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A balbale to Suen (Nanna A)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 4 - Hymns and cult songs · 61 sections

1. 1

   me-a lu ab2 me-a lu-lu

   How many there are! How many cows there are! How many cattle of Suen there are! The dark ones are translucent lapis lazuli; the pale cows are the light of the risen moon. The little ones trickle down like barleycorns for you; the large ones throng together like wild bulls for you. The has undone the halters of the numerous cows in his teeming herd. He has poured out milk from the beautiful cows at the offering table; his bright hands ever pour the milk. After my king has completed the work, Suen …… the shining halter …… the cows, he …… the cows, he …… the cows. He acts as the herder of the cows.

2. 2

   šilam {d}suen me-a lu-lu

3. 3

   gig2-bi {na4}za-gin3 duru5-am3

4. 4

   ab2-ba babbar-bi iti6 e3-a-am3

5. 5

   tur-tur-bi še-gin7 ma-ra-ši-sur

6. 6

   gal-gal-bi am-gin7 ma-ra-ši-lu

7. 7

   ab2 lu-a tur3 lu-a-na

8. 8

   giri17-zal an-na-ke4 EŠ2.NUN.SUD.EŠ2.TU-ma ba-ni-in-du8

9. 9

   ga ab2 sig7-a-bi banšur-ra i-ni-in-de2

10. 10

    šu dadag-ge ga na-tum3-tum3

11. 11

    lugal-ĝu10 kiĝ2-ĝa2 til3-la-ni

12. 12

    {d}suen saman za-gin3 ab2 BAD ak-⌈a⌉

13. 13

    ab2 am3-ra-ra-ra ab2 am3-KU-KU-[KU]

14. 14

    e-ne ab2-ba nam-sipad mu-un-ak

15. 15

    ama ugu-ni nin nibru{ki}-ke4

    His own mother, the lady of Nibru, speaks a prayer to the lord in his desert: A prayer, O shepherd! A prayer! May the cows be numerous for you in the good desert. When you arrive at nightfall, may you renew the E-kur, the highly prized sanctuary.

16. 16

    en-ra edin-a-na a-ra-zu mu-na-ab-be2

17. 17

    a-ra-zu unud(UNU3) a-ra-zu

18. 18

    edin dug3-ga ab2 ḫu-mu-ra-ši-lu

19. 19

    ĝi6 u3-na um-ma-te-a-ta

20. 20

    e2-kur eš3 kal-kal za-e ḫe2-me-u3-tud

21. 21

    ki aĝ2-bi na-nam ki aĝ2-bi na-nam

    He is its lover, he is its lover, he is the lord, the E-kur's lover! He is the man of delight to Enlil, he is Suen, the cry of joy of his own mother.

22. 22

    en e2-kur-ra ki aĝ2-bi na-nam

23. 23

    {d}en-lil2-la2 lu2 la-la-ni na-nam

24. 24

    {d}suen ama ugu-ni i-lu-ni na-nam

25. 25

    ama ugu-ni šag4 ki aĝ2-ĝa2-ni-ta

    The mother who bore him speaks kindly from her loving heart to Suen: You are the beloved of the heart who calms the heart, Suen, shining calf who grew fat on the holy lap; you can wish in your heart for anything! You can desire everything precious to the heart! ……, splendour of the E-kur, make your wish on Enlil's lap. May you create glory in heaven! May the E-kur sing a song of joy about you, may the people call upon your life, Suen, may you be supreme in heaven and earth!

26. 26

    {d}suen-ra mi2-e-eš na-mu-un-e

27. 27

    [ki] ⌈aĝ2⌉ šag4-ga niĝ2 šag4 te-en-na-me-en

28. 28

    ⌈{d}⌉suen amar za-gin3 dub3 kug-ga peš-a

29. 29

    [niĝ2]-nam šag4-ge al dug4-ga-zu

30. 30

    [niĝ2 kal]-kal-la šag4-ge guru7-a-zu

31. 31

    [X X X] zi-zi ḫe2-du7 e2-kur-ra

32. 32

    dug3 {d}en-lil2-la2-ka za-e al dug4-ba-ni-ib

33. 33

    giri17-zal an-na za-e ḫe2-me-u3-tud

34. 34

    i-lu-zu e2-kur-re ḫe2-em-me

35. 35

    zi-zu uĝ3-e ḫe2-em-mi-ib-aĝ2-ĝe26

36. 36

    {d}suen an ki-a ḫe2-em-dirig-ge-en

37. 37

    ab2 ĜAR.NE ga-bi banšur-ra i-ni-in-de2

    He has poured out milk from the …… cows at the offering table, Suen has ordained the purification rites: Everything that I do is brilliant! My father Enlil has fed me well.

38. 38

    {d}suen-e šu-luḫ-e si bi2-in-sa2

39. 39

    niĝ2 šu dug4-ga-ĝu10 dadag-ga-am3

40. 40

    a-a-ĝu10 {d}en-lil2-le dug3-ga ḫe2-gu7-e

41. 41

    lugal ma2-gur8 kug an-na dirig-ga

    His mother speaks kindly in joy to the king, the holy barge which travels across the sky: My wild bull whom An has well called, your name is respected in all lands. Lord of the holy herd who consecrates the purification rites, seed engendered in a holy shrine, shining halter, heroic child born by Ninlil! Nanna, seed engendered in the fields, beloved of holy An! An has conferred on you the shepherding of the Land!

42. 42

    ama-ni ul-la mi2 na-mu-un-e

43. 43

    am an-ne2 zid-de3-eš pad3-da-ĝu10

44. 44

    mu-zu kur-kur-ra ze2-be2-eš im-ma-al

45. 45

    en tur3 kug-ga šu-luḫ dadag-ga-am3

46. 46

    a ra eš3 kug-ga-am3 saman za-gin3-na

47. 47

    dumu ur-saĝ {d}nin-lil2-le tud-da

48. 48

    {d}nanna a-gar3 a ru-a ki aĝ2 an ⌈kug-ga⌉

49. 49

    nam-sipad kalam-ma an-ne2 ma-ra-an-šum2

50. 50

    {d}en-lil2-le mu dug3-ga mi-ri-in-sa4

    Enlil has named you with a good renown -- you are the son of Enlil whose speech is just. In his elevated heart An has bestowed kingship on you. He has chosen your city Urim in his heart. For you he has brought fish and birds to the princely river. First-born of Enlil, who …… the rank of lord, he has bestowed on you the kingship of heaven. You are a god dressed in beauty in the heavens. Your moonlight is holy and bright, and because like Utu you are a shepherd of the Land, Nanna, it shines forth for the king like the daylight.

51. 51

    dug4-ga zid dumu {d}en-lil2-la2-me-en

52. 52

    an-ne2 šag4 maḫ-a-na nam-lugal ma-ra-an-šum2

53. 53

    iri-zu urim2{ki} šag4-ge bi2-pad3

54. 54

    id2 nun-e ku6 mušen ma-ra-ab-tum3

55. 55

    dumu-saĝ {d}en-lil2-la2 nam-en-na X [X]

56. 56

    nam-lugal an-na za-ra mu-ra-an-šum2

57. 57

    diĝir an-na ḫi-li gur3-ru-me-en

58. 58

    iti6-zu kug-ga-am3 dadag-ga-am3

59. 59

    {d}utu-gin7 su8-ba kalam-ma-me-en

60. 60

    {d}nanna lugal-ra ud-de3-eš-e mu-un-e3

61. 61

    bal-bal-e {d}suen-na-kam

    A balbale of Suen.

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.