Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta

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

397
kiĝ2-gi4-a lugal-zu en kul-aba4{ki}-ra [u3]-na-a-dug4 u3-na-de3-taḫ
Messenger, speak to your king, the lord of Kulaba, and say to him: Let him put in his hand and contemplate a sceptre that is not of wood, nor designated as wood -- not ildag wood, nor šim-gig wood, not cedar wood, nor cypress wood, not ḫašur cypress, nor palm wood, not hardwood, nor zabalum wood -- not ildag wood, nor šim-gig wood, not ḫašur cypress, nor palm wood, not cedar wood, nor zabalum wood, not cypress wood, nor hardwood , not poplar as in a chariot, not reedwork as in whip handles; not gold, nor copper, not genuine kugmea metal nor silver, not cornelian, nor lapis lazuli -- let him snap off a splinter from that and hold it 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 Kulaba bring that before me. So say to him.
398
ĝidru ĝiš nam-me mu ĝiš na-an-sa4-sa4
399
X [X] šu-na um-ma-ni-in-ĝar igi um-ši-bar-bar
400
{ĝiš}ildag2 nam-me {ĝiš}šim-gig nam-me
401
{ĝiš}erin nam-me {ĝiš}šu-ur2-men2 nam-me
402
{ĝiš}ḫa-šu-ur2 [nam-me {ĝiš}ĝišnimbar] ⌈nam⌉-me
403
{ĝiš}esi nam-me [{ĝiš}za-ba-lum nam-me]
A
{ĝiš}ildag2 nam-me {ĝiš}šim-gig nam-me
B
{ĝiš}ḫa-šu-ur2 nam-me {ĝiš}ĝišnimbar nam-me
C
{ĝiš}erin nam-me {ĝiš}za-ba-lum nam-me
D
{ĝiš}šu-ur2-men2 nam-me [{ĝiš}esi nam-me]
404
{ĝiš}asal lam {ĝiš}gigir-ra nam-me
405
{ĝiš}kid-da ĝiš-{kuš}usan3-na nam-me
406
kug-sig17 nam-me urud nam-me
407
kug-me-a zid kug-babbar nam-me
408
{na4}gug nam-me {na4}za-gin3 nam-me
409
ĝidru um-ta-an-kid7 ḫu-mu-un-da-ĝal2
410
na4-gug-ĝiš-dili na4-za-gin3-ĝiš-dili-gin7 šu-ni-a ḫu-mu-un-ĝal2
411
en kul-aba4{ki}-a-ke4 igi-ĝu10-še3 ḫu-mu-un-tum2 e-ne-ra dug4-mu-na-ab
412
ur5-gin7 ḫu-mu-na-ab-be2-a-ka
After he had spoken to him thus, the messenger went off like a young donkey, braying as it is cut off from the chariot tongue; he trotted like an onager running on dry land, he filled his mouth with wind; he ran in one track (?) like a long-woolled sheep butting other sheep in its fury. He set foot joyfully in brick-built Kulaba. He transmitted the message word for word to his master, the lord of Kulaba. Now Enki gave Enmerkar wisdom, and the lord gave instructions to his chief steward. In his house ……, the king received ……. He wrapped it up like ……, and inspected it. He pounded …… with a pestle like herbs, he poured it like oil on the …… reed. From the sunlight it emerged into the shade, and from the shade it emerged into the sunlight. After five years, 10 years had passsed, he split the …… reed with an axe. The lord looked at it, pleased, and poured on …… fine oil, fine oil of the bright mountains. The lord placed the sceptre in the hands of the messenger going to the mountains. The messenger, whose journeying to Aratta was like a pelican over the hills, like a fly over the ground, who darted through the mountains as swiftly as carp swim, reached Aratta. He set foot joyfully in the courtyard of Aratta, and put the sceptre in ……. He …… and …… it. The lord of Aratta, eying the sceptre, which was shining awesomely in the sanctuary, his holy dwelling -- he, the lord, called to his šatam official:
413
kiĝ2-gi4-a dur3ur3 si-gigir ku5-ra2-gin7 ka si-il-la mu-un-ĝen
414
anše edin-na bar-rim4-ma kaš4 di-gin7 kušum4 i3-tag-tag-ge
415
ka-ni tum9-a bi2-ib-zi-zi-zi
416
udu zulumḫi udu ⌈sumur⌉-ba du7-du7-gin7 dub3-us2 dili mu-un-dab5
417
šeg12 kul-aba4{ki}-a-ka ĝiri3 ḫul2 mi-ni-in-gub
418
lugal-a-ni en kul-aba4{ki}-a-ra
419
inim-inim-ma mu-na-ra-si-si
420
en-me-er-kar2-ra {d}en-ki-ke4 ĝeštug2 mu-na-⌈an⌉-šum2
421
en-e aĝrig maḫ-a-[ni] a2 ba-da-⌈an⌉-aĝ2
422
e2-? […]
423
lugal-e ⌈?⌉ […] šu ba-ra-an-ti
424
mu-un-dul-gin7 ⌈šu⌉ bi2-[in-gur-gur] igi bi2-⌈in⌉-!-!
