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A balbale to Inana (Dumuzid-Inana C)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 4 - Hymns and cult songs · 52 sections

1. 1

   nin9-ĝu10 e2-a a-na-am3 mu-e-[ak]

   My sister, what have you been doing in the house? Little one, what have you been doing in the house?

2. 2

   lu2-tur e2-a a-na-am3 mu-e-⌈ak⌉

3. 3

   a im-ma-tu5 na-ma im-ma-su-ub

   I was bathing, I was rubbing myself with soap. I was washing myself with water from the holy kettle, I was rubbing myself with the soap from the white stone bowl. I was anointing myself with good oil from the stone bowl, and dressing myself in the formal dress proper to Inana. That is how I was busying myself in the house.

4. 4

   a šen-dilim2 kug-ga im-ma-tu5

5. 5

   na-ma bur babbar-ra im-ma-su-ub

6. 6

   u5 ze2-ba bur-ra im-ma-šeš4

7. 7

   {tug2}pala3 na-aĝ2 ga-ša-an-an-na im-ma-mur10

8. 8

   ur5-re e2-a mi-ni-ib2-ni10-ni10-e-en

9. 9

   šem-bi-zid i-bi2-ĝa2 mu-ni-mar-mar

   I have put lots of kohl on my eyes, I have arranged …… the nape of my neck. I have washed my dangling hair, I have tested my weapons that make his reign propitious. I have straightened my tousled head of hair, I have tightened my loosened hairgrips, and let my hair fall down the back of my neck. I have put a golden bracelet on my wrist. I have put little lapis-lazuli beads round my neck, and arranged their buttons over my neck muscles.

10. 10

    gu2-bar-ĝu10 mu-DU si bi2-sa2

11. 11

    siki-ĝu10 im-da-la2 a bi2-⌈?⌉

12. 12

    {ĝiš}tukul-ĝu10 bal in-na-sag9-ga mu-zu

13. 13

    saĝ-ĝu10 ba-suḫ3 si bi2-sa2

14. 14

    suḫ-ĝu10 ba-bur2-bur2 mu-dub-dub

15. 15

    gu2 gu2-bar-ra-ka mu-ni-in-šub

16. 16

    ḫar kug-sig17 šu-ĝa2 im-mi-du3

17. 17

    za-gin3 di4-di4 gu2-ĝa2 im-mi-sig9

18. 18

    murub2-bi gu2 sa-ĝa2 si bi2-sa2

19. 19

    nin9 igi šag4-za-ta mu-de6-de6

    Sister! I will bring you whatever you desire. I will bring the loving heart of your heart. Your goddess has given you good looks. Sister, shining bright, you are the honey of your own mother. My sister, to whom I shall bring five things, my sister, to whom I shall bring 10 things, she has perfected your appearance for you; sister, shining bright, she has really made it a delight.

20. 20

    šag4-za šag4 ki aĝ2 mu-de6-de6

21. 21

    {d}inana-zu teš2 mu-ra-an-šum2

22. 22

    nin9 mul-mul lal3 ama ugu-za-me-en

23. 23

    nin9 lu2 niĝ2 5 ma-ra-de6-a-ĝu10

24. 24

    nin9 lu2 niĝ2 10 ma-ra-de6-a-ĝu10

25. 25

    alan-za šu ma-ra-ni-in-du7-am3

26. 26

    nin9 mul-mul sag9-ga-bi na-de6

27. 27

    šeš-ĝu10 e2-gal-ta kur9-?-?

    When my brother enters from the palace, the singers shall ……, and I shall pour wine into his mouth. That should gladden his heart, should please his heart.

28. 28

    nar-e-ne lu2 ḫu-mu-ni-[…]

29. 29

    [me]-e ka-ta mu-tin ga-mu-[…]-⌈de2⌉

30. 30

    ⌈ur5⌉-re šag4-ga-ni ḫe-em-ḫul2-⌈le⌉

31. 31

    ur5-re šag4-ga-ni ḫe2-em-sag9-ge

32. 32

    ḫe2-laḫ5 ḫe2-laḫ5 i3-i3 gara2-bi ga-na ḫe2-laḫ5

    Let him bring, let him bring, now let him bring pats of butter and cream! My sister, I will bring them with me to the house. Let him bring, let him bring me lambs like ewes. My sister, I will bring them with me to the house. Let him bring, let him bring me kids like goats. My sister, I will bring them with me to the house! Let the lambs be as comely as ewes! My sister, I will bring them with me to the house! Let the kids be as fine as goats! My sister, I will bring them with me to the house!

33. 33

    nin9-ĝu10 e2-a ga-mu-u8-da-⌈laḫ5⌉

34. 34

    u8-gin7 sila4 ḫe2-em-tum2 ḫe2-[em-tum2]

35. 35

    [nin9]-⌈ĝu10 e2⌉-a ga-mu-u8-da-⌈laḫ5⌉

36. 36

    ud5-gin7 maš2 ḫe2-em-tum2 ḫe2-[em-tum2]

37. 37

    ⌈nin9⌉-ĝu10 e2-a ga-mu-u8-⌈da⌉-[laḫ5]

38. 38

    u8-gin7 sila4 sag9-sag9-ga ⌈ḫe2⌉-a

39. 39

    nin9-ĝu10 e2-a ga-mu-u8-da-[laḫ5]

40. 40

    ud5-gin7 maš2 gun3-gun3-a ḫe2-a

41. 41

    nin9-ĝu10 e2-a ga-mu-u8-da-laḫ5

42. 42

    i-da-lam gaba-me gaba-ĝu10 ba-gub-gub

    See now, our my breasts stand out; see now, hair has grown on our my genitals, signifying (?) my progress to the embrace of a man. Let us be very glad! Dance, dance! O Bau, let us be very glad about my genitals! Dance, dance! Later on it will delight him, it will delight him!

43. 43

    i-da-lam gal4-la-me gal4-la-ĝa2 siki ba-an-mu2

44. 44

    ur2 mu-tin-na-še3 di-di-de3 ba-ba ga-ba-ḫul2-ḫul2-le-en-de3-en

45. 45

    gu4-ud-an-ze2-en gu4-ud-an-ze2-en

46. 46

    {d}ba-u2 gal4-la-ĝa2-ke4-eš ga-ba-ḫul2-ḫul2-le-en-de3-en

47. 47

    gu4-ud-an-ze2-en gu4-ud-an-ze2-en

48. 48

    eĝer-bi in-na-sag9 in-na-sag9

49. 49

    bal-bal-e {d}inana-kam

    A balbale of Inana.

50. 50

    ḫe2-laḫ5 ḫe2-laḫ5

    Let him bring, let him bring, come let him bring pats of butter and cream!

51. 51

    i3-i3 gara2-bi ga-na ḫe2-laḫ5

52. 52

    ĝiš-gi4-ĝal2-bi-im

    Its ĝišgiĝal.

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.