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CDLI Literary 000335 (Enki's Journey to Nippur) composite (P469517)

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

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Designation	CDLI Literary 000335 (Enki's Journey to Nippur) composite
ID	P469517
Language	Sumerian
Period	Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
Genre	Literary

English translation

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

Line	English
surface a 1	In those remote days, when the fates were determined;
surface a 2	in a year when An brought about abundance,
surface a 3	and people broke through the earth like green plants --
surface a 4	then the lord of the abzu, King Enki,
surface a 5	Enki, the lord who determines the fates,
surface a 6	built up his temple entirely from silver and lapis lazuli.
surface a 7	Its silver and lapis lazuli were the shining daylight.
surface a 8	Into the shrine of the abzu he brought joy.
surface a 9	An artfully made bright crenellation rising out from the abzu
surface a 10	was erected for Lord Nudimmud.
surface a 11	He built the temple from precious metal, decorated it with lapis lazuli,
surface a 12	and covered it abundantly with gold.
surface a 13	In Eridu, he built the house on the bank.
surface a 14	Its brickwork makes utterances and gives advice.
surface a 15	Its eaves roar like a bull;
surface a 16	the temple of Enki bellows.
surface a 17	During the night the temple praises its lord and offers its best for him.
surface a 18	Before Lord Enki, Isimud the minister praises the temple;
surface a 19	he goes to the temple and speaks to it.
surface a 20	He goes to the brick building and addresses it:
surface a 21	“Temple, built from precious metal and lapis lazuli;
surface a 22	whose foundation pegs are driven into the abzu;
surface a 23	which has been cared for by the prince in the abzu!
surface a 24	Like the Tigris and the Euphrates, it is mighty and awe-inspiring (?).
surface a 25	Joy has been brought into Enki's abzu.
surface a 26	Your lock has no rival.
surface a 27	Your bolt is a fearsome lion.
surface a 28	Your roof beams are the bull of heaven, an artfully made bright headgear.
surface a 29	Your reed-mats are like lapis lazuli, decorating the roof-beams.
surface a 30	Your vault is a wild bull raising its horns.
surface a 31	Your door is a lion who seizes a man.
surface a 32	Your stairway is a lion coming down on a man.
surface a 33	Abzu, pure place which fulfils its purpose!
surface a 34	E-engura! Your lord has directed his steps towards you.
surface a 35	Enki, lord of the abzu,
surface a 36	has embellished your foundation pegs with cornelian.
surface a 37	He has adorned you with ... and (?) lapis lazuli.
surface a 38	The temple of Enki is provisioned with silver wax (?);
surface a 39	it is a bull obedient to its master,
surface a 40	roaring by itself and giving advice at the same time.
surface a 41	E-engura, which Enki has surrounded with a silver reed fence!
surface a 42	In your midst a lofty throne is erected,
surface a 43	your door-jamb is the silver locking bar of heaven.
surface a 44	Abzu, pure place, place where the fates are determined
surface a 45	—the lord of wisdom, Lord Enki,
surface a 45a	Enki, the lord deciding fates—
surface a 46	Nudimmud, the lord of Eridu,
surface a 47	lets nobody look into its midst.
surface a 48	Your abgal priests let their hair down their backs.
surface a 49	Enki's beloved Eridu,
surface a 50	E-engura whose inside is full of abundance!
surface a 51	Abzu, life of the Land, beloved of Enki!
surface a 52	Temple built on the edge, befitting the artful divine powers!
surface a 53	Eridu, your shadow extends over the midst of the sea!
surface a 54	Eridu, your shadow extends over the midst of the sea! Rising sea without a rival;
surface a 55	mighty awe-inspiring river which terrifies the Land!
surface a 56	E-engura, high citadel (?) standing firm on the earth!
surface a 57	Temple at the edge of the engur, a lion in the midst of the abzu;
surface a 58	lofty temple of Enki, which bestows wisdom on the Land;
surface a 59	your cry, like that of a mighty rising river,
surface a 60	reaches (?) King Enki.
