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The lament for Sumer and Urim: translation

^1-2To overturn theappointed times, to obliterate the divine plans, the storms gather to strikelike a flood.

^{3-11 (and 55)}An,Enlil,Enki andNinhursaja(2 mss. have instead:Ninmah) have decided its fate -- to overturn thedivine powers ofSumer, to lock up the favourable reignin its home, to destroy the city, to destroy the house, to destroy thecattle-pen, to level the sheepfold; that the cattle should not stand in thepen, that the sheep should not multiply in the fold, that watercourses shouldcarry brackish water, that weeds should grow in the fertile fields, thatmourning plants should grow in the open country,

^12-21that the mothershould not seek out her child, that the father should not say "O my dearwife!", that the junior wife should take no joy in his embrace, that the youngchild should not grow vigorous on his knee, that the wet-nurse should not singlullabies; to change the location of kingship, to defile the seeking oforacles, to take kingship away from the Land, to cast the eye of the storm onall the land, to obliterate the divine plans by the order ofAn andEnlil;

^22-26afterAn had frowned upon all the lands, afterEnlil had looked favourably on an enemy land, afterNintud had scattered the creatures that she had created, afterEnki had altered the course of theTigris andEuphrates, afterUtu had cast his curse on the roads and highways;

^27-37so as toobliterate the divine powers ofSumer, to change itspreordained plans, to alienate the divine powers of the reign of kingship ofUrim, to humiliate the princely son in his houseE-kic-nu-jal, to break up the unity of the people ofNanna, numerous as ewes; to change the food offerings ofUrim, the shrine of magnificent food offerings; thatits people should no longer dwell in their quarters, that they should be givenover to live in an inimical place; thatCimacki andElam, the enemy, should dwell in their place; that itsshepherd, in his own palace, should be captured by the enemy, thatIbbi-Suen should be taken to the landElam in fetters, that from MountZabuon the edge of the sea to the borders ofAncan, like aswallow that has flown from its house, he should never return to his city;

^38-46that on the twobanks of theTigris and of theEuphrates bad weeds should grow, that no one should set out on theroad, that no one should seek out the highway, that the city and its settledsurroundings should be razed to ruin-mounds; that its numerous black-headedpeople should be slaughtered; that the hoe should not attack the fertilefields, that seed should not be planted in the ground, that the melody of thecowherds' songs should not resound in the open country, that butter and cheeseshould not be made in the cattle-pen, that dung should not be stacked on theground, that the shepherd should not enclose the sacred sheepfold with a fence,that the song of the churning should not resound in the sheepfold;

^47-55to decimate theanimals of the open country, to finish off all living things, that thefour-legged creatures ofCakkan should lay no more dungon the ground, that the marshes should be so dry as to be full of cracks andhave no new seed, that sickly-headed reeds should grow in the reed-beds, thatthey should be covered by a stinking morass, that there should be no new growthin the orchards, that it should all collapse by itself -- so as quickly tosubdueUrim like a roped ox, to bow its neck to theground: the great charging wild bull, confident in its own strength, theprimeval city of lordship and kingship, built on sacred ground.

^56-57Its fate cannotbe changed. Who can overturn it? It is the command ofAn andEnlil. Who can oppose it?

^58-68An frightened the very dwellings ofSumer,the people were afraid.Enlil blew an evil storm,silence lay upon the city.Nintud bolted the door ofthe storehouses of the Land.Enki blocked the water intheTigris and theEuphrates.Utu took away the pronouncement of equity and justice.Inana handed over victory in strife and battle to arebellious land.Ninjirsu pouredSumer away like milk to the dogs. Turmoil descended upon the Land,something that no one had ever known, something unseen, which had no name,something that could not be fathomed. The lands were confused in their fear.The god of the city turned away, its shepherd vanished.

^69-78The people, intheir fear, breathed only with difficulty. The storm immobilised them, thestorm did not let them return. There was no return for them, the time ofcaptivity did not pass. What didEnlil, the shepherd ofthe black-headed people, do? Enlil, to destroy the loyal households, todecimate the loyal men, to put the evil eye on the sons of the loyal men, onthe first-born,Enlil then sent downGutium from the mountains. Their advance was as the flood ofEnlil that cannot be withstood. The great wind of thecountryside filled the countryside, it advanced before them. The extensivecountryside was destroyed, no one moved about there.

