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CDLI Literary 000566, ex. 007 & 000584, ex. 006 (P345806)
Literary letter and letter-prayer, Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000566, ex. 007 & 000584, ex. 006 |
|---|---|
| ID | P345806 |
| Museum no. | Ashm 1922-0258 |
| Collection | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Period | Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE |
| Genre | Literary letter and letter-prayer |
| Find spot | uncertain (mod. uncertain) |
Transliteration (ATF)
From Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI: reuse of catalogue/transliteration data with citation of CDLI; images restricted (not fetched)
Machine draft. The right-hand column is machine English from ixmon/atf-to-english (atf-en-t5base-F, 2026-10-17), generated line by line from the transliteration. It is unreviewed and is not a scholarly translation.
| Line | ATF | Machine English (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| surface a1 | ||
| 1 | [{disz}lugal-ibila]-ra u3-na-du11 | Lugal-ibila said to him: |
| 2 | [{disz}inim-{d}]inanna#-ke4# na-ab-be2-a | Inim-Inanna should say: |
| 3 | [eme-gi-sze3] gu2-zu na-an-szub-be2-en | Do not abandon Sumerian! |
| 4 | [2(disz)-kam-ma]-sze3 eme!(KA) si sa2-bi lu2 mu-e-szi-in-gi4-gi4# | For the 2nd time, when the tongues were in order, a person was replying |
| 5 | [...] he2-gal2 | ... abundance |
| 6 | [lu2-tur igi-zu-sze3 al?-du?]-ru-nam# | Young man, you are going before you |
| 7 | e2#-[dub-ba-a-ta] na-ab-ta#-e3 | did not bring out from the scribal school |
| 8 | na-an#-ga#-[ma] lu2# na-me# [lul] i#-ri#-ib-se3-ge5 | Do not lie, no one is lying to you |
| 9 | ugu ad#-[da-na-sze3 ga-am3-gen a-ra]-ab-e-a | I want to go to his father, to Arabe |
| 10 | en#-na# [geszkim ge26-e u3] za#-e# NE#-en-de2-en | As long as I am a sign, how long will you not come? |
| 11 | lu2# mu#-[e-szi-in]-gi4-gi4-a | If a man is to return |
| 12 | [lu2]-tur szu# nam#-ba-e-bar-re-en | Do not release a child! |
| 13 | lu2#-tur silim-ma-ni ad-da-[x] KA-za in-tuku | The child of his well-being has ... your mouth. |
| 14 | a-ma-[ru]-kam | it is a flood. |
| 15 | {d}utu lugal-mu-ur2# di-ku5 mah# an# ki | Utu, Lugal-mur, supreme judge of heaven and earth |
| 16 | sag-en3#-tar kalam#-[ma ka-asz] mu#-un#-bar#-bar-re | The sag-entar priestess of the land pours beer |
| 17 | dingir zi lu2 ti-le#-[de3 ki-ag2 a-ra]-zu# gesz-tuku# | True god, who sustains man, beloved, who listens to prayer |
| 18 | arhusz su3 sza3# gur#-ru# mu-un-zu#-a# | The one who knows a long life and a rejoicing heart |
| 19 | nig2-si-sa2 ki-ag2# nig2-zi# [bar]-tam#-me NE u3#?-na#?-du11#? | He spoke to her “It is the beloved thing, it is the life of the outer world, I want to speak to her |
| 20 | su6-mu2 dumu# {d#}nin#-gal# su6# {na4#}za#-gin3# x-x-x | Sūmu, son of Ningal, ... lapis lazuli |
| 21 | tak4 si-gar [an ki] x zalag ga2#-ga2# | The bolt of heaven and earth, shining ... |
| 22 | en [sag-kal asza-a-ni pa e3-a] nam#-mah-a-ni za3 nu-di | Lord, who makes his field resplendent, whose greatness is unrivaled |