surface a 61	To his silver house its goodness he sets,
surface a 62	the lyre, the algar instrument, the balag drum
surface a 63	the ḫarḫar, the sabitum, and the …… miritum instruments offer their best for his silver temple.
surface a 64	The ... with a sweet sound
surface a 65	resounded by themselves.
surface a 66	The silver algar instrument of Enki played for him on his own
surface a 67	and seven tigi drums resounded.
surface a 68	What Enki says is irrefutable;
surface a 69	... is well established (?).”
surface a 70	This is what Isimud spoke to the brick building;
surface a 71	he praised the E-engura with sweet songs
surface a 72	As it has been built, as it has been built;
surface a 73	as Enki has raised Eridu up,
surface a 74	it is an artfully built mountain which floats on the water.
surface a 75	His shrine (?) spreads (?) out into the reedbeds;
surface a 76	In its green orchards laden with fruit
surface a 77	birds brood.
surface a 78	The suhur carp play among the honey-herbs,
surface a 79	and the esztub carp dart among the small gizi reeds.
surface a 80	When Enki rises, the fish rise before him like waves.
surface a 81	He has the abzu stand as a marvel,
surface a 82	as he brings joy into the engur.
surface a 83	Like the sea, he is awe-inspiring;
surface a 84	like a mighty river, he instils fear.
surface a 85	The Euphrates rises before him as it does before the fierce south wind.
surface a 86	His punting pole is Nirah
surface a 87	his oars are the small reeds.
surface a 88	When Enki embarks, the year will be full of abundance.
surface a 89	The ship departs of its own accord, with tow rope held (?) by itself.
surface a 90	As he leaves the temple of Eridu,
surface a 91	the river gurgles (?) to its lord:
surface a 92	its sound is a calf's mooing, the mooing of a good cow.
surface a 93	Enki had oxen slaughtered, and had sheep offered there lavishly.
surface a 94	Where there were no ala drums, he installed some in their places;
surface a 95	where there were no bronze ub drums, he despatched some to their places.
surface a 96	He directed his steps on his own to Nibru
surface a 97	and entered the temple terrace, the shrine of Nibru.
surface a 98	Enki reached for (?) the beer, he reached for (?) the liquor.
surface a 99	He had liquor poured into big bronze containers,
surface a 100	and had emmer-wheat beer pressed out (?).
surface a 101	In kukuru containers which make the beer good he mixed beer-mash.
surface a 102	By adding date-syrup to its taste (?), he made it strong.
surface a 103	He ... its bran-mash.
surface a 104	In the shrine of Nibru, Enki
surface a 105	provided a meal for Enlil, his father.
surface a 106	He seated An at the head of the table
surface a 107	and seated Enlil next to An.
surface a 108	He seated Nintur in the place of honour
surface a 109	and seated the Anuna gods at the adjacent places (?).
surface a 110	All of them were drinking and enjoying beer and liquor.
surface a 111	They filled the bronze aga vessels to the brim
surface a 112	and started a competition, drinking from the bronze vessels of Urasz.
surface a 113	They made the tilimda vessels shine like silver barges.
surface a 114	After beer and liquor had been libated and enjoyed,
surface a 115	and after ... from the house,
surface a 116	Enlil was made happy in Nibru.
surface a 117	Enlil addressed the Anuna gods:
surface a 118	“Great gods who are standing here!
surface a 119	Anuna, who have lined up in the Ubszu-unkena!
surface a 120	My son, King Enki has built up the temple!
surface a 121	He has made Eridu rise up (?) from the ground like a mountain!
surface a 122	He has built it in a pleasant place,
surface a 123	in Eridu, the pure place, where no one is to enter
surface a 124	—a temple built with silver and decorated with lapis lazuli,
surface a 125	a house which tunes the seven tigi drums properly, and provides incantations;
surface a 126	where silver songs make all of the house a lovely place
surface a 127	—the shrine of the abzu, the good destiny of Enki, befitting the elaborate divine powers;
surface a 128	the temple of Eridu, built with silver: for all this,
surface a 129	Father Enki be praised!”

