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Ninĝišzida's journey to the nether world (Q000356)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Ur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | Ninĝišzida's journey to the nether world |
|---|---|
| ID | Q000356 |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Period | Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE |
| Genre | Literary |
| Find spot | Ur |
| Coordinates | 30.9607, 46.1063 |
Transliteration (ATF)
From Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618)
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) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | zig₃-ga u₅-bi₂ zig₃-ga u₅-e-de₃-en zig₃-ga u₅-bi₂ | Rise, its udug! Rise, we want to rise! Rise! Its ubug! |
| 2 | i-lu er₂-ra še-er dadag-ga ma₂-gur₈ ri-de₃ | The lament of weeping and wailing is to be sung in the barge. |
| 3 | ŋuruš-me-en {ŋiš}u₃ tug₂-gin₇ tug₂-gin₇ ni₂-ŋu₁₀ ba-ra-dul-me-en | I am a cow, I am covered like a garment, I do not cover myself as if with a cloth. |
| 4 | ma₂-gur₈-re ŋuruš ma₂-gur₈ ri-da-ni šu gid₂-da | The barge, the cow, his barge with long hands |
| ŋuruš {d}da-mu-ŋu₁₀ ma₂-gur₈ ri-da-ni šu gid₂-da en {d}nin-ŋiš-zid-da | The cow of Damubu, his barge with long legs, lord Nin-išzida | |
| 6 | {d}ištaran igi šuba-ke₄ ma₂-gur₈ ri-da-ni šu gid₂-de₃ | Ištaran, the one with the shiny face, his barge that holds his hand to his side |
| 7 | {d}al-la u₃-mu-un sa-par₃-ra ma₂-gur₈ ri-da-ni šu gid₂-de₃ | Ala, lord of the net, whose barge is to be long |
| 8 | {d}lugal-šudₓ(KA)-de₃ ma₂-gur₈ ri-da-ni šu gid₂-de₃ | To Lugalšudu, to extend his hand on the barge |
| 9 | u₃-mu-un-mu-zid-da-ke₄ ma₂-gur₈ ri-da-ni šu gid₂-de₃ | Umunmuzida, whose barge is long |
| nin₉ ban₃-da-a-ni {ŋiš}u₅ ma₂-ka šir₃-re-eš mu-un-na-ab-be₂ ma₂-saŋ | His younger sister uttered a lament in the boat: “It is enough! It is enough!" | |
| nin₉ gal-a-ni u₃ ma₂-ka TUN₃ mu-un-na-bad ma₂-egir-ra-ka | His older sister and the boat ... | |
| ga-ba-de₃-u₅ ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ | Come, come, come! Come, let me bring you the fish, the fish | |
| 12A | šeš-ŋu₁₀ ma₂-gur₈-zu ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ ga-ba-de₃-u₅ | I want to ride your barge, I am ready to ride you. |
| 12B | ma₂-gur₈ giri₁₇-zal-la-zu ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ ga-ba-de₃-u₅ | I want to ride your throne barge, I want [to ride] your horn |
| ma₂-saŋ-ta i-lu gu₃ mu-un-na-be₂ šeš ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ | She cries a lament from the quay: "I want to bring beer, I want to drink beer!" | |
| ma₂-egir-za ga-mu-ra-GAZ-GAZ šeš ga-ba-de₃-u₅ ga-mu-un-LUM-LUM šeš-ŋu₁₀ | I want to kill you in your boat, let me bring you the barley! Let me make it abundant for you! | |
| 14A | {ŋiš}u₅ ma₂-egir-ra-zu gudug ba-an-tuš i-lu mu-un-dab₅-be₂ | Your gudug vessel has been abandoned, it has seized it with lamentation |
| 14B | ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ ga-ba-de₃-u₅ | Let me go, let me go! |
| ŋuruš {d}da-mu-ŋu₁₀ ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ | I want to brew emmer for Damu-bāni, I am going to make beer for him, I will make beer. | |
