CDLI Literary 000764, ex. 007 (P346125)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Ur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000764, ex. 007 |
|---|---|
| ID | P346125 |
| 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 | No one holds/catches your eating (i.e., food?) properly with reed(?), a cord(?), or a caulked (container)(?) |
| obverse 2 | Your plunderer does not touch his hand to his skin |
| obverse 3 | In the great swamp, in the broad marsh, I am your ranger |
| obverse 4 | One cannot eat (its) good food because of me(?), my voice(?) approaches there(?) |
| obverse 5 | One cannot move(?) in the river/canal confidently(?), my “south wind"(?) covers completely |
| obverse 6 | From before me they are diving into the reed-bed and marsh(?) |
| obverse 7 | From among your little ones, you (might as well) pile up for me as a regular offering, for my sustenance ... |
| obverse 8 | Your large ones are indeed the “solution"(?) of the site of a banquet |
| obverse 9 | I am the beautiful and knowledgable bird |
| obverse 10 | Beautiful work (occurred) on behalf of my adornment |
| obverse 11 | But there is no one who has prepared the working of your pure wax/mold(?) |
| obverse 12 | In the palace of the king, I am the ornament of movement |
| obverse 13 | In the courtyard(?) my noise is a fitting thing, one established (it as such!?)/set it apart(!?) |
| obverse 14 | My cry is “that of a sweet thing"(?) |
| obverse 15 | On the body of Shulgi(?) it is a fitting thing, one established(?) (it as such!?)/set it apart(!?) |
| obverse 16 | Fruits of the orchard (are for) my many regular offerings |
| obverse 17 | babaza porridge, malt(?), hulled grain(?), and emmer(?) flour(?) (are for) my things/food that sweetens the mouth |
| obverse 18 | Thus(?) (you?) do not know my greatness! Bow (your) neck to the ground! |
| obverse 19 | At that time, the bird insulted the fish |
| obverse 20 | The fish, possessed of anger, trusting in the heroic might of the deep water(?) |
| obverse 21 | Like a heavy rain cloud it touched the ground, it stood in an adamin contest |
| obverse 22 | Whatever insults the bird had struck it with, it did not ponder |
| obverse 23 | It was able to(?) set its neck on the ground (sarcastically?), it was speaking freely/humbly(?) |
| obverse 24 | For the 2nd time the fish replied to the bird |
| obverse 25 | Bird, (you) do not know my greatness, (you) did not tread behind me, (you are one who) has not inquired after me |
| obverse 26 | You cannot know (either) my weakness(?) or my strength, (you) have spoken an inflammatory(?) word |
| obverse 27 | (Possessor of) trimmed limbs, crippled(?) feet, a ... mouth/beak, and a thinned out/flattened(?) tongue |
| obverse 28 | By means of ignorance you have been able to sneer/shout/chew(?), (but) you have not advised yourself |
| obverse 29 | I, the fish, am the one who piles up(?) the abundance of the pure shrine/sea(?) together |
| obverse 30 | I am the one who brings/goes/stands among(?) the great nindaba offerings of the Ekur proudly |
| reverse 1 | Like (the grain goddess) Ezina (I) am here for the sustenance of the land, I am her helper |
| reverse 2 | The harvest(?) rejoices with me as if (it was) a festival, my inquirer is there(?) |
| reverse 3 | Bird, what is your great thing that (you) accomplished? I will make you known your (over) exuberance |
| reverse 4 | I want to return (back into) your mind(?) your arrogance and mendacious speech |
| reverse 5 | At that time the fish was to make plans against the bird |
