Position in chronology
A praise poem of Ishme-Dagan (Ishme-Dagan AA)
Written in modern English
Someone brought something before Ishme-Dagan from a place whose name is lost — the surface is too damaged to read the opening lines clearly. Fates were decided; a grand arrangement was set up befitting a majestic golden throne and dais, and those assembled lined up before it, offering favorable words for Sumer and Akkad. In the E-kur, food offerings were presented, and Ishkur is mentioned in connection with the temple, though the surrounding lines are broken. A massive copper object — inspiring great awe — was placed on the holy dais for all people to marvel at, and the main meal was established as a permanent regular offering in Ishme-Dagan's great dining hall.
A modern paraphrase of the literal translation — same content, contemporary voice.
Translation — scholar edition
ETCSLFrom ...... he brought ...... for you. ...... the fates are decided ....... He set up grandly (?) for you ...... that befits the majestic dais and throne of gold. They lined up before it for you ...... favourable words for Sumer and Akkad. ...... in the E-kur ....... food offerings. ...... in the E-kur ....... ...... with your right arm ....... ...... Ickur ...... in the E-kur. ...... on its august throne. He ...... a huge copper ...... inspiring great awe, on your holy dais. It is to be marvelled at by the people. He ...... the main meal (?) for you in your great dining hall as a regular offering forever after.
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature — scholar edition (Oxford, Black/Cunningham/Robson/Zólyomi).
Scholarly note
Composition c.2.5.4.27 in the ETCSL catalogue. Sumerian literary text reconstructed from multiple cuneiform manuscripts, the great majority Old Babylonian (c. 1900–1600 BCE). Translation reproduced from the ETCSL edition.
Attribution
Image: .
Translation excerpted from ETCSL c.2.5.4.27: A praise poem of Ishme-Dagan (Ishme-Dagan AA). Black, J.A., Cunningham, G., Robson, E. & Zólyomi, G. (eds.), The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.2.5.4.27.
Related tablets
Related sources
The single most important literary discovery of the 19th century. It rewired the understanding of the Bible's literary context and proved that the Mesopotamian flood tradition is older. It is the oldest surviving epic poetry in human history.
The literary tradition is no longer anonymous from this point. Authorship — the idea that a specific human voice composes a specific work — enters the historical record with her.
The single most influential Mesopotamian king list — the model for every later attempt to chronicle the deep history of the region. It transmits the political theology of divinely granted kingship, an idea that would echo through Babylon, Assyria, and into the Hebrew Bible. The Weld-Blundell prism (WB 444) at the Ashmolean is the most complete surviving copy.