A praise poem of Šulgi (Šulgi B)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 2 - Royal praise poetry and compositions with a historical background · 385 sections

1
lugal-e mu-ni niĝ2-ul-še3
To make his name famous for all time until distant days, and to transmit to posterity and the days to come the praise poems of his power, the songs of his might, and the lasting fame of his exceptional intelligence, King Šulgi, king of Urim, has brought the songs' latent wisdom before the mighty son of Ninsumun. He praises his own power in song, and lauds his own superior native intelligence:
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ud su3-ra2-ka pa e3 ak-de3
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{d}šul-gi lugal urim5{ki}-ma-ke4
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a2-na za3-mi2-bi-im kalag-ga-na šir3-bi-im
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gal-an-zu niĝ2 saĝ-bi-še3 e3-a-na mu da-ri2-bi-im
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šag4-bal-bal-a eĝer ud-da-ka šu-a bal-e-de3
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kalag-ga dumu {d}nin-sumun2-ka-ra
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ĝeštug2 eĝer-ra-bi igi-še3 mu-un-na-de6
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a2-ni šir3-ra silim-eš2 mu-un-e
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dim2-ma niĝ2 sag9-ga šag4-ta DU-a-ni ni2-bi i3-buluĝ5-e
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lugal a lugal-e ru-a nin-e tud-da-me-en
I am a king, offspring begotten by a king and borne by a queen. I, Šulgi the noble, have been blessed with a favourable destiny right from the womb. When I was small, I was at the academy, where I learned the scribal art from the tablets of Sumer and Akkad. None of the nobles could write on clay as I could. There where people regularly went for tutelage in the scribal art, I qualified fully in subtraction, addition, reckoning and accounting. The fair Nanibgal, Nisaba, provided me amply with knowledge and comprehension. I am an experienced scribe who does not neglect a thing.
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{d}šul-gi-me-en dumu-gir15 šag4 zid-ta nam dug3 tar-ra-me-en
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tur-ra-ĝu10-ne e2-dub-ba-a-a-am3
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dub ki-en-gi ki-uri-ka nam-dub-sar-ra mi-ni-zu
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nam-dumu-gir15 ĝe26-e-gin7-nam im nu-mu-un-sar
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nam-dub-sar-ra ki nam-kug-zu-ba lu2 im-mi-re6-re6
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zi-zi-i ĝa2-ĝa2 šudum niĝ2-šid-de3 zag im-mi-til-til
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{d}nanibgal sig7-ga {d}nisaba2-ke4
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ĝeštug2 ĝizzal2-la šu daĝal ma-ni-in-dug4
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dub-sar ĝal2 taka4-a niĝ2-e nu-dib-be2-me-en
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sa nemurx(PIRIĜ.TUR)-gin7 zig3-ga-ĝu10-ne
When I sprang up, muscular as a cheetah, galloping like a thoroughbred ass at full gallop, the favour of An brought me joy; to my delight Enlil spoke favourably about me, and they gave me the sceptre because of my righteousness. I place my foot on the neck of the foreign lands; the fame of my weapons is established as far as the south, and my victory is established in the highlands. When I set off for battle and strife to a place that Enlil has commanded me, I go ahead of the main body of my troops and I clear the terrain for my scouts. I have a positive passion for weapons. Not only do I carry lance and spear, I also know how to handle slingstones with a sling. The clay bullets, the treacherous pellets that I shoot, fly around like a violent rainstorm. In my rage I do not let them miss.
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{anše}niskum(PIRIĜ)-gin7 kaš4 kalag-ga di-ĝa2
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šag4 an-na-ke4 ḫul2-la ma-ab-de6
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a-la-ĝa2 {d}en-lil2-le gu3 zid ma-ni-in-de2
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nam-si-sa2-ĝu10-uš ĝidru ma-an-šum2-mu-uš
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gu2 kur-kur-ra-ka ĝiri3 ba-da-gub
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{ĝiš}tukul-ĝa2 mu-bi sig-še3 mu-un-ĝal2
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aga3-kar2 sig10-ga-ĝu10 igi-nim-še3 mu-un-ĝal2
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me3 šen-šen-na um-ta-ab-e3-en
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ki ib2-dug4-ga {d}en-lil2-la2-še3
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ama erin2-na-ĝu10-u8 igi-še3 ba-du-un
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igi-bar-ra-ĝu10-u8 a-šag4 ba-ab-zalag-ge-en
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ĝe26-e-me-en {ĝiš}tukul-la a-la mu-un-ĝa2-ĝa2-an
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{urud}šukur {urud}ma-sa-tum a-ba-da-ab-ĝal2-le-en-na
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{kuš}da-lu-uš2-a a2-sag3-ge-bi mu-zu
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im-dug im-lag ḫul sag3-ga-ĝu10
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mir im ne3-ĝal2-la-gin7 dal-le-da-bi
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šag4 dab-ba-ĝu10-u8 la-ba-ab-dib-be2-en
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ni2 zi ir kur-re ba-ab-šum2-mu-un
I sow fear and confusion in the foreign land. I look to my brother and friend, youthful Utu, as a source of divine encouragement. I, Šulgi, converse with him whenever he rises over there; he is the god who keeps a good eye on my battles. The youth Utu, beloved in the mountains, is the protective deity of my weapons; by his words I am strengthened and made pugnacious (?). In those battles, where weapon clashes on weapon, Utu shines on me. Thus I broke the weapons of the highlands over my knees, and in the south placed a yoke on the neck of Elam. I make the populations of the rebel lands -- how could they still resist my weapons? -- scatter like seed-grain over Sumer and Akkad.
