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An elegy on the death of Nawirtum

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 5 - Other literature · 66 sections

1. 1

   ud ḫul ?-be2-da-na ki-sikil-ra ba-[…]

   An evil day …… upon the maiden in her ……. Upon the fair woman, the well-favoured maiden, the evil eye ……. Upon the fledgling overstepping its nest, a net has ……. The fecund mother, the mother of children, is …… by a snare. The yellow cow, the loud-voiced wild cow, …… like a gakkul vessel. Nawirtum, the loud-voiced wild cow, …… like a gakkul vessel. She who never said I am sick was not cared for. She who did not …… did not …… the divine place. Like their resting-place, their hurled …… was not …….

2. 2

   munus sag9-ga ki-sikil ḫe2-du7-ra igi ḫul ba-[…]

3. 3

   mušen amar-bi gud3-bi dirig-še3 sa im-[…]

4. 4

   ama gan ama dumu tur ĝiš-?-re ba-an-[…]

5. 5

   ab2 sig7-ga šilam bar-šu-ĝal2 ?-gin7 bi2-in-[X]

6. 6

   {m}na-wi-ir-tum šilam bar-šu-ĝal2 gakkul-gin7 bi2-in-[X]

7. 7

   a-gig li-bi2-in-dug4-ga en3-bi la-ba-ši-in-[tar]

8. 8

   LIL2 nu-um-ga-am3 ki diĝir nu-mu-[…]

9. 9

   ki-nu2-bi-gin7 IM gurud-da-bi la-ba-ab-[X]

10. 10

    nibru{ki} {d}muru9 ba-da-an-ĝar iri-a […]

    Nibru is covered in fog (?); in the city ……. Over the multitudes a cry of woe (?) has fallen, ……. Lamenting …… like a war-cry in battle ……. (1 line unclear) They are overcome by pity for her whose life has ended. They are anguished (?) at her being laid out like a golden statue. Whoever looks upon her, will they not weep? The weeping women ……. The best songs …… of the bards of sweet words are altered everywhere into laments and moans.

11. 11

    uĝ3 daĝal-še u11-u8 im-ma-an-šub ? mu-un-[X X]

12. 12

    aakkil ? gu3-<{ĝiš}>kiri6 šen-šen-gin7 ba-an-?

13. 13

    X tuku-tuku KA lum-lum-ma-[X] ugu-bi ?-?-? ? du7 […]

14. 14

    arḫuš zi til-le-a-ni ⌈zag⌉-ga i3-šub-be2

15. 15

    alan kug-sig17-gin7 niĝ2 ĝar-ra-ni-še3 lipiš mu-un-na-ta-an-?-X

16. 16

    lu2 igi-ni im-ši-bar-ra-a šex(SIG7)-šex(SIG7) nu-ĝa2-ĝa2

17. 17

    ama er2-ra KA X sag3-sag3-ge NI ? GABA sig7-ga AN šu […]

18. 18

    šir3 saĝ X DI inim dug3-ga-ke4-e-ne

19. 19

    i-lu šag4-ne-⌈?⌉ ki-šar2-ra ib2-ši-kur2-ru-a

20. 20

    in-sag9 IM X bi2-ib2-gi4-a re šir3-eš2 mu-un-na-?-[be2]

    Because …… had been returned, they utter it as a song for her. Because from her small ……, she did not dispense advice the …… stone ……; it was lost (?). Because her days were not prolonged in the embrace of her husband and weeping never ceased, because Ninurta did not enjoy happiness from his ……, and because his beloved nin-diĝir priestess did not enter the ĝipar, the she-ass which had been chosen as a mate is not accepted as an offering.

21. 21

    ? X ban3-da-a-ni-ta saĝ šu ak-a re

22. 22

    na4 [X X] gu2-a kud-da sa2 nu-mu-un-pad3 u2-gu-e mu-un-de5

23. 23

    ur2 dam-⌈?⌉-na-ka ud nu-sud-su3-ra2 i-si-iš nu-til-la re

24. 24

    aĝ2 X-ga-a-ni-ta {d}nin-urta a-la nu-gi4-a re

25. 25

    nin-diĝir ki aĝ2-ĝa2-a-ni ĝi6-par3-še3 la-ba-ni-in-kur9-ra re

26. 26

    eme5 dam-še3 mu-ni-pad3-da niĝ2-de2-a-še3 šu nu-mu-un-gid2-de2

27. 27

    ? NE la2 zag-ga-na til-til-la re

    Because …… was brought to an end at his side, he rises in greatness and favour, uttering a lament for her. For her mother who bore her, the bright light turned to darkness, …… for her. He makes their shares (?), their ……, into a …… for her. Their souls have come forth before her, their evil bodies are torn apart. Their ……, workers and kin are ……, their …… are ……. (1 line unclear) they did not stand ……. Their nursemaids were ……. The …… fled (?). Like angry men, stones …… sick (?), the light from above …… did not increase from her city.