^79-92The dark timewas roasted by hailstones and flames. The bright time was wiped out by ashadow.(2 mss. add 2 lines: On that bloody day,mouths were crushed, heads were crashed. The storm was a harrow coming fromabove, the city was struck by a hoe.) On that day, heaven rumbled, theearth trembled, the storm worked without respite. Heaven was darkened, it wascovered by a shadow; the mountains roared.Utu lay downat the horizon, dust passed over the mountains.Nannalay at the zenith, the people were afraid. The city ...... stepped outside. Theforeigners in the city even chased away its dead. Large trees were uprooted,the forest growth was ripped out. The orchards were stripped of their fruit,they were cleaned of their offshoots. The crop drowned while it was still onthe stalk, the yield of the grain diminished.
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^93-103They piled...... up in heaps, they spread ...... out like sheaves. There were corpsesfloating in theEuphrates, brigands roamed the roads.The father turned away from his wife without saying "O my wife!" The motherturned away from her child without saying "O my child!" He who had a productiveestate neglected his estate without saying "O my estate!" The rich man took anunfamiliar path away from his possessions. In those days the kingship of theLand was defiled. The tiara and crown that had been on the king's head wereboth spoiled. The lands that had followed the same path were split intodisunity. The food offerings ofUrim, the shrine ofmagnificent food offerings, were changed for the worse.Nanna traded away his people, numerous as ewes.

^104-111Its king satimmobilised in the palace, all alone.Ibbi-Suen was sitting in anguish in the palace, all alone. InE-namtila, his place of delight, he wept bitterly. Thedevastating flood was levelling everything. Like a great storm it roared overthe earth -- who could escape it? -- to destroy the city, to destroy the house,so that traitors would lie on top of loyal men and the blood of traitors flowupon loyal men.

¹¹²1stkirugu.

¹¹³The storms gatherto strike like a flood.

¹¹⁴Jicgijalto thekirugu.

^115-122The house ofKic,Hursaj-kalama, wasdestroyed.Zababa took an unfamiliar path away from hisbeloved dwelling. MotherBau was lamenting bitterly inherE-Iri-kug. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyedhouse," she cried bitterly.
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"Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

^123-132Kazallu, the city of teeming multitudes, was cast into confusion.Numucda took an unfamiliar path away from the city, hisbeloved dwelling. His wifeNamrat, the beautiful lady,was lamenting bitterly. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," shecried bitterly. Its river bed was empty, no water flowed. Like a river cursedbyEnki its opening channel was dammed up. On thefields fine grains grew no more, people had nothing to eat. The orchards werescorched like an oven, its open country was scattered. The four-legged wildanimals did not run about. The four-legged creatures ofCakkan could find no rest.

^133-142Lugal-Marda stepped outside his city.Ninzuana took an unfamiliar path away from her beloved dwelling."Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.Isin, the shrine that was not a quay, was split by onrushingwaters.Nininsina, the mother of the Land, wept bittertears. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.Enlil smoteDur-an-ki with amace.Enlil made lamentation in his city, the shrineNibru. MotherNinlil, the ladyof theKi-ur shrine, wept bitter tears. "Alas, thedestroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

^143-154Kec, built all alone on the high open country, was haunted.Adab, the settlement which stretches out along the river,was treated as a rebellious land.(1 ms. has instead: was deprived of water.) The snake ofthe mountains made his lair there, it became a rebellious land. TheGutians bred there, issued their seed.Nintud wept bitter tears over her creatures. "Alas, the destroyedcity, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. InZabalam the sacredGiguna was haunted.Inana abandonedUnug and wentoff to enemy territory. In theE-ana the enemy set eyesupon the sacred Jipar shrine. The sacred Jipar ofen-ship was defiled.Itsen priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off to enemyterritory. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she criedbitterly.

