A song of Inana and Dumuzid (Dumuzid-Inana B1)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 4 - Hymns and cult songs · 60 sections

1
ud ḫe2-ĝal2-la na-nam ĝi6 nam-ḫe2 na-nam
It was in the days of abundance, it was in the nights of plenty; it was in the months of luxuriance, it was in the years of rejoicing. In those days the shepherd, the shepherd Dumuzid decided in his holy heart to make his heart joyful, to go to the cattle-pen, to brighten its mood, to make the holy sheepfold shine like the day. He of decision and resolve spoke to the queen of heaven, the queen of earth. Ama-ušumgal-ana addressed words to her:
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itid giri17-zal na-nam mu asila na-nam
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ud-ba {lu2}sipad-de3 šag4 ḫul2-la ak-de3
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[{e2}]tur3-ra du-de3 ur5-bi zalag-ge-de3
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⌈amaš⌉ kug-ga ud-gin7 kar2-kar2-re-de3
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⌈su8⌉-ba {d}dumu-zid-de3 šag4 kug-ga na-an-tum4
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ga-ša-an an-na ga-ša-an ki-a-ra!(ke4)
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gu3 mu-na-de2-e ĝalga umuš-a-ke4
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{d}ama-ušumgal-an-na inim mu-un-na-ni-ib-be2
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nitalam a zal ki a-ri-a-še3 ga-de6
Wife, I am going to bring flowing water to the arid (?) place. I am going to look after my spacious cattle-pen. I am going to find out the condition of the holy sheepfold. I am going to feed my sheep. I am going to seek out the …… of fresh water for drinking.
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{e2}tur3 daĝal-la-ĝu10 en3-bi ga-me-ši-tar
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amaš kug-ga-ĝu10 a-ra2-bi ga-me-ši-zu
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udu-ĝu10 ka u2-gu7 ga-me-ši-ĝar
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a naĝ dug3-ga LI-bi ga-me-ši-kiĝ2
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nitalam umuš-bi ba-an-na-dug4
He told his wife of this resolve; he presented his decision to her. His wife returned to their dwelling; holy Inana brought …… into E-tur-kalama. She was dumbfounded; the mistress Inana was thrown into confusion as if by a flood wave.
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ĝalga-a-ni e-ne-ra mu-un-na-an-šum2
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nitalam-ni tuš-bi-še3 im-ma-an-gi4
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kug ga-ša-an-na-ke4 e2-tur3-kalam-ma-ke4
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X mu-ni-in-kur9 niĝ2-me-⌈ĝar⌉ ba-an-dab5
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mu-gi17-ib ga-ša-an-an-na a-ĝi6-gin7 ba-lu3
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ki-ru-gu2 1-kam-ma
1st kirugu.
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ud-ba {lu2}sipad-de3 edin-še3 ba-ra-e3
Then the shepherd went out into the desert. The young man Dumuzid …… in the cattle-pen. His sister, the queen of scribes, went to …… heaven and earth. The shepherd and his sister entered there into the holy sheepfold inside which the sheep live. He was living there, the shepherd was living there; and his sister, the singer expert in song, was living in that dwelling. Abundance filled the cattle-pen, plenty flowed in the sheepfold. They ate, they ate pure food -- pressed oil, honey and ghee. They drank emmer beer and strong liquor.
