CDLI Literary 000343, ex. 034 (P346095)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Ur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000343, ex. 034 |
|---|---|
| ID | P346095 |
| Museum no. | BM — |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Period | Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE |
| Genre | Literary |
| Find spot | Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar) |
| Coordinates | 30.9607, 46.1063 |
English translation
By Peterson, Jeremiah · Via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI (reuse with citation)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| obverse 1.b' | Linen does not spread over her holy knees |
| obverse 2' | Her chest does not protrude like a flask |
| obverse 3.a' | Her fingernails are lodged (in her flesh?) like lubi axes, |
| obverse 3.b' | her hair is plucked like leeks upon her head |
| obverse 4.a' | When she cries “alas, my heart,” |
| obverse 4.b' | say “you are exhausted, our lady, (from saying) “alas, my heart"(!?) |
| obverse 5.a' | When she cries “alas, my liver,” |
| obverse 5.b' | say “you are exhausted, (from saying) “alas, my liver"(!?) |
| obverse 6.a' | (She will say) Who are you? |
| obverse 6.b' | Speak, to my heart, my heart(!?), to my liver, my liver(?) |
| obverse 7.a' | If you are gods, I will speak a word to you, |
| obverse 7.b' | if you are humans, I will(?) determine your fate (of death) |
| obverse 8.a' | Invoke the life of heaven and earth (in an oath) |
| obverse 9.a' | The river water will be offered to you but not accepted, |
| obverse 9.b' | the barley of the field will be offered to you but not accepted |
| obverse 10' | Say “Give the beaten meat that hangs from the peg” |
| obverse 11' | The beaten meat (was) their lady |
| obverse 12' | Say “that, whether it is the king or the queen"(!?) give it to us” |
| obverse 13' | You will give the beaten meat hanging from the peg |
| obverse 14.a' | They(!?) will have cast upon her, it was one (with the) food of life, it was one (with the) water of life, |
| obverse 14.b' | and Inanna will stand (alive again) |
| obverse 15' | Ereškigala ... the lamentation singer and the kurgara priest |
| obverse 16' | "Bring their lady ...” |
| obverse 17' | Inanna, brought from the netherworld by the orders of Enki |
| obverse 18' | When Inanna ascended from the netherworld, Anuna seized her |
| obverse 19' | (Saying) “Who is it that ascends from the netherworld, who is brought up from the netherworld intact?” |
| obverse 20.a' | If Inanna is to be brought up(?) from the netherworld, |
| obverse 20.b' | she is to give an able-bodied (replacement) on her own head |
| obverse 21.b' | The one before her, although he was not a vizier, held a weapon(?) |
| obverse 22' | The one behind her, although he was not a vizier, ... |
| obverse 23.b' | The small galla demons, as a šukur enclosure, the large galla demons, (as) a dubban fence, held fast at her side |
