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 hymn to Inana (Inana F)
In plain English
Inana speaks: her father Enlil gave her the heavens and the earth, and with them lordship, queenship, battle, fighting, the stormwind, and the dust cloud. He crowned her head with the sky, set the earth beneath her feet as sandals, wrapped her body in the sacred ma garment, and placed the holy sceptre in her hand. The other gods are small birds to her falcon. While the Anuna gods mill about, she is the great wild cow — Enlil's own good wild cow, the one who walks at the front of the herd.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“My father gave me the heavens and he gave me the earth. I am Inana! Which god compares with me? Enlil gave me the heavens and he gave me the earth. I am Inana! He gave me lordship, and he gave me queenship. He gave me battles and he gave me fighting. He gave me the stormwind and he gave me the dust cloud. He placed the heavens on my head as a crown. He put the earth at my feet as sandals. He wrapped the holy ma garment around my body. He put the holy sceptre in my hand. The gods are small birds, but I am the falcon. The Anuna mill about, but I am the good wild cow, I am the good wild cow of father Enlil, his good wild cow which walks in front.”
Source: ETCSL c.4.07.6: A hymn to Inana (Inana 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.4.07.6
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Ishkur for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-Ninurta F )
In plain English
Ishkur, the heroic father of abundance, is addressed as a great storm — a thundering inundation, a mighty tempest, a raging wind whose noise fills heaven and earth. Several lines are too damaged to read. The hymn then describes Ishkur acting in repeated waves: a second time he unleashed a mighty tempest and raging wind; a third time he sent a destructive wind from the sky; a fourth time he spoke to the dense clouds overhead. Fine barley stood ready in the fertile fields, the grain thriving joyously — and Ishkur organized everything, overseeing the harvest. A few more lines follow but are too broken to recover.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Hero of abundance, joyously (?) rumbling, father Ickur, great storm, you ....... barsud Inundation, mighty tempest, raging wind, whose noise ......, ...... in heaven and earth ......, Ickur ...... wind ......, flashing lightning, ...... 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing 1 line fragmentary A second time he ...... a mighty tempest and a raging wind. A third time ...... a destructive wind of heaven. A fourth time he addressed (?) the dense clouds in the heavens. Fine barley stood in the fertile fields, and the corn joyously ....... Ickur organised everything; he ...... the harvest…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.5.6.6: A hymn to Ishkur for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-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.2.5.6.6
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Kusu
In plain English
The hymn opens with a string of fierce invocations: the great butting bull, the torch, the bull of Enki rising aggressively from the abzu — the pure underground waters — and Gibil the fire god, radiating enormous power, his face partially lost to damage. Nun-bar-ana follows, an angry avenger bringing a great torch up from the abzu and lifting his head in divine authority. Then comes a catalogue of sacred materials: the curved horn of a mountain goat, cedar, cypress, juniper, and boxwood, white and black wool, white and black birch, apples and figs strung together, butter flowing from the holy cattle-pen and sheepfold, offerings purified by fire, and reeds bound and set alight. The passage closes with two lines too damaged to read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“O angry great butting bull! O torch! O great bull of Enki, standing aggressively, coming forth from the abzu, the pure place! O Gibil the god of fire, ...... the palace ......, as he radiates great awesomeness, his countenance ......! O Nun-bar-ana, angry avenger (?) ......, bringing forth the great torch from the abzu, lifting his head with the noble divine powers! O antler-like horn of a mountain goat! Cedar, cypress, juniper and boxwood, white wool and black wool, white birch and black birch, a string of apples tied to a long string of figs, butter flowing from the holy cattle-pen and sheepfold ...... in the oven and purified by the torch, ...... reeds are tied up and lit ....... 2 lines fragmentary”
Source: ETCSL c.4.33.2: A hymn to Kusu. 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.4.33.2
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Marduk for Abi-Eshuh (Abi-Eshuh A)
In plain English
Marduk is addressed directly: he gathers the divine powers of heaven and earth, the firstborn son of Enki, a mighty lord and perfect hero who stands at the head of the Igigi gods and commands the strength of the Anuna. The great gods have granted him justice and judgment; he is a descendant of holy An, the lord who decides destinies, wise and august, a reader of hearts whose divinity shines openly. His ancestor An, king of the gods, has made his authority over the armies of heaven and earth absolute — and then the tablet breaks off mid-sentence before whatever An gave him is named.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“King who gathers up the divine powers of heaven and earth, foremost son of Enki, Marduk, mighty lord, perfect hero, foremost of the Great Princes (a name for the Igigi gods) , strong one of the Anuna, the great gods who have given him justice and judgment! Great prince, descendant of holy An, lord who decides destinies, who has everything in his grasp (?), wise, august knower of hearts, whose divinity is manifest, who shows concern for all that he looks upon! Your ancestor An, king of the gods, has made your lordship effective against the armies of heaven and earth. He has given you the…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.8.5.1: A hymn to Marduk for Abi-Eshuh (Abi-Eshuh 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.2.8.5.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Martu (Martu B)
