CDLI Literary 000760, ex. 010 (P346128)
Literary tablet excavated in Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar), dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period and now kept in British Museum, London, UKMetadata / catalogue
Flat catalogue
As CSV As TSVExpanded catalogue
As JSONLinked catalogue
As TTL As JSON-LD As RDF/JSON As RDF/XMLText / annotations
Text data
As ATF As JTFLinked annotations
As TTL As JSON-LD As RDF/JSON As RDF/XML
Museum Collection(s)
British Museum, London, UKMuseum Number
BM —Provenience
Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)Artifact Type
TabletMaterial(s)
ClayGenre / Subgenre(s)
Literary (ETCSL 5.03.01 Debate between Hoe and Plough (witness))Language(s)
SumerianMeasurements
-Has fragments Witness
tablet
obverse
beginning broken
1'. a#-gar3#-a#-gar3#-ra#? [...]
en: I fill the meadows with water
2'. gesz-gi-gesz#-[...]
en: When the reedbed is irrigated/flooded,
3'. ix(|A.SUG|#) u3#-mu-ku5 [...]
en: When a canal is cut (open), when the ditch is cut (open), when water as a great flooding river imposes water(?)
4'. {gesz#}dupsik# tur-gu10 [...]
en: The carrying basket, my little one, is put down with me (to work)/does not bend down with you
5'. [...] da um-da#-ak#-x
en: When, in(?) the marsh, an edge is made(?)
6'. [...] {gesz#}al nigin2-bi! im-ma#?-gub-be2-en
en: I, the hoe, serve comprehensively (in these situations)(?)
7'. [... {tu15}]mir#-e nu-mu-un-si-il-si-il-le
en: (Neither) the southern (nor) the northern wind tear apart (my work) there(?)
8'. [...] nunuz#!? ib2-de5-de5#-ge#
en: The fowler gathers eggs
9'. [...]-de3#? ku6# mi-[...]
en: The fisherman catches fish
n lines broken
10'. ug3#?-[...] x [...]
en: The people have taken the bird (hoop) traps (that have sprung?)
11'. ne#-esz2# [...]
en: Now, my abundance sprinkles with its hands in the lands
12'. a-gar3-ta# a# [...]
en: After the water has been cut off from the meadow
13'. ki-duru5 kin2-ga2 a ba#-gal2#-[...]
en: After the water has been set down/materializes for(?) working the damp ground
14'. {gesz}apin# igi-zu-sze3! a-sza3-ga ga2-e [...]
en: Plow, before you I emerge in the field
15'. a-sza3 tak4-tak4 ma#-ra-ra-duh-[...]
en: For you I loosen the “set aside” field
16'. a2-ur2 e-ga ma-ra#-ra-[...]
en: In the “hideout"(?) of the dike I cut (away the weeds) for you
17'. u2-kul a-sza3-ga ga2-e ma#-[...]
en: I remove(?) the ukul weed in the field
18'. gi BAD {gesz}i-rinx(|LU2.U|)-na-bi# [...]
en: I collect the dead/old reeds(?) and the roots for you in the field
19'. a-sza3 kin2 ak usz8#-[...]
en: The field working (crew)(?) set in the path(?) for you
20'. gu4-[...]-disz#?-kam#?-ma#?-[...]-x
en: Six oxen, four men, and you are the 11th
21'. x [...] gi4-a-ga2 x mi#?-ib-kar-kar-re
en: The “labor of my preparation (as a tool?)"(?) takes away ...
22'. [...]-gu10#-ta a-sza3-ga e3#-de3#-da-zu-ne
en: When you go out in the field apart from(?) me
23'. ab#-sin2#-zu# dili-am3# igi#? nu#?-mu#!?-da-ab#-sa6?-ge
en: One cannot look favorably upon your furrow which is alone
24'. sag#-zu kin2#-ga2 u3-mu-e-ni-x-x
en: When you lodge your head (in the ground) working
25'. {gesz}i-rinx(|LU2.U|)-na#? {gesz}{u2}ad2# x x [...]-la2
en: You are bound to(?) ... roots and thorns
26'. eme#?-zu# u3#?-mu#?-[...] eme#?-zu#? [...] eme#?-zu#? x x x mu#-x-x-[...]
