A man and his god

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 5 - Other literature · 142 sections

1
lu2-ulu3 nam-maḫ diĝir-ra-na zid-de3-eš-še3 ḫe2-em-me
A person should steadfastly proclaim the exaltedness of his god. A young man should devoutly praise the words of his god; the people living in the righteous Land should unravel them like a thread. May the balaĝ singer assuage the spirit of his neighbour and friend. May it soothe their (?) hearts, bring forth ……, utter ……, and measure out ……. Let his mouth shaping a lament soothe the heart of his god, for a man without a god does not obtain food.
2
ĝuruš-e inim diĝir-ra-na kug-ge-eš ḫe2-em-i-i
3
kalam ?-de-a uĝ3 dur2-ru-na-bi gu-gin7 ḫa-ba-si-il-e
4
{ĝiš}balaĝ di ušur gu5-li-ni ur5!(IR) ⌈ḫu⌉-mu-un-na-bur2-e
5
šag4 X ḫe2-eb-ḫuĝ-e
6
X [ḫe2-ni]-⌈in⌉-e3 […]-bi ḫe2-ni-ib-be2
7
[X] X X ⌈ḫe2⌉-aĝ2-e
8
ka i-si-iš ĝal2-la-ni šag4 diĝir-ra-na ḫe2-em-ḫuĝ-e
9
lu2-ulu3 diĝir-da nu-me-a u2-gu7 la-ba-ak-e
10
ĝuruš-e a2-ni ki-lul-la ḫul la-ba-e-ĝa2-ĝa2
There is a young man who does not wickedly put his efforts into evil murder, yet he spends the time in grief, asag illness and bitter suffering. The fate demon has brought need and …… close to him. Bitter …… has confused his judgment (?) of it, and covered his ……. Behind his back they have overpowered him like a ……. Before his god the youth, the young man weeps bitterly over the malice he has suffered. He is reverent and performs obeisance.
11
[a]-⌈nir⌉ a2-sag3 du-lum gig-ga ⌈ud⌉ im-ma-ni-in-⌈zal⌉
12
[X] X RA nam-tar-? su-gu7-e [X]-⌈ge⌉ mu-un-ni-ib-te
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[X X] ⌈gig⌉-ga ?-bi mu-suḫ3 X (X) X-na mu-un-dul
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a-ga-e šu ḫul mu-ni-ib-dug4 X X-še3
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šul-e igi diĝir-ra-na
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ĝuruš-e a2 ḫul ĝar-ra-na er2 ⌈gig⌉ i3-še8-še8
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ni2 mu-un-tuku šu-kin si bi2-in-sa2
18
[…] ⌈du⌉-lum-ma-ni ? ? mi-ni-ib-be2
He speaks …… of his suffering. In his total exhaustion ……, …… he weeps. ……, …… he weeps bitterly. He was able to fill the …… for him. He …… to him and addresses him:
19
[…] šag4 kuš2 si-a-na
20
[X] X-ni er2 ⌈mu⌉-ni-in-ĝar
21
[…] kar-ra […]
22
[…] er2 gig-⌈?⌉ mu-un-ĝa2-ĝa2
23
[…] mu-na-da-si
24
[…] mu-na-an-⌈DU⌉ [mu]-na-ab-be2
25
[… a]-nir mu-ne-du3
Grief ……, despair ……, and …… has been put in place. I am a young man, I am knowledgeable, but what I know does not come out right with me. The truth which I speak has been turned (?) into a lie. A man of deceit has overwhelmed me like the south wind and prostrated me before him. My unwitting arm has shamed me before you. You have doled out to me suffering ever anew. When I go into the house I despair. When I, a young man, go out into the street, I am depressed.
