Enlil in the E-kur (Enlil A)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 4 - Hymns and cult songs · 171 sections

1
{d}en-lil2 su3-ra2-še3 dug4-ga-ni maḫ inim-ma-ni dug4-ga-ni kug-ga-am3
Enlil's commands are by far the loftiest, his words commands are holy, his utterances are immutable! The fate he decides is everlasting, his glance makes the mountains anxious, his …… reaches (?) into the interior of the mountains. All the gods of the earth bow down to Father Enlil, who sits comfortably on the holy dais, the lofty dais engur , to Nunamnir, whose lordship and princeship are most perfect. The Anuna gods enter before him stand before him and obey his instructions faithfully.
2
niĝ2 nu-kur2-ru ka-ta e3-a-ni nam ul-še3 tar-re
3
igi il2-la-ni kur-re di-di
4
ĝiš-nu11 il2-la-ni kur-šag4-ga igi ĝal2
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a-a {d}en-lil2 barag kug barag engur maḫ-a daĝal-bi tuš-a-ni
6
{d}nu-nam-nir nam-en nam-nun-na šu gal du7-a-ni
7
diĝir ki ni2-ba mu-un-na-gam-e-eš
8
diĝir-diĝir {d}a-nun-na mu-un-na-sun5-sun5-ne-eš mu-un-na-sug2-sug2-ge4-eš
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a2 aĝ2-ĝa2 zid-de3-eš im-ma-sug2-ge-eš
10
en u19-ru gal an ki-a dirig di zu gal-an-zu-e
The mighty lord, the greatest in heaven and earth, the knowledgeable judge, the wise one of wide-ranging wisdom, has taken his seat in the Dur-an-ki, and made the Ki-ur, the great place, resplendent with majesty. He has taken up residence in Nibru, the lofty bond (?) between heaven and earth. The front of the city is laden with terrible fearsomeness and radiance, its back is such that even the mightiest god dare not attack, and its interior is the blade of a sharp dagger, a blade of catastrophe. For the rebel lands it is a snare, a trap set with a net.
11
dur-an-ki-ka dur2 ba-an-ĝar ĝeštug2 daĝal-la-ke4
12
nam-nun-na ni2 pa e3-a ši-bi2-in-ak ki-ur3 ki gal-la
13
nibru{ki} uz3-saĝ maḫ an ki-ka ki-tuš im-ma-ni-in-du3
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iri igi-bi ni2 me-lem4 ḫuš-a
15
bar-bi diĝir u19-ru-na saĝ nu-ĝa2-ĝa2-dam
16
šag4-bi ka ĝiri2 kiĝ2-a ka garaš2-a-ka
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{ĝiš}es2-ad ki-bal-a pu2 sa ak-a
18
gal-bi dug4-ga-bi ud la-ba-ni-ib-su3-ud-de3
It cuts short the life of those who speak too mightily. It permits no evil word to be spoken in judgment (?). ……, deception, inimical speech, hostility, impropriety, ill-treatment, wickedness, wrongdoing, looking askance (?), violence, slandering, arrogance, licentious speech (?), egotism and boasting are abominations not tolerated within the city.
19
di-da inim erim2-ĝal2 nu-mu-ni-ib-be2
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šag4-a bar-a eme inim si nu-sa2
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inim kur2 niĝ2 kur2 u3-nu-ĝar-ra
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še29-eš2 LU2-eš2 di niĝ2-erim2 i-{d}utu
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igi bal niĝ2-a2-ĝar inim-inim inim eme sig dug4-dug4
24
sun7-na inim bur2-ra ni2 buluĝ5 di silim-eš2 di
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iri niĝ2-gig-ga nu-mu-ni-ib-dib-be2
26
nibru{ki} a2-bi sa-par3 gal-la-am3
The borders of Nibru form a great net, within which the ḫurin eagle spreads wide its talons. The evil or wicked man does not escape its grasp. In this city endowed with steadfastness, for which righteousness and justice have been made a lasting possession, and which is clothed (?) in pure clothing on the quay, the younger brother honours the older brother and treats him with human dignity; people pay attention to a father's word and reap the benefits; the child behaves humbly and modestly towards his mother and attains a ripe old age.
