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CDLI Literary 000778 (Song of Hoe) composite (P478966)
Literary, Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000778 (Song of Hoe) composite |
|---|---|
| ID | P478966 |
| 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 | en-e nig2-du7-e pa na-an-ga-mi-in-e3 | The lord made the fitting thing resplendent for me. |
| 2 | en nam tar-ra-na szu nu-bala-e-de3 | The lord whose fate has not been decided |
| 3 | {d}en-lil2 numun kalam-ma ki-ta e3-de | Enlil, to bring out the seed of the Land from the ground |
| 4 | an ki-ta ba9-re6-de3 sag na-an-ga-ma-an-szum2 | To bring heaven and earth into balance, he should not give it to him. |
| 5 | ki an-ta ba9-re6-de3 sag na-an-ga-ma-an-szum2 | In order to take the earth away from heaven, he should not give it to him. |
| 6 | uzu-e3-a sag mu2-mu2-de3 | to make the head grow out of the meat |
| 7 | {d}ur-an-ki-ka bulug nam-mi-in-la2 | In Uranki he hung a scepter. |
| 8 | {gesz}al-e mu-un-gar u4 al-e3 | He set up the hoe, and the day came. |
| 9 | esz2-gar3 mu-un-du3 nam al-tar-re | He built the ešŋar and decreed a fate. |
| 10 | {gesz}al-e {gesz}dusu-e a2 si ba-ab-sa2-e | The hoe, the dust-tree, and the reed fence were tied in place. |
| 11 | {d}en-lil2-le {gesz}al-a-ni za3-mi2 ba-an-du11 | Enlil praised his hoe |
| 12 | {gesz}al-a-ni ku3-sig17-ga sag-bi {na4}za-gin3-na | His hoe is gold, its head is lapis lazuli |
| 13 | {gesz}al sa la2-a-ni ku3-me ku3-sig17-ga | His hoe, whose horns are pure and gold, |
| 14 | {gesz}al-a-ni a2 bulug-ba apin {na4}za-gin3-na-kam | His hoe is a bolt of lapis lazuli. |
| 15 | zu2-bi gu4-si-asz bad3 gal e3-de3-dam | Its horns are oxen, the great wall is to be brought out. |
| 16 | en-e {gesz}al mu-un-szid nam mi-ni-ib-tar-re | The lord sat down on the hoe and decreed a fate. |
| 17 | ki-in-du men ku3 sag-ga2 mu-ni-in-gal2 | He placed a holy crown on my head as a crown. |
| 18 | uzu-e3-a {gesz}al am3-mi-ni-in-du3 | He built the hoe in the uzu-ea. |
| 18a | uzu-mu2-a sag nu-ga2-ga2-de3 | he shall not place a head (on it) in my flesh |
| 19 | sag nam-lu2-ulu3 u3-szub-ba mi-ni-in-gar | He placed the head of humanity in ruins. |
| 20 | {d}en-lil2-sze3 kalam-ma-ni ki mu-un-szi-in-dar-re | To Enlil, he destroyed his land. |
| 21 | sag ge6-ga-ni-sze3 igi zi mu-szi-in-bar | He looked faithfully at his black head. |
| 22 | {d}a-nun-na mu-un-na-su8-su8-ge-esz | The Anuna stood before him. |
| 23 | szu-bi giri17-ba mu-un-ne-gal2 | Its hands are adorned with joy. |
| 24 | {d}en-lil2 a-ra-zu-a mu-ni-in-hun-e-ne | Enlil rejoicing in his arazu prayer |
| 25 | ug3 sag ge6-ga al mu-un-da-be2-ne | They say to the black-headed people: |
| 26 | nin en u3-tu-de3 lugal u3-tu-de3 | The lady, to make the lord give birth, the king give birth! |
| 27 | {d}nin-men-na-ke4 tu-tu al-ga2-ga2 | Ninmena has given birth. |
| 28 | mas-su an ki-a en {d}nu-nam-nir-ra | son of An and earth, lord Nunamnir, |
| 29 | sag zi sag kal-la mu-ni-ib-sa4-sa4 | He makes the righteous head and the mighty head shine. |
| 30 | sag-bi gu dili-a mu-un-e3-de3-a | Its top is a single flax that was brought out. |
| 31 | dingir-re-e-ne-ra szukur2-sze3 mu-un-dab5-be2 | for the gods as a sacrifice he took. |
| 32 | {d}en-ki-ke4 {gesz}al-a-ni za3-mi2 ba-an-du11 | Enki praised his hoe |
| 33 | ki-sikil {d}nisaba esz-bar-ra ba-an-gub | The young woman Nisaba stood in the decision. |
| 34 | {gesz}al mul {gesz}al ku3-ba szu mu-un-ne-gal2 | The hoe, the star, and the holy hoe are in their hands. |
| 35 | e2-kur e2 {d}en-lil2-la2 {gesz}al-e gar-ra-am3 | In the Ekur, the house of Enlil, the hoe is set up. |
