CDLI Literary 000380, ex. 021 (P346218)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Ur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000380, ex. 021 |
|---|---|
| ID | P346218 |
| 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 | The gizi reeds that grew in the holy enclosure(?) were actively diminished(?) |
| obverse 2 | The enemy carried (away) the great tribute that ... deposited there |
| obverse 3 | In the temple, its {geš}bur ormanment(?) fell, its parapet was destroyed |
| obverse 4 | ... embracing on its right and left |
| obverse 5 | Like smitten heroes, they were covered from the front |
| obverse 6 | Its great storm(-demon)?, with an open mouth and the face of an awe-bearing pirig creature |
| obverse 7 | ... were felling them with a saman rope like a caught wild bull, enemy territory ... |
| obverse 8 | ... brought the scent of the dwelling of holy Nanna, which was like a juniper forest to an end |
| obverse 9 | Its asalbar feature, the one that was overlaid(?) with gold and lapis ... |
| obverse 10 | (And?) the awe of the temple, which had been good(?)--the awe was (now) destroyed” |
| obverse 11 | The one that had filled(?) the lands like sunlight(?) was (re)built(?) like the evening(?) of heaven (instead?) |
| obverse 12 | Its door, the one that ... sunlight(?) like a beautiful/verdant star of heaven/constellation(?) |
| obverse 13 | (And?) the great boundary stakes? shouted(?) so that ... would not(?) tear them out(!?) |
| obverse 14 | Its hinge ... was defiled(?) with a stunned silence |
| obverse 15 | Together with its door fitting, it wept like a fugitive |
| obverse 16 | The holy bolt and bar were no longer fixed on/controlling(?) the great(?) door |
| obverse 17 | The noise of the (previously?) fixed/controlled(?) door fell(?) (silent?), it had no one to fix/control it |
| obverse 18 | ... was actively diminished(?), it set ... in the broad street |
| obverse 19 | In the royal offering place the nindaba offering of the royal offering place(!?) was changed |
| obverse 20 | In its holy ... was not making the tigi, šem, and ala drums sound nobly |
| obverse 21 | Among its supreme tigi drums(!?) the a'ua functionary did not sing pure songs |
| obverse 22 | (At) the gate tower where fates are to be determined there were no affairs(?) |
| obverse 23 | The throne (where) cases had been decided no longer stood(?), cases were not undertaken correctly |
| obverse 24 | (Nanna/Suen's vizier) Alamuš dropped the scepter (with) his hand shaking |
| obverse 25 | In the holy(!) bed chamber of Nanna ... shall not ... at his feet(?) |
| obverse 26 | The holy treasure box, which no one(!) is to see, the enemy saw (inside of it) |
| obverse 27 | ... did not set up the pure bed/bed of flowers, ... did not spread out shining plants (upon it) |
| obverse 28 | They were cutting down the statue that occupied(?) the uzga shrine |
| obverse 29 | The dream interpreter, the engiz temple cook, and the seal bearer did not use the ešda vessel(?) properly |
| obverse 30 | In the holy uzga shrine, the šagadala priests of the pure washing rites |
| obverse 31 | They stood in the manner of one whose neck is pushed to the ground(?), the enemies took them away |
| reverse 1 | Suen brought his ... there for his father |
| reverse 2 | He knelt there before his birth father Enlil |
