LAOS 4 No. 1 (A 7478)

SEAL no. 1622 · A 7478 · Love Literature · dialogue · Sippar (mod. Tell Abu Ḥabbah) (uncertain); Nippur (mod. Nuffar) (uncertain) · 143 lines · 958 words · 1535 signs · 157 Sumerograms

Transliteration

Hover or tap a word for its lemma and meaning.

Obv.
col. i
i 1	[u]z?-zu?-uk-tam li-di-na-[am?]
i 2	ù ḫi-me-tim da-d[i]-ka
i 3	e-ru-ub i-ḫu-ur-ši-im
i 4	i-ba-lum a-ka-lim ṣa-la-a-ku
i 5	[m]u-ra-mi-ik-ti i-di-ni di-a-ni
i 6	mi-nam ep-še₂₀-e-ti-i-ma
i 7	i-ba-lum a-ka-lim ṣa-^⌈la-at^⌉
i 8	ki-ma ḫa-aš-ḫu-ri-im ša sí-ma!(Text: ZA)-/a-ni-im
i 9	ša i-pa-an ša-tim it-bu-^⌈ku^⌉
i 10	i-ni-ib-šu i-ba-a-ú-m[a]
i 11	bi-ir-qú ša ^dAdad(IM) i-na ṣé-ri-/šu
i 12	ma ib-ta bi-ir-qum
i 13	ša ṣí-ḫa-tim e-li-ia
i 14	ki-ma šu-bu-ul-tim ša la sí-/ma-ni-im!
i 15	šu-pu-uk-tam it-tal-ku
i 16	ù ki-ma e-re-eb ^⌈ša-tim^⌉
i 17	i-su-ú-ḫu lu/šu-[x x] ^⌈x^⌉ x
i 18	im-ta-al-ku-ma ^⌈it-ti^⌉ [x]-^⌈x^⌉-/šu
i 19	i-li-ku ḫa-ra-na-am
i 20	^⌈a^⌉-na-ku a-na ma-ri-im l[i-x-x]
i 21	x-^⌈ku?^⌉-tam a-si x (x) ^⌈i^⌉-ni-i[m?]
i 22	^⌈ú-la^⌉ i-še-a-am ^⌈a^⌉-mi-^⌈ni^⌉-x (x)]
i 23	^⌈ù? i-ta/ša^⌉-a-(vacant) [x]
i 24	it?-ta-[0]-bi-i-ma [x (x)]-uš
i 25	li-im-^⌈ta-al?^⌉-[ku? x x] ^⌈i-na x x^⌉-šu
i 26	li-^⌈li?^⌉-[0]-ku-ma ḫ[a-ra-na-am]
i 27	^⌈e?^⌉-^⌈le?^⌉-qé ^⌈x x^⌉ [x x x]
i 28	a x x [x] ^⌈ki-tam^⌉ lum-[nam?]
i 29	x x-am i-ka-la šu-ub-ti
i 30	li-x-x a-na i-lim da-a-a-nu
i 31	ma-a-^⌈x^⌉ x ki le e? šu?-ma
i 32	a za-[x] x-ši-i

