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Enmerkar and En-suḫgir-ana

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 295 sections

1. A.1

   šeg12 ⌈kur⌉ [šuba-ta e3]-a šeg12 muš3 za-gin3-⌈ta⌉ [e3-a]

   Brickwork rising out from the pristine mountain of the shining plain -- Kulaba, city which reaches from heaven to earth; Unug, whose fame like the rainbow reaches up to the sky, a multicoloured sheen, as the new moon standing in the heavens.

2. A.2

   kul-aba4{ki} iri{ki} an ki-da mu2-a

3. A.3

   unug{ki}-ga mu-bi {d}tir-an-na-gin7

4. A.4

   an-ne2 us2-sa-bi si-muš3 gun3-a

5. A.5

   an-na gub-ba-bi ud-sakar gibil na-nam

6. A.6

   me gal-[gal] nam-nun-na du3-a

   Built in magnificence with all the great powers, lustrous mount founded on a favourable day, like moonlight coming up over the land, like bright sunlight radiating over the land, the rear cow and …… cow coming forth in abundance: all this is Unug, the glory of which reaches the highland and its radiance, genuine refined silver, covers Aratta like a garment, is spread over it like linen.

7. A.7

   kur sikil-la ud dug3-ga ki ĝar-ra

8. A.8

   iti6-gin7 kalam-ma e3-a

9. A.9

   ud zalag-gin7 kalam-ma si sa2

10. A.10

    ab2-ur3 ab2-saḫarx(NE)-gin7 ḫe-nun-ta e3-a

11. A.11

    unug{ki}-ga ka tar-ra-bi kur-ra ba-te

12. A.12

    me-lem4-bi kug-me-a zid-da-am3

13. A.13

    aratta{ki}-a tug2-gin7 ba-e-dul gada-gin7 ba-e-bur2

14. A.14

    ud-ba ud en-na-am3 ĝi6 barag-ga-am3 {d}utu lugal-am3

    At that time the day was lord, the night was sovereign, and Utu was king. Now the name of the lord of Aratta's minister was minister Ansiga-ria. The name of the minister of Enmerkar, the lord of Kulaba, was Namena-tuma. He with the …… lord, he with the …… prince; he with the …… lord, he with the …… prince; he with the …… lord, he with the …… prince; he with the man born to be a god; he with a man manifest as a god, with the lord of Unug, the lord of Kulaba -- En-suḫgir-ana, the lord of Aratta, is to make a contest with him, saying first to the messenger concerning Unug:

15. A.15

    sukkal en aratta{ki}-ka sukkal an-sig7-ga-ri-a mu-ni ḫe2-en-na-nam

16. A.16

    sukkal en-me-er-kar2 en kul-aba4{ki}-ke4 nam-en-na-tum2-ma mu-ni

17. A.17

    en uru e-ne nun uru e-ne

18. A.18

    en MI uru e-ne nun MI uru e-ne

19. A.19

    en MI-MI uru e-ne nun MI-MI uru e-ne

20. A.20

    lu2 diĝir-še3 tu-ud e-ne

21. A.21

    lu2 diĝir-še3 pa e3 e-ne

22. A.22

    en unug{ki}-ga en kul-aba4{ki}-ra ur5-bi a-da-min3 na-e-de3

23. A.23

    en aratta{ki} en-suḫ-gir11-an-na-ke4

24. A.24

    igi-bi igi unug{ki}-še3 kiĝ2-gi4-a-ar inim mu-na-ni-ib2-be2

25. A.25

    e-ne ĝa2-a-ra gu2 ḫa-ma-an-ĝa2-ĝa2 {ĝiš}šudul4 ḫa-ma-ab-il2-e

    Let him submit to me, let him bear my yoke. If he submits to me, indeed submits to me, then as for him and me -- he may dwell with Inana within a walled enclosure (?), but I dwell with Inana in the E-zagin of Aratta; he may lie with her on the splendid bed, but I lie in sweet slumber with her on the adorned bed, he may see dreams with Inana at night, but I converse with Inana awake. He may feed the geese with barley, but I will definitely not feed the geese with barley. I will …… the geese's eggs in a basket and …… their goslings. The small ones into my pot, the large ones into my kettle, and the rulers of the land who submitted will consume, together with me, what remains from the geese. This is what he said to Enmerkar.

