CDLI Literary 000352 (Ninurta and the Turtle) composite (P469531)
Literary, Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000352 (Ninurta and the Turtle) composite |
|---|---|
| ID | P469531 |
| 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 b 1 | “At his command your weapon struck me evilly. |
| surface b 2 | As I let the divine powers go out of my hand, these divine powers returned to the abzu. |
| surface b 3 | As I let the divine plan go out of my hand, this divine plan returned to the abzu. |
| surface b 4 | This tablet of destinies returned to the abzu. I was stripped of the divine powers.” |
| surface b 5 | Ninurta was stunned at these words of the Anzu-chick. |
| surface b 6 | Ninmena gave out a wail: |
| surface b 7 | “And what about me? These divine powers have not fallen into my hand. |
| surface b 8 | I shall not exercise their authority. I shall not live (?) like him in the shrine, in the abzu.” |
| surface b 9 | Father Enki in the abzu knew what had been said. |
| surface b 10 | The Anzu-chick took the hero Ninurta by his hand |
| surface b 11 | and drew near with him to Enki’s place, the abzu. |
| surface b 12 | The Anzu-chick returned Uta-ulu to the abzu. |
| surface b 13 | The lord was delighted with the hero, |
| surface b 14 | Father Enki was delighted with the hero Ninurta. |
| surface b 15 | Lord Nudimmud honored him duly: |
| surface b 16 | “Hero, no god among your brother gods could have acted so. |
| surface b 17 | As for the bird which your mighty weapon captured, |
| surface b 18 | from now to eternity you will keep your foot placed on its neck. |
| surface b 19 | May the great gods give your heroic strength its due. |
| surface b 20 | May your father Enlil do whatever you command. |
| surface b 21 | May Ninmena not fashion your equal (?). |
| surface b 22 | May no one be as revered as you and no god extend an upraised hand before you. |
| surface b 23 | Monthly may your house (?) regularly receive tributes in the shrine, in the abzu. |
| surface b 24 | May An (?) proclaim your name in the seat of honor.” |
| surface b 25 | The hero secretly was not happy with these promises. |
| surface b 26 | Where he stood, he darkened and yellowed like (?) a flood-storm (?). |
| surface b 27 | He contemplated great deeds and inwardly he was rebellious. |
| surface b 28 | He uttered a word which has no ... |
| surface b 29 | The hero Ninurta set his sights on the whole world. |
| surface b 30 | He told no one and inwardly did not ... |
| surface b 31 | The great lord Enki intuitively grasped the substance of the plan. |
| surface b 32 | In the shrine, in the abzu he stirred up a dark flood-storm. |
| surface b 33 | By the house the minister Isimud opposed Ninurta. |
| surface b 34 | The hero Ninurta refused to come out |
| surface b 35 | and raised his hand against the minister Isimud. |
