A šir-gida to Ninisina (Ninisina A)

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 4 - Hymns and cult songs · 136 sections

1
[… barag] maḫ-a dur2 ĝar-ra
…… who has taken her seat on an exalted dais, ……, imbued with awesomeness, an amazing sight, …… Ninisina, joyously fresh, ……, gathering up the divine powers, she announces the rites. …… Ninisina …… with intricate skill. ……, ministering with intricate skill, she gathers up the divine powers; Ninisina, ministering with intricate skill, she gathers up the divine powers. She takes in her hands the august divine powers. She attaches the incrustations to the great garment, while speaking favourable words. She tests the surgical lancet; Ninisina sharpens the scalpel. She has made perfect the divine powers of medicine, and hands them over to her son, the king of Ĝirsi, the kindly Damu:
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[… ni2] ⌈gur3⌉-ru u6 di-de3 gub-ba
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[…] [{d}nin]-[isin2]⌈si⌉-na ḫu-ul-ḫu-le-eš2 sig7-ga
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[… me] ur4-ur4 ĝarza2 im-pad3-de3
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[(X)] [{d}nin-isin2si]-na-ke4 nam-galam-ma gu2 nam-mi-in-KU
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[…] nam-galam-ma u2-a me na-ur4-ur4-re
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[{d}]nin-isin2si-na-ke4 nam-galam-ma u2-a me na-ur4-ur4-re
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me maḫ šu-še3 na-ĝa2-ĝa2-ĝa2
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tug2 gal-e u-gun3 im-ma-ak-e inim im-ma-ab-sag9-ge
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bulug-kiĝ2-gur4-ra igi mu-un-sig10-ge
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{d}nin-isin2si-na-ke4 ĝiri2-GAG-e u3-sar im-ma-ak-e
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me nam-a-zu šu im-du7-du7
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dumu-ni lugal ĝir2-si-ra
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{d}da-mu lu2 sag9-ga šu-ni ba-ab-šum2-mu
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dumu-ĝu10 niĝ2 nam-a-zu-ka ĝizzal ḫe2-em-ma-ak
My son, pay attention to everything medical! Damu, pay attention to everything medical! He takes the bandages and wipes them; he treats the bandages with embrocation, and softens the plaster that had been put on them. He mops up the blood and suppuration, and places a warm hand on the horrid wound. My lady, the midwife of the mothers of the Land, is the chief doctor of the black-headed; Ninisina, the daughter of An, hands this all over to her son, the king of Ĝirsi, the kindly Damu:
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{d}da-mu niĝ2 nam-a-zu-ka ĝizzal ḫe2-em-ma-ak
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{tug2}bar-sig9-ge šu im-ma-an-ti šu im-gur-gur-re
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{tug2}bar-sig9 dig-dig-e im-ma-ak-e
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im al-dug4-ga im-ku7-ku7-e
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uš2 lugud-e šu im-šu2-ur-šu2-ur-re
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simx(GIG)-simx(GIG)-ma šu kum2 mu-na-ak-e
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nin-ĝu10 šag4-zu ama kalam-ma-ka
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a-zu gal saĝ gig2-ga-kam
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{d}nin-isin2si-na dumu an-na-ke4
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dumu-ni lugal ĝir2-si-ra
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{d}da-mu lu2 sag9-ga šu-ni ba-ab-šum2-mu
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dumu-ĝu10 niĝ2 nam-a-zu-ka ĝizzal ḫe2-em-ma-ak
My son, pay attention to everything medical! Damu, pay attention to everything medical! You will be praised for your diagnoses. Holy Ninisina performs for him her role as incantation priest, which Enki bestowed on her from the princely abzu. Because of the anxiety and intestinal disease which pursue mankind, this person writhes like a snake on scorching ground, hissing like a snake in waste ground, always calling out anew: My heart! My stomach!