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	u4 re-a nam ba-tar-ra-ba
2	mu he2-gal2 an u3-tu-da
3	ug3-e u2-szim-gin7 ki in-dar-ra-ba
4	en abzu lugal {d}en-ki-ke4
5	{d}en-ki en nam tar-tar-re-de3
6	e2-a-ni ku3 {na4}za-gin3-na tesz2-bi ba-ni-in-du3
7	ku3 {na4}za-gin3-bi u4 kar2-kar2-a-ka
8	esz3-e abzu-a ul im-ma-ni-in-de6
9	suh10 ku3 galam du11-ga abzu-ta e3-a
10	en {d}nu-dim2-mud-ra mu-un-na-su8-su8-ge-esz
11	e2 ku3-ga i-ni-in-du3 {na4}za-gin3-na i-ni-in-gun3
12	gal-le-esz ku3-sig17-ga szu tag ba-ni-in-du11
13	eridu{ki}-ga e2 gu2-a bi2-in-du3
14	szeg12-bi inim du11-du11 ad gi4-gi4
15	gi-sal-la-bi gu4-gin7 mur im-sza4
16	e2 {d}en-ki-ke4 gu3 nun di-dam
17	e2-e lugal-bi-ir ge6-a ar2 im-ma-ab-de6 du10-bi mu-un-ga2-ga2
18	lugal {d}en-ki-ra sukkal {d}isimud-de3 mi2 du10-ge-esz im-me
19	e2-e im-ma-gen gu3 im-ma-de2-e
20	szeg12-e im-ma-gen gu3 im-ma-ab-szum2-mu
21	e2 ku3 {na4}za-gin3-na ki gar-ra
22	temen-bi abzu-a si-ga
23	nun-e abzu-ta mi2 du11-ga
24	{i7}idigna {i7}buranun-na mah ni2 szu ti-a
25	abzu {d}en-ki-ke4 ul-la bi2-in-tum2-mu
26	{gesz}sag-kul-zu gaba-szu-gar nu-tuku
27	{gesz}si-gar-zu ur-mah ni2 gur3-ru
28	gesz-ur3-zu gu4 an-na suh10 ku3 galam du11-ga
29	{gi}kid-zu za-gin3-na gesz-ur3-sze3 gun3-a
30	nir-gam-ma-zu gu4 si gur3-ru
31	ka2-zu ur-mah lu2 szu ti-a
32	kun4-zu ug lu2-ra e11-de3
33	abzu ki sikil me-te-gal2
34	e2-engur-ra lugal-zu giri3 im-ma-ri-in-gub
35	{d}en-ki lugal abzu-ke4
36	temen-zu {na4}gug im-ma-da-an-sa2
37	\|KAxLI\|-\|KAxLI\| za-gin3-na mi2 im-ma-ri-in-du11
38	e2 {d}en-ki-ke4 lal3-har-ra ku3 kurum7 ak
39	gu4 lugal-bi-ir us2-a se3-ga
40	ni2-bi-sze3 mur sza4 tesz2-bi-sze3 ad gi4-gi4
41	e2-engur-ra {d}en-ki-ke4 gi dub-ba-an ku3 la2-am3
42	sza3-zu-ta bara2 mah ki gar-ra
43	za3-du8-zu aszkud2 ku3 an-na
44	abzu ki sikil ki nam tar-ra
45	en gesztu2-ga lugal {d}en-ki
45a	{d}en-ki en nam tar-tar-re-de3
46	{d}nu-dim2-mud en eridu{ki}-ga-ke4
47	sza3 szeg9-bar-ra lu2 igi nu-bar-re-dam
48	abgal-zu siki bar-ra bi2-in-du8
49	eridu{ki} {d}en-ki-ke4 ki ag2-ga2-ni
50	e2-engur-ra sza3-bi he2-gal2 sug4-ga
51	abzu zi kalam-ma ki ag2 {d}en-ki-ke4
52	e2 za3-ga du3-a me galam-ma tum2-ma
53	eridu{ki} gissu-zu ab-sza3-ga la2-a
54	a-ab-ba zi-ga gaba-szu-gar nu-tuku
55	i7 mah ni2-gal2-la su kalam-ma zi-zi
56	e2-engur-ra uru2 mah ki us2-sa
57	e2 da engur-ra pirig abzu sza3-ga
58	e2 mah {d}en-ki-ke4 gesztu2 kalam-e szum2-mu
59	akkil-zu i7 mah zi-ga-gin7
60	lugal {d}en-ki-ra mu-un-na-tuku-am3
61	e2 ku3-ga-ni-sze3 du10-bi mu-un-ga2-ga2
62	{gesz}za3-mi2 {gesz}al-gar {gesz}balag al-gar-sur9-da
63	{gesz}har-har {gesz}sa-bi2-tum {gesz}mi-ri2-tum e2 si-ga
64	ad du10-ga nundum bur2-re balag-ga2
65	sza3 ni2-ba-ka ad ha-ba-ni-ib-sza4
66	{gesz}al-gar ku3 {d}en-ki-ke4 ni2-ba mu-un-na-du12
