A praise poem of Šulgi (Šulgi X)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 2 - Royal praise poetry and compositions with a historical background · 156 sections

1
⌈lugal⌉ ma2 na-mu-u5
The king sailed to Unug towards the princely divine powers. Sumer and Akkad marvelled at him as he moored the boat at the quay of Kulaba. With a large wild bull of the mountains with uplifted horns, and with a sheep led by the hand of an en priest at his right side, with a dappled kid and a bearded kid clasped to his breast, he entered before Inana in the shrine of E-ana.
2
[ki unug{ki}]-⌈?⌉ me nam-nun-na-še3
3
[ki-en]-gi ki-uri u6 mu-e
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! kul-ab4{ki}-ba-ke4 ma2 na-ga-am3-mi-in-us2
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am gal ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 a2 il2-il2-la-da
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udu en zid-de3 šu-a la2-a-da
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maš2 ? maš2 za la2 gaba-a tab-ba-da
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{d}inana-ra eš3 e2-an-na-ka mu-na-da-an-ku4-ku4-u3
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sipad zid šul-gi-re šag4 ki aĝ2 tug2-ba13 tug2 mu-mur10
Šulgi, the good shepherd, a heart in love, dressed himself in the ba garment and put a ḫili wig on his head as a crown. Inana looked at him with admiration and spontaneously struck up a song, singing the words:
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ḫi-li men-še3 saĝ-ĝa2 mi-ni-ĝal2
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{d}inana-ke4 u6 mu-ni-dug4
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ni2-te-ni-še3 šir3 ba-ši-ni-ra
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en3-du-! im-e
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lugal-ra u3-mu-un-ra
When I have bathed for the king, for the lord, when I have bathed for the shepherd Dumuzid, when I have adorned my flanks (?) with ointment (?), when I have anointed my mouth with balsamic oil (?), when I have painted my eyes with kohl, when he has …… my hips with his fair hands, when the lord who lies down beside holy Inana, the shepherd Dumuzid, has …… on his lap, when he has relaxed (?) …… in my pure (?) arms, when he has intercourse (?) with me …… like choice beer, when he ruffles my pubic hair for me, when he plays with the hair of my head, when he lays his hands on my holy genitals, when he lies down in the …… of my sweet womb, (2 lines unclear) when he treats me tenderly on the bed, then I will too treat my lord tenderly.
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a mu-na-tu17-a-gin7
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su-ba du5-mu-zid-ra a mu-na-tu17-a-gin7
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im da-ĝu10 šu tag-ge4 dug4-ga-gin7
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u3 šembulugx(ŠIM×UḪ3)-ga ka-ĝu10 gun5-gun5-na-gin7
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šembi2-zid i3-bi2-ĝa2 mi-ni-mar-mar-ra-gin7
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šu na-aĝ2-sag9-ga-na-ka
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ib2-ib2-ĝu10 mi-ni-dim2-dim2-ma3-gin7
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u3-mu-un i3-nu2 kug {d}inanana-še3
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su-ba du5-mu-zid-de3
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ur2-ra ga i3-du8-a-na-gin7
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X IM a2 gi-rin-ĝa2 GI4 in-tenx(GUR8)-tenx(GUR8)-na-gin7
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[X] X saĝ ! saĝ-gin7
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mu-? mu-tag-ga-gin7
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siki-ur2-ĝu10 ĝa2-an-⌈?⌉-[suḫ3-a-gin7]
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siki-pa-ĝu10 a-ne in-da-an-dug4-ga-gin7
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gal4 kug-ĝa2 šu bi2-in-ma-ra-gin7
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šag4 ze2-ba-ĝa2 u3 [X] X-bi i3-X-⌈?⌉-a-gin7
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ma2 MI-ni-gin7 mu-X-[X]-⌈?⌉-gin7
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ma2 sal-la-ni-gin7 mu-un-til-til-la-gin7
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ki-nu2-a mi2 ĝa2-ni-dug4-ga-a-gin7
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u3-mu-un-ra mi2 da-an-dug4
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na-aĝ2 ze2-eb2 du10-mu-ni-ib2-tarar
I will decree a good fate for him! I will treat Šulgi, the good shepherd, tenderly! I will decree a good fate for him! I will treat him tenderly in his ……! I will decree the shepherdship of all the lands as his destiny!