| 36 | u4-de3 al-du3-e ge6 al-mu2-mu2 | The storm is building, the night is growing. |
| 37 | nibru{ki} ki gar-ra ama5 tum-ma-al{ki}-a | In Nippur, the place established, the chamber of Tummal |
| 38 | tum-ma-al {gi}pisan ninda ama {d}nin-lil2-la2-kam | It is the tummal of the basket of bread of mother Ninlil. |
| 39 | e2-mi tum-ma-al{ki}-a nig2 sa2 du11-ga-ta | from the house of Tummal, which was made good, |
| 40 | ur-sag {d}nin-urta {d}en-lil2-ra mu-na-da-an-ku4-ku4 | The hero Ninurta entered for Enlil. |
| 41 | masz2 ge6 nesag en-na-ta | from the night of the nesaŋ offering until |
| 42 | ku3 {d}nin-i3-si-in-na {d}en-lil2-ra mu-na-da-an-ku4-ku4 | Holy Ninisina entered for Enlil. |
| 43 | abzu igi pirig3-ga2 me al nu-di-da | In the Abzu, before my lion, the divine powers are unrivaled. |
| 44 | al-tar lu2 zi-de3 en {d}nu-dim2-mud-e | The altar priestess, the true man, lord Nudimmud |
| 45 | abzu al-du3-e eridu{ki} al-tar-ra | He built the Abzu, he conquered Eridu |
| 46 | ama dingir-re-e-ne {d}nin-hur-sag-ga2-ke4 | the mother of the gods, Ninḫursaga |
| 47 | u4 al-tar en-na kesz3{ki}-a mu-da-an-ti | When the time was right, he lived in Keš. |
| 48 | {d}szul-pa-e3-a na-nam {gesz}al-tar mu-da-an-gub | Šulpa’ea, indeed, he set up the altar instrument. |
| 49 | esz3 e2-an-na {gesz}al-e ku3-ga-am3 | The hoe of the shrine Eanna is pure. |
| 50 | nin e2-an-na im-ma-al zi-da | Lady of the Eana, the righteous one, |
| 51 | {gesz}al du6-du6-dam {gesz}al {u2}|KI.KAL|-dam | The hoe is to be hung, the hoe (is to be) planted. |
| 52 | ki zabala{ki}-a {gesz}al lu2 {d}inanna-kam | It is the hoe of Inanna in Zabalam. |
| 53 | {gesz}al nam mi-ni-ib-tar-re sun4 za-gin3 e3-de3 | The hoe determines fate, the lapis lazuli throne goes out. |
| 54 | {gesz}al-tar-ra-ni-a {d}utu mu-da-an-gub | Šamaš set up his hoe. |
| 55 | {gesz}al-tar ka tar-ra szul {d}utu-kam | The altar instrument is the youth Utu |
| 56 | nin gesztu2 dagal-la {d}nisaba-ke4 | the lady of wide wisdom, Nisaba |
| 57 | szudum e2-an-na-ka {gesz}al-tar ba-an-du11 | He smote the hoe of the Eanna temple |
| 58 | e2-ha-mun na-nam {gesz}al-tar mu-da-an-gub | The E-hamun was indeed the altar tree, it stood there. |
| 59 | lugal {gesz}al szid-da us2-a u4 zal-la | the king, the hoe, the length, the passing of the day |
| 60 | ur-sag {d}nin-urta ki-bala-a {gesz}al-tar ba-an-gub | The hero Ninurta set up an altar instrument in the rebel land. |
| 61 | iri en-sze3 nu-sze-ga szu-sze3 al-ga2-ga2 | The city that does not obey the lord, it is placed in the hands. |
| 62 | an-sze3 u4-dam szeg11 al-gi4-gi4 | (Sum) It is raining down on the sky, the storm is raging (Akk) It rains down to the sky and the storm rumbling |
| 63 | ki-sze3 uszumgal-am3 al-ga2-ga2 | It is a dragon that is set to the ground. |
| 64 | {d}szara2 {d}en-lil2-la2 du10-ba nam-mi-in-tusz | Šara and Enlil sat good in it. |
| 65 | nig2 al-du11-ga-ni mu-na-da-ab-szum2-mu | he will give to him what he has said. |
| 66 | szita2 {gesz}tukul ti mar-uru5 {gesz}al am3-ma-an-du11 | He spoke to the šita weapon, the ti maruru weapon, and the hoe |
| 67 | {d}dumu-zi al-lum-lum-ma igi-nim-ma-ka | Dumuzi, the one who illuminates the darkness, |
| 68 | {d}gibil6 {gesz}al-a-ni sag an-sze3 mi-ni-il2 | Gibil raised his hoe to heaven. |
| 69 | {gesz}al-e ku3-ga-am3 izi nam-mi-in-la2 | The hoe is pure, he spreads fire. |
| 70 | {d}a-nun-na al-hul2-hul2-le-de3-esz | The Anuna rejoiced over me. |
| 71 | e2 {d}gesztin-an-na-ka {gesz}al-gar-surx(|UZ3xBALAG|)-ra-am3 | In the house of Geštinana it is an algarsur instrument |
| 72 | ama {d}gesztin-an-na-ka {gesz}al-gar-surx(|UZ3xBALAG|) gu3 du10-ga-ka | The mother of Geštinana is the algarsur instrument, the clamoring one |
