la-me-a] ga-mu-na-dur2-ru-ne-en-de3-en
- 373
ab-ba-ab-ba inim zu-ne
The eloquent elders wrung their hands in despair, leaning against the wall; indeed, they were even placing their treasuries (?) at the disposal of the lord. His sceptre …… in the palace ……. Openly he spoke out the words in his heart:
- 374
šu teš2-a bi2-ib-ri-⌈eš⌉ zag e2-ĝar8-e bi2-ib-us2-[eš]
- 375
en-ra e2 sikil-bi ḫu-mu-un-ĝa2-ĝa2-[e-ne]
- 376
[(X) X] ⌈KIĜ2⌉ ĝidru-ni DU.DU šag4 e2-⌈gal⌉-[la …]
- 377
[bur2-ra-bi inim šag4-ga]-na bi2-[ib-be2]
- 378
[a-a-zu lugal-ĝu10] mu-e-ši-⌈in⌉-[gi4-in-nam]
Your father, my master, sent me to you. Enmerkar, the son of Utu, sent me to you.
- 379
[en-me-er]-⌈kar2⌉ dumu {d}utu-[ke4] mu-e-ši-in-gi4-in-nam
- 380
lugal-zu dug4-ga-ni nam-ĝu10 taḫ-[a]-ni [nam]-ĝu10
What is it to me what your master has spoken? What is it to me what he has said? This is what my master has spoken, this is what he has said: The base of my sceptre is the divine power of magnificence. Its crown provides a protective shade over Kulaba; under its spreading branches holy Inana refreshes herself in the shrine E-ana.Let him snap off a splinter from it and hold that in his hand; let him hold it in his hand like a string of cornelian beads, a string of lapis lazuli beads. Let the lord of Aratta bring that before me. So say to him.
- 381
lugal-ĝu10 a-na ⌈bi2-in⌉-dug4 a-na [bi2-in-taḫ]-⌈am3⌉
- 382
ĝidru-ĝa2 ur2-bi me ⌈nam⌉-nun-⌈na-ka⌉
- 383
pa-bi kul-aba4{ki}-a ⌈an-dul3⌉-eš i3-ak
- 384
pa mul-mul-[la-bi] eš3 e2-an-na-⌈ke4⌉
- 385
kug {d}inana-ke4 ni2 im-ši-ib-te-en-ten
- 386
ĝidru um-ta-an-kid7 ḫu-mu-⌈un-da⌉-ĝal2
- 387
na4-gug-ĝiš-dili na4-za-gin3-ĝiš-dili-gin7 šu-ni-a ḫu-mu-un-ĝal2
- 388
en aratta{ki}-ke4 igi-ĝu10-še3 ḫu-mu-un-tum2 ĝa2-a-ra ḫa-ma-an-dug4
- 389
ur5-gin7 ḫu-mu-na-ab-be2-a-ka
After he had spoken thus to him, for that reason he went inside the sanctuary …… and lay himself down in a fast. Day broke. He discussed the matter at length, he spoke unspeakable words; he circulated with this matter as if it were barley eaten by a donkey.
- 390
nam-bi-še3 !-a KA ba-an-kur9 šag4-ka-tab-ba ba-an-nu2
- 391
ud im-zal inim im-šar2-šar2
- 392
inim ka-še3 nu-ĝar-ra im-me
- 393
inim-ma še anše gu7-a-gin7 ĝiri3 mi-ni-ib-ni10-ni10-e
- 394
i3-ne-eš2 lu2 lu2-u3-ra a-na na-an-dug4
And what did one speak to another? What did one say to another? What one said to another, so indeed it was.
- 395
lu2 lu2-ra dili a-na na-an-taḫ
- 396
lu2 lu2-ra in-na-ab-be2-a ur5 ḫe2-en-na-nam-ma-am3
← Previous · Next → — showing 301–400 of 643
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.