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The debate between Bird and Fish: translation

^1-12In those ancientdays, when the good destinies had been decreed, and afterAn andEnlil had set up the divine rules ofheaven and earth, then the third of them, ......, the lord of broad wisdom,Enki, the master of destinies, gathered together ......and founded dwelling places; he took in his hand waters to encourage and creategood seed; he laid out side by side theTigris and theEuphrates, and caused them to bring water from themountains; he scoured out the smaller streams, and positioned the otherwatercourses. ......Enki made spacious sheepfolds andcattle-pens, and provided shepherds and herdsmen; he founded cities andsettlements throughout the earth, and made the black-headed multiply. Heprovided them with a king as shepherd, elevating him to sovereignty over them;the king rose as the daylight over the foreign countries.

^13-21......Enki knit together the marshlands, making young and old reedsgrow there; he made birds and fish teem in the pools and lagoons ......; hegave ...... all kinds of living creatures as their sustenance, ...... placedthem in charge of this abundance of the gods. WhenNudimmud, august prince, the lord of broad wisdom, had fashioned......, he filled the reed-beds and marshes with Fish and Bird, indicated tothem their positions and instructed them in their divine rules.

^22-28Then Fish laidits eggs in the lagoons; Bird built its nest in a gap in the reed-beds. ButBird frightened the Fish of the lagoons in its ....... Fish took up a stand andcried out. Grandiosely it initiated hostilities. It roused the street byquarrelling in an overbearing manner. Fish addressed Bird murderously:

^29-40"...... Bird,...... there is no insult ......! Croaking, ...... noise in the marshes......squawking! Forever gobbling away greedily, while your heart is dripping withevil! Standing on the plain, you can keep pecking away until they chase youoff! The farmer's sons lay lines and nets for you in the furrows. The gardenersets up nets against you in gardens and orchards. He cannot rest his arm fromfiring his sling; he cannot sit down because of you. You cause damage in thevegetable plots; you are a nuisance. In the damp parts of fields, there areyour unpleasing footprints. Bird, you are shameless: you fill the courtyardwith your droppings. The courtyard sweeper-boy who cleans the house chasesafter you with ropes. By your noise thehouse(1 ms. has instead: palace) is disturbed; your dindrives people away.

^41-53"They bring youinto the fattening shed. They let you moo like cattle, bleat like sheep. Theypour out cool water in jugs for you. They drag you away for the dailysacrifice. The fowler brings you with bound wings.(1 ms.adds: The fisherman brings you into the palace.) They tie up yourwings and beak. Your squawking is to no profit; what are you flapping about?With your ugly voice you frighten the night; no one can sleep soundly. Bird,get out of the marshes! Get this noise of yours off my back! Go out of hereinto a hole on the rubbish heap: that suits you!"

^51-56Thus Fishinsulted Bird on that day. But Bird, with multicoloured plumage andmulticoloured face, was convinced of its own beauty, and did not take to heartthe insults Fish had cast at it. As if it was a nursemaid singing a lullaby, itpaid no attention to the speech, despite the ugly words that were beinguttered.Then Bird answered Fish:(1 ms. has instead: It ...... insulted Fish; ...... said ......:)

^57-69"How has yourheart become so arrogant, while you yourself are so lowly? Your mouth is flabby(?), but although your mouth goes all the way round, you cannot see behind you.You are bereft of hips, as also of arms, hands and feet -- try bending yourneck to your feet! Your smell is awful; you make people throw up, they baretheir teeth at you! No trough would hold the kind of prepared food you eat. Hewho has carried you dares not let his hand touch his skin! In the great marshesand the wide lagoons, I am your persecuting demon. You cannot eat the sweetplants there, as my voice harasses you. You cannot travel with confidence inthe river, as my storm-cloud covers you. As you slip through the reed-beds youare always beneath my eyes. Some of your little ones are destined to be mydaily offering; you give them to me to allay my hunger. Some of your big onesare just as certainly destined for my banqueting hall ...... in the mud.
1 line unclear

^70-79"But I am thebeautiful and clever Bird! Fine artistry went into my adornment. But no skillhas been expended on your holy shaping! Strutting about in the royal palace ismy glory; my warbling is considered a decoration in the courtyard. The sound Iproduce, in all its sweetness, is a delight for the person ofCulgi, son ofEnlil. Fruits and produce ofgardens and orchards are the enormous daily offerings due to me. Groats, flourmalt, hulled barley and emmer (?) are sweet things to my mouth. How do you notrecognise my superiority from this? Bow your neck to the ground!"

^80-85Thus Birdinsulted Fish on that occasion. Fish became angry, and, trusting in its heroicstrength and solidness, swept across the bottom like a heavy rain cloud. Ittook up the quarrel. It did not take to heart the insults that Bird had cast atit. It could not bring itself to submit, but spoke unrestrainedly. Again Fishreplied to Bird:

^86-94"Chopped-offbeak and legs, deformed feet, cleft mouth, thin tongue! You clatter away inyour ignorance, with never any reflection! Gluttonous, malformed, filling thecourtyard with droppings! The little sweeper-boy sets nets in the house andchases you with ropes. The baker, the brewer, the porter, all those who live inthe house are annoyed with you. Bird, you have not examined the question of mygreatness; you have not taken due account of my nature. You could notunderstand my weakness and my strength; yet you spoke inflammatory words. Onceyou have really looked into my achievements, you will be greatly humbled. Yourspeech contains grave errors; you have not given it due consideration.