27
šag4-ba ḫu-ri2-in{mušen}-e dub3 mu-un-bad-ba9-re6
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lu2-erim2 lu2 ḫul-ĝal2 šu-bi la-ba-ra-e3
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iri niĝ2-gen6-na saĝ-e-eš rig7-ga
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niĝ2-zid niĝ2-si-sa2 gi16-sa-še3 ak-a
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tug2 dan2-dan2-na kar-ra ĝal2-la
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šeš-gal šeš-ban3-da dugud-de3-da nam-lu2-ulu3 ak-da
33
inim ab-ba-še3 ĝizzal ak-de3 ni2 šu-a gi4-gi4-dam
34
dumu ama-ni-ir sun5-na ni2 teĝ3-ĝe26-da nam-ab-ba sud-de3
35
iri a2-dam kug {d}en-lil2-la2-kam
In the city, the holy settlement of Enlil, in Nibru, the beloved shrine of father Great Mountain, he has made the dais of abundance, the E-kur, the shining temple, rise from the soil; he has made it grow on pure land as high as a towering mountain. Its prince, the Great Mountain, Father Enlil, has taken his seat on the dais of the E-kur, the lofty shrine. No god can cause harm to the temple's divine powers. Its holy hand-washing rites are everlasting like the earth. Its divine powers are the divine powers of the abzu: no one can look upon them.
36
nibru{ki} eš3 ki aĝ2 a-a kur gal-la-kam
37
barag nam-ḫe2 e2-kur e2 za-gin3 saḫar-ta ša-ba-ra-an-il2
38
ḫur-saĝ il2-la-gin7 ki sikil-la bi2-in-mu2
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nun-bi kur gal a-a {d}en-lil2
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e2-kur eš3 maḫ-a barag-ba dur2 bi2-in-ĝar
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e2-a me-bi diĝir sag2 nu-di
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šu-luḫ sikil-bi ki-gin7 nu-silig-ge
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me-bi me abzu lu2 igi nu-bar-re-de3
44
šag4-bi ab su3-ra2 an-zag nu-zu-a
Its interior is a wide sea which knows no horizon. In its …… glistening as a banner (?), the bonds and ancient divine powers are made perfect. Its words are prayers, its incantations are supplications. Its word is a favourable omen ……, its rites are most precious. At the festivals, there is plenty of fat and cream; they are full of abundance. Its divine plans bring joy and rejoicing, its verdicts are great. Daily there is a great festival, and at the end of the day there is an abundant harvest. The temple of Enlil is a mountain of abundance; to reach out, to look with greedy eyes, to seize are abominations in it.
45
KA KI urin du3-a urin mul-la-ba
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di-ir-ga me ul-e šu im-ta-du7-du7
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inim-inim-ma-bi šudu3-šudu3-de3
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mu7-mu7-bi tu6 dug4-bi inim sizkur-ra-kam
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inim-bi inim-ĝar sag9 bar šu ĝiš šub-šub-bu-da
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ĝarza niĝ2 kal-kal-la-kam šu-qu3-ru-⌈tum⌉ šu-qu-ru-u2-⌈tum⌉
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ezen i3 gara2 sud ḫe2-ĝal2-la du8-a
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ĝiš-ḫur-bi giri17-zal šag4 ḫul2-la di-bi niĝ2 gal-gal-la-kam
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ud šu2-uš ezem-ma ud zal-le buru14 maḫ-am3
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e2 {d}en-lil2-la2 kur ḫe2-ĝal2-la-kam
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šu gid2 igi-tum3 la2 šu sumur niĝ2-gig-ga
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e2-a en-bi e2-da mu2-a
The lagar priests of this temple whose lord has grown together with it are expert in blessing; its gudug priests of the abzu are suited for your lustration rites; its nueš priests are perfect in the holy prayers. Its great farmer is the good shepherd of the Land, who was born vigorous on a propitious day. The farmer, suited for the broad fields, comes with rich offerings; he does not …… into the shining E-kur.
57
!-bi ! ka-ra-bi šu silim-ma ḫe2-du7-am3
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abzu gudug-bi šu-luḫ-ḫa šu-luḫ-ḫa-zu tum2-ma-me-eš
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nu-eš3-bi šita kug-ge du7-me-eš
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engar maḫ-bi sipad zid kalam-ma
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ud dug3-ga zid-de3-eš tu-ud-da-am3
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engar gana2 daĝal-la ḫe2-du7-am3
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ši-im-da-ĝen nidba gal-gal-la-da
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ĝiš-la2-bi nu-mu-un-DU e2-kur za-gin3-še3
65
{d}en-lil2 a2-dam kug ki-a ḫur-ra-za
Enlil, when you marked out the holy settlements, you also built Nibru, your own city. You (?) …… the Ki-ur, the mountain, your pure place. You founded it in the Dur-an-ki, in the middle of the four quarters of the earth. Its soil is the life of the Land, and the life of all the foreign countries. Its brickwork is red gold, its foundation is lapis lazuli. You made it glisten on high raised its glistening top in Sumer as if it were the horns of a wild bull. It makes all the foreign countries tremble with fear. At its great festivals, the people pass their time in abundance.
