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CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 005 (P412444)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Kish · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 005 |
|---|---|
| ID | P412444 |
| Museum no. | Ashm 1932-0155 |
| Collection | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Period | Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE |
| Genre | Literary |
| Find spot | Kish (mod. Tell Uhaimir) |
| Coordinates | 32.5520, 44.5853 |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| obverse col 1 | ||
| 1 | [...] i7# ib2-diri#-ge igi# [...] | ... the river has become less and less |
| 2 | [x x]-e ur5-gim nam-ba#-[...] | ... should not ... like a dog |
| 3 | [...] an#-sze3 nu-mu-un-da#-[x] | ... did not ... to heaven |
| 4 | lu2 [x]-la# kur-ra la-ba-an-szu2#-szu2# | The ... man of the netherworld does not exist |
| 5 | mur7-gu10 gurusz ti sag ti-li-gim la-ba-ra-an-e3-a | My neck hurts, the young man has not come forth from the tiligim rites. |
| 6 | kur#-ra ga-an-ku4 mu#-gu10# ga-an-gar | I want to enter the netherworld, I will place my name there |
| 7 | [x] mu gub-bu-ba mu-gu10 ga-bi-ib2-gub | ... stand, I want to stand my name. |
| 8 | ki mu nu-gub-bu-ba mu digir-MU ga#-<bi>-ib2-gub | In the place where no one stands, I want to stand in the name of my god |
| 9 | {d}utu SZA# x x szu ba-an-szi-in-te | Šamaš received |
| 10 | lu2 arhusz#-a#-ge2 arhusz# [...] | The one who is obedient to you, ... kindness |
| 11 | ur-sag dumu ama dili imin-bi e-[x x] | Hero, child of a single mother, seven ... |
| 12 | 1(disz)-am3 szesz#-gal-bi szu pirig-ga2 umbin hu-ri2-in-na# | Its one brother, the hand of a lion, with the hamstrings of the hurīna weapon |
| 13 | 2(disz)-kam-ma# musz-sza3-tur3 ka [x x] KU szu USZ# | The second: Muššatur ... |
| 14 | 3(disz)-kam-ma musz uszum-gal musz# [...] x RU | The 3rd: snake of Ušumgal, snake of ... |
| 15 | 4(disz)-kam-ma izi szeg6-szeg6 [x x] ku4#-ra | It is the 4th song: “Fire, fire, ... enter! |
| 16 | 5(disz)-kam-ma musz-sag-kal sza3 gi4-a UB# KA x | The 5th, mušsagkal snake in the womb ... |
| 17 | 6(disz)-kam-ma a-gi6 a gul-gul-dam kur-ra gaba ra-ra | The 6th: “A flood that destroys water, afflicting the mountain, |
| 18 | 7(disz)-[...] nim#-gir2-gir2-re lu2 nu-da#-gur#-de3 | 7 ..., the nimgirgir-demon, the one who does not return |
| 19 | 7(disz)-bi#-e#-ne mu-un#-na#-ra#-an#-sum | he gave it to him seven times |
| 20 | ma2-ur3-ma2-ur3 hur-sag-ga2-ke4 e-ne bi-in-tu-mu | The barge of the mountain range has given birth to me. |
| 21 | {gisz}eren sag3-ge4 hul-am3 im-an-na-ni-in-gal2 | The cedar trembles, it is evil, is there for her. |
| 22 | en {d}bil4-ga-mes# hul-am3 im-ma-<na>-ni-in-gal2 | The lord of Gilgamesh is evil. |