| 23 | ur-sag [dumu {d}nin-gal-e] tu#?-[da] me# sag-kesz2 ur4#?-ur4#? | Hero, son of Ningal, born by means of a sagkeš weapon |
| 24 | dingir# zi [nun nam tar-tar]-x? [a-a sag-ge6]-ga lugal-mu#-ur2 | True god, prince who determines fate, father of the black-headed people, Lugal-mur |
| 25 | [{disz}{d}suen-i-din-nam lugal larsa{ki}-ma] arad#-zu na-ab-be2-a | Sîn-iddinam, king of Larsa, is your servant. |
| 26 | [iri-zu larsa{ki}-ma sza3-ge pa3-da-zu nig2]-gig#-ga im-ma-an#-ak | Your city Larsa, your chosen in the heart, has done evil |
| 27 | [sila dagal eszemen u4 zal-zal-la si-ga im-ma-an]-x | He ... a broad hem, a scepter of long days. |
| 28 | [erin2 sa6-ga-zu gu2 gar]-gar#-ra#-ni# gi#-[gi-sig-ga-gin7 si-il-si-le-de3 ba-an-til-le-esz] | Your good troops, whose necks are bent back and forth like a reed fence, are finished |
| 29 | gurusz#-[zu sze u4 a2-ba]-x bi2-in-x [ba-an-szab-esz] gurun? gibil#?-gin7# mu-[...]-ru#?-usz | Your young man ... the barley of the day, they sat down, like a new seed(?) |
| 30 | un#-[ga2 alan im-gin7] im#-ma#-ab?-gul#?-lu#?-[usz ni2-bi-a ba-an-til-le]-x | In my heart, like a clay statue, they destroyed it, they finished it by themselves |
| 31 | [di4-di4-la2 ur2] ama#-bi-ta u4 hul ba#-an#-da#-kar#-[re-esz] | The little ones departed from their mother's lap in a terrible storm |
| 32 | [un-ga2 igi hur]-re# musz3-bi ba-an-kur2-re#?-[esz] | In my cella, the eyes of the mountain range were changed |
| 33 | erin2# ka#-[an-sza-sza] szu# bar-ra kalam zi3-gin7# U4 x | The troops of Kanšaša ... like flour in the land |
| 34 | szul {d}utu# iri#-[za] larsa#{ki}-ma lu2 kur2#-gin7 bar-ta ba-da#-gub | Youth Utu, in your city Larsa, like a stranger, stood outside |
| 35 | kur elam{ki}-ma# [buru5?]{muszen}-gin7 mah-bi# ad6-a nu-zu-la | The land of Elam, like a raven, does not know its height |
| 36 | su-bir4{ki} muru13# dugud-da dingir-re-e-ne ni2-te-ga2 nu-zu#-a | Subir, the heavy rain that the gods did not know by myself |
| 37 | ma#-da-bi nu-ub-ta-ba? x x nu-gal2-la | Its land was not brought, it was not present |
| 38 | lu2-su-e ki# dingir-re-e-ne#-ke4 nu#-gig lukur nu-mu-da-il2#-e# | The man of the place of the gods does not raise a nugig or nadītu |
| 39 | erin2-a-ni u2-gin7 lu-lu-a numun-a-ni dagal-la | His troops, clad in splendor, his seed wide, |
| 40 | za-lam-gar ti-la ki dingir#-re#-e#-ne-ke4# nu#-zu-a | The one who does not know the life of the place of the gods |
| 41 | u2-ma#-am-gin7-nam# u5-a# zi3#-esza#? siskur2# nu-mu#-un-zu#?-a#? | Like an ewe, he did not know how to make flour and sift the siskur offerings |
| 42 | nam#-tar hul-gal2# a2#-sag3 nig2-gig#-ga# nu-mu#-un#-na-te#-[ga2] | The evil fate, the asag-demon, the evil thing, does not approach me |
| 43 | lu2 MU-AN-SAL#-LA-bi# nig2-gig-ga#? i3-gu7#-e ugnim# silim#-ma# | The one whose name is called(?) will eat evil, and the army will be at peace |
| 44 | mu-imin-kam-ma-ta# iri-ga2 me3 szen#-szen# ba#?-an-tuku usz2 a2!-bi# nu-ga2-ga2 | By means of the seventh tablet, in my city battle and combat were fought, death was not placed(?) |
