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A praise poem of Lipit-Eštar (Lipit-Eštar B)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 2 - Royal praise poetry and compositions with a historical background · 63 sections

1. 1

   {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 lugal saĝ il2 nun barag-ga

   Lipit-Eštar, proud king, enthroned prince, most seemly offshoot of kingship, who walks like Utu, brilliant light of the Land, lofty in nobility, riding on the great divine powers; who settles the people in the four quarters; favoured by Enlil, beloved by Ninlil, trustworthy youth with shining eyes, worthy of the throne-dais, whose seemly head is adorned with the tiara, the good headdress, who holds in his hand is perfect with the sceptre over the black-headed, prince Lipit-Eštar, son of Enlil, wise shepherd, who leads the people to let them relax …… in pleasant shade, lord, great bison, beloved by An! Your trust is put in Mother Ninlil; Lipit-Eštar, you exert great power.

2. 2

   ḫe2-du7 {ĝiš}isimu2{sar} nam-lugal-la

3. 3

   {d}utu-gin7 du še-er-zid kalam-ma

4. 4

   nam-nun-še3 maḫ me gal-la u5

5. 5

   ub-da 4 uĝ3 ki ĝar-ra

6. 6

   še-ga {d}en-lil2-la2 {d}nin-lil2-le ki aĝ2

7. 7

   šul zid igi gun3 barag-ga tum2-ma

8. 8

   men aga zid saĝ me-te-ĝal2

9. 9

   šibir šu du8 du7 saĝ gig2-ga

10. 10

    nun {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 dumu {d}en-lil2-la2 sipad igi-ĝal2-tuku

11. 11

    uĝ3 laḫ5-laḫ5-e ĝissu dug3-ga ud ?-e ni2 dub2-bu

12. 12

    en alim maḫ an-ne2 ki aĝ2

13. 13

    ĝiškim-til3-zu-um ama {d}nin-lil2-la2

14. 14

    {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 a2 nun ḫu-mu-te-ĝal2

15. 15

    ka lal3-gin7 dug3 mu ka-ge du7

    You who speak as sweet as honey, whose name suits the mouth, longed-for husband of Inana, to whom Enki gave broad wisdom as a gift! Nisaba, the woman radiant with joy, the true woman, the scribe, the lady who knows everything, guides your fingers on the clay: she makes them put beautiful wedges on the tablets and adorns them with a golden stylus. Nisaba generously bestowed upon you the measuring rod, the surveyor's gleaming line, the yardstick, and the tablets which confer wisdom.

16. 16

    šag4-ge de6-a dam {d}inana

17. 17

    {d}en-ki-ke4 ĝeštug2 daĝal saĝ-e-eš rig7-ga

18. 18

    {d}nisaba munus ul-la gun3-a

19. 19

    munus zid dub-sar nin niĝ2-nam zu

20. 20

    si-zu im-ma si ba-ni-in-sa2

21. 21

    šag4 dub-ba-ka gu-šum2 mi-ni-in-sag9-sag9

22. 22

    gi-dub-ba kug-sig17-ka šu mu-ni-in-gun3

23. 23

    gi-1-nindan eš2-gana2 za-gin3

24. 24

    ĝiš-as4-lum le-um igi-ĝal2 šum2-mu {d}nisaba-ke4 šu daĝal ma-ra-an-dug4

25. 25

    {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 dumu {d}en-lil2-la2-me-en

    Lipit-Eštar, Enlil's son, you have realised justice and righteousness. Lord, your goodness covers everything as far as the horizon. King Lipit-Eštar, counsellor with huge intelligence, who never tires of discussion, wise one whose decisions guide the people, amply wise, knowing everything in great detail! To decide justly the lawsuits of foreign countries, you recognise true and false even in people's thoughts. Lipit-Eštar, you …… the wicked, but you also know how to save someone by commuting his death sentence; you know how to free someone from the severe punishment, from the jaws of destruction. The mighty do not commit robbery and the strong do not abuse the weak anymore: you have established justice in Sumer and Akkad and made the Land feel content.

26. 26

    niĝ2-zid niĝ2-gen6-na pa bi2-e-e3

27. 27

    en sag9-zu an-zag-še3 na-?