| 23 | iri#-na lu2# dili-am3 si gu4 ba-ne-ra | In his city a single man horned an ox |
| 24 | [...]-ba-ge2 ka tesz2# ba#-ni-in-la2 | ... he uttered a lament together |
| 25 | [...]-x-ni ama tuku ama-ni-sze3 | ... who has a mother, to his mother |
| 26 | [...] NE-gi4? 5(u)-am3 a2-gu10 ba-ab-gar | ... 50 (lines): my arm was set |
| obverse col 2 | ||
| 1 | an-usan sze-sze-bi [...] | Anusan, its barley ... |
| 2 | {d}utu ur2 ama-ni-sze3 {d}nin-gal#-[...]-du# | Šamaš, to the lap of his mother Ningal |
| 3 | {d}bil3-ga-mes en-[...]-en | Gilgamesh, you are the lord |
| 4 | dumu iri{ki}-na mu-un-re7-[x]-am3 | the citizens of his city ... |
| 5 | ur2# hur#-sag#-ga2-ke4 nam-bi2#-[x]-bu-ne | They should not ... the base of the mountain range |
| 6 | ama ugu#-bi-didli iri-za-am3 esz2!(KU) nam#-bi2-ib-sar-re | May the mother who bore him not write in your city |
| 7 | gesztu2# zi#-da-an-na [x]-e-se3 | The one who listens faithfully |
| 8 | inim nam-ur-sag-ga2-ka-ne tug2-gin7 im#-mi#-in-du ga-da-gin7 im-in!-gar | The words of heroism he wore like a garment, he set it on her like milk |
| 9 | tug2 3(u) gin2-a szu bi2-ne ga-ba-ni ba-an-bur | He hung a cloth of 30 shekels. His milk was poured out. |
| 10 | gu4-gin7 ki gal!-e be2-e-gub | Like an ox, it stood in a great place |
| 11 | gu2# ki-am3 KA bi2-gar KA pa-an-da-se3 | He placed the neck on the ground, he opened the mouth to speak |
| 12 | [x] ama ugu-gu10 {d}nin-sun2-kam a-a-gu10 ku3# {d}lugal-ban3-da | My birth mother is Ninsun, my holy father is Lugalbanda |
| 13 | [x]-ub# ama ugu-gu10 {d}nin-sun2 |GISZ.KU|-zi-ge2 ha-pa-di-ma | ... my birth mother, Ninsun, may it be gathered and |
| 14 | 2(disz)-kam-ma-sze3 in#-ga#-ra-mu-un-na-be2 | For the 2nd time he will speak to you |
| 15 | zi ama ugu-gu10 {d}nin-sun2-kam a-a-gu10 ku3 {d}lugal-ban3!-da! | The life of my birth mother Ninsun, my holy father Lugalbanda |
| 16 | en-na lu2-bi lu2-u18-lu he2 im-ma-ab-za-am3 [x x]-ma#-ab-za-am3 | Now that man, may he be a man, he will be ... |
| 17 | x [...] ama [...] iri{ki} ba-ra-gub-be2 | ... mother ... did not stand in the city |
| 18 | arad-ban3-da ti ba-an-ku4{AN} ku4 | ARAD-banda entered, entered |
| 19 | arad-da-ni {d}en-ki-du10 RA inim mu-ni-ib2-gi4#-[x] | His servant Enkidu replied: |
| 20 | lugal-gu10 za-e lu2-bi igi nu-mu-de3? sza3 nu-mu-ni-in-dab5!-be2 | My king, you do not see this man, you(?) do not seize his heart |
| 21 | ge26-e lu2-bi igi mu-de3?-e sza3 mu-ni-dab-be2 | I look at this man, he seized his heart |
| 22 | ur-sag ka-ga14-ne ka uszumgal-kam | The hero in his mouth is the mouth of the dragon. |
| 23 | igi-ni igi pirig-ga2-kam | His eye is the eye of a lion. |
| 24 | |GISZ.GABA|-ni a-gi6 du7-du7-dam | whose scepter is a perfect storm |
| 25 | sag-ki-ni gisz-gi bi2-gu7-a lu2 nu-mu-da-te-ge26# | His forehead was eaten by a reed, no one could approach it |
