A praise poem of Išme-Dagan (Išme-Dagan A + V)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 2 - Royal praise poetry and compositions with a historical background · 477 sections

A.101
nitalam2 ki aĝ2-a-ni-še3 ḫe2-en-pad3-de3-en
A.102
mir-DU-na-ĝa2 la-la ḫu-mu-ši-in-ak
A.103
igi nam-til3-la-ka-ni ḫu-mu-ši-in-bar
A.104
saĝ-ki zalag-ga-ni ĝa2-a-še3 ḫu-mu-ši-in-zig3
A.105
ĝiš-nu2 gi-rin-na ḫe2-bi2-in-gub-en
A.106
ĝi6-par4-ra ud sud-su3-re-ĝa2
A.107
nam-en nam-lugal-da tab-e-a-ĝa2
A.108
e2-an-na-ka muš nu-tum2-mu-ĝa2
A.109
ki unug{ki}-ga am-gin7 gu2 peš-ĝa2
A.110
kul-aba4{ki} me-lem4-ĝu10 dul4-lu-da
A.111
inim kug nu-kur2-ru-da-ni ḫe2-bi2-in-dug4
A.112
{d}en-ki {d}nin-ki {d}en-ul {d}nin-ul
Enki and Ninki, Enul and Ninul, the Anuna, the lords who determine destiny there, the spirits of Nibru, and the protective goddesses of the E-kur, those who among the great gods determine destinies there, have uttered an unchangeable So be it! On his most favourable day, Enlil, king of the foreign lands, chose me, Išme-Dagan, son of Dagan, by extispicy. He looked upon me joyfully in E-kur, and spoke well of me to Sumer. …… a favourable reign in Nibru. I, Išme-Dagan …… restored Urim ……. …… in splendour. Enlil has commanded the favourable …… of my throne, the promotion of concord in Sumer and Akkad in their power, and restoration (?) of the …… brick buildings; and that I should daily tend the E-kur, that I should unceasingly provide for Nibru, and that I should care after the Ki-ur, the great place.
A.113
{d}a-nun-na en nam tar-re-bi
A.114
{d}udug nibru{ki} {d}lamma e2-kur-ra-ke4-ne
A.115
diĝir gal-gal-e-ne-a nam mu-un-tar-re-eš-a
A.116
ḫe2-am3 nu-kur2-ru-bi ḫe2-em-mi-in-ne-eš
A.117
{d}iš-me-{d}da-gan dumu {d}da-gan-na-me-en
A.118
{d}en-lil2 lugal kur-kur-ra-ke4
A.119
ud dug3-dug3-ga-ni-še3 maš2-e ḫe2-em-mi-in-pad3-de3-en
A.120
e2-kur-še3 igi ḫul2 ḫe2-em-ši-in-⌈bar⌉
A.121
ki-en-gi-re gu3 zid-de3-eš ⌈ḫa⌉-[ma-an-de2]
A.122
nibru{ki} bal sag9-ga X […]
A.123
[{d}]iš-me-{d}da-gan-me-⌈en⌉ […]
A.124
[…] ⌈?⌉ urim2{ki} ki-⌈?⌉ [… gi4]
A.125
X [X (X)] X ki giri17-zal-la ⌈ḫu⌉-[…]
A.126
{ĝiš}[gu-za]-⌈ĝu10⌉ dug3-ge-eš gur-⌈gur⌉ […]
A.127
ki-en-⌈gi⌉ ⌈ki⌉-uri ne3-bi-a ⌈gu3⌉ [teš2 sig10]-ge-de3
A.128
šeg12 KA-KA-a šag4-ga gur-ru-dam
A.129
e2-kur-re ud šu2-še3 ⌈saĝ⌉ us2-ĝa2
A.130
u2-a nibru{ki} muš nu-tum2-mu-ĝa2
A.131
ki-ur3 ki gal-la en3-bi tar-re-ĝa2
A.132
{d}en-lil2-le a2-bi ḫu-mu-da-na-aĝ2
A.133
inim dug4-ga a-a {d}en-lil2-la2-še3
I, Išme-Dagan, have bent my neck to the commands of Father Enlil; I have paid attention to the utterances of my master. I have established justice in Sumer; I have secured (?) Nibru like heaven itself. I have gathered together the divine powers of the E-kur, I have paid attention to its old ordinances, and I have restored its neglected rites. I, Išme-Dagan, have ……. Enlil's very precious divine powers. …… Ninlil's ……. …… the interior of E-kur …… good, …… its exterior. ……, when I venerate ……. …… Enlil and ……, its favourable spirits in the courtyard, and I introduced its favourable protective goddesses into the E-kur. I have presented marvellous food offerings to Enlil. In the …… of Enlil, established with bread, …… great regular offerings, I made numerous the fat bulls and fat sheep, ……, fish and birds, in the house of my master. I made them smell tasty in the great ovens. I contested ……. With …… I doubled (?) the regular offerings. Like water I poured out …… and liquor in unadulterated strength, from the offerings storeroom, like the rainwater that is released from heaven.