| reverse 6 | Silently and deceptively(?) it went on its “arms” |
| reverse 7 | When the bird got up from its nest in order to bring (back) food for its chick |
| reverse 8 | The fish sought the place silently |
| reverse 9 | It struck (the bird's) established nest, its prepared plants, (making it?) a windswept shrine |
| reverse 10 | It destroyed its built house, it tore out(?) its storeroom |
| reverse 11 | It killed its eggs and its nest with water(?), it covered them in the sea |
| reverse 12 | For a 2nd time the fish insulted the bird |
| reverse 13 | At that time the bird, with the face of a pirig creature and the claws of a hurin bird |
| reverse 14 | It was beating(!?) its wings towards its nest, (but) its flight (path) was blocked(?) |
| reverse 15 | (With) its mouth(?) it was screaming in the midst of heaven like the nugig midwife (of heaven, i.e., Inanna) |
| reverse 16 | At that time the bird, which was looking (carefully), (its) limbs were spread out(?) |
| reverse 17 | (Like) a stormwind that is to shake(?) to the midst of heaven, it roamed(?) in heaven |
| reverse 18 | The bird was searching the fish in the deep water, it sought it in the marshes |
| reverse 19 | The bird saw the fish in the deep water and planned against it |
| reverse 20 | It seized it, (it tried to) flee in the water (but) (the bird) held it with its claws |
| reverse 21 | It heaped up its little spawn(?) together, it heaped them in the manner of sheaves |
| reverse 22 | The bird took out revenge, (but) its heart was not cooling |
| reverse 23 | For a 2nd time the bird was replying to the fish |
| reverse 24 | "Clever” one(?), inferior one, deaf one, with muddled plans, fish, (you) should not come out(?) |
| reverse 25 | Roaming the harbor(!?), its mouth(?) not eating, “a storm blowing away(?)” fodder |
| reverse 26 | Pig, rogue, eating its own excrement, ... |
| reverse 27 | Guard who dwells in a bound-up house, slithering by itself |
| reverse 28 | The fish burned ... for me like fire, it sought the place silently(!?) |
| reverse 29 | Out of ignorance it got angry, it spattered(?) (its) hands in blood(?) |
| reverse 30 | In making itself feel wonderful it has destroyed itself |
| left col 1 1 | I am the one who flies in heaven, I am the one who goes about on earth |
| left col 1 2 | (Wherever) I am going, whatever is its name, I am the happiness that is present on behalf of ...(?) |
| left col 2 1 | Month of baragzaggar, day ... |
| left col 3 1 | (Total) 62 lines |
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 | gu7#?-a#?-zu si! sa2-e gi gu esir nu-mu-un-dab5-be2 | |
| 2 | lu2 lah5#-a-zu szu-ni su2-bi-sze3 nu-ub#?-tag-tag-ge | |
| 3 | ambar mah sug-ga dagal-la-ba ga2-e galla-zu-me-en | |
| 4 | u2 du10-ga nu-mu-e-szi-ib-gu7 gu3!-gu10 mu-un-ti-ti | |
| 5 | i7-da nir gal2-la#!?-bi# nu-mu-un-DU#?-DU# ulu3?{+lu}-gu10 ba-dul-dul | |
| 6 | igi-gu10-ta gesz-gi gi-szu2-a mu-e-gir5-gir5-e-ne | |
| 7 | di4-di4-la2-zu-ta sa2 du11-sze3# ma-a-gar#?-gar sza3-gal-gu10#-sze3# u3#?-[...] | |
| 8 | gal-gal-zu ki {gesz}bun-na-ka ki#?-bur2#?-[...] na#-nam | |
| 9 | ga2-e muszen sa6-ga gal#-an-zu-me-en | |
| 10 | kin2#? sa6-ga ugunu? tag-ga-gu10-sze3! | |
| 11 | lalx(TA)-hurx(BIR) ku3-zu kin2 la-ba-an-si-ga | |
| 12 | e2-gal lugal-la#-ka DU-DU he2-du7-bi-me-en | |
| 13 | kisal#?-la2 mu7?-mu7?-gu10 me-te-am3 ASZ im-mi-in#-gar | |
| 14 | akkil# gar-ra-gu10 nig2-ku7-ku7-da-kam#? | |
| 15 | su2-bar {d}szul-gi-re me-te-am3 ASZ im-mi-in-x | |
| 16 | nig2-tuh-hum gurun pu2-{gesz}kiri6-pu2-{gesz}kiri6-a sa2 du11 gal-gal-gu10 | |
