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Letter from Šulgi to Išbi-Erra about the purchase of grain

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 3 - Literary letters and letter-prayers · 29 sections

1. 1

   {m}iš-bi2-{d}er3-ra-a2-ra mu-un-ne-du

   Say to Išbi-Erra: this is what Šulgi, your lord, says:

2. 2

   šul-gi lu2-gal-zu2 na-ap-pa-a

3. 3

   inim me-e ga-na u2-ud-ki-im me-e-ḫu-lu a-na a-wa-at ta-aš-pu-ra da-an-ni-iš aḫ-<du>

   You have made me so happy with the news and everything. Who could give me a house-born slave such as you are? Who has such a capable man, so beneficial to his lord?

4. 4

   ⌈e⌉-me-du di-ik-ki-nam mi-in-na na-ar-ra a-ba !-an-šu IR3 ša3 ki-ma ka-<ta> ta-ak-lu!(KU) ia-a-ši2 ma-an-nu i-na-an-di-na

5. 5

   a-am-ga lu-ga-al-be šu zi-im ga-ra a-ba ab-tu-ku-e-še le-e-a ša3 a-na be-li-šu šu-ud-mu-qu2 ma-an-nu i-šu-uš

6. 6

   ne-e-še niĝ2 a-na mu-ši-iq-qa-an-gu i-na-an-na mi-im-ma ša ta-aš-pu-ra

   Now, no sign can confirm (?) anything of what I have been sending to you, but I have sent it to you anyway (?).

7. 7

   ĝiš-ki-im li-ig-in-ne u2-gu-zi-eš-še me-e-ra-am-gi !-ul e-gi ŠE3 EDIN-ka aṭ-ṭa2-ar-da

8. 8

   ba-ba-tu pi-ša3-ad-ba-ar-ra at-ta-at-ta e-eg-la-am-gu ŠE3 ba-ba-ti ša3-an-da-ba-ak-ki

   I had Babati, the archivist -- who is to me a grandfather, an advisor of longstanding, who knows how to give advice -- send you 600 talents of silver and 600 talents of gold, which I had delivered (?) to you because (?) of the taking of …… from my troops.

9. 9

   li-be-ra ad ki-ki ad ki-ki mu-un-da-a la-be-ra mu-un-ta-al-ka ša3 mi-it-lu-u2-ka i-du-u2

10. 10

    un ge-eš-tu kub-babbar2 un ge-eš-tu ku-us-ke-eš še mu-ra-ad-ka ne-er GU2.UN MA.NA KUG.BABBAR 60 GU2.UN MA.NA KUG.SIG17 uš-te-bi-la-ak-ku

11. 11

    mu mu-nu-ut-ku we-eĝer mi-na-an-gu šu mu-un-te-em-ga im-ma-ši-im-gi aš-šu mu-nu-ut-ke-e ša3 EĜER um-ma-ni-ia il-qa-am-ma it-ta-al-ka-ak-ku

12. 12

    u2-mu-uš eri-na-ak-ke u2-gu-uz-ze-eš-še me-e-ra-am-gi ṭe4-mi um-ma-ni-ia ŠE3 ṣe2-ri-ka tu-ur2-ku

    I have also sent you intelligence information (?) about the troops. Pass it on to Babati, and do whatever he wishes, lest his heart suddenly turns to hatred!

13. 13

    e-ne-er-ra šu-mu-un-na ni-ig-na-ma-an-ne ak-ka-a a-na ša3-šu i-di-iš-šu-um-ma ša3 qa-be-šu DIM2-uš

14. 14

    e-ma-ru-uk-ka ša3-ap-pi ḫu-un na-an-gi-ga ap-pu-tu ŠA3-šu la i-ma-ra-aṣ-ku

15. 15

    u2 za-e ku3-ud-ki kub-babbar2 zu-un-ne-et-ta šu-u2 zi-ba-ab u3 at-ta KUG.BABBAR u3 KUG.SIG17 ša3 ŠU-šu le-qe2-ma

    You are to receive the gold and silver from him, and purchase grain everywhere according to (?) whatever exchange rate they will take from you. May your …… nothing at all.

