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 prayer for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin E)
In plain English
Rim-Sîn, purification priest of An, was called from the sacred womb and raised to lordship over the Land, installed as shepherd of the black-headed people. The staff that strengthens the Land was placed in his hand; the shepherd's crook that guides the living was fixed at his side. When he steps forward before the deity, everything he offers with his pure hands is provided in abundance. The opening lines are too damaged to read, and the composition breaks off as it names him 'your attentive youth, your beloved king, the good shepherd.'
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“......, who is fitted for holy lustration rites, Rim-Sîn, purification priest of An, who is fitted for pure prayers rites, whom you summoned from the holy womb ......, has been elevated to lordship over the Land; he has been installed as shepherd over the black-headed. The staff which strengthens the Land has been placed in his hand. The shepherd's crook which guides the living people has been attached at his side. As he steps forward before you, he is lavishly supplied with everything that he offers with his pure hands. Your attentive youth, your beloved king, the good shepherd…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.6.9.5: A prayer for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin 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.2.6.9.5
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A prayer for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin G)
In plain English
Lord Nanna, king of heaven and earth and Rim-Sin's personal protective deity, is asked to accept everything the king offers: the food and drink laid out with ritually clean hands, the animal sacrifices, the silent prayers of the heart, the spoken words, the reverent gestures, and the raised hands. The august queen Ningal, Rim-Sin's goddess of favorable omens, is asked to accept them too. Nanna and Ningal, the gods who drive off famine, have already granted abundance to Rim-Sin in the divine temple. The last lines address Rim-Sin as the king whom Enlil himself named, but the text breaks off there.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“May lord Nanna, king of heaven and earth, your good protective deity, accept the holy food offerings that you prepare, and the holy pure drink offerings that you proffer with holy hands; the sacrifices that you bring, what you say in your heart, what you utter out loud, your reverent gestures and your holy hands raised in prayer. May the august queen Ningal, your queen of favourable signs, accept them also. O king, they who have suppressed famine, the great gods Nanna and Ningal, have conferred abundance on you, kingRim-Sîn, in the temple of the gods. O king named with a name by Enlil,…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.6.9.7: A prayer for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin 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.2.6.9.7
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna B)
In plain English
An unknown number of lines are missing at the start, and what survives is heavily damaged — fragmentary phrases about life, a holy name, and the god Enki appear before the text becomes legible. From there, the prayer addresses Samsu-iluna directly: Enki shall confirm his throne, bestow on him a sceptre of long years, and make his crown shine like the sun-god Utu. His kingship shall stand as firm as heaven and earth. He is king over many lands and peoples, the good shepherd of his people, the herdsman of the settled folk. When he delivers just verdicts as Utu does, he will be the king who speaks with Utu's own authoritative voice — foremost among all kings.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“unknown no. of lines missing Life ....... Life ....... Life ....... ...... of your name ....... ...... holy life ....... Enki ....... Prince Samsu-iluna, ....... ...... terrifying splendour which spreads far and wide. Enki ...... your throne, and ...... bestow on you a sceptre of long years and days; may he ...... your crown ...... like Utu. May your kingship be as stable as heaven and earth! You are king of numerous lands and peoples! You are the people's good shepherd! You are the herdsman of the settled people! When like Utu you impart just verdicts, ...... justice, ...... you call by name ......, then you, Samsu-iluna, shall be the king of the eloquent words of Utu, and you shall be the foremost of kings.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.8.3.2: A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna 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.2.8.3.2
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna C)
In plain English
