Chapter 05 · 2000 – 1600 BCE
Old Babylonian
Hammurabi, the Epic of Gilgamesh, mathematics.
~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A balbale to Ninazu (Ninazu A)
In plain English
Ninazu is praised as shepherd of a city teeming with life, as a reed-worker shaping something — the manuscripts are damaged at the key points — and as herdsman over people gathered like sheep in a fold. He radiates the allure of the high hills. The hymn asks Nanna, the moon god, to rejoice over Ninazu, because a sacred emplacement has been established for him there. Ninazu is called mighty and deeply wise, begotten by Nanna himself. The text breaks off as the name Acimbabbar — another name for Nanna — begins a new line.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“O king, you are the ...... shepherd of the city which thrives like cattle! Ninazu, you are the ...... shepherd of the city which thrives like cattle! My lord Ninazu, you are the ...... shepherd of the city which thrives like cattle! You are the reed-worker of the ......, ...... like a shining mat! You are the herdsman of them that dwell like sheep in a sheepfold, you who exude the allure of the high hills, lord Ninazu! Lord Ninazu, may Nanna rejoice over you, because an emplacement for you has been created there. Powerful and of great intelligence, you were engendered by Nanna. May Acimbabbar…”
Source: ETCSL c.4.17.1: A balbale to Ninazu (Ninazu A). 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.4.17.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A balbale to Ningishzida (Ningishzida A)
In plain English
Ningishzida is hailed as a hero, lord of field and meadow, and lion of the distant mountains — the one who commands great serpents and dragons together. Born from Ninjirida's own body and nursed at her holy breast, he drank lion's spittle and was raised in the abzu. He stands as a high priest who handles the sacred ecda vessels, examines tablets, and upholds justice — though that line breaks off before it finishes. A king with towering limbs who guides speech rightly and despises wickedness, he is a force so mighty that no one dares stand in his way when he unleashes chaos.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Hero, lord of field and meadow, lion of the distant mountains! Ninjiczida, who brings together giant snakes and dragons! Great wild bull who, in the murderous battle, is a flood that ......! Beloved by his mother, he to whom Ninjirida gave birth from her luxurious body, who drank the good milk at her holy breast, who sucked in lion's spittle, who grew up in the abzu! August icib priest who holds the holy ecda vessels, checker of tablets, who secures justice ......! King, wild bull with tall limbs (?), who directs speech aright, and who hates wickedness! Mighty power, whom no one dare stop when he spreads confusion! Mighty Ninjiczida, whom no one dare stop when he spreads confusion!”
Source: ETCSL c.4.19.1: A balbale to Ningishzida (Ningishzida A). 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.4.19.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A balbale to Ningishzida (Ningishzida B)
In plain English
Ningishzida is addressed in ecstatic praise: holy, dignified, and charged with ferocious terror. He is a falcon preying on the gods, a leopard, a murderous howling serpent-dragon snarling in the lagoon, a raging storm that sweeps over all people. He rests, lofty-headed, deep in the mountains, smashing the skulls of his enemies. The text breaks off mid-sentence as his mouth is likened to that of a pure magician — though one manuscript reads instead 'a snake with a great tongue'; the passage continues but the surface is lost.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Lord with holy dignity, imbued with great savage awesomeness! My king, lord Ninjiczida, imbued with great savage awesomeness! Hero, falcon preying on the gods, my king -- dignified, with sparkling eyes, fully equipped with arrows and quiver, impetuous leopard, murderous, howling muchuc, ...... (1 ms. has instead: ......), dragon snarling (?) in the lagoon, raging storm reaching (1 ms. has instead: covering) all people! Lofty-headed prince, resting in the midst of the mountains, ...... smashing heads! Lord, your mouth is that of a pure magician (1 ms. has instead: a snake with a great tongue,…”
Source: ETCSL c.4.19.2: A balbale to Ningishzida (Ningishzida B). 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.4.19.2
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A balbale to Ninurta (Ninurta F)
In plain English
The poem opens with praise for Ninurta, hailing him as good seed and good semen, king chosen by Enlil. The speaker declares himself Ninurta's own man and pledges to call upon his name. As proof of the god's generative power, the poem moves through the animal world in turn: ewes bear lambs, goats bear kids, cows bear calves, she-asses bear foals — donkeys of some kind are also born, though the word describing them is lost. The list culminates with humans giving birth to children. The closing words, naming Ninurta as king, are too damaged to read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Good semen, good seed, King chosen by Enlil! Very good semen, very good seed, Ninurta, chosen by Enlil! My king, I shall call upon your name. Ninurta, I am your man, your man; I shall call upon your name. My king, ewes give birth to lambs, ewes give birth to lambs, the sheep of the fold are born; I shall call upon your name. My king, goats give birth to kids, goats give birth to kids, buck goats are born; I shall call upon your name. My king, cows give birth to calves, cows give birth to calves, cows and breed-bulls are born; I shall call upon your name. My king, she-asses give birth to foals, she-asses give birth to foals, donkeys ...... are born; I shall call upon your name. My king, humans give birth to children, humans give birth to children. Ninurta, king .......”
