CDLI Literary 000623, ex. 013 (P464307)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Ur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000623, ex. 013 |
|---|---|
| ID | P464307 |
| 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 col 1 1 | Lady of the many me, emergent sunlight |
| obverse col 1 2 | True woman, bearing an aura, beloved of An and Uraš |
| obverse col 1 3 | nugig midwife of heaven, she of the greatest pectoral(?) |
| obverse col 1 4 | Who loves the true crown, who is suitable for the en-ship |
| obverse col 1 5 | Who actively regulates(?) the seven me |
| obverse col 1 6 | My lady, you are the caretaker of all the great me |
| obverse col 1 7 | You have carried the me, you have bound the me to your hand |
| obverse col 1 8 | You have gathered up the me, you have clasped the me to your chest |
| obverse col 1 9 | Like an ušumgal monster you have poisoned(!?) the mountain |
| obverse col 1 10 | When you roar (at) the earth like Iškur, Ezina (the grain goddess) has not withstood you |
| obverse col 1 11 | Flood coming down from the mountain |
| obverse col 1 12 | Foremost of the universe, you are its “Inanna” |
| obverse col 1 13 | Raining burning fire on the homeland |
| obverse col 1 14 | (The one who) An gave the cosmic powers, lady who rode a dog |
| obverse col 1 15 | Issuing commands/conversing(?) by means of(?) holy An |
| obverse col 1 16 | Who has known the great rites, that which is yours(?) |
| obverse col 1 17 | Destroyer of the mountain, you have given strength to the storm |
| obverse col 1 18 | Beloved of Enlil who has imposed fear in the homeland |
| obverse col 1 19 | You stand/serve because of(?) the command of An |
| obverse col 1 20 | My lady, you are the one who makes ... bow in the mountain(!?) towards/on behalf of your shout |
| obverse col 1 21 | Along with the aura, radiance, and the southern stormwind(?), the furious(?) stupor of the people |
| obverse col 1 22 | you have brought(?) for yourself(?) to the fore |
| obverse col 1 23 | You have taken the (most) furious of the cosmic powers for yourself |
| obverse col 1 24 | ... has opened the “threshold of mourning” for you(!) |
| obverse col 1 25 | ... goes(?) on the street of the temple(?) of greatest lamentation (i.e., the netherworld?) for you |
| obverse col 1 26 | My lady, (in/with) your own power “flints"(?) consume(!?) |
| obverse col 1 27 | The one who is(?) to thrash like a thrashing storm |
| obverse col 1 28 | (You) shout together with the shouting storm |
| obverse col 1 29 | (You) scream along with Iškur |
| obverse col 1 30 | You are to become exhausted together with the destructive winds |
| obverse col 2 1 | (But your) anger does not cool, eldest child of Nanna |
| obverse col 2 2 | Lady who surpasses the mountain/land/netherworld, who has taken from(?) your place? |
| obverse col 2 3 | The mountain range extends with you in your place, (it is) the taboo of (reserved for) Ezina (the grain goddess) |
| obverse col 2 4 | Fire was imposed on its gate |
| obverse col 2 5 | Blood is poured into its rivers for you and therefore the people cannot drink |
| obverse col 2 6 | Its army plunders(?) itself for you |
| obverse col 2 7 | The formations split themselves apart for you |
| obverse col 2 8 | Its able-bodied young man chases himself away(?) for you |
| obverse col 2 9 | A northern storm/rage(?) has filled its cities and playgrounds(?) |
| obverse col 2 10 | Its perfect young men were hurried (away) as corpses(?) |
| obverse col 2 11 | The city that has not (compelled its people) to say “the land/mountain is for you” |