425
{na4}na KA-KA šim-gin7 ⌈zu2⌉ [ba-ni]-⌈in⌉-ra
426
gi su-lim-ma-ka i3-gin7 mu-ni-in-de2
427
ud-ta ĝissu-še3 am3-ed2-e
428
ĝissu-ta ud-še3 am3-ed2-e
429
mu 5-am3 mu 10-am3 ba-zal-[la]-ri
430
gi su-lim-ma giĝ4-gin7 bi2-in-gaz
431
en-e igi ḫul2-la im-ši-in-bar
432
i3 li i3 li2 kur šuba-a-ka sag3-ga i-ni-in-de2
433
en-e kiĝ2-gi4-a kur-še3 du-ur2
434
ĝidru šu-na mu-un-na-ĝa2-ĝa2
435
kiĝ2-gi4-a aratta{ki}-aš du-a-ni
436
u5{mušen}-gin7 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 nim-gin7 saḫar ⌈niĝin⌉-a
437
ḪI.SUḪUR{ku6}-gin7 kur ur3-ur3-ru-[da]-ni aratta{ki}-aš ⌈ba⌉-te
438
kisal aratta{ki}-ka ĝiri3 ḫul2-la mi-ni-in-gub
439
ĝidru TE SI NA mu-un-gub
440
šu kiĝ2 si bi2-in-sa2 a kiĝ2 ⌈bi2-ib⌉-ak-e
441
en aratta{ki}-ke4 ĝidru-ta igi tab-ba
442
itima-ka ki-tuš kug-ga-ni-a ni2 im-kar2-kar2-ka
443
en-e šag4-tam-a-ni-ir gu3 mu-na-de2-e
444
aratta{ki} u8 ⌈sag2⌉-[gin7] ḫe2-em kaskal-bi [kur] ⌈ki⌉-bal ḫe2-em
Aratta is indeed like a slaughtered sheep! Its roads are inded like those of the rebel lands! Since holy Inana has given the primacy of Aratta to the lord of Kulaba, now it seems that holy Inana is looking with favour on her man who has sent a messenger to make the severe message as clear as the light of Utu. So in Aratta where can one go in this crisis? How long before the yoke-rope becomes bearable? As for us, in the direst hunger, in our direst famine, are we to prostrate ourselves before the lord of Kulaba?
445
maḫ aratta{ki} kug {d}inana-ke4
446
en kul-aba4{ki}-ra mu-na-an-šum2-ma-ta
447
lu2-kiĝ2-gi4-a mu-un-gi4-a-ni
448
{d}utu ed2-de3 inim dugud pa ed2-de3
449
a-da-al kug {d}inana-ke4 igi me-ši-kar2-kar2
450
aratta{ki}-a lul-e me-a ḫe2-en-de3-dib-e
451
al me-da-aš šu al-zil2-zil2-i-a
452
me-en-de3 sug4-ga lul-la-be2-eš2
453
en kul-aba4{ki}-ra {na4}gug lul-la-me-a mu-na-dur2-ru-ne-en-de3-en
454
en aratta{ki}-ke4 kiĝ2-gi4-a-ar
The lord of Aratta entrusted a message to the messenger as if it were an important tablet:
455
inim-ma dub maḫ-gin7 šu mu-na-an-sig10
456
kiĝ2-gi4-a lugal-zu en kul-aba4{ki}-a-ra u3-na-dug4 u3-na-de3-taḫ
457
ur na-an-gig2-ge ur na-an-babbar-re
Messenger! Speak to your master, the lord of Kulaba, and say to him: A champion who is not black-coloured, a champion who is not white-coloured, a champion who is not brown-coloured, a champion who is not red-coloured, a champion who is not yellow-coloured, a champion who is not multicoloured -- let him give you such a champion. My champion will compete against his champion, and let the more able one prevail! Say this to him.
