A praise poem of Šulgi (Šulgi B)

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

101
AB-ru-um ki-iz-ru-um-ma DU-a-ĝu10-ne
102
{ĝiš}ilar sag3-ge-bi gal-zu-me-en
103
ĝiš-nu11 an-ta šu bar-ra-gin7 kaš4 ⌈dug4⌉-bi
104
niĝ2 bi2-ra-a-ĝu10 ki-bi nu-zi-zi-i
105
niĝ2-gu2-un-na-še3 da ba-ri-e
106
{ĝiš}ellag niĝ2 an-na dirig-ga-am3 tug2-gin7 im-ra-ra-an
107
niĝ2-ur2-4 nim-gin7 ĝir2-re-da a2-sag3 bi2-ib-šubub-be2-en
108
{d}šul-gi-me-en dub3 šu bar-ra-gin7 maš am3-mi-ib2-dab5-be2-en
109
a2-ĝu10 niĝ2 na-me la-ba-dab5-be2 ma-ga-tum ma-šum2
110
ki-ĝiri3-ĝen-ĝu10 niĝ2 mu-un-ĝar-ĝar
111
edin-ta du-ĝu10-ne niĝ2 mu-un-ši-la2-la2
112
ama ugu-ĝu10 {d}nin-sumun2-ka-ra
113
dumu niĝ2 5 niĝ2 10-ni ĝe26-e-me-en
114
niĝ2 ak-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?
115
kalag-ga-ĝa2 mu-bi a2 bi2-su3-ud
116
ĝeštug2-ĝu10 niĝ2 galam-ma sug4-ga-am3
117
a-na-ĝu10 niĝ2 ka-ge dib-ba nu
118
lugal-me-en ur-saĝ šu du7-a kalam-ma kur2-ra-am3
I, the king, am the Land's most excellent fighter against the enemy. I, Šulgi, am respected for my immense bodily strength. I am mighty; nothing resists me; I know no setbacks. ; my teams of asses do not collapse under me. Striding forward like my brother and friend, the youth Utu, as if with the legs of a lion, I am the good groom of my dust-making asses that bray like lions roaring. Like that of a stallion, my strength is unwavering during the running-race; I come first in the race, and my knees do not get tired. I am fearless; I dance with joy. My words shall never be forgotten. Praise for me because of my reliable judgments is on everyone's lips.
119
{d}šul-gi nir-ĝal2 usu gal-gal-la-me-en
120
kalag-ga-me-en niĝ2 saĝ nu-gen6-me-en niĝ2-ḫul nu-zu-me-en
121
id2-da {ĝiš}ma2-gur8-ĝu10 gu2 nu-mu-da-ĝa2-ĝa2
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anše erin2-na-ĝu10 zi-bi nu-mu-e-da-šub-be2
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šeš gu5-li-ĝu10 šul {d}utu-gin7
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zag-še3 piriĝ-gin7 sug2-sug2-ge-ĝa2
125
anše saḫar la2 ug-gin7 šeg11 gi4-a-ĝa2 kuš7 sag9-ga-bi-me-en
126
dur3ur3-gin7 kaš4-a ne3-ĝu10 nu-silig-ge
127
kaš4-ta e3-a-me-en dub3 nu-kuš2-u3-me-en
128
nam-te nu-ĝal2-me-en isiš-a gud-gu4-ud-me-en
129
inim-ĝu10 niĝ2 ka-ta nu-šub-bu-dam
130
mi2-ĝu10 di niĝ2-gen6-na-ka ka-ga14 mu-ši-ĝal2
131
maš2-šu-gid2-gid2 dadag-ga-me-en
I am a ritually pure interpreter of omens. I am the very of the collections of omens. These words of the gods are of pre-eminent value for the exact performance of hand-washing and purification rites, for eulogy of the en priestess or for her enthronement in the ĝipar, for the choosing of the lumaḫ and nindiĝir priests by sacred extispicy, for attacking the south or for defeating the uplands, for the opening of the emblem house, for the washing of lances in the , for the taking of subtle decisions about the rebel lands. After I have determined a sound omen through extispicy from a white lamb and a sheep, water and flour are libated at the place of invocation. Then, as I prepare the sheep with words of prayer, my diviner watches in amazement like an idiot. The prepared sheep is placed at my disposal, and I never confuse a favourable sign with an unfavourable one. I myself have a clear intuition, and I judge by my own eyes. In the insides of just one sheep I, the king, can find the indications for everything and everywhere.
