CDLI Literary 000619, ex. 083 & 000623, ex. 106 (P346604)
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
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Museum Collection(s)
British Museum, London, UKMuseum Number
BM —Provenience
Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)Artifact Type
TabletMaterial(s)
ClayGenre / Subgenre(s)
Literary (ETCSL 4.05.01 Enlil A ('Decad no. 05') (witness); ETCSL 4.07.02 Inanna B ('Decad)Language(s)
SumerianMeasurements
-Witness
tablet
obverse
beginning broken
column 1'
1. [...]-ra#-an-sar-re-esz
en: Its able-bodied young men were chased away into captivity/as corpses(?) by themselves for you
2. [...]-ga#-am3
en: The city that has not (compelled its people) to say “the land/mountain is for you”
3. [...]-ne#?-esz-am3
en: Nor has (its people) said “your father (...)”
4. [...] giri3#-ba he2-em-gi4
en: (Despite) your holy word being spoken (to them)(?), may that place back in its tracks(!?)
5. [...]-ib2-ta-an-ze2-er
en: And (the city?) slip away from its womb/matrix (i.e., be stillborn?)
6. [...]-ga# nam-da-ab-be2
en: Its woman will not say pleasant things with her husband
7. [...]-ab#-gi4-gi4
en: Nor advise him at night
8. [...]-bur2-re
en: Nor reveal the purity of her heart
9. [... {d}]suen#-na
en: Aroused wild cow, eldest child of Suen
10. [...]-tum3
en: Lady who is superior to An, who has deprived(?) you?
11. [...]-ne#
en: One who validates(?) the cosmic powers/rites, great queen of queens
n lines broken
12'. [...]-diri#?
en: One who emerged from the holy womb superior to her birth mother
13'. [...]-am3
en: She is the wise, discerning queen of the lands
column 2'
1. ki-lul-la# he2#?-eb2?-[...]
en: He has caused my utter destruction(?) in a “place of violence”
2. {d}dil-im2-babbar-e di-gu10 ba-ra#-[...]
en: Dilimbabbar has not undertaken my case
3. bi2-in-du11 nam-gu10 li-bi2-in#-[...]
en: (If) he did, what is to me? (If) he did not, what is it to me?
4. u3-ma gub-gub-ba-am3 e2-ta ba#?-[...]
en: Victorious, he (Lugalane) drove me out from the temple
5. sim{muszen}-gin7 ab-ta ba-ra#?-an-dal#-[...]
en: Like a swallow, he made me fly away from the window, my life was consumed
6. {gesz}kiszig HI kur-ra-ke4 bi2#-[...]
en: He(!) makes (me) go(!?) in the ... brambles of the mountain
7. aga3 zi nam-men mu-da#?-an#?-[...]
en: He removed the true crown of the en priestess from (my head)
8. giri2 ba-da-ra ma-an-szum2 a-ra-[...]-an#-du11#
en: Most precious lady, loved by An
9. nin# kal-kal-la an-ne2 ki ag2#
en: Most precious lady, loved by An
10. sza3# ku3#-zu mah-a ki#-bi ha#-[...]-gi4#?
en: May your holy heart, which is supreme, be restored to its place for me
11. gidlam# ki ag2 uszumgal#?-ka#?
en: Beloved spouse of (Ama)'ušumgal(ana) (Dumuzi)
12. an-ur2 an-pa nin# gal#-bi#-im
en: Who is the great queen of the horizon and zenith (i.e., the whole of heaven)
13. {d}a-nun-na-ke4-ne gu2# [...] ma-an-gar#-re-esz
en: The Anuna have submitted to you(!?)
14. u3-tu-da-ta nin9 banda3#?{+da#?}-bi#?-me#?-en#?
en: Since birth you have been the younger sister (of Utu)
15. {d}a-nun-na dingir gal-gal-e-ne [...]-ne#-diri#-ga
en: And thus (you) have been superior to the Anuna, the great gods
16. [{d}]a#-nun-na-ke4-ne nundum#-nundum#-bi#?-[...] ki su!-ub ma#?-ra#?-[...]
en: The Anuna kiss the ground with their lips for you
17. [...]-ga2# nu-mu-til x [...]
en: My case has not been finalized, (but the threat of) a hostile decision, like my case(?), lingers(?) in my face
reverse
column 1
beginning broken
1'. [lu2]-erim2 lu2#-[...]
en: The enemy and the evildoer have not escaped its grasp
2'. iri#{ki#} nig2-gi-na sag#-gesz# [...]