| obverse col 2 12 | Nor has it (compelled its people to have) said “your father (...)” |
| obverse col 2 13 | (Despite) your holy word being spoken (to them)(?), may your feet will stumble/churn(?) (upon that?) place |
| obverse col 2 14 | May (the city?) slip away from its womb/matrix (i.e., be stillborn?) |
| obverse col 2 15 | Its woman shall not say pleasant things with her husband |
| obverse col 2 16 | Nor advise him at night |
| obverse col 2 17 | Nor reveal the purity of her heart |
| obverse col 2 18 | Aroused wild cow(?), eldest child of Suen |
| obverse col 2 19 | Lady who is superior to An/heaven, who has deprived(?) you? |
| obverse col 2 20 | One who validates(?) the cosmic powers, great queen of queens |
| obverse col 2 21 | One who emerged from the holy womb superior to her birth mother |
| obverse col 2 22 | Wise, discerning queen of the lands |
| obverse col 2 23 | (And) the teeming creatures and people (alike), I want to perform your holy song |
| obverse col 2 24 | True deity greatly(?) suitable for the cosmic powers, your utterance is supreme |
| obverse col 2 25 | (Possessing) a profound mind, true woman, (possessing) a pure/bright heart, I want to speak to you about the true(?) cosmic powers |
| obverse col 2 26 | I shall enter into my holy cloister |
| obverse col 2 27 | I am the en priestess, I am Enheduana |
| obverse col 2 28 | The masab basket was carried, the asila was intoned |
| obverse col 2 29 | ... established funerary offerings/a “good site"?, (as if?) I was not living there(?) |
| obverse col 2 30 | (I?) approached the sunlight, the sunlight was burning |
| obverse col 2 31 | (I?) approached the shade, but it was covered by (lit. along with) a southern storm(?) |
| obverse col 2 32 | My “honey mouth” was ... |
| reverse col 1 1' | In the place of life giving force/encouragement, what(!?) am I? |
| reverse col 1 2' | The rebel land, because of hatred of your Nanna/in the manner of (one) hated by your Nanna(?), may An hand it over |
| reverse col 1 3' | May An tear apart its city |
| reverse col 1 4' | May Enlil curse it |
| reverse col 1 5' | His mother shall not calm down its weeping child/citizen |
| reverse col 1 6' | Lady whose lament is under way(?) |
| reverse col 1 7' | May your boat of lamentation(?) be abandoned in a strange place |
| reverse col 1 8' | I am to “die” because of my holy song |
| reverse col 1 9' | (But) as for me, my Nanna has not judged my case |
| reverse col 1 10' | He is to cause my destruction(?) in a “place of violence” |
| reverse col 1 11' | Dilimbabbar has not undertaken my case |
| reverse col 1 12' | (If) he did, what is to me? (If) he did not, what is it to me? |
| reverse col 1 13' | After(?) triumphing(!?), he (Lugalane) drove me out from the temple |
| reverse col 1 14' | Like a swallow, he made me fly away from the window, my life was consumed |
| reverse col 1 15' | I am the one who he makes go(?) in the brambles of the mountain |
| reverse col 1 16' | He removed the true crown of the en priestess from (my head) |
| reverse col 1 17' | He gave a knife and dagger to me and said to me “it is suitable for you” |
| reverse col 1 18' | Most precious lady, loved by An |
| reverse col 1 19' | May your holy heart, which is supreme, be restored to its place for me |
| reverse col 1 20' | Beloved spouse of (Ama)'ušumgalana (Dumuzi) |
| reverse col 1 21' | You are the great queen of the horizon and zenith (i.e., the whole of heaven) |
| reverse col 1 22' | The Anuna have submitted to you |
| reverse col 1 23' | (Since) birth you have been the younger sister (of Utu) |
| reverse col 1 24' | And thus (you) have been superior to the Anuna, the great gods |