en: When you break your ploughshare and re-create(?) your ploughshare, your ploughshare does not(?) ... at your disposal(?)
reverse
1. engar-zu {gesz}apin#-bi? til-la# mu-sze3 mi-ri-ib2-sze21#?
en: Your farmer names you “this(?) plow is finished”
2. min3-kam-ma-sze3! nagar# ma-ra-hun#-e aszgab ma-ra#-hun?-e
en: Again, a carpenter is hired for you, a leatherworker is hired(?) for you
3. e2 nam-gaszam-ke4? ma-ra-ab-ni10-ni10-e
en: The house of the artisans scurry around ...(?) for you
4. tug2-du8 bar-SZUL ma-ra-ra-an-zi2-en
en: I(!?), the feltworker, “cut” the teasel brush(?) for you
5. [...]-sur-ra ma-ra-ra-an-e11-de3
en: He brings up a twisting picket(?) for you
6. bar#?-e11-de3-e11#-de3 sza-mu-ra-an-kusz2-u3-de3
en: And therefore(?) he is to “exhaust” the braiding lever for you
7. kusz nu-hi sag-du-zu-asz#? bi2-ib-KU
en: A piece of leather not cut into strips(?) is made to sit(?) towards your head
8. il2-la-zu tur-ra-am3 a-ra2-zu mah-am3
en: Your “raising/carrying” is small, but your “way” is supreme
9. u4 za3-mu iti [...]-am3#?
en: The day of the new year is (i.e., begins a period of) twelve months
10. u4 gub-ba-zu iti [...]
en: (But) your service time is four months (per year)
11. u4 zah2-zu [...]
en: Your fugitive (i.e., absentee) time is eight months (per year)
12. gub-ba-zu-gin7 min-am3# [...]
en: As many as your served (time), it is two (times) you go (elsewhere)
13. ma2-la2-za e2 i3-du8-du8-[...]
en: On your raft/freight boat(?) you pile up(?) a cabin
14. u3-mu-e-ni-ri-en szu-zu dal-la u3#-[...]
en: When you set yourself(!?) in place there(?), and you remove/accept(?) the beams(?)
15. igi-zu dug gesztin!?(GU2)-a-gin7 a um-ta-x-[...]
en: When you remove your face/front from the water(?) like a vessel of wine(!?)
16. gesz-dal-ta kur#?-ra#? um-ta-ke3-e#?-[...]
en: When I(?) prepare a pile (lit. “mountain") by means of the beams(?)
17. i#-bi2-gu10 e2#-[...] mu#-ni#-ib2#-sig7-sig7#-[...]
en: My smoke makes ... green(?) in the house
18. {gesz#}ninda2#-[...]
en: Your seed funnel, where is it cast?
n lines broken
19'. [... {gesz}]al#-me-en iri#?-[...] ga#-an#-da-[...]
en: I am the hoe, I shall ... along with ... in the city
20'. [e2]-tur3# [...]-da-me-en amasz#? dagal-la-me-en
en: I am one who has extended the cattlepen, I am one who has broadened the sheepfold
21'. ARAD lugal-a-ni us2#-sa-me-en
en: I am a servant who has followed his master
22'. e2 lugal-a-ni du3-du3-a-me-en
en: I am one who always built/rennovated the house of his master
23'. im i3-lu3-en szeg12 i3-du8-en
en: I stir clay, I spread (it out to make) bricks
24'. usz8 ki i3-ga2-ga2-an e2 i3#-[...]
en: I lay foundations, I build houses
25'. e2-gar8 sumun-e ur2#-bi [...]
en: I follow the foundation of an old wall
26'. [...] x x [...]
en: ...
rest broken
obverse
beginning broken
1'. a#-gar3#-a#-gar3#-ra#? [...]
en: I fill the meadows with water
2'. gesz-gi-gesz#-[...]
en: When the reedbed is irrigated/flooded,
3'. ix(|A.SUG|#) u3#-mu-ku5 [...]
en: When a canal is cut (open), when the ditch is cut (open), when water as a great flooding river imposes water(?)
4'. {gesz#}dupsik# tur-gu10 [...]
en: The carrying basket, my little one, is put down with me (to work)/does not bend down with you
5'. [...] da um-da#-ak#-x
en: When, in(?) the marsh, an edge is made(?)