26. A.26

    ud-da gu2 ma-an-ĝar gu2 na-ma-an-ĝar u3 e-ne u3 ĝe26-e

27. A.27

    [e-ne] {d}inana-da e2-ĝar8-a-ka ḫu-mu-da-an-til3

28. A.28

    [ĝe26]-⌈e⌉ {d}inana-da e2-za-gin3 aratta{ki}-ka ḫu-mu-da-an-til3-e-en

29. A.29

    ĝiš-nu2 girin-a-ka ḫu-mu-un-de3-nu2

30. A.30

    še-er-kan2 dug4 u3 dug3 ku-ku-de3 ḫu-mu-de3-nu2-en

31. A.31

    e-ne {d}inana-da ĝi6-a ma-mu2-da igi ḫu-mu-ni-in-du8

32. A.32

    ĝe26-e {d}inana-da ĝiri3 babbar-ra-na inim mu-da-bal-e

33. A.33

    e-ne kur-gi4{mušen} še ḫe2-bi2-ib2-gu7-e

34. A.34

    ĝe26-e kur-gi4{mušen} še ba-ra-bi2-ib2-gu7-e

35. A.35

    ĝe26-e kur-gi4{mušen} nunuz-bi ĝir3-lam-ma amar-[bi ĜAR la2-e]

36. A.36

    tur-tur-bi utul2-ĝu10-še3 gal-gal šen maḫ-[ĝu10-še3]

37. A.37

    kur-gi4{mušen} ki-a ba-ra-ab-taka4-[a-bi]

38. A.38

    ensi2 kur-ra-ke4 gu2 mu-un-ĝar-[re-eš-a] mu-da-an-gu7-[u3-ne]

39. A.39

    en-me-er-kar2-ra ur5-gin7 inim mu-na-ab-[be2]

40. A.40

    kiĝ2-gi4-a du-ni šeg9-bar-ra-am3 im2-mi-da-ni sur2-du3{mušen}-am3

    The messenger runs like a wild ram and flies like a falcon. He leaves in the morning and returns already at dusk, like small birds at dawn, he …… over the open country, like small birds at midnight, he hides himself in the interior of the mountains. Like a throw-stick, he stands at the side. Like a solitary donkey of Šakkan, he runs over cuts through the mountains, he dashes like a large, powerful donkey. A slim donkey, eager to run, he rushes forth. A lion in the field at dawn, he lets out roars; like a wolf which has seized a lamb, he runs quickly. The small places he has reached, he fills with …… for him; the large places he has reached, he …… boundary (?).

41. A.41

    ud-dam i3-e3 an-u2-sa11-an-na-am3 i3-gi4-gi4

42. A.42

    buru5{mušen} ud zal-le-da-gin7 gaba ki zag im-gub

43. A.43

    buru5{mušen} ĝi6 MAŠ-gin7 kur-šag4-ge im-si

44. A.44

    {ĝiš}ilar-gin7 zag im-gub-gub-be2

45. A.45

    dur3ur3 dili du-e {d}šakkan2-gin7 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 i3-dag-ge4 i3-si-il-le