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šeš gu5-li-ĝu10 šul {d}utu-am3
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ki zi-šag4-ĝal2-la-ka igi mu-na-ni-du8
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{d}šul-gi-me-en dalla e3-bi-a inim mu-un-da-bal-e-en
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diĝir igi sag9 me3-ĝa2-a-kam
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šul {d}utu kur-ra ki aĝ2 {d}lamma {ĝiš}tukul-ĝa2-kam
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inim-ma-ni-še3 ga-mu-un-kalag-ge LA ga-mu-un-ne3-e
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me3 ĝiš ĝiš-e la2-a-ba {d}utu ĝa2-a-ar ma-an-e3
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{ĝiš}tukul igi-nim-ma dug3-ĝa2 bi2-tar
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sig-še3 elam{ki}-ma gu3-ba ĝiš ma-ab-us2
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ki-bal {ĝiš}tukul-ĝa2 a-na ba-zig3-zig3-ga
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nam-lu2-ulu3-bi še saḫar-ra-gin7
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ki-en-gi ki-uri ḫa-ba-ni-du8
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niĝ2 ak-a-ĝa2 ni2-bi ga-buluĝ5
Let me boast of what I have done. The fame of my power is spread far and wide. My wisdom is full of subtlety. Do not my achievements surpass all qualifications?
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kalag-ga-ĝa2 mu-bi a2 bi2-su3-ud
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ĝeštug2-ĝu10 niĝ2 galam-ma sug4-ga-am3
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a-na-ĝu10 niĝ2 ka-ge dib-ba nu
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nam-nun-da du-du-a-ĝu10-ne
I stride forward in majesty, trampling endlessly through the esparto grass and thickets, capturing elephant after elephant, creatures of the plain; and I put an end to the heroic roaring in the plains of the different liona, the dragons of the plains, wherever it approaches from and wherever it is going. I do not go after them with a net, nor do I lie in wait for them in a hide; it comes to a confrontation of strength and weapons. I do not hurl a weapon; when I plunge a bitter-pointed lance in their throats, I do not flinch at their roar. I am not one to retreat to my hiding-place but, as when one warrior kills another warrior, I do everything swiftly on the open plain. In the desert where the paths peter out, I reduce the roar at the lair to silence. In the sheepfold and the cattle-pen, where heads are laid to rest (?), I put the shepherd tribesmen at ease. Let no one ever at any time say about me, Could he really subdue them all on his own? The number of lions that I have despatched with my weapons is limitless; their total is unknown.