132
ĝiri3-ĝen-na inim uzu-ga-ka {d}nin-tur5-bi ĝe26-e-me-en
133
šu-luḫ-ḫa nam-išib šu du7-de3
134
en-ra za3-mi2 <di>-de3 ĝi6-par4-še3 ḫuĝ-e
135
lu2-maḫ nin-diĝir šag4 kug-ge pad3-da
136
sig-še3 saĝ ĝa2-ĝa2 nim-še3 aga3-kar2 sig10-ge
137
e2 šu-nir-ra-ke4 ĝal2 da13-da13-[X]
138
ĝiš-gid2-da a me3 tu5-tu5-[X]
139
ki-bal-a-še3 sa2 galam-ma ĝa2-ĝa2-[X]
140
inim diĝir-re-e-ne niĝ2 kal-kal-la-am3
141
sila4 babbar udu kiĝ2-gi4-a-ka inim-ĝar u3-bi2-ĝar-ĝar
142
ki mu pad3-da-ba a eša ba-ni-de2
143
inim sizkur2-ra-ka udu sa am3-mi-ni-ib2-gi4-gi4-in
144
maš2-šu-gid2-gid2-ĝu10 na-ĝa2-aḫ-gin7 u6 mu-e
145
udu sa gi4-a šu-ĝa2 ma-an-dab
146
sag9-ga ḫul-da la-ba-an-da-ḫa-ze2-en
147
šag4 zalag ni2-ĝa2-me-en igi-ĝu10-ta i3-du-un
148
lugal-me-en šag4 udu 1-a-kam
149
a2 aĝ2-ĝa2 niĝ2 ki-šar2-ra-ka igi mu-na-ni-du8
150
niĝ2 ak-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?
151
kalag-ga-ĝa2 mu-bi a2 bi2-su3-ud
152
ĝeštug2-ĝu10 niĝ2 galam-ma sug4-ga-am3
153
a-na-ĝu10 niĝ2 ka-ge dib-ba nu
154
{d}šul-gi lugal urim5{ki}-ma-me-en
I, Šulgi, king of Urim, have also devoted myself to the art of music. Nothing is too complicated for me; I know the full extent of the tigi and the adab, the perfection of the art of music. When I fix the frets on the lute, which enraptures my heart, I never damage its neck; I have devised rules for raising and lowering its intervals. On the gu-uš lyre I know the melodious tuning. I am familiar with the sa-eš and with drumming on its musical soundbox. I can take in my hands the miritum, which ……. I know the finger technique of the alĝar and sabitum, royal creations. In the same way I can produce sounds from the urzababitum, the ḫarḫar, the zanaru, the ur-gula and the dim-lu-magura. Even if they bring to me, as one might to a skilled musician, a musical instrument that I have not heard before, when I strike it up I make its true sound known; I am able to handle it just like something that has been in my hands before. Tuning, stringing, unstringing and fastening are not beyond my skills. I do not make the reed pipe sound like a rustic pipe, and on my own initiative I can wail a šumunša or make a lament as well as anyone who does it regularly.
155
u3 nam-nar-ra gu2-ĝu10 ḫa-na-šum2
156
niĝ2 na-me-bi la-ba-da-an-gib-en
157
tigi a-da-ab nam-nar šu du7-a buru3 daĝal-bi mu-zu
158
ĝiš šu-kar2-ke4 šag4 bi2-ib-dab5
159
si ak-de3 a2 nu-mu-e-ši-ib-gaz-e-en
160
zi-zi-i šu2-šu2-ba ĝiš mu-e-ḫur-ḫur
161
{ĝiš}gu2-uš za-mi2-a kam-ma sag9-ga mi-ni-zu
162
{ĝiš}sa-eš5 u3 šag4 nam-nar-ra-ka šag4 du-bu-la mi-ni-zu
163
{ĝiš}mi-ri2-tum niĝ2 e2 sig9-ga-ke4 šu mu-un-gid2-gid2-de3
164
{ĝiš}al-ĝar {ĝiš}sa-bi2-tum in-dim2 lugal-la aga šu-si mu-ni-zu
165
{ĝiš}ur-za-ba-bi2-tum {ĝiš}ḫar-ḫar {ĝiš}za-na-ru
166
{ĝiš}ur-gu-la {ĝiš}dim3-lu2-ma2-gur8-ra ne-gin7 gu3 mi-ni-e3
167
dumu nar-ra šu tam-tam-ma-gin7
168
ĝiš-gu3-di ĝiš la-ba-ra-ab-tuku-a ki-ĝu10-uš lu2 mu-ni-ib-DU-[X (X)]
169
u3-ne-en šag4-bi ba-zu-zu
170
niĝ2 ud-bi-še3 šu-ĝa2 ĝal2-la-gin7 ba-e-de3-ĝa2-ĝa2-de3-[X]
