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The three ox-drivers from Adab (Q000785)
Literary, Old Babylonian, Nippur · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE
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| Designation | The three ox-drivers from Adab |
|---|---|
| ID | Q000785 |
| Language | Sumerian |
| Period | Old Babylonian · c. 1900 BCE–1600 BCE |
| Genre | Literary |
| Find spot | Nippur |
| Coordinates | 32.1271, 45.2300 |
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 | gu₅-li-li 3-am₃ dumu adab{ki}-ke₄-ne | The three gulili priestesses, the citizens of Adab |
| 2 | di in-da-ab-tuku-uš-am₃ di-da ab-kiŋ₂-kiŋ₂-e | When he has a case, the judge will decide it for me. |
| 3 | inim ib₂-ta-an-šar₂-šar₂-eš-am₃ lugal-e an-ta ba-an-gi | The king turned away from heaven |
| 4 | lugal-me gud-da ri i₃-ak-e-de₃-nam | “Our king will act with the ox. |
| 5 | gud lu₂ 1(DIŠ)-a-kam ab₂ lu₂ 1(DIŠ)-a-kam {ŋiš}mar lu₂ 1(DIŠ)-a-kam | a ox for 1 man, a cow for 1 person, an adolescent for 1 woman, |
| 6 | enmen₂ bi₂-tuku-un-da-nam a nu-mu-e-da-ŋal₂ | (Sum) The en priestess did not carry water with him (Akk) The counsel that he has had was not carried with him |
| 7 | lu₂ gud-da-ra a u₃-um-te-si a ga-naŋ-en-de₃-en-e-še | I want to utter an arazu prayer to the ox, let us pray. |
| 8 | gud-ŋu₁₀ ur-mah-e u₃-bi₂-gu₇ gud-ŋu₁₀-ta ba-ra-ed₂-de₃-en-e-še | When the lion eats the ox, we will not go out from the wolf. |
| 9 | lu₂ ab₂-ba-ra a u₃-um-te-si a ga-naŋ-en-de₃-en-e-še | I want to utter a lament to the man of the cow, let us go! |
| 10 | ab₂-ŋu₁₀ edin-še₃ u₃-ba-ŋen ab₂-ŋu₁₀-ta ba-ra-ed₂-de₃-en-e-še | You will bring the cattle into the steppe, you will not go with the cattle. |
| 11 | lu₂ {ŋiš}mar-ra-ra a u₃-um-te-si a ga-naŋ-en-de₃-en-e-še | I want to utter an arazu prayer to the man, let us pray. |
| 12 | {ŋiš}mar-ŋu₁₀ gu₂-un u₃-un-ku-ku-ru ta-az-za-ba-al {ŋiš}mar-ŋu₁₀-ta ba-ra-ed₂-de₃-en-e-še | “If he eats the emmer, if he drinks it, you will not be able to go out from it. |
| 13 | gana ga-ni-re₇-en-de₃-en gana ga-an-ga-am₃-gi-de₃-en | Let us go to the field, let us go there! |
| 14 | gud eš₂ ba-a-la₂-e um-la₂ ab₂ a-sila₃-ŋar-ra-bi um-sur-sur-ru amar {ŋiš}mar-ra zu₂ bi₂-in-gub | After the oxen had been weighed, after the cows had been slaughtered, the calf sat down in the stall. |
| 15 | amar-e a-ba-kam amar-e a-ba-am₃ ba-an-de₆ | The calf, who is it that will bring it? The calves, who are they? |
| 16 | lugal-e inim nu-mu-un-ne-ši-ib₂-gi se₂-ek-rum-še₃ ba-da-an-kur₉ | The king did not reply to him, he turned to the sekrum-demon |
| 17 | lugal-e se₂-ek-rum-ta ad mu-un-di-ni-ib₂-gi-gi | The king answered him with a supplication: |
| 18 | ŋuruš 3-am₃ an-ta ba-an-gi-eš-a | The three female lambs that were brought up from heaven |
| 19 | lugal-me gud-da ri i₃-ak-en-de₃-nam | “Our king, the ox, will do it for us. |
| 20 | gud lu₂ 1(DIŠ)-a-kam ab₂ lu₂ 1(DIŠ)-a-kam {ŋiš}mar lu₂ 1(DIŠ)-a-kam | a ox for 1 man, a cow for 1 person, an adolescent for 1 woman, |
| 21 | enmen₂ bi₂-tuku-un-da-nam a nu-mu-e-da-ŋal₂ | (Sum) The en priestess did not carry water with him (Akk) The counsel that he has had was not carried with him |
| 22 | lu₂ gud-da-ra a u-um-te-šub a ga-naŋ-en-de₃-en-e-še | To the oxen-driver, I want to utter "oh" - alas! Let us utter an arazu prayer |
| 23 | gud-ŋu₁₀ ur-mah-e u₃-bi₂-gu₇ gud-ŋu₁₀-ta ba-ra-ed₂-de₃-en-e-še | When the lion eats the ox, we will not go out from the wolf. |
| 24 | lu₂ ab₂-ba-ra a u₃-um-te-šub a ga-naŋ-en-de₃-en-e-še | I want to bring water to the man of the cow, we want to drink water |
| 25 | ab₂-ŋu₁₀ edin-še₃ u₃-ba-ŋen ab₂-ŋu₁₀-ta ba-ra-ed₂-de₃-en-e-še | You will bring the cattle into the steppe, you will not go with the cattle. |
| 26 | lu₂ {ŋiš}mar-ra-ra a u₃-um-te-šub a ga-naŋ-en-de₃-en-e-še | I want to utter an arazu prayer to the man, let us pray to him. |
