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A praise poem of Šulgi (Šulgi O)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 2 - Royal praise poetry and compositions with a historical background · 178 sections

  1. A.1

    iri mu-bi-gin7 me-a tum2-ma

    City worthy of the divine powers, according to its name: shrine Urim, raging storm of Sumer, battleground -- and well established! Origin of human seed, consolidating the foundations of the Land, abundance -- and well established! Lofty dais of An, pure place, holy place, provider of first-fruit offerings for An to refresh himself, dripping with syrup and wine -- and well established! Du-ur, celebrated place of Enlil, in whose interior are the assigned divine powers, place whose destiny was decreed by Father Enlil, great dais -- and well established! Eridug, shrine expert in decreeing the fates, with princely divine powers, pure divine powers -- and well established! E-kiš-nu-ĝal, cattle-pen of Suen, where fecund cows, breed-bulls and holy calves gambol together, producing fine cream -- and well established! Abzu, holy residence of youthful Suen, tall crook lifting its head towards heaven, a marvel -- and well established!

  2. A.2

    eš3 urim2{ki} ud ḫuš ki-en-gi-ra me3 ki us2-sa

  3. A.3

    numun i-i suḫuš kalam-ma gen6-ne2 ḫe2-ĝal2 ki us2-sa

  4. A.4

    barag maḫ an-na ki kug ki sikil

  5. A.5

    niĝ2-saĝ gu7 an-ne2 ni2 te-en-ten lal3 ĝeštin biz-biz-ze2-da ki us2-sa

  6. A.6

    du6-ur2 ki mu tuku {d}en-lil2-la2 šag4-bi me ḫal-ḫa

  7. A.7

    ki nam tar-ra a-a {d}en-lil2-la2 barag gal ki us2-sa

  8. A.8

    eridug{ki} eš3 kug-zu nam tar-ra me nun me sikil-la ki us2-sa

  9. A.9

    e2-kiš-nu-ĝal2-la tur3 {d}suen-na

  10. A.10

    ab2 zid {gud}ninda2 amar kug-ge a-ne di i3 ?-ga ki us2-sa

  11. A.11

    abzu ki-tuš kug šul {d}suen-na

  12. A.12

    {ĝiš}ešgiri2 maḫ an-na saĝ il2-la u6 di ki us2-sa

  13. A.13

    ĝi6-par4 eš3 nam-ḫi-li du3-a me zid nam-en-na ki us2-sa

    Ĝipar, shrine built in exuberance, with the true divine powers of the rank of en priestess -- and well established! Princely (?) en priestess, your great name is pure; loosener of the headdress of Nanna who makes the dwelling pleasant, with good words and justice -- and well established! with ample flowing waters, your reservoir abounds with fish and birds -- and well established! Its city, established within the encircling walls, is a battle-mace, a weapon -- and well established! The convened assembly of its numerous people is a shield -- and well established! Great awe of the occupied settlements of Sumer -- and well established! Its foreign lands, teeming like herds of fecund cows, fat cows, numerous ewes with their lambs in the sheepfold -- and well established! Its army, rising to battle, is an irresistible onrush of water, a fearsome sea, a raging …… -- and well established!

  14. A.14

    en nun-na mu gal-zu sikil-la-am3

  15. A.15

    suḫ bur2-bur2 {d}nanna ki-tuš dug3-ge inim dug3 niĝ2-si-sa2-e ki us2-sa

  16. A.16

    id2-nun-kug a zal-le gal-gal-la kun-zu-še3 ku6 mušen ki us2-sa

  17. A.17

    bad3 niĝin2-na iri ki ĝa2-ra-bi šita2 {ĝiš}tukul ki us2-sa

  18. A.18

    unken ĝar-ra uĝ3 ša-ra-ba {kuš}gur21!(TUM)ur3 ki us2-sa

  19. A.19

    ki-en-gi-ir-a ki-tuš ĝa2-ra-bi ni2 gal ki us2-sa

  20. A.20

    kur-kur ab2 zid-gin7 lu-lu-a-bi

  21. A.21

    ab2 dugud-da u8 sila4-da šar2-ra amaš-a ki us2-sa

  22. A.22

    erin2-bi me3-še3 zig3-ga-bi

  23. A.23

    a e3-a gaba-ri nu-tuku

  24. A.24

    ab ḫu-luḫ-ḫa NI.SUM sumur ki us2-sa

  25. A.25

    [nun]-bi ur-saĝ {d}en-lil2-la2 piriĝ ne-na zig3-ga

    Its prince, the hero of Enlil, a lion rising up in its strength, a furious lion (?) baring its teeth at the foreign lands, …… inspects great wild bulls, eating ……, extending ……. Shepherd Šulgi, son of Ninsumun, ornament of ……, …… in their evil words, brought the hero Gilgameš, the lord of Kulaba into ……. He produced an utterance for him …… from the foreign lands, …… of his palace. …… of the foreign lands. …… he looked at him as if on split reeds.