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{u2}numun2 ĝiš ḫul {u2}numun2 ĝiš ḫul zukum-ma-ĝu10-ne
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til-lu-ug til-lu-ug-da niĝ2-zi-ĝal2 edin-na dab5-dab5-be2-da-ĝu10-ne
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ur-maḫ ug ušumgal edin-na-ke4
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me-da im-ti-ba me-a ĝen-na-ba
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gu3 nam-ur-saĝ-ĝa2-bi-ir edin-na ĝa2-la ḫa-ba-ni-dag-dag
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sa-du3-a-ta ba-ra-ab-ši-ĝen-ne-en
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še-er-tab-ta en-nu-uĝ3 ba-ra-bi2-ak
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a2 ĝiš-la2-a ba-ab-ak {ĝiš}tukul ba-ra-bi2-šubub
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ud zu2 sis-a-bi {urud}šukur zi-ba ḫe2-bi2-ĝar
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za-pa-aĝ2-bi-še3 gaba-ĝu10 ba-ra-bi2-zig3
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ĝe26-e tuš-ĝu10-še3 ba-ra-ba-ta-ĝen-ne-en
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ur-saĝ ur-saĝ-e gaz-a-gin7
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edin-na niĝ2 ul4-la-aš ḫu-mu-ni-ak
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gu3 šubtum5-ma ki ĝiri3 kud-da-ba edin-ba ḫu-mu-sig9-si-ig
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tur3 amaš ki saĝ bi2-in-bur2-bur2-ra
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sipad ildum2-ma-bi-ir su-bi ḫu-mu-dug3
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ud me-da ud ul-le2-a-še3
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ga-nam 1(AŠ)-bi ba-an-da-sig10-ga lu2 nam-mu-un-ši-ib-be2
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ur-maḫ {ĝiš}tukul-la bi2-til-la-ĝu10
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a-ra2-bi zag-bi-še3 šid-bi ba-ra-zu
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niĝ2 ak-a-ĝa2 ni2-bi ga-buluĝ5
Let me boast of what I have done. The fame of my power is spread far and wide. My wisdom is full of subtlety. Do not my achievements surpass all qualifications?
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kalag-ga-ĝa2 mu-bi a2 bi2-su3-ud
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ĝeštug2-ĝu10 niĝ2 galam-ma sug4-ga-am3
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a-na-ĝu10 niĝ2 ka-ge dib-ba nu
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{d}šul-gi diĝir nam-ĝuruš-a saĝ-kal erin2-na-me-en
I am Šulgi, god of manliness, the foremost of the troops. When I stretch the bowstring on the bow, when I fit a perfect arrow to it, I shoot the bow's arrow with the full strength of my arms. The great wild bull, the bull of heaven, the wild cow and the bison bellow. As they pass across the foothills of the mountains, I shoot barbed arrows at them with my powerful strength. (1 line unclear) As they collapse (?) on the plain, I topple them like old towers. I make their heads plunge to the ground like crushing pestles. For the wild asses I set no snares, dig no pits, shoot no arrows against them. But I race after them as against my own rivals; I do not try to surround them to kill their young, as people kill slim ass foals.
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tir-ra sa i-ni-sa2 ti galam-ma i-ni-gid2
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niĝ2 šu 2(MAN) a2-ta ri-a-ĝa2 {ĝiš}gag-pan ḫe2-ni-ib-ri-en
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am gal gud an-na sumun2 alim gu3 ib2-de2-de2-e
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kur-ur2-ra saĝ bal-e-da-bi
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a2 ne3-ĝal2-la-ĝa2 ti zu2 mu-ni-in-ri
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u3 ur5-re niĝ2 la-ga me-dim2
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zi-bi edin-na šub-šub-bu-da-bi
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an-za-gar3 libir-ra-gin7 ḫu-mu-šubub
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saĝ-bi {ĝiš}naĝa3 ḫul-gin7 ki ḫe2-bi2-tag
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anše edin-na-še3 {ĝiš}es2-ad la-ba-nu2-en pu2 la-ba-ba-al-e
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{ĝiš}gag-u2-tag-ga la-ba-ši-gid2-en
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gaba-ri-ĝu10-gin7 dub3 bi2-bur2
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gaz tur-ba dur3 sal-la gaz-gin7-nam la-ba-ši-ni10-ni10-de3
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šeg9-bar ne3-ĝal2-la edin-na kaš4 di-da-bi
When a burly wild boar (?) is running across the plain, I pierce its lungs with an arrow. With only one shot of mine I bring it to the ground; no single clansman from my regiments can surpass me in archery. I am a man with sharp eyes. When I lead the …… of the crack troops, I know best of all how to cast the throw-stick, running as quick as light radiating from heaven. What I hit no longer rises from its place. (1 line unclear) I can throw a ball (?) as high in the air as if it were a rag. I can bring down quadrupeds lightning-quick with the sling. I, Šulgi, can catch a goat with a quick pace; nothing checks my power. …… has been given to me. Wherever I direct my steps, I always achieve something; when I return from the desert, I always bring something more for her -- for Ninsumun, my own mother, I am her son .
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ur5-bi {ĝiš}gag-ta ba-ta-la2
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a2 1(AŠ) zig3-ga-ĝu10 ki-a ba-ab-ḫa-za
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{ĝiš}gag-pan-ta zu2 keše2-ĝa2 na-me
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im-ri-a 1-am3 lu2 na-ma-ta-ed2-e
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nitaḫ igi si sa2-a-me-en

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.