| obverse 24' | They came for her |
| obverse 25' | They came for Inanna |
| obverse 26' | They were not consumers of heaped flour, they were not drinkers of drawn water |
| obverse 27' | They lifted the child from the lap of a man(?), they tore away the spouse from the lap(?) of a man |
| obverse 28' | They drove out ... from her quarters(?) |
| obverse 29' | They did not crush bitter garlic, they were people who did not eat fish, they were people who did not eat(!) leeks |
| obverse 30' | ... went towards Inanna(?) |
| obverse 31' | After Inanna came up from the netherworld, Ninšubur fell at her feet before her at(?) the gate of Ganzer |
| obverse 32' | She sat in the dirt, she wore a filthy garment |
| obverse 33' | The galla demons spoke to holy Inanna, “Inanna, go towards your city, we shall take him away (as a corpse) |
| obverse 34' | Holy Inanna replied to the galla demons, “My ... |
| obverse 35' | My flattering vizier, my rider of the verified word |
| obverse 36' | My(?) ... the word |
| obverse 37' | When she initiates the lament of the ruin heaps, play the šem drum of the assembly/throne room |
| obverse 38' | When she circled the temples of the gods, she scratched her face for me, she scratched her nose(!?) for me |
| obverse 39' | She scratched her ear, a visible place, for me, she scratched a place unseen with a man(?), her (inner) thigh, for me |
| obverse 40' | To the Ekur(?), the temple of Enlil, to Urim and the temple of Nanna |
| obverse 41' | To Eridu and the temple of Enki she singularly set out |
| obverse 43' | She wept before(?) Enki, and Enki(?) sustained me(?) |
| obverse 44' | How could I give her to you? ... |
| obverse 45' | We shall go to Umma and the Ešegkuršaga temple |
| obverse 46' | Šara! fell at her feet before her(?), ... sat in the dirt, and wore a filthy garment |
| obverse 47' | The galla demons were speaking to Inanna, “Inanna, go to your city” |
| obverse 48' | We shall bring him away (as a corpse) |
| obverse 49' | Holy Inanna replied to the galla demons ... |
| obverse 50' | He is scratching(?) ..., ..., my hairdresser(!?) |
| obverse 51' | How could I give him (as a corpse) to you? |
| obverse 52' | We shall go to Badtibira and the Emuškalama temple |
| obverse 53' | Lulal fell before(?) her |
| obverse 54' | Lulal sat in the dirt |
| obverse 55' | Lulal wore a dirty garment |
| obverse 56' | The galla demons were speaking to Inanna, “Inanna, go to your city |
| obverse 57' | We shall bring him away (as a corpse)” |
| obverse 58' | Holy Inanna replied to the galla demons |
| obverse 59' | Lulal, fixed (at) my right side |
| obverse 60' | Lulal, fixed (at)(?) my left side |
| obverse 61' | Lulal, fixed (at)(?) my outer pillar/as my foremost one(?) |
| obverse 62' | ..., why would I give him(!) to you? |
| obverse 63' | The greatest apple tree in the plain(?) of larsa ... |
| obverse 64' | Let us go to the great apple tree in the plain(?) of larsa |
| obverse 65' | Dumuzi sat upon the supreme dais(!?) |