| 26 | usz11-da-a ur-mah# lu2 gu7-a usz2 nu-ra-gid2-de3 | The ušda-demon, the lion, the one who eats, will not be able to extend(?) the dead |
| 27 | lugal-gu10 za-e kur-sze3 u5# ge26-e iri#-sze3# ga#-u5# | My king, you, I want to ride to the netherworld, to the city |
| reverse col 1 | ||
| 1 | ama-zu ti-zu ga-an-na-ab-du zu2-zu2 he2-li9#?-[x] | Your mother, I want to bring your life to her, may your teeth be shaved |
| 2 | eger-ra ba-usz2-zu! ga-an-na-ab-du er2-zu <he2>-sze8-[x] | I want to speak to him about the one who has died in the steppe, let him ... your tears |
| 3 | lu2-ra en-ki-<du10> lu2 2(disz) nu-usz2#-e# ma2-da-la2 lu2 <li>-bi2-su-su | For the man, Enkidu, a two-legged man, the <boatman> of Madala, the one who ... him |
| 4 | 3(disz) tab-ba lu2 nu-ku5-da | 3 (mana wool for) Tabba, not cut, |
| 5 | bad3-da a lu2 nu-szu2-szu2 | With the wall no one can bathe. |
| 6 | e2 gi-se3-ga izi nu-te-en-te-en | The house of the reed screen does not cool down with fire. |
| 7 | za-e ge26-e dah-ma-ab u3 LI-ZU ga-mu-ra-dah a-na-me lu2 ba-an-tumu3 | You, I want to bring it to you! And ... what did the man bring? |
| 8 | ba-su-a-ba ba-su-a-ba | In those days, in those days |
| 9 | u4 {gisz}ma2 ma2-gan-na ba-su-a-ba | when the boat Magan was caulked, |
| 10 | {gisz}ma2-gur8 ma2-gan-na! ba-su-a-ba | When the barge of Magan was set up, |
| 11 | {gisz}ma2-ad-la2 ma2-zi-sza3-gal2-la-ke4 sza3 gal2-la i3-in-dab5 | The boatman of the mazišagal vessel seized it. |
| 12 | ga2-nam-ma ga-an-szi-re7#-de3#-en# igi mu-un-du8-ru-me-esz | Let us go, they looked at us |
| 13 | tukum#-bi ga-an-szi-re7{+re}-de3 | If I want to go there |
| 14 | ni im-gal2 [x x]-gal2 gi4-a | there was fear, ... returned. |
| 15 | umun i3-gal2 [x] i3-gal2 gi4-[x] | Lord, there are ..., there is ... |
| 16 | nig2 sza3-zu ga2-nam-[x] ga-an-szi-ri-dah-he-de3#-[x] | I want to bring you what is in your heart |
| 17 | nitah 1(disz) ninda la#-ba#-da-de3-[...] | The male donkey does not eat 1 bread |
| 18 | {d}hu-wa-wa e2 {gisz}erin-na-ka-ni in-ga-[x x] | Huwawa ... his cedar temple |
| 19 | igi mu-szi-in-bar igi-|MU.UN|# usz2#-a-kam# | He looked at me, it was the one who killed me. |
| 20 | sag mu-un-na-bul-bul sag x x x su3-[x]-am3# | The head is shattered, the head is full of ... |
| 21 | gu3 mu-un-na-de2-a inim nam-ma-su3-[x]-ud | he spoke to him, he did not speak a word |
| 22 | gurusz# [...] | The young man ... |
| 23 | {d}bil3#-ga-mes sa#-nam giri3-ni ne-ta-ne ba!?(SZU)-ra#-an-ri | Gilgamesh, his feet are straight, he has twisted his ankle |
| 24 | giri3#-[...] li#-bi2#-in-du-ge | He should not go along the path(?) |
| reverse col 2 | ||
| 1 | kur-ra u3-<tu>-da# x [...] ze-men3 bulug3-ga2 | The one born in the mountain, ... sweet, adorned(?) |