| 73 | en-e {gesz}al-a-ni gu4-gin7 mur im-sza4 | The lord roared like a bull on his hoe. |
| 74 | irigal-am3 {gesz}al sag ki-a tum2-ma | It is an irigal weapon, a hoe fitting for the earth |
| 75 | adx(|BAD.LU2|) {gesz}al-e ki-ta tum2-ma-am3 | The hoe, fitting for the ground |
| 76 | szul idim an-na szesz-ban3-da {d}nergal-ka-kam | It is the young man, the creator of heaven, the brother-in-law of Nergal |
| 77 | ur-sag {d}gilgames2 {gesz}al-e sa-par4-am3 | Hero Gilgamesh, the hoe is a net |
| 78 | dumu {d}nin-sumun2-ka {gesz}gisal-e dub-sag-ga2 | son of Ninsumun, the first-born of the poplar |
| 79 | {gesz}al-e i7-da kindagal-am3 | The hoe is in the river, it is kindagal. |
| 80 | dag agrun-na-ka {gesz}al-e sukkal-am3 | The hoe is the minister at the door of the cella. |
| 81 | hul-gal2 u4 nu2-a dumu {gesz}al-me-esz | Evildoers lying down in the daytime, sons of hoes |
| 82 | u4-sa2 du11-ga-ta an-ta u3-tu-de3-esz | Because of what was said, they have given birth from heaven. |
| 83 | an-sze3 al-ti-ri2-gu7 muszen dingir-ra-am3 | It is an altirigu bird of the god. |
| 84 | ki-sze3 {gesz}al-am3 gesz-gi-a ur-ra tir-ra uszumgal-am3 | It is the hoe, the reedbed, the dog, the forest, the dragon |
| 85 | ki me3-ka dur10-al-lub-am3 | The place of battle is durallub. |
| 86 | ki bad3-ka {gesz}al-lu5-hab2-am3 | At the base of the wall it is an alluhab instrument |
| 87 | ki {gesz}banszur-ra {gesz}ma-al-tum-ma | in the place of the table a maltum tree |
| 88 | ki {gesz}gigir-ka {gesz}ma-a-a-al-tum-ma | with your chariot a sailboat |
| 89 | e2 ansze-ka {gesz}ar-gibil2-am3 | The house of the donkey is an argibil tree |
| 90 | {gesz}al-am3 mu-bi du10-ga hur-sag-ga2 mu-un-gal2 | It is an hoe, its good name is present in the mountains. |
| 91 | gesz hur-sag-ga2 {gesz}al-la-nu-um-ma | The tree of the mountain range is the hoe |
| 92 | szim hur-sag-ga2 {gesz}ar-ga-nu-um-ma | aromatic of the mountain range, a barganum tree |
| 93 | na4 hur-sag-ga2 {na4}algamesz-am3 | It is algameš stone of the mountain range |
| 94 | {gesz}al lum-lum-ma {gesz}al lam-lam-ma | The hoe is bright, the hoe (is) radiance |
| 95 | {gesz}al sze du10-ga {gesz}al sa-par4-am3 | The hoe is the good barley hoe, it is a net |
| 96 | {gesz}al u3-szub-ba {gesz}al sag gal2-la-am3 | The hoe that fell, the hoe which had a head, |
| 97 | {gesz}al-am3 a2 nam-gurusz-a-kam | It is an hoe, it is the labor of male laborers |
| 98 | {gesz}al {gesz}dusu nig2 iri du3-du3-dam | The hoe, the dust tree, that makes the city flourish, |
| 99 | e2 zi al-du3-e GAN2 zi al-ga2-ga2 | The true house is being built, the true field is being established. |
| 100 | gan2-ne2 zi-de3 szu dagal-la-me-en | I am the one who widens the hand in the true field. |
| 101 | gan2-ne2 lugal-bi-ir bala-e | at the field of Lugal-bīr, during the bala |
| 102 | gan2-ne2 lugal-bi-ir gu2 nu-gar-ra-e | The field of its owner is not irrigated. |
| 103 | {gesz}al-e lugal-bi-ir gu2 mu-na-ab-ga2-ga2 | The hoe is set up for its owner. |
| 104 | {u2}numun2 hul {u2}numun2 hul-e sag dub2-dub2-be2 | The evil plant, the evil plant trembles its head. |
| 105 | ur2-ba mu-un-bur12-re pa-bi mu-un-ze2-e | He burst into its roots, he smashed its branches. |
| 106 | {gesz}al-e {u2}hirin{hu-ri2-in} szu-sze3 al-ga2-ga2 | The hoe and the hirin plant are placed in the hand. |
| 107 | {gesz}al-e gesz nam tar-ra a-a {d}en-lil2-la2 | The hoe, the tree that determines fate, father Enlil |
| 108 | {gesz}al-e za3-mi2 du11-ga | The hoe is praiseworthy |
| 109 | {d}nisaba za3-mi2 | Nisaba, praise! |
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.