Home › Tablets › P464240

CDLI Literary 000751 (Kesh Temple Hymn) composite (P464240)

Literary, Old Babylonian, Nippur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE

Open in the reader & map →See it among all tablets

Designation	CDLI Literary 000751 (Kesh Temple Hymn) composite
ID	P464240
Language	Sumerian
Period	Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
Genre	Literary
Find spot	Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
Coordinates	32.1271, 45.2300

English translation

By etcsl · Via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI (reuse with citation)

Line	English
surface a 1	The princely lord, the princely lord came forth from the house.
surface a 2	Enlil, the princely lord, came forth from the house.
surface a 3	The princely lord came forth royally from the house.
surface a 4	Enlil lifted his glance over all the lands,
surface a 5	and the lands raised themselves to Enlil.
surface a 6	The four corners of heaven became green for Enlil like a garden.
surface a 7	Keš was positioned there for him with head uplifted,
surface a 8	and as Keš lifted its head among all the lands,
surface a 9	Enlil spoke the praises of Keš.
surface a 10	Nisaba was its decision-maker (?);
surface a 11	with its words she wove it intricately like a net.
surface a 12	Written on tablets it was held in her hands:
surface a 13	House, platform of the Land, important fierce bull!
surface a 14	House Keš, platform of the Land, important fierce bull!
surface a 15	Growing as high as the hills, embracing the heavens,
surface a 16	growing as high as E-kur, lifting its head among the mountains!
surface a 17	Rooted in the abzu, verdant like the mountains!
surface a 18	Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Keš?
surface a 19	Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Ašgi?
surface a 20	Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintur?
surface a 21	The 1st house.
surface a 22	Good house, built in a good location, house Keš,
surface a 23	built in a good location,
surface a 24	floating in the heavens like a princely barge,
surface a 25	like a holy barge furnished with a SI gate,
surface a 26	like the boat of heaven, the platform of all the lands!
surface a 27	...... from the riverbank like a ...... boat cabin!
surface a 28	House roaring like an ox, bellowing loudly like a breed-bull!
surface a 29	House in whose interior is the power of the Land,
surface a 30	and behind which is the life of Sumer!
surface a 31	House, great enclosure, reaching to the heavens,
surface a 32	great, true house, reaching to the heavens!
surface a 33	House, great crown reaching to the heavens,
surface a 34	house, rainbow reaching to the heavens!
surface a 35	House whose diadem extends into the midst of the heavens,
surface a 36	whose foundations are fixed in the abzu,
surface a 37	whose shade covers all lands!
surface a 38	House founded by An, praised by Enlil,
surface a 39	given an oracle by mother Nintur!
surface a 40	House Keš, green in its fruit!
surface a 41	Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Keš?
surface a 42	Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Ašgi?
surface a 43	Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintur?
surface a 44	The 2nd house.
surface a 45	House, 10 šar2 area at its upper end, 5 šar2 area at its lower end;
surface a 46	house, 10 bur3 area at its upper end, 5 bur3 area at its lower end!
surface a 47	House, at its upper end a bison, at its lower end a stag;
surface a 48	house, at its upper end a wild sheep, at its lower end a deer;
surface a 49	house, at its upper end a dappled wild sheep, at its lower end a beautiful deer!
surface a 50	House, at its upper end green as a snake-eater bird, at its lower end floating on the water like a pelican!
surface a 51	House, at its upper end rising like the sun, at its lower end spreading like the moonlight;
surface a 52	house, at its upper end a warrior mace, at its lower end a battle-axe;
surface a 53	house, at its upper end a mountain, at its lower end a spring!
surface a 54	House, at its upper end threefold indeed:
surface a 55	Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Keš?
surface a 56	Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Aszgi?
surface a 57	Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintur?
surface a 58	The 3rd house.
surface a 59	It is indeed a city, it is indeed a city! Who knows its interior?