^155-162A violentstorm blew overUmma, brickwork in the midst of thehighlands.Cara took an unfamiliar path away from theE-mah, his beloved dwelling.Ninmul cried bitter tears over her destroyed city. "Oh my city,whose charms can no longer satisfy me," she cried bitterly.Jirsu, the city of heroes, was afflicted with a lightning storm.Ninjirsu took an unfamiliar path away from theE-ninnu. MotherBau wept bitter tearsin herE-Iri-kug. "Alas, the destroyed city, mydestroyed house," she cried bitterly.

^163-173On that daythe word ofEnlil was an attacking storm. Who couldfathom it? The word ofEnlil was destruction on theright, was ...... on the left. What didEnlil do inorder to decide the fate of mankind?Enlil brought downtheElamites, the enemy, from the highlands.Nance, the noble daughter, was settled outside the city. FireapproachedNinmarki in the shrineGu-aba. Large boats were carrying off its silver and lapis lazuli.The lady, sacredNinmarki, was despondent because ofher perished goods. Then the day ......, burning like ....... The province ofLagac was handed over toElam.And then the queen also reached the end of her time.

^174-184Bau, as if she were human, also reached the end of her time: "Woeis me!Enlil has handed over the city to the storm. Hehas handed it over to the storm that destroys cities. He has handed it over tothe storm that destroys houses."Dumuzid-abzu was fullof fear in the house ofKinirca.Kinirca, the city of her noble youth, was ordered to be plundered.The city ofNance,Nijin, wasdelivered to the foreigners.Sirara, her beloveddwelling, was handed over to the evil ones. "Alas, the destroyed city, mydestroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar ofen-ship wasdefiled. Itsen priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off toenemy territory.

^185-192Mightystrength was set against the banks of theId-nuna-Nanna canal. The settlements of theE-danna ofNanna, like substantialcattle-pens, were destroyed. Their refugees, like stampeding goats, were chased(?) by dogs. They destroyedGaec like milk poured outto dogs, and shattered its finely fashioned statues. "Alas, the destroyed city,my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar ofen-ship wasdefiled. Itsen priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off toenemy territory.

^193-205A lament wasraised at the dais that stretches out toward heaven. Its heavenly throne wasnot set up, was not fit to be crowned (?). It was cut down as if it were a datepalm and tied together.Accu, the settlement thatstretches out along the river, was deprived of water. At the place ofNanna where evil had never walked, the enemy walked. How wasthe house treated thus? TheE-puhruma was emptied.Ki-abrig, which used to be filled with numerous cowsand numerous calves, was destroyed like a mighty cattle-pen.Ningubalag took an unfamiliar path away from theJa-bur.Niniagar wept bitter tears allalone. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Itssacred Jipar ofen-ship was defiled. Itsen priest was snatchedfrom the Jipar and carried off to enemy territory.

^206-213Ninazu deposited his weapon in a corner in theE-gida. An evil storm swept overNinhursajaat theE-nutura. Like a pigeon she flew from thewindow, she stood apart in the open country. "Alas, the destroyed city, mydestroyed house," she cried bitterly. InJicbanda, thehouse that was filled with lamentation, lamentation reeds grew.Ninjiczida took an unfamiliar path away fromJicbanda.Azimua, the queen of the city,wept bitter tears. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she criedbitterly.

^214-220On that day,the storm forced people to live in darkness. In order to destroyKuara, it forced people to live in darkness.Ninehama in her fear wept bitter tears. "Alas the destroyed city,my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.Asarluhi puthis robes on with haste and .......Lugalbanda took anunfamiliar path away from his beloved dwelling.(1 ms.adds:Ninsun .......) "Alas the destroyedcity, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.

^221-224Eridug, floating on great waters, was deprived (?) of drinkingwater. In its outer environs, which had turned into haunted plains, ....... Theloyal man in a place of treachery .......Ka-hejala andIgi-hejala .......