The text calls on Samsu-iluna to take his seat on the high throne and confirm his kingship. By grasping the shepherd's crook of lordship, he is to strengthen the foundations of his rule, and by inspiring awe in the holy, pure place, he is to bring the princely divine powers to their fullest expression. When he rises on the royal dais, he is to hold his head high, shining like the sun in the terrifying splendour of kingship. The passage then breaks off mid-sentence before the thought is completed.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Lord, may you confirm your royal position by taking your seat on the throne, the lofty dais! Samsu-iluna, may you confirm your royal position by taking your seat on the throne, the lofty dais! May you strengthen the foundations of your throne by grasping the shepherd's crook of lordship! May you bring to perfect completion the princely divine powers by inspiring awe in the holy place, the pure place! When you ...... on the holy royal dais, may you lift your head high in a lordly manner! When you are embued with the terrifying splendour of royalty, ...... shining like the sun! When you…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.8.3.3: A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna 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.2.8.3.3
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna D)
In plain English
He causes brilliance and acts — the literal translation says — from his holy heart. Most of the composition is lost; the number of missing lines is unknown.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“He causes brilliance, he ...... from his holy heart. unknown no. of lines missing”
Source: ETCSL c.2.8.3.4: A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna 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.2.8.3.4
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna E)
In plain English
Samsu-iluna is addressed directly: his head is held high, his name is august, and Enlil and Ninlil have determined a great destiny for him — though several phrases in the opening lines are too damaged to read. The warrior god Ninurta stands as his helper, and inside the E-kur temple, Nuska — Enlil's high minister and the assembly leader of all lands — serves as his chief palace superintendent. The prayer asks that Samsu-iluna walk with his head high all his life, that his days be prolonged, and that An, king of the gods, look on him with favour. The text breaks off there.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“My ...... of eternal fame, head lifted high in princely worth, ...... who loves righteousness and truth, ...... named with an august name, for whom Enlil ...... has determined a great destiny, and Ninlil ......! The valiant Ninurta is your helper. In the E-kur, Nuska the august minister of Enlil, the assembly leader of all lands, is your foremost palace superintendent. Throughout your life, may you carry your neck high; in princely manner may you lift your head high! "Prolong the days of his life for Samsu-iluna, of princely worth!" May An, king of the gods, look upon you favourably; the…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.8.3.5: A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna 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.2.8.3.5
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna G)
In plain English
Seated in majesty on the golden throne of kingship, head held high in heroic power, Samsu-iluna — king of Ur and Larsa, king of Sumer and Akkad — offered greeting to the great gods Enki, Asalim, and the son of Eridu. An Akkadian gloss in the margin names these same deities as Ea, Marduk, and Asalluhi, and addresses Samsu-iluna directly as 'double king', calling on him to sit with that same majesty on his golden throne.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“He greeted Enki, Asalim and the son of Eridug (An Akkadian gloss has: Ea, Marduk and Asalluha), the great gods, while sitting majestically on the golden throne of kingship with head high in heroic strength in its midst (An Akkadian gloss has: on your golden throne of kingship, whose head is raised high in the strength of your heroism, may you sit majestically, Samsu-iluna, double king), the king of Urim and king of Larsa, the king of Sumer and Akkad.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.8.3.7: A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna 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.2.8.3.7
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
A prayer to An for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin C)
In plain English
Holy An has declared a great destiny in heaven for Rim-Sin, shepherd and prince, who already held kingship while still in the womb. He rules the vast population with full authority, and in Larsa — a mountain city fit for princely divine powers — he has been truly appointed shepherd of Sumer and Akkad. Great An, majestic lord of heaven and earth, father of the gods and wise in all things, has fixed the destinies for that place, issuing weighty commands without pause from somewhere within the pure interior of heaven — though a few words in that final passage are too damaged to read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Shepherd, called by name, for whom holy An has determined in heaven a great destiny! Rim-Sîn, called by name, for whom holy An has determined in heaven a great destiny! Prince who achieved kingship when still in the true womb, you grandly exercise lordship over the numerous people. In Larsa, the ...... mountain befitting the princely divine powers, you are truly called to be shepherd of Sumer and Akkad. Great An, august in heaven and earth, lord who is wise in everything, father of the gods, has determined to fix the destinies for that place, never interrupting the uttering of weighty commands, ...... in the pure interior of heaven.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.6.9.3: A prayer to An for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin 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.2.6.9.3
Read the full tablet entry