  26. A.26

    [piriĝ ban3]-! kur-ra guru5-uš bur2-bur2

  27. A.27

    [X X] ! gal ! im-gid2-gid2-i

  28. A.28

    [X] X gu7-a ŠEŠ2(?.?)-bi sud-sud

  29. A.29

    [sipad] [šul]-gi dumu {d}nin-sumun2-ka

  30. A.30

    […] ⌈UR3⌉-ra ḫe2-du7-bi

  31. A.31

    […] X-⌈?⌉-na inim ḫul-ne-ne-a

  32. A.32

    [ur-saĝ] [{d}]⌈gilgameš2⌉ AN en kul-ab{ki}-a-ke4

  33. A.33

    [X X] X ⌈?⌉ im-ma-ni-in-kur9

  34. A.34

    [X X] ⌈kur⌉-kur-ra-ta inim mu-na-ta-an-e3

  35. A.35

    […] X e2-gal-la-na-kam

  36. A.36

    X [X] ?-? kur-kur-ra-kam

  37. A.37

    ? X ? URU X gi ḫal-ḫal-la-gin7 igi-ni mu-na-an-ĝal2

  38. A.38

    ?-? nam kalam-ma ba-tar-ra-ta

    On the day when the destiny of the Land was determined, when the seed of all living beings was originally brought forth, when the king appeared radiantly to his comrade -- on that day, Gilgameš, the lord of Kulaba, conversed with Šulgi, the good shepherd of Sumer, at his shining feet. So that their praise would be sung forever, so that it be would handed down to distant days, so that it should be not forgotten in remote years, they looked (?) at each other favourably in their mighty heroism.

  39. A.39

    numun niĝ2-zi-ĝal2-la ba-i-a-ta

  40. A.40

    lugal-? ??-ba-ni-ir dalla mu-na-an-e3-a

  41. A.41

    ud-? {d}gilgameš2 en kul-ab{ki}-a-ke4

  42. A.42

    šul-gi sipad zid ki-en-gi-ra-ke4

  43. A.43

    ĝiri3 babbar-ra-na inim mu-ti-ni-ib-e3

  44. A.44

    ud ul-le2-aš a-ar-bi ak-de3

  45. A.45

    ud su3-ra2-aš šu-a bal-e-de3

  46. A.46

    mu su3-ra2-aš nu-ḫa-lam-e-de3

  47. A.47

    a-ne-ne nam-ur-saĝ kalag-ga-ba

  48. A.48

    teš2-bi igi zid-de3-eš im-e-ne

  49. A.49

    šul-gi sipad zid ki-en-gi-ra-ke4

    Šulgi, the good shepherd of Sumer, praised his brother and friend, Lord Gilgameš, in his might, and declared to him in his heroism:

  50. A.50

    šeš gu5-li-ni en {d}gilgameš2

  51. A.51

    nam-kalag-ga-na mu-ni-in-i-i

  52. A.52

    nam-ur-saĝ-ĝa2-na mu-ni-in-pad3-pad3-de3

  53. A.53

    kalag-ga me3-a uru2 gul-gul

    Mighty in battle, destroyer of cities, smiting them in combat! Siege-weapon skilled with the slingstone against the holy wall! You brought forth your weapons against the house of Kiš. You captured dead its seven heroes. You trampled underfoot the head of the king of Kiš, En-me-barage-si ……. You brought the kingship from Kiš to Unug.

  54. A.54

    šen-šen-na saĝ ĝiš ra-ra-bi

  55. A.55

    ze2-na bad3 kug-bi a2-sag3-ge kiĝ2-ĝa2

  56. A.56

    e2 ⌈kiš⌉!-še3 {ĝiš}tukul-zu ba-ta-a-e3

  57. A.57

    ur-⌈saĝ⌉ 7-bi ad6-a mi-ni-dab5

  58. A.58

    [lugal] ⌈kiš⌉{ki} en-me-barag-ge4-e-si

  59. A.59

    […] ⌈saĝ⌉-ĝa2-na ĝiri3 mu-na-ni-us2

  60. A.60

    nam-lugal ?{ki}-? ?{ki}-še3 am3-mi-de6

  61. A.61

    kul-aba{ki} X X X u3-tud-da pa im-ma-ni-e3

    Thus he eulogised him who was born …… in Kulaba. (1 line unclear) Gilgameš, lord of Kulaba, seed of lordship, righteous hero …… (5 lines fragmentary or unclear) (approx. 4 lines missing) (Gilgameš continues speaking:) Like ……, falsely (?) ……, you trampled underfoot ……, …… as if in a mighty clamp. You gathered its …… like swallows rising into the air. You entered with them into the presence of Enlil in the shrine of Nibru. Even those …… who escaped from the ……, wail bitterly ……. …… a copper (?) statue fashioned (?) in Urim, …… the seven gods, stationed beside, wielding battle-axes. Fearsome (?) hero ……, king of Sumer, you stand firm in your strength (?).