en: (In) the city that has been endowed with truth
3'. nig2-zi nig2-si-sa2 gil-sa#-[...]
en: Which has made righteousness and justice into a treasure
4'. tug2 dan6-dan6-na kar-ra# [...]
en: Where clean clothes are at the quay
5'. szesz-gal szesz-banda3{+da} dugud-de-dam# [...]
en: The older brother is to honor the younger brother and behave with humanity
6'. inim ab-ba-sze3 gizzal x-[...] ni2 szu-a gi4-gi4-dam#
en: One is to listen to the word of the father, and (thus) succeeds (repays himself)
7'. dumu ama-ni-ir sun5-na ni2 te-ge26#-x nam-ab-ba su3#-u4-dam#
en: The son is to humbly revere his mother (so that?) he endures until(?) (his) old age
8'. iri a2-dam ku3 {d}en-lil2-la2-kam
en: It is at the holy city and settlement of Enlil
9'. nibru#{ki#} esz3# ki# ag2# a-a kur#-gal#-la#-kam
en: It is at Nibru, the beloved shrine of the Great Mountain
10'. KU#? nam-he2-bi#? e2#? ME? |MUNUS.X| [...] sza#?-ba-ra-an-il2#?
en: (And thus?) its(?) ... of(?) abundance, the temple(?) ..., he raised
11'. hur#!?-sag#!? il2-il2#? ki# sikil#!?-la bi2#?-mu2#?
en: Like(!?) a towering(?) mountain range, he made it grow in a pure place
12'. nun-bi kur-gal a-a {d#}en#-lil2#
en: Its ruler, the Great Mountain, father Enlil
13'. e2-kur# esz3#!? mah#?-a bara2#-ba#? dur2 bi2-in#-[...]
en: In the Ekur, the supreme shrine, he has sat on its dais
14'. e2-a me-bi dingir#!? sag2# [...]
en: No one can disperse the cosmic powers of that temple
15'. szu-luh ki#? sikil#-bi ki-gin7# [...]
en: Its pure place(!) of washing rites(?), like the earth, does not cease
16'. me-bi me#? x-x [...]
en: Its cosmic powers are the cosmic powers of the Abzu, which no one is to see
17'. sza3#-bi# ab#? [...]
en: Its inside it a vast sea (whose) horizon is unknown
18'. kissa# [...]
en: On its platform/retaining wall? (with?) sparkling standards(?)
column 2
beginning broken
1'. [...] e2 za-gin3 ki-tusz mah#? [...]
en: Your Ekur, the lapis temple, supreme dwelling bearing an aura
2'. ni2 me#-lam2-bi an-ne2# [...]
en: Its aura touches heaven
3'. gissu-bi kur-kur-ra sza#-[...]
en: And therefore(?) its shade stretches over the lands
4'. musz3-bi an-sza3#-ga-asz sza-mu-un#-[...]
en: And therefore(?) its sacred space(?) opens up towards the midst of heaven
5'. en-en-e-ne bara2-bara2-ge2-[...]
en: The lords and rulers
6'. nindaba ku3-ga# si mu#-[...]
en: Brought the holy nindaba offerings there properly
7'. szud3 siskur2-ra u3-gul# [...]
en: And ... prays/beseeches him with šud prayers(?) and siskur rites
8'. {d}en-lil2 sipa igi zi bar#-[...]
en: Enlil, your shepherd that you looked at faithfully
9'. gu3 zi# de2#-a kalam#?-ma# il2-la
en: The one (you) called to faithfully, the one (you) elevated in the land
10'. [...] giri3#-ni-sze3
en: The land to his hand, the land to his feet
11'. [...]-bi# gu2 mu-na-ab-ga2-ga2
en: (You make?) the (most) distant place of the land(s) submit to him
12'. [...] du7#?-a nig2 ki-szar2#?-ra-ke4
en: Accumulated(?) like frost, that which is all over the ground(?)
13'. [...]-a#? gu2-un dugud-da-bi
en: Its weighty mašdaria deliveries and tribute
14'. [...] x e2# nig2-gur11-ra-ka
en: He brought in regularly into the treasury
15'. [...] nindaba# si bi2-sa2
en: He conveyed nindaba offerings into the supreme courtyard
16'. [...] ma#-sar-re-esz# im#-mi-in-tum2
en: He brought(?) them into the Ekur in the manner of heaps
17'. [...] x [...] tesz2#?-ba# lu-a
en: Enlil, true shepherd of that which teems(?) together
18'. [na]-gada#? mas-su nig2-zi-gal2#-la#-kam#
en: He is the herder and leader of living things
19'. nam#-nun gal-a-ni pa e3-szi bi2-x
en: He made his great rulership manifest(?)