Lo. Ed.
i 33	[x? x?] ^⌈il?^⌉-li-am
i 34	[x? x?] ma-x ^⌈bu?^⌉-bu-tim

col. ii
ii 1	[x (x)] ta ti kum ^⌈e^⌉-[li-ia/šu]
ii 2	ki-ma i-ṣú-ri-i[m x x (x)]
ii 3	ša aš-[š]um ú-^⌈um?^⌉ [x x x (x)]
ii 4	i-ta-na-ap-<ra>-š[u] ^⌈x^⌉ [x x] x
ii 5	ki-ma za-bi-il ša-ḫa-ar-[ri]
ii 6	ša ti-ib-ni-im lu-qú-ta-at
ii 7	ka-ba-at-ti i-zi-za-^⌈am?!^⌉
ii 8	UD-mu-um a-na pa-ša-ri-im
ii 9	ki-ma wu-lu-^⌈di!?^⌉-im i-na-^⌈ak?-ki^⌉-ir
ii 10	i-qí-im tu-še₂₀-ši-ba-an-ni
ii 11	a-na-ṭá-al ša-pa-ra-a[m]
ii 12	ša ṣi-ḫa-ti-ia i-ka-la-an-^⌈ni^⌉
ii 13	ù a-na mi-ni-im ki-ma kasap(KÙ.BABBAR)
ii 14	ḫu-bu-ul-li-im ^⌈tu?!^⌉-s[a?/ga?-x-x]
ii 15	ṣi-ḫa-a-ti a-na ṣa-ma-r[i]-[im?]
ii 16	ù at-ta i-ṣa/za-^⌈x x^⌉-^⌈ru?^⌉
ii 17	i-ri-^⌈iš?-tu?^⌉-ka
ii 18	^⌈i^⌉-ta-la-ak-ma i-š[e-e]r
ii 19	^ídIdigna im-ma-tim-^⌈ma?^⌉
ii 20	i-ša-at-ti el-lu-tim me-^⌈e^⌉
ii 21	^⌈il?^⌉-la-ak-ma i-^⌈mu?^⌉-tam
ii 22	^í[d]Idigna im-ma-tim i-ša-a[t?-ti?]-am? L[I]
ii 23	a-ḫu-la-ap-^⌈ma?^⌉ [i]q?-bi? [x x x]
ii 24	^⌈x-x-im^⌉ ša i-li-k[u] x x [x (x) (x)]
ii 25	^⌈x^⌉-^⌈ub?^⌉ rēʾû(SIPA)-ma a-na ra-i-im-tim
ii 26	UD?-x x ^⌈a-na^⌉ li-bi te-er-ti-im
ii 27	ba ^⌈x x x x^⌉ te ^⌈x x^⌉
ii 28	^⌈la? i?^⌉-ha-x x ra-[i]-im-tim ^⌈(x)^⌉
ii 29	ma-ru?-ma a-x-x (x) le-qí
ii 30	[x x x] ^⌈za? zi?^⌉ x x ši x x
ii 31	ki-ša x x x x x x x x (x)
ii 32	^⌈a?-ša?^⌉-am? ^⌈da?^⌉ x x x x x (x)
ii 33	x x x x [x x x x x x]
ii 34	i-li-li-a-tim [(x x x)]
ii 35	x x x x [(x x x x x)]

col. iii
iii 1	(broken)
iii 2	x [x x x x x x x x x]
iii 3	ki-ma?! a-^⌈ar^⌉ [x x x x x x]
iii 4	i-^⌈šu^⌉-ti(-)ma x [x x x]-a-ši
iii 5	it-ta-am ^⌈da?-am?-qa?^⌉-am
iii 6	i-x x x x x x
iii 7	[x] ša-AK-ti-x [x x]-bi-ka
iii 8	[x] la? ú ta i-ši [x (x)] x
iii 9	^⌈aṭ^⌉-ṭú-ul-ma ṣí-ḫa-tu-ka
iii 10	i?-ta x x i x am bi? il?-x
iii 11	ar-ḫa-at? x ši im be-x
iii 12	ú? šu-ti-šu it-ba? x šar?-ru?
iii 13	be-lum e-ḫi-id-ma ṣi-ḫa-t[im] / x ^⌈ri?^⌉ x
iii 14	x x x x [ x x x x]
iii 15	k[i] ^⌈x x x x^⌉-am [x x] ^⌈x^⌉
iii 16	a-na ki ^⌈gi?-ri-im^⌉ x [x x] x x
iii 17	[x x x x] x ša me-eḫ-r[u x] x x
iii 18	[x x x x] ṣi-ḫa-tim i-x [x x]
iii 19	[x x x x] ^⌈ù^⌉ ši-nu-nu?-tum? [x x x]
iii 20	[x x x x x] x x [x x]
iii 21	[x x] ṣi [x x] x a [x x x]
iii 22	^⌈ki-ma^⌉ ^⌈bu?^⌉-ri-im x [x x x]
iii 23	[x x] x x ^⌈ṣa^⌉-aḫ-^⌈ḫa^⌉ [x x x x]
iii 24	ki-ma? x x ^⌈ṭì?-id^⌉-di-im i-[x x x x]
iii 25	x x x x a? [x x x]
iii 26	ú-ṣa-am-ma a-na ṣi-^⌈ḫa^⌉-t[i-šu]
iii 27	la i-na-di-na ka-ia-n[a? x x]
iii 28	lu-uš-pu-ur a-ka-pa?-^⌈x-ka^⌉
iii 29	li-il-ka sú?-^⌈ri?^⌉-[iš]
iii 30	na-na-ri-ka!?(Text: RA) am-ma-a[r] im-^⌈ri^⌉
iii 31	zi-mi-ka lu-mu-ur
iii 32	ù ^⌈a-na^⌉-ṭá-al ru-a-am [x]-ti? lu-pu-/uš
iii 33	ba-ni qé-er-bi-i-tim
iii 34	x re-ši x-eš-tum
iii 35	[x x] x x [x x] x x x