| obverse 66' | He sat in splendor in the seat(!?) |
| obverse 67' | A prostitute held his thigh tightly(?) |
| reverse 1' | ... poured out the seven churns(?) |
| reverse 2' | ... shook the head at him |
| reverse 3' | The shepherd(?) was not playing the reed pipe ...(?) |
| reverse 4' | ... seized/assailed at his side |
| reverse 5' | She looked at him, it was the look of death |
| reverse 6' | She shook her head at(?) him, it was the head(shake that accused one of) grievous sin |
| reverse 7' | Holy Inanna was replying to the galla demons |
| reverse 8' | ... who is (one of the ones) who came towards him |
| reverse 9' | ..., you will not release him |
| reverse 10' | They seized ... |
| reverse 11' | He was the man (among those) whom the lady compelled to come towards him(!?) |
| reverse 12' | They came towards Dumuzi |
| reverse 13' | Dumuzi wept, he was emitting sobs |
| reverse 14' | Thus the youth: “What has been done, what ...” |
| reverse 15' | ... the holy(?) ... not ... |
| reverse 17' | ... who is to die(?) |
| reverse 18' | He raised his hands heavenwards for Utu |
| reverse 19' | I am ..., I am the one who does not ... |
| reverse 20' | I am the one who brings butter to the temple of your mother |
| reverse 21' | I am the one who brings cream to the temple of Ningal |
| reverse 22' | I am the one who brings ... to ... |
| reverse 23' | I am the one who makes the bridal payment on behalf of Unug |
| reverse 24' | I am the one who kisses the holy lips(?) |
| reverse 25' | I am the one who plays among the holy knees of Inanna(?) |
| reverse 26' | After you prepare my hands (as those of) a gazelle/snake |
| reverse 27' | After you prepare my feet (as those of) a gazelle/snake |
| reverse 28' | I shall escape my galla demon, they shall not seize me |
| reverse 29' | Utu accepted his tears |
| reverse 30' | He prepared his hands (as those of) a gazelle/snake |
| reverse 31' | He prepared his feet (as those of) a gazelle/snake |
| reverse 33' | I shall escape my galla demon, they shall not seize me |
| reverse 38' | Holy Inanna wept bitterly for her spouse(?) |
| reverse 39' | ... Dumuzi ... |
| reverse 43' | She tore out rushes, she cut rushes |
| reverse 44' | Spouses who lie in your (spouse's) lap(!?), where is my precious spouse? |
| reverse 45' | Sons who lie in your (father's) lap(!?), where is my precious son(?) |
| reverse 50' | ... what ...? |
| reverse 54' | The fly ... holy Inanna |
| reverse 55' | Young woman Inanna was decreeing a fate for the fly(?) |
| reverse 56' | In the tavern may you (pl.) make the bronze vessel of wine drinking(?) flow over for yourself(!?) |
| reverse 57' | As members of(?) the “wise men” ... |
| reverse 58' | Thus was the decreed fate of Inanna(?) |
| reverse 59' | ... Inanna(!?) was weeping |
| reverse 60' | My(?) ... arrived, and is ... to the hand |
| reverse 61' | ... alas(?) ... |
| reverse 62' | You, (when) the year is half (completed)(?), your sister, (when) the year is half (completed)(?) |