46. A.46

    dur3ur3 uru16 gal-gin7 kušum4 i3-tag-tag-ge

47. A.47

    dur3ur3 sal-la kaš4-e kiĝ2-ĝa2 du-ru-uš bur2

48. A.48

    ur-maḫ a-šag4-ga ud zal-la mur-ma-ra mu-un-ša4

49. A.49

    ur-bar-ra sila4 šu ti-a-gin7 ul4-ul4-e im-ĝen

50. A.50

    ki tur-tur-bi ⌈mu⌉-un-ĝen-na-a DUL3-a mu-na-ab-si

51. A.51

    ki gal-gal-⌈bi⌉ mu-un-ĝen-na-a bulug-ga mu-na-ab-be2

52. A.52

    en-ra [ĝi6-par4] kug-ga-ni-še3 ki ⌈kug-kug-ga-ni-še3⌉ im-ma-ši-in-ku4-ku4

    He entered the presence of the lord in his holy ĝipar in his most holy place . He entered the presence of Enmerkar in his most holy place. My king has sent me to you. The lord of Aratta, En-suḫgir-ana, has sent me to you. What does your king have to tell me, what does he have to add to me? What does En-suḫgir-ana have to tell me, what does he have to add to me? This is what my king said, what he added, this is what En-suḫgir-ana said, what he added. This is what my king says: Let him submit to me, let him bear my yoke. If he submits to me, indeed submits to me, then as for him and me -- he may dwell with Inana within a walled enclosure (?), but I dwell with Inana in the E-zagin of Aratta; he may lie with her on the splendid bed, but I lie in sweet slumber with her on the adorned bed, he may see dreams with Inana at night, but I converse with Inana awake. He may feed the geese with barley, but I will definitely not feed the geese with barley. I will …… the geese's eggs in a basket and …… their goslings. The small ones into my pot, the large ones into my kettle, and the rulers of the land who submitted will consume, together with me, what remains from the geese.

53. A.52A

    en-me-er-kar2 <ki> kug-kug-ga-ni-še3 im-ma-ši-in-ku4-ku4

54. A.53

    za-e-še3 lugal-ĝu10 mu-e-ši-in-gi4-gi4

55. A.54

    en aratta{ki} en-suḫ-gir11-an-na-ke4 mu-e-ši-in-gi4-gi4

56. A.54A

    lugal-zu dug4-ga-ni nam-ĝu10 taḫ-a-ni nam-ĝu10

57. A.54B

    en-suḫ-gir11-an-na-ke4 dug4-<ga>-ni nam-ĝu10 taḫ-a-ni nam-ĝu10

58. A.54C

    lugal-ĝu10 a-na bi2-in-dug4 a-na bi-in-taḫ-am3

59. A.54D

    en-suḫ-gir11-an-na-ke4 a-na bi2-in-dug4 a-na bi2-in-taḫ-am3

60. A.55

    lugal-ĝu10 na-ab-be2-a

61. A.56

    e-ne ĝa2-a-ra gu2 ḫa-ma-an-ĝa2-ĝa2 {ĝiš}šudul4 ḫa-ma-ab-il2-e

62. A.57

    ud-da gu2 ma-an-ĝar gu2 [na-ma-an-ĝar u3 e]-⌈ne⌉ u3 ĝe26-e

63. A.58

    e-ne {d}inana-da e2-⌈ĝar8⌉-[a-ka ḫu-mu-da]-an-til3

64. A.59

    ĝe26-e {d}inana-da e2-za-gin3 [aratta{ki}-ka ḫu-mu]-da-an-til3-en

65. A.60

    ĝiš-nu2 girin-a-ka ḫu-mu-un-[de3-nu2]

66. A.61

    še-er-kan2 dug4 u3 dug3 ku-ku-da [ḫu-mu-de3-nu2-en]

67. A.62

    e-ne {d}inana-da ĝi6-a ma-⌈mu2⌉-[da igi ḫu-mu-ni-in-du8]

68. A.63

    ĝe26-e {d}inana-da ĝiri3 babbar-ra-na inim [mu-da-bal-e]

69. A.64

    e-ne kur-gi4{mušen} še ḫe2-bi2-[ib2-gu7-e]

70. A.65

    ĝe26-e kur-gi4{mušen} še ba-ra-bi2-[ib2-gu7-e]

71. A.66

    ĝe26-e kur-gi4{mušen} nunuz-bi ĝir3-lam-[ma amar-bi ĜAR la2-e]

72. A.67

    tur-tur-bi utul2-ĝu10-še3 gal-gal šen maḫ-ĝu10-še3

73. A.68

    kur-gi4{mušen} ki-a ba-ra-ab-taka4-bi

74. A.69

    ensi2 kur-ra ⌈gu2⌉ [mu]-⌈un⌉-ĝar-re-eš-am3 [mu-da]-gu7-u3-ne

75. A.70

    en unug{ki}-ga [X] ?-muš3-bi X-da {ĝiš}zi-gan-bi-im

    The lord of Unug …… he is their ……, he is their rudder. …… he is the neck-stock which clamps down upon them, …… to the place of its foundation. He is their falcon which flies in the sky, he is their bird-net. The brickwork of the great temple of Aratta ……. …… in Aratta …… great ……. …… bring (?) …….