^225-233"I, a youngman whom the storm has not destroyed, ....... I, not destroyed by the storm, myattractiveness not brought to an end, ....... We have been struck down likebeautiful boxwood trees. We have been struck down like ...... with colouredeyes. We have been struck down like statues being cast in moulds. TheGutians, the vandals, are wiping us out. We turned to fatherEnki in theabzu ofEridug. ...... what can we say, what more can we add? ...... whatcan we say, what more can we add?

^234-242"...... wehave been driven out ofEridug. We who were in chargeof ...... during the day are eclipsed (?) by shadows. We who were in charge of...... during the night are ...... by the storm. How shall we receive among ourweary ones him who was in charge during the day? How shall we let him who wasin charge by night go astray among our sleepless ones?Enki, your city has been cursed, it has been given to an enemyland. Why do they reckon us among those who have been displaced fromEridug? Why do they destroy us like palm trees, us who werenot violent? Why do they break us up, like a new boat that has not ......?"

^243-250AfterEnki had cast his eyes on a foreign land,
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...... have risen up, have called on their cohorts.Enki took an unfamiliar path away fromEridug.Damgalnuna, the mother of theE-mah, wept bitter tears. "Alas the destroyed city, mydestroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar ofen-ship wasdefiled. Itsen priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried off toenemy territory.

^251-259InUrim no one went to fetch food, no one went to fetch water.Those who went to fetch food, went away from the food and will not return.Those who went to fetch water, went away from the water and will not return. Tothe south, theElamites stepped in, slaughtering....... In the uplands, the vandals, the enemy, ....... TheTidnum daily strapped the mace to their loins. To the south, theElamites, like an onrushing wave, were ....... In theuplands, like chaff blowing in the wind, they ...... over the open country.Urim, like a great charging wild bull, bowed its neckto the ground.

^260-271What didEnlil, who decides the fates, then do? Again he sentdown theElamites, the enemy, from the mountains. Theforemost house, firmly founded, ....... In order to destroyKisiga, ten men, even five men ....... Three days and three nightsdid not pass, ...... the city was raked by a hoe.Dumuzid leftKisiga like a prisoner of war,his hands were fettered.
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^271-280She rode awayfrom her possessions, she went to the mountains. She loudly sang out a lamentover those brightly lit mountains: "I am queen, but I shall have to ride awayfrom my possessions, and now I shall be a slave in those parts. I shall have toride away from my silver and lapis lazuli, and now I shall be a slave in thoseparts. There, slavery, ...... people, who can ...... it? There, slavery,Elam ......, who can ...... it? Alas, the destroyed city, mydestroyed house," she cried bitterly. My queen, though not the enemy, went toenemy land.Ama-ucumgal-ana ......Kisiga. Like a city .......

²⁸¹2ndkirugu.

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²⁸⁴Jicgijalto thekirugu.

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^292-302Enlil threw open the door of the grand gate to the wind. InUrim no one went to fetch food, no one went to fetch water.Its people rushed around like water being poured from a well. Their strengthebbed away, they could not even go on their way.Enlilafflicted the city with an evil famine. He afflicted the city with that whichdestroys cities, that which destroys houses. He afflicted the city with thatwhich cannot be withstood with weapons. He afflicted the city withdissatisfaction and treachery. InUrim, which was likea solitary reed, there was not even fear. Its people, like fish being grabbedin a pond, sought to escape. Its young and old lay spread about, no one couldrise.

^303-317At the royalstation (?) there was no food on top of the platform (?). The king who used toeat marvellous food grabbed at a mere ration. As the day grew dark, the eye ofthe sun was eclipsing, the people experienced hunger. There was no beer in thebeer-hall, there was no more malt for it. There was no food for him in hispalace, it was unsuitable to live in. Grain did not fill his lofty storehouse,he could not save his life. The grain-piles and granaries ofNanna held no grain. The evening meal in the great dining hall ofthe gods was defiled. Wine and syrup ceased to flow in the great dining hall.The butcher's knife that used to slay oxen and sheep lay hungry in the grass.Its mighty oven no longer cooked oxen and sheep, it no longer emitted the aromaof roasting meat. The sounds of thebursaj building, the pure ...... ofNanna, were stilled. The house which used to bellowlike a bull was silenced. Its holy deliveries were no longer fulfilled, its...... were alienated. The mortar, pestle and grinding stone lay idle; no onebent down over them.