| reverse 63' | The days that you desire/are requested(?), those days shall be (of) captivity(!?) |
| reverse 64' | The days that your sister desires/is requested(?), those days shall be long(er)(?) |
| reverse 65' | Holy Inanna gave Dumuzi, the precedent maker(?) (as a replacement) |
| reverse 66' | Holy Ereškigal, |
| reverse 67' | your praise is sweet |
| reverse 69' | Total, one hundred seventy three(!?) lines |
| reverse 70' | The 3rd (in a series of) single-column extract(s), in its entirety, (text with the incipit) “from great heaven towards great earth” |
Transliteration (ATF)
From Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI: reuse of catalogue/transliteration data with citation of CDLI; images restricted (not fetched)
| Line | ATF | Machine English (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| obverse | ||
| 1.a' | [...] | |
| 1.b' | [...] gada nu-x-[...] | |
| 2' | [...] {dug}szagan nu-um-[...] | |
| 3.a' | umbin#?-si-ni {uruda#}lub#-bi-gin7 am-da-gal2 | |
| 3.b' | siki#?-ni ga-rasz{sar#}-[gin7 ...]-ur4#?-re | |
| 4.a' | u4-a sza3-gu10 bi2-in#-du11#-<<x>>-ga-am3 | |
| 4.b' | kusz2#-u3-me-en nin#?-me# x x x [...]-ga#?-ne#?-[...] | |
| 5.a' | u4-a bar-gu10 bi2-in-du11-ga-am3 | |
| 5.b' | [kusz2]-u3#-me-en a# x-[...]-ga#?-ne-[...] | |
| 6.a' | a-ba-am3 za-e-me-en-ze2-en | |
| 6.b' | sza3-gu10# sza3#-gu10#-sze3!? bar-gu10 bar-gu10-sze3!? du11#?-ga-na#?-ab?-ze2-[...] | |
| 7.a' | dingir he2-me-en-ze2-en inim ga-mu-ra-an-du11 | |
| 7.b' | lu2-lu7 he2-me-en-ze2-en nam-zu? bi2-ib2#-x-x | |
| 8.a' | zi an-na zi ki#-[...] pa3-de3-de3-ze2-na-za-na | |
| 8.b' | [...] | |
| 9.a' | a i7-bi ma-ra-ba#-NE#? szu#!? nu#!?-um#?-gid2-de3 | |
| 9.b' | a-sza3 sze-ba ma-ra-ba szu nu-um-gid2-de3#!? | |
| 10' | uzu nig2 sag3-ga {gesz}gag#-ta# la2 szum2-ma-ab-ze2-en du11-ga-ma-ab-de6-ze2-en | |
| 11' | uzu nig2 sag3-ga ga-sza-an-ne-ne | |
| 12' | nig2 lugal <<me-en>> he2-a nig2 nin-bi he2-a szum2-ma-ze2-en du11-ga-ma-ab-de6-ze2-en | |
| 13' | uzu nig2 sag3-ga {gesz}gag-ta# la2-a im-ma-da-ab-szum2-mu-ze2-en | |
| 14.a' | 1(disz)-am3 u2# nam-ti-la 1(disz)-am3 a nam#-ti#-la#? ugu#!-ni# ba#?-an-szub-bu-esz | |
| 14.b' | {d}inanna ba-gub | |
| 15' | {d}eresz-ki-gal gala# kur-gar-ra# [...]-ke4 | |
| 16' | tum2#?-mu-un-en-ze2-en ga-sza-an-ne-ne#? [...] ba NE NE x KU? | |
| 17' | {d}inanna inim {d}en-ki-[...] kur#-ta e11! | |
| 18' | {d}inanna kur-ta e11-da-bi#? {d}a-nun-na-ke4-ne#? [...]-x-ha?-za-an | |
| 19' | a#-ba#?-am3#? lu2#? kur-ta im-x-e11#-de3 kur-ta silim#-ma#-ni bi2-in-e11-de3 | |
| 20.a' | [... {d}]inanna#? kur-ta bi2-e11-de3# | |
| 20.b' | sag-dili sag-ga2-na ba-ab-szum2-mu-de3 | |
| 21.a' | [...] | |
| 21.b' | [...]-x sukkal? nu-me-a {gesz}tukul#? szu#?-na bi2-in-duh | |
| 22' | [...]-x ra#-gaba# nu#-me-a {gesz}x-ra bi2-in-duh | |
| 23.a' | [...] x | |
| 23.b' | [...] gal#? {gi#}dub#-ba#-an-na za3-ga-na x x [...] | |
| 24' | [...]-szi#?-re7#-[...] | |
| 25' | lu2#? [...] | |
