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A praise poem of Šulgi (Šulgi P)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 2 - Royal praise poetry and compositions with a historical background · 91 sections

1. A.1

   […] X X […]

   (1 line fragmentary) …… shining ……. spoke to tenderly ……: He will accomplish precisely the fate determined for him. Your father holy An will make his branches spread as if he were a sappy cedar planted among hašur trees.

2. A.2

   […] X [X]-⌈? ki bi2-mul⌉ […]

3. A.3

   […]-⌈?⌉ mi2 mu-na-ni-dug4 X […]

4. A.4

   [nam] ⌈?⌉-ra-ni šu zid bi2-ĝa2-⌈ar⌉-X-X

5. A.5

   ⌈{ĝiš}⌉erin duru5 {ĝiš}ḫa-šu-ur2-ra du3-a-⌈am3⌉

6. A.6

   a-a-zu an kug-ge pa mu-ni-mul-⌈mul⌉

7. A.7

   ud-ba nin-ĝu10 inim an-na-ke4 ba-gub

   Then my lady stepped up (?) to the word of An, Ninsumun made a fateful decision with her spouse, holy Lugalbanda; she attended to his supplication. She went straight to holy An in the Ubšu-unkena:

8. A.8

   {d}nin-sumun2-na-! ?-a-ni kug {d}lugal-ban3-da nam ba-da-an-!-!

9. A.9

   sizkur-ra-na mu-da-an-⌈kuš2⌉-u3

10. A.10

    an kug-ra ub-šu-kin-na-ka si mu-na-ni-in-sa2

11. A.11

    a-a-ĝu10 an lugal diĝir-re-ne-me-en3

    My father, An, you are the king among the gods! I have looked through the land in all its extent and among its black-headed people who are as numerous as ewes, and I have elevated Šulgi for me high above their head. May he be their trustworthy shepherd!

12. A.12

    kalam niĝ2-daĝal-ba igi mu-ni-il2

13. A.13

    saĝ gig2 u8-gin7 lu-a-ba

14. A.14

    šul-gi gu2-?-ba ma-ni-?-X ⌈sipad⌉ zid-bi ḫe2-am3

15. A.15

    meš3 pa mul-ĝu10-um ki ma-an-?

    He is my meš tree with spreading branches; he sprang up from the soil for me, …… brings abundant yield for me every year. He is my spikenard herb, growing for me with sturdy stems. He makes my …… radiant in the brickwork of Sumer. (1 line unclear) May he stand daily in ……!(1 line fragmentary) (unknown no. of lines missing)

16. A.16

    [X] ⌈ma⌉-dam ⌈mu⌉-mu ma-a-de6

17. A.17

    [X] X erina8!(MUŠ×MUŠ)-ĝu10-um ur2 ma-⌈a-gur⌉

18. A.18

    […]-⌈?-u3⌉ šeg12 ki-en-gi-ra-ka pa ⌈? ba⌉-!-ak

19. A.19

    […] X ⌈?⌉-? mu-na-a-⌈de2⌉

20. A.20

    […] X X-ka ud ḫa-ba-⌈gub⌉

21. A.21

    […] X X […]

22. gap

    (unknown no. of lines missing)

23. B.1

    […] X urim2{ki}-ma ?

    …… of Urim ……. …… grant him (?) kingship! (unknown no. of lines missing)

24. B.2

    […] ⌈nam⌉-lugal ba-mu

25. gap

    (unknown no. of lines missing)

26. C.1

    {ĝiš}erina8!(MUŠ×MUŠ+NA)-bi ki im-ma-pad3

    (An is speaking:) Its roots sank deep into the earth. I will stand by you in that holy matter. May he who is worthy of being praised with good words, Šulgi, the king of a propitious reign, perform the rites established for the kingship perfectly for you, the goddess, at the great and lofty wall-tower of Urim! May he execute properly for you the statutes of the gods! May he always offer you food at the time of the new moon and at the new year! May you yourself bring me his prayers daily! My tree is indeed abundance, sprouting from the earth like green plants!