^318-327The ShiningQuay ofNanna was silted up. The sound of water againstthe boat's prow ceased, there was no rejoicing. Dust piled up in theunuribanda ofNanna. The rushes grew, the rushesgrew, the mourning reeds grew. Boats and barges ceased docking at the ShiningQuay. Nothing moved on your watercourse which was fit for barges. The plans ofthe festivals at the place of the divine rituals were altered. The boat withfirst-fruit offerings of the father who begotNanna nolonger brought first-fruit offerings. Its food offerings could not be taken toEnlil inNibru. Its watercoursewas empty, barges could not travel.

^328-339There were nopaths on either of its banks, long grass grew there. The reed fence of thewell-stocked cattle-pen ofNanna was split open. Thereed huts were overrun, their walls were breached. The cows and their youngwere captured and carried off to enemy territory. Themunzer-fed cowstook an unfamiliar path in an open country that they did not know.Gayau, who loves cows, dropped his weapon in the dung.Cuni-dug, who stores butter and cheese, did not store butter andcheese. Those who are unfamiliar with butter were churning the butter. Thosewho are unfamiliar with milk were curdling (?) the milk. The sound of thechurning vat did not resound in the cattle-pen. Like mighty fire that onceburnt, its smoke is extinguished. The great dining hall ofNanna .......

^340-349Suen wept to his fatherEnlil: "O fatherwho begot me, why have you turned away from my city which was built (?) foryou? OEnlil, why have you turned away from myUrim which was built (?) for you? The boat with first-fruitofferings no longer brings first-fruit offerings to the father who begot him.Your food offerings can no longer be brought toEnlilinNibru. Theen priests of the countryside andcity have been carried off by phantoms.Urim, like acity raked by a hoe, is to be counted as a ruin-mound. TheKi-ur,Enlil's resting-place, has become ahaunted shrine. OEnlil, gaze upon your city, an emptywasteland. Gaze upon your cityNibru, an emptywasteland.

^350-356"The dogs ofUrim no longer sniff at the base of the city wall. Theman who used to drill large wells scratches the ground in the market place. Myfather who begot me, enclose in your embrace my city which is all alone.Enlil, return to your embrace myUrimwhich is all alone. Enclose in your embrace myE-kic-nu-jal which is all alone. May you bring forth offspring inUrim, may you multiply its people. May you restore thedivine powers ofSumer that have been forgotten."

³⁵⁷3rdkirugu.

³⁵⁸O good house,good house! O its people, its people!

³⁵⁹Jicgijal.

^360-370Enlil then answered his sonSuen: "There islamentation in the haunted city, reeds of mourning grow there.(1 ms. adds the line: In its midst there is lamentation, reedsof mourning grow there.) In its midst the people pass their days insighing.(1 ms. adds the line: My son, the noble son......, why do you concern yourself with crying?) OhNanna, the noble son ......, why do you concern yourself withcrying? The judgment uttered by the assembly cannot be reversed. The word ofAn andEnlil knows nooverturning.Urim was indeed given kingship but it wasnot given an eternal reign. From time immemorial, since the Land was founded,until people multiplied, who has ever seen a reign of kingship that would takeprecedence for ever? The reign of its kingship had been long indeed but had toexhaust itself. O myNanna, do not exert yourself invain, abandon your city."

^371-377Then my king,the noble son, became distraught. LordAcimbabbar, thenoble son, grieved.Nanna who loves his city left hiscity.Suen took an unfamiliar path away from hisbelovedUrim. In order to go as an exile from her cityto foreign territory,Ningal quickly clothed herselfand left the city. TheAnuna stepped outside ofUrim.

^378-388......approachedUrim. The trees ofUrim were sick, its reeds were sick. Laments sounded all along itscity wall. Daily there was slaughter before it. Large axes were sharpened infront ofUrim. The spears, the arms of battle, wereprepared. The large bows, javelin and shield gathered together to strike. Thebarbed arrows covered its outer side like a raining cloud. Large stones, oneafter another, fell with great thuds.(1 ms. adds theline: Daily the evil wind returned in the city.)Urim, confident in its own strength, stood ready for the murderers.Its people, oppressed by the enemy, could not withstand their weapons.

