CDLI Literary 000379, ex. 026 (P346221)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Ur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000379, ex. 026 |
|---|---|
| ID | P346221 |
| 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 | He has ceased in the cattlepen, an empty wind (is set, smites?) his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 2 | The wild bull has ceased in the cattlepen, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 3 | The lord of the lands has ceased there, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 4 | The lord of the lands has ceased there, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 5 | His spouse Ninlil has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 6 | Ninlil has ceased in the temple in the Ki'ur complex, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 7 | The lady of Kesh has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 8 | Ninmah has ceased in the temple in Kesh, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 9 | The one of Isin has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 10 | NinIsina has ceased in shrine Egalmah, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 11 | The lady of the region of Uruk has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 12 | Inanna has ceased in the temple in the region of Uruk, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 13 | Nanna has ceased in shrine Urim, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 14 | Suen has ceased in his Ekišnugal temple, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 15 | His spouse Ningal has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 16 | Ningal has ceased in the temple, in her holy cella, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 17 | The wild bull of Eridu has ceased there, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 18 | Enki has ceased in the temple of Eridu, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 19 | Šara has ceased in the Emah temple, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 20 | Udsahara has ceased in the temple in Umma, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 21 | Baba has ceased in the Irikug precinct, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 22 | She has ceased the Eduga(!?), her chamber, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 23 | Her mother, Abbaba, has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 24 | Abbau has ceased in the Maguena shrine, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 25 | The protective lamma spirit of the temple has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 26 | The protective lamma spirit has ceased in the Etarsirsir temple, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 27 | The matron of lagaš has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 28 | gatumdug has ceased in the temple in lagaš, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 29 | The one of Nina has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 30 | The greatest lady (Nanše) has ceased in the temple in Sirara(?), her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 31 | The one of Kinirša has ceased there, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 32 | Dumuzi-Abzu has ceased in the temple in Kinirša, his sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 33 | The one of Gu'abba has ceased there, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 34 | Ninmar has ceased in the temple in Gu'abba, her sheepfold is an empty wind |
| obverse 35 | It is the first kirugu |
| obverse 36 | An empty wind is set in his sheepfold, its lament exhausts him |
