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CDLI Literary 000357 (Flood Story) composite (P469664)
Literary, Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000357 (Flood Story) composite |
|---|---|
| ID | P469664 |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Period | Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE |
| Genre | Literary |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| surface a | ||
| 1' | [...] im-ga2-ga2 [...] | ... set ... |
| 2' | nam-lu2-ulu3-gu10 ha-lam-ma-bi-a ga-ba-ni-ib-[...] | I want to ... my humanity in its destruction |
| 3' | {d}nin-tu-ra nig2-dim2-dim2-ma-gu10 se3-se3-bi-a ga-ba-ni-ib-gi4-gi4 | I want to return my creation to Nintur. |
| 4' | ug3 ki-ur3-bi-ta ga-ba-ni-ib-gur-ru-ne | I want to return the people from their kiʾur. |
| 5' | iri{ki} me-a-bi he2-em-mi-in-du3 gissu-bi ni2 ga-ba-ab-dub2-bu | I shall build the city in its midst, I shall slander it. |
| 6' | iri me-a szeg12-bi ki ku3-ga he2-em-mi-in-szub | The brickwork of the city, where is it, fell into the holy place. |
| 7' | ki-esz-bar me-a ki ku3-ga he2-em-mi-ni-ib-ri | May he make the decision for me in a pure place. |
| 8' | ku3? A nig2 izi ten-na si mi-ni-in-si-sa2 | He arranged the holy water of the tenth fire |
| 9' | garza me mah szu mi-ni-ib-szu-du7 | I have perfected the rites and supreme divine powers |
| 10' | ki a im-ma-ab-du11 silim ga-mu-ni-in-gar | I want to establish peace in the place where water is spoken. |
| 11' | an {d}en-lil2 {d}en-ki {d}nin-hur-sag-ga2-ke4 | An, Enlil, Enki and Ninhursag |
| 12' | sag ge6-ga mu-un-dim2-esz-a-ba | When they had fashioned the black-headed people |
| 13' | nig2-gilim ki-ta ki-ta mu-lu-lu | niĝilim priestess from earth, from earth: Mululu |
| 14' | masz2-ansze nig2-ur2-4(disz) edin-na me-te-a-asz bi2-ib2-gal2 | “As for the goats, the extispicy in the steppe is appropriate, |
| surface b | ||
| 1 | [...] mu-un-[...] | ... ... |
| 2 | [...] am3 [...] | ... ... |
| 3 | [...] x de5-ga ga-ba-ni-in-[...] | ... I want to ... the ... of ... |
| 4 | du-lum-bi igi ga-ba-ni-ib-du8-du8-x | I want to look at its work |
| 5 | x szidim kalam-ma-ke4 usz gi ha-ba-ab-ba-al | May the ... of the land scatter the dead with reed |
| 6 | u4 x x nam-lugal-la an-ta e11-de3-a-ba | When the ... of kingship came forth from heaven |
| 7 | men mah {gesz}gu-za nam-lugal-la an-ta e11-a-ba | When the supreme crown and the throne of kingship came forth from heaven |
| 8 | garza me mah szu mi-ni-ib-szu-du7 | I have perfected the rites and supreme divine powers |
| 9 | iri-bi-e-ne szeg12-bi ki ku3-ga im-ma-an-da-szub | The brickwork of their cities fell into a pure place. |
| 10 | mu-bi ba-an-sa4 kab du11-ga ba-hal-hal-la | Its name was called, it was smashed in the mouth. |
| 11 | nesag iri-be2-e-ne eridu{ki} masz2-sag {d}nu-dim2-mud mi-ni-in-szum2 | The nesag offerings of their cities Eridu gave to Nudimmud as an offering. |