37
sipad zid šul-gi-ra mi2 da-an-dug4
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na-aĝ2 ze2-eb2 du10-mu-ni-ib2-tarar
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a2-gar3-ra-na mi2-eš2 da-an-dug4
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na-aĝ2-sipad kur-kur-ra
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na-aĝ2-še3 du10-mu-ni-ib2-tarar
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nin su3-ra2-aĝ2 an-na
The lady, the light of heaven, the delight of the black-headed, the youthful woman who excels her mother, who was granted divine powers by her father, Inana, the daughter of Suen, decreed a destiny for Šulgi, the son of Ninsumun:
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ḫi-li saĝ gig2-ga
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munus šul-la ama-ni-ra dirig-ga
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a-a-ni me ba-a
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{d}inana dumu {d}suen-na-ke4
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šul-gi dumu {d}nin-sumun2-ka-ra
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nam mu-ni-ib2-tar-re
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me3-a igi-še3 ĝen-zu ĝe26-me-en3
In battle I will be the one who goes before you. In combat I will carry your weapon like a personal attendant. In the assembly I will be your advocate. On campaign I will be your encouragement. You are the shepherd chosen by holy ……. You are the king and generous provider of E-ana. You are the pure (?) one of An's Iri-gal. You are worthy of ……. You are one who is entitled to hold high his head on the lofty dais. You are one who is worthy of sitting on the shining throne. Your head is worthy of the brilliant crown. Your body is worthy of the long fleecy garment. You are worthy of being dressed in the royal garb. You are suited to hold the mitum weapon in your arm. You are suited to run fast with the battle-mace. You are suited to hit accurately with the barbed arrows and the bow. You are suited to fasten the throw-stick and the sling to your side. Your hand is worthy of the holy sceptre. Your feet are worthy of the holy shoes. You are a fast runner suited to race on the road. You are worthy to delight yourself on my holy breast like a pure calf. May your love be lasting! An has determined this for you, and may he never alter it! May Enlil, the decreer of fates, never change it! Thus Inana treated him tenderly.
50
šen-šen-na kuš7-gin7 tukul la2-zu-me-en3
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unken-na ka-mud-ĝal2-zu-me-en3
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ḫar-ra-an-na zi-šag4-ĝal2-zu ĝe26-me-en
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sipad šag4-ge pad3-da X kug-ga-me-en3
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lugal u2-a zid e2-an-na-me-en3
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šuba3 iri12-gal an-na-me-en3
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DU.DU-e ba-ab-du7-u3
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barag maḫ-ḫa saĝ il2-la-a ba-ab-du7-me-en3
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{ĝiš}gu-za za-gin3-na dur2 ĝar-ra-a ba-ab-du7-u3
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saĝ-zu men gun3-a ba-ab-du7-u3
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bar-zu-še3 {tug2}zulumḫi sud-de3 ba-ab-du7-u3
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tug2 nam-lugal-la2-ka šag4 la2-a ba-ab-du7-u3
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mitum-ma a2 il2-de3 ba-ab-du7-u3
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{ĝiš}tukul-a dub3 bad-ba9-re6 ba-ab-du7-u3
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ti sud {ĝiš}pan si sa2-e-de3 ba-ab-du7-u3
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{ĝiš}ilar {kuš}gur21!(TUM)ur3-ra zag keše2-ra2-a ba-ab-du7-u3
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šu-zu-še3 ĝidru kug-ge ba-ab-du7-u3
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ĝiri3-zu-še3 {kuš}e-sir2 kug-ge ba-ab-du7-u3
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dub3-tuku-me-en3 ḫar-ra-an-na kaš4 di-de3 ba-ab-du7-u3
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amar za-gin3-na-gin7 gaba kug-ĝa2 a-ne di-de3 ba-ab-du7-u3
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šag4 ki aĝ2-zu-u3 ud ḫe2-em-su3-re6-e
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an-ne2 mi-ri-in-ak na-da-ab-kur2-re
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{d}en-lil2 lu2 nam tar-tar-re-de3 šu na-an-ni-ib-bal-e
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{d}inana-ke4 mi2 mu-ni-in-dug4
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šag4 ḫul2-la {d}nin-e2-gal-ka zu
He who knows the joyful heart of Ninegala sheared a black kid, bathed a white kid, and tied a wild bull of the mountains by its nose. Then he brought them into the temple E-babbar which roars like a noble breed-bull, to the hero Utu in the shrine.
