All tablets.

A hymn to Nungal

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…

A love song of Shu-Suen (Shu-Suen A)

It was she who gave birth to the holy one, gave birth to the holy one; the queen gave birth to the holy one, Abi-simti (i.e. Cu-Suen's mother) gave birth to the holy one, the queen gave birth to the holy one -- my cloth beam of the cloth of pleasure, my Abi-simti! My warp beam placed for weaving, my queen Kubatum (i.e. Cu-Suen's concubine)! My one suited to a mane of hair, a wonder to behold, my lord Cu-Suen, my one ...... in words, my son of Culgi -- because I uttered, because I uttered, the lord gave me a gift, because I uttered an exclamation of joy, the lord gave me a gift. The lord gave me as a gift a golden pin, a lapis-lazuli seal. The lord gave me as a gift a golden ring, a silver ring.

A love song of Shu-Suen (Shu-Suen B)

Man of my heart, my beloved man, your allure is a sweet thing, as sweet as honey. Lad of my heart, my beloved man, your allure is a sweet thing, as sweet as honey. You have captivated me (?), of my own free will I will come to you. Man, let me flee with you -- into the bedroom. You have captivated me (?); of my own free will I shall come to you. Lad, let me flee with you -- into the bedroom. Man, let me do the sweetest things to you. My precious sweet, let me bring you honey. In the bedchamber dripping with honey let us enjoy over and over your allure, the sweet thing. Lad, let me do the sweetest things to you. My precious sweet, let me bring you honey.

A love song of Shu-Suen (Shu-Suen C)

My hair is lettuce, well watered. It is the sprout of a lettuce, well watered. Its tangled coils (?) have been tightened. My nursemaid has ...... them high and made my hair stag-like. She has tightened its small combs and brought order to my charms; my charms, my hair, the lettuce, is the fairest of plants. The brother has brought me into his life-giving gaze, Cu-Suen, the ...... handsome man, has chosen me. ...... my allure is without end, 1 line fragmentary 5 lines missing You are our lord, you are our lord, of silver and lapis lazuli, you are our lord. You are our farmer who brings superb grain.

A love song of Shulgi (Shulgi Z)

"The ...... because of you does not ....... My brother, the ...... because of you does not ....... Lad (?), the ...... because of you does not ....... My beloved, the ...... because of you does not ....... My fairest of countenance, the ...... because of you does not ....... Its date clusters because of you are not placed in my hand. Its sheaves are ...... for me. Its ...... are not sweet for me. Grain ...... the silos (?)." "My sister, I would go with you to my fields. My fair sister, I would go with you to my fields. I would go with you to my large fields. I would go with you to my small fields. For my early grain irrigated with its early water, for my late grain irrigated with its late water, ...... its grain ...... sheaves .......

A man and his god

A person should steadfastly proclaim the exaltedness of his god. A young man should devoutly praise the words of his god; the people living in the righteous Land should unravel them like a thread. May the balaj singer assuage the spirit of his neighbour and friend. May it soothe their (?) hearts, bring forth ......, utter ......, and measure out ....... Let his mouth shaping a lament soothe the heart of his god, for a man without a god does not obtain food. There is a young man who does not wickedly put his efforts into evil murder, yet he spends the time in grief, asag illness and bitter…

A praise poem of Anam

Anam, lord, ......, ......, perfect in your broad wisdom, ......, who preserves Nibru, who prevents the city from having ......! Sweet breeze (?) of his city, father of the region of Unug, judge who ...... in his verdicts, reverent ......, who fears An and Inana! Who cherishes E-ana, who is happy there ...... in friendly words! Mighty ......, heart's desire of Inana, who reveres the ...... of the Land, ...... with head high, en priest of Inana, ......, all-knowing! ......, who batters the wrathful, ......, endowed with good looks, ...... who is fearsome; watching ......, richly endowed with…

A praise poem of Enlil-bani (Enlil-bani A)

Enlil-bani, wondrous king among the princes! Created by An, elevated by Enlil, like Utu the light of all lands, born to princedom, girded with all the divine powers, watched over by Enlil and listened to by Ninlil on account of the widespread people living at the boundary of heaven and earth! Fair of ......, lordly of limb! With the shepherd's crook you have settled innumerable people. Enlil-bani, great son of Enki, shepherd (1 ms. has instead: sage) and counsellor who guides living things, who spreads broad shade over all lands, grandiloquent prince whom great An has summoned, great mother Ninlil trusts in you.