| 12 | 2(disz)-kam-ma-sze3 nu-gig-ra bad3-tibira{ki} mi-ni-in-szum2 | for the 2nd time the nugig priestess of Badtibira gave |
| 13 | 3(disz)-kam-ma la-ra-ag {d}pa-bil2-sag mi-ni-in-szum2 | The 3rd, Larag gave Pabilsag |
| 14 | 4(disz)-kam-ma zimbir{ki} szul {d}utu mi-ni-in-szum2 | The 4th, Sippar gave the youth Utu |
| 15 | 5(disz)-kam-ma szuruppak {d}sud3{ki}-ra mi-ni-in-szum2 | for the 5th time he gave a šuruppak-vessel to Sud. |
| 16 | iri-be2-e-ne mu-bi ba-an-sa4-a kab du11-ga ba-hal-hal-la | The names of their cities were written down, fragmented, |
| 17 | i7 IM GUN2? ma-an-szu4-am3 im-ma-al-la a im-ma-an-de6 | The canal ... was there, water was carried away. |
| 18 | i7 tur-tur-re szu luh-bi NIG2 HAR-HAR mi-ni-ib2-gar-gar | In the small canals, he placed ... |
| surface c | ||
| 1 | ki-tusz an-na x [...] | The dwelling place of heaven |
| 2 | e-[...] | ... ... |
| 3 | a-ma-ru [...] | The flood ... |
| 4 | nam-lu2-ulu3 [...] | Humanity |
| 5 | ur5-gin7 bi2-in-ak [...] | He did it like a dog |
| 6 | u4-bi-a {d}nin-tu [...] DIM2 A [...] | At that time, Nintu |
| 7 | ku3 {d}inanna-ke4 ug3-bi-sze3 a-nir mu-un-ga2-ga2 | Holy Inanna sang a lament for its people. |
| 8 | {d}en-ki sza3 ni2-te-na-ke4 ad i-ni-in-gi4-gi4 | Enki replied to his own heart: |
| 9 | an {d}en-lil2 {d}en-ki {d}nin-hur-sag-ga2-ke4 | An, Enlil, Enki and Ninhursag |
| 10 | dingir an ki-ke4 mu an {d}en-lil2 mu-x-pa3 | The god of heaven and earth chose the name of An and Enlil. |
| 11 | u4-ba zi-u4-su3-ra2 lugal-am3 gudug x [...] | At that time, Ziusura was king, Gudug ... |
| 12 | an sag nigin mu-un-dim2-dim2 en [...] | He fashioned a crown on the head, the lord |
| 13 | nam-sun5-na inim se3-se3-ge ni2 te-ge26 [...] | (Sum) The one who utters a supplication, he is fearsome(?) |
| 14 | u4 szu2-usz-e sag us2 gub-ba [...] | In those distant days, when the head stood at its side |
| 15 | ma-mu2 nu-me-a e3-de3 inim bala [...] | Without a father, the word of bala |
| 16 | mu an ki-bi-ta pa3-pa3-de3 [...] | In order to find out the name of heaven and earth |
| 17 | ki?-ur3-sze3 dingir-re-e-ne e2-gar8 [...] | To the Kiʾur, the gate of the gods |
| 18 | zi-u4-su3-ra2 da-bi gub-ba gesz mu-un-tuku | He listens to the ziusuŋ singer who is standing by his side. |
| 19 | iz-zi-da a2 gab2-bu-gu10 gub-ba [...] | Izzida, standing at my left side |
| 20 | iz-zi-da inim ga-ra-ab-du11 inim-gu10 he2-dab5 | I want to speak a word with you, may my words be accepted. |
| 21 | na de5-ga-gu10 gizzal he2-em-szi-ak | May my supplication be a regular offering. |
| 22 | DAG-me-a a-ma-ru ugu kab du11-ga [...] ba-ur3 [...] | (Sum) I am the one who sees ... (Akk) The flood that covers the mouth(?) ... |
| 23 | numun nam-lu2-ulu3 ha-lam-e-de3 nam-bi ba-tar | In order to destroy the seed of mankind, its fate was decided. |
| 24 | di-til-la inim pu-uh2-ru-um-ma-ka szu gi4-gi4 nu-gal2 | The end of the judgment, the word of the assembly, is not present. |
| 25 | inim du11-ga an {d}en-lil2-la2-ka szu bala-e nu-zu | The word spoken by An and Enlil has not been known to change. |