| obverse 37 | Cow, your moo is not present in the cattlepen, the cattlepen is no longer suitable for the prince(?) |
| obverse 38 | It is its gešgigal “response” |
| obverse 39 | City whose lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 40 | Your lament is bitter, city, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 41 | The lament of his destroyed true city is bitter |
| obverse 42 | The lament of his destroyed Urim is bitter |
| obverse 43 | Your lament is bitter, your “great lady” (Ningal), the one who laments, how long will it exhaust her? |
| obverse 44 | Your lament is bitter, Nanna, the one who laments, how long will it exhaust him? |
| obverse 45 | Brickwork of Ekur, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 46 | Ki'ur, the great place, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 47 | Ubšu'ukken assembly place, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 48 | Shrine Nibru, city, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 49 | Brickwork of Isin, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 50 | Shrine Egalmah, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 51 | Brickwork of Urim, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 52 | Ekišnugal temple, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 53 | Shrine Agrunkuga, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 54 | Brickwork of Eridu, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 55 | Brickwork of the Irikug precinct, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 56 | Maguenna shrine, the lament is bitter, initiate your lament! |
| obverse 57 | Your lament is bitter, your “great lady” (Ningal), the one who laments, how long will it exhaust her? |
| obverse 58 | Your lament is bitter, Nanna, the one who laments, how long will it exhaust her? |
| obverse 59 | City, your name is (still) present, but you will be destroyed to my/your detriment(?) |
| reverse 1 | City, your walls (may be) “those of encircling/totality"(i.e., they may still be complete?), but your land is finished to my/your detriment(?) |
| reverse 2 | My city, like a fecund ewe, your lamb is finished to my/your detriment(?) |
| reverse 3 | Urim, like a fecund she-goat, your kid is finished to my/your detriment(?) |
| reverse 4 | City, your rites are changed to my/your detriment(?) |
| reverse 5 | Your ordinances have been changed into strange ordinances |
| reverse 6 | Your lament is bitter, your “great lady” (Ningal), the one who laments, how long will it exhaust her? |
| reverse 7 | Your lament is bitter, Nanna, the one who laments, how long will it exhaust him? |
| reverse 8 | It is the 2nd kirugu |
| reverse 9 | When ... destroys the true city, the lament is bitter |
| reverse 10 | When ... destroys Urim, the lament is bitter |
| reverse 11 | It is its gešgigal “response” |
| reverse 12 | The lady, after the city was destroyed, her city initiated a lament along with her(?) |
| reverse 13 | Ningal, who is finished in the land to my/your detriment(?) |
| reverse 14 | (The former inhabitants of) Urim are inconsolable(!?) with bitter lamentation to my/your detriment(?) |
| reverse 15 | The true woman, the lady who is to exhaust herself on behalf of her city |
| reverse 16 | Ningal, who is not to sleep on behalf of her land |
| reverse 17 | For her the fate of the city approaches, she weeps bitterly |
| reverse 18 | Upon my lady/that of my lady(?) the fate of the temple approaches(?), she weeps bitterly |
| reverse 19 | The fate of her destroyed city approaches, she weeps bitterly |
| reverse 20 | The fate of her defiled city approaches, she weeps bitterly |
| reverse 21 | The lady, after that of the voice(!?), the balag drum/lyre of lamentation, was being 'founded'(?) |