27. C.2

    ze2 inim kug-ba mu-da-an-gub-en3

28. C.3

    zag-e3 gal maḫ urim2{ki}-ma-ka

29. C.4

    inim dug3 ka-e ba-ab-du7-a-e

30. C.5

    šul-gi lugal bal sag9-ga-ke4

31. C.6

    diĝir-me-en3 bi3-lu5-da nam-lugal-la2 mu-ĝa2-ra-a šu ḫu-mu-ra-ab-du7-du7

32. C.7

    ĝiš-ḫur diĝir-re-ne-ke4 si ḫu-mu-ra-ab-sa2-e

33. C.8

    ninda ud-sakar-ra ninda zag-mu-ka-ke4 ĝiš ḫu-mu-ra-ab-tag-ge

34. C.9

    ze2 a-ra-zu-ni ud ḫe2-ma-tum2-en3

35. C.10

    ḫe2-ĝal2 u2-šim-gin7 ki dar-ra ĝiš-ĝu10 ⌈?-?⌉

36. C.11

    ud-ba nin-ĝu10 inim an-na-da ḫul2-la-[ni]-a

    Then, rejoicing over the words of An, my lady Ninsumun took Šulgi the king of Urim by his right hand, led him joyfully into her Egal-maḫ and seated him upon the exalted dais erected by An. She treated him tenderly with her holy bosom, saying:

37. C.12

    {d}nin-sumun2-na-ke4 šul-gi lugal ⌈urim5⌉{ki}-ma-ka

38. C.13

    kišib-la2 zid-da-ni im-ma-an-[dab5]

39. C.14

    e2-gal-maḫ-ni-še3 ul-la mi-[ni-in]-⌈tum3⌉

40. C.15

    barag maḫ an kug-ge mu-ĝa2-ra-a [mi-ni-in-tuš]

41. C.16

    ubur2 kug-ga-na mi2 mu-na-ni-[in-dug4]

42. C.17

    sipad šul-gi {ĝiš}ĝiri2 gal-zu ĝe26-[e]-me-en

    Shepherd Šulgi, I am your great sword (?). My holy heart, a rising flood, rejoices over you. My father, An ……, who is your master, praises you who are surpassing in kingship (?) for (?) the …… of your kingship.

43. C.18

    šag4 kug izi-⌈a⌉ ?-⌈? ?-?-?⌉-ḫul2-⌈?⌉

44. C.19

    a-a-ĝu10 ⌈an⌉ [(X X)] ⌈lugal⌉-zu-um

45. C.20

    nam-[lugal-? saĝ]-⌈bi⌉-še3 e3-me-en3

46. C.21

    X [X X] ⌈MU⌉ !-lugal-la2-za za3-mi2 ma-ra-ni-in-dug4

47. C.22

    šul-gi amar kug tud-da-ĝu10-me-en3

    Šulgi, you are a pure calf, born to me. You are a good seed of Lugal-banda. I raised you upon my own holy lap. I have decided your fate with my holy bosom. You are a good fortune which fell to my share. I requested you from holy An in the …….

48. C.23

    a ⌈dug3⌉ {d}lugal-ban3-da-me-en3

49. C.24

    ur2 kug-ĝu10-a mu-ni-ib2-buluĝ3-en3

50. C.25

    ubur2 kug-ĝu10-a nam ma-ra-ni-tar

51. C.26

    niĝ2 sag9-⌈ga⌉ ḫa-la-ĝa2 ĝal2-la-me-en3

52. C.27

    ? kug-? X AN-ma al ḫe2-mi-[dug4]

53. C.28

    ĝe26-e ⌈nin-me⌉-en3 kug {d}nin-sumun2-na ama nam-⌈?⌉-?

    I, the lady, holy Ninsumun, the royal mother, the good woman with beautiful hair befitting a lady, Šulgi, I am your faithful guardian (?). May you be dressed in my …… ba garment! Dance …… on my holy knees! May you, the shepherd, born for justice, trust in my holy words!

54. C.29

    munus zid saĝ bar sag9 nam-nin-a tum2-ma

55. C.30

    šul-gi ur us2-zu ĝe26-⌈e⌉-me-en3

56. C.31

    tug2-ba13 kun2-a-ĝu10 bar-ra ḫe2-mi-⌈dul⌉

57. C.32

    dub3 kug-ĝu10-a a-ne [(X)] ⌈!⌉ dug4-ga

58. C.33

    sipad niĝ2-si-sa2-a ⌈tud⌉-da-me-en3

59. C.34

    inim kug-ĝu10-ta nir ḫe2-em-ta-a-ĝal2

60. C.35

    mu kug-zu ka-ge im-⌈ma⌉-?-⌈du7⌉

    Your holy name is worthy of being praised; may it please the flesh of the great gods like fine oil! An has given you a sceptre for rendering judgments; may your head be raised high! Your father who begot you, holy Lugalbanda, has named you as the 'Valiant one whom An made known among the gods'. He has made you acquire (?) a ……. He has adorned you with a royal crown; may he purify (?) your breath of life with an enduring sceptre!