In plain English
A hymn in praise of Martu opens with a string of epithets, most of which are lost to damage. What survives describes him as a peerless dragon who watches over divine powers, bears an august name in heaven and earth, was fathered by the great god An and raised on An's holy knees, and was born of Uraš. Enlil, the Great Mountain, cherished him and granted him a favorable destiny. He stands proud among the great gods; his words cannot be undone and his counsel is beyond compare. At that point the surface is too damaged to read, and at least twenty-six further lines are entirely missing.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“...... watching over ......, gathering together ...... the divine powers, ...... peerless dragon, ...... named in heaven and earth with an august name, ......, engendered by great An and brought up on his holy knees, ......, born by Urac, 1 line unclear cherished and granted a favourable destiny by the Great Mountain Enlil, ......, not wearying of ...... its beauty. Proud one among the great gods, ...... hearts, ...... pure ......, shining purification rites, his conduct ....... His words ...... cannot be undone (?), his intelligence and counsel ......, ...... distant ......, ...... leader ...... at least 26 lines missing”
Source: ETCSL c.4.12.2: A hymn to Martu (Martu 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.4.12.2
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Nanna (Nanna E)
In plain English
Nanna rises in radiance from the sacred bathing chamber, emerging from the pure mountain of divine powers and the abzu shrine, carrying terrifying brilliance out of the marshes. He lifts his head in goodness and majesty and extends his arm to determine destinies. An has generously granted him kingship over heaven and earth; Enlil has perfected his great and noble status as son and lord. Several phrases throughout these lines are too damaged to read, and the passage breaks off as Enlil's role is still being described.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Princely son, you are radiant as you come forth from the sacred bathing chamber (?), ....... ...... the mountain of pure divine powers, the abzu shrine, ....... ...... the majestic foundation platform, ....... Bringing terrifying radiance from the marshes, you ...... a fearsome ....... Lifting your head in your goodness, greatness and majesty, majestically you extend your arm in order to determine destinies: great An has liberally bestowed on you your kingship over heaven and earth, and Enlil has perfected for you your great and noble filial status and lordship. Enlil has made majestic…”
Source: ETCSL c.4.13.05: A hymn to Nanna (Nanna E). 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.4.13.05
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Nanna (Nanna G)
In plain English
The hymn addresses Nanna, lord and son of Enlil, in language centered on beauty and desire. A woman perfect in beauty appears alongside Ninhursaja, the great mother goddess, though most of the surrounding lines are too damaged to read. After a gap of unknown length, a voice — likely the speaker of the hymn — tells Nanna that he has revealed his attractiveness to them, and begs that Nanna's beauty cover their body like a garment; the specific word for the type of garment is lost. These last two lines appear twice, as a refrain, but the middle portion of the hymn is largely broken beyond recovery.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Nanna, ......, lord, son of Enlil, ......, Nanna, lord, ......, lord, son of Enlil, ......! Lord, sweet wonder ......! The woman perfect in beauty ....... Nanna, lord, sweet wonder ......! The woman perfect in beauty ....... Ninhursaja ......, the great mother Ninhursaja ....... Nanna, ......, the great mother Ninhursaja ....... 1 line fragmentary you ....... Nanna, ......, you ....... 1 line fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing 1 line fragmentary ...... you have shown your attractiveness to me. May your beauty cover my body like a ...... garment. Nanna, ...... you have shown your attractiveness to me. May your beauty cover my body like a ...... garment.”
Source: ETCSL c.4.13.07: A hymn to Nanna (Nanna G). 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.4.13.07
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Nanna (Nanna M)
In plain English
The hymn opens with an invocation of Nanna — also called Suen — as the great lord of heaven and ruler of Ur, a city that inspires awe like the open sea. The opening lines repeat, as a refrain, calling him far-seeing and addressing him directly. Born in the mountains and bursting forth in joy, he is an unstoppable force: a lion, a dragon, a mighty lord with a mouth like a dragon's. The name Nanna and the name Suen are used interchangeably throughout. The text breaks off mid-sentence somewhere in or near the jipar shrine.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“...... in leadership, great lord of heaven ......! In the city which like the sea inspires awe! Far-seeing Suen, ruler of Urim! O Suen, ...... in leadership, great lord of heaven ......! In the city which like the sea inspires awe! Far-seeing Suen, ruler of Urim! Born in the mountains and coming forth in joy, he is an irresistible force, a lion, a dragon, a mighty lord -- Suen, mouth like a dragon's, ruler of Urim! Nanna, born in the mountains and coming forth in joy, is an irresistible force, a lion, a dragon, a mighty lord -- Suen, mouth like a dragon's, ruler of Urim! In the jipar (?)…”
Source: ETCSL c.4.13.13: A hymn to Nanna (Nanna M). 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.4.13.13
Read the full tablet entry