| reverse 22 | She herself was minimally( i.e., softly?) intoning an ilu lament/intoning little ilu laments(?) (of) the silenced ... |
| reverse 23 | The storm that is set (for me), its sorrow/wailing hangs upon me |
| reverse 24 | I am the woman whom the storm is set (for) |
| reverse 25 | The storm that is set (for me), its sorrow/wailing exhausts me(!) |
| reverse 26 | The storm, the bitter storm, is set for me |
| reverse 27 | And therefore I wail because of that storm |
| reverse 28 | Because of the power/wing(?) of the storm, I(!) cannot bring out(?) ... |
| reverse 29 | And therefore, (even) for a short length of days(?), in my reign, propitious days, in my reign, propitious days ... has not seen |
| reverse 30 | Along with(?) the night, because of the power of the night that is set for me |
| reverse 31 | And therefore I wail because of that night |
| reverse 32 | Because of the power/wing(?) of(!) the night, I(!) cannot bring out(?) ... |
| reverse 33 | The storm that is about to destroy like a flood, hangs for me by itself/in its aura(?) |
| reverse 34 | Because of this, in my bed chamber of the night |
| reverse 35 | Calm sleep is not put (in?) my bedchamber of the night |
| reverse 36 | Because of this, the silencing of the bedchamber |
| reverse 37 | If only ... would also bring the silencing of the bedchamber |
| reverse 38 | Because anathema was placed (in?) my land for me(!?) |
| reverse 39 | Like a cow with its calf, it ... the ground |
| reverse 40 | My land, regarding itself(?), does not compare with (me)(!?) |
| reverse 41 | Because bitter toil was placed (in?) my city |
| reverse 42 | I flap my wings towards it like a bird of the sky |
| reverse 43 | I fly towards my city |
| reverse 44 | (But) so to (i.e., nevertheless?) the city is destroyed where it was founded to my detriment |
| reverse 45 | (But) so to (i.e., nevertheless?) Urim is finished in its bedchamber to my detriment |
| reverse 46 | Because the power of the storm was placed from above/superior (to me)(?) |
| reverse 47 | I screamed and said to him “storm, you shall stay confined to the steppe” |
| reverse 48 | But the breast of the storm would not rise away from me |
| reverse 50 | (Saying?) The lady, they must not put distant days (for me) into the reign of the Agrunkug temple, (the temple of my ladyship) |
| reverse 51 | She shall found (only) weeping and lamentation |
| reverse 52 | Because this temple is the site of liver pleasing of the black-headed |
| reverse 53 | Anger and distress shall also be doubled on behalf of/by means of its festival to your detriment |
| reverse 55 | They shall continually bring despair, lament and anathema, lament and anathema |
| reverse 56 | My temple which was established by the just man |
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 | [...] musz3 mu-ni-in-ga#-[am3 ...] | |
| 2 | [...] musz3 mu-ni-in-ga-am3# [...] | |
| 3 | [...] musz3 mu-ni-in-ga-am3# [...] | |
| 4 | [...]{ki#?} musz3 mu-ni-in-ga-am3# [...] | |
| 5 | [...] musz3 mu-ni-in-ga-am3# [...] | |
| 6 | [... ki]-ur3-ra musz3 mu-ni-in-ga-am3# [...] | |
| 7 | [...] musz3 mi-ni-in-[ga-am3 ...] | |
| 8 | [...]-bi keszx(|SZU2.AN|){ki}-kam? musz3 mi-ni-in#-<ga>-am3# [...] | |
| 9 | [...] musz3 mi-ni-in-ga-am3 amasz-[...] | |
| 10 | [...]-ke4# e2-bi esz3 e2-gal-mah musz3# mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3# [...] | |
| 11 | [... musz3] mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 [...] | |
| 12 | [...] unu{ki}-ga musz3# mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3# [...] | |
| 13 | [...] uri2#{ki#}-ma musz3# mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 [...] | |
