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CDLI Literary 000420 (Praise Poem for Shulgi) composite (P480684)
Literary, Middle Babylonian, Nippur · c. 1400 BCE–1100 BCE
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| Designation | CDLI Literary 000420 (Praise Poem for Shulgi) composite |
|---|---|
| ID | P480684 |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Period | Middle Babylonian · c. 1400 BCE–1100 BCE |
| Genre | Literary |
| Find spot | Nippur (mod. Nuffar) |
| Coordinates | 32.1271, 45.2300 |
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 | x ku3-sig17? UD? x x x x mi2 he2-ma-ni-in-du11 | May he lavishly(?) ... gold(?) |
| 2 | {gesz?}tukul-la u4 su3 x x-ga2? u18-ru-gin7 ki he2-ma-ni-us2-sa? | May the earth be able to support me like a raging storm(?) with my weapon |
| 3 | NI? x x RU x-ma-gu10-ne? | When I ... |
| 4 | x x x x x x x x x x gaba zi-ga-gu10-ne? | When I rise |
| 5 | sze-er-zi? u4-de9-esz2 mu2-a-gin7 men ku3-ga mul-la-gu10-ne? | When I look at the šerzi(?) of the storms, like a pure crown |
| 6 | gidru mah nam-he2-a ur4-ur4-ra szu-gu10-sze3 gal2-la-bi | The supreme scepter of abundance, which is in my hand, |
| 7 | {gesz}gu-za suhusz gi-na x x sag-esz2 rig7-ga-ga2? | a throne with a firm foundation, presented at my head |
| 8 | x x sag? an-sze3? he?-bi2?-il2 | he raised his head high(?) |
| 9 | szul-gi sipa zi ki-en-gi-ra-me-en3 nig2-zi ki-bi-sze3 hu-mu-gar-ga2-ar | I am Šulgi, the true shepherd of Sumer, and I have established justice there. |
| 10 | nig2-erim2 a-ge6 a e3-a-gin7 uzugx(|KA.U2|)-ge he2-mi-bu3 | So that evil, like water coming out of the water, fills the uzug canal |
| 11 | mi2 gal-gal ni2-gu10 en-na bi2-du11-ga | How long will you say "My great love"? |
| 12 | mu {d}en-lil2-la2 lul ba-ra-na he2-gi | year: “Enlil's falsehoods shall be returned. |
| 13 | am babbar2-gin7 sag he2-szi-[...] | Like a white wild bull, may he ... |
| 14 | x x [...] | |
| 1 | x x [...] | |
| 2 | unken? ak? x [...] | The assembly(?) |
| 3 | mi2-bi-im hu-mu-du11 | may he say to me: |
| 4 | x x x x [...] | |
| 5 | x URUDU? x x x-mu?-du11? | copper ... |
| 6 | x x kalam?-ma? gen?-na-ga2? mi2-bi-im hu-mu-du11 | ... of the land(?), may he say a word(?) to me |
| 7 | szu? dim4? nig2 sa6-ge x-gin7 ka-ga mi-ni-gal2-la? ga2-ra mi2 zi-bi-im hu-mu-du11 | Like a good “hand-of-disease"(?) that has been present in the mouth, may I be able to speak truthfully to you |
| 8 | geszpu2 lirum3?-ta a2 ha-ma?-gun3? mi2-bi-im hu-mu-du11 | With a “witch’s-tongue(?) I(?) adorned my arms (with) a crown(?) |
| 9 | a-la {d}en-lil2?-da? ma?-ab?-be2 kalam?-ma gi4-a? x x x x NA HI NIM dar?-ra?-ga2? | Alas, Enlil says to me(?) “Return to the Land’ |
| 10 | esz3 nibru{ki}-sze3 giri3 uri5{ki}-ma-sze3 szu nigin2-nigin2-na-ga2 | to the shrine Nippur, to the foot of Ur, my ‘hand’ sweeping, |
| 11 | kaskal da-na 3(u) gen-na-ga2 ga2-ra mi2 zi-bi-im hu-mu-du11 | When I go on a journey of 30 (miles) I shall praise it faithfully. |
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.