20'. men# suh10 ku3-ga mu-ni-in-sig7
en: He made the pure crown and pectoral(?) verdant/beautiful(?) on (his body)
21'. tu15-hur-sag bara2-ge si-a-na#!
en: In the Tumuhursag temple, where he resides on the dais
22'. {d}tir-an-na-gin7 an-ne2 szi-im-gi16#?-ib#
en: He shall lay across(?) heaven like a rainbow
23'. dungu diri-ga-am3 ni2-bi mu-e#?-gen
en: He went by himself as a floating cloud
24'. an-na dili nun-bi-im ki#!-a uszumgal-bi#?-im
en: He is the only ruler(?) of heaven, he is the ušumgal creature of the earth
25'. {d#}a-nun#-ke4-ne dingir# mah-bi-im
en: He is the supreme god of the Anuna
26'. nam# ni2-te-a-ni szi-im-mi-in-tar-re#?
en: And therefore he decrees his own fate
27'. [...] 1(u) 7(disz@v)
en: (Subtotal:) ...+17
column 3
beginning broken
1'. [...]-nu2?
en: ...
2'. [...]-me#-gar sug4?-ga#?-am3
en: Enlil, your craftiness is full of (i.e., induces?) stupor
3'. [...]-e#-de3
en: Its contents are a tangled thread that is not to be set straight
4'. [...]-de3#?-dam
en: It is tangled threads that the eye is not to follow
5'. [...]-ma?
en: ...
6'. [...] ni2#?-te#?-na-me-en
en: You are your own deliberator, advisor, and lord
7'. [...]-un#?
en: ...
rest broken
obverse
beginning broken
column 1'
1. [...]-ra#-an-sar-re-esz
en: Its able-bodied young men were chased away into captivity/as corpses(?) by themselves for you
2. [...]-ga#-am3
en: The city that has not (compelled its people) to say “the land/mountain is for you”
3. [...]-ne#?-esz-am3
en: Nor has (its people) said “your father (...)”
4. [...] giri3#-ba he2-em-gi4
en: (Despite) your holy word being spoken (to them)(?), may that place back in its tracks(!?)
5. [...]-ib2-ta-an-ze2-er
en: And (the city?) slip away from its womb/matrix (i.e., be stillborn?)
6. [...]-ga# nam-da-ab-be2
en: Its woman will not say pleasant things with her husband
7. [...]-ab#-gi4-gi4
en: Nor advise him at night
8. [...]-bur2-re
en: Nor reveal the purity of her heart
9. [... {d}]suen#-na
en: Aroused wild cow, eldest child of Suen
10. [...]-tum3
en: Lady who is superior to An, who has deprived(?) you?
11. [...]-ne#
en: One who validates(?) the cosmic powers/rites, great queen of queens
n lines broken
12'. [...]-diri#?
en: One who emerged from the holy womb superior to her birth mother
13'. [...]-am3
en: She is the wise, discerning queen of the lands
column 2'
1. ki-lul-la# he2#?-eb2?-[...]
en: He has caused my utter destruction(?) in a “place of violence”
2. {d}dil-im2-babbar-e di-gu10 ba-ra#-[...]
en: Dilimbabbar has not undertaken my case
3. bi2-in-du11 nam-gu10 li-bi2-in#-[...]
en: (If) he did, what is to me? (If) he did not, what is it to me?
4. u3-ma gub-gub-ba-am3 e2-ta ba#?-[...]
en: Victorious, he (Lugalane) drove me out from the temple
5. sim{muszen}-gin7 ab-ta ba-ra#?-an-dal#-[...]
en: Like a swallow, he made me fly away from the window, my life was consumed
6. {gesz}kiszig HI kur-ra-ke4 bi2#-[...]
en: He(!) makes (me) go(!?) in the ... brambles of the mountain
7. aga3 zi nam-men mu-da#?-an#?-[...]
en: He removed the true crown of the en priestess from (my head)
8. giri2 ba-da-ra ma-an-szum2 a-ra-[...]-an#-du11#
en: Most precious lady, loved by An
9. nin# kal-kal-la an-ne2 ki ag2#
en: Most precious lady, loved by An
10. sza3# ku3#-zu mah-a ki#-bi ha#-[...]-gi4#?
en: May your holy heart, which is supreme, be restored to its place for me
11. gidlam# ki ag2 uszumgal#?-ka#?
en: Beloved spouse of (Ama)'ušumgal(ana) (Dumuzi)
12. an-ur2 an-pa nin# gal#-bi#-im
en: Who is the great queen of the horizon and zenith (i.e., the whole of heaven)
13. {d}a-nun-na-ke4-ne gu2# [...] ma-an-gar#-re-esz
en: The Anuna have submitted to you(!?)