67	nar 7(disz)-e ad he2-em-mi-ib-sza4
68	du11-ga {d}en-ki-ke4 szu nu-bala-e-de3
69	KA x x ki-bi-sze3 gal2-la-am3
70	sukkal {d}isimud-de3 szeg12-e gu3 ba-an-szum2
71	e2-engur-ra-ke4 szir3 du10-ge-esz im-me
72	mu-un-du3-a-ba mu-un-du3-a-ba
73	eridu{ki} {d}en-ki-ke4 im-ma-an-il2-la-ba
74	hur-sag galam kad5-dam a-e ba-dirig
75	za3-ga-a-ni gesz-gi-a ba-an-KU
76	{gesz}kiri6 sig7-ga gurun il2-la-a-ba
77	muszen-e hasz4-bi mu-un-ga2-ga2
78	suhur{ku6}-e u2-lal3-e e-ne mu-un-e
79	esztub{ku6}-e gi-zi di4-di4-la2 kun mu-un-na-su3-e
80	{d}en-ki zi-ga-na ku6 i-zi-esz2 na-zi
81	abzu-e u6 am3-ma-gub
82	engur-ra hul2-la mu-ni-ib-de6
83	a-ab-ba-gin7 ni2 mu-un-da-gal2
84	i7 mah-gin7 su zi mu-un-da-ri
85	{i7}buranun-na u18-lu sumur mu-un-da-an-zi
86	{gesz}gi-musz-a-ni {d}nirah-a-ni
87	{gesz}gisal-a-ni gi tur-tur-a-ni
88	{d}en-ki u5-a-ni mu he2-gal2 sug4-ga
89	{gesz}ma2 ni2-bi nam-du8 esz2 ni2-bi nam-dab5
90	e2 eridu{ki}-ga-ke4 im-ma-kar-ra
91	i7-de3 lugal-bi-ir ad im-mi-ib-gi4-gi4
92	gu3-bi gu3 amar-ra gu3 ab2 du10-ga-ke4
93	{d}en-ki-ke4 gu4 im-ma-ab-gaz-e udu im-ma-ab-szar2-re
94	{kusz}a2-la2 nu-gal2-la ki-bi-sze3 sa2 im-du11
95	ub3 zabar nu-gal2-la ki-bi-sze3 im-mi-in-e3
96	nibru{ki}-sze3 giri3-ni dili mu-un-gub
97	gi-gun4-na esz3-e nibru{ki}-a im-ma-da-an-ku4-ku4
98	{d}en-ki-ke4 kasz-kasz-e ba-te kurun2-kurun2-e ba-te
99	kurun2 gal zabar-ra ba-ni-in-de2
100	uluszin dili-am3 ba-ni-in-sur
101	{dug}ku-kur-ru2 kasz du10-du10-ga duh-bi bi2-in-sa2-sa2
102	ka-bi lal3 zu2-lum-ma nig2 er9 ba-ni-in-ak
103	duh-bi nig2 lal3-lal3 dili-a sed-sze3 bi2-in-du8
104	{d}en-ki-ke4 esz3-e nibru{ki}-am3
105	a-a-ni {d}en-lil2-ra ninda mu-un-gu7-e
106	an ki mah-a im-ma-an-tusz
107	an-ra {d}en-lil2 im-ma-ni-in-us2
108	{d}nin-tu za3 gal-la im-mi-in-tusz
109	{d}a-nun-na ki-us2-ki-us2-bi im-mi-in-dur2-ru-ne-esz
110	lu2-e-ne kasz i3-na8-na8-ne kurun im-du10-ge-ne
111	{zabar}aga im-gur4-gur4-re-e-ne
112	zabar-e {d}urasz-e a-da-min3 mu-un-di-ne
113	ti-lim-da ma2-gur8 ku3 im-ba-ba-re-e-ne
114	kasz ba-du11 kurun2 ba-du10-ga-ta
115	e2-ta giri3-bi-a ba-ra-gar-ra-ta
116	{d}en-lil2 nibru{ki}-a hul2-la mu-ni-ib-de6
117	{d}en-lil2-le {d}a-nun-na-ke4-ne gu3 mu-na-de2-e
118	dingir gal-gal-la i3-su8-ge-en-za-na
119	{d}a-nun-na ub-szu-ukken-na-ka si mu-un-sa2-sa2-e-en-za-na
120	dumu-gu10 e2 mu-un-du3 lugal {d}en-ki-ke4
121	eridu{ki} hur-sag-gin7 ki-ta ba-ra-ri
122	ki du10-ga-am3 e2 im-ma-an-du3
123	eridu{ki} ki sikil lu2 nu-ku4-ku4-da
124	e2 ku3-ga du3-a za-gin3-na gun3-a
125	e2 tigi 7(disz)-e si sa2-e nam-szub szum2-ma
126	szir3 ku3 tesz2 e2 ki al-du10-ga
127	esz3 abzu nam du10 {d}en-ki-ke4 me galam-ma tum2-ma
128	eridu{ki} e2 ku3-ga du3-a-ba
129	a-a {d}en-ki za3-mi2

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.