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Letter from Sîn-iddinam to the god Utu

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 3 - Literary letters and letter-prayers · 46 sections

1. 1

   {d}utu lugal-ĝu10-ur2 di-kud ⌈maḫ⌉ an ki

   Say to Utu my lord, the exalted judge of heaven and earth, who cares for the Land, who renders verdicts; just god, who loves to keep man alive, who heeds entreaty, who extends mercy, who knows …… compassion, who loves justice, who selects honesty, ……:

2. 2

   saĝ ⌈en3⌉ tar kalam-ma ka-aš mu-⌈un⌉-bar-bar-re

3. 3

   diĝir zid lu2 til3-le-de3 ki aĝ2 a-ra-zu ĝiš tuku

4. 4

   arḫuš sud ⌈šag4 gur-?⌉ mu-un-[…]-zu-[…]

5. 5

   niĝ2-si-sa2 ki aĝ2 niĝ2-zid [bar] ⌈tam⌉-me NE […] ⌈U3⌉ […] dug4

6. 6

   sun4 mu2 ⌈dumu⌉ {d}nin-gal sun4 {na4}za-gin3 X X X […]

   Repeat to the bearded one, the son of Ningal, …… a lapis-lazuli beard, who opens the bolts of heaven and earth who opens the bolts , who creates brightness in darkness; foremost lord who alone is resplendent, whose greatness is unequalled; warrior, son given birth by Ningal, who guards and gathers together the divine powers; just god, prince who determines all the fates, my lord, father of the black-headed: this is what Sîn-iddinam, king of Larsam, your servant, says:

7. 7

   taka4 la2 !si-ĝar an ki taka4 si-ĝar ku10-ku10 zalag ⌈ĝa2-ĝa2⌉

8. 8

   en saĝ-kal dili-a-ni pa e3-a nam-maḫ-a-ni zag nu-sa2

9. 9

   ur-saĝ dumu {d}nin-gal-e tud-da me saĝ keše2 ur4-ur4

10. 10

    diĝir zid ! nam tar-tar-re a-a saĝ gig2-ga lugal-ĝu10-ur2 u2-na-de3-taḫ

11. 11

    {m}{d}suen-i-din-nam lugal larsam{ki}-ma arad-zu na-ab-be2-a

12. 12

    iri-zu larsam{ki}-ma šag4-ge pad3-da-zu niĝ2-gig-ga im-ma-an-ak

    Distress has been caused in your city Larsam, which you have chosen in your heart. The broad squares where days have been passed in merriment have been reduced to are left (?) in silence. Your commendable troops who were assembled have been annihilated (?) like reeds from a reed fence splitting apart. Your young men have been harvested like barley at the due time; they have been picked and have been plucked like ripened fruit (?). The people have been smashed like terracotta figurines; they (?) have perished all together. An evil storm took away the little ones from the laps (?) of their mothers. The people ……; their appearance has been (?) changed. Overwhelming troops have been set loose, …… the Land …… like flour. O youthful Utu, like an enemy you stand aside from your city Larsam.

13. 13

    sila daĝal ešemen ud zal-zal-la sig9-ga im-ma-an-sig9 […]-ĝar

14. 14

    ! sag9-ga-zu gu2 ĝar-ĝar-ra gi gi-?-ga-gin7 si-il-si-le-de3 ⌈ba⌉-an-⌈?⌉-le-eš

15. 15

    !-zu še ud a2-ba-gin7 ab-gur10 ba-an-šab-eš ? ?-gin7 mu-X-⌈dub2⌉-uš

16. 16

    uĝ3-ĝa2 alan im-gin7 im-ma-an-gul-lu-uš ni2-bi-a ba-an-⌈til⌉-[…]

17. 17

    di4-di4-la2 ? ama-be2-ne-ta ud ḫul ba-an-da-⌈kar⌉-[(X X)]

18. 18

    uĝ3-ĝa2 ! ḪAR-re muš3-bi ba-an-kur2 X […]

19. 19

    erin2 ka3 an-ša-ša ⌈šu⌉ bar-ra-am3 kalam zid2-gin7 KA׊U ⌈?⌉ […]

20. 20

    šul {d}utu iri-⌈za⌉ larsam{ki}-ma lu2-kur2-gin7 bar-ta ba-da-gub

21. 21

    kur elam{ki}-ma X{mušen}-gin7 maḫ-⌈bi⌉ lu2 uš2-a nu-ĝal2-la

    The mountain land of Elam where there are no dead in great numbers (?) like ……, and Subir, a heavy cloud, which knows no reverence even towards the gods -- these districts have not been weakened; their time has not yet come. The Šimaškian does not elect nugig or lukur priestesses for the places of the gods The Šimaškian knows neither his god nor those elected nugig and lukur priestesses The Šimaškian …… neither the nugig nor the nubar priestesses for the places of the gods . His soldiers are numerous like grass; his seed is widespread is indeed exalted . He who lives in tents, who does not know of the places of the gods: like a wild beast which mounts, he knows nothing of eša flour nor prayers flour and the offering of prayers . The evil namtar demon and the distressing asag demon have not carried him off (?) do not approach him . Who …… a divine oath is committing sacrilege, yet his troops are in good health.