A.134
{d}iš-me-{d}da-gan-me-en gu2-ĝu10 ḫe2-en6-ši-ri
A.135
ka-ta e3-a lugal-ĝa2-še3 ĝizzalx(ĜIŠ.TUG2.ZAL) ḫe2-em-ši-ak
A.136
ki-en-gi-ra niĝ2-si-sa2 ḫe2-ni-in-ĝar
A.137
nibru{ki} an-gin7 gu2 ḫe2-em-mi-ni-la2
A.138
e2-kur-ra me-bi ḫu-mu-un-ur4-ur4
A.139
ĝiš-ḫur libir-a-ba en3 ḫe2-⌈bi2⌉-[in-tar]
A.140
ĝarza šu-ta šub-ba-bi ki-bi ⌈ḫe2⌉-[bi2-in-gi4]
A.141
{d}en-lil2-la2 me kal-⌈kal⌉-[la]
A.142
{d}iš-me-{d}da-gan-me-en X […]
A.143
{d}nin-lil2-la2 niĝ2 X […]
A.144
e2-kur-ra šag4-ga […] dug3 bar-bi […]
A.145
X X SUD-SUD X [X X] giri17 šu ĝal2-la-ĝu10
A.146
{d}en-lil2 {d}en-[…] […]
A.147
kisal-a {d}udug sag9-ga-bi […]
A.148
{d}lamma sag9-ga-bi e2-kur-ra ?-?-kur9
A.149
{d}en-lil2 X nidba gal-gal-e ĝiš ḫu-mu-na-a-!
A.150
dag ninda ĝar-ra {d}en-lil2-la2-ka
A.151
sa2-dug4 gal-gal-e zag ḫa-ra-ni-X-re
A.152
gud-i3 udu-i3 šag4 la2-la2 […]
A.153
ku6 mušen-bi-da e2 lugal-ĝa2-ka ḫe2-ni-šar2-šar2
A.154
gir4 maḫ-ba ir ḫu-mu-un-peš-peš-e
A.155
X X X a-da-min3 ḫu-mu-ne
A.156
X X X-da sa2-dug4 ḫe2-ni-tab-tab
A.157
DUB.BA.AN-bi kurun2-bi a2 sikil-la
A.158
šeĝ14-ta šu bar-ra-gin7
A.159
gun2 ne-saĝ-ĝa2-ka a-gin7 ḫe2-ni-bal-bal
A.160
an-ne2 {d}nin-ka-si e-ne-bi-da
An brought Ninkasi along with him …… to its ……, and I libated delicious …… beer, mixed with aromatic cedar essence, over the brickwork of E-kur. Daily I made the E-kur like a harvest-place, and each month on its seventh and fifteenth days I made the temple festive. Both inside and outside the house, like ……, I spread the scent of ……. (1 line unclear) laying …… oil, …… cream, ……, first-fruits of the gardens, dates, ……, on the table of Enlil, my master, ……. The main part of my food, …… drink, his favourite things ……. Enlil ……. I am the …… son of Enlil, I am the …… of Ninlil, I am the strong young man of the E-kur. I am the foremost, with respectful strength, making excellent food offerings. I am untiring, indefatigable. Daily I shall issue instructions for what my master will have to eat, and what I will give to drink, fulfilling the great commands of E-kur: thereby I carry out correctly the instructions of my master Enlil.