16. 16

    ganba-zu2 e-da-da-be e ša3-a-ša3-a-ma-an-ne [KI].LAM-at I3.ĜAL2-šu-u2 ŠE-am ši2-ta-a2-a-ma

17. 17

    šu du-uz-zu ni-ig-nam na-an-nu-le TA ŠU-ka li-ib-qur-ma mi-im-ma la ta-ar-ru-ur2

18. 18

    u2-da-da dumumu ša3-az zu-ga-am-gu-u2 de-mi-in uš-tu UD-mi an-ni-i DUMU-rum mu-ṭi3-ib li-ib-bi-ia at-ta

    From today (?), you are my son who makes me happy. The cities of (?) the province (?), the land of the Martu, Elam -- all of them I have placed before you: you are just as important as I am.

19. 19

    iri du kur mar-du e2-nam du-a-be mu-ra-ga me-e-ek-ki-na mi-du-gu-ut-ta ŠE3 IGI a-mur-ri-i u3 NIM-ti ka-li-šu ĜAR-na-a-ti ki-ma ia-a-ti KU-ib

20. 20

    ku-uz-zi barag ku-uz-zi igigi-ne-en-ne-eš-še tu-uš-ša AḪ BI IR TA ku-us-si2 BARAG KUG.SIG17 ŠE3 IGI-šu-nu KU-?

    So sit before them on a throne on a golden dais ……! Let their messengers prostrate themselves in front of you! May your …… at its rear; do not …… at all!

21. 21

    za-na lu-u2-ki-im-ga-ne-en-ne ḫe-li-ib-za-za-an-ne ŠE3 ka-šu DUMU.MEŠ ši-ip-ri-šu-nu li-iš-ke-nu-ni-ik-ku

22. 22

    du-ru-be-šu uz-zu ḫu-ur-mi ni-ig na-me na-an-tu-uk-ku e-li-šu-nu u2-te-el-li mi-im-ma la te-ne-eʾ2-a

23. 23

    im-sik zig3-ga im-sik <ZI IM> ga-ra-a IM.SIG ZI.GA IM.SIG ĜAR-un

    Remove (?) a governor -- appoint a governor! Appoint a commander! Designate a captain-general! Certainly you should put a man to death, a man who has killed: blind the man who has killed! Build your house of manhood (?) for an attendant who has been favourably looked upon (?)! Make sure your recompense is great!

24. 24

    saĝ-ĝen ga-ra nu-banda3 ĝiš-ki-im ku-ra ša3-ak-ka-na-ak-ka ĜAR-un NU.BANDA3 wu-ud-di

25. 25

    lu-u2 na-an-ga lu-u2 uk-ka igigi lu-u2 uk-ka ḫu-la-a be-el an-ni a-šu-ur2 uz-ni LU2 gu-ul-li-il

26. 26

    u2-ku-uš i-gi du-uq-qa im-ma-an-sig5-qa re-e-da-a ša3 TA IGI-ka id-dam-qu2-ma

27. 27

    e2 nam-šul-zu e-ne-er-ra du-mu-un-na šu-um ĝar-zu ma-ḫa E2-ti eṭ-lu-ti ŠE3 ša3-šu DIM2-ma gi-mil-!-ka li-ti-ir

28. 28

    ne-e-še niĝ2 ga-na mu-ši-iq-qa-an-gu i-na-an-na mi-im-ma ša3 ta-aš-pu-ra

    Now, you should not suddenly alter your word (?) about all that I have been sending to you.

29. 29

    e-ma-ru-uk ka-az-zu na-ap-pa-le-e ap-pu-tu pi-ka la te-en-na-a

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.