^389-402In the city,those who had not been felled by weapons succumbed to hunger. Hunger filled thecity like water, it would not cease. This hunger contorted people's faces,twisted their muscles. Its people were as if drowning in a pond, they gaspedfor breath. Its king breathed heavily in his palace, all alone. Its peopledropped their weapons, their weapons hit the ground. They struck their neckswith their hands and cried. They sought counsel with each other, they searchedfor clarification: "Alas, what can we say about it? What more can we add to it?How long until we are finished off by this catastrophe? InsideUrim there is death, outside it there is death. Inside it we are tobe finished off by famine. Outside it we are to be finished off byElamite weapons. InUrim the enemyoppresses us, oh, we are finished."

^403-410The peopletook refuge (?) behind the city walls. They were united in fear. The palacethat was destroyed by onrushing water was defiled, its doorbolts were torn out.Elam, like a swelling flood wave, left (?) only theghosts. InUrim people were smashed as if they wereclay pots. Its refugees were unable to flee, they were trapped inside thewalls.(1 ms. adds 3 lines: Like fish living in apond, they tried to escape. The enemy seized theE-kic-nu-jal ofNanna. They ripped out itsheavy .......) The statues that were in the treasury were cut down. Thegreat stewardessNiniagar ran away from the storehouse.Its throne was cast down before it, she threw herself down into the dust.

^411-419Its mightycows with shining horns were captured, their horns were cut off. Itsunblemished oxen and grass-fed sheep were slaughtered.(1ms. adds the line: They were cut down as date palms and were tiedtogether.) The palm-trees, strong as mighty copper, the heroic strength,were torn out like rushes, were plucked like rushes, their trunks were turnedsideways. Their tops lay in the dust, there was no one to raise them. Themidriffs of their palm fronds were cut off and their tops were burnt off. Theirdate spadices that used to fall (?) on the well were torn out. The fertilereeds, which grew in the sacred ......, were defiled. The great tribute thatthey had collected was hauled off to the mountains.

^420-434The house'sgreat door ornament fell down, its parapet was destroyed. The wild animals thatwere intertwined on its left and right lay before it like heroes smitten byheroes. Its gaping-mouthed dragons and its awe-inspiring lions were pulled downwith ropes like captured wild bulls and carried off to enemy territory. Thefragrance of the sacred seat ofNanna, formerly like afragrant cedar grove, was destroyed.(1 ms. adds theline: Its architrave ...... gold and lapis lazuli.) The glory ofthe house, whose glory was once so lovely, was extinguished. Like a storm thatfills all the lands, it was built there like twilight in the heavens; its doorsadorned with the heavenly stars, its ....... Great bronze latches ...... weretorn out. Its hinges ....... Together with its door fittings it (?) weptbitterly like a fugitive. The bolt, the holy lock and the great door were notfastened for it. The noise of the door being fastened had ceased; there was noone to fasten it. The ...... and was put out in the square.

^435-448The foodofferings ...... of his royal dining place were altered. In its sacred place(?) thetigi,cem andala instruments did not sound. Itsmightytigi ...... did not perform its sacred song. Verdicts were notgiven at theDubla-mah, the place where oaths used tobe taken. The throne was not set up at its place of judgment, justice was notadministered.Alamuc threw down his sceptre, his handstrembling. In the sacred bedchamber ofNanna musiciansno longer played thebalaj drum. The sacred box that no one had set eyesupon was seen by the enemy. The divine bed was not set up, it was not spreadwith clean hay. The statues that were in the treasury were cut down. The cook,the dream interpreter, and the seal keeper did not perform the ceremoniesproperly. They stood by submissively and were carried off by the foreigners.The holyusga priests of the sacred lustrations, the linen-clad priests,forsook the divine plans and sacred divine powers, they went off to a foreigncity.

