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A balbale to Inana (Dumuzid-Inana A)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 4 - Hymns and cult songs · 57 sections

1. 1

   šeš-e nin9-ra mi2 na-mu-e

   The brother speaks gently to his sister, Utu speaks gently to his sister, he speaks tenderly to holy Inana: Young lady, the flax in the garden beds is full of loveliness, Inana, the flax in the garden beds is full of loveliness, like the barley in the furrows, overflowing with loveliness and delight. Sister Young lady , you took a fancy to a grand length of linen; Inana, you took a fancy to a grand length of linen. I will dig up the plants for you and give them to you. Young lady My sister , I will bring you flax from the garden beds. Inana, I will bring you flax from the garden beds.

2. 2

   {d}utu nin9-ra mi2 na-mu-e

3. 3

   kug {d}inana-ra mi2 zid na-⌈mu⌉-[e]

4. 4

   in-nin9 gu sar-ra ḫi-li gur3-ru

5. 5

   {d}inana gu sar-ra ḫi-li gur3-ru

6. 6

   še ab-sin2-na ḫi-li ma-az dirig-ga

7. 7

   nin9 in-nin9 gada maḫ-e ḫi-li ?-?-⌈te-a⌉

8. 8

   {d}inana gada maḫ-e ḫi-li ?-?-te-a

9. 9

   al ga-mu-ra-ab-ak SAR ga-mu-ra-ab-šum2 lu-ur-⌈pi⌉-[iq]-ki lu-um-ḫu-⌈ra⌉-[ki]

10. 10

    in-nin9 nin9-ĝu10 gu sar-ra ga-mu-ra-de6

11. 11

    {d}inana gu sar-ra ga-mu-ra-de6

12. 12

    šeš šeš-ĝu10 gu sar-ra a-ma-i-ra-ta

    Brother My brother , when you have brought me flax from the garden beds, who will ret it for me? Who will ret it for me? Who will ret that flax for me?

13. 13

    a-ba-a ma-e-ri a-ba-a ma-e-ri

14. 14

    gu-bi ma-a-ra a-[ba]-a ma-e-ri

15. 15

    nin9-ĝu10 ri-a-bi ga-mu-ra-⌈de6⌉

    My sister, I will bring it to you already retted! Inana, I will bring it to you already retted!

16. 16

    {d}inana ri-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

17. 17

    šeš šeš-ĝu10 ri-a-bi a-ma-i-[ra-ta]

    Brother My brother , when you have brought it to me already retted, who will spin it for me? Who will spin it for me? Who will spin that flax for me?

18. 18

    a-ba-a ma-ab-NU-NU a-ba-a ma-ab-NU-NU

19. 19

    gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-ab-NU-NU

20. 20

    nin9-ĝu10 NU-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

    My sister, I will bring it to you already spun! Inana, I will bring it to you already spun!

21. 21

    {d}inana NU-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

22. 22

    šeš šeš-ĝu10 NU-a-bi a-ma-i-ra-ta

    Brother My brother , when you have brought it to me already spun, who will twine it for me? Who will twine it for me? Who will twine that flax for me?

23. 23

    a-ba-a ma-ab-tab-be2 a-ba-a ma-ab-tab-be2

24. 24

    gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-ab-tab-be2

25. 25

    nin9-ĝu10 tab-ba-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

    My sister, I will bring it to you already twined! Inana, I will bring it to you already twined!

26. 26

    {d}inana tab-ba-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

27. 27

    šeš tab-ba-bi a-ma-i-ra-ta

    Brother, when you have brought it to me already twined, who will warp it for me? Who will warp it for me? Who will warp that flax for me?

28. 28

    a-ba-a ma-ab-ze2-ze2 a-ba-a ma-ab-ze2-ze2

29. 29

    gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-ab-ze2-ze2

30. 30

    nin9-ĝu10 ze2-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

    My sister, I will bring it to you already warped! Inana, I will bring it to you already warped!

31. 31

    {d}inana ze2-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

32. 32

    šeš ze2-a-bi a-ma-i-ra-ta

    Brother, when you have brought it to me already warped, who will weave for me? Who will weave for me? Who will weave that flax for me?

33. 33

    a-ba-a ma-ab-TUKU5-TUKU5 a-ba-a ma-<ab>-TUKU5-TUKU5

34. 34

    gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-<ab>-TUKU5-TUKU5

35. 35

    nin9-ĝu10 tuku5-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

    My sister, I will bring it to you already woven! Inana, I will bring it to you already woven!

36. 36

    {d}inana tuku5-a-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

37. 37

    šeš tuku5-a-bi a-ma-i-ra-ta

    Brother, when you have brought it to me already woven, who will bleach it for me? Who will bleach it for me? Who will bleach that linen for me?

38. 38

    a-ba-a ma-DAN3-DAN3 a-ba-a ma-DAN3-DAN3

39. 39

    gu-bi ma-a-ra a-ba-a ma-DAN3-DAN3

40. 40

    nin9-ĝu10 dan3-na-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

    My sister, I will bring it to you already bleached! Inana, I will bring it to you already bleached!

41. 41

    {d}inana dan3-na-bi ga-mu-ra-de6

42. 42

    šeš dan3-na-bi a-⌈ma⌉-i-ra-ta

    Brother, when you have brought it to me already bleached, who will lie down on it with me? Who will lie down on it with me? Who will lie down on that linen with me?

43. 43

    a-ba-a mu-da-an-nu2 a-ba-a mu-da-an-nu2

44. 44

    [gu]-⌈bi⌉ ma-a-ra a-ba-a mu!(⌈ḫe2⌉)-[da-an-nu2]

45. 45

    za-ra ḫe2-da-an-nu2 ḫe2-da-an-nu2

    There shall lie down with you, there shall lie down with you, there shall lie down with you your bridegroom! Ama-ušumgal-ana shall lie down with you, the companion of Enlil shall lie down with you, the issue of a noble womb shall lie down with you, the offspring of a ruler shall lie down with you.

46. 46

    za-ra nitalam-[zu] ḫe2-da-an-nu2

47. 47

    {d}ama-ušumgal-an-[na] ḫe2-da-an-nu2

48. 48

    gu5-li {d}en-lil2-la2 ḫe2-da-an-nu2

49. 49

    šag4 zid-ta e3-a ḫe2-da-an-nu2

50. 50

    a barag-ga ri-a ḫe2-da-an-nu2

51. 51

    i3-ge4-en mu-lu ša3-ab-ĝa2-kam mu-lu ša3-ab-ĝa2-kam

    Is it true?-- He is the man of my heart! He is the man of my heart! Brother, he is the man who has spoken to my heart! He does no hoeing, yet heaps up piles of grain; he delivers grain regularly to the storehouse, a farmer who has numerous piles of grain plentiful grain ; a shepherd whose sheep are heavy (?) with wool.

52. 52

    šeš mu-lu ša3-ab-ĝu10 im-mi-in-dug4-ga-am3

53. 53

    al nu-ak-am3 guru7 dub-dub-ba-am3

54. 54

    še ĝa2-nun-e sa2 dug4-dug4-ga-am3

55. 55

    mu-un-gar3 še-ni še maḫ guru7 šar2-ra-kam

56. 56

    sipad e-ze2-⌈ni⌉ siki sug4-sug4-ga-am3

57. 57

    bal-bal-e {d}inana-kam

    A balbale of Inana.

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.