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 Nininsina for Ishbi-Erra (Ishbi-Erra D)
In plain English
The great gods raised Nininsina up and made her perfect — though the first lines are too damaged to read clearly. Her garment is exalted, and Enlil has blessed it in some way the text cannot supply. She was raised on the knees of An himself, and she goes out against all foreign lands, terrible and mighty despite her grace, lifting her head in the full height of her divinity. Her father established her as lady over the Land, and all stand in awe before her. Holy Nininsina — also called Gula — is called upon, in the Egal-mah temple founded by An, to bring joy to Ishbi-Erra, the one she holds dear.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“The great gods elevated ......, and made ...... perfect. 2 lines unclear Your garment is an exalted garment; Enlil has ....... You were brought up sitting on the knees of An the king, and the great gods elevated ....... Woman whose name inspires awe, Gula, ....... You go against all the foreign lands, lady who, for all her pleasantness, fearsomely and mightily ......, who lifts her head in great and elevated divinity. Nininsina, your father established you in ladyship over the Land. In awe at you, never altering the fearsomeness ......, holy Nininsina, lady Gula, Nininsina, in the Egal-mah, founded by An -- bring joy to Icbi-Erra, the beloved of your heart.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.5.1.4: A hymn to Nininsina for Ishbi-Erra (Ishbi-Erra D). 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.2.5.1.4
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Nininsina (Nininsina D)
In plain English
Nininsina is addressed directly: she towers above all others, radiant with divine authority, the beloved daughter of An and child of Uraš, born to a great destiny from the very womb. She is her father's own counsellor, faithful steward of the E-kur temple, protector and sustainer of the black-headed people. She appears clothed in white robes, and her deeds surpass anything words can capture. Several phrases are too damaged to read, but the passage closes with An himself assigning her the highest divine powers.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Lady, surpassing with august divine powers, with head high, full of awesomeness, beloved daughter of great An! Nininsina, born of Urac, from the great womb ...... a great destiny, grandiloquent counsellor of her own father, good stewardess of E-kur! Beautiful ......, glory of the holy throne-dais, merciful, ...... of the black-headed! Holy Nininsina, making everything manifest! My lady, ...... in a white garment and cloak! The impressive course of your outstandingly great deeds, which surpass description, is praised. Your own father ...... holy An has assigned to you supreme divine powers…”
Source: ETCSL c.4.22.4: A hymn to Nininsina (Nininsina D). 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.4.22.4
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Ninkasi
In plain English
Ninkasi was born of flowing water — the end of that line is damaged — and raised tenderly by Ninhursaja. Her father is Enki, lord Nudimmud, and her mother is Ninti, queen of the abzu. Her town was founded upon wax and its great walls were completed for her. It is Ninkasi herself who works the dough with a big shovel — one word in that line is lost — mixing beerbread with sweet aromatics down in a pit.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Given birth by the flowing water ......, tenderly cared for by Ninhursaja! Ninkasi, given birth by the flowing water ......, tenderly cared for by Ninhursaja! Having founded your town upon wax, she completed its great walls for you. Ninkasi, having founded your town upon wax, she completed its great walls for you. Your father is Enki, the lord Nudimmud, and your mother is Ninti, the queen of the abzu. Ninkasi, your father is Enki, the lord Nudimmud, and your mother is Ninti, the queen of the abzu. It is you who handle the ...... and dough with a big shovel, mixing, in a pit, the beerbread with sweet aromatics. Ninkasi, it is you who handle the ...... and dough with a big shovel, mixing, in a pit, the beerbread with sweet aromatics.”
Source: ETCSL c.4.23.1: A hymn to Ninkasi. 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.4.23.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Ninshubur (Ninshubur B)
In plain English
Ninshubur — the wise suppliant, the faithful servant — has taken her seat in her city of Akkil. Several lines are too damaged to read, but the hymn names her alongside Nintud and links her to An. It then lists the great gods she serves or intercedes before: Enlil, lord of all lands; Ninlil, lady of Ki-ur; Enki, the bull of Eridu; Damgalnuna; Nanna at Ur; Ningal in her holy chamber; Ninurta; Ninhursaja; the young sun-god Utu at the E-babbar shrine; Nergal; and Inana at Zabalam. The passage closes with a reference to Enlil and the great gods, but the final lines are broken.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“The servant (cubur), the wise suppliant, ...... the servant, the wise suppliant, the ...... of Akkil, the wise suppliant has taken her seat in her city Akkil. The servant has taken her seat in Akkil. The servant ......, Nincubur, ...... Nintud, the servant ......, Nincubur ...... to An. For father Enlil, lord of all the lands; for Ninlil, lady of Ki-ur, the majestic place; for Enki, the bull of Eridug; for the good woman, ...... Damgalnuna; for Acimbabbar in Urim; for Ningal in her holy chamber; ...... the Great Mountain, Enlil; for ......, Ninurta, for ...... Ninhursaja, for youthful Utu in the shrine of E-babbar ......, for ...... Nergal, for Inana in Zabalam, Enlil ...... the great gods .......”