A praise poem of Hammu-rabi (Hammu-rabi C)

Enki has esteemed him truly in the shrine, the august place -- the king who loves purification rites and is well-suited to the pure divine powers, the king who is skilled in the precious plans, who is reverent, eloquent and deft (?), the shepherd, favourite of lord Nunamnir and beloved of mother Ninlil, who ...... great food offerings in E-kur, who delights (?) the great prince Enki, ......, who is cherished by holy Damgalnuna: the good shepherd Hammu-rabi. The king has ...... everything in the shrine E-kic-nujal. Hammu-rabi, whose ....... Daily he ...... Nanna and Ningal. The king whose joy is ...... has restored the purification rites, plans and divine powers ....... He will stand there before you ......, o youth Suen, fulfilling ...... all your requirements.

A praise poem of Iddin-Dagan (Iddin-Dagan B)

Iddin-Dagan, in his majestic location An has decided a great fate for you, has made the just crown shine for you, has raised you to shepherdship over the Land, has placed the foreign lands at your feet. Enlil has looked at you truly, Iddin-Dagan, he has spoken truly to you. Enlil has commanded you to keep firm the cosmic bond in Sumer, to keep the people on the track, to let Sumer and Akkad relax under your broad protection, to let the people eat noble food and drink fresh water. Iddin-Dagan, you are the shepherd in his heart, the one whom Enlil has spoken to truly. Enki has brought to you, Iddin-Dagan, broad understanding, knowledge of everything, wise command, a life (?) that comes from the mouth of a lion. May all the foreign lands praise you.

A praise poem of Lipit-Eshtar (Lipit-Eshtar A)

I am a king treated with respect, good offspring from the womb. I am Lipit-Ectar, the son of Enlil. From the moment I lifted my head like a cedar sapling, I have been a man who possesses strength in athletic pursuits. As a young man I grew very muscular (?). I am a lion in all respects (3 mss. have instead: to the extremes (?)), having no equal. I am a gaping dragon, a source of great awe for the soldiers. I am like the Anzud bird, peering about in the heart of the mountains. I am a wild bull whom nobody dares oppose in its anger. I am a bison, sparkling with beautiful eyes, having a…

A praise poem of Sîn-iddinam (Sîn-iddinam A)

...... who worships ....... Sîn-iddinam ...... his departing boat. He provided flour, gold and grain, befitting the great lady. ...... all this choice (?) grain ...... the lapis lazuli E-kur. He transported this cargo to the Quay of Life, the quay of Urim. Joyously he brought it into the majestic house, the house of Suen. Nanna was delighted with the king, and Ningal ...... to him. Nanna was delighted with Sîn-iddinam, and Ningal ...... to him. The Anuna, the great gods, blessed him. He had brought to complete perfection the plenitude, the pure first-fruit offerings, the first-fruit offerings of the new year. (1 ms. adds 1 line: He had transported this cargo to the Quay of Life, the quay of Urim.)

A praise poem of Shulgi (Shulgi A)

I am a child born of Ninsun. I am the choice of holy An's heart. I am the man whose fate was decided by Enlil. I am Culgi, the beloved of Ninlil. I am he who is cherished by Nintud. I am he who was endowed with wisdom by Enki. I am the powerful king of Nanna. I am the growling lion of Utu. I am Culgi, who has been chosen by Inana for his attractiveness. I am a mule, most suitable for the road. I am a horse, whose tail waves on the highway. I am a stallion of Cakkan, eager to run. (1 ms.: I am a donkey of Cakkan, who loves running.) I am a knowledgeable scribe of Nisaba; I have perfected my wisdom just as my heroism and my strength(1 ms. has instead: my distinction). Reliable words can reach (?) me. I cherish righteousness but do not tolerate wickedness. I hate anyone who speaks wickedly.