| 14 | [...] e3-kisz-nu-gal2-la#?-na musz3# mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 [...] | |
| 15 | dam#-ni# ga-sza-an#-[gal]-e musz3# mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 [...] | |
| 16 | {d}ga-sza-an-<gal>-e e2#-bi# agrun-ku3-ga musz3 mi-ni#-in-<ga>-am3 amasz#-[a-ni] lil2#-la2 | |
| 17 | am uru2-ze2#{ki}-ba-ke4# musz3 mi-ni-in#-<ga>-am3 amasz#-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 18 | dam#-an#-ki-ke4 uru2-ze2{ki}-ba-ke4 musz3# mi#-ni-[in-<ga>-am3] amasz#-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 19 | {d}szara2 e2-mah-a musz3# [mi]-ni#-in#-[am3 amasz]-a#-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 20 | {d}ud-sahar-ra e2-bi umma{ki} musz3# mi#-ni-in-[am3 amasz-a-ni] lil2-la2 | |
| 21 | {d}ba-ba6 iri-ku3-ga musz3# mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3# [amasz-a-ni lil2-la2] | |
| 22 | e4-du11-ga ama5#-na musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 [amasz-a-ni lil2-la2] | |
| 23 | ama-ni dab-ba-ba6 musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 [amasz-a-ni lil2-la2] | |
| 24 | dab-ba-u2 ma-gu2#-en-na musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 [amasz-a-ni lil2-la2] | |
| 25 | {d}lamma e2-[...] musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga> am3# amasz#-[a-ni lil2-la2] | |
| 26 | {d}lamma-re e2-tar-sir2-sir2-ra musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3# amasz-a#-ni# [lil2-la2] | |
| 27 | um-ma# lagaszx(|SZIR.BUR.LA.DIL.BUR|){ki}-ke4 musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3# amasz-a#-ni# lil2#-la2# | |
| 28 | {d}ma-ze2-ze2 e2-bi lagasz#{ki}-ke4 musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 amasz-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 29 | mu-lu nigin6?{ki} musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 amasz-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 30 | {d}ga-sza-an gu-la e2-bi# sirarax(|UD.DAR.AB.BI.DAR|)-a musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 amasz-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 31 | mu-lu ki-nir-sza4{ki}-ke4# musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 amasz-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 32 | {d}dumu-zi-abzu e2#-bi# ki-nir-sza4{ki}-ke4 musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 amasz-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 33 | mu-lu gu2-ab#-ba{ki} musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 amasz-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 34 | {d}ga-sza-an-mar#{ki#} e2-bi gu2-ab-ba{ki} musz3 mi-ni-in-<ga>-am3 amasz-a-ni# lil2-la2 | |
| 35 | ki-ru-gu2 disz-kam-ma | |
| 36 | amasz-a-ni# lil2#-[...]-in-gar i-si-isz-bi mu-un-kusz2-u3 | |
| 37 | ab2 gu3#-zu#? tur3-ra nu-ma-al tur3 nun nu-e-du7 | |
| 38 | gesz-gi4-gal2-bi-im | |
| 39 | uru2# [...] gig-ga a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 40 | a-[...] gig-ga uru2# a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 41 | uru2 zi gul-la#-na a-sze-er-bi gig-ga-am3 | |
| 42 | uri2#{ki} gul#-la#-na a-sze-er-bi gig-ga-am3 | |
| 43 | a-sze-er-zu gig#-ga#-am3 ga-sza-an gal-zu mu-lu er2-ra en3-sze3 mu-un-kusz2-u3 | |
| 44 | a-sze-er-zu gig-ga-am3 {d}nanna mu-lu er2-ra en3-sze3 mu-un-kusz2-u3 | |