Source: ETCSL c.4.25.2: A hymn to Ninshubur (Ninshubur 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.4.25.2
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Ninurta (Ninurta C)
In plain English
The opening is badly broken, but fragments of a hymn survive addressing Ninurta as the lordly son of Enlil — a hero who appears in glory and acts within Enlil's house, the E-kur temple. Scattered phrases mention the rebel lands, a captain, and the kings of Ur and Adab, then the text turns to Ninlil, the mother goddess, and her bond with Enlil. A line names the god Zababa alongside further praise of a hero, and then twenty lines are gone entirely.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 line fragmentary ....... ......, lordly son of Enlil, ....... ......, hero who appears in glory, who ....... ...... in Enlil's house ....... ...... no one ....... ...... of E-kur, the rebel lands ....... ......, lord ....... ......, captain, ....... ...... king of Urim, ....... ......, king of Adab ....... ......, king of ....... ...... E-kur ....... 1 line fragmentary ...... of Ninlil ....... ...... to the ...... of Enlil ....... ...... heaven and earth, the mother who bore ....... ...... Enlil ....... ...... of the hero ....... 1 line fragmentary ...... Zababa ....... ...... hero ....... 20 lines missing”
Source: ETCSL c.4.27.03: A hymn to Ninurta (Ninurta 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.4.27.03
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Nisaba (Nisaba A)
In plain English
Nisaba blazes like the stars, holding a lapis-lazuli tablet. Born of Uraš, nourished on good milk among sacred alkaline plants, she opens her mouth to speak across seven reeds. Endowed with fifty divine powers, she is the most mighty presence in the E-kur temple — a dragon rising in splendor at the festival, a mother goddess shaped from clay, cooling the land and pouring fine oil across foreign countries, her wisdom fathered by Enlil himself. She is the good woman, An's chief scribe, Enlil's record-keeper, the sage of the gods.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Lady coloured like the stars of heaven, holding (3 mss. have instead: perfectly endowed with) a lapis-lazuli tablet! Nisaba, great wild cow born by Urac, wild sheep nourished on good milk among holy alkaline plants, opening the mouth for seven ...... reeds! Perfectly endowed with fifty great divine powers, my lady, most powerful in E-kur! Dragon emerging in glory at the festival, Aruru (mother goddess) of the Land, ...... from the clay, calming ...... (1 ms. has instead: the region with cool water), lavishing fine oil (3 mss. have instead: plenty) on the foreign lands, engendered in wisdom by the Great Mountain (Enlil)! Good woman, chief scribe of An, record-keeper of Enlil, wise sage of the gods!”
Source: ETCSL c.4.16.1: A hymn to Nisaba (Nisaba 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.4.16.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Numushda for Sîn-iqisham (Sîn-iqisham A)
In plain English
Numushda is hailed as a god whose good fate was sealed while still in the womb. Ningal shaped the holy seed fathered by Suen, and Numushda was born amid abundance in the sacred mountains, eating fruit from a green garden. An and Enlil gave him a good name, and the great lady Ninlil raised him with care. He is the son of a prince, radiating awe-inspiring light, a great wild bull who batters enemy lands. The text then gives two further epithets — Cagbatuku and 'snarling lion' — before the passage breaks off.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Exalted lord, for whom a favourable destiny was determined while he was still in the good womb! Numucda, exalted lord, for whom a favourable destiny was determined while he was still in the good womb! Ningal formed ...... the holy seed ...... engendered by Suen. Born amid plenty in the holy mountains, eating fruits from a green garden, named with a good name by An and Enlil, carefully cherished by the great lady Ninlil! Numucda, son of the prince, whose appearance is full of awe-inspiring radiance! Great wild bull battering the enemy country, great lord Numucda! Cagbatuku. Snarling lion…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.6.7.1: A hymn to Numushda for Sîn-iqisham (Sîn-iqisham 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.2.6.7.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A hymn to Nungal
In plain English
The prison stands like a furious storm battering its enemies — the gods' own jail, a great neck-stock binding heaven and earth. Inside, the light is dim as evening, a spreading dusk, and the place radiates a dread that stops people cold. It rises like a raging sea whose surging waves go no one knows where. It is a pitfall for the wicked, a finely woven net that sweeps people up as plunder, watching both the just and the guilty alike — no evildoer slips free of its grip. The text then describes it as a river of ordeal that leaves the innocent... and here the surviving lines break off.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“House, furious storm of heaven and earth, battering its enemies; prison, jail of the gods, august neck-stock of heaven and earth! Its interior is evening light, dusk spreading wide; its awesomeness is frightening. Raging sea which mounts high, no one knows where its rising waves flow. House, a pitfall waiting for the evil one; it makes the wicked tremble! House, a net whose fine meshes are skillfully woven, which gathers up people as its booty! House, which keeps an eye on the just and on evildoers; no one wicked can escape from its grasp. House, river of the ordeal which leaves the just ones…”
Source: ETCSL c.4.28.1: A hymn to Nungal. 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.4.28.1
Read the full tablet entry