Position in chronology
A shir-namshub to Nanna for Ur-Namma (Ur-Namma F)
Written in modern English
Ur, gleaming from its rooftops, is built on abundance. The city's lord, Ur-Namma — adorned with a lapis-lazuli beard — rides high in triumph, the tallest and most distinguished of all lords. Those who pour out through its gates are like an unstoppable flood. Ur's interior is a mountain of riches, its outer face a hill of plenty, and no one can fathom the inner depths of the E-kish-nugal, that intricately made shrine. The temple itself shimmers like a mountain, and the city's very name carries mercy. Ur-Namma, child of Ninsun and ornament of all lands, is called the beautiful lord.
A modern paraphrase of the literal translation — same content, contemporary voice.
Translation — scholar edition
ETCSLImbued with allure from the shining rooftops, Urim, your foundation rests on abundance. City, your lord rides high in joy, Ur-Namma rides high indeed; the one adorned with a lapis-lazuli beard rides high indeed! He is the tallest among all the lords, appearing as the noblest among them. Those who leave through your gate are an uncontrollable flood. Shrine Urim, your interior is a mountain of abundance, your exterior a hill of plenty. No one can learn the interior of the E-kic-nujal, the artfully fashioned hill. Your temple is a shimmering mountain; your very name is merciful. Your lord is the one called as the beautiful lord, the child of Ninsun, the ornament of all the lands.
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature — scholar edition (Oxford, Black/Cunningham/Robson/Zólyomi).
Scholarly note
Composition c.2.4.1.6 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.2.4.1.6: A shir-namshub to Nanna for Ur-Namma (Ur-Namma F). 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.2.4.1.6.
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