| reverse col 1 25' | The Anuna kiss the ground with their lips for you |
| reverse col 1 26' | My case has not been finalized, (but the threat of) a hostile decision, that of his (Lugalane's?) case(!?), prowls around(?) in my face |
| reverse col 1 27' | He (Lugalane) has not defiled the flowered bed |
| reverse col 1 28' | The uttered word of Ningal was not ... to him |
| reverse col 1 29' | I am the pure/bright en priestess of Nanna |
| reverse col 2 1' | The charcoal has been piled up, the cleansing rites have been set in order |
| reverse col 2 2' | The “holy tavern” has been set up for you(?) so that you heart is cooled to me |
| reverse col 2 3' | After it (the matter) filled up and became too much, my(?) lady and queen, (as has) been spoken to you |
| reverse col 2 4' | That which was said to you in the nighttime |
| reverse col 2 5' | The lamentation priest should repeat as if (at) midday (for you) |
| reverse col 2 6' | Because of your captured spouse, because of your captured child |
| reverse col 2 7' | Your anger has been maximized, your heart does not cool |
| reverse col 2 8' | You are the perfect lady, the authoritative one of the assembly |
| reverse col 2 9' | She accepted her siskur offering/ritual on her (Enheduana's) behalf |
| reverse col 2 10' | And the holy heart of Inanna was restored to its place for her |
| reverse col 2 11' | At that time, it was good for her(?), she radiated plenty/happiness, she exuded joyful allure |
| reverse col 2 12' | Nanna faithfully brought out awe |
| reverse col 2 13' | Because(?) her mother Ningal prayed a šud prayer(?) for her |
| reverse col 2 14' | The gate of heaven/An(?) was greeting her |
| reverse col 2 15' | Destroyer of the mountain, allocated the cosmic powers by(?) An |
| reverse col 2 16' | My lady, clad in allure |
| reverse col 2 17' | Inanna, praise |
| bottom 1 | lady (of the many me) |
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 col 1 | ||
| 1 | nin# me szar2-ra u4 dalla e3-a | |
| 2 | munus# zi me-lam2 gur3-ru ki ag2 an urasz-a | |
| 3 | nu#-gig an-na suh-kesz2-re gal-gal-la | |
| 4 | aga zi-de3 ki ag2 nam-en-na tum2-ma | |
| 5 | me imin-bi szu sa2 du11-ga | |
| 6 | nin-gu10 me gal-gal-la sag kesz2-bi za-e-me-en | |
| 7 | me mu-e-guru3 szu-zu-sze3 mu-e#-la2 | |
| 8 | me mu-e-ur4 me gaba-zu-sze3 ba#-e-tab | |
| 9 | uszumgal-gin7 kur-ra uszx(|KAxSZU|) ba-e-szum2 | |
| 10 | {d}iszkur-gin7 ki szegx(|KAxLI|) gi4-a-za {d}asznan# la-ba-szi-gal2 | |
| 11 | a-ma-ru kur-bi-ta e11-de3 | |
| 12 | sag-kal an-ki-a {d}inanna-bi-me-en | |
| 13 | izi bar7-bar7-ra kalam-e szeg3-ga2 | |
| 14 | an-ne2 me szum2-ma nin ur-ra u5#-a# | |
| 15 | inim ku3 an-na-ta inim du11-du11 | |
| 16 | biluda gal-la nig2-zu a-ba mu-un-zu#? | |
| 17 | kur gul-gul u4-de3 a2 ba-e-szum2 | |
| 18 | ki ag2 {d}en-lil2-la2 kalam-e ni2 mi-ni-in-ri | |
| 19 | a2 ag2-ga2 an-na-ke4-esz ba-gub-be2-en | |
| 20 | nin-gu10 za-pa-ag2-zu-sze3 kur-ra gurum-gurum-me-en | |
| 21 | ni2 me-lam2 ulu3{+lu} nam-lu2-lu7 | |
| 22 | [...]-gar huszx(GIR3)-bi igi-sze3 mu-ri#-de6 | |
| 23 | [...]-ta#? me huszx(GIR3)#?-bi szu ba-re#-ti | |
| 24 | [...] ma#?-ra-an-tak4 | |
| 25 | [...]-ri#-in-du11 | |
| 26 | [...]-zu2 i3-gu7-e | |
| 27 | [...]-du7-da | |
| 28 | [...]-x-ab-ra-ra | |
| 29 | [...]-gi4#-gi4 | |
| 30 | [...]-de3#-en | |
| obverse col 2 | ||
| 1 | ib2-ba nu-te-en-te-en dumu#? [...] | |
| 2 | nin kur-ra diri-ga a-ba ki!-za ba-an#-[...] | |
| 3 | hur-sag ki-za ba-e-de3-gid2-de3 {d}asznan#!? [...]-gig-bi | |
| 4 | abulx(|E2.GAL|)-la-bi izi mu-e-ri-ri | |
| 5 | i7-ba mud2 ma-ra-te ug3-e ba-ra-na8-na8 | |
| 6 | ugnim-bi ni2-bi-a ma-ra-ab-DU-e | |