| 45 | sze-eb e2-kur-ra a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 46 | ki-ur3 ki gal-la a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 47 | ub#-szu#-ukken-na a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 48 | esz3 nibru#{ki} uru2 a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 49 | sze-eb i3-si#-[in]-na{ki} a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 50 | esz3 e2-gal-mah a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 51 | sze-eb uri2{ki}-ma a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 52 | e2-kisz-nu-gal2 a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 53 | esz3 agrun-ku3-ga a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 54 | sze-eb uru2-ze2{ki}-ba-ke4 a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 55 | sze-eb uru2-ku3-ga a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 56 | ma-gu2-en-na a-sze-er gig-ga-am3 a-sze-er-zu gar-ra | |
| 57 | a-sze-er-zu gig-ga-am3 ga-sza-an gal-zu mu-lu er2-ra en3-sze3 mu-un-kusz2-u3 | |
| 58 | a-sze-er-zu gig-ga-am3 {d}nanna mu-lu er2-ra en3-sze3 mu-un-kusz2-u3 | |
| 59 | uru2 mu-zu i3-ma-al za-e ba-e-da-gul-e | |
| reverse | ||
| 1 | uru2 bad3-zu nigin2#-na-ka kalam-zu ba-e-da-til | |
| 2 | uru2-gu10 u8 zi-gin7 sila4-zu ba-e-da-til | |
| 3 | uri2{ki}-ma ud5 zi-gin7# masz2-zu ba-e-da-til | |
| 4 | uru2{ki} garza-zu# im-mu-e-de3-kur2-ra | |
| 5 | me-zu me kur2-ra szu bala ba-ni-ib-bala | |
| 6 | a-sze-er-zu gig-ga-am3 ga-sza-an gal-zu mu-lu er2-ra en3-sze3 mu-un-kusz2-u3 | |
| 7 | a-sze-er-zu gig-ga-am3 {d}nanna mu-lu er2-ra en3-sze3 mu-un-kusz2-u3 | |
| 8 | ki-ru-gu2 2(disz)-kam-ma | |
| 9 | uru2 zi gul-la-na a-sze-er-bi gig-ga-am3 | |
| 10 | uri2{ki} gul-la-na a-sze-er-bi gig-ga-am3 | |
| 11 | gesz-gi4-gal2-bi-im | |
| 12 | nin-bi iri hul-a-ta iri-ni er2-ra ba-an-di-ni#-ib#-gar | |
| 13 | {d}nin-gal lu2 kalam-ma ba-e#-da-til#-e# | |
| 14 | uri2{ki}-ma a-sze-er gig-ga bar-ba ba-e-da-tab2#? | |
| 15 | munus zi nin iri-ni-sze3 kusz2-u3-de3 | |
| 16 | {d}nin-gal kalam-ma-ni-sze3 u3 nu-ku-ku-u3-de3 | |
| 17 | e-ne-ra nam iri{ki}-na mu-un-te er2 gig mu-sze8-sze8 | |
| 18 | nin-ga2 nam e2-na mu-un#-te# er2 gig mu-sze8-sze8# | |
| 19 | nam iri hul-a-na mu-un#-te# er2 gig mu-sze8-sze8# | |
| 20 | nam# e2 pe-el-na mu-un#-te er2 gig mu-sze8#-sze8# | |
| 21 | [...]-e ad-da-a balag er2-ra ki# al-gar-ra-ba | |
| 22 | [...] x si-ga tur-tur-bi ni2-te-na mi-ni-ib-be2 | |
| 23 | [...] ma#!?-al-DA-al-la i-si-isz-bi ma-la2 | |
| 24 | {lu2#}nu#-nuz# men3 u4 ma-al-ma-al-la | |
| 25 | u4 ma-al-ma-al#-[...]-bi mu-un-kusz2-u3 | |
| 26 | u4-da u4 gig-ga <<ga>> ma#-ra# ma-al-ma-al-la-am3? | |
| 27 | me!-e u4-bi-sze3 zarah# he2-em-szi-ak# | |
| 28 | u4-da a2-bi-sze3 ba#-ra-ba-ra-an-e3-[e] | |
| 29 | u4 tur-bi-sze3 bala-ga2 u4 sa6-ga bala#-ga2# u4 sa6-ga igi ba-ra-[...]-duh#-a | |
| 30 | ge6-da ge6 a2-bi-sze3 ma-ra ma-al#-ma-al-la#? | |
| 31 | me ge6-bi-sze3 zarah# he2-em-szi-ak | |
| 32 | ge6-da a2-bi-sze3 ba-ra-ba#-ra-an-e3-e | |
| 33 | u4 uru2-gin7 gul-lu-da ni2-bi-a ha-ma-la2-[...] | |
| 34 | na-ag2-bi-sze3 ki-nu2 ge6#-u3-na-ga2#? | |
| 35 | ki-nu2 ge6-u3-na-gu10 lib ba-ra-mu-gal2 | |
| 36 | na-ag2-bi-sze3 ki-nu2 gesz#-la2-a-bi | |
| 37 | ki-nu2 gesz-la2-a-bi nu-usz-in-ga#-ma#-ni-ib-de6 | |
| 38 | ka-na-ag2-gu10 ag2-gig-ga ma-gal2-la-ke4-esz | |
| 39 | ab2 amar-bi-gin7-nam ki zu he2-em#-mi-ib#-ak | |
| 40 | ka-na-ag2-gu10 ni2-sze3-am3 ba-ra#-mu-da-an-sa2-e | |
| 41 | uru2{ki}-gu10 du-lum gig ba-gal2#-[la]-ke4#?-[esz] | |
| 42 | muszen an-na-gin7 a2 dub2 [...] | |
| 43 | me uru2-ga2 [...] | |
| 44 | uru2 ki gar-ba he2-en-ga-[...] | |
| 45 | uri2#{ki#}-ma# ki-nu2-bi-a he2-en#-[...] | |
| 46 | [...] an-ta# ba-gal2#-[...] | |
| 47 | [...]-dub2#? edin#-na u4 [...]-e# he2#-em#-ma#-na#?-du11#? | |
| 48 | [...]-ra#-mu-da#-ab-[...] | |
| 49 | [...]-ga#? e2 na-ag2#-[...]-an-na-[...] | |
| 50 | [...]-re-esz-am3# | |
| 51 | [...]-ab-us2#-e#? | |
| 52 | [...]-me-a#-ke4-esz# | |
| 53 | [...]-ga#?-ba-e-da#-tab#?-[...] | |
| 54 | [...] x-a e2 IGI# [...] | |
| 55 | [...] hu-mu#-[...] | |
| 56 | [...]-an-gar-ra-[...] | |
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.