Up. Ed.
iii 36	i-na x x ^⌈a^⌉-bu-u[k]
iii 37	tu!-^⌈uš^⌉-ta-am-ri-iṣ

col. iv
iv 1	^⌈ša^⌉ bi šu (x) i?-zi-iq-ni-ka
iv 2	ša-ar-ti-ka {TI KA}
iv 3	ša-ak-n[a] ša-ap-ta-a-a
iv 4	^⌈um?^⌉-ma ša!(Text: TA) du-ri-im lu-pu-^⌈uš^⌉ / AL
iv 5	ù ma?-^⌈ri^⌉ <i?>-qá-ba-an-ni
iv 6	ù ú-še-e[š-m]i-an-ni
iv 7	a-na um-mi-im ša [x x]-^⌈ú^⌉
iv 8	ù a-na [x x x x x x]-šu
iv 9	ša ^⌈ak^⌉?-^⌈lu? x^⌉ [x x x-t]im?
iv 10	^⌈ù^⌉ x x x x x x] x-nam?
iv 11	^⌈ù?^⌉ [x x x x x x x]-tim
iv 12	^⌈x x x x x x x^⌉⌈ta?^⌉-am
iv 13	x x [x x x] a-x-^⌈ka? ra?-bi?-im?^⌉
iv 14	tu?-^⌈úr?^⌉ te-x x-am ra?-^⌈bi?^⌉-^⌈ka^⌉
iv 15	ti-i-ba it-tu-^⌈úr?^⌉-[(x)]
iv 16	i-na šu x ma ta-x-[x]-^⌈ni?^⌉
iv 17	ù x [x x x]-^⌈a?-ni?^⌉
iv 18	ki-ma ši? x-[x x x x]
iv 19	ṣi-i-tam!? t[a-x x x]
iv 20	[x x] i-na [x x x x]
iv 21	[x] ti a wi [x x x x x]
iv 22	e ti-di-im [x x x x x] / x-ir
iv 23	ta [x] x [x x x x]-ni
iv 24	ki-i x x [x x x] x x
iv 25	ab [x] ma is x ti x-ri-[i]m
iv 26	ki-ma? i-^⌈ṣu-urḫ u-ri-im^⌉
iv 27	^⌈il?^⌉-li-^⌈ik?^⌉ x am?-ša
iv 28	x x (x) a-^⌈na?^⌉ mi-ma-šu
iv 29	[x x] ṣa-am [x x] ^⌈ša?^⌉ x x / x x
iv 30	[x x] x x is? úr? x
iv 31	[x x x x] ṣi-i-ru-^⌈tim^⌉
iv 32	i-ša-x [x x x] pa?-^⌈am?^⌉
iv 33	^⌈i-ta-na-bi-ra-ma^⌉

Up. Ed.
iv 34	ù a-na-ku i-qá-^⌈at^⌉
iv 35	[r]a-mi-ka

Left ed.
iv 36	i-qá-at <ṣi>-ḫa-ti-ka da-am-qá-tim a-ta-na-ḫa-az pu-uz-ra-^⌈am^⌉

Translation

col. i

i 1 (She:) May he give me the …

i 2 of ghee, your(m.) passion!

i 3 I entered into the pantry,

i 4 lying to sleep without eating.

i 5 My washbasin, when judging the judgment (said):

i 6 “Why are you doing so that

i 7 you are lying down to sleep without eating?”

i 8 (She:) Like a ripe apple,

i 9 which in the beginning of the year heaped up

i 10–11 its fruit, and the lightnings of Adad passed over it,

i 12–13 so, indeed, the lightning of lovemaking passed upon me –

i 14 like an ear of barley, which before its appropriate time

i 15 turned into a heap of grain,

i 16–17 and which (one) deducted as an income of the year.

i 18 (Chorus:) They took consult with each other

i 19 (and) took the road.

i 20 (She:) I … my heart(?) to the darling

i 21 … I have… ey[e]?

i 22 He is not seeking why …

i 23 And he…

i 24 he stood up(?)… in(?) him

i 25 (Chorus:) May they confer(?)… in…

i 26 May they take the r[oad].

i 27 (She:) I will take(?) …

i 28 … Justice, ev[il?]

i 29 … in all the dwelling places(?) …

i 30 May the judges ... to the god

i 31 …

i 32 …

Lo. Ed.

i 33 … is going up(?)

i 34 … hunger

col. ii

ii 1 (She?:)…

ii 2 like a bird [of …]

ii 3 which because of … […]

ii 4 is constantly flying around...

ii 5 Like a worker carrying a net

ii 6 for straw you(m.) keep plundering little by little

ii 7 my mood. Stand by me!

ii 8 The day for reconciliation

ii 9 is difficult (lit. hostile) like giving birth.

ii 10 You have made me sit (tied) in string(s):

ii 11 I am looking for a message

ii 12 of my lovemaking, (but) he withholds (it) from me.

ii 13–14 And why, as if it is money of debt, you…

ii 15 (Instead of) striving for (my?) lovemaking?

ii 16 And you(m.), they/he will….

ii 17 Your desire.

ii 18 (Chorus:) He departed and went straight away.