66
nibru{ki} iri ni2-za ši-im-mi-du3-du3-am3
67
ki-ur3 kur ki sikil-zu a bi2-dug3-ga
68
ub-da 4-ba murub4-ba dur-an-ki-ka ki ba-e-ni-tag-ge
69
saḫar-bi zi kalam-ma zi kur-kur-ra-ka
70
šeg12-bi kug ḫuš-a uš8 {na4}za-gin3-na-ka
71
am-gin7 ki-en-gi-ra si mul ba-ni-ib-be2 ba-ni-ib-il2
72
kur-kur-re saĝ im-ma-da-sag3-ge
73
ezen gal-gal-ba uĝ3-e nam-ḫe2-a ud-bi mu-un-di-ni-ib-zal-e
74
{d}en-lil2 {d}uraš kug ḫi-li du8-du8-a-zu
Enlil, holy Uraš is favoured with beauty for you; you are greatly suited for the abzu, the holy throne engur ; you refresh yourself in the deep underworld, the holy chamber. Your presence spreads awesomeness over the E-kur, the shining temple, the lofty dwelling. Its fearsomeness and radiance reach up to heaven, its shadow stretches over all the foreign lands, and its crenellation reaches up to the midst of heaven. All lords and sovereigns regularly supply holy offerings there, approaching Enlil with prayers and supplications.
75
abzu barag engur kug-ga gal-bi tum2-ma-zu
76
kur sig itima kug ki ni2 te-en-te-en-zu
77
e2-kur e2 za-gin3 ki-tuš maḫ ni2 gur3-ru-zu
78
ni2 me-lem4-bi an-ne2 im-us2
79
ĝissu-bi kur-kur-ra ša-mu-un-la2
80
suḫ10-bi an-šag4-ga-aš ša-mu-un-bad-ba9-re6
81
en-en-e barag-barag-ge2-ne
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nidba kug-ge si mu-ni-in-sa2-eš
83
šudu3 inim sizkur-ra u3-gul mu-na-ĝa2-ĝa2
84
{d}en-lil2 sipad igi zid bar-ra-zu
Enlil, if you look upon the shepherd favourably, if you elevate the one truly called in the Land, then the foreign countries are in his hands, the foreign countries are at his feet! Even the most distant foreign countries submit to him. He will then cause enormous incomes and heavy tributes, as if they were cool water, to reach the treasury. In the great courtyard he will supply offerings regularly. Into the E-kur, the shining temple, he will bring (?) …….
85
gu3 zid de2-a kalam-ma il2-la-zu
86
kur šu-ni-še3 kur ĝiri3-ni-še3
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kur-ra ki su3-ra2-bi gu2 mu-na-ab-ĝa2-ĝa2
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a sed4-gin7 du8-a niĝ2 ki-šar2-ra-ka
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maš2-da-ri-a gu2-un dugud-da-bi
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sa2 bi2-in-dug4 e2 niĝ2-gur11-ra-ka
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kisal maḫ-ḫa nidba si bi2-in-sa2
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e2-kur e2 za-gin3-na ma-sar-re-eš im-mi-in-tum3
93
{d}en-lil2 sipad zid teš2-ba ni2-ba lu-a
Enlil, faithful shepherd of the teeming multitudes, herdsman, leader of all living creatures, has manifested his rank of great prince, adorning himself with putting on the holy crown. As the Wind of the Mountain (?) occupied the dais, he spanned the sky as the rainbow. Like a floating cloud, he moved alone (?).
94
na-gada mas-su niĝ2-zi-ĝal2-la-ka
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nam-nun gal-la-ni ni2 pa e3-a-aš bi2-in-ak pa e3 ši-bi2-in-ak
96
men suḫ10 kug-ga mu-ni-in-sig7 mu-ni-in-sig10
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tum9 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 barag-ge si-a-na
98
{d}tir-an-na-gin7 an-e ši-in-gi4
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dungu dirig-ga-gin7 ni2-bi-a mu-un-ĝen
100
an-na dili nun-bi-im ki-a ušumgal-bi-im
He alone is the prince of heaven, the dragon of the earth. The lofty god of the Anuna himself determines the fates. No god can look upon him. His great minister and commander chief barber Nuska learns his commands and his intentions from him, consults with him and then executes his far-reaching instructions on his behalf. He prays to him with holy prayers (?) and divine powers (?).

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.