| {d}ištaran igi šuba-ke₄ ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ | I want to speak with Ištaran in the face of the throne, I am going to talk with him | |
| {d}al-la u₃-mu-un sa-par₃-ra ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ | Alala, lord of the net, I want to talk, I need to talk. | |
| {d}lugal-šudₓ(KA)-de₃ ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ | Let us go to Lugalšudu, let us go (to the storehouse)! | |
| 18A | {d}lugal-ki-bur₂-ra ga-be₂-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ da₂-de₃-u₅ | I want to say “Lugalkibura, come out!" |
| u₃-mu-un-mu-zid-da-ke₄ ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš ga-ba-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ | I want to speak to Umunmuzida, I want [to speak] to my friend | |
| 19A | šeš-ŋu₁₀ ma₂-gur₈-zu ga-ba-e-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ ga-ba-e-de₃-u₅ | I want to ride your barge, I want [to ride] your boat |
| 19B | ma₂-gur₈ giri₁₇-zal-la-zu ga-ba-e-de₃-u₅ šeš-ŋu₁₀ ga-ba-e-de₃-u₅ | I want to ride your throne barge with joy, I want [to ride] your goat |
| 20 | gal₅-la₂ hul murub₄-ba til₃-la | The evil galla demon living in its middle |
| {d}lugal-ki-sun₅-na gu₃ mu-un-na-de₂-e u₃-mu-un-mu-zid-da-ra | Lugalkisun spoke to Umunmuzida: | |
| {d}lugal-ki-sun₅-na nin₉-zu-še₃ igi bar x {d}lugal-ki-bur₂-ra | For Lugalkisuna, your sister, before ... Lugal-kibura | |
| {d}lugal-ki-sun₅-na nin₉-še₃ igi bar-ra gu₃ mu-un-na-de₂-e {d}lugal-ki-bur₂-ra | For Lugalkisuna, his sister, he called out before her: “Lugalkibura, | |
| mu-de₃-u₅ mu-de₃-u₅ za-e ta u₅-de₃ ki | She goes, she goes. You, what is going on? ... | |
| nin gal₅-la₂ mu-de₃-u₅ za-e ta u₅-de₃ ki | Lady, you are the galla demon, what did you do? | |
| lu₂ niŋ₂ ra-ah-ha mu-de₃-u₅ za-e ta u₅-de₃ ki | The one with a fearsome aura, you, what will you do to soothe the earth? | |
| 27 | lu₂ šu du₃-ŋu₁₀ mu-de₃-u₅ za-e ta u₅-de₃ | The one with the hand of Dubu, you, what is going on? |
| 28 | lu₂ a₂ la₂-ŋu₁₀ mu-de₃-u₅ za-e ta u₅-de₃ | “If a man brings down his arms, what will you do about it? |
| id₂-kur-ra-ke₄ a nu-de₂ a-bi nu-mu-un-na-na₈-na₈ za-e ta u₅-de₃ | The Tigris does not drink water, its water is not drunk. You, what did you drink? | |
| a-šag₄ kur-ra-ke₄ še nu-de₂ zid₂ nu-mu-un-na-ab-gu₇-X za-e ta u₅-de₃ | The field of the netherworld does not eat good food, you do not ... food for him | |
| udu kur-ra-ke₄ siki nu-de₂ tug₂ nu-mu-un-na-ab-TUKU₅-TUKU₅ za-e ta u₅-de₃ | The sheep of the netherworld does not cut wool, she does not shave herself, what did you do? | |
| 32 | ŋe₂₆-e ama-ŋu₁₀ id₂-gin₇ mu-un-ba-al-la₂-aš a-ŋu₁₀ ba-ra-mu-un-naŋ | (Sum) My mother, like a river, was not able to bring water (Akk) The mother, as if it were the river, did not bring water |
| 33 | {ŋiš}šinig-gin₇ a šu-nim ba-ra-mu-un-de₂ ŋissu-ŋu₁₀ ba-ra-an-KU-KU | Like a šinig tree he was not able to bring water to the hand, he did not ... |
| 34 | {ŋiš}ŋišnimbar-gin₇ zu₂-lum il₂-la-ŋu₁₀ hi-li-bi nu-ma-ra-KA | Like a nīnû-tree, the date palms were raised, their allure was not present |
| 35 | gana₂-am₃ gal₅-la₂-ŋu₁₀ mu-de₃-ra-he za-e gu₃ bi-ra-ra | The galla demons are coming up to the field, you are shouting. |
