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A hymn to Nergal (Nergal B)

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

1. 1

   [ur-saĝ dumu] ⌈maḫ⌉ ni2 gur3-ru {d}en-lil2-la2

   Hero, majestic, awe-inspiring son of Enlil, battering like a storm and roaring against the rebel lands! Immense at his front, at his rear surging as a flood, after he ……, …… this place; Lord Mešlamta-ea inspiring terrifying awe, his …… not releasing the hostile land, his luxuriant horn …… in the Land, struck …… with weapons.

2. 2

   [ud-gin7 ra-ra] ki-bal-še3 gu3 ĝar-ra

3. 3

   [igi-ni-še3 u18]-ru bar-ra-ni-še3 mar-uru5 zig3-ga

4. 4

   […] X-ba-ni ki-bi [X]-⌈ge⌉

5. 5

   [en] [{d}meš3]-⌈lam⌉-ta-e3-a ⌈ni2⌉ [ḫuš gur3-ru]

6. 6

   [X X]-a-ni kur ⌈erim2⌉-[ĝal2 nu-ed2]-de3

7. 7

   [si ma-az]-za-ni kalam-[ma …]-la

8. 8

   […] {ĝiš}⌈tukul bi-in-sag3⌉

9. 9

   […] X IM {d}en-[lil2-le] u3-tud-da

   ……, sired by Enlil, great ……, …… flood ……; he has placed you ……, he has positioned you in your heroic strength.

10. 10

    […] GAL X X [mar]-⌈uru5⌉ X X X

11. 11

    […] X X […]-⌈ĝar⌉-re-⌈en6⌉

12. 12

    [a2] nam-ur-saĝ-<ĝa2>-zu mu-gub-⌈be2-en6⌉

13. 13

    [saĝ il2]-la gu3 ra-bi-da nir-ĝal2

    Raising his head, authoritative with a ringing voice, knowing the divine powers of the gods, …… of the Land, he travels through heaven and organises everything.

14. 14

    lu2 zu-me diĝir-re-e-ne-ke4

15. 15

    e2 ĜA2×X-e ba-[X]-ar kalam-ma-ka

16. 16

    an-⌈ne2 mu⌉-niĝin2 niĝ2-⌈nam⌉-[ma] a2 ⌈mu-un⌉-kiĝ2

17. 17

    ud nam-X mu-X X X

    When …… you command the storm which flattens the hostile land, you devastate its evil; you pour it over for as long as it disobeys. You are the great hero of the lands, you speak ……, you go …… where no foot has previously been placed. …… like a vessel with seven spouts. The black-headed gather together at the front. You outpace the pigeons with ……. You outpace the black and white swallows (?).

18. 18

    a-⌈ma⌉-[ru] kur sig10-sig10-ge5 mu-ni-dug4-ga

19. 19

    niĝ2 ḫul-[ĝal2]-bi kuš7 su3-su3-me-en

20. 20

    en-na nu-⌈še-ga⌉-še3 su3-su3-me-en

21. 21

    ur-saĝ ⌈gal⌉ kur-kur-⌈ra⌉-[me]-⌈en⌉

22. 22

    ŠEŠ-a ⌈dub2-dub2⌉-e gu3 ba-an-de2-de2

23. 23

    ĝiri3 nu-⌈ni⌉-gub X X-ni-du-un

24. 24

    šaĝan 7-gin7 X X-e ba-an-dib

25. 25

    saĝ gig2 teš2 an-še3 gu2 bi2-in-ĝar

26. 26

    tum12{mušen}-bi-a lal3-⌈da⌉ zag mi-ni-dib-be2

27. 27

    ?[{mušen}] ⌈babbar gig2⌉-bi-a zag mi-ni-dib-be2

28. 28

    [X X sila] sig9-sig9-ga X […]

    …… in the hushed streets, your …… awesomeness covers the city. The majestic and just crown …… your awesomeness. The …… is a south wind that none can withstand. At the place of the queen, the most precious place, you exercise the role of supreme deity! Directing a noble gaze, you exercise kingship in the Land! For his father he has led the people from afar. He, Nergal, has brought them to the …… of the nether world.

29. 29

    ⌈ni2⌉ [(X)]-zu iri mu-⌈un⌉-[dul]

30. 30

    men ⌈zid⌉ maḫ ni2-zu […]

31. 31

    X X u18-lu lu2-u3 gaba nu-[mu]-gi4

32. 32

    ki nin ki kal-kal nam-{d}en-lil2 ša-ba-ak-e

33. 33

    igi saĝ il2 kalam-ma nam-lugal ša-ba-ak-e

34. 34

    a-a-ni-ra uĝ3 ⌈su3⌉-ud-bi-⌈ta⌉ mi-ni-ib-e3

35. 35

    kur-ra ? X X X ki ⌈?⌉-bi-še3 i3-⌈ši⌉-de6 {d}nergal-ke4

36. 36

    {d}er3-ra [lugal]-⌈ni⌉ mi2 na-mu-un-e

    Then Erra welcomed his king: They have come! You surpass An! Perform the stewardship for An the king! In accordance with destiny you determine fates with him, Nergal! Ninšubur, the minister of the great place, the underworld, greeted Nergal: You are the lord who has made the bandits come forth (?) from the mountains. As with Enlil ……, no part of a foreign land escapes your grasp. Hero, for Enlil you piled up Enlil's enemies (?) in a single day. Hating ……, Nergal, …… as fire, you rise up in the lands where the sun rises. The Anuna gods stepped forward: Like …… cracks ……, ……, you are Nergal!

37. 37

    sug2-sug2-ge-eš-am3 an-ra dirig-ga-me-en

38. 38

    an lugal-e šid du3-mu-na-ab

39. 39

    nam tar-re nam mu-un-di-ni-ib-tar-re {d}nergal-ka-me-en

40. 40

    {d}nin-šubur sukkal ki gal kur-ra-ke4 {d}nergal-ka-ke4 silim-bi ba-ni-in-dug4

41. 41

    en-e ḫur-saĝ-ta [lu2-sa]-gaz ki mu-e3-a-me-en

42. 42

    {d}⌈en⌉-[lil2]-gin7 ki X kur teš2-a [a2]-⌈zu⌉ nu-ed2-de3

43. 43

    [ur]-⌈saĝ⌉ [X] ⌈?⌉ du3 {d}en-lil2-la2

44. 44

    [zar-re-eš] {d}en-lil2-ra ud 1(AŠ)-a du8-du8

45. 45

    [… ḫul] ⌈gig⌉ {d}nergal i-zi-gin7

46. 46

    […] kur ud e3 zig3-ga-me-en

47. 47

    [{d}a-nun-na mu]-un-sug2-ge-eš

48. 48

    […] ki-in-dar sud-sud-gin7

49. 49

    […] X-a-ni {d}nergal-ka-me-en

50. 50

    […] in-ga-[…] X

    (5 lines fragmentary) …… son of Enlil ……, Lugal-era. Praising you is sweet.

51. 51

    […] X […]

52. 52

    […] X X

53. 53

    […] tud-da

54. 54

    [… zar-re]-⌈eš2⌉ du8

55. 55

    [… dumu] [{d}]⌈en⌉-lil2-la2

56. 56

    […] {d}lugal-er9-ra

57. 57

    [za3-mi2-zu dug3]-⌈ga⌉-am3

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.