surface a 60	The house Keš is indeed a city! Who knows its interior?
surface a 61	The heroes make their way straight into its interior
surface a 62	and perform its oracle rites perfectly.
surface a 63	Frisking cattle are gathered at the house in herds.
surface a 64	The house consumes many cattle;
surface a 65	the house consumes many sheep.
surface a 67	Those who sit on daises bow their necks before it.
surface a 68	It wears a crown to vie with the boxwood tree,
surface a 69	it spreads out to vie with the poplar
surface a 70	It is as green as the hills!
surface a 71	Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Keš?
surface a 72	Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Aszgi?
surface a 73	Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintur?
surface a 74	The 4th house.
surface a 75	House given birth by a lion, whose interior the hero has embellished (?)!
surface a 76	House Keš, given birth by a lion, whose interior the hero has embellished (?)!
surface a 77	The heroes make their way straight into its interior.
surface a 78	Ninḫursag sits within like a great dragon.
surface a 79	Nintur the great mother assists at births there.
surface a 80	Šulpa’e the ruler acts as lord.
surface a 81	Ašgi the hero consumes the contents of the vessels (?).
surface a 82	Urumaš, the great herald of the plains, dwells there too.
surface a 83	Stags are gathered at the house in herds.
surface a 84	Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Keš?
surface a 85	Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Aszgi?
surface a 86	Acgi? Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintur?
surface a 87	The 5th house.
surface a 88	House positioned over its foundations like a storm,
surface a 89	like white bulls standing about on the plain;
surface a 90	house founded by the prince, in praise on the tigi instrument!
surface a 91	House in whose interior is the power of the Land,
surface a 92	and behind which is the life of Sumer
surface a 93	at whose gate is a lion reclining on its paws,
surface a 94	at whose gate is the ruler who decides cases (?)!
surface a 95	House at whose door is the Great Mountain without adversary;
surface a 96	at whose bolt at whose bar} is a great frisking wild bull
surface a 97	Whose well-founded storehouse is a corner of heaven, a corner of earth
surface a 98	whose terrace is supported by lahama deities;
surface a 99	whose princely wall, the shrine of Ur!
surface a 100	Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Keš?
surface a 101	Kec? Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Ašgi?
surface a 102	Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintur?
surface a 103	The 6th house.
surface a 104	The holy house whose x is the shrine,
surface a 105	the holy house Keš, whose x is the shrine;
surface a 106	the house whose lords are the Anunna,
surface a 107	whose nu’eš priests are the sacrificers of Eanna!
surface a 108	In the house the king places stone bowls in position
surface a 109	the good en priest x holds the lead-rope dangling
surface a 110	The a-tu priests holds the staff;
surface a 111	the TU priest brings the gathered (?) waters.
surface a 112	The "honey" priestess takes her seat in the holy place;
surface a 113	the enkum priests bow down x
surface a 114	The pašeš priests beat the drumskins;
surface a 115	they recite powerfully, powerfully.
surface a 116	The bull’s horn is made to growl; the drumsticks are made to thud
surface a 117	The singer cries out to the ala drum;
surface a 118	the grand sweet tigi is played for him
surface a 119	The house is built; its nobility is good!
surface a 120	The house Keš is built; its nobility is good!
surface a 121	Its lady has taken a seat in its ...
surface a 122	Ninhursaja, its lady, has taken her seat in its ...
surface a 123	Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Keš?
surface a 124	Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Ašgi?
surface a 125	Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintur?
surface a 126	The 7th house.
surface a 127	Draw near, man, to the city, to the city—but do not draw near!
surface a 128	Draw near, man, to the house Keš, to the city—but do not draw near!
surface a 129	Draw near, man, to its hero Ašgi—but do not draw near!
surface a 130	Draw near, man, to its lady Nintur—but do not draw near!
surface a 131	Praise be to well-built Keš, O Ašgi!
surface a 132	Praise be to cherished Keš and Nintur!
surface a 133	The 8th house.

