Chapter 05 · 2000 – 1600 BCE
Old Babylonian
Hammurabi, the Epic of Gilgamesh, mathematics.
~1800 BCE · PML 46.069 — Pickler Memorial Library, Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri, USA
Akkadica 134/1 §2.9b
In plain English
This is a damaged ledger page. The first entries record counts — 14 of something, then 254 of something else — but what was being counted is lost. Then comes a list of people: two men whose names honor the moon-god Suen, a man named Erra-something, and one Yada'atum. After a break in the tablet, the accounting resumes with grain: six gur of grain in one entry, one gur linked to a man called Zakuri, and another six gur linked to the same Zakuri. The rest is broken away.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(obverse) 14 [...] 254 (4 sixties + 14?) [...] [...]-Suen(?) [...]-Suen(?) Erra-[...] [...] Yada'atum(?) [...] (Break) [...] 6 gur [...] 1 gur [...] Zakuri(?) [...] 6 gur [...] Zakuri(?)”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
Amar-Suena and Enki's Temple (Amar-Suena A)
In plain English
A protective deity and Amar-Suena are mentioned in heavily damaged opening lines, along with a temple struck with an axe and an abzu shrine. What survives more clearly describes the temple built with gold and decorated with lapis lazuli, and records that Amar-Suena threw himself into its construction. His own people turned against him, and foreign lands — the rest of that line is lost. In the first year the temple lay in ruins and he did not rebuild it; in the second year it still lay in ruins and he still did not rebuild it. Amar-Suena then grasped the divine powers of kingship, and the text breaks off as he set aside his royal garments for something the damaged surface no longer preserves.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“...... protective deity ....... Amar-Suena ...... his heart. He who ...... the temple with an axe ....... Amar-Suena ...... the abzu shrine. ...... built with gold, and decorated with lapis lazuli. He applied himself to building the temple; king Amar-Suena applied himself to building the temple. The people turned against the king, and the foreign countries ....... In the first year the temple remained in ruins, and he did not restore it. Amar-Suena ...... the divine powers of kingship. In the second year it remained in ruins, and he did not restore it. Amar-Suena ...... his royal garments for…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.4.3.1: Amar-Suena and Enki's Temple (Amar-Suena 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.2.4.3.1
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
An adab for Shu-ilishu (Shu-ilishu C)
In plain English
A few words survive from what was once a longer composition in praise of Shu-ilishu: a reference to august divine powers, and a prayer that something — the subject is lost — be prolonged on his behalf. The rest of the opening is too damaged to read. A closing label marks this as an adab, though the deity to whom it is addressed is broken away.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“...... august divine powers ....... May ...... prolong ...... for Cu-ilicu. Its uru. An adab of ....... (ll. 3 and 4 written as one line in source)”
Source: ETCSL c.2.5.2.3: An adab for Shu-ilishu (Shu-ilishu 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.2.5.2.3
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
An adab of Inana for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin H)
In plain English
Nintud rejoices at Inana's creation and has fixed a great destiny for her, shaping her brow to be beautiful, her body and form spectacular. Inana has been granted femininity and overflows with charm — she is the glory of the pure heavens, fit to be a queen. Several lines are too damaged to read. The surviving text then turns to Rim-Sîn: he has perfected the righteous and united them in a single voice, and the prayer closes wishing him years of abundance and sweet days of rejoicing in his role as shepherd-king.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“...... beloved of An ...... 1 line fragmentary Nintud is delighted at your creation, and has determined a great destiny for you. She has made your brow attractive, ....... Your limbs ......, your form spectacular. barsud. You have been decreed femininity, you are full of charm, Inana, glory of the pure heavens, fitted to be a queen, 4 lines fragmentary or unclear unknown no. of lines missing 2 lines fragmentary You have perfected the just, and made them speak with one voice; may you exercise your role as shepherd for years of abundance and sweet days of rejoicing. Rim-Sîn, you have perfected the just, and made them speak with one voice; may you exercise your role as shepherd for years of abundance and sweet days of rejoicing.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.6.9.8: An adab of Inana for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin H). 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.2.6.9.8
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
An adab of Inana for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-Ninurta D)
In plain English