458
ur na-an-su4-e ur na-an-dara4-e
459
ur na-an-sig7-sig7-ge ur na-an-gun3-gun3gu2 ur ḫu-mu-ra-ab-šum2-mu
460
ur-ĝu10 ur-ra-ni a-da-min3 ḫe2-em-da-e
461
a2-ĝal2 ḫe2-zu e-ne-ra dug4-mu-na-ab
462
ur5-gin7 ḫu-mu-na-ab-be2-a-ka
After he had spoken to him thus, the messenger set off, ulum, alam. In brick-built Kulaba, he was speechless, like a ……. He gazed like a goat on the mountain slopes, he …… as if it were a huge mir snake coming out from the brambles. In …… he lifted his head. …… of Aratta ……. From his seat, he addressed him like a raging torrent:
463
kiĝ2-gi4-a u2-lum a-lam mu-un-ĝen
464
šeg12 kul-aba4{ki}-ke4 eĝer sig10-ga-gin7 inim ⌈mu⌉-un-gi4
465
!-gin7 ka gaba kur-ra-ka igi mi-ni-ib-il2-il2-i
466
! maḫ kiši17-kiši17-ta zig3-ga-gin7 e2 me MIN3 mu-un-ta-la2-la2
467
[X X X X]-ka saĝ mi-ni-in-il2
468
[…] aratta{ki}-a-ke4 […]
469
ki-tuš-a-ni-ta a maḫ [e3-a-gin7 mu-un-na-ab]-be2
470
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: A garment that is not black-coloured, a garment that is not white-coloured, a garment that is not brown-coloured, a garment that is not red-coloured, a garment that is not yellow-coloured, a garment that is not multicoloured -- I shall give him such a garment. My champion is embraced by Enlil. I shall send him such a champion. My champion will compete against his champion, and let the more able one prevail! Say this to him. Second, speak to him and say: Let him immediately pass from subterfuge ……. In his city, let them go before him like sheep. Let him, like their shepherd, follow behind them. As he goes, let the mountain of bright lapis lazuli humble itself before him like a crushed reed. And let them heap up its shining gold and silver in the courtyard of Aratta for Inana the lady of E-ana. Third, speak to him and say: Lest I make the people fly off from that city like a wild dove from its tree, lest I smash them like ……, lest I requite (?) them as if at a current market rate, lest I make …… them walk in ……, when he goes, let them take the mountain stones, and rebuild for me the great shrine Eridug, the abzu, the E-nun; let them adorn its architrave for me ……. Let them make its protection spread over the Land for me. His speaking ……. Recite his omen to him. At that time, the lord ……, …… on the throne daises and on the chairs, the noble seed, …….
471
tug2 na-an-gig2-ge tug2 na-an-babbar-re
472
tug2 na-an-su4-e tug2 na-an-dara4-e
473
tug2 na-an-sig7-sig7-ge tug2 na-an-gun3-gun3gu2 tug2 ga-mu-na-ab-šum2!(ḫu-mu-ra-ab-šum2-mu)
474
ur-ĝu10 gu2-da ĝal2 {d}en-lil2-la2 ur šu ga-mu-na-taka4
475
ur-ĝu10 ur-ra-ni a-da-min3 ḫe2-em-di-e
476
a2-ĝal2 ḫe2-zu-zu e-ne-ra dug4-mu-na-ab
477
2-kam-ma-še3 u3-na-dug4 u3-na-de3-taḫ
478
en3-tukum-še3 lul-da LI-a ḫe2-ni-ib-dib-e
479
iri-na udu-gin7 igi-ni ḫu-mu-un-su8-ub
480
e-ne sipad-bi-gin7 eĝer-bi ḫe2-em-us2-e
481
du-a-ni kur kug {na4}za-gin3-na
482
gi niĝ2 dub-ba-gin7 gu2 ḫu-mu-na-ab-ĝar
483
kug-sig17 kug-babbar su3-ra2-aĝ2-bi
484
{d}inana nin e2-an-na-ra
485
kisal aratta[{ki}]-⌈ka⌉ guru7-še3 ḫu-mu-un-dub-dub-bu
486
3-kam-ma-[še3] u3-na-dug4 u3-na-de3-taḫ
487
iri-ni ir7-saĝ{mušen}-gin7 ĝiš-bi-ta na-an-tar-ta-ta-an
488
[…]-⌈gin7⌉ na-an-dub2-be2-en
489
[ganba ĝal2-la]-⌈gin7⌉ na-an-si-ig-en
490
[…] lil2-e nam-mi-ni-in-dib-be2-en
491
du-a-ni na4 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 šu u3-mu-ni-in-ti
492
eš3 gal eridug{ki} abzu e2-nun ḫa-ma-du3-e

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.