6'. [...] {gesz#}al nigin2-bi! im-ma#?-gub-be2-en
en: I, the hoe, serve comprehensively (in these situations)(?)
7'. [... {tu15}]mir#-e nu-mu-un-si-il-si-il-le
en: (Neither) the southern (nor) the northern wind tear apart (my work) there(?)
8'. [...] nunuz#!? ib2-de5-de5#-ge#
en: The fowler gathers eggs
9'. [...]-de3#? ku6# mi-[...]
en: The fisherman catches fish
n lines broken
10'. ug3#?-[...] x [...]
en: The people have taken the bird (hoop) traps (that have sprung?)
11'. ne#-esz2# [...]
en: Now, my abundance sprinkles with its hands in the lands
12'. a-gar3-ta# a# [...]
en: After the water has been cut off from the meadow
13'. ki-duru5 kin2-ga2 a ba#-gal2#-[...]
en: After the water has been set down/materializes for(?) working the damp ground
14'. {gesz}apin# igi-zu-sze3! a-sza3-ga ga2-e [...]
en: Plow, before you I emerge in the field
15'. a-sza3 tak4-tak4 ma#-ra-ra-duh-[...]
en: For you I loosen the “set aside” field
16'. a2-ur2 e-ga ma-ra#-ra-[...]
en: In the “hideout"(?) of the dike I cut (away the weeds) for you
17'. u2-kul a-sza3-ga ga2-e ma#-[...]
en: I remove(?) the ukul weed in the field
18'. gi BAD {gesz}i-rinx(|LU2.U|)-na-bi# [...]
en: I collect the dead/old reeds(?) and the roots for you in the field
19'. a-sza3 kin2 ak usz8#-[...]
en: The field working (crew)(?) set in the path(?) for you
20'. gu4-[...]-disz#?-kam#?-ma#?-[...]-x
en: Six oxen, four men, and you are the 11th
21'. x [...] gi4-a-ga2 x mi#?-ib-kar-kar-re
en: The “labor of my preparation (as a tool?)"(?) takes away ...
22'. [...]-gu10#-ta a-sza3-ga e3#-de3#-da-zu-ne
en: When you go out in the field apart from(?) me
23'. ab#-sin2#-zu# dili-am3# igi#? nu#?-mu#!?-da-ab#-sa6?-ge
en: One cannot look favorably upon your furrow which is alone
24'. sag#-zu kin2#-ga2 u3-mu-e-ni-x-x
en: When you lodge your head (in the ground) working
25'. {gesz}i-rinx(|LU2.U|)-na#? {gesz}{u2}ad2# x x [...]-la2
en: You are bound to(?) ... roots and thorns
26'. eme#?-zu# u3#?-mu#?-[...] eme#?-zu#? [...] eme#?-zu#? x x x mu#-x-x-[...]
en: When you break your ploughshare and re-create(?) your ploughshare, your ploughshare does not(?) ... at your disposal(?)
reverse
1. engar-zu {gesz}apin#-bi? til-la# mu-sze3 mi-ri-ib2-sze21#?
en: Your farmer names you “this(?) plow is finished”
2. min3-kam-ma-sze3! nagar# ma-ra-hun#-e aszgab ma-ra#-hun?-e
en: Again, a carpenter is hired for you, a leatherworker is hired(?) for you
3. e2 nam-gaszam-ke4? ma-ra-ab-ni10-ni10-e
en: The house of the artisans scurry around ...(?) for you
4. tug2-du8 bar-SZUL ma-ra-ra-an-zi2-en
en: I(!?), the feltworker, “cut” the teasel brush(?) for you
5. [...]-sur-ra ma-ra-ra-an-e11-de3
en: He brings up a twisting picket(?) for you
6. bar#?-e11-de3-e11#-de3 sza-mu-ra-an-kusz2-u3-de3
en: And therefore(?) he is to “exhaust” the braiding lever for you
7. kusz nu-hi sag-du-zu-asz#? bi2-ib-KU
en: A piece of leather not cut into strips(?) is made to sit(?) towards your head
8. il2-la-zu tur-ra-am3 a-ra2-zu mah-am3
en: Your “raising/carrying” is small, but your “way” is supreme
9. u4 za3-mu iti [...]-am3#?