26
[… ur5] uš2-a […] X DU.DU
27
[…] mi-ni-⌈in-?⌉
28
ĝuruš-me-en zu-me-en [niĝ2]-zu-ĝu10 si nu-mu-da-sa2-e
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zid dug4-ga-ĝu10 lul-še3 i3-kur9
30
lu2-lul-la-ke4 u18-lu mu-un-dul šu-kin mu-un-na-dab5
31
a2 nu-zu-ĝu10 ma-ra-pe-la2-en
32
du-lum-ma ki gibil-gibil-la-bi saĝ-e-eš mu-e-rig7
33
e2-a u3-mu-un-kur9-re-en ur5 mu-uš2
34
ĝuruš-me-en sila-še3 um-e3-en šag4 mu-un-sag3
35
šul-me-en sipad zid-ĝu10 mu-da-ib2 igi erim2 mu-un-du8
My righteous shepherd has become angry with me, a youth, and looked upon me with hostility. My herdsman has plotted malice against me although I am not his enemy. My companion does not say a true word to me. My friend falsifies my truthfully spoken words. A man of deceit has spoken insulting words to me while you, my god, do not respond to him and you carry off my understanding. An ill-wisher has spoken insulting words to me -- he angered me, was like a storm and created anguish. I am wise -- why am I tied up with ignorant youths? I am discerning -- why am I entangled among ignorant men?
36
na-gada-ĝu10 lu2-erim2 nu-me-en-na a2 ḫul ma-kiĝ2-kiĝ2
37
dub3-sa-ĝu10 inim gen6-na na-ma-ab-be2
38
gu5-li-ĝu10 inim zid dug4-ga-ĝu10-uš lul ma-ši-ĝa2-ĝa2
39
lu2-lul-la-ke4 inim teš2 mu-un-dug4
40
diĝir-ĝu10 nu-mu-na-ni-ib-gi4-gi4-in
41
umuš-ĝu10 ba-an-ta-DU-un
42
ḫul-ĝal2-e inim teš2 mu-du
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mu-un-ib2-en ud-gin7 mu-un-du3 šag4 ḫul mu-un-dim2
44
gal-an-zu-me-en šul nu-zu-ra a-na-aš mu-un-na-la2-en
45
zu-me-en murub4 lu2 nu-zu-ka a-na-aš mu-un-na-la2-en
46
ninda i3-ĝal2-ĝal2 su-gu7 ninda-ĝu10-um
Food is all about, yet my food is hunger. When shares were allotted to all the people, my allotted share was suffering. A brother …… insulted me, created anguish. He …… my ……, raised up …… and carried off ……. A hostile …… without wisdom wrote on clay (?). He sought the …… of the journey. He cut down the …… of the road like a tree. He …… the supervisor and …… my steward.
47
ud uĝ3 šar2-re ḫa-la ba-ba du-lum ḫa-la ba-ĝu10-um
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šeš X X in mu-un-dub2 [šag4] ⌈ḫul⌉ mu-un-dim2
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[…] X-ga-ĝu10 […] X
50
[…] X ? šu mu-un-?-?
51
[…] ⌈an⌉-da-tum2-mu
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[…] ⌈?⌉ igi-ĝal2 ?-?-e im mu-sar-sar-re
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ḫar-ra-an-[na] DI ?-bi X-kiĝ2-kiĝ2
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kaskal-la ? X-la-bi ĝiš-gin7 mu-un-kud-e
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ugula-a a-ga […] X X […]
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nu-banda3-ĝu10 […] X […] ? […]
57
diĝir-ĝu10 X […] igi-zu-še3 […]
My god, …… before you. I would speak to you: my tears are excess and my words are supplication. I would tell you about it, would unravel to you like a thread the evil of my path. …… the confusion of what I have done (?). Let the wise …… in my plans; tears will not cease. I am less qualified than my friend; I am inferior to my companion.
58
ga-mu-ra-ab-dug4 er2-ĝu10 ? inim-ĝu10 šag4-ne-ša4
59
ga-ra-ni-ib-dug4 a-ra2-ĝa2 niĝ2-?-? gu-gin7 ga-mu-ra-si-il
60
niĝ2 ak-en suḫ3-a-bi X X […]
61
ĝiš-ḫur-ĝa2 gal-an-zu ḫu-mu-⌈un⌉-X niĝ2 er2 nu-gul-lu-dam
62
gu5-li-ĝu10-ur2 mu-na-an-la2-en
63
dub3-sa-ĝu10-ur2 a-ga-še3 mu-un-ši-gi4-in
64
a2-še ama ugu-ĝu10 er2-ĝu10 igi-zu-še3 na-an-gul-e
Now, let my mother who bore me not cease lamenting for me before you. Let my sister, truly a sweet-voiced balaĝ singer, narrate tearfully to you the deeds by which I was overpowered. Let my wife voice my suffering …… to you. Let the singer expert in chanting unravel my bitter fate to you like a thread.