61. C.36

    su diĝir gal-gal-ne-ke4 i3 ⌈li⌉ ḫe2-ak-ke4

62. C.37

    ĝidru di kud an-ne2 ma-ra-an-⌈šum2⌉ gu2 an-še3 ḫe-ni-zig3

63. C.38

    a-a ugu4-zu kug {d}lugal-ban3-⌈da⌉-a

64. C.39

    šul an-ne2 zu diĝir-re-ne mu-še3 ⌈mu⌉-ri2-in-sa4

65. C.40

    saĝ-ĝa2!(ga) ĝal2 TUG2 UN-e bi2-in-tuku-tuku

66. C.41

    aga nam-lugal-la2-ka še-er-ga-an ma-ra-ni-⌈in-dug4⌉

67. C.42

    ĝidru ud ul-le2-a-ka zi nam-til3-la-zu ḫu-mu-ni-⌈ib2⌉-sikil-le

68. C.43

    {d}ĝeštin-an-na nin9 lugal-la-ke4

    May Geštin-ana, the king's sister, the mellifluous mouth of the gods, never stop rejoicing over you joy in your palace, erected for you as a source of happiness! May she always step forward to me with friendy entreaties on your behalf! May she never cease praying for you!

69. C.44

    ka lal3 diĝir-re-ne-ke4

70. C.45

    e2-gal ki ur5 sag9 du3-a-za

71. C.46

    ḫul2-la-zu-u3 ĝa2-la nam-ta-dag-ge

72. C.47

    nam-šita sag9-ga-zu ḫe2-ma-gub

73. C.48

    ra2-zu-za muš nam-ba-an-tum2-mu

74. C.49

    nin-me-en3 e2 ki-tuš kug […]

    I, the lady …… holy temple of residence ……. My mother, Uraš, the lady of the gods and my father, An, the king of the gods …… the woman, the good cow in (?) the great sheepfold. They (?) give (?) me (?) enduring kingship. They (?) have placed (?) the people in their entirety in my hands.

75. C.50

    ama-ĝu10 ⌈ur5⌉-ra-aš ⌈ga⌉-[ša-an diĝir-re-ne-ke4]

76. C.51

    a-a-ĝu10 an lugal diĝir-[re-ne-?]

77. C.52

    ! ab2 ? X X ⌈EN⌉ […]

78. C.53

    ⌈?⌉ ?-? ba-⌈?⌉-[…]

79. C.54

    ⌈nam⌉-lugal niĝ2 ud su3-[ra2 …]

80. C.55

    ⌈uĝ3⌉ gu2-dirig-bi ⌈šu⌉-ĝu10-⌈?⌉ […]

81. C.56

    a-nun-na diĝir gal-gal-[e-ne]

    At the place where the fates are decided, the Anuna, the great gods, stood by me. They made Šulgi's shepherdship everlasting for me and made Šulgi, the righteous one of his god, rise over the land like Utu for me. They set up a throne of firm reign for him. The shepherd will decree just judgments and will make just decisions upon it (?). They granted (?) Šulgi a royal crown. …… great …….(1 line fragmentary)

82. C.57

    ki nam tar-ba mu-da-⌈sug2⌉-[sug2-ge-eš]

83. C.58

    nam-sipad šul-gi-ra niĝ2 ul-le2-[a-ke4] pa ⌈e3⌉ ma-[ni-in-ak-ke4-eš]

84. C.59

    šul-gi si sa2 diĝir-ra-[na]

85. C.60

    kalam-ma {d}utu-gin7 ?-ni-in-⌈e3⌉-[(X)]

86. C.61

    {ĝiš}gu-za bal gen6-na mu-?-⌈an⌉-gub-[bu-?]

87. C.62

    sipad-de3 di si ⌈sa2⌉ [mu-ni-ku5-re6]

88. C.63

    ⌈ga⌉-eš8 si sa2 [mu-ni-ba-re]

89. C.64

    [šul]-gi-ra aga ⌈nam⌉-[lugal-la …]

90. C.65

    […] gal-gal […]

91. C.66

    […] X X […]

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.