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{d}da-mu niĝ2 nam-a-zu-ka ĝizzal ḫe2-em-ma-ak
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eš-bar kiĝ2-ĝa2 za3-mi2 mi-ri2-in-dug4
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kug {d}nin-isin2si-na nam-išib mu-na-ak-e
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{d}en-ki-ke4 abzu nun-na-ta saĝ-e-eš mu-ni-in-rig7
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šag4-gig lipiš-gig lu2-ulu3-ra mu-na-kar-re
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lu2-ulu3-bi muš ki bil2-gin7 i-im-bal-bal-e
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muš ki-uš2-a-gin7 e-ne dag i3-si-il-e
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šag4-ĝu10 lipiš-ĝu10 gibil-la-bi im-me
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nin-ĝu10 nam-išib-e šu gal mu-un-du7-du7
My lady performs the incantations perfectly. Ninisina speaks the incantation formula over them and they become better. She performs the incantation with ghee, and pours it into her great bowl, bringing it along in her cooling hands. She makes the illness leave this person's body like wind. Like a raging fire of esparto grass, it dies out of its own accord. The personal gods of mankind stand before her pleading and praying; at their request, holy Ninisina intercedes before An and Enlil for them at his highest cult place:
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{d}nin-isin2si-na-ke4 tu6 bi2-in-dug4 ba-sag9
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i3-nun-e nam-šub ba-an-šum2
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bur gal-la-na ba-ni-in-de2
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šu sed-da-na nam-ma-an-de6
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lu2-ulu3-bi tum9-gin7 kuš-a-na im-ma-an-di-ni-ib-ed2-de3
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izi {u2}? zi-zi-da-gin7 ni2-ba mu-un-te-en-te-en
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diĝir nam-lu2-ulu3 sizkur a-ra-zu-a mu-na-an-sug2-sug2-ge-eš
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inim-bi-da an-ra {d}en-lil2-ra
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kug {d}nin-isin2si-na ki maḫ-a-na mu-un-ne-de3-en-ku4-ku4
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{d}udug ḫul {d}lamma ḫul lu2-ra šub-ba
The evil demons and the evil demonesses who beset mankind, Dim-me and Dim-mea who enter by night, Namtar and Asag who will not leave a man alone, stand before the man. He is robbed of sleep (?). His god who smites all (1 line unclear)
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{d}dim3-me {d}dim3-<me>-a-bi kur9-ra ĝi6 u3-na
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nam-tar a2-sag3-ga lu2-ra nu-ed3-de3
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lu2-ra sug2-ge-eš u3 mu-ni-ib-kar
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diĝir niĝ2 mu-un-ni-ra-a-ni
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saĝ-ĝu10-a ba-an-di-ni-ib-šub-ba
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lu2-bi ensi-ra mu-un-pad3-de3 eĝer-ra mu-un-zu-zu
That man calls a dream interpreter, wishing to have knowledge of the future. The man for whom the demonic illness has been too great utters pleas to holy Ninisina, utters prayers to her: My lady, I come to do homage to you! Then your incantation descends onto the man, and you will treat him like a youth who has a protective deity. Afterwards, when you have stretched out your finger over him, he will himself praise you fittingly and call upon your name favourably!
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lu2-ulu3 nam-tar um-ma-an-dirig-ga
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kug {d}nin-isin2si-na sizkur mu-na-ab-be2 a-ra-zu mu-na-ab-be2
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nin-ĝu10 ka tar DU-za za im-DU.DU
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tu6-zu lu2-ra mu-un-ta-ed3-de3
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šul diĝir tuku ḫe2-em-mu-un-ak
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eĝer-ba šu-si-zu u3-mu-ne-ur3
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ni2-zu me-teš2-e ši-im-i-i
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mu-zu dug3-ge-eš-e im-pad3-de3
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nin-ĝu10 ni2-te-na ki mu-un-kiĝ2-kiĝ2-e
My lady searched intensively on her own (?), concerned herself with things that otherwise one does not bother with, directed her attention to things that otherwise one does not do. Proudly she …… the rank of Mistress, and my lady took away all the divine powers established for it. At that time, the jewellery of šuba stones did not exist; no jewellery of šuba stones was worn on the neck. Ninisina invented it: it was she who ploughed with the šuba stones, she who made them into seeds. For (?) the goddess, the great mistress of heaven, she invented the jewellery of šuba stones. Radiating terrifying splendour as she grasped it, she placed it joyously on her head.