| 2 | {d}bil4-ga-mes zi an#-na# mu-pa3# zi ki-a mu-un-pa3 zi kur-ra mu#-un#-pa3 x zi-nam mu-un!-pa3 | Gilgamesh chose the life of heaven, chosen the life on earth, selected the life in the netherworld, selected ..., chosen ... |
| 3 | szu-sze3 ba-an-dab5 ki za nam-ba-an-tum2 | he seized, he did not bring it to you. |
| 4 | u4-bi {d}bil4-ga-mes dumu-gi7-ra arhusz# ba-an-ku4 | At that time, Gilgamesh, the citizen, entered with kindness |
| 5 | arad-da-a-ni {d}en-ki-du10-ra gu3 mu-un-na-de2 | his servant Enkidu said to him: |
| 6 | muszen dab5-ba-gim ki-be2-esz ha-pa-dim2 | Like a captured bird, may it be fashioned for you. |
| 7 | gurusz dab5-ba ur2 ama-ni he2-gi4 | May the captured young man return to his mother's lap. |
| 8 | ARAD2-da-a-ni en-ki-du10 RA inim mu-un-ni-gi4 | His servant Enkidu replied: |
| 9 | i3-a lu-lu-un u3-luh-ha sig3#-sig3# | Woe, lulû-disease, uḫu-demons, red-purple hair |
| 10 | dumu#-gi7 gir17-zal digir-re-e-ne# | The young man, the radiant one among the gods |
| 11 | en TUR {d}bil4-ga-mes unug{ki} mi2 du11-ga | the young lord of Gilgamesh, who loves Uruk, |
| 12 | ama-zu u3-tu-da mah-bi in-ga-al-zu | Your mother, who gave birth to great things, knows it. |
| 13 | emeda-ga-<la2>-zu dumu ga gu7-zu mah-bi in-ga-al-zu | Your nursemaid, your child who eats milk, knows how to make it great. |
| 14 | sukux(SUKUD)-ra2 dim2-ma nu-tuku | who does not have a design, |
| 15 | nam#-tar# i3-gu7-e nam-tar i3-zu | The fate that eats, the fate that knows |
| 16 | muszen dab5-ba ki-bi-sze3 gi4 | The captured bird returns to its place. |
| 17 | gurusz dab5-<ba> ur2 ama-ni ib2-gi4 | The captured young man ... his mother's lap |
| 18 | za-e iri ama u3-tu-zu# nu-ub-szu3-de3 | You, city, your birth mother does not abandon you |
| 19 | {d}hu-wa-wa {d}en-ki-du10-ra gu3 mu-un-na-de2 | Huwawa spoke to Enkidu: |
| 20 | ga2-ra en-ki-<du10> inim mu-un-na-an-hul-hul | For me, Enki is sweet, he destroys words for her. |
| 21 | lu2 hug-ga2 sza3-gal ib2-sag3-ge us2-sa eger gaba-ri us2-sa | (Sum) The man trembles in pain, the heart shakes. (Akk) The one who thumps is shaken in pain. |
| 22 | {d}en-ki-<du10> ib2-ba lipisz bal-a-ni gu2-ni im-ma-an-ku5 | Enkidu cut off his anger and his rage. |
| 23 | {kusz}a-ga2-la2!-sze3 mu-un-da-gar | he put on the sandals |
| 24 | igi {d}en-lil2 u3 {d}nin-lil2-e im-ma-an-tum2-me-esz | before Enlil and Ninlil they brought. |
| 25 | {d}en-lil2-le ba-te-a-ni a-ab-ta ba-ra-e3 | When Enlil approached, he left the sea. |
| 26 | u3 {d}nin-lil2 DI KA ba/ma ba-ra-e3 | and Ninlil ... left |
| 27 | u4 {d}en-lil2 u3 {d}nin-lil2 im-ma-an-gur-ru-da-ni | when Enlil and Ninlil returned |
| 28 | a-na-asz-am3 ur5-gin7 na-ke4-en-esz | Why do you behave like this? |
| 29 | [x x] x ha-ba-e3 he2-en-tusz | ... may he go out and dwell there. |
| 30 | [...] x x IGI x [...] | ... ... |
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.