65
nin9-ĝu10 balaĝ di ad dug3 na-⌈?⌉
66
niĝ2 ak šu ḫul dug4-ga-ĝu10 er2-ra ḫa-ra-ni-ib-be2
67
dam-ĝu10 du-lum-ĝu10 girid2 X ḫa-ra-ni-ib-pad3-pad3-de3
68
nar šir3 zu-e nam-tar gig-ga-ĝu10 gu-gin7 ḫa-ra-si-il-e
69
diĝir-ĝu10 kalam-e ud ba-zalag ĝa2-ar ud ma-ku10-ku10
My god, the day shines bright over the Land, but for me the day is black. The bright day has become (?) a …… day. Tears, lament, anguish and despair are lodged within me. Suffering overwhelms me like a weeping child. In the hands of the fate demon my appearance has been altered, my breath of life carried away. The asag demon, the evil one, bathes in my body.
70
ud zalag-ga ud ḫi-da!(A2)-gin7 X DU X
71
er2 a-nir šag4 sag3 ur5 uš2-a šag4-ga mu-un-ĝa2-⌈ĝa2⌉
72
du-lum-e dumu er2 pad3-da-gin7 šu mu-un-dul-dul-e
73
nam-tar-ra šu-ba igi mi-ni-in-kur2 zi-ĝu10 mi-ni-tum3-tum3
74
su-ĝa2 a2-sag3 niĝ2 ḫul ĝal2-e a im-ma-[ni]-ib-tu5
75
a-ra2-ĝa2 niĝ2-gig-ga-bi šu ḫul dug4-[ga-bi]
In the overwhelming bitterness of my path I never see a good dream -- but unfavourable (?) visions daily never stop for me. Anguish embraced me though I am not its wife and ……. Grief spread its lap for me though I am not its small child. Lamentation sweeps over me as if it were a southerly wind-storm and ……. My brother cried Alas. (10 lines fragmentary) (5 lines missing)
76
ma-mu2-da sag9-ga igi li-bi2-du8-ru-un
77
ud šu2-uš-e maš2-ĝi6 nu-ĝar-ra ĝa2-la nu-mu-ta-dag-ge
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šag4 sag3-e dam-bi nu-me-en-na gu2-da in-da-la2 a im-mi-[X]
79
zaraḫ-e dumu tur-bi nu-me-en-na ur2 mu-ub-tal2-tal2
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a-nir ulu3 ak-gin7 mu-un-sig10 šu nu-⌈?⌉-[…]
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šeš-ĝu10 u8-e-a im-ma-ab-dug4
82
[…] X […]
83
[…] X X ? DU […] X X X X AN […]
84
[…] X X ? X X ?
85
[…] X X X ?-sag3-ge-en
86
[…] X X X X ? mu-il2
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[…] ? mu-ni-in-tum3-?
88
[…] X mu-ni-X […]
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[…] X ? X X [X] X-en
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[…] X X-pad3-?
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[…] X im-mi-ib-DU
gap
(5 lines missing)
97
[…] ?-še8-še8 […]
I weep …… and ……. My god, you who are my father who begot me, lift up my face to you. Righteous cow, god (?) of mercy and supplication, let me acquire (?) noble strength. For how long will you be uncaring for me and not look after me? Like a bull I would rise to you but you do not let me rise, you do not let me take the right course. The wise heroes say true and right words: Never has a sinless child been born to its mother; making an effort (?) does not bring success (?); a sinless workman has never existed from of old.
98
diĝir-ĝu10 za-e a-a ugu-ĝu10-me-en igi-ĝu10 ḫe2-⌈ši⌉-[…-il2]
99
ab2 zid ? ⌈arḫuš⌉-a šag4-ne-ša4 a2 nun ⌈ḫe2⌉-[…]
100
en-na-me-⌈še3⌉ en3-ĝu10 nu-tar-re-en ki-ĝu10 nu-kiĝ2-kiĝ2-en
101
gud-gin7 ⌈?⌉-ši-ib-zig3 nu-mu-ra-ab-zig3-ge-⌈en6⌉
102
us2 zid nu-mu-ub-dab5-be2-en
103
mi-ni-ib-be2-ne šul gal-an-zu-ne inim zid si sa2
104
ud na-me dumu nam-tag nu-tuku ama-a-ni nu-tu-ud

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.