| 26 | nam-lugal-bi bala-bi ba-bur12 e-ne sza3 kusz2-u3-de3 | Its kingship and reign have been undone, how exhausting is it to soothe the heart? |
| 27 | e-ne-esz2 [...] | They ... |
| 28 | a-na MU-MU [...] | For my name |
| surface d | ||
| 1 | im-hul-im-hul {tu15}si-si-ig du3-a-bi tesz2-bi i3-su8-ge-esz | They gathered together the destructive winds and the šisig winds |
| 2 | a-ma-ru ugu kab du11-ga ba-an-da-ab-ur3-e | The flood swept over the mouth. |
| 3 | u4 7(disz)-am3 ge6 7(disz)-am3 | 7 days, 7 nights |
| 4 | a-ma-ru kalam-ma ba-ur3-ra-ta | After the flood swept over the Land |
| 5 | {gesz}ma2 gur4-gur4 a gal-la im-hul tuk4-tuk4-a-ta | After the “big boat’, which had been sunk in great water, was destroyed, |
| 6 | {d}utu i-im-ma-ra-e3 an ki-a u4 ga2-ga2 | Šamaš came out and set the day in heaven and earth. |
| 7 | zi-u4-su3-ra2 {gesz}ma2 gur4-gur4 ab-BUR2 mu-un-da-buru3 | The “flood-carrying"(?) of the boat, he sank the ... boat. |
| 8 | szul {d}utu gesz-nu11-ni-da {gesz}ma2 gur4-gur4-sze3 ba-an-ku4-re-en | Youth Utu, with his bed you have brought me to the boat that is to be moored. |
| 9 | zi-u4-su3-ra2 lugal-am3 | Ziusura is king. |
| 10 | igi {d}utu-sze3 giri17 ki su-ub ba-gub | Before Utu, he set his nose in a remote place. |
| 11 | lugal-e gu4 im-ma-ab-gaz-e udu im-ma-ab-szar2-re | The king kills oxen and slaughters sheep. |
| 12 | [...] x si gal [...] sikil-la-da | ... with a pure ... |
| 13 | [...] x mu-un-na-x-x-ba | ... ... |
| 14 | [...] | |
| 15 | [...] bi2-in-si | ... he filled |
| 16 | [...] x tab-ba | ... tabba |
| 17 | [...] A x | ... ... |
| surface e | ||
| 1 | zi an-na zi ki-a i3-pa3-de3-en-ze2-en za-zu-da he2-em-da-la2 | You will find the life of heaven and earth, the life on earth, so that you will carry it with you. |
| 2 | an {d}en-lil2 zi an-na zi ki-a i3-pa3-de3-ze2-en za-da-ne-ne im-da-la2 | An and Enlil, the true one of heaven and earth, he chose you, they stretched out their arms. |
| 3 | nig2-gilim-ma ki-ta e11-de3 im-ma-ra-e11-de3 | The niĝilim priestess goes up from the ground, she goes up. |
| 4 | zi-u4-su3-ra2 lugal-am3 | Ziusura is king. |
| 5 | igi an {d}en-lil2-la2-sze3 giri17 ki su-ub ba-gub | before An and Enlil, he set his nose in the earth. |
| 6 | an {d}en-lil2 zi-u4-su3-ra2 mi2-e-esz2? [...]-du11-[...] | An and Enlil ... praise for you |
| 7 | ti dingir-gin7 mu-un-na-szum2-mu | Like a god he gave it to him. |
| 8 | zi da-ri2 dingir-gin7 mu-un-na-ab-e11-de3 | forever, like a god, he brings it to him. |
| 9 | u4-ba zi-u4-su3-ra2 lugal-am3 | At that time, it was king Ziusu. |
| 10 | mu nig2-gilim-ma numun nam-lu2-ulu3 uru3 ak | year: “Nigilima, seed of humanity, the city was erected. |
| 11 | kur-bala kur dilmun-na ki {d}utu e3-sze3 mu-un-ti-esz | The kur-bala, the Dilmun mountain, to the place of Utu came out. |
| 12 | za-e? x [...] ba x-bi ti-esz x | You(?) ... its |
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.