| 45 | eden-na ur-mah# lu2#? gu7-e nu-mu-ni-ib-la2-e# | In the steppe, the lion does not eat anyone |
| 46 | dingir KA sa6#-sa6-ge# nu-zu-a ga2-e im-ma-an-ak-en# | The god who does not know good utterance, I will do it for him |
| 47 | dingir gal-gal-e-ne# siskur2# u4-szu2-usz-e al-gub-be2-en KA sa6-sa6-ge-mu mah-am3 | The great gods stand daily for the sakur prayer |
| 48 | szul {d}utu nam-bi-sze3 iri#-zu# larsa{ki}-ma igi zi bar-mu-un#-szi-ib# | Youth Utu, look faithfully upon your city Larsa |
| 49 | a# iri-zu du11-ga-ba-ab# | Say “Alas, your city!" |
| 50 | a esz3? x x du11-ga-ab | “Alas, shrine ..., say! |
| 51 | arhusz su3# [larsa]{x}-ma# szu te-ba-ab | You are to utter an arazu prayer to me(?) |
| 52 | nig2-gig-ga# ak#-bi# en3# tar#-bi-ma | The evil that I have done has been investigated |
| 53 | iri# larsa#[{ki}-ma] x x na#-an-ta-szub-e# | He should not abandon the city of Larsa |
| surface a2 | ||
| 1 | [...] nig2#-gig#-ga# ki# larsa#[{ki}-ma] [...] | ... the evil of the land of Larsa |
| 2 | x husz#-a sza3# larsa{ki}-ma-ka szu# x [...] | The furious ... of the inner city of Larsa |
| 3 | un# tak4#-a#-bi szu nam-usz2-e# ba#-e#-szub#-bu#-[de3] | Its sealed document is to be destroyed and torn out |
| 4 | [he2-til-le-esz] numun-bi-e [he2-mah] | may they live, may their seed be great. |
| 5 | [lu2? tak4]-a-bi ka-tar-zu# he2-si-il#-[le] | May your utterance be extolled(?) |
| 6 | u3# ga2#-e ni2#-te#-ga2#-mu-usz nam-ti x-[mu-na-ab] | And I myself, if only I would give him life! |
| 7 | zi# su3#-u4 gal2# nig2-ba-e-esz2 ba-mu-[na-ab] | Give him a long life and abundance! |
| 8 | lugal-mu-ra u3-na#-[a-du11] | I spoke to my king |
| 9 | {d}ri-im#-{d}suen en3#-tar# banda3#{da} sza3# {d}en-lil2-la2-ke4# x x [...] | Rīm-Sîn, the young entar priestess of Enlil |
| 10 | sipa zi un szar2-ra tum2-tum2-mu-de3 en gal# [{d}nin-urta-ke4] zi#-de3#-esz#?-e [pa3-da] | The true shepherd who brings the multitudes together, the great lord Ninurta, chosen faithfully |
| 11 | gesztu2# dagal# igi#-gal2-bi diri-ga nig2-nam# kin#?-kin# | whose broad wisdom surpasses all (other) wisdom |
| 12 | ad#-gi4#-gi4# umusz#-bi sze23?-sze12 nig2-su3-ra2-bi#-sze3# [igi nu-bar-re] | The adviser does not look at its reasoning and its reasoning |
| 13 | di#-ku5# [nig2]-gi#-na# {d}utu-gin7 lu2 zi-de3-esz# ki#-[ag2] | Judge of justice, who loves Utu like a true man |
| 14 | u3#-ne-de3-[dah] | I will bring in. |
| 15 | [sza3]-x-x ma#-da-bi dagal#-la# ur#-sag szu-gar-[gi4 iri ki-x] | The ... of the land, the broad one, hero Šugarig, city of ... |
| 16 | [am du7-du7] sag10# me3# szen#-szen#-na# ur-sag# x [sag-il2] | The one who makes wild bulls flourish, in battle and combat, hero ... raises his head |
| 17 | lipisz# tuku ki-us2-sa#-gi4 a-ba#-bi# gi4#?-[gi4-da nu-zu] | The one who has compassion, the one who does not know how to turn back |
| 18 | nir-gal2-e igi-ni-sze3# lu2 nu-[gub-bu a2-gal2 nu-si-sa2] | The noble one does not stand before her, there is no strength |
| 19 | nun# sag# mah# u3#-[ma-ni sa2-sa2 ud5-sag nam-lugal] | Prince with a magnificent head, whose strength is equal to the nanny goat of kingship |