| 36 | ŋiš-šu šu-ŋu₁₀ im-mi-ŋar za-e gu₃ bi-ra-ra | His hand trembled, you shouted |
| 37 | ŋiš-gu₂ gu₂-ŋu₁₀ im-mi-ŋar za-e gu₃ bi-ra-ra | He roared, you are the one who shouts. |
| 38 | {d}ama-šilam-ma {d}nin-ŋiš-zid-da-ra gu₃ mu-un-na-de₂-e | She spoke to Ama-šilama and Nin-išzida: |
| 39 | gal₅-la₂ šag₄ gig-ga aŋ₂ he₂-gid₂-i ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | May the galla demons, the sick ones, extend their arms to the underworld. |
| 40 | x x gal₅-la₂-zu aŋ₂ he₂-gid₂-i ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | ... your galla demons shall be long, they shall have no rival. |
| 41 | x šu-ŋu₁₀ ga-mu-na-ab-x ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | ... I want to ... for him, he has seized the netherworld |
| 42 | x šu-ŋu₁₀ ga-mu-na-ab-x ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | ... I want to ... for him, he has seized the netherworld |
| 43 | {na₄}za-gin₃ di₄-di₄-la₂ ur₂-ŋu₁₀ ga-mu-na-ab-X ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | I want to ... tiny lapis lazuli for him, he has taken it as a loan. |
| 44 | x {na₄}za-gin₃-ŋu₁₀-gin₇ ur₂-ŋu₁₀ ga-mu-na-ab-X ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | I want to ... for him like lapis lazuli, he has taken me to the steppe. |
| 45 | x ki aŋ₂-ŋa₂-me-en ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | ... I am the one who holds the ... in the netherworld. |
| 46 | i₃-ak-ke₂-eš i₃-ak-ke₂-eš ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | He acts, he acts, the netherworld has seized him |
| 47 | šeš-ŋu₁₀ i₃-ak-ke₂-eš mah-bi i₃-ak-ke₂-eš ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | (Sum) The šubû-demon did it, the exalted one did it. (Akk) He did it and he did it in a great way. |
| 48 | šaŋar ba-an-tuku ninda ma-ra-an-ze₂-er ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | (Sum) He eats bread for you, he drinks beer in the courtyard (Akk) He has a šabar-disease, the food is eaten for you(?), he drinks beer on the terrace |
| 49 | enmen₂ ba-an-tuku a ma-ra-an-ze₂-er ki-še-er-ra ab-tuku-e | (Sum) The enmen priestess has water, he has watered it for you (Akk) He who has water has water poured into the netherworld |
| 50 | gal₅-la₂ hul murub₄-ba til₃-la | The evil galla demon living in its middle |
| 51 | gal₅-la₂ kug-zu gal₅-la₂ gal-bi murub₄-ba til₃-la | Your silver vagina, its large vagina is alive in its middle. |
| 52 | lu₂ {ŋiš}ma₂-saŋ-ŋa₂-ke₄ lu₂ {ŋiš}ma₂-egir-ra-ke₄ gu₃ mu-un-na-de₂-e | The man of the quay, the one of the canal inspector spoke to him. |
| 53 | ŋiš na-an-zig₃ ŋiš na-an-zig₃ šeš-ra u₅-de₃ | He should not raise a hand, he should not rise a head, to make the storm rise in the sky |
| 54 | nin-e {ŋiš}ma₂-gur₈-ra u₅-de₃ | The lady, to feed the barge |
| 55 | {d}ama-šilamₓ(TUR₃) {ŋiš}ma₂-gur₈-ra u₅-da-a-ni | Amašilam, when he rides the barge, |
| 56 | gu₃ an-na ba-te gu₃ ki-ta ba-te | The voice of heaven approaches, the voice of earth approaches. |
| 57 | gu₃ šu niŋin₂-na gal₅-la₂ gal-bi id₂-da mu-da-ŋar | The great galla demons roared in the river |
| 58 | urim₂{ki}-am₃ gu₃ de₂ an-ta-ŋu₁₀ | In Urim, shouting from above, |
| 59 | e₂-za gi-bi e₂-za gi-bi iri e₂-za gi-bi | The reeds of your house, the re[ed of your] house. The city, the [ree]d of [your] house, |