| reverse 3 | My birth father, how long will the eye of the enemy have looked at my ..., how long ... |
| reverse 4 | On(?) my hair, bound up with the suh headress/pectoral(?) |
| reverse 5 | The great cleaned pure “day"(?) has become dirty ...(?) |
| reverse 6 | Examine faithfully your heart darkened (by anger), which terrifies like a wave |
| reverse 7 | Enlil was speaking a true word to his son Suen |
| reverse 8 | The destroyed city, the flattening of the parapet of the great wall by the storm, this too is (a part of) the turn of office |
| reverse 9 | One who ..., for the dark days of you term of office, may “open (the temple(?))” be spoken(?) |
| reverse 10 | (Previous) dweller, in your dwelling, the Etemenniguru temple, which was built faithfully |
| reverse 11 | May ... (re)build it ..., may the people bow down towards it |
| reverse 12 | May ... have bread (?) at its base, may Ašnan dwell with it |
| reverse 13 | May there be joy in its branches, may Utu rejoice with him |
| reverse 14 | On its ..., ... may the abundance of Ašnan embrace ... |
| reverse 15 | May Ur, the city decreed by An, be returned to its place for you |
| reverse 16 | May(?) Enlil, like(?) a true speaker, raise his neck towards heaven |
| reverse 17 | For Nanna may the high and low (land) assemble(?) |
| reverse 18 | For Suen may he set the roads of the land of land in order |
| reverse 19 | (With a noise like?) a rainstorm touching the earth, (may?) pounding stones(?) be employed(?) for him |
| reverse 20 | It was the spoken word of An and Enlil, and therefore it was being carried out faithfully(?) |
| reverse 21 | Father Nanna stood(?) in his city, Ur, with head held high |
| reverse 22 | The youth Suen was able to enter into his Ekišnugal temple |
| reverse 23 | Ningal was relaxing in her pure chamber |
| reverse 24 | He was able to enter into Ur, into his Ekišnugal temple |
| reverse 25 | It is the 4th kirugu |
| reverse 26 | The city was an empty wind, in its midst the reed of lamentation grew in(?) lament |
| reverse 27 | In its midst the reed of lamentation grew in(?) lament |
| reverse 28 | Its people spend the day in lamentation |
| reverse 29 | It is its gešgigal “response” |
| reverse 30 | Bitter storm, raise you chest (depart), turn back/confine yourself in your house. |
| bottom 1 | Month “Harvest,” 18th day. |
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 | gi-zi# musz2 ku3-ge# mu2-a szu ba-e-lal-lal | |
| 2 | gu2-un gal-gal-e mi-[ni]-in-gar-re-esz kur2-re i3-IL2#-IL2# | |
| 3 | e2-e gesz!-bur2-bi ba-e#?-szub# bad3-si ba-a-gul | |
| 4 | GIR3-e zi-da gab2-bu-ba gu2-da# la2-bi | |
| 5 | ur-sag-ur-sag gaz-a-gin7 igi-bi-ta ba-e-szu2 | |
| 6 | u4 gal ka duh-a igi pirig-ga2 ni2 gur3-gur3-ru-bi | |
| 7 | am dab5-ba-gin7 samanx(|SZE3.SUD.SZE3.TU|) ba-an-szub-szub-bu ki-erim2 ba#?-ab#?-du11# | |
| 8 | ki-tusz ku3 {d}nanna tir# szim {gesz}erin#-na-gin7 ir-si-im-bi#-a ba-an-gul# | |
| 9 | a-sal-bar-bi# ku3#?-sig17 {na4}za-gin3-na#!? u3#?-gun3#? du11-ga-a-bi | |
| 10 | e2 u6-di#-bi# i3#-du10#-ga#?-ri u6#-di# ba-a-gul | |
| 11 | u4-gin7 kur-kur-ra i-im-si#-a {d#}usan#? an-na-gin7 ba-e#-du3#? | |
| 12 | {gesz}ig-bi u4? mul! an#-na#? sag12#?-ga#?-a-gin7#? x DAR#? du11-ga-a-bi | |
| 13 | {uruda}bulugx(BUR2) gal-gal-e x mu#?-x-gi4#?-gi4#? ba#-ra#-an#-BU-BU-de3#-esz | |
