Unread Atlas
CDLI Literary 000779 (Song of Ploughing Oxen) composite (P478967)
Literary, Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
Open in the reader & map →See it among all tablets
| Designation | CDLI Literary 000779 (Song of Ploughing Oxen) composite |
|---|---|
| ID | P478967 |
| 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 | _e-el-lu ma-al-lu_ | illu, mallu |
| 2 | gu4 gen-a gen-a {gesz}szudul-a gu2 gar-i3 | “Going to the ox, going to the Šudula, I have set my neck on it. |
| 3 | gu4 [...] gen-a gen-a {gesz}szudul-a gu2 gar-i3 | The ox is coming, the šudula is coming |
| 4 | [...] ma-da-me-en | I am the ... of the land |
| 5 | [...] {d}en-lil2-la2-me-en | I am the ... of Enlil |
| 6 | [...] kalam-ma-me-en | I am the ... of the land |
| 7 | e-el-lu ma-a-lu | Ellu, alu! |
| 8 | [...] sag mu-da-gal2 | ... is there with him. |
| 9 | [...] sag mu-da-gal2 | ... is there with him. |
| 10 | [...] | |
| 11 | [...] | |
| 12 | [...] | |
| 13 | x x [...] | |
| 14 | a2-sze ama hu-mu-da-[...] | May the mother ... with me. |
| 15 | a2-sze {d}nansze hu-mu-da-an-szub?-bu? | may Nanše fall at his side |
| 16 | ninda {kusz}lu-ub2 ha-ma-ni-in-gar-ra-am3 | he placed bread and sandals for me. |
| 17 | a {kusz}ummu-da ha-ma-ni-in-de2-am3 | may he pour water with a šēdu-vessel for me. |
| 18 | sag us2 [...] ha-ma-da-an-gub-ba | May ... stand with me. |
| 19 | engar ninda gu7-a ha-ma-an-du11-ga-am3 | I am the farmer who eats bread, |
| 20 | engar a nag-a ha-ma-an-du11-ga-am3 | I am a farmer drinking water, |
| 21 | e-el-lu ma-a-lu | Ellu, alu! |
| 22 | {d}nansze e2 ma-mu-de3 ba-nu2 | Nanše laid down in my house for me. |
| 23 | {d}nansze-ra inim ge6 im-ma-na-ab-DU | To Nanše he spoke a word |
| 24 | ninda {kusz}lu-ub2-a im-ma-ni-in-gar | he placed bread in a leather bag. |
| 25 | a {kusz}ummu-da im-ma-ni-in-de2 | he washed himself with water from a šammu-vessel. |
| 26 | sag us2 [...]-gub | |
| 27 | {lu2}engar igi x x im-ma-szi-in-bar | The farmer saw ... |
| 28 | gu4-ab2 x x eme ba-an-gar | The oxen ... was placed in tongues. |
| 29 | x [...] giri3? bi2-in-la2 | ... took a path |
| 30 | {lu2}engar ama-a-ni gu3 mu-na-de2-e | The farmer says to his mother: |
| 31 | ninda {kusz}lu-ub2-a ma-an-gar | he placed bread in a leather bag. |
| 32 | a {kusz}ummu-da ma-an-de2 | he poured water into a snare for me. |
| 33 | sag us2 [...] ma-an-gub? | I set my head on the ground |
| 34 | [...] | |
| 35 | [...] | |
| 36 | [...] | |
| 37 | [...] | |
| 38 | e-el-lu ma-al-lu | ellu, lilu! |
| 39 | a-na-am3 [...] | What ...? |
| 40 | a-na-am3 [...] | What ...? |
| 41 | a-ba-am3 [...] | Who ...? |
| 42 | a-ba-am3 [...] | Who ...? |
| 43 | a-ba-am3 lag [...] | Who is ...? |
| 44 | a-ba-am3 muszen [...] | Who is this bird? |
| 45 | a2 zi-da [...] | With the right arm |
| 46 | a2 gab2-bu [...] | The left arm ... |
| 47 | igi il2-la [...] | With a raised eye |
| 48 | umbin gal-gu10 [...] | My large nails |
| 49 | mul-an-na x [...] | The stars of heaven ... |
| 50 | gala-bi [...] si im-sa2-e [...] | Its gala-priest |
| 51 | gu4 [...] sag?-dili gur4 mu-un-ta-szub | He abandoned the single ox or bull |
| 52 | [...] inim mu-na-ni-ib-gi4-gi4 | ... will reply to him. |
| 53 | gu4-me-en gu4 tur-me-en | I am an ox, I am a young oxx |
| 54 | siki giri17-gu10 nu-lum-ma-me-en | I am the one who does not care about my hair. |
| 55 | gu2-tar-ga2 sahar nu-szub-ba-bi | The dust that does not fall on my neck, |
| 56 | a-na-asz-am3 lugal-gu10 ge26-e mu-un-kal-me-en | Why, my king, am I not strong enough? |
| 57 | amar ban3-da-gu10 inim 1(disz)-am3 a-ra-ab-be2-en | My small calf, I will say to you one word. |
| 58 | gizzal he2-em-szi-ak | I set up a reed fence. |
| 59 | {gesz}KU ad-da-zu 4(disz)-am3 | Your father's knife is 4 (shekels). |
| 60 | {gesz}KU ama-zu 8(disz)-am3 | The KU of your mother is 8 |