| 26' | zi3 dub-[...]-na8#?-na8#? [...] | |
| 27' | dumu# x [...] x x x x x [...] x lu2-ka ba-ra-si-il-le#-[...] | |
| 28' | x x [...] ama5?-na-ka? im-ma-ta-an-e3#?-[...] | |
| 29' | szum2#{sar} nig2 ses-a nu-gaz2-e-me-esz lu2 ku6 nu-gu7#-me-esz lu2 ga-rasz!{sar} nu#-gu7!(NAG)-[...] | |
| 30' | x {d}inanna mu-un-szi-re7{+re}-[...] | |
| 31' | u4# [{d}]inanna-ke4 kur-ta e11#-da-ni-ta {d}nin!-szubur#-ra-ke4 ka2 ganzer# [...] | |
| 32' | sahar#-ra# ba#-tusz# tug2#!? mudra6#-ra [...]-mur10#? | |
| 33' | galla#-e-ne#? ku3# {d}inanna-ke4 gu3 mu-na-de2#-[...] iri#?-zu-sze3#? [...]-x ga-ba-[...] | |
| 34' | ku3# {d#}inanna-ke4#? galla-e-ne mu-na-ni-ib-gi4#?-gi4#? [...] x x-ra?-gu10 | |
| 35' | sukkal#? inim sa6-sa6#-ga#-gu10# ra#-gaba e-ne-eg3# ge-en#?-[...]-gu10 | |
| 36' | e#-ne#-eg3 x x x [...]-ga x x x SZE3 x x-gu10#!? | |
| 37' | er2# du6#?-du6-dam! mar-mar#!?-ra#-ni x [...]-en#-na tuku#?-ma-[...] | |
| 38' | e2#? [dingir]-re#?-e-ne nigin2-nigin2#-x-a#?-ni i#-bi2#-[ni ma]-hur#? giri17?-ni ma#-hur# | |
| 39' | gesztux(|GISZ.TUG2|)#-ni ki? u6#?-di# ma#-hur# ki# lu2#?-[...] hasz4#?-gal-la-ni ma-hur#? | |
| 40' | x-[...] e2 {d}en-lil2-la2-sze3 uri2#{ki#}-[...]-sze3!? | |
| 41' | [...]-ze2#-eb{ki} e2 {d#}am#-an-ki-[ga-sze3 ...]-gub | |
| 42' | [...] x ZA? AB? x-e [...]-x | |
| 43' | [... dam]-an#?-ki#-ga#? er2 bi2-szesz2#-szesz2 dam#?-an#?-ki-[...] x x [...] | |
| 44' | ne ta#-gin7 nam-mu#-ra-ab-ze2-de3-en#? [...] | |
| 45' | umma#{ki#}-a szeg12-kur-sza3-ba-sze3 ga#-am3#-szi-re7-de3-en#? | |
| 46' | {d}x igi#?-ni#-sze3# giri3-ni ba#-an-szub x sahar#?-ra#!? ba-tusz x x tug2 mudra6#-[...] | |
| 47' | galla#-e#-[ne ku3] {d#}inanna#-ke4# gu3 mu-na-de2#-e# {d}inanna iri#{ki#?}-zu#?-sze3# DU-[...] | |
| 48' | me-en-[de3-en ...]-ab-tum4#?-mu-de3#-x-[...] | |
| 49' | ku3 {d#}inanna#-ke4 galla#-[...]-na#-[...] | |
| 50' | x al-hur?-re x [...] gu2-la2-gu10#? | |
| 51' | ne# ta-gin7 nam-[...]-x-de3-en#? | |
| 52' | bad3-tibira#{ki#?}-x e2-[...] | |
| 53' | {d}lu2-lal3 igi#?-ni-sze3 ba-an#-szub# | |
| 54' | {d}lu2-lal3 sahar-ra ba-an#-tusz# | |
| 55' | {d}lu2-lal3 tug2 mudra6-ra# ba-an#-[mur10] | |
| 56' | galla-e-ne ku3# {d#}inanna#-ke4 gu3# mu-na-de2-e {d}inanna iri#-zu#-[...]-na#? | |
| 57' | [me]-en#-de3-[en ...]-ab#-tum4-mu-de3#-[en] | |
| 58' | ku3 {d}inanna [...]-ne# mu-na-ni-ib-gi4-[gi4] | |
| 59' | {d}lu2-lal3 a2 zi-da#-gu10 [...] | |
| 60' | {d}lu2-lal3 a2 gab2-bu-gu10 [...] | |
| 61' | {d}lu2-lal3 za3-e3-gu10# [...] | |
| 62' | ne# [...]-ab-ze2-eg3-ga2-de3-en | |
| 63' | {gesz#?}haszhur#? [...] larsa{ki}-ma# [...] | |
| 64' | {gesz}haszhur? gu#-la [...] larsa#{ki}-ma# [...]-x-szi-re7-de3-[...] | |
| 65' | {d}dumu-zi# bara2#!? mah [...]-tusz# | |
| 66' | mah-a x-a [...]-in-gar | |
| 67' | kar-kid# hasz2#!?-a-ni [...]-x-dab5 | |
| reverse | ||
| 1' | [...] mu-na-ra-dub-dub-bu-[...] | |
| 2' | [...] mu-na#-tuku4-tuku4-e#-[...] | |
| 3' | [...]-mu#-[...]-tag#-tag#-[...] | |
| 4' | [...] x {na4#?}x [...] za3#-ga-na [...] | |