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)
surface a
1	ege-nun-e ege-nun-e e2-ta nam-ta-ab-e3
2	{d}en-lil2 ege-nun-e e2-ta nam-ta-ab-e3
3	ege-nun-e nam-lugal-la e2-ta nam-ta-ab-e3
4	{d}en-lil2 kur-kur-ra igi mi-ni in-il2-il2-i
5	{d}en-lil2-ra kur ni2-ba mu-na-il2-il2-i
6	ab-ub-da-limmu {d}en-lil2-ra {gesz}kiri6-ginx mu-na-sa7
7	kesz3{ki} sag-il2 mu-na-ni-in-gal2
8	kesz3{ki} kur-kur-ra sag-ga2 il2-bi
9	{d}en-lil2-le kesz3{ki} za3-mi2 am3-ma-ab-be2
10	{d}nisaba nu-ka-asz-bi-im
11	inim-bi-ta sa-ginx im-da-an-sur
12	dub-ba sar-sar szu-sze3 al-ga2-ga2
13	e2 musz3-kalam-ma gu4-husz-aratta
14	e2-kesz3{ki} musz3-kalam-ma gu4-husz-aratta
15	hur-sag-da-mu2-a an-da gu2-la2-a
16	e2-kur-da-mu2-a kur-ra sag-il2-bi
17	abzu ginx ri-a hur-sag-bi sig7-sig7-ga
18	kesz3{ki}-ginx rib-ba lu2 szi-in-ga-tum2-mu
19	ur-sag-bi {asz}aszgi{gi18} rib-ba ama szi-in-ga-u3-tu
20	nin-bi {d}nin-tu-ginx rib-ba-ra a-ba-a igi mu-ni-in-du
21	e2 1(disz)-kam-ma
22	e2-du10 ki-du10-ga du3-a
23	e2-kesz3{ki} ki-du10-ga du3-a
24	ma2-gur8-nun-ginx an-na diri-ga
25	ma2-gur8-ku3-ginx ka2-SI ri-a
26	ma2-an-na-ginx musz3-kur-kur-ra
27	u5-ban3-da-ginx peszx-ta sur-sur-ra
28	e2 gu4-ginx ur5-sza4 ninda2-ginx gu3-nun-di
29	e2-sza3-bi-ta lipisz-kalam-ma
30	a-ga-bi-ta zi-ki-en-gi-ra
31	e2 eb-gal an-ne2 us2-sa
32	e2-zi-da-gal an-ne2 us2-sa
33	e2 men-gal an-ne2 us2-sa
34	e2-{d}tir-an-na an-ne2 us2-sa
35	e2 musz2-bi an-sza3-ga la2-a
36	te-me-bi abzu-a si-ga
37	gizzu-bi kur-kur-ra du6-la
38	e2-an-ne2 ki-gar-ra {d}en-lil2-le za3-mi2 du11-ga
39	ama {d}nin-tu-ra esz-bar-kin du11-ga
40	e2-kesz3{ki} gurun-na sig7-ga
41	kesz3{ki}-ginx rib-ba lu2 szi-in-ga-tum2-mu
42	ur-sag-bi {d}{asz}aszgi{gi18} rib-ba ama szi-in-ga-u3-tu
43	nin-bi {d}nin-tu-ginx rib-ba-ra a-ba-a igi mu-ni-in-du
44	e2 2(disz)-kam-ma
45	e2 an-sze3 1(szar'u) GAN2 ki-sze3 5(szar2) GAN2
46	e2 an-sze3 1(bur'u) GAN2 ki-sze3 5(bur3) GAN2
47	e2 an-sze3 alim ki-sze3 lu-lim
48	e2 an-sze3 szeg9-bar ki-sze3 dara3-masz
49	e2 an-sze3 szeg9-bar-dar-a ki-sze3 dara3-masz-sa7-ga
50	e2 an-sze3 musz-gu7{muszen}-ginx sig7-ga ki-sze3 u5{muszen}-ginx-a-e szu2-a
51	e2 an-sze3 utu-ginx e3-a ki-sze3 itix-ginx bara3-ga
52	e2 an-sze3 utug2-szul ki-sze3 {gesz}tun3-am3
53	e2 an-sze3 kur-ra-am3 ki-sze3 idim-ma-am3
54	e2 an-sze3 3(disz)-kam-bi na-nam
55	kesz3{ki}-ginx rib-ba lu2 szi-in-ga-an-tum2-mu
56	ur-sag-bi {d}{asz}aszgi{gi18} rib-ba ama szi-in-ga-u3-tu
57	nin-bi {d}nin-tu-ginx rib-ba-ra a-ba-a igi mu-ni-in-du
58	e2 3(disz)-kam-ma
59	iri{ki} ga-am3 iri{ki} ga-am3 sza3-bi a-ba mu-zu
60	e2-kesz3{ki} iri{ki} ga-am3 sza3-bi a-ba mu-zu
61	sza3-bi ur-sag-ur-sag-e-ne si mu-un-si-sa2-e-ne
62	esz-bar-kin du11-ga szu-gal mu-un-du7-du7
63	e2 gu4-du7-du7-dam gu4 am3-ma-gur-re
64	e2 gu4-szar2-a al-ku2-e
65	e2 udu-szar2-a-am2 al-ku2-e
66	eren? x-ma-am2 gu2-bi luh-luh-ha