75
maš2 gig2 umbin ba-an-kiĝ2
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maš2 babbar2 a ba-an-tu17-tu17
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am ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 giri17-še3 ba-an-la2-la2
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e2 ninda2 maḫ gu3 nun di-dam
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šul {d}utu-u3 eš3 e2-babbar2-ra mu-na-ni-ib2-ku4-ku4
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šul {d}utu-u3 saĝ-ki zalag-ga-ni mu-ši-ib2-zi-zi
The hero Utu received him smiling, and decreed a fate for Šulgi the good shepherd of Sumer: King, eloquent and good-looking, mighty hero, born to be a lion, young wild bull standing firm in its vigour, valiant one, unrestrained in his strength, who tramples great mountains underfoot: you have subdued the heroes of the foreign lands, you have trampled upon all the foreign rulers, you have established your name to the ends of the world. Go now in peace to your master Ašimbabbar. And so he moored the boat at Enegir, the town built in splendour. (Šulgi speaks:) Seed placed by the prince in the holy womb, born on the bright mountain, Ninazu, who like a wild bull which lows in its drinking, (8 lines missing or unclear)
81
šul-gi sipad zid ki-en-gi-ra-[ra] nam mu-ni-[ib2-tar-re]
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[lugal] inim gun3-gun3 igi sag9-sag9
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ur-saĝ kalag-ga piriĝ-še3 tud-da
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sumun2 tur nam-šul-ba gub-ba
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lipiš-tuku ne3-ni-e nu-keše2-ra2
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ḫur-saĝ gal-gal-la ĝiri3-ni ĝar
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ur-saĝ kur-ra mu-de5-de5-ge-eš
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barag-barag-ge ĝiri3 sa-ga i3-mi-⌈dug4⌉
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mu-zu zag an-na-še3 mu-u3-ĝar
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lugal-zu {d}aš-im2-babbar2-ra silim-ma ĝen-na
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enegir3{ki} iri me-lem4-ma du3-a
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ma2 nam-ga-am3-mi-in-us2
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a nun-ne2 šag4 kug-ga ru-a kur šubax(MUŠ.ŠA) tud-da-a
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{d}nin-a-zu gud-sumun2 naĝ-a ad-ba gu3 di-gin7
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? […]
gap
(5 lines missing)
101
[…] X-zu-⌈ra⌉ […]
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KA […] X MU ĜA2 […]
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X [X]-e lal3-gin7 i3-nun […]
(Ninazu speaks:) …… like syrup …… ghee ……. You, the hero, coming from the rebel land ……. O king, the lord of prayers and supplications has chosen you in his heart; shepherd Šulgi, the lord of prayers and supplications has chosen you in his heart. Who can rival (?) a king to whom Enlil has given strength? Who can enter your ……? Who could escape your ……? ……. No one who knows you should desire your strength. If (?) they wished …… battle with you ……, what could escape your outstretched arms? When you shriek like the Anzud-bird, who could stand before you? When you howl like the storm, the foreign lands and the hills tremble like a reed, a split (?) reed ……. The people in the houses of the foreign lands gaze at your deeds (?), the people of Tidnum joyfully admire them.
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[ur-saĝ]-me-en ki-bal-ta ĝen-na […]

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.