| 27 | {ŋiš}mar-ŋu₁₀ gu₂-un u₃-un-ku-ku-ru {ŋiš}mar-ŋu₁₀-ta ba-ra-ed₂-de₃-en-e-še | After you have poured out the barley, you will not be able to enter through the bar. |
| 28 | gana ga-ni-re₇-en-de₃-en gana ga-an-ga-am₃-gi-de₃-en | Let us go to the field, let us go there! |
| 29 | gud eš₂ ba-a-la₂-e ab-la₂ ab₂ a-sila₃-ŋar-ra-bi ab-sur-sur-ru amar {ŋiš}mar-ra zu₂ bi₂-in-gub | The oxen that had been snatched, the cows which had been plucked, they were split apart, and the calf sat down in the womb. |
| 30 | amar-e a-ba-kam amar-e a-ba-am₃ ba-an-de₆ | The calf, who is it that will bring it? The calves, who are they? |
| 65 | ga-nam lu₂ gud-da-ke₄ a-šag₄-ga-ni x | ... the oxen-driver ... his field |
| 66 | gud-da-ni ur-mah-e u₃-bi₂-gu₇ x | The lion eats his oxen. |
| 67 | a-šag₄-ga-ni x | His field |
| 69 | ur-saŋ X x | Ursa |
| 70 | lu₂ hur-saŋ-gin₇ AN X x | Like a mountain man ... |
| 71 | gu₃-ra ur-re ba-X x | The enemy ... |
| 72 | a₂-tuku a-šag₄-ga-na zag lu₂ x | the power of his field, the shoulder of a man |
| 73 | ga-nam lu₂ ab₂-ba-ke₄ dam-a-ni x | ... the one of the cow ... his spouse. |
| 74 | ab₂-ba-ni edin-še₃ u₃-ba-ŋen-na x | His cows to the steppe ... |
| 75 | dam-a-ni tilla₂-a u₃-ba-an-ak x im-su₂-qi₂ i-la-ak-ma | his wife will go to the storehouse, he will carry the rations and |
| 76 | ab₂ a-sila₃-ŋar-ra-bi um-sur-sur-ru x | The cows of the asilabara rites ... |
| 77 | ur-saŋ IM-a ŋen-na-da x | Ursa ... |
| 78 | dam-a-ni ni₂-te-ni ri-ri-e-a DI X x | His spouse, his own ... |
| 79 | gu₃-ra kurum₆-ma-ni ur₂-ra-na-še₃ bi₂-in-gur-ra šag₄-ŋar AN x | After he had turned his neck towards the throne, he ... the šagbar drum |
| 80 | dam-a-ni e₂-a-na an-da-tuš-am₃ šag₄-ge guru₆-ni x | His spouse sits with him in her house, her grain storage ... |
| 81 | ga-nam lu₂ {ŋiš}mar-ra-ke₄ me-ni ugu-na um-da-šub-ba X x | “I, the one of the scepter, ... his divine powers upon him |
| 82 | {ŋiš}mar-ra-ni gu₂-un um-kud-ku₅-ru-a {ŋiš}mar-ra-ni-ta u₃-x | After he had cut off his scepter, after he was cut off, |
| 83 | me-ni e₂-a-na u₃-da-an-de₆ e₂-a-ni-ta ba-ra-šub-ba | When he brought his mes into his house, he left his house. |
| 84 | amar {ŋiš}mar-ra zu₂ bi₂-in-tum₃-tum₃-a-ni e₂-a-na ab-ta-an-tur-tur | When he brought the calf to the stall, he ruined his house. |
| ur-saŋ a₂ ba₉-ra₂ A TE um-ma-ni-ti-e-a ba₉-|DU.UR| | (Sum) The hero ... (Akk) A hero who ... the arm(s) of the army | |
| lugal-e inim-inim-ma-ni₃ u₃-bi₂-in-zu ki-šub-ba-ni-ta me-ni um-ta-an-šub-ba ki-gub-ba-x | After the king had made his words known, he was able to bring his divine powers to an end, | |
| 87 | gu₃-ra X e₂ AŠ ur-ke₄ A ŋiš ad-bi ŋeštug₂-ŋa₂ u₃-un-hal-ha nu-mu-da-zi-zi | ... the house of the dog, son of Ištar, his father, a cloak he had broken off, he did not rise up. |
| 88 | gu₂-un-na-ni bur₂-bur₂-da ensi₂ gu-la an-dib-ba nu-mu-un-da-gi-gi | His ..., the great ruler, does not return to its place. |
| 89 | lugal-e se₂-ek-rum-ta ed₂-da-ni-ta | The king, after he has departed from the sekrum, |
| 90 | lu₂ 1(DIŠ) šag₄-ga-ni A šag₄-ga-ni ba-an-ši-ib₂-si | A man, his 1st šag-ga, his 2nd son, raised |
| 91 | lu₂ dam-a-ni hul an-gig-ga-am₃ dam-a-ni-ta ba-an-da-ŋen | The one whose spouse is evil, it is an illness, from his spouse you take it away. |
| 92 | lu₂ me-ni me-ni ba-an-da-šub | The man, his divine powers, he placed them with him |
| 93 | inim galam-galam-ma dumu adab{ki}-ke₄-ne | the great words of the citizens of Adab |
| 94 | inim galam-galam-ma-ta di in-dab₅-dab₅-be₂ | he has taken a case against me because of the great words. |
| 95 | DIŠ {d}pa₅-niŋin₃-ŋar-ra pap-šeš-ne-ne um-mi-a diŋir adab{ki}-ke₄ dub-sar-bi | If Pāni-bara, the papšvene of the mother of the Dibir of Adab, its scribe |
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.