| surface b 36 | (Against Ninurta,) Enki fashioned a turtle from the clay of the abzu. |
| surface b 37 | Against him he stationed the turtle at an opening, at the gate of the abzu. |
| surface b 38 | Enki talked to him near the place of the ambush |
| surface b 39 | and brought him to the place where the turtle was. |
| surface b 40 | The turtle was able to grab Ninurta's tendon from behind. |
| surface b 41 | The hero Ninurta managed to turn back its feet. |
| surface b 42 | Enki, as if perplexed, said, “What is this?!” |
| surface b 43 | He had the turtle scrape the ground with its claws, had it dig an evil pit. |
| surface b 44 | The hero Ninurta fell into it with the turtle. |
| surface b 45 | The hero did not know how to get out from ... |
| surface b 46 | The turtle kept on gnawing his feet with its claws (?). |
| surface b 47 | The great lord Enki said to him: |
| surface b 48 | “From ..., you who set your mind to kill me, |
| surface b 49 | ... who makes big claims— |
| surface b 50 | I cut down, I raise up. |
| surface b 51 | You who set your sights on me like this— |
| surface b 52 | what has your position seized for you, how ...? |
| surface b 53 | Where has your strength fled? Where is your heroism? |
| surface b 54 | In the great mountains you caused destruction, but how will you get out now?” |
| surface b 55 | Ninmena learned of this situation. |
| surface b 56 | She was ripping the clothes from her body, she ... . |
| surface b 57 | “My ug-plant-eater Enki, whom shall I send to you? |
| surface b 58 | Men will shake their heads in fear ..., whom shall I send to you? |
| surface b 59 | That name is not Enki. That name is Ugugu-that-does-not-pour (?). |
| surface b 60 | You who are death without mercy, whom shall I send to you?” |
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' | x [...] | |
| 2' | amar anzu{muszen} [...] | |
| 3' | {gesz}ilar KA [...] | |
| 4' | amar anzu{muszen} [...] | |
| 5' | ur-sag {d}nin-urta [...] | |
| 6' | {gesz}gag KA [...] | |
| 7' | amar anzu{muszen} [...] | |
| 8' | x x x [...] | |
| surface b | ||
| 1 | du11-ga-ni-ta {gesz}tukul-zu hul-a mu-ni-in-tag | |
| 2 | me szu-ga2 szu ba-ba-gu10-ne me-bi abzu-sze3 ba-an-gi4 | |
| 3 | gesz-hur szu-ga2 szu ba-ba-gu10-ne gesz-hur-bi abzu-sze3 ba-an-gi4 | |
| 4 | dub nam-tar-ra-bi abzu-sze3 ba-an-gi4 me ab-la2-e-en | |
| 5 | inim amar anzu{muszen}-sze3 {d}nin-urta lul-asz ba-an-si | |
| 6 | {d}nin-men-na-ke4 a-nir im-ga2-ga2 | |
| 7 | ge26-e me-bi szu-gu10-usz li-bi2-ku4 nam-en-bi nu-ak-e | |
| 8 | ge26-e e-ne-gin7 esz3-e? abzu-a nu-mu-un-til | |
| 9 | a-a {d}en-ki inim mu-un-du11-du11-ga-a abzu-a ba-da-an-zu | |
| 10 | ur-sag {d}nin-urta amar anzu{muszen}-de3 szu-ni bi2-in-ti | |
| 11 | ki {d}en-ki-ka3-sze3 abzu-sze3 im-ma-da-te | |
| 12 | {d}u4-ta-u18-lu amar anzu{muszen}-de3 abzu-sze3 ba-an-gi4 | |
| 13 | en-e ur-sag-ra ba-szi-hul2 | |