14. u3-tu-da-ta nin9 banda3#?{+da#?}-bi#?-me#?-en#?
en: Since birth you have been the younger sister (of Utu)
15. {d}a-nun-na dingir gal-gal-e-ne [...]-ne#-diri#-ga
en: And thus (you) have been superior to the Anuna, the great gods
16. [{d}]a#-nun-na-ke4-ne nundum#-nundum#-bi#?-[...] ki su!-ub ma#?-ra#?-[...]
en: The Anuna kiss the ground with their lips for you
17. [...]-ga2# nu-mu-til x [...]
en: My case has not been finalized, (but the threat of) a hostile decision, like my case(?), lingers(?) in my face
reverse
column 1
beginning broken
1'. [lu2]-erim2 lu2#-[...]
en: The enemy and the evildoer have not escaped its grasp
2'. iri#{ki#} nig2-gi-na sag#-gesz# [...]
en: (In) the city that has been endowed with truth
3'. nig2-zi nig2-si-sa2 gil-sa#-[...]
en: Which has made righteousness and justice into a treasure
4'. tug2 dan6-dan6-na kar-ra# [...]
en: Where clean clothes are at the quay
5'. szesz-gal szesz-banda3{+da} dugud-de-dam# [...]
en: The older brother is to honor the younger brother and behave with humanity
6'. inim ab-ba-sze3 gizzal x-[...] ni2 szu-a gi4-gi4-dam#
en: One is to listen to the word of the father, and (thus) succeeds (repays himself)
7'. dumu ama-ni-ir sun5-na ni2 te-ge26#-x nam-ab-ba su3#-u4-dam#
en: The son is to humbly revere his mother (so that?) he endures until(?) (his) old age
8'. iri a2-dam ku3 {d}en-lil2-la2-kam
en: It is at the holy city and settlement of Enlil
9'. nibru#{ki#} esz3# ki# ag2# a-a kur#-gal#-la#-kam
en: It is at Nibru, the beloved shrine of the Great Mountain
10'. KU#? nam-he2-bi#? e2#? ME? |MUNUS.X| [...] sza#?-ba-ra-an-il2#?
en: (And thus?) its(?) ... of(?) abundance, the temple(?) ..., he raised
11'. hur#!?-sag#!? il2-il2#? ki# sikil#!?-la bi2#?-mu2#?
en: Like(!?) a towering(?) mountain range, he made it grow in a pure place
12'. nun-bi kur-gal a-a {d#}en#-lil2#
en: Its ruler, the Great Mountain, father Enlil
13'. e2-kur# esz3#!? mah#?-a bara2#-ba#? dur2 bi2-in#-[...]
en: In the Ekur, the supreme shrine, he has sat on its dais
14'. e2-a me-bi dingir#!? sag2# [...]
en: No one can disperse the cosmic powers of that temple
15'. szu-luh ki#? sikil#-bi ki-gin7# [...]
en: Its pure place(!) of washing rites(?), like the earth, does not cease
16'. me-bi me#? x-x [...]
en: Its cosmic powers are the cosmic powers of the Abzu, which no one is to see
17'. sza3#-bi# ab#? [...]
en: Its inside it a vast sea (whose) horizon is unknown
18'. kissa# [...]
en: On its platform/retaining wall? (with?) sparkling standards(?)
column 2
beginning broken
1'. [...] e2 za-gin3 ki-tusz mah#? [...]
en: Your Ekur, the lapis temple, supreme dwelling bearing an aura
2'. ni2 me#-lam2-bi an-ne2# [...]
en: Its aura touches heaven
3'. gissu-bi kur-kur-ra sza#-[...]
en: And therefore(?) its shade stretches over the lands
4'. musz3-bi an-sza3#-ga-asz sza-mu-un#-[...]
en: And therefore(?) its sacred space(?) opens up towards the midst of heaven
5'. en-en-e-ne bara2-bara2-ge2-[...]
en: The lords and rulers
6'. nindaba ku3-ga# si mu#-[...]
en: Brought the holy nindaba offerings there properly
7'. szud3 siskur2-ra u3-gul# [...]
en: And ... prays/beseeches him with šud prayers(?) and siskur rites
8'. {d}en-lil2 sipa igi zi bar#-[...]
en: Enlil, your shepherd that you looked at faithfully
9'. gu3 zi# de2#-a kalam#?-ma# il2-la
en: The one (you) called to faithfully, the one (you) elevated in the land
10'. [...] giri3#-ni-sze3
en: The land to his hand, the land to his feet
11'. [...]-bi# gu2 mu-na-ab-ga2-ga2
en: (You make?) the (most) distant place of the land(s) submit to him
12'. [...] du7#?-a nig2 ki-szar2#?-ra-ke4
en: Accumulated(?) like frost, that which is all over the ground(?)