| 5' | [...]-in-bar igi usz2-am3# | |
| 6' | [...] x-da#?-tuku4-tuku4# sag#? nam-tag dugud [...] | |
| 7' | [...] galla-e-ne mu-x-x-ib-gi4#-gi4# | |
| 8' | [...] mu#?-[...]-szi#?-re7#?-re-esz-am3# | |
| 9' | [...] szu#? nu-bar-re-ze2-en | |
| 10' | [...] x x [...]-dab5#-be2#-esz | |
| 11' | lu2#? nin-e [... mu]-un#-szi-re7#-esz#-am3# | |
| 12' | {d}dumu-zi [mu]-un#-szi-re7-esz | |
| 13' | {d}dumu-zi er2# im#-ma-an-pa3 sig7#-[sig7] i3#?-ga2-ga2# | |
| 14' | gurusz#-e a-na#-am3# i3#?-ak# [a]-na-am3 bi2-x | |
| 15' | [...] NUN# ku3#?-ga#? nu-x | |
| 16' | [...] x x nu-KU? | |
| 17' | [...] x i3#-ug5#?-ga-de3 | |
| 18' | [...] an#?-sze3 szu ba-szi#-in-zi | |
| 19' | [...]-me#-en# lu2 nu-x-me-en | |
| 20' | [...] i3 gur3-ru-me-en | |
| 21' | [...]-sze3 gar9 gur3-ru#-me-en | |
| 22' | [...]-sze3 x gur3-[ru]-me-en | |
| 23' | unu{ki}-[...] ak#-a-me-en | |
| 24' | nundum#? ku3#? [...] su#?-x [...]-me#-en# | |
| 25' | dub3#? [...] du11#?-[me-en] | |
| 26' | [...]-kam#!? u3-mu-ni-in-si# | |
| 27' | [...] u3-mu-ni-in-si# | |
| 28' | galla#?-[...]-kar#? nam#?-mu#?-[...]-x-ha#?-[...]-en | |
| 29' | [...] x-[...]-ti# | |
| 30' | [...]-si# | |
| 31' | [...]-si# | |
| 32' | [...] x x x [...] x | |
| 33' | [...]-e#-ne# ga#-[...] nam#-mu#-ni#-ha#!?-za-[...]-ne# | |
| 34' | [...] x [...]-x-esz | |
| 35' | [...] x | |
| 36' | [...] | |
| 37' | [...] x x bi? x [...] | |
| 38' | [...] x mu-u4-na-ni [...] i3#?-szesz2#?-[...] | |
| 39' | [... {d}]dumu#?-zi-de3 [...] x x x nam# [...] | |
| 40' | [...] dam#?-ni [...] x-na [...] | |
| 41' | [...] dam#?-ni# x [...] x [...] | |
| 42' | [...] x-gin7 im-mi-x-[...] MI x [...] | |
| 43' | [...]-re {u2}numun2 i3#-ze2#?-[...] | |
| 44' | [...]-ne# ur2#?-zu-ne-ne [...]-x dam# [...] | |
| 45' | [...]-ne# ur2-zu-ne-[ne ...] | |
| 46' | [...] x [...] | |
| 47' | [...] x [...] | |
| 48' | [...] x-tag-[...] | |
| 49' | [...] mu#-na-[...] | |
| 50' | [...] ta#!?-am3 x [...] | |
| 51' | [...] mu-na-x-[...] | |
| 52' | [...] x x a x [...] | |
| 53' | x [...] | |
| 54' | nim-e ku3# {d#}inanna#-ke4# [...] x [...] | |
| 55' | ki-sikil {d}inanna-ke4 nim# x [...]-ni-x-tar#?-re#? | |
| 56' | e2-kasz-a-ka#? zabar gesztin? nag#?-a-ke4 hu-mu-ra#?-[...]-a-ze2?-[...] | |
| 57' | du5?-mu lu2? ku3#-zu#?-ke4-ne-gin7 nam-[...] | |
| 58' | x [...] tar-ra {d}inanna-ke4 ur5 he2#-en#-nam# [...] | |
| 59' | [...]-x er2 im#-szesz2#-szesz2# | |
| 60' | x-gu10 im-ma-gen szu-sze3 mu-da-ab#-x-[...] | |
| 61' | x x me-li!?-e#!?-a [...] x x [...] | |
| 62' | za-e mu sa9?-am3 nin9#?-zu sa9?-am3# | |
| 63' | u4# za-e al di-di-e u4#-bi he2-KU-[...] | |
| 64' | u4 nin9?-zu# al di-di-e u4#-bi# he2-su3#?-su3#?-[...] | |
| 65' | ku3# {d}inanna-ke4 {d#}dumu#-zi sag-bi-sze3# e3#? bi2-in-szum2-mu# | |
| 66' | ku3 {d}eresz-ki#-gal-la-ke4 | |
| 67' | za3-mi2-zu du10-ga-am3 | |
| 69' | szu-nigin2 gesz2-gesz2-ninnu-esz5 | |
| 70' | im-gid2-da 3(disz)-kam za3 til-la an gal-ta ki gal-sze3! | |
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 2026-10-11.