A balbale to Inana (Dumuzid-Inana B)
- 1
lu-bi-ĝu10 ⌈lu⌉-bi-ĝu10 lu-bi-ĝu10
My dearest, my dearest, my dearest, my darling, my darling, my honey of her own mother, my sappy vine, my honey-sweet, my honey-mouthed of her mother!
- 2
la-bi-ĝu10 la-⌈bi-ĝu10⌉ lal3 ama ugu-na-ĝu10
- 3
ĝeštin duru5-ĝu10 lal3 ku7-⌈ku7⌉-ĝu10 ka lal3 ama-na-ĝu10
- 4
igi-za igi du8-ru-na-bi ma-dug3 ĝen nin9 ki aĝ2-ĝu10
The gazing of your eyes is pleasant to me; come my beloved sister. The speaking of your mouth is pleasant to me, my honey-mouthed of her mother. The kissing of your lips is pleasant to me; come my beloved sister.
- 5
ka-za gu3 di-di-bi ma-dug3 ka lal3 ama-na-ĝu10
- 6
nundum-za ne su-ub-bi ma-dug3 ĝen nin9 ki aĝ2-ĝu10
- 7
nin9-ĝu10 še-za kaš-bi in-dug3 ka lal3 ama-na-ĝu10
My sister, the beer of your barley is good, my honey-mouthed of her mother. The ale of your beer-bread is good; come my beloved sister. In the house, your luxuriance ……, my honey-mouthed of her mother. My sister, your luxuriance ……, my beloved ……. Your house …… a storehouse, my honey-mouthed of her mother. You princess, my …….
- 8
bappir-za gu2-me-ze2-⌈bi⌉ in-dug3 ĝen nin9 ki aĝ2-ĝu10
- 9
e2-a la-la-zu X X X X ka ⌈lal3⌉ ama-na-ĝu10
- 10
nin9-ĝu10 la-la-zu X X […] X ki aĝ2-ĝu10
- 11
e2-zu {e2}⌈šutum⌉ X ak ka [lal3 ama-na]-⌈ĝu10⌉
- 12
za-e dumu lugal-la ? X X X X X X-ĝu10
- 13
mu-un-til3-le-na mu-un-til3-le-na na-aĝ2-erim2 ma-kud-de3-en
For as long as you live, as long as you live, you shall take an oath for me, brother of the countryside, for as long as you live you shall take an oath for me. You shall take an oath for me that you will not touch another. You shall take an oath for me that you will not …… your head on anyone else.
- 14
šeš uru2 bar-ra mu-un-til3-le-nam na-aĝ2-erim2 ma-kud-de3-en
- 15
lu2-kur2-ra šu nu-mu-ni-in-dug4-ga na-aĝ2-erim2 ma-kud-de3-en
- 16
lu2-kur2-ra saĝ NU X […]-ba-a na-aĝ2-erim2 ma-kud-de3-en
- 17
{tug2}aĝ2-lam2 sal-la ma-⌈il2⌉-la-a-ĝu10
My one who wears the …… niĝlam garment, my beloved, man of my heart! I shall impose an oath …… on you, my brother of the beautiful eyes. My brother, I shall impose an oath on you, my brother of the beautiful eyes.
- 18
ki-ig-ga aĝ2-ĝu10 mu-lu [ša3-ab]-⌈?⌉
- 19
X na-aĝ2-erim2-ma [du5-mu-ra-an]-⌈mar⌉-mar šeš i-⌈bi2⌉ [sag9-sag9]-⌈ĝu10⌉
- 20
šeš-ĝu10 na-aĝ2-erim2-ma du5-mu-ra-an-mar-mar šeš i-bi2 sag9-sag9-ĝu10
- 21
šu zid-da-zu gal4-la-ĝa2 de3-em-mar
You are to place your right hand on my genitals while your left hand rests on my head, bringing your mouth close to my mouth, and taking my lips in your mouth: thus you shall take an oath for me. This is the oath of women, my brother of the beautiful eyes.
- 22
gab2-bu-zu saĝ-ĝu10-uš im-ši-ri
- 23
ka-zu ka-ĝa2 um-me-te
- 24
šu-um-du-um-ĝu10 ka-za u3-ba-e-ni-dab5
- 25
za-e ur5-ta na-aĝ2-erim2 ma-kud-de3-en
- 26
ur5-ra-am3 ? munus-e-ne-kam šeš i-bi2 sag9-sag9-ĝu10
- 27
ul gur3-ru-ĝu10 ul gur3-ru-ĝu10 ḫi-li-zu ze2-ba-am3
My desirable one, my desirable one, your charms are lovely, my desirable apple garden, your charms are lovely. My fruitful garden of meš trees, your charms are lovely, my one who is in himself Dumuzid-abzu, your charms are lovely. My holy statuette, my holy statuette, your charms are lovely. My alabaster statuette adorned with a lapis-lazuli jewel, your charms are lovely.
- 28
{ĝiš}kiri6 {ĝiš}ḫašḫur-a ul gur3-ru-ĝu10 ḫi-li-zu ze2-ba-am3
- 29
{ĝiš}kiri6 {ĝiš}meš3-a gurun il2-la-ĝu10 ḫi-li-zu ze2-ba-am3
- 30
du5-mu-zid-abzu ni2-te-na-ĝu10!(ni) ḫi-li-zu ze2-ba-am3
- 31
dim3 kug-ga-ĝu10 dim3 kug-ga-ĝu10 ḫi-li-zu ze2-ba-am3
- 32
dim3 ĝiš-nu11-gal suḫ za-gin3 keše2 ḫi-li-zu ze2-ba-am3
- 33
bal-bal-e {d}inana-kam
A balbale song 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.