67	bara2-bara2-e-ne gu2-ne am3-ma-gal2-le-ne
68	{gesz}taszkarin-da men an-da gur3-u4
69	{gesz}asalx-ginx an-da tal2-tal2 sal-la
70	hur-sag-da an-da sig7-sig7-ga
71	kesz3{ki}-ginx rib-ba lu2 szi-in-ga-an-tum2-mu
72	ur-sag-bi {d}{asz}aszgi{gi18} rib-ba ama szi-in-ga-u3-tu
73	nin-bi {d}nin-tu-ginx rib-ba-ra a-ba-a igi mu-ni-in-du
74	e2 4(disz)-kam-ma
75	e2 pirig u3-tu sza3-bi ur-sag su3-ud
76	e2-kesz3{ki} pirig u3-tu sza3-bi ur-sag su3-ud
77	sza3-bi ur-sag-ur-dag-e-ne szi-mu-un-nin2 si-sa2
78	{d}nin-hur-sag-ga2 uszum-gal-am3 sza3 im-mi-in-tusz
79	{d}nin-tu-ra ama-gal-la tu-tu mu-un-ga2-ga2
80	{d}szul-pa-e3-a ensi2-ke4 nam-en mu-un-x#-x#
81	{d}{asz}aszgi ur-sag mezem mu-un-ku2-e#
82	{d}uru3-masz nimgir-gal-eden-na mu-un-da-an-x#
83	e2 lulim gu4-e3 am3-ma-gur-re
84	kesz3{ki}-ginx rib-ba lu2 szi-in-ga-tum2-mu
85	ur-sag {d}{asz}aszgi{gi18} rib-ba ama szi-in-ga-u3-tu
86	nin-bi {d}nin-tu-ginx rib-ba-ra a-ba-a igi mu-un-du
87	e2 5(disz)-kam-ma
88	e2 utu-ginx ki-gal-la gub-ba
89	am-babbar-ginx eden su8-ga#!
90	e2 nun-e-ki-gar-ra igi-da ar2-ra [...]
91	e2 sza3-bi-ta lipisz-bi kalam-ma
92	a-ga-bi-ta zi ki-en-gi-ra
93	ka2-bi-ta pirig szu-ba na2-a
94	ka2-bi-ta un-gal inim-gar-ra
95	e2 ig-bi-ta kur-gal gaba nu-gi-gi
96	{gesz}sag-kul!-ta am-gal-la du7-a
97	ga2-nun ga2-ra-bi an-ub ki-ub
98	gi#-gun4#{ki}-na-bi la-ha-ma ki-us2-sa
99	bad3-nun-na-bi esz3-uri2{ki} ka-kesz3-da
100	kesz3{ki}-ginx rib-ba lu2 szi-in-ga-an-tum2-mu
101	ur-sag-bi {d}{asz}aszgi{gi18} rib-ba ama szi-in-ga-u3-tu
102	nin-bi {d}nin-tu-ra-ginx rib-ba-ra a-ba-a igi mu-ni-in-du
103	e2 6(disz)-kam-ma
104	e2-ku2 KU-bi e2-nin
105	e2-kesz{ki} KU-bi e2-nun
106	e2 en-bi {d}a-nun-na-mesz
107	nu-esz3-bi giri2-la2 e2-an-na-me-esz
108	e2-2 lugal-bur-ra am3-mi-gib
109	en-du10 sza3 esze2-la2 am3-mi-in-la2
110	a-tu-e szibir szu bi2-in-du8
111	tu-e a-ur4-a am3-mi-tum2
112	lal3-e ki-ku3-ga am3-mi-in-tusz
113	enkum-e-ne arax ki am3-ma-gal2-le-esz
114	pa4-szesz-e-ne kusz mu-un-sig3-ge-ne
115	e2-szub iri-szub-a mu-ni-ib-be2-e-ne
116	si-am-ma-ke4 gum2-ga mi-ni-ib-za
117	{gesz}al-gar-surx-ra suh3-sah mi-ni-ib-za
118	tigi nun-du10-ge mu-na-du12-a
119	e2 al-du3 girix-zal-bi al-du10
120	e2-kesz3{ki} al-du3 giriz-zal-bi al-du10
121	nin-bi DIN-bi-a mu-un-tusz
122	{d}nin-hur-sag-ga2 nin-bi DIN-bi-a mu-un-tusz
123	kesz3{ki}-ginx rib-ba lu2 szi-in-ga-an-tum2-mu
124	ur-sag-bi {d}{asz}aszgi{gi18} rib-ba ama szi-in-ga-u3-tu
125	nin-bi {d}nin-tu-ra-ginx rib-ba-ra a-ba-a igi mu-ni-in-du
126	e2 7(disz)-kam-ma
127	iri-sze3 iri-sze3 lu2 te-am3 te
128	e2-kesz3{ki} iri-sze3 lu2 te-am3 te
129	ur-sag-bi {d}{asz}aszgi lu2 te-am3 te
130	nin-bi {d}nin-tu-ra-sze3 lu2 te-am3-te
131	kesz3{ki}-du3-a {d}{asz}aszgi za3-mi2
132	kesz3{ki} za3-SAL-la-am {d}nin-tu-ra za3-mi2
133	e2 8(disz)-kam-ma

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.