  62. A.62

    MI X GI UL inim-ma MUŠ3-bi

  63. A.63

    {d}gilgameš2 ? [kul-ab{ki}-a-ke4]

  64. A.64

    a ?-en-na meš3 ? […]

  65. A.65

    X X X ki kug an […]

  66. A.66

    X X ?-gal ? […] ? bad-? X […]

  67. A.67

    ? X ? X X […]

  68. A.68

    ?-? ? X X […]

  69. A.69

    [X] X X […]

  70. gap

    (approx. 4 lines missing)

  71. A.74

    […] X X-gin7 ?-?-[eš …]

  72. A.75

    […] ⌈ĝiri3⌉ saga11 ba-ni-⌈dug4⌉

  73. A.76

    [X] X ? ki ĝar {ĝiš}rab3 ?-gin7 ⌈MU⌉ […]

  74. A.77

    [X]-bi sim zig3-ga-gin7 mu-un-⌈ur4⌉-[ur4]

  75. A.78

    [{d}en]-⌈lil2⌉-ra eš3-e nibru{ki}-a !-na-da-⌈an⌉-[ku4-ku4]

  76. A.79

    [X] X X TE ba-ra-šub-bu-uš-a-bi

  77. A.80

    [X X] a gig-še3 in-ga-e-ne

  78. A.81

    [X] ⌈?⌉alan urim2{ki}-ma til-la

  79. A.82

    [X] X diĝir 7-na zag gub-gub-bu {ĝiš}silig-ga sud-sud

  80. A.83

    ⌈ur⌉-saĝ zi2 ĝa2-ra in-gu2-mu-šum2-⌈mu⌉-[e]

  81. A.84

    ⌈lugal⌉ ki-en-gi-ra ne3 mu-un-gub-[me-en3]

  82. A.85

    [šul]-gi sipad ki-en-gi-ra-!

    Šulgi, the good shepherd of Sumer, praised his brother and friend, Lord Gilgameš, in his might, and declared to him in his heroism:

  83. A.86

    [šeš] gu5-li-ni en {d}gilgameš

  84. A.87

    [nam-kalag-ga-na mu]-ni-in-i-i

  85. A.88

    [nam-ur-saĝ-ĝa2-na mu-ni]-⌈in⌉-pad3-pad3-[de3]

  86. A.89

    X X […]

    (1 line fragmentary) In the judgments that you pronounce ……. Who else like you has gone directly on the road to the mountains and has travelled the way to ……? Valiant one, …… the mountain cedars, …… the tall forests, …… the boats. …… Huwawa. …… his seven terrors. …… the small ……. …… from his well-established dwelling. …… to Enlil, in the shrine of Nibru ……. …… your captured hero. You allowed the mother of the sick man to fetch her son to her embrace. Your battle-mace, its mouth gaping wide, attacks the foreign lands for you. Gilgameš, noble one of Unug, violent storm, at whose oppression ……. The inimical rebel land, like ……. You have revealed your immense majesty! May you extend your protective arms over me!

  87. A.90

    di ku5-ra2-a-? […]

  88. A.91

    a-ba za-gin7 kaskal ⌈kur⌉-[ra-ke4 si im-sa2] ḫar-ra-an X [X DU]

  89. A.92

    kalag-ga erin ⌈kur⌉-[ra …]

  90. A.93

    tir maḫ-[a …]

  91. A.94

    {ĝiš}ma2 X […]

  92. A.95

    ḫu-wa-⌈wa⌉ […]

  93. A.96

    ni2 7-[na-ni …]

  94. A.97

    KA TUR-TUR X X X X […]

  95. A.98

    ki-tuš ki ĝar-ra-ni-ta ⌈im⌉-[…]

  96. A.99

    {d}en-lil2-ra eš3-e ⌈nibru⌉[{ki}-a] […] ZI2 mu-na-ni-[…]

  97. A.100

    ur-saĝ dab5-ba-zu U3 X X X X

  98. A.101

    ama lu2 tur5-ra dumu ur2-ra mu-na-ni-de6

  99. A.102

    u2-dug4 ka ba-ba-zu kur-kur-ra ma-ra-an-ti

  100. A.103

    {d}gilgameš2 nir-ĝal2 ⌈unug⌉{ki}-ga

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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.