ii 19 Oh the Tigris-river, when

ii 20 will he drink pure water?

ii 21 He is walking in the heat(?)

ii 22 The Tigris-river, when will he dri[nk]?

ii 23 ‘Mercy!’ he said …

ii 24 The… which went …

ii 25 … the shepherd to the beloved-one(f.)!

ii 26 ….. to the message

ii 27 … …

ii 28 He(?) should not … the beloved-one(f.)

ii 29 The darling…

ii 30 … …

ii 31 … …

ii 32 … …

ii 33 … …

ii 34 In the evening …

ii 35 … …

col. iii

iii 1 [… …]

iii 2 … …

iii 3 (Chorus?:) Like … …

iii 4 In a dream… … her

iii 5 the sign, the good fortune …

iii 6 he/she … …

iii 7 (She?:)… … your(m.)

iii 8 … …

iii 9 When I gazed at your lovemaking

iii 10 … …

iii 11 (Chorus?:) She is quick …

iii 12 in(!) his dream he rose …

iii 13 Oh lord, pay attention and … the lovemaking.

iii 14 … …

iii 15 … …

iii 16 … like a fruit …

iii 17 … whose equal…

iii 18 … lovemaking …

iii 19 … and swallows …

iii 20 … …

iii 21 … …

iii 22 Like a calf…

iii 23 …small…

iii 24 Like… of clay he…

iii 25 … …

iii 26 I am going out towards [his] lov[e-making]

iii 27 (but) he does not give (it) to me regularly.

iii 28 May I send to… your(?) …

iii 29 May he come soon.

iii 30 I am looking at your(! Text: my) luminosity …

iii 31 Let me see your radiant face!

iii 32 Indeed, I will observe – let me make love (to you),

iii 33 Oh beautiful of loins!

iii 34 … …

iii 35 … …

iii 36 In … …

iii 37 you became troubled.

col. iv

iv 1 (She:) … in your beard

iv 2 (and) in your hair

iv 3 my two lips are set,

iv 4 saying: “let me build that of a wall …!”

iv 5 Indeed, my darling is proclaiming me

iv 6 and made me hear (it).

iv 7 To (my) mother who …

iv 8 and to his …

iv 9 which … …

iv 10 … …

iv 11 … …

iv 12 … …

iv 13 … your big…

iv 14 Return the … of your big…

iv 15 Raise towards me! He turned.

iv 16 In … …

iv 17 And … … me

iv 18 Like … …

iv 19 In the sunrise …

iv 20 … in …

iv 21 … …

iv 22 You(f.) should not know…

iv 23 You… …

iv 24 Like … …

iv 25 … …

iv 26 Like a rock-partridge

iv 27 He went… her…

iv 28 … to(?) anything of his.

iv 29 … …

iv 30 … …

iv 31 … the exalted ones.

iv 32 … …

iv 33 They keep crossing over.

Up. Ed. + Left Ed.

iv 34–36 And I, through your love and your good lovemaking I find refuge again and again.

Commentary

For full commentary, see Wasserman 2016, 72–76.

i 1: One expects “may you give me...”, but liddina(m), 3 sg. m., is clear. The last sign, read as -⌈am⌉, could perhaps be -⌈ki-(im)⌉, or less likely -⌈ka⌉ (so Stol in his preliminary edition). – I cannot figure out what [u]Z-Zu-uk-tam is.²⁵⁶ The following lines, which include ḫimētum, dādū and ḫuršum, hint that uZZuktu (if correctly read) is likely to be a desired edible substance or some positive abstract notion.

i 3–7: For the symptom of loss of appetite as a sign of lovesickness see § 4.3 above.²⁵⁷ – For the topos of going to sleep on an empty belly, cf. The Poor Man of Nippur 42: “Daily I am lying to sleep without a meal”.²⁵⁸

i 5: murammiktum, “washbasin”, is attested so far only once in an OB dowry list. The text, I suggest, describes the infatuated woman in the kitchen, talking to the utensils around.

----

If the reading is correct, two lemmas are possible: NA ussuktu (CAD U/W 281a), designating a negative concept whose meaning is unclear, and the lexically attested plant ussuḫtum (CAD U/W 280b). Neither seem to fit the context.
Another case of hunger in ALL is found in Moussaieff Love Song: obv. 4 (No 11): akūd arurtu’a, “I got worried in my hunger”.
Gurney 1956, 152–153: 42: [ūmiš]amma ina lā mākālē bīriš ṣal˂lā˃ku.

Michael P. Streck and Nathan Wasserman, Sources of Early Akkadian Literature (SEAL), seal.huji.ac.il. No commercial use is allowed. Published under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives). Reproduced unmodified. Cite as SEAL no. 1622; view on seal.huji.ac.il.