171
ad pad3-de3 gid2-i tu-lu gen6-na šu-ĝa2 la-ba-ra-e3
172
gi-di gi sipad-gin7 nu-um-me
173
šumun-ša4 mur ša4-e i-si-iš ĝa2-ĝa2
174
šag4 gen6 saĝ us2-bi-gin7 i3-zu
175
ḫul2-ḫul2-le-me-en dug3-dug3-ge-me-en
I bestow joy and gladness, and I pass my days in pomp and splendour. But people should consider for themselves -- it is a matter to keep in one's sights -- that at the inescapable end of life, no one will be spared the bitter gall of the land of oppression. But I am one who is powerful enough to trust in his own power. He who trusts in his own exalted name may carry out great things. Why should he do less? Since it was for my true mother Ninsumun that my mother together with her actually bore me to bestow joy and gladness, lovingly she cherished my unborn fruit. She did not endure scandal from anyone's mouth. Before she released her little one, this lady passed her time in my palace in the greatest joy.
176
giri17-zal nam-nun-na ud zal-zal-le-me-en
177
lu2-u18-lu ni2-te-a-ni-še3 ĝeštug2 ḫe2-ĝa2-ĝa2
178
niĝ2-bi niĝ2 igi niĝin2-na-ka
179
zag nam-til3-la saĝ im-gi4-a
180
ze2 kur nam-gu2-ka3-ka lu2 la-ba-an-da13-da13-e
181
kalag-ga ne3-ni-ta nir-ĝal2-la-me-en
182
mu maḫ-a-ni-ta nir-ĝal2-e
183
niĝ2 ḫe2-em-gu-ul-gu-ul-e a-na-aš ba-ni-ib-la2-e
184
ama ugu-ĝu10 {d}nin-sumun2-na-ra ama na-an-da-u3-tud
185
ḫul2-ḫul2-le-ĝa2 dug3-dug3-ge-ĝa2
186
a-sila3-ĝar-ra-ĝu10 mi2-eš2 ma-ni-in-dug4
187
niĝ2-lul-la ka-ga14 nu-un-ĝal2
188
munus-e tur-ra šu nu-bar-re
189
e2-gal-ĝa2 niĝ2-ḫul2-ḫul2-la ud mi-ni-ib2-zal-zal-e
190
{d}šul-gi-me-en til3-la ud su3-ra2-ka niĝ2 mi-ni-ib-gu-ul-gu-ul-lu-ĝa2
Before Utu son of Ningal, I, Šulgi, declare that in my long life in which I have achieved great things since the day that my kingly destiny was determined, in my life in which everything was richly provided in contentment, I have never lacked anything. Until the distant future may this song bless the name of me, the king, with a life of long days. As I am musical, as I am eloquent, I am a heavenly star of steadfastness. It is an awe-inspiring brow that establishes palaces, just as a peg and a measuring cord are the builders of cities. With the awesomeness that radiates from my forehead, which I make the foreign lands wear like a nose-rope, and the fear-inspiring lustre, my personal weapon, which I impose on the Land like a neck-stock, I am able to root out and undo crime. I have the ability to reconcile great matters with one word.
191
lugal-me-en ud nam-ĝu10 ba-tar-ra-ta
192
til3-la ur5 sag9-ge niĝ2 gu-ul-gu-ul-lu-ĝa2
193
igi {d}utu dumu {d}nin-gal-la-ka-še3 ba-ra-ma-ni-la2
194
lugal-me-en ud til3-la su3-ra2-še3
195
mu-ĝu10 ud ul-le2-a-aš šir3-re ḫe2-em-dug3-ge
196
šir3 zu-ĝu10-gin7 inim zu-ĝu10-gin7
197
niĝ2 saĝ gi4-a mul-an-bi-me-en
198
ni2 saĝ-ki e2-gal gen6-ne2-dam
199
saĝ-gag gi-nindan iri{ki} du3-du3-u3-dam
200
ni2 saĝ-ki-ĝu10 a-ba-da-ab-ĝal2-la-am3

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.