^449-459In his griefSuen approached his father. He went down on his knee infront ofEnlil, the father who begot him: "O father whobegot me, how long will the enemy eye be cast upon my account, how long ......?The lordship and the kingship that you bestowed ......, fatherEnlil, the one who advises with just words, the wise words of theLand ......, your inimical judgment ......, look into your darkened heart,terrifying like waves. O fatherEnlil, the fate thatyou have decreed cannot be explained, the ...... of lordship, my ornament."...... he put on a garment of mourning.

^460-474Enlil then provided a favourable response to his sonSuen: "My son, the city built for you in joy and prosperity wasgiven to you as your reign. The destroyed city, the great wall, the walls withbroken battlements: all this too is part of that reign. ...... the black, blackdays of the reign that has been your lot. As for dwelling in your home, theE-temen-ni-guru, that was properly built -- indeedUrim shall be rebuilt in splendour, the people shallbow down to you. There is to be bounty at its base, there is to be grain. Thereis to be splendour at its top, the sun shall rejoice there. Let an abundance ofgrain embrace its table. MayUrim, the city whose fatewas pronounced byAn, be restored for you." Havingpronounced his blessing,Enlil raised his head towardthe heavens: "May the land, south and highland, be organised forNanna. May the roads of the mountains be set in order forSuen. Like a cloud hugging the earth, they shall submit tohim. By order ofAn andEnlilit shall be conferred."

^475-477AFatherNanna stood in his city ofUrim withhead raised high again. The youthSuen could enteragain into theE-kic-nu-jal.Ningal refreshed herself in her sacred living quarters.(1 ms. adds the line: InUrim shecould enter again into herE-kic-nu-jal.)

⁴⁷⁸4thkirugu.

^479-481There islamentation in the haunted city, mourning reeds grew there. In its midst thereis lamentation, mourning reeds grew there. Its people spend their days inmoaning.

⁴⁸²Jicgijal.

^483-492O bitterstorm, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. O storm that destroyscities, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. O storm that destroyshouses, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. Indeed the storm that blewonSumer, blew also on the foreign lands. Indeed thestorm that blew on the land, blew on the foreign lands. It has blown onTidnum, it has blown on the foreign lands. It has blown onGutium, it has blown on the foreign lands. It has blownonAncan, it has blown on the foreign lands. ItlevelledAncan like a blowing evil wind. Famine hasoverwhelmed the evildoer; those people will have to submit.

^493-504MayAn not change the divine powers of heaven, the divine plansfor treating the people with justice. MayAn not changethe decisions and judgments to lead the people properly. To travel on the roadsof the Land: mayAn not change it. MayAn andEnlil not change it, mayAn not change it. MayEnki andNinmah not change it, mayAn notchange it. That theTigris andEuphrates should again carry water: mayAnnot change it. That there should be rain in the skies and on the groundspeckled barley: mayAn not change it. That thereshould be watercourses with water and fields with grain: mayAn not change it. That the marshes should support fish and fowl:mayAn not change it. That old reeds and fresh reedsshould grow in the reed-beds: mayAn not change it. MayAn andEnlil not change it. MayEnki andNinmah not changeit.

^505-518That theorchards should bear syrup and grapes, that the high plain should bear themacgurum tree, that there should be long life in the palace, that thesea should bring forth every abundance: mayAn notchange it. The land densely populated from south to uplands: mayAn not change it. MayAn andEnlil not change it, mayAn not change it.MayEnki andNinmah not changeit, mayAn not change it. That cities should berebuilt, that people should be numerous, that in the whole universe the peopleshould be cared for; oNanna, your kingship is sweet,return to your place. May a good abundant reign be long-lasting inUrim. Let its people lie down in safe pastures, let them reproduce.O mankind ......, princess overcome by lamentation and crying! ONanna! O your city! O your house! O your people!

⁵¹⁹5thkirugu.

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Revision history

24.v.1998-15.v.1998 : GC : adapting translation
02.vi.1998-11.vi.1998 : JAB : proofreading
10.xi.1999 : GC : tagging
15.xii.1999 : ER : proofreading SGML
15.xii.1999 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file notchanged

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