13'. [...]-a#? gu2-un dugud-da-bi
en: Its weighty mašdaria deliveries and tribute
14'. [...] x e2# nig2-gur11-ra-ka
en: He brought in regularly into the treasury
15'. [...] nindaba# si bi2-sa2
en: He conveyed nindaba offerings into the supreme courtyard
16'. [...] ma#-sar-re-esz# im#-mi-in-tum2
en: He brought(?) them into the Ekur in the manner of heaps
17'. [...] x [...] tesz2#?-ba# lu-a
en: Enlil, true shepherd of that which teems(?) together
18'. [na]-gada#? mas-su nig2-zi-gal2#-la#-kam#
en: He is the herder and leader of living things
19'. nam#-nun gal-a-ni pa e3-szi bi2-x
en: He made his great rulership manifest(?)
20'. men# suh10 ku3-ga mu-ni-in-sig7
en: He made the pure crown and pectoral(?) verdant/beautiful(?) on (his body)
21'. tu15-hur-sag bara2-ge si-a-na#!
en: In the Tumuhursag temple, where he resides on the dais
22'. {d}tir-an-na-gin7 an-ne2 szi-im-gi16#?-ib#
en: He shall lay across(?) heaven like a rainbow
23'. dungu diri-ga-am3 ni2-bi mu-e#?-gen
en: He went by himself as a floating cloud
24'. an-na dili nun-bi-im ki#!-a uszumgal-bi#?-im
en: He is the only ruler(?) of heaven, he is the ušumgal creature of the earth
25'. {d#}a-nun#-ke4-ne dingir# mah-bi-im
en: He is the supreme god of the Anuna
26'. nam# ni2-te-a-ni szi-im-mi-in-tar-re#?
en: And therefore he decrees his own fate
27'. [...] 1(u) 7(disz@v)
en: (Subtotal:) ...+17
column 3
beginning broken
1'. [...]-nu2?
en: ...
2'. [...]-me#-gar sug4?-ga#?-am3
en: Enlil, your craftiness is full of (i.e., induces?) stupor
3'. [...]-e#-de3
en: Its contents are a tangled thread that is not to be set straight
4'. [...]-de3#?-dam
en: It is tangled threads that the eye is not to follow
5'. [...]-ma?
en: ...
6'. [...] ni2#?-te#?-na-me-en
en: You are your own deliberator, advisor, and lord
7'. [...]-un#?
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:
- Condition Description:
- Join Information:
- Seal no.:
- Seal information:
- Artifact comments:
-
history: UET 6, 0567
[Gadd1963] Gadd, Cyril J., and Aaron Shaffer. 1963, 1966.
- Composite No.:
- Museum No.: BM —
- Accession No.:
- Provenience: Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
- Elevation:
- Stratigraphic Level:
- Excavation No: U 08820
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-28 at 23:15:35 | Rattenborg, Rune | Artifact | Hafford, William B.; Rattenborg, Rune | Geomapping Landscapes of Writing | Rattenborg, Rune | approved |  |
| 2023-06-15 at 20:34:30 | Rattenborg, Rune | Artifact | Rattenborg, Rune | Geomapping Landscapes of Writing | Rattenborg, Rune | approved | |
| 2019-06-22 at 10:56:13 | Englund, Robert K. | Atf | Englund, Robert K. | CDLI | approved | |
|
| 2019-06-11 at 16:13:48 | Englund, Robert K. | Atf | Englund, Robert K. | CDLI | approved | |
|
| 2019-06-11 at 16:12:24 | Englund, Robert K. | Atf | Englund, Robert K. | CDLI | approved | |
|
| 2019-05-29 at 21:01:59 | Englund, Robert K. | Atf | Peterson, Jeremiah | 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 000619 (Enlil A) composite (P478849) | View the score |
| CDLI Literary 000623 (Inanna B) composite (P478852) | View the score |
General Notes:
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CDLI Notes:
-