| 17 | ba-ba-za BU gu2-nida zi3! AN-NA nig2 ka du10-ge-gu10 | |
| 18 | ur5-ta nam-mah-gu10 nu-zux(SU)? gu2 ki-sze3 la2#-a | |
| 19 | u4-bi-a muszen-e ku6-e in-sze3 mu-ni-in-dub2 | |
| 20 | ku6 lipisz tuku a2 nam-ur-sag-ga2 engur-ra nir! gal2 | |
| 21 | muru9 dugud-gin7 ki nam-mi-in-us2 a-da-min3-e ba-a-gub | |
| 22 | in muszen a-na-am3 mu-ni-in-dub2-ba sza3-sze3! nu-mu-un-na-gid2 | |
| 23 | gu2 ki-sze3 ba-da-gar inim bur2!-bi im-me | |
| 24 | 2(disz@t)-kam-ma-sze3! ku6-e muszen-e mu-un-na-ni-ib#-gi4-gi4 | |
| 25 | muszen-e nam-mah-gu10 nu-zu egir-ga2 nu-zukumx(|ZI&ZI.MIN|)-zukumx(|ZI&ZI.MIN|) bar-ga2 en3# li-bi2-[...] | |
| 26 | x-ga kal-ga-gu10 nu-e-da-an#-zu inim u3-bu#-[...] | |
| 27 | [...]-ur2# x x x x KA#? x sag? x [...] | |
| 28 | nam-nu-zu-a KA mu-x-[...]-x IM ni2-zu ad#? i#-[...]-in-gi4#?-[...] | |
| 29 | ga2#-e ku6-e he2-gal2 AB# sikil-la tesz2-bi gar#-ra [...] | |
| 30 | nindaba# gal-gal e2-kur-ra#-ke4# sag il2-la DU-me#-[...] | |
| reverse | ||
| 1 | {d}asznan-ma-gin7 sza3-gar kalam-ma-sze3! ba-gal2-me-en a2-tah-[...] | |
| 2 | buru14? ezem-gin7 mu-un-da-hul2-le# en3 tar-gu10 i3-gal2 | |
| 3 | muszen nig2-gal-gal# a-na mu-un-dim2#-ma#?-zu nam-gur4-zu ga-ri-ib#-[...] | |
| 4 | sun7-na inim# lul#-la# bala-e-x x umusz-zu-a ga-ri-ib-gi4-[...] | |
| 5 | u4-bi-a ku6-e muszen-ra sa2#? im-ke3-ke3-de3# | |
| 6 | si-ga# lul-ba a2-ba mu-un-DU-DU | |
| 7 | u4 muszen gud3-ba zi-ga amar-bi-sze3#!? nig2-gu7 tum3-u3-de3 | |
| 8 | ku6-e ki si-ga-a-asz mu-un-kin2 | |
| 9 | gud3 gar-ra u2 si-si-ga-ni esz3 lil2-la2 mu-un-sag3 | |
| 10 | e2 du3-du3-a-ni mu-un-gul-gul erim3#?-ma-ni mu-un-x-re | |
| 11 | nunuz-bi gud3#-bi a bi2-in-gaz-gaz ab-ba im-mi-in-szu2 | |
| 12 | 2(disz@t)-kam-ma#-sze3! ku6-e muszen-e in-sze3! mu-ni-in-dub2 | |
| 13 | u4-bi-a muszen igi pirig-ga2 umbin hu-ri2#-in#{muszen}-na | |
| 14 | gud3-bi-sze3 a2 x i3#?-ke3#-e dal-bi sag im#?-gi4# | |
| 15 | ka-bi nu#-x-gig-gin7 an-sza3-ga gu3 mu-un-dub2-dub2-be2 | |
| 16 | u4#-bi#-a muszen gud3#-bi-sze3! igi tab#?-ba a2-ur2 ba-bur2-bur2 | |
| 17 | {tu15}mar-rux(TE) an-sza3-ga-sze3! x-de3 an-na#? mu-un!?-ni10-ni10 | |
| 18 | muszen#-e# ku6 engur#-ra mi-ni-in-ni10#!?-ni10# sug mi-ni-in-kikken2 | |
| 19 | muszen#-e# ku6#-ra# engur-ra# igi im#-ma#-an#-duh# gesztux(|GISZ.TUG2|)# ba-szi-in-gub | |
| 20 | i-ni#-in-dab5 a-e ba-da-kar umbin mu-ni-in-la2 | |
| 21 | agargarax(NUN) tur#-tur#-bi tesz2-bi bi2-in-gar zar#!-re-esz mu#-un#-du8-du8 | |
| 22 | muszen-e szu gar-bi im-mi-in-gi4 sza3-bi nu#-[...] | |
| 23 | 2(disz@t)-kam-ma-sze3 muszen-e# ku6-e mu-na-ni-gi4#?-[...] | |
| 24 | galam?-ma? hu-ru# u2-hub2 galga suh3 ku6 nam-ta-e3#? | |
| 25 | x ni10-ni10 ka-ka-bi nu-gu7 sza3-gal u4 szu2-szu2 | |
| 26 | szah2# is-hab2 szed6 ni2-bi gu7-gu7 sag szu bi2-in-du11-ga | |
| 27 | {lu2}en-nu-ug3-ga2!? e2 kesz2-da ti-la ni2-bi-ta sur-ra | |
| 28 | ku6# ga2-ra izi-gin7 mu-un-bar7 ki SZAKIR3 mu-un#-[...] | |
| 29 | nam-nu-zu-ta sag ba-an-gid2 szu usz2-a i-ni-in#?-x | |
| 30 | sza3 gur4-ra ni2-bi ak-a-ba ni2-bi mu-un-gul-gul | |
| left col 1 | ||
| 1 | ge26-e <<re>> an-na dal-dal-e-me-en ki#?-a DU-DU-me#-en# | |
| 2 | DU-DU-gu10-sze3! mu sze21-a-ba a#-la# mu-un-szi-gal2-le-me-en | |
| left col 2 | ||
| 1 | itix(UD)-za3-gar u4 x-[...] | |
| left col 3 | ||
| 1 | 1(disz) szu-szi# 2(disz)#? | |
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
- Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618) · ORACC project editions, https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ ; cite the individual project (see texts.extra_json.project)
Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-11.