| 60 | eš₃ urim₂{ki}-ma e₂-za gi-bi iri e₂-za gi-bi | Shrine Urim, the reeds of your house are in your city, in your house is in your land |
| 61 | en-zu ŋi₆-par₃-ta ba-ra-e₃-a iri e₂-za gi-bi | Your lord has left the Ipar, the city of your house is abandoned. |
| 62 | x X X X X x x | |
| 64 | X x | |
| 65 | X x | |
| 66 | ŋidru kug x | a silver ring |
| 67 | tug₂-ba₁₃ kug x | a silver ...-garment |
| 68 | aga kug saŋ-ŋa₂ x | a gold crown in good condition |
| 69 | ŋidru za-gin₃-na x | lapis lazuli ... |
| 70 | id₂ sug₄ id₂ hul₂-la x | The narrow river, the joyful river ... |
| 71 | e₂-ba la-ba-te-te x | They did not leave their house. |
| 72 | ki {d}ereš-ki-gal-la-ka x | from Ereškigal |
| 73 | ŋe₂₆-e ama-ŋu₁₀ ki aŋ₂-ŋa₂-ni-ta x | “My mother, from the place of his birth, |
| 74 | za-e gal₅-la₂ gal-bi he₂-me-en x | You, may you be its great vagina ... |
| 75 | nam-gu-za-la₂ kur-ra-še₃ šu-zu x | Your hand to the throne of the netherworld |
| 76 | lugal-ŋu₁₀ igi er₂-ra nu-še₈-še₈-x | The king does not look at him with tears |
| 77 | balaŋ šag₄ hul₂-la-ka-ni er₂ x | She weeps over her joyful reign |
| 78 | ŋen-na mušen-du₃ e₂ niŋ₂ ŋar-ra-na i-lu-zu he-me en i-lu-zu he₂-me te ba-ab-pel-e | O lord, builder of the temple, may your lament be your en lament! How is it that you have been destroyed? |
| 79 | šu-KU₆ tur-e e₂ niŋ₂ ŋar-ra-na i-lu-zu he₂-me en i-lu-zu he₂-me ta ba-ab-pel-e | The young fisherman should be in his own house, may he be your lord! What has been carried away? |
| ama gudug ug₅-ga ŋi₆-par₃-ra sug₄-ga-na i-lu-zu he₂-me en i-lu-zu he₂-me ta ba-ab-pel-e igi-tum₃-la₂ e₂ lugal-la-ke₄ bi₂-in-du₈ | The mother of the dead gudug priestess, in her empty ŋipar, may your lament be your lord's lament. What has been carried away? He inspected the house of the king. | |
| ama nin-diŋir ŋi₆-par₃-ra ba-ra-e₃-x x i-lu-zu he₂-me en i-lu-zu he₂-me ta ba-ab-pel-e ug₅-ga ŋi₆-par₃-zu til₃-la | Mother Nindibir, he left the Ipar. May your lament be there, may your lord be there! What has been carried away? Dead ones, your Ipar is alive! | |
| 82 | lugal-ŋu₁₀ saŋ-zu sahar-ra niŋin₂-na-zu a tu₅-a | Lugal-bu, your dust is dust, your urine is watered. |
| 83 | ŋiri₃-zu ki pel-la pel-la-zu e-sir₂ x | Your city, the place that has been plundered, your city square ... |
| 84 | lugal-e saŋ-du sahar-ra niŋin₂-na-ni a mu-un-tu₅ | The king bathed himself in the dust. |
| 85 | ŋiri₃-bi ki pel-la pel-la-ni e-sir₂ x | Its city-wall, a destroyed place, its destroyed wall ... |
| 86 | e₂-bi la-ba-teŋ₃-ŋe₂₆ x | Its temple is not ... |
| 87 | {ŋiš}gu-za-zu tuš-a x | sitting on your throne |
| 88 | ŋiš-nu₂ nu₂-a hu-mu-X | May he lie down in the bed |
| 89 | niŋ₂-gu₇ ka-a mi-ni-in-gu₇ kurun₂ suh-bi i₃-naŋ | She eats food by herself, she drinks sweet beer by herself. |
| 90 | kug gal {d}ereš-ki-gal-la za₃-mi₂-zu dug₃-ga-am₃ | The great silver of Ereškigal is your praise. |
Sources & licences
- Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618) · ORACC project editions, https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ ; cite the individual project (see texts.extra_json.project)
Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-18.