^95-101"I am Fish. Iam responsibly charged with providing abundance for the pure shrines.For the great offerings at the lustrousE-kur(1 ms. has instead: On theaugust platform of the great offerings of the gods), I stand proudlywith head raised high! Just likeAcnan I am here tosatisfy the hunger of the Land. I am her helper. Therefore people pay attentionto me, and they keep their eyes upon me. As at the harvest festival, theyrejoice over me and take care of me. Bird, whatever great deeds you may haveachieved, I will teach you their pretentiousness. I shall hand back to you inyour turn your haughtiness and mendacious speech."

^102-115ThereuponFish conceived a plot against Bird. Silently, furtively, it slitheredalongside. When Bird rose up from her nest to fetch food for her young, Fishsearched for the most discreet of silent places. It turned her well-built nestof brushwood into a haunted house. It destroyed her well-built house, and toredown her storeroom. It smashed the eggs she had laid and threw them into thesea. Thus Fish struck at Bird, and then fled into the waters. Then Bird came,lion-faced and with an eagle's talons, flapping its wings towards its nest. Itstopped in mid-flight. Like a hurricane whirling in the midst of heaven, itcircled in the sky. Bird, looking about for its nest, spread wide its limbs. Ittrampled over the broad plain after its well-built nest of brushwood. Its voiceshrieked into the interior of heaven like the Mistress's.

^116-121Bird soughtfor Fish, searching the marshes. Bird peered into the deep water for Fish,watching closely. Extending its claws, it just snatched from the water Fish'stiny fish-spawn, gathering them all together and piling them up in a heap. ThusBird took its revenge and ...... its heart. Again Bird replied to Fish:

^122-124"You utterfool! Dumb, muddle-headed Fish, you are out of ......! The mouths of those whocircle (?) the quay never get enough to eat, and their hunger lasts all day.Swine, rascal, gorging yourself upon your own excrement, you freak!

^125-136"You are likea watchman living on the walls (?), ......! Fish, you kindled fire against me,you planted henbane. In your stupidity you caused devastation; you havespattered your hands with blood! Your arrogant heart will destroy itself by itsown deeds! But I am Bird, flying in the heavens and walking on the earth.Wherever I travel to, I am there for the joy of its ...... named. ......, oFish, ...... bestowed by the Great Princes (a name for theIgigi) . I am of first-class seed, and my young are first-bornyoung! ...... walks with uplifted head ...... to the lustrousE-kur. ...... until distant days. ...... the numerous people say.How can you not recognise my pre-eminence? Bow your neck to the ground."

^137-140Again Birdhad hurled insults at Fish. Then Fish shouted at Bird, eyeing it angrily: "Donot puff yourself up from your lying mouth! Our judge shall take this up. Letus take our case toEnki, our judge andadjudicator."

^141-147And so withthe two of them jostling and continuing the evil quarrel in order to establish,the one over the other, their grandness and pre-eminence, the litigation wasregistered withinEridug, and theyput forward their argumentation(1 ms. hasinstead: stood there in dispute). ...... thrashing about (?) amidroaring like that of a bull, ...... crept forward like ....... They requested averdict ...... from KingCulgi, son ofEnlil.

^148-157 (Birdspeaks:)"You ......, lord of true speech, pay attention to my words! I had put...... and laid eggs there. ...... had bestowed ...... and had given as theirsustenance. After ...... had started ......, ...... he destroyed my house. Heturned my nest of brushwood into a haunted house. He destroyed my house, andtore down my storeroom. He smashed my eggs and threw them into the sea. ......examine what I have said. Return a verdict in my favour." ......investigating......, she prostrated herself to the ground.

^158-163......announced (?) the word. ...... august, spoke from the heart: "Your words aresterling words, such as delight the heart." (Culgi speaks:) "For how long arethey(1 ms. has instead:you) going to persist (?) in quarrelling?" Like ...... came out supreme.Like butting ......, they jostled each other.

^164-167 (Fishspeaks:)"......, let it be favourable to me!" (Culgi speaks:)"I shall instructyou in the divine rules and just ordinances of our dwelling-place. Like (?)Enki, king of theabzu, I am successful infinding solutions, and am wise in words." He answered Bird and Fish:

^168-177"To strutabout in theE-kur is a glory for Bird, as its singingis sweet. AtEnlil's holy table, Bird ...... precedenceover you ......! It shall utter its cries in the temple of the great gods. TheAnuna gods rejoice at its voice. It is suitable forbanquets in the great dining hall of the gods. It provides good cheer inthe king's(1 ms. has instead:Culgi's) palace. ...... with head high, at thetable ofCulgi, son ofEnlil.The king ...... long life.
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Fish ...... in splendour .......

^178-190ThereuponFish ...... Bird.
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......Enki ...... bestowed.
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In theabzu ofEridug ...... Bird .......Because Bird was victorious over Fish in the dispute between Fish and Bird,FatherEnki be praised!

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Revision history

10.v.1999-30.vi.1999 : JAB: adapting translation
07.i.2000 : GZ : proofreading
12.i.2000 : GC : tagging
18.ii.2000 : ER : proofreading SGML
18.ii.2000 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file notchanged

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