| 20 | kal-ga a-RU-ub {gesz}tukul# lu2#? [kur2-ra-ke4 kesz2-di nam-ra] | The mighty one ... the weapon(?) of the enemy(?) |
| 21 | dumu tu-da en {d}nergal#-[ta sza3-ta nam-gal-ta] | son born by lord Nergal, from the womb of greatness |
| 22 | u3-ne-[de3-pesz] | they shall perform. |
| 23 | [x nin]-sza3#-ta-pa3#-da# {munus}[dub-sar] | ... Nin-šatapada, the scribe |
| 24 | [NIN-dingir {d}mes-lam-ta]-e3#?-[a] | Bēlet-ilī, Meslamta-ea |
| 25 | [dumu] {d#}suen#-[ka-szi]-id# lugal# unu#[{ki}-ga] | son of Sîn-kāšid king of Uruk |
| 26 | [...] | |
| 27 | [larsa{ki}] iri# [hur-sag]-gin7# il2-la a2#?-[bi sa2 x] | Larsa, the city raised up like a mountain range, its strength |
| 28 | [inim an {d}]en#-lil2#-la2#-ta mu-un-da-zi#-ga?-ta? [a2 x mu]-un-dab-be2#? | After he raised the command of An and Enlil, he seized the arm of |
| 29 | x unu#?[{ki}]-ga# iri# ud5#-sag# kur-kur-ra-ke4 am#-gin7# si# tu11#-tu11# | The ... of Uruk, the city of the first-born goat of all the lands, roaring like a wild bull |
| 30 | a2# mah#-zu# lugal#-[bi] e#-ne-bi [hul-bi mu-un-dab5] | Your supreme strength, its king, seized its evil. |
| 31 | ugu# nam#-lu2-u8-lu-bi szu# gar x-im-[gar-ra] x x-[ga szum2]-x-[x] | He placed a hand upon its people, ... |
| 32 | sag# dumu ga-[gin7] [...] usz2 nu-mu-un-e3#-[a nig2-gig-ga nu-mu-un-ak] | The head, like a child born in a womb, did not come out alive, it did not do anything evil |
| 33 | nam-lu2#-u18-[lu]-bi [ku6-gin7] a# [lu]-ga# szub#-[ba-bi u4-sze3 mu-ni-in-tak4] | Its people, like fish, sank in the water of the man for a long time. |
| 34 | ur#-sag# {gesz}tukul-e# igi-zu#-[sze3 im-mi]-ga-gub szu sa2 am3-mi#-[du11] | The hero stood before you with the weapon and spoke to you |
| 35 | nam#-usz2-a mu-da-[kar-re-esz] ka#-tar#-zu# he2#-si-il#-[le-esz] | They have seized you by death, they have made your praise pure. |
| 36 | unu{ki}-ga-a geszkim#?-[bi] hul2#-la#? mu#-un#-ku4# i-{d#}utu#-[bi] mu#-un#-[e3] | In Uruk he entered with a joyful sign, he brought out the sun(?) |
| 37 | nu-siki nu-mu-un-kusz# x x u2#-a# lu-lu mu-un#-[gar] u2-sal# mu#-un#-dur2#-ru#-ne-[...] | She put on a soiled garment, she covered it with a cloth(?), she sat in the grass(?) |
| 38 | [u4]-szu2-usz-e un# kur-kur bar#-bi#-ta# zu2# im-mi-gub | At that time, in the midst of all the foreign lands, he stood at his side |
| 39 | mu sa6-ga-zu sza3-la2-[su3-me-esz] kur#-kur im-gen-[na] | Because of your good name, you have departed for all the lands. |
| 40 | [u4]-ul-li2#-a-ta lugal [za]-e#-gin7#? me3? a-ba-a igi# mu#-ni-du8#-a? | Since time immemorial, who has seen the king like you in battle? |
| 41 | [ur5]-sze3#-am3 {d}utu e2-babbar-ra-ka u4 nam#-ti#-la# mu-un-[KU-x] | In the future, Utu, in the Ebabbar, will ... the day of life |
| 42 | [e-ne-esz2 ga2-a-ra igi zi bar-mu-un-szi-ib ka]-ba-zu# [kukku2 hu-mu-un-zalag-ge] | For me, look faithfully at him, may your mouth shine with kukku. |
| 43 | mu-5(disz)-kam-ma iri-ga2 nu#-me-a sag#-gin7# im-ma#-an#-ti# lu2# gesztu2 nu#-tuku# | The fifth year, when I was not in my city, he died like a head, no one had wisdom |