22. 22

    su-bir4{ki} muru9 dugud-da diĝir-re-e-ne ni2 teĝ3-ĝe26 nu-⌈zu⌉-a

23. 23

    ma-da-bi nu-ub-ta-be4 ⌈ud-bi⌉ nu-ĝal2-la

24. 24

    šimaški-e ki diĝir-re-e-ne-ke4 nu-gig lukur nu-mu-da-⌈il2⌉-e šimaški diĝir-ra-ni nu-gig lukur-bi il2-la nu-mu-un-zu-a šimaški ki diĝir-re-e-[…] nu-gig nu-!-e nu-[…]

25. 25

    erin2-a-ni u2-gin7 lu-lu-a numun-a-ni daĝal-la ḫe2-maḫ

26. 26

    za-lam-ĝar til3-la ki diĝir-re-e-ne-ke4 nu-mu-un-zu-a

27. 27

    u2-ma-am-gin7-⌈nam⌉ u5-⌈a⌉ zid2-⌈?⌉ sizkur2 zid2 sizkur2 il2-la nu-mu-un-zu-a

28. 28

    nam-tar ḫul-ĝal2 a2-sag3 niĝ2-gig-ga nu-mu-⌈un⌉-na-? nu-mu-na-te

29. 29

    lu2 mu diĝir sal-la-bi niĝ2-gig-ga i3-⌈gu7⌉-e ugnim-bi silim-ma

30. 30

    mu 7-kam-ma-⌈ta⌉ iri-ĝa2 me3 ⌈šen-šen la⌉-ba-an-tuku uš2 da-⌈bi⌉ nu-ĝa2-ĝa2 mu 5-⌈kam⌉-ma-ta ⌈iri{ki}⌉-! šen-šen-na la-ba-du8 nam-uš2-a a2-bi nu-ĝa2-ĝa2

    For seven years, in my city there has been no battle and combat, and death (?) has not been imminent (?) For five years, in my city we have not been extinguished (?) by battle, not oppressed by death . In the open country the lion does not diminish …… devouring men. I am treated I have been bound (?) like one who does not know how to entreat a god fervently. I serve the great gods daily with prayers, and my fervent entreaties are sublime.

31. 31

    edin-na ur-maḫ-e lu2 gu7-e nu-mu-ni-ib-la2-X nu-mu-ni-il2-la2

32. 32

    diĝir inim sag9-sag9-⌈ge⌉-de3 nu-zu-a ĝe26-e im-ma-an-ak-[(X)] !-ma-da-⌈?⌉

33. 33

    diĝir gal-gal-e-ne sizkur2 ud šu2-uš-e al-gub-be2-en inim sag9-sag9-ge-ĝu10 maḫ-⌈am3⌉

34. 34

    šul {d}utu nam-bi-še3 iri-zu larsam{ki}-ma igi zid bar-mu-un-ši-ib

    O youthful Utu, for that reason look favourably upon your city Larsam! Say Alas! for your city! Say Alas for the sanctuary! ……! Extend sympathetic compassion to Larsam! Take heed of the causes of distress, and make …… leave …… Larsam! Remove …… and distress from its midst (?) within Larsam ! …… the frightful (?) …… in Larsam, so that …… may escape the clutches of death. …… may its seed be great! May …… sing your praise!

35. 35

    ⌈a⌉ iri-zu dug4-ga-ba-ab

36. 36

    a eš3 X X dug4-⌈ga-ab⌉

37. 37

    arḫuš ⌈sud⌉ ⌈larsam{ki}⌉-ma šu te-ba-ab

38. 38

    niĝ2-gig-ga ak-bi en3 tar-bi-ma

39. 39

    [X (X)] X larsam{ki} e3-ni-ib

40. 40

    […] X niĝ2-gig-ga šag4-bi zig3-ab-ta ⌈šag4⌉ ⌈larsam⌉[{ki}-ma] […]

41. 41

    [X] ⌈?⌉-a ⌈šag4⌉ ⌈larsam⌉{ki}-ma-ka ⌈?⌉ X […]

42. 42

    X taka4-a šu nam-uš2-ta ba-e-šub-bu-de3

43. 43

    X-til-le-eš numun-bi ḫe2-maḫ

44. 44

    ⌈?⌉ taka4-a ka tar-⌈zu⌉ ḫe2-si-il-le

45. 45

    u3 ĝe26-e ⌈ni2 teĝ3⌉-ĝe26-ĝu10-uš nam-til3 šum2-mu-na-ab

    And as for me, for my reverence give me life! Bestow on me long life as a gift!

46. 46

    zi su3-ud-ĝal2 niĝ2-ba-e-eš2 ba-mu-na-ab

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.