| 61 | {d}utu gesz sa6-zu si he2-ri-ib-sa2 | Šamaš, may your good plans be arranged. |
| 62 | e-el-lu ma-a-lu | Ellu, alu! |
| 63 | engar szu-nim-ma sipa tur3 ku3-ga | farmer of Šunima, shepherd of the holy cowshed, |
| 64 | gurusz-e u4 tur-ra-ni-ta dam an-tuku-am3 | The young man, in his youth, has a wife. |
| 65 | dumu an-tuku-am3 dili-ni? nu-mu-un-[...] | The son of Antuku did not ... alone(?) |
| 66 | e-el-lu ma-a-lu | Ellu, alu! |
| 67 | mul-an-na ge26-e [...] | I am the star of heaven |
| 68 | gun3 an-na ge26-e [...] | I want to ... the red of heaven |
| 69 | {tug2}nig2-bara2 ur3-ra ge26-e [...] | I am a nipḫara garment in the lap |
| 70 | x x ge26-e [...] | ... I |
| 71 | [...] | |
| 72 | [...] | |
| 73 | [...] | |
| 74 | [...] | |
| 75 | [...] | |
| 76 | [...] | |
| 77 | [...] | |
| 78 | [...] | |
| 79 | [...] | |
| 80 | [...] | |
| 81 | [...] | |
| 82 | [...] | |
| 83 | [...] | |
| 84 | [...] | |
| 85 | [...] | |
| 86 | [...] | |
| 87 | [...] | |
| 88 | [...] | |
| 89 | [...] | |
| 90 | [...] | |
| 91 | {gesz}x [...] | a ... tree |
| 92 | e-el-lu ma-a-lu | Ellu, alu! |
| 93 | {d}en-ki-im-du lu2 e pa5-ra-ke4 | Enkimdu, the man of the canal |
| 94 | en {d}... gu3 mu-na-de2-e | Lord ... spoke to him |
| 95 | lugal-gu10 [...] x ga-mu-ra-ab-ak-e | My king, I want to make ... for you |
| 96 | GAN2 zi-de3 [...] a ga-ra-ab-du11 | I want to say "Alas!" to you in the true field |
| 97 | im sag [...] im-ma-ab-be2 | He ... the first tablet |
| 98 | u4 sze [...] x GAN2 NE | day barley ... ... |
| 99 | AN-AN [...] mu-da-an-x [...] ma-ab-ak | ... he made ... |
| 100 | x [...] x NE | ... ... |
| 101 | [...] | |
| 102 | [...] | |
| 103 | [...] | |
| 104 | [...] | |
| 105 | [...] | |
| 106 | [...] | |
| 107 | [...] | |
| 108 | [...] | |
| 109 | e-el-lu ma-al-lu | ellu, lilu! |
| 110 | {gesz}GAN2-ur3 {gesz}ga-rig2 a-sza3-ga2 | a threshing floor and a bar of my field |
| 111 | {gesz}zu2 gal-gal ha-ra-ab-si GAN2 ku3 ri-ri-de3 | “Let the large doors be loosened for you, so that the holy field is to be swept away. |
| 112 | {gesz}al gu2 ki he2-re-la2 mud sa2-bi2-ib | May the hoe sway on the ground, may it scatter the blood. |
| 113 | {gesz}al gu2 ki he2-re-la2 | may the hoe be seated on the ground, |
| 114 | {gesz}apin ku3-zu {gesz}dal-a la2-a-ba {gesz}dal-ta um-ta-si-ig | Your holy plow, the swinging pole, has been pulled out from the swing. |
| 115 | nagar gal-zu gu hu-mu-ra-ab-tag-ge | May your great carpenter bless you. |
| 116 | a2 {gesz}le-um-ma-bi [...] | The strength of its arrows |
| 117 | [...] | |
| 118 | [...] | |
| 119 | [...] | |
| 120 | [...] | |
| 121 | [...] | |
| 122 | [...] | |
| 123 | [...] | |
| 124 | [...] | |
| 125 | [...] | |
| 126 | [...] | |
| 127 | [...] | |
| 128 | [...] | |
| 129 | [...] mu7-mu7 [...] | ... roared |
| 130 | [...] szu zi-da-na gi-1(disz)-ninda he2-[...] | ... in his right hand ... a one-column loaf |
| 131 | [...] {d}en-ki-im-du lu2 e pa4-ra-ke4 | ... Enkimdu, the one of the ditches |
| 132 | [...]-a-ka hu-mu-ra-[...] | ... may he ... for you |
| 133 | e-el-lu ma-al-lu gu4 gen-a gen-a {gesz}szudul-a gu2 gar-i3 | The ellu-demon is abundant, the ox is coming! The šudula instrument is set up. |
| 134 | gu4 [...] gen-a gen-a {gesz}szudul-a gu2 gar-i3 | The ox is coming, the šudula is coming |
| 135 | ab-sin2 GAN2 zi-da giri3 gub-gub-i3 us2 si sa2 he2-e-dib | May the furrows of the true field, whose feet are set at the right side, pass by. |
| 136 | [...] e2 kasz-a-ka ul ti-a [...] | ... in the house of beer, without ... |
| 137 | [...] {d}inanna-ka ki-bur2-re [...] | ... of Inanna at the Kibur |
| 138 | [...] ki-bi i3-gi4-gi4 [...] | ... restored to its place |
| 139 | u2-lu-lu-ma-ma {d}nin-urta-kam | It is a lulluma of Ninurta |
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.