Inana surpasses every god in the Anuna assembly and has gathered all divine powers into herself. Her gaze sweeps heaven and earth with sovereign authority; her divine plans are unalterable and far-reaching; her designs run as deep as the abzu, and no one has ever managed to fathom them. No god rivals her in the greatness of her deeds. She gathered her divine powers on an auspicious day and let none of them slip away, and kingship itself is held fast in her hand. She stands as an equal to An, deciding fates alongside him, and her decrees carry the same weight as Enlil's. In all of heaven and earth, she has no rival.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Goddess who excels the Anuna gods, who has gathered together all the divine powers! Your gaze is lordly as it surveys all the foreign lands in heaven and earth. Inana, lioness shining in the heavens, your divine powers are most complex, your cultic ordinances are unalterable, and your divine plans are influential. barsud. Your ideas are as profound as the abzu; no one is known to have perceived them. Your actions are very great, and there is no god to rival you. You fetched your divine powers on a favourable day, and none of them escaped you. You have secured the kingship, and nothing escapes from your hand. You have equal rank with An the king, and you decide destinies with him. Your utterances are as well-established as those of Enlil. Grandiloquent Inana, you have no rival in heaven or on earth.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.5.6.4: An adab of Inana for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-Ninurta 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.2.5.6.4
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
An adab of Ninurta for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-Ninurta C)
In plain English
Ninurta is hailed as a terror-inspiring dragon, a rising hurricane, a matchless warrior powerful enough that no foreign land escapes him. Fitted for heroism from before birth, he treats both settled cities and open wilderness as enemy territory. As he passes, heaven and earth tremble from east to west, as if a ferocious lion were moving through them. When he turns to crush a rebel land, he drives forward by day and rears up by night until that land is left flat on the ground — and if he merely lifts his gaze, even the great mountain ranges shake.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Hero, terror-inspiring dragon of exceptional fearsome terror, powerful Ninurta! Rising hurricane, ......, mighty possessor of august strength, who lets no foreign land escape! Fitted for heroism from the womb, unrivalled! barsud. You who treat as hostile the cities as well as the unsettled areas, the rebel lands -- Ninurta, as you pass by, like a terrifying fierce lion (?) you make heaven and earth tremble from east to west. When in judgment, like a hero possessing great strength, you batter a rebel land, by day you thrust, by night you rear up, and you leave the rebel land lying prone. If you merely lift your gaze, you make the great hills tremble (?) together.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.5.6.3: An adab of Ninurta for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-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.2.5.6.3
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
An adab to An for Lipit-Eshtar (Lipit-Eshtar C)
In plain English
An, the exalted lord who surpasses all other lords, the almighty grandfather of all the gods — a bull who makes seeds sprout, whose commands no one can countermand, who is clothed in awe on the mountain of pure divine powers and seated on the great throne-dais — has looked with lasting favor on Lipit-Eshtar. He has granted the prince a long life. Whatever An decrees stands firm; no god would dare oppose it. At the place where destinies are decided, all the Anuna gods assemble around him.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“The august lord, pre-eminent, with the most complex divine powers, almighty grandfather of all the lords -- barsud. -- head high, surpassing everyone, breed-bull, who makes the seeds sprout, whose name is respected, spreading great terror, whose august commands cannot be countermanded, who is imbued with awesomeness on the mountain of pure divine powers, who has taken his seat on the great throne-dais, An, the king of the gods -- cagbatuku. -- has looked at him with long-lasting favour, has looked at prince Lipit-Ectar with favour. He has bestowed on him a long life, he has bestowed on prince Lipit-Ectar a long life. The words of what An says are firmly established; no god would oppose them. At the place of where the destinies are to be decided, all the Anuna gods gather around him.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.5.5.3: An adab to An for Lipit-Eshtar (Lipit-Eshtar 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.2.5.5.3
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
An adab to An for Shu-Suen (Shu-Suen E)
In plain English
An unknown number of lines are lost from the beginning. What survives opens with a description of Shu-Suen as a warrior from birth, followed by his name and the epithet 'Wise Shu-Suen,' though the surrounding lines are heavily fragmented or entirely missing. A dais and language of beauty and ornament appear briefly before the text breaks again. When the text resumes, it records An determining the fates — holy An fixing the destinies — with the shrine of Ur named in connection with Shu-Suen, and An described as shining over him like sunlight. Several lines throughout are too damaged to read, and an unknown number remain completely lost.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“unknown no. of lines missing Warrior from birth ....... Cagbatuku. Wise Cu-Suen ....... 1 line fragmentary ...... dais ....... ...... the beauty and ornament ....... 2nd (?) barsud. An ....... Cu-Suen ....... 2 lines fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing 1 line fragmentary Cu-Suen ...... rising ....... Sa-gida. 1 line fragmentary Jicgijal of the sa-gida. As An determined the fates ....... Holy An determined the fates, ...... the shrine Urim ....... Like the sunlight An ...... for Cu-Suen. Its uru. An adab of An.”
Source: ETCSL c.2.4.4.5: An adab to An for Shu-Suen (Shu-Suen 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.2.4.4.5
Read the full tablet entry