| 14 | a2?-si-bi a-ba# lib#-lib#-be2#?-esz#? szu#? pe#?-el#?-la2#? ba#-ab#?-du11 | |
| 15 | {gesz}nu-kusz2-u3-bi-da#? lu2#-kar#?-ra#?-gin7 er2# gig# mu#-un#-szesz4#-szesz4# | |
| 16 | {gesz#}sag#-kul {gesz}suhub4# ku3#-ga# {gesz}ig# gal#? gu2# gid2# nu-mu-un-na-ke3-e | |
| 17 | {gesz#}ig gu2 gid2-da za-pa-ag2-bi ba-szub#? lu2# gu2 gid2#-de3# la#-ba#-ab-tuku? | |
| 18 | x ku3#? x szu ba-e-lal-lal sila dagal-la IM#? [...] | |
| 19 | ki#?-lugal#?-DU#?-e ki-lugal#-DU-bu-ba#? {ninda#?}nindaba#?-bi [...] | |
| 20 | x ku3-ba tigi2 szem5#?{zabar#} {kusz}a2#-la2-e gu3 nun# [...]-ib#-be2 | |
| 21 | tigix(|KID.NAR.BALAG|)#? mah-x a#?-u3#-a szir3 ku3 nu-mu-ni-ib#?-[...] | |
| 22 | dub-la2 ki nam tar-re-de3 inim inim-ma nu-gal2# | |
| 23 | {gesz}gu-za di ku5-ru-bi nu-mu-un-gub di si nu-mu#-[...] | |
| 24 | {d}alamusz!?-a {gesz}gidri ba-da-an-szub szu-ni gu4-u4-gu4#-x | |
| 25 | a2-nu2-da za {d}nanna-ka# giri3-na nam#?-un#-[...] | |
| 26 | dub#-szen# ku3 lu2 igi <nu>-bar-re-dam erim2-e im#-mi#-[...]-in#-bar | |
| 27 | gesz-nu2# gi4#-rin#-na nu-un-gub u2 za-gin3# nu-mu-un#-bur2# | |
| 28 | {uruda#}an#-za3#-gi4 si-a#-bi gu2# guru5# x-x-x-x-esz# | |
| 29 | ensi# engiz# kiszib3-gal2#-x [...] szu# li-bi2-in-du7 | |
| 30 | uz-ga#? x-x szu#-luh# dadag-ga sza3#-gada-la2#-bi#-e-ne | |
| 31 | gu2# ki# gal2#?-bi ba-e-su8-su8-ge-esz kur2-re# ba-ab-lah5#-e-esz | |
| reverse | ||
| 1 | [{d}]suen#?-e# x [...] gal2-la-a-ni a-a-<ni>-ir ba-szi-in-de6 | |
| 2 | [... {d}]en-lil2-la2-sze3 dub3 ki ba-ni-ib-us2 | |
| 3 | [...]-ki#?-gu10 igi erim2-ma bi2-duh en3-tukum-sze3 x | |
| 4 | siki-pa# [...] kesz2#?-da#?-ga2 | |
| 5 | u4 sikil#? mah# [...] mu-dur7-ra mi-ni-in-ku4# | |
| 6 | sza3 su2-mu-ug2-ga# i#-zi#-gin7 hu#-luh#-ha-<<ha>>-za igi zi# bar#-mu-un-szi-ib | |
| 7 | {d}en-lil2-le dumu-ni {d}suen-ra inim zi mu-un-na-ab-be2 | |
| 8 | iri gul bad3 gal bad3-si-bi u4 si-ge u3 ur5#-re bala an-[ga]-am3 | |
| 9 | KU mi-ri!(HU)-ib-du11-ga bala u4 ku10-ku10-da#?-x gal2#-lu sza#-ra-du11 | |
| 10 | tusz# ki-tusz e2-temen-ni2-gur3-ru-za zi-de3-esz du3-du3-am3 | |
| 11 | uri2{ki}-ma [...]-x he2-en-du3 ug3 he2-en-szi-gurum-e | |
| 12 | ur2#-bi-a ninda he2#-en-gal2# {d}asznan# he2-eb2-da-tusz | |
| 13 | pa-bi-a giri17-zal he2-gal2 {d}utu#? he2-en-da-hul2 | |
| 14 | x-ba BI AN he2-gal2 {d}asznan#-ma#-ka gu2-da he2#-em#-mi-in-la2 | |
| 15 | uri2{ki} iri an-ne2 nam tar-ra# ki-bi ha-ra-ab-gi4-gi4 | |
| 16 | {d}en-lil2-le gu3 zi# de2#-a#?-gin7#? x x x x-zi | |
| 17 | {d}nanna-ra sig-x igi#-nim#-ma# x x he2#-en-na-si-a | |
| 18 | {d}suen-ra kaskal kur-ra-ke4# si# he2#-en-na-sa2-e | |
| 19 | {d#?}muru9-e ki us2-sa-a na4#?-szu#? mu-un-na-ga2-ga2 | |
| 20 | inim du11-ga an {d}en-lil2#-la2-kam szu ZI he2-ga2-ga2 | |
| 21 | a-a {d}nanna iri{ki}-ni uri2{ki}-ma sag il2-la mu-un-gub | |
| 22 | szul {d}suen e2-kisz-nu-gal2-la-na im-ma-da-an-ku4-ku4 | |
| 23 | {d}nin-gal-e agrun ku3#-ga-na ni2 mu-ni-ib-te-en-te-en | |
| 24 | uri2{ki}-ma e2-kisz-nu-gal2-la-na im-ma-da-an-ku4-ku4 | |
| 25 | ki-ru-gu2 4(disz)-kam-ma | |
| 26 | iri#{ki} lil2-la2-am3 sza3-bi a-sze-ra gi er2-ra ba-an-mu2 | |
| 27 | sza3-bi a-sze-ra gi er2-ra ba-an-mu2 | |
| 28 | ug3-bi a-sze-ra u4 mi-ni-ib-zal-zal | |
| 29 | gesz-gi4-gal2-bi-im | |
| 30 | u4 gig-ga u4 gaba-zu zi-ga-ab e2-za gi4-bi | |
| bottom | ||
| 1 | {iti}sze-sag11-ku5 u4 1(u) 8(disz)#-kam# | |
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.