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niĝ2 nu-sig9-ge en3 nam-ši-in-tar
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niĝ2 nu-dim2-me-de3 ĝeštug2-ga-ni na-an-gub
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nam-nu-u8-gig-e ḫi-li im-ma-an-X
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lu2 nin-ĝu10 me ĝar-ĝar-ra-ba šu ba-ra-an-ti
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ud-ba unu7 šuba nu-ĝal2-la-am3
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unu7 šuba gu2-a nu-ĝal2-la-am3
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{d}nin-isin2si-na-ke4 inim-e bi2-in-sig10-ge
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šuba na-ur11-ru numun-e-eš na-ĝa2-ĝa2
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in-nin9 nu-u8-gig gal an-na-ke4
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unu7 šuba inim-e bi2-ib-sig10-ge
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še-er-zid ed2-de3 zag keše2-de3-de3
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siasil3-la2 saĝ-ĝa2 mu-ni-ĝal2
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šar2 ki-sikil li-li ĝa2-ĝa2-de3
To create offspring for thousands of young women, to make things in order like a potter, to cut the umbilical cord, to determine destinies, to place a hand on the door of the , ……, to let the human child scream loud and long after it is received in the embrace, to turn its belly downwards and to turn it upside down, to …… the office of Mistress, to treat it quickly, to wash …… -- after she has made all these great divine powers appear gloriously, and my lady has spoken praise …… in addition, Ninisina praises herself fittingly:
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!-ra-ke4 si sa2-e-de3 gi-dur kud-de3 nam tar-re-de3
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{ĝiš}ig niĝin3-ĝar-ra-ke4 šu us2-u3-de3 UM ki ra-ra-de3
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dumu lu2 ur2-ra da an-ri-ri gu3 nun sud-sud-de3
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šag4 ki-še3 ĝa2-ĝa2-de3 saĝ šu bal ak-de3
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nam-nu-u8-gig zi-ki-in-ne-en tukum di-de3 IM.DI luḫ-e-de3
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me gal-gal-e pa e3 u3-bi2-ak
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nin-ĝu10 me-te si na-an-ga-am3-dug4
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{d}nin-isin2si-na-ke4 silim zid-de3-eš na-e
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nin munus šul a2 maḫ {d}en-lil2-la2-me-en
I am the lady, the youthful woman, the great strength of Enlil! I am the beautiful woman Ninisina, daughter of holy An! My father An the king, shepherd of the gods, sat me in the Land on a holy dais. My mother Uraš, the lady of the gods, had momentous sexual intercourse with An, relaxing in the holy bedchamber; my place of engendering by holy An was a holy place.
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munus sag9-ga {d}nin-isin2si-na-me-en dumu an kug-ga-me-en
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a-a-ĝu10 an lugal sipad diĝir-re-e-ne
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kalam-e barag kug-ga ba-e-tuš
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ama-ĝu10 {d}uraš nin diĝir-re-e-ne
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an-da ki-nu2 kug-ga šag4 kuš2-u3 e-ne su3-ud gal ba-e-dug4
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ki-ulutim2-ĝu10 an kug ki sikil
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e2-ĝu10 e2 i3-si-in{ki} bulug an ki
My house is the house of Isin, the cosmic border of heaven and earth, a fragrant cedar forest whose perfume does not diminish; its interior is a mountain established in plenteousness. Before the land of Dilmun ever existed, my house was created from a date palm. Before the land of Dilmun ever existed, Isin was created from a date palm. Its dates are like a great linen garment that hangs on a tree, heaped up into piles. The Anuna, the great gods, eat together with me. My house is a place of healing, full of opulence, the place of the formation of the Land. At night it shines to me like the moonlight; in the noonday heat it shines to me like the sunlight. My husband, Lord Pabilsaĝ, the son of Enlil, lies inside with me ……, enjoying his rest there. My watercourse is the Kir-sig watercourse, which produces plenty for eating, which spreads out over the wheat; in it the flowing water always rises high for me. Its banks make syrup and wine grow there, and make their produce rich for me.
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tir šim {ĝiš}erin-na ir-bi nu-gul-e
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šag4-bi kur ḫe2-ĝal2-la ki us2-sa
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e2-ĝu10 kur dilmun{ki} nu-me-a {ĝiš}ĝišnimbar-ta ba-an-tud
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i3-si-in{ki} kur dilmun{ki} nu-me-a {ĝiš}ĝišnimbar-ta ba-an-tud
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zu2-lum-bi gada maḫ ĝiš la2-gin7 guru7-še3 ba-an-dub
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{d}a-nun-na diĝir gal-gal-e-ne mu-da-gu7-u3-ne
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e2-ĝu10 ki silim-ma giri17-zal ki-ulutim2 kalam-ma
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ĝi6 u3-na iti6-gin7 ma-e3
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an-bar7-gana2 ud-ud-gin7 ma-e3
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nitalam-ĝu10 en {d}pa-bil-saĝ dumu {d}en-lil2-ke4

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.