A praise poem of Shulgi (Shulgi B)

To make his name famous for all time until distant days, and to transmit to posterity and the days to come the praise poems of his power, the songs of his might, and the lasting fame of his exceptional intelligence, King Culgi, king of Urim, has brought the songs' latent wisdom before the mighty son of Ninsumun. He praises his own power in song, and lauds his own superior native intelligence: I am a king, offspring begotten by a king and borne by a queen. I, Culgi the noble, have been blessed with a favourable destiny right from the womb. When I was small, I was at the academy, where I…

A praise poem of Shulgi (Shulgi C)

I am the king, a wild bull of acknowledged strength, a lion with wide-open jaws! I am Culgi, a wild bull of acknowledged strength, a lion with wide-open jaws! I am a great storm let loose from heaven, sending its splendour far and wide! I am good stock, with brindled body, engendered by a breed-bull! I am a king born from a cow, resting amid butter and milk! I am the calf of a thick-necked white cow, reared in the cow-pen! Dressed in a ...... royal robe and holding out a sceptre, I am perfect for ....... I am also the good shepherd who takes joy in justice, the scourge and stick of all evil!…

A praise poem of Shulgi (Shulgi E)

Enlil, foundation platform of heaven and earth, who holds the crook that makes the Land firm, whose beard flows over the mountains, who reveres his own divine powers -- Enlil, the everlasting shepherd of the Land, has addressed me, Culgi, king of Urim, favourably, looking at me with wide-open eyes. In the overflowing of his heart, the lord bestowed the sceptre on me. Everywhere the word of Enlil has brought benefits to me, who was specially crowned in brick-built Eridug; to me, who was invested with the lapis-lazuli diadem in Unug; to me, the beloved shepherd of Nanna, fit for the throne. When I bring firewood (?), he looks at me and speaks gladly to me.

A praise poem of Shulgi (Shulgi O)

City worthy of the divine powers, according to its name: shrine Urim, raging storm of Sumer, battleground -- and well established! Origin of human seed, consolidating the foundations of the Land, abundance -- and well established! Lofty dais of An, pure place, holy place, provider of first-fruit offerings for An to refresh himself, dripping with syrup and wine -- and well established! Du-ur, celebrated place of Enlil, in whose interior are the assigned divine powers, place whose destiny was decreed by father Enlil, great dais -- and well established! Eridug, shrine expert in decreeing the…

A praise poem of Shulgi (Shulgi P)

1 line fragmentary ...... shining ....... He (probably Lugalbanda) spoke to her (probably Ninsun) tenderly ......: "He will accomplish precisely the fate determined for him. Your father holy An will make his branches spread as if he were a sappy cedar planted among hacur trees." Then my lady stepped up (?) to the word of An, Ninsun made a fateful decision with her spouse, holy Lugalbanda; she attended to his supplication. She went straight to holy An in the Ubcu-unkena: "My father, An, you are the king among the gods! I have looked through the land in all its extent and among its black-headed people who are as numerous as ewes, and I have elevated Culgi for me high above their head. May he be their trustworthy shepherd!

A praise poem of Shulgi (Shulgi V)

Enlil, the beaming light, ......, whose utterance is immutable, the most powerful of the Anuna gods, ......, looked (?) favourably (?) at Culgi, the fearsome dragon ......, the king, the creation of his hands. He granted (?) him great stength. His roar fills (?) the whole extent (?) of heaven and earth. In the E-kur, the great snake of the deep, ......, in Dur-an-ki, which lavishly ...... the eternal divine powers, ......, Enlil determined a great fate from the womb for the long-enduring sapling of the brickwork founded by the princely one, Culgi, who was born for a prosperous reign: "Make the people obedient, you enduring king of the multitudes!"

A praise poem of Shulgi (Shulgi X)

The king sailed to Unug towards the princely divine powers. Sumer and Akkad marvelled at him as he moored the boat at the quay of Kulaba. With a large wild bull of the mountains with uplifted horns, and with a sheep led by the hand of an en priest at his right side, with a dappled kid and a bearded kid clasped to his breast, he entered before Inana in the shrine of E-ana. Culgi, the good shepherd, a heart in love, dressed himself in the ma garment and put a hili wig on his head as a crown. Inana looked at him with admiration and spontaneously struck up a song, singing the words: "When I have…

A prayer for Rim-Sin entering the gate (Rim-Sin D)

Rim-Sîn, king of abundance, august doyen of rulers, may right and justice be your helpers. May they make a good ...... for you. May they make ...... for you. Rim-Sîn, named with a name by An and Enlil, when you enter the Great Gate, the gate of Urim, may the favourable protective god and the protective goddess of peace, gatekeepers of the Great Gate, shine upon you ....... May they bring you back an answer of life and peace ...... to your greeting which they bring before Nanna and Ningal. May they cause a good ...... that brings happiness, a mood of encouragement, to issue for you…

A prayer for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin E)

......, 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…

A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna B)

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.