76. A.71

    […] {ĝiš}rab3 šu ri-bi

77. A.72

    […] ki us2-sa-a-ba

78. A.73

    sur2-[du3]{mušen} an-na dal-e-da-bi gu mušen-na-bi-[im]

79. A.74

    ⌈šeg12⌉ [e2] gal aratta{ki}-ka sur-sur maḫ ḫe2-[…]-⌈?⌉

80. A.75

    […] ⌈gal⌉-gal aratta{ki}-a ⌈nam⌉ […] maḫ-bi-im

81. A.76

    […] ?-DU-a-aš […] ĝal2

82. A.77

    [im]-gin7 šu bi2-in-ra im-gin7 igi i-ni-in-bar

    He patted it like a lump of clay, he examined it like a clay-tablet: He may dwell with Inana in the E-zagin of Aratta, but I dwell with her …… as her earthly companion (?). He may lie with her in sweet slumber on the adorned bed, but I lie on Inana's splendid bed strewn with pure plants. Its back is an ug lion, its front is a piriĝ lion. The ug lion chases the piriĝ lion, the piriĝ lion chases the ug lion. As the ug lion chases the piriĝ lion and the piriĝ lion chases the ug lion, the day does not dawn, the night does not pass. I accompany Inana for a journey of 15 leagues and yet Utu the sun god cannot see my holy crown, when she enters my holy ĝipar. Enlil has given (?) me the true crown and sceptre. Ninurta, the son of Enlil, held me on his lap as the frame holds the waterskin. Aruru, the sister of Enlil, extended her right breast to me, extended her left breast to me. When I go up to the great shrine, the Mistress screeches like an Anzud chick, and other times when I go there, even though she is not a duckling, she shrieks like one. She …… from the city of her birth. No city was made to be so well-built as the city of Unug (?). It is Unug where Inana dwells and as regards Aratta, what does it have to do with this? It is brick-built Kulaba where she lives, and as regards the mount of the lustrous me, what can it do about this? For five or 10 years she will definitely not go to Aratta. Since the great holy lady of the E-ana took counsel with me (?) about whether to go also to Aratta, since she let me know told me about this matter, I know that she will not go to Aratta. He who has nothing shall not feed the geese with barley, but I will feed the geese with barley. I will …… the geese's eggs in a basket and …… their goslings. The small ones into my pot, the old ones into my kettle, and the rulers of the Land of Sumer who submitted will consume, together with me, what remains from the geese.

83. A.78

    [e-ne] {d}inana-da e2-za-gin3 aratta-ka ḫu-mu-da-an-til3

84. A.79

    ĝe26-e [X] ⌈an⌉-ta ki-a gub-ba-ni ḫu-mu-da-an-til3-en

85. A.80

    še-er-kan2-na dug4 u3 dug3 ku-ku-da ḫu-mu-un-de3-nu2-en

86. A.81

    ĝe26-e ĝiš-nu2 gi-rin {d}inana-ka u2 za-gin3 barag-ga-a-ba

87. A.82

    eĝer-bi-še3 ug-am3 saĝ-bi-še3 piriĝ-am3

88. A.83

    ug-e piriĝ im-sar-re

89. A.84

    piriĝ-e ug [im]-sar-re

90. A.85

    ug-e piriĝ im-[sar]-re-da-bi

91. A.86

    piriĝ-e ug im-[sar]-re-da-bi

92. A.87

    ud nu-um-zal ĝi6 [u3-na] nu-ru-gu2

93. A.88

    ĝe26-e {d}inana-da kaskal danna [15]-⌈am3⌉ šu ḫu-mu-un-da-[niĝin2-niĝin2]

94. A.89

    {d}utu suḫ kug-ĝa2 igi nu-mu-un-[bar]

95. A.90

    ĝi6-par4 kug-ĝa2 ba-e-ši-in-[ku4-ku4]

96. A.91

    {d}en-lil2-le aga zid ⌈ĝidru⌉ […]

97. A.92

    {d}nin-urta dumu {d}en-lil2-la2-ke4

98. A.93

    ĝiš {kuš}ummud-da-gin7 ur2 mu-un-⌈tal2⌉-[tal2]

99. A.94

    {d}a-ru-ru nin9 {d}en-lil2-la2-ke4

100. A.95

     ubur zid-da-ni ma-an-la2 ubur gab2-bu-[ni ma-an-la2]

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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.