A.161
X-bi-ir gu-la ḫu-mu-ni-laḫ4-laḫ4
A.162
? ⌈X-ni⌉ sig5 šim {ĝiš}erin-da ḫi-a
A.163
šeg12 e2-kur-ra ḫu-mu-ni-ta-ta-ḫab
A.164
ud šu2-še3 e2-kur buru14-gin7 ḫu-mu-du3
A.165
itid e2 ud 7 e2 ud 15-bi ezen-a ḫe2-ni-kur9
A.166
e2-a šag4 bar-bi X X X-a-gin7
A.167
niĝ2 maḫ gu-ul-gu-ul-lu-ta ir ḫu-mu-un-peš11-peš11
A.168
gaba nu-ša-ra-ge {d}en-lil2-la2-ke4 niĝ2 ḫe2-em-mi-dab5
A.169
i3 saḫar2 ga saḫar2 ĝar-⌈re⌉ […]
A.170
niĝ2-saĝ {ĝiš}kiri6 zu2-lum ⌈?⌉ […]
A.171
{ĝiš}banšur {d}en-lil2 lugal-ĝa2-⌈ka⌉ […]
A.172
u2-ĝa2 saĝ-bi a […]
A.173
niĝ2 sag9-ga-ni ⌈? ?⌉-[…]
A.174
{d}en-lil2 […]
A.175
dumu [X] X {d}[en-lil2-la2-me-en]
A.176
UR [X] X {d}nin-lil2-la2-me-en
A.177
⌈ĝuruš⌉ kalag-ga e2-kur-ra-me-en
A.178
gu2-kal usu ni2-tuku u2 maḫ il2-il2-me-en
A.179
nu-kuš2-u3 ĝa2-la nu-dag-ge ĝe26-e-me-en
A.180
ud šu2-še3 lugal-ĝu10 a-na am3-gu7 ga-an-dug4 a-na ga-an-naĝ
A.181
e2-kur-ra a2 aĝ2-ĝa2 gal-gal-bi sa2 im-mi-dug4-ga
A.182
niĝ2-dug4-ga {d}en-lil2 lugal-ĝa2 ki-bi-še3 ḫu-mu-un-ĝar-ra
A.183
iri an-gin7 šag4 bar-ta sig7-ga
I bring great gladness to the city whose interior and exterior are as blue-green as the sky, Nibru, the mooring pole of heaven and earth. I have exempted its labourers from carrying earth in baskets, and I have freed its troops from fighting. I have released its gold, silver, cattle and sheep, the tribute of the citizens of Nibru. As for the temple of Enlil my master, for Ninlil, and for Ninurta, the mighty hero of Enlil, I have exempted their labourers from service. Filtered beer (?), barley, oil and sheep's wool have been made a tithe. I …… Sumer and Akkad. I …… wickedness and violence, and established justice in Sumer and Akkad. I am the shepherd who loves justice. I am born of Sumer, a son of Nibru.
A.184
nibru{ki} dim gal an ki-a su-bi ḫu-mu-dug3-dug3
A.185
erin2-bi {ĝiš}dusu-ta ḫe2-em-ta-an-zig3
A.186
ugnim-bi {ĝiš}tukul-ta ḫe2-em-ta-ĝa2-ar
A.187
kug-sig17 kug-babbar gud udu-bi gu2-un dumu nibru{ki}-ke4-ne ḫu-mu-?
A.188
e2 {d}en-lil2 lugal-ĝa2-še3 {d}nin-lil2-še3
A.189
{d}nin-urta ur-saĝ kalag-ga {d}en-lil2-la2-! erin2-bi ḫa-ba-ra-an-ĝar
A.190
niĝ2-sur še i3 siki udu zag 10-ba ab-ak
A.191
ki-en-gi ki-uri šu ḫa-ma-ta-ak-a
A.192
niĝ2-erim2 niĝ2-a2-zig3 e2 ki ḫe2-em-mi-gi4
A.193
niĝ2-gen6-na ki-en-gi ki-uri ḫe2-ni-ĝar
A.194
sipad niĝ2-si-sa2-e ki aĝ2-me-en
A.195
u3-tud-da ki-en-gi-ra dumu nibru{ki}-me-en
A.196
šag4 AL inim-še3 ĝal2-ĝal2-la-me-en
I am one who is always for ……. I am wise-eyed, of refined intelligence. I am full of advice, energetic in ……. I am all-knowing, singled out from the people.
A.197
igi kug-zu umuš-ta kal-la-me-en
A.198
ad gi4-gi4 a-da-da a-ra2-da kuš2-u3-me-en
A.199
niĝ2-nam zu uĝ3-ta suḫ-a-me-en
A.200
di-kud u3-en3 nu-ša4-ša4-me-en
I am a judge who gives no explanations; I am a decision-maker who goes straight to the point. The strong does not behave extravagantly towards others, the mighty does not abuse the weak any more. People are not made subject to the lordly. If he does not wish to enter my presence (?) in holy ……, the feeble person may speak contrary words ……. …… slave of my city. …… of Enlil. Sumer and Akkad …… (1 line unclear) Until the distant future (?) ……. I have …… the destructive men. I have destroyed (?) …… the dispossessed (?) who speak with enmity. I have exerted myself ……. I have …… rebellion and destructive criminals ……. I have supported the appeals of the bondsmen, waifs and widows who cry Alas, Utu! or Alas, Nanna!. I have destroyed ……. I have brought about the extermination of the cut-throats who roam (?) the desert. I have kept the just on the proper track, following the wife and the little child. I have sent (?) people nobly into the fields, and established holy shrines (?) in the desert. I have built the city itself for a long future in the whole world.

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.