| 7 | zu2-kesz2-bi ni2-bi-a ma-ra-ab-si-il-le | |
| 8 | gurusz a2-tuku-bi ni2-bi-a ma-ra-ab-sar-re | |
| 9 | uru2#-ba eszemenx(|KI.E.NE.DI.DI|) mir-re im-si#? | |
| 10 | gurusz# sza3-gan-bi adda-sze3 ma-ra-ab-sar#-[...] | |
| 11 | uru2 kur za-ra# li-bi-du11-ga [...] | |
| 12 | a-a ugu-zu# li-bi-in-[...] | |
| 13 | inim ku3-zu bi2-in-du11 ki giri3-[...] | |
| 14 | sza3-tur3-bi-ta giri3 ha-ab-ze2#?-[...] | |
| 15 | munus-bi dam-a-ni-ta sa6-ga [...] | |
| 16 | ge6-u3-na ad nam-mu-da-gi4#-gi4# | |
| 17 | nig2 ku3 sza3-ga-ni nam-mu-da-bur2-e | |
| 18 | u3#-sumun2 zi-zi dumu gal {d}suen-na | |
| 19 | nin an-ra diri-ga a-ba ki-za ba#-an#-tum3# | |
| 20 | me zi-de3 nin gal nin-e-ne | |
| 21 | sza3 ku3-ta e3-a ama ugu-ni-ir# diri#-ga | |
| 22 | gal-zu igi gal2 nin kur-kur-ra# | |
| 23 | zi-gal2 ug3 lu-a szir3# ku3#-zu ga#-[...] | |
| 24 | dingir zi me-a tum2-ma gal-bi# du11-ga-[...] | |
| 25 | sza3 su3-da munus zi sza3 dadag-ga me zi# [...] | |
| 26 | ge6-par4 ku3-ga2 hu-mu-un-szi-ku4-re#-[...] | |
| 27 | en-me-en en-he2-du7-an-na#-me#?-[...] | |
| 28 | {gi}ma-sa2-ab i3-gur3 asil3-la2 i3-[...] | |
| 29 | ki sa6-ga bi2-in-gar ga2-e nu-mu-un#?-[...] | |
| 30 | u4-de3 ba-te u4 mu-un-da-[...] | |
| 31 | [...] ba#-te# ulu3{+lu}-da#? [...] | |
| 32 | [...] szu# KUSZU2#-[...] | |
| reverse col 1 | ||
| 1' | [...] zi#-[...] | |
| 2' | [ki]-bala# hul# [...] | |
| 3' | uru2#-bi an-[...] | |
| 4' | {d}en-lil2-le# [...] | |
| 5' | dumu er2-ra [...] | |
| 6' | nin a-nir-ra# [...] | |
| 7' | ma2 nir-ra-zu [...] | |
| 8' | szir3!? ku3-ga2-ke4-esz# [...]-de3#-en | |
| 9' | ga2-e {d}nanna-gu10 di#-[...] ba#-ra-bi2-in-ku5 | |
| 10' | ki-lul!(GIR3)-la he2-x-gul#?-lu#?-de3-en | |
| 11' | {d}dil-im2-babbar di-gu10# [ba]-ra#-bi2-in-du11 | |
| 12' | bi2-in-du11 nam-gu10# li-bi2-in-du11 nam-gu10#!? | |
| 13' | ux(|U.SZE3|)-ma gub-gub-bu#-ba e2-ta ba-ra-e3#-[...] | |
| 14' | sim{muszen}-gin7 ab-ta ba-ra-dal-en zi-gu10 im-mi#?-[...] | |
| 15' | {gesz#}kiszig kur-ra-ke4 bi2-in-du-me-en | |
| 16' | x zi nam#-en-na mu-da-an-kar! | |
| 17' | [...] ba-ad-ra ma-an-szum2 a-ra-du7 ma#?-an#-[...] | |
| 18' | nin kal-kal-la an-ne2 ki ag2 | |
| 19' | sza3 ku3-zu mah-a ki-bi ha-ma-gi4-gi4 | |
| 20' | gidlam ki ag2 {d}uszumgal-an-na-ka | |
| 21' | an-ur2 an-pa eresz gal-bi-me-en | |
| 22' | {d}a-nun-na-ke4-ne gu2 ma-ra-an-gar-re-esz | |
| 23' | ux(|IGI.SZE3xU|)-tu-da nin9 banda3{+da}-me-en | |
| 24' | {d}a-nun-na dingir gal#-gal#-e#-ne a-gin7 ba-e-diri-ga#? | |
| 25' | {d}a-nun-na nundum#?-bi#-ta ki su-ub ma-ra-ke3-ne | |
| 26' | di-gu10 nu-mu-un-til di# kur2 di-na-ke4 igi-ga2 mu-un-ni10-ni10 | |
| 27' | gesz-nu2 gi-rin-na szu nu#-im-mi-in-la2 | |
| 28' | inim du11-ga {d}nin-gal#-la# lu2-ra nu-mu-un-na-ab-x | |
| 29' | en dadag-ga {d}nanna-me-en | |
| reverse col 2 | ||
| 1' | [...]-sa2#? | |
| 2' | [...]-sed4#-de3 | |
| 3' | im#-ma#-si# [...]-gu10#? ma#?-ra-du8 | |
| 4' | nig2 ge6-u3-na ma#!?-ra-an-du11#-ga-am3 | |
| 5' | gala an-bar7-ke4-esz szu hu-mu-ra-ab-gi4-gi4 | |
| 6' | dam dab5-ba-za-ke4-esz dumu dab5-ba-ke4-esz | |
| 7' | ib2-ba-zu ib2-gu-ul sza3-zu nu-te-en-te-en | |
| 8' | nin gu2-tuku nir gu2-en-na-me-en | |
| 9' | siskur2-ra-ni szu ba-szi-in-ti | |
| 10' | sza3 ku3 {d}inanna ki-bi ba-an-na-ab-gi4 | |
| 11' | u4-ba an-na-du10 la-<la> ba-an-su3-su3 hi-li ma-za ba#-an-duh-duh# | |
| 12' | {d}nanna u6 zi-de3-esz mu-un-e3 | |
| 13' | ama-ni {d}nin-gal-e szud3? mu-un-na-sza4-a-asz | |
| 14' | {gesz}ka2 an-na-ke4 silim-ma mu-un-na-ab-be2 | |
| 15' | kur gul-gul an-da me ba-a | |
| 16' | nin-gu10 hi-li gu2 e3 | |
| 17' | {d}inanna za3-mi2 | |
| bottom | ||
| 1 | nin | |
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.