en: The day of the new year is (i.e., begins a period of) twelve months
10. u4 gub-ba-zu iti [...]
en: (But) your service time is four months (per year)
11. u4 zah2-zu [...]
en: Your fugitive (i.e., absentee) time is eight months (per year)
12. gub-ba-zu-gin7 min-am3# [...]
en: As many as your served (time), it is two (times) you go (elsewhere)
13. ma2-la2-za e2 i3-du8-du8-[...]
en: On your raft/freight boat(?) you pile up(?) a cabin
14. u3-mu-e-ni-ri-en szu-zu dal-la u3#-[...]
en: When you set yourself(!?) in place there(?), and you remove/accept(?) the beams(?)
15. igi-zu dug gesztin!?(GU2)-a-gin7 a um-ta-x-[...]
en: When you remove your face/front from the water(?) like a vessel of wine(!?)
16. gesz-dal-ta kur#?-ra#? um-ta-ke3-e#?-[...]
en: When I(?) prepare a pile (lit. “mountain") by means of the beams(?)
17. i#-bi2-gu10 e2#-[...] mu#-ni#-ib2#-sig7-sig7#-[...]
en: My smoke makes ... green(?) in the house
18. {gesz#}ninda2#-[...]
en: Your seed funnel, where is it cast?
n lines broken
19'. [... {gesz}]al#-me-en iri#?-[...] ga#-an#-da-[...]
en: I am the hoe, I shall ... along with ... in the city
20'. [e2]-tur3# [...]-da-me-en amasz#? dagal-la-me-en
en: I am one who has extended the cattlepen, I am one who has broadened the sheepfold
21'. ARAD lugal-a-ni us2#-sa-me-en
en: I am a servant who has followed his master
22'. e2 lugal-a-ni du3-du3-a-me-en
en: I am one who always built/rennovated the house of his master
23'. im i3-lu3-en szeg12 i3-du8-en
en: I stir clay, I spread (it out to make) bricks
24'. usz8 ki i3-ga2-ga2-an e2 i3#-[...]
en: I lay foundations, I build houses
25'. e2-gar8 sumun-e ur2#-bi [...]
en: I follow the foundation of an old wall
26'. [...] x x [...]
en: ...
rest broken
Consult previous versions and their differences
Consult sign list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
Consult word list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
- Artifact type: Tablet
- Material: Clay
- Measurements (mm):
- Weight:
- Artifact Preservation:
- This artifact is composed of fragments.
- Condition Description:
- Join Information:
- Seal no.:
- Seal information:
- Artifact comments:
- Composite No.:
- Museum No.: BM —
- Accession No.:
- Provenience: Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
- Elevation:
- Stratigraphic Level:
- Excavation No: U —
- Findspot Square:
- Findspot Comments:
- Period: Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
- Dates Referenced:
- Alternative Years:
- Date Comments:
- Accounting Period: 0
| Created | Creator | Type | Authors | Project | Reviewer | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-15 at 20:34:30 | Rattenborg, Rune | Artifact | Rattenborg, Rune | Geomapping Landscapes of Writing | Rattenborg, Rune | approved |  |
| 2019-06-11 at 21:42:38 | Englund, Robert K. | Atf | Englund, Robert K. | CDLI | approved | |
|
| 2019-06-01 at 14:34:09 | Englund, Robert K. | Atf | Peterson, Jeremiah | CDLI | approved | |
|
| 2019-05-29 at 21:01:58 | Englund, Robert K. | Atf | Englund, Robert K. | CDLI | approved | |
|
| 2006-11-02 at 00:00:00 | CDLI | Artifact | Foxvog, Daniel A.; Guerra, Dylan; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Wolfe, Jared N. | CDLI | approved | |
Consult this artifact as presented on the website of collections and projects:
This artifact is a witness to the following composite(s):
| Composite | Score |
|---|---|
| CDLI Literary 000760 (Debate between Hoe and Plough ) composite (P473753) | View the score |
General Notes:
-
CDLI Notes:
P346128 lead; Shaffer (UET 6/3, p. 19) notes join of 625 and quasi-join of 626P346128 lead; Shaffer (UET 6/3, p. 19) notes join of 625 and quasi-join of 626