Source: ETCSL c.4.27.06: A balbale to Ninurta (Ninurta 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.4.27.06
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A balbale to Shara (Shara A)
In plain English
The opening twenty-nine lines are missing entirely, and the first surviving line is too damaged to read. What remains is a hymn of praise addressed to Shara. His divine powers are called most precious, and the god An is named as his father. His mother, the holy Inana, has seated him beside her on a holy throne and given him a good name. Several further lines are too damaged to read, though one intact phrase describes a lord shining forth in the midst of a dwelling place. Toward the end, Shara is addressed as a princely son who comes forth like the sun from his shrine, the E-mah.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“29 lines missing 1 line fragmentary ...... great radiance ....... Cara, the song praising you befits you. Cara, your divine powers are most precious; father An, who has engendered you ....... Your own mother, holy Inana, has let you sit with her on the holy ....... ...... she is the Mistress. She has let you ....... She has called you by a good name. ...... joyfully in your ....... ...... dwells ......; the lord shines forth in its midst. 1 line fragmentary Cara, you ......, praying in the good and holy ....... ......, the princely son, grandiloquent ...... holy ......, coming forth like the sun from the shrine E-mah.”
Source: ETCSL c.4.30.1: A balbale to Shara (Shara A). 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.4.30.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A diatribe against Engar-dug (Diatribe B)
In plain English
Engar-dug is a fool, a disgraced man, a madman — raised in some place the text no longer names, he drops something from a wall, though the damaged surface makes the exact image unclear. He croaks like a frog among real singers, has no judgment, brags constantly, and the next few phrases are too damaged to read. The text then turns directly on him: open the door — there is a quarrel to settle. In looks he resembles a monkey; in conduct he is a rogue, a shameless witness who ignores verdicts, a slippery patch that decent men step around. He despises the foreman, skips festivals, wallows like a mud-caked pig. He loves arguments and deceit, and once he wades into a fight he comes out hurling insults. On duty as a warrior, he still holds back — and then the tablet breaks off.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Engar-dug, ......, fool, ......, child raised in ......, disgraced man, madman ...... leather, dropping ...... from a wall! Engar-dug, croaker (?) among singers, a man without good judgment, braggart, ......, a man ......! -- open (?) the house, I have a quarrel with you! In appearance a monkey, a rogue, a witness without shame, not accepting a verdict, a slippery place which respected men avoid, despising (?) the leader of the work-force, a man who does not ...... a festival, a pig spattered with mud, ......! Loving crosstalk and deceit, ......, having got stuck into a quarrel he ...... coming out mouthing insults. A warrior on duty but holding back, .......”
Source: ETCSL c.5.4.11: A diatribe against Engar-dug (Diatribe B). 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.5.4.11
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn of Inana for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-Ninurta A)
In plain English
When Inana appears in her glory, no one can keep pace with her — she blazes through the night in awe-inspiring splendour, and the great gods themselves are seized with fear at the sight of her. Her words carry the authority of An and the full weight of Enlil, and among all the divine ladies her powers are supreme. She brought the plans of kingship to perfection, determined to restore it, and resolved to deliver justice and stable rule to the black-headed people. From among all of humanity, she chose Ur-Ninurta — and the tablet's opening section breaks off there.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“......, when she augustly appears, no one can keep pace with her, ...... glowing in the night, ...... with awe-inspiring splendour. The great gods are filled with fear at her ....... Her ...... utterances are as grand as those of An, and as weighty as those of Enlil. Inana is supreme, with multifarious divine powers surpassing the other divine ladies. She perfected the divine plans of kingship, so as to re-establish it, and she made up her mind and truly yearned to provide justice for the black-headed and to give them stable governance. From among the numerous people she summoned Ur-Ninurta…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.5.6.1: A hymn of Inana for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-Ninurta A). 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.2.5.6.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Asarluhi (Asarluhi XA)
In plain English
Five lines are lost, and several further phrases are too damaged to read. What remains praises Asarluhi under the name Enki gave him: Id-lu-rugu, River of the Ordeal — a title that fits, since he purifies the innocent like gold and delivers the guilty to destruction. Fed on the milk of intelligence, advice, and reason, his voice rings out; august and firstborn among Enki's sons, he grants something — the word is lost — to every person born. As profound and wise as his father, Asarluhi sees through everything, and nothing escapes him. Lord of the abzu, filled with holy wisdom, he is Marduk, the counselor, tall enough to take in every divine power in heaven and earth at a glance.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“5 lines missing ...... new ....... ...... august words. Enki has named you with the name Id-lu-rugu (i.e. River of the ordeal, an epithet of Asarluhi), the sublime course ....... You cleanse the just man like gold, and you hand over the wicked to extinction. Nourished on the good milk of intelligence, advice and reason, his voice resounds loudly. August sage, firstborn son of Enki, he gives ...... to all who are born. Profoundly intelligent, as wise as his father, possessed of understanding, Asarluhi penetrates everything. Nothing ...... him. Lordly son of the abzu, endowed with holy wisdom, he is Marduk, the bringer of counsel. Tall in stature, he can survey all the divine powers of heaven and earth.”
Source: ETCSL c.4.01.1: A hymn to Asarluhi (Asarluhi XA). 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.4.01.1
Read the full tablet entry