28. 28

    nam-gu-la sag9-ga im-ma-an-ed3-de3 i-lu mu-un-na-ab-be2 e-ne

29. 29

    ama ugu-ni-ir ud zalag ba-da-ḫe2-ši a2-kar2 mu-un-na-si

30. 30

    ḫal-ḫal-bi si pad ak-a-bi zag-la mu-un-na-ak-e

31. 31

    zi-bi igi-ni ab-ta-e3 su ḫul-bi zil-zil-le

32. 32

    [X] ? im-ri-a-bi ba-da-X […] BI [X X]

33. 33

    [X X] ?-ta NI […] ĝal2-la re

34. 34

    ⌈?⌉-ra-!-bu-uš […]-e

35. 35

    emeda(UM.ME)da-emeda(UM.ME)da-bi zag […]-de3-eš

36. 36

    ? NE-NE KA […]-?-ra-aš

37. 37

    lu2 šag4 dab5-ba-gin7 na4 […] gig-ga

38. 38

    iri{ki}-ni-ta ud an-ta ? […] nu-dirig

39. 39

    ud-bi-a nitalam ki ⌈aĝ2⌉-[ĝa2-a-ni …] dili-a-ni

    Then her beloved husband all alone ……, in his city, in Nibru, the city ……, Lu-diĝira, her beloved husband, all alone ……, in his city, in Nibru, the city ……, approached her with suffering heart in ……, the great dwelling-place. They took his hand, their hearts were overwhelmed (?). His …… was excluded from nourishment, his breath was stifled (?). He uttered moans (?) like a cow, he who had no …… garments.

40. 40

    iri{ki}-na nibru{ki}-a ? [X X] NI KU

41. 41

    {m}lu2-diĝir-ra nitalam [ki aĝ2]-ĝa2-a-ni [… dili-a]-ni

42. 42

    iri{ki}-na nibru{ki}-a ? [X X] NI KU

43. 43

    ki-tuš gal […] ? ? ba-an-na-te

44. 44

    šu-? ⌈?⌉-?-dab5-be2-eš šag4-bi [X] mu-un-ra

45. 45

    […]-a-ni u2-a ab-ta-an-kud zi-ni [X] ab-da-ra-ra

46. 46

    [X X] ab2-gin7 ib2-e3 lu2 TUG2 ? nu-tuku-tuku

47. 47

    [X X]-bi bi2-ib2-mur10-e er2 am3-ši-še8-še8

    He wears their ……, he weeps for her: O where is ……? I would call upon you! Where are Meme and the alluring protective spirits? I would call upon you! Where is the ……, the ……, the gracious words? I would call upon you! Where are my …… weapon and gloriously fashioned quiver? I would call upon you! Where is that which brightens the …… face, my noble counsel? I would call upon you! Where is my ……, my precious brilliance? I would call upon you! Where are my sweet songs which make the heart rejoice? I would call upon you! Where are my …… weapon and golden quiver which brightens the spirit? I would call upon you! Where are my dancing, hand-waving, and frolicking (?)? I would call upon you!

48. 48

    [X X] MU X ? GA ? me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

49. 49

    {d}me-me {d}lamma ḫi-li-ḫi-li me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

50. 50

    KA X ? KA ? inim sag9 me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

51. 51

    ?-? mar-uru5 ar2-re-eš dim2-ma-ĝu10 me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

52. 52

    ? X X X zalag-zalag sa2-ĝar nun-na-ĝu10 me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

53. 53

    UL X A IGI-ĝu10 sud-aĝ2 kal-la-ĝu10 me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

54. 54

    šir3 dug3 niĝ2 šag4 ḫul2-ḫul2-la-ĝu10 me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

55. 55

    ĝiš-? mar-uru5 kug-sig17 ur5 zalag-zalag-ga-ĝu10 me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

56. 56

    gu4-ud-gu4-ud šu il2-il2-i !-li-li-bi-ĝu10 me-am3 ga-mu-ri-in-pad3

57. 57

    a-ra2-zu na-an-ḫa-lam-e mu-zu ḫa-ma-pad3-de3

    May your way of life not be forgotten, may your name be called on. May the guilt of your house be erased, may your sin be released. May your husband stay well, may he achieve valour and seniority. May the fate of your children be propitious, may well-being be in store for them. May your household progress, may its future be ample. May Utu bring forth for you bright light from the nether world, …… clear water. May Ninkura stand by you, may she raise you high. Concerning the bitter storm that has been turned against you, may it return to the horizon. May a cruel curse be uttered against the galla demon who has brought his hand against you. Concerning the kindly maiden who lies in her splendour like a bull, bitter is the lament for you.

58. 58

    nam-tag-ga e2-e-zu ḫa-ba-an-ze2-er šul-a-lum-zu ḫa-ba-an-du8

59. 59

    dam-zu ḫe2-til3 nam-šul nam-?-ba ḫe2-ak-e

60. 60

    nam-tar dumu-zu ḫe2-zil2-zil2-le silim-ma ḫu-mu-ne-ĝar

61. 61

    ?-zu igi-bi-še3 ḫe2-en-du a-ga-bi-še3 ḫe2-daĝal

62. 62

    {d}utu kur-ta ud zalag ḫa-ra-ta-e3 a sig9-ga ?-e

63. 63

    {d}nin-kur-ra-ke4 ḫe2-da-ši-? gu2-zu ḫe2-eb2-il2-e

64. 64

    ud gig za-ra ma-ra-ni-ib-gi4-a re an-ur2 ḫe2-eb2-gi4

65. 65

    gal5-la2 šu-ni ma-ra-an-de6-a aš2 ḫul-bi ḫe2-en-?

66. 66

    ki-sikil dug3 la-la-na gud-gin7 nu2-a re i-lu-zu ⌈gig⌉-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.