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ĝuruš {d}dumu-zid-de3 {e2}tur3-ra ga DU
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nin9-a-ni ga-ša-an dub-sar-ke4
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an-da ki-bi-da-še3 ba-ši-re7
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amaš kug-ga ki udu du-ru šag4-ba
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sipad-de3 nin9-a-ni ki-bi ba-an-su-ne2-eš2
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til3-le-da-an-ni sipad-de3 til3-le-da-an-ni
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nin9-a-ni nar en3-du zu-a tuš-ba til3-le-da-an-ni
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{e2}tur3-ra ḫe2-ĝal2 im-mi-in-si
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amaš-e nam-ḫe2-a i3-zal-e
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i3-gu7-ne u2 sikil i3-gu7-ne
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i3 sur-sur-ra lal3 i3-nun-na-ke4
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i3-naĝ-ne {kaš}ulušin3 kurun
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{d}dumu-zid nin9-a-ni šag4 ḫul2-la zal-e-de3
Dumuzid, the shepherd Dumuzid decided in his holy heart to make the heart of his sister overflow with joy. He fastened …… and brought them into the cow-pen. He brought …… for her, a ewe with its lamb. The lamb jumped up on its mother, and then mounted her and copulated with her. The shepherd said to his sister:
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su8-[ba] {d}dumu-zid-de3 šag4 kug-ga na-an-tum4
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X X mu-un-ši-la2 tur3-ta ba-ši-in-kur9
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[X] mu-un-na-⌈ni⌉-in-de6 u8 sila4-bi-da
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sila4 ama-bi-⌈še3⌉ u3-mu-un-na-an-kud
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ba-ši-in-u5 X ĝiš mi-ni-in-⌈du⌉
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sipad-de3 nin9-a-⌈ni⌉ gu3 mu-un-na-de2-e
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nin9-ĝu10 igi bar-⌈ra⌉ sila4 ama-⌈ni⌉ [(X)] ⌈a⌉-nam mu-un-ši-⌈kiĝ2⌉-[kiĝ2]
Look, my sister! What is the lamb seeking from his mother? His sister replied to him: He is mounting on the back of his mother, and making her sing out. (Dumuzid speaks:) If he is mounting on her back, and making her sing out, what it really is ……: he is copulating with her and filling her to overflowing with his semen.
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nin9-a-ni mu-un-⌈na⌉-[ni-ib-gi4-gi4]
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ama-a-ni murgu-na u3-mu-un-ši-[u5] i-lu mu-un-du-du
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tukum-bi murgu-na u3-mu-⌈un⌉-[ši-u5] i-lu mu-un-du-du
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DU a-na-am3 ĝiš-a-ni mu-un-[du3 zal]-⌈le⌉-eš a-ni mi-ni-in-si
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maš2 nin9-a-ni [u3]-⌈mu⌉-un-ši-gud
The kid jumped up on his sister and then mounted her and copulated with her. The shepherd said to his sister: Look, my sister! What is the kid seeking from his sister? His sister, not grasping the meaning, replied to him: He is mounting on the back of his sister, and making her sing out. (Dumuzid speaks:) If he is mounting on her back, and making her sing out, what it really is: he is filling her genitals with his ejaculated semen. My brother, …… to me derisively …… mount! Who will cause …… to have …… in the future?
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ba-ši-in-u5 ⌈ĝiš⌉ mi-ni-in-[du3]
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sipad-de3 nin9-a-ni [gu3] mu-un-na-de2-e
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nin9-ĝu10 igi bar-ra maš2-e nin9-[a-ni] a-na-am3 mu-un-ši-kiĝ2-kiĝ2
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nin9-a-ni šag4 nu-dab5-ba-na [mu]-un-na-ni-ib-gi4-gi4
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nin9-a-ni murgu-na u3-⌈mu⌉-[un-ši-u5] i-lu mu-un-du-du
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tukum-bi murgu-na u3-mu-un-[ši-u5] i-lu mu-un-du-du
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te-am3 a ri-a-ni gal4-[la] mi-ni-in-su-su
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ĝar-ra šeš-ĝu10 su-lum ma-ra e-ne bad ba-u5
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a-ba-a MI ŠA AM mi-ni-in-tuku-e en-na a-ga-bi-še3
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ki-ru-gu2 2-kam-ma
2nd kirugu.
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sipad-de3 su nu-um-⌈?⌉ UR SU la-ba-an-SU
The shepherd was not frightened (?), and did not ……. He said to his sister: (unknown no. of lines missing)
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nin9-a-ni gu3 mu-un-na-de2-e
gap
(unknown no. of lines missing)

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.