written upon a four-sided prism now in the Ashmolean Museum of Oxford. The
object is eight inches high, four inches wide on each surface and is
pierced from top to bottom at the center by a small hole, so that the
liturgy could be turned on a spindle. The writer published a copy of this
prism or prayer wheel in his _Babylonian Liturgies_. The elucidation of
this exceedingly difficult text was lightened somewhat by the discovery of
a four column tablet in Constantinople, which originally contained the
entire text. It was afterwards published as No. 23 of my _Historical and
Religious Texts_. Since the edition of these two sources, the Nippur
Collection in Philadelphia has been found to contain several fragments of
the same liturgy. A portion of the redaction on several single column
tablets had been already published by RADAU in his _Miscellaneous Sumerian
Texts_, No. 8 (=Ni. 11876), last tablet of the series containing melodies
six, seven, and eight. I failed to detect the connection of RADAU’s tablet
at the time of the first edition but referred to it with a rendering in my
_Epic of Paradise_, p. 19. Another tablet, also from a single column
tablet redaction at Nippur, has been recovered in Philadelphia, Ni.
8384.(422) This text utilized here in transcription contains a section
marked number 4 on that tablet but all the other sources omit it. Hence
this redaction probably contained nine melodies. The new melody has been
inserted between melodies three and four of the standard text. If evidence
did not point otherwise the editor would have supposed that Ni. 8384 and
11876 belonged to the same tablet. But Ni. 8384 has melodies four, five
and six of its redaction with the catch-line of the next or its seventh
melody which partly duplicates the Radau tablet. Moreover, these two
tablets have not the same handwriting and differ in color and texture of
the clay. Finally a small fragment, Ni. 14031, contains the end of the
second melody and the beginning of the third on its obverse. The reverse
contains the end of the sixth melody. This small tablet undoubtedly
belongs to the four column tablet in Constantinople. The two fragments
became separated by chance when the Nippur Collection was divided between
Philadelphia and the Musée Imperial of Turkey. Ni. 14031 will be found in
my _Sumerian Liturgical Texts_, No. 22.
Under ordinary circumstances a text for which so many duplicates exist
should have yielded better results than I have been able to produce. But
the contents are still obscure owing largely to the bad condition of the
prism. My first rendering of the interesting refrain in which I saw a
reference to the creation of man and woman was apparently erroneous. The
refrain refers rather to the creation of the mother goddess of Keš and to
her giving birth to her son Negun.(423)
COL. I (Lines 1-22 defaced)
...
23. _[é ke]š-(ki)-dug-ga dū-a_
23. [Temple] in holy Keš builded.
24. _[é(?)] ÉN-ḪAR-(ki)-dug-gu dū-a_
24. [Temple(?)] in holy _EN-ḪAR_ builded.
25. _[é ...] nun-gim an-na dirig-ga_
25. [Temple] like ... _nun_, like heaven exceeding all.(424)
26. _[é ...] azag-gim ? -si ri-a_
26. [Temple] like the pure ... clothed in
27. _[é] an-na-gim mūš kur-kur-ra_
27. [Temple] like heaven the illumination of the lands.
28. _[é ...] tūr-gim ki-a-ta sur-sur-ra_
28. [Temple] like ... _tur_ in the earth _founded_.
29. _[é ...-]gim mur-du ninda_(_425_)_-gim gù-nun-di_(_426_)
29. [Temple] like ... roaring, like a _young bull_ bellowing.
30. _[é ...] bi-ta lipiš kalam-ma_
30. [Temple] in whose ... the hearts of the creatures of the Land ...(427)
31. _[é ...] bi-ta zid Ki-en-gi-ra_
31. [Temple] in whose ... the soul of life of Sumer ...
32. _[é ...] ib-gal an-e-ri_(_428_)_ uš-sa_
32. [Temple], great ... _IB_, attaining unto heaven.
33. _[é ...]-da-gal an-e_(_429_)_ uš-sa_
33. [Temple], great ... _da_, attaining unto heaven.
34. _[é ...] gal an-e uš-sa_
34. [Temple], great ..., attaining unto heaven.
35. _[é ...] -na [an-e] uš-sa_
35. [Temple ...], attaining unto heaven.
COL. II
1. _... an-ki ..._
1. ... heaven and earth ...
2. _... abzu ..._
2. ... of the nether-sea ...
3. _é an-ni(?) šu-[ ]_
3. Temple which Anu ...
4. _d.__En-lil-li zag-šú ..._
4. Enlil above all ...
5. _ama __d.__Nin-tud eš-[bar-kin ... ]_
5. The mother, Nintud oracles ...
6. _é Keš-ki ... na ..._
6. Temple in Keš ...
7. _ÉN-ḪAR-(ki)_(_430_)_-gim rib-ba_(_431_)_ galu ši-in-[ga-an-túm-mu]_
7. Like _EN-ḪAR_ it has been made surpassing; verily man has brought
solicitude for it.(432)
8. _ur-sag-bi __d.__Áš-šir-gí-gim rib-ba_
8. Its hero like Ašširgi has been
9. _ama ši-in-ga-an_(_433_)_-ù-tud_
9. made surpassing; the mother(434) verily has borne him.
10. _nin-bi __d.__Nin-tud-gim rib-ba-ra a-ba_(_435_)_ er-mu-ni-in-duģ_
10. Its lady like Nintud has been made surpassing. And then wailing began.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
11. _gú 2 kam-[ma-ám]_
11. It is the second song.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
12. _é an-šú ģud-da ki-šú ..._(_436_)
12. Temple, in heaven resplendent, in earth ...
13. _é an-šú ... ki-šú ..._
13. Temple, in heaven ..., in earth ...
14. _é an-šú siḳḳa_(_437_)_ ki-šú udu-[gim ... ...]_
14. Temple, in heaven (_like_) a wild goat, on earth like a sheep ...
15. _é an-šú ... ki-šú dár-[bar-gim ...]_
15. Temple, in heaven (_like_) ..., in earth like a roe ...
16. _é an-šú ... gim ... ki-šú dár-bar-gim ..._
16. Temple, in heaven like ..., in earth like a roe ...
17. _é an-šú muš-gim sîg-ga ki-šu babbar-gim za-e laģ-[laģ?]_
17. Temple, in heaven like a dragon gleaming, on earth like the sunlight
thou shinest.
18. _é an-šú babbar-gim è-a ki-šu __d.__Nannar-gim ..._
18. Temple, in heaven like the sun arising, in earth like the new moon ...
19. _é an-šú kur-ra ki-šu idim-ma_
19. Temple, in heaven shining,(438) on earth loud crying.(439)
20. _é an-ki 3 gu-ma-bi na-nam_
20. Of the temple of heaven and earth three are its attendants.
21. _ÉN-ḪAR-(ki) gim rib-ba galu ši-in-ga-an-túm-mu_
21. Like _EN-ḪAR_ it has been made surpassing; verily man has brought
solicitude for it.
22. _ur-sag-bi __d.__Áš-šir-gí-gim rib-ba-[ra]_
22. Its hero like Ašširgi has been made surpassing; the mother
23. _[ama] ši-in-ga-an-ù-tud_
23. verily has borne him.
24. _[nin-bi] __d.__Nin-tud-gim rib-ba-ra a-ba er-mu-ni-in-duģ_
24. Its lady like Nintud has been made surpassing. And then wailing began.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
25. _[gú] 3-kam-ma-[ám]_
25. It is the third section.
8384.
1. _[é- ...] ní-gal-ar an-ni mu-