A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna C)

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…

A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna G)

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.

Religion & MythWriting & Literature

A shir-namshub to Nisaba (Nisaba B)

...... is destroyed. ...... is destroyed. It is destroyed. ...... of Nisaba is destroyed. The house of Nisaba, her of the tablets, is destroyed. The house of ...... is destroyed. The house of Nunbarcegunu is destroyed. ......, the E-hamun is destroyed. The plants of lamentation have sprouted; the cumunda grass has sprouted. By the walls the long grass has sprouted. Amongst them, the willow trees are everywhere. As for the word of An and the word of Enlil, the angry heart of great An is everywhere, and the malign heart of Enlil is everywhere. (Nisaba speaks:) "In my house, may the moonlight in…

A song of Inana and Dumuzi (Dumuzi-Inana W)

4 lines missing 2 lines fragmentary May my sheep eat my ...... which is growing in the fields, my plants, my camel-thorn. May my sheep eat my ......, my plants, my winnowed barley. May my sheep eat my life of the Land which is growing in the fields, my plants, my stubble. May my sheep eat my support of orphans and sustenance of widows, my plants, my cakir plants. May my sheep eat my string of clay balls (?) which is growing in the fields, my plants, my colocynth. May my sheep eat my beer wort mixed with honey, my plants, my marsh reeds. May my sheep eat my calves going together with their bulls, my plants, my reed shoots. May my sheep eat my blossoming garden of apple trees, my plants, my rising reeds.

A song of Inana and Dumuzid (Dumuzid-Inana C1)

2 lines fragmentary Ninegala, your wedding ushers are lords! ...... like someone cracking eggs ....... Inana, your ushers are lords! ...... is first, ...... is second, 1 line fragmentary the fowler ......, and the fisherman from the depths of the reed-beds. "I will send a messenger to the shepherd: let him treat me to the best butter and the best milk! I will send a messenger to my farmer: let him treat me to ...... and wine! I, the lady, will send a messenger to the fowler, whose bird-nets are spread out: let him treat me to fine birds! I, Inana, will send a messenger to the fisherman too whose nets are set up in the reed-beds: let him treat me to fat carp!"

A song of Inana and Dumuzid (Dumuzid-Inana D1)

The ...... of E-temen-ni-guru, the organisation of the house of Eridug, the radiance of the house of Suen, and the erected banners of the E-ana were all given as gifts to the house. My good house floats like a cloud; its name too is a favourable omen. He who excels at the ceremonies of queenship has lined with his straw the flowered couch, inlaid with lapis lazuli, which Gibil has purified for you in the Iri-gal shrine and, in the house which he has sanctified for you with his sweet reeds, he is performing the purification rites for you. On the day of the moon's disappearance, the day appointed (?), the day when the couch will be inspected, the day when the lord will make love, grant life to the lord and give the staff and the crook to the lord!

AAICAB 1/1, pl. 058, 1924-0519

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AAICAB 1/1, pl. 058, 1924-0519. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AAICAB 1/3, pl. 205, Bod B 26 (133)

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) ?) — AAICAB 1/3, pl. 205, Bod B 26 (133). No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 030

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 030. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 031

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 031. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 032

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 032. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 033

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 033. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 034

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 034. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 035

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 035. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 036

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 036. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 037

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 037. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 038

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 038. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 039

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 039. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 040

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 040. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 041

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 041. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 042

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 042. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 043

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 043. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 044

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 044. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 045

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 045. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 046

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 046. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 047

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 047. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).

AbB 10, 048

Catalogue entry from CDLI (Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)) — AbB 10, 048. No scholarly translation has been published; the transliteration is from the ATF (CDLI's Atf-Friendly format).