| 44 | sag#-sag3-zu#-e musz3#-me?-ga2# ba#-ni-kur2 su#-mu-ug GAM-GAM-e# im#-lah5 | Your “head-scratch"(?), my aura has changed, I am frightened(?) |
| 45 | nig2#-me-gar szu-mu da-lam#? im#-ib2#-ra# KA ab#-bi#-mu nu-zu# | “It is enough, my hand trembles with joy, my mouth does not know its depth |
| 46 | nam#-ab#-ba u4#-ba# ti#-la-gin7 banda3{da} tak4#-a ama5#-mu# ba-ab-bir#-[bir] | In the midst of the storm, like a young child being abandoned, my chamber is shattered |
| 47 | muszen# gesz-bur2-ra dab5#-ba-bi-gin7 amar-bi gud3!-ta ba-ni-x-[sikil-a] | Like a bird caught in a trap, its calf ... from its nest |
| 48 | [dumu]-dumu-mu bar-bi# al-bir-bir-re lu2# kin# ak-de3 la#-ba#-[an]-tuku | My sons are scattered, no one is able to perform work |
| surface a3 | ||
| 1 | [sig4-mu] la#-la-bi nu-mu-un-gi4-gi4-[a tu{muszen}-gin7 sze mi-ni-ib-sza4] | My brickwork, whose charms cannot be changed, roared like a swallow |
| 2 | [ninda gu7-mu i-si-isz-bi] mu#-un#-la2#-la2# ur5#-sze3# [nu-te-en-te-en] | The one who eats food stretches out its ... and does not cool down. |
| 3 | [zi-in-BU nig2]-gig#-ga im-ma-da-du11#? [sikil du3-a-sze3 ba-an-ku4] | ... spoke evil to me and brought me into a young woman |
| 4 | [ki-mu] sag#-ga2# bi2#-ib-gub-be2-en | I will stand at my head instead of my head |
| 5 | nig2#-[szu-a gizzal ak-ab] | and a reed basket made of it |
| 6 | [tug2 geme2]-mu la#-ba-dim2# TUG2? im#-ma#-mu4 a-ba# [inim hu-mu-ri-du11] | The garment of my female laborer was not fashioned, the garment was made, who will speak a word to you? |
| 7 | [er2 a]-x-[ra-zu ga2] im-ma-an-szir3# ga2#-ra# x-[ma-an-dur2-nu] | Tears ... I want to utter a lament ... for you |
| 8 | [u4 nam-lu2-ulu3 la]-ba#-ni#-ul4#-la#-BA nam#-ti#? [nu-du10-ga KA-mu la-ba]-[...] | The storm that does not make humankind flourish, the life of my mouth(?) does not ... |
| 9 | [e-ne-esz2 an {d}en-lil2] ni#-ib#-[du11] TUKU [...] [kur za3-til-la-bi-sze3 szu-zu-sze3 mu-un-gar] | An and Enlil uttered a supplication ... to the end of the land he put into your hands. |
| 10 | [zabala{ki} ki-tusz-gin7 bad3{ki}] iri#{ki#}-mu gal# [...] | Zabalam, like a dwelling place, the wall, my great city |
| 11 | [iri lu2-ulu3?-gin7 ki-tusz na]-me# nu-du10 igi iri#-mu#-x [hu-mu-un-du8?] | Like a man's city, it is not pleasant to dwell in a dwelling place |
| 12 | [...] e2#-mes-lam# dingir min-[a-bi du11-mu-na-ab ka-tar-zu he2-si-il-le] | ... the Emeslam temple, its two gods, speak to him, and he will praise your praises. |
| 13 | [x] | |
| 14 | [...] im#-mi-in-du11 [KA] hu-mu-un-na#-du7 | ... he spoke to him, he made perfect for him |
| 15 | [ur5-zu gesztu2 tuku]-bi-am3 inim-mu usz? hu#?-mu#-un#-us2-en | Your ears are attentive, may my words be uttered(?) |
| 16 | [...] x-mu-un-[x]-x [...] x x x x x-me-en | ... I am |
Sources & licences
- Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI: reuse of catalogue/transliteration data with citation of CDLI; images restricted (not fetched) · Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI), https://cdli.earth/ ; cite CDLI and the P-number
Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-18.