Position in chronology
A tigi to Nanaya for Ishbi-Erra (Ishbi-Erra C)
Written in modern English
Nanaya blazes into view like dawn itself — a lady chosen for her beauty, her virtue, and her wisdom, and set over all the lands by the great Mistress. She teaches and counsels in E-ana, Uruk's great temple, and she holds its high throne as its rightful occupant. Holy Inana shaped her education; she shines as bright as the stars, stands ready whenever she is called upon, and delivers fair judgment with compassion. An unknown word or phrase in one line is too damaged or obscure to read.
A modern paraphrase of the literal translation — same content, contemporary voice.
Translation — scholar edition
ETCSLLady of the princely powers, emerging brilliantly like the daylight, chosen forever for her virtuous beauty! Nanaya, ornament of E-ana, worthy of the Lady! Wise one, correctly chosen as lady of all the lands by the Mistress: Nanaya, you instruct the Land, bestowing wisdom in E-ana. Barsud. As fine as An, woman with a holy (?) head, made perfect by the ...... lady! Nanaya, properly educated by holy Inana, woman who is as bright as the stars, wise lady who is available for everything, righteous sympathetic woman, lady who is always available on request, counselled by holy Inana, beloved by the Mistress! Nanaya, great judge, deity who occupies the high throne of Unug!
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature — scholar edition (Oxford, Black/Cunningham/Robson/Zólyomi).
Scholarly note
Composition c.2.5.1.3 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.2.5.1.3: A tigi to Nanaya for Ishbi-Erra (Ishbi-Erra C). 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.2.5.1.3.
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