28. 28

    {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 lugal umuš gal-gal-la ad gi4-gi4

29. 29

    inim-ma nu-kuš2-u3 gal-zu ka-aš bar uĝ3-e si sa2

30. 30

    ĝeštug2 daĝal niĝ2-nam gal-le-eš zu

31. 31

    di kur-kur-ra-ke4 si sa2-sa2-e-de3

32. 32

    inim šag4-ga ĝal2-la lul zid-bi mu-e-zu

33. 33

    {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 lu2-erim2-ra guru5-uš mu-e-ta-ab-ed2-de3-en

34. 34

    ka šer7-da-ka ĝiri3 saga11 dug4 lu2 zi-zi-i mu-e-zu

35. 35

    nam-tag dugud ka garaš2-kam lu2 til-le mu-ni-in-zu

36. 36

    a2-tuku sa gaz nu-mu-un-ši-ak-e

37. 37

    kalag-ga sig9-ga še29-eš2 nu-mu-un-ak-e

38. 38

    niĝ2-si-sa2 ki-en-gi ki-uri-a mu-ni-ĝar

39. 39

    su kalam-ma mu-dug3

40. 40

    {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 lugal i3-si-in{ki}-na lugal ki-en-gi ki-uri-me-en

    Lipit-Eštar, king of Isin, king of Sumer and Akkad, you are the tablet writer of Nibru; Lipit-Eštar, you are the constant attendant of the E-kur, Enlil's house. You are the beloved one of Enlil's and Ninlil's hearts. Hero Ninurta is your mighty commissioner. Chief minister Nuska is your aid in all matters. You have been rightly chosen by Nintur as the purification priest of Keš. When in Urim, you are the youth who has the attention of Suen. You are the one to whom Enki gave the good headdress in Eridug. In Unug, Lipit-Eštar, you are the delight of holy Inana's heart. In Isin, Ninisina set up your lofty throne-dais.

41. 41

    nibru{ki}-še3 dub sar-re-me-en

42. 42

    e2-kur-re e2 {d}en-lil2-la2-še3 {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 saĝ us2-bi za-e-me-en

43. 43

    {d}en-lil2 {d}nin-lil2-ra ki aĝ2 šag4-ba-me-en

44. 44

    ur-saĝ {d}nin-urta maškim kalag-ga-zu-um

45. 45

    {d}nuska sukkal-maḫ a2-taḫ inim-ma-zu-um

46. 46

    išib keš3{ki}-še3 {d}nin-tur5-re zid-de3-eš pad3-da-me-en

47. 47

    urim2{ki}-še3 ĝal2-la šul ĝiš tuku {d}suen-na-me-en

48. 48

    {d}en-ki-ke4 eridug{ki}-ta aga zid šum2-ma-me-en

49. 49

    ki unug{ki}-ga kug {d}inana-ra {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 ḫi-li šag4-ga-na-me-en

50. 50

    {d}nin-i3-si-in-na-ke4 i3-si-in{ki}-na barag maḫ-zu mi-ni-in-ri

51. 51

    i-lu šag4-ga mu bal sag9-ga

    Among joyful songs of the heart, in an auspicious regnal year, the prince, the powerful prince surpassing in greatness and majesty, your father Išme-Dagan, king of the Land, made the foundations of his throne firm for you. On the orders of An and Enlil, he you silenced the loud (?) strife of the foreign countries.

52. 52

    nun-e nun uru16 dirig gal maḫ-bi

53. 53

    ad-da-zu {d}iš-me-{d}da-gan lugal kalam-ma-ke4

54. 54

    {ĝiš}gu-za-na suḫuš-bi mu-ra-an-ge-en

55. 55

    inim dug4-ga an {d}en-lil2-la2-ta

56. 56

    du17 nim kur-kur-ra si-a mu-ni-in-ĝar mu-e-ni-ĝar

57. 57

    {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 dumu {d}en-lil2-la2-me-en

    Lipit-Eštar, Enlil's son, you have made every mouth speak of your righteousness. The tablets will forever speak your praise May your praise never disappear from the tablets in the e-dub-ba-a. May the scribes …… and glorify you greatly! May eulogies of you never cease in the e-dub-ba-a! Perfect shepherd, youthful son of Enlil, Lipit-Eštar, be praised!

58. 58

    niĝ2-gen6-na-zu ka-ga14 mi-ni-in-ĝal2

59. 59

    za3-mi2-zu e2-dub-ba-a-ka im mu-e-ni-dug4-dug4 im-e nam-da13-da13

60. 60

    dub-sar-re a-le ḫe2-em-ši-ak-e gal-le-eš ḫe2-i-i

61. 61

    ar2-zu e2-dub-ba-a-ka muš3 nam-ba-an-tum2-mu

62. 62

    sipad gu2-tuku šul dumu {d}en-lil2-la2

63. 63

    {d}li-pi2-it-eš4-tar2 za3-mi2

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.