| 14 | a-a {d}en-ki ur-sag {d}nin-urta-ra ba-szi-hul2 | |
| 15 | en {d}nu-dim2-mud-e mi2 zi mu-un-i-i-de3? | |
| 16 | ur-sag-e dingir szesz-zu-ne-a dingir na-me ur5-gin7 nu-mu-un-ak-e | |
| 17 | muszen {gesz}tukul kal-ga-zu bi2-dab5-ba-sze3 | |
| 18 | u4 me-da u4 ul-le2-sze3 gu2-bi giri3-zu ba-gub-be2-en | |
| 19 | dingir gal-gal-e-ne a2 nam-ur-sag-ga2-zu me-tesz2 he2-i-i-ne | |
| 20 | a-a-zu {d}en-lil2-le nig2-du11-zu he2-ak | |
| 21 | {d}nin-men-na-ke4 kin-se3-ga-zu na-an-dim2-e | |
| 22 | za-e-gin7 ni2 na-ab-tuku dingir na-me igi-zu-sze3 szu si sa2 na-an-sa2-e | |
| 23 | iti-da esz3-e abzu-a igi-du8-a e2?-zu sag he2-us2 | |
| 24 | an za3 gal-la mu-zu he2-pa3-de3 | |
| 25 | ur-sag nam-tar-ra-bi sza3-bi nu-hul2 | |
| 26 | ki-gub-ba-ni a-ge6? i-im-ku10-ku10-ge i-sig7-sig7-ge | |
| 27 | sza3-bi nig2 gal-gal i-im-bala-bala sza3-bi i3-kur2-kur2 | |
| 28 | inim da-bi nu-ub-tuku-a bar-bi i-im-du11-du11 | |
| 29 | ur-sag {d}nin-urta igi-bi ki-szar2-ra ba-ni-in-gar | |
| 30 | lu2 na-me nu-ub-du11 sza3-bi zi nu-x-x | |
| 31 | en gal {d}en-ki ki ni2-te-na-ke4 inim sza3-bi ba-x-zu | |
| 32 | esz3-e abzu-a a-ge6 mud i-im-tuk4-tuk4-e | |
| 33 | sukkal {d}isimudx(|PAB.NUN.ME.EZEN|)-de3 e2-e giri3 mu-un-ru-gu2 | |
| 34 | ur-sag {d}nin-urta e3-de3 nu-mu-un-sze-sze | |
| 35 | sukkal {d}isimudx(|PAB.NUN.ME.EZEN|)-de3-esz2 szu-ni ba-an-zi | |
| 36 | {d}en-ki-ke4 im abzu-a ba-al-gu7 ba-da-an-dim2 | |
| 37 | ki sun5-na ka2 abzu-a ba-al-gu7 ba-da-an-gub | |
| 38 | {d}en-ki-ke4 ki-lul-la-ke4 mu-un-na-ab-du11-du11 | |
| 39 | ki-gub-ba ba-al-gi4-sze3 ba-da-an-tum3 | |
| 40 | ba-al-gu7 egir-ra-ni sa-bi ba-da-an-dab5 | |
| 41 | ur-sag {d}nin-urta giri3-bi ba-da-an-gi4 | |
| 42 | {d}en-ki nu-zu-gin7 a-na-am3 ne-e im-me | |
| 43 | umbin-giri3-bi ki bi2-in-hur habrud hul ba-da-an-dun | |
| 44 | ur-sag {d}nin-urta sza3-bi ba-da-an-szub | |
| 45 | ur-sag-e ga-x x e11-de3 nu-mu-un-zu-am3 | |
| 46 | ba-al-gu7 giri3? umbin-giri3-bi ba-an-sur-sur | |
| 47 | en gal {d}en-ki-ke4 gu3 mu-un-na-de2-e | |
| 48 | me x kur?-ta mu-ni-in-nigin2-nigin2 mu-pa3-de3 | |
| 49 | ge26-ra sag gesz? ra-gu10-usz igi-zu mu-e-gar-ra-am3 | |
| 50 | x-bil2-ga gal-gal di ge26-e bi2-ib2-ga2-ga2 ge26-e bi2-ib2-zi-de3 | |
| 51 | za-e ge26-ra a-gin7 igi-zu mu-gar-ra | |
| 52 | ki-gub-ba-zu a-na-am3 mu-ra-an-dab5 a-ra2?-bi a-na-gin7-nam | |
| 53 | nam-kal-ga-zu me-sze3 ba-an-gen nam-ur-sag-zu me-a | |
| 54 | hur-sag gal-gal-e mu-ni-in-gul-gul e-ne-esz2 a-na-am3 mu-e11-de3 | |
| 55 | {d}nin-men-na-ke4 inim-bi ba-da-an-pa3 | |
| 56 | tug2 bar-ra-na al-bir7?-re KASZ4 im-sar-sar-re | |
| 57 | {u2}ug gu7-gu7-gu10-usz za-e a-ba-a mu-ra-ab-tum2 | |
| 58 | lu2 sag-bi mu-un-bul-bul ba-x-x-un-GIL-x za-e a-ba-a mu-ra-ab-tum2 | |
| 59 | dam-an-ki mu-bi nu-me-a u4-gu7-gu7-nu-de2-de2 mu-bi-im | |
| 60 | nam-usz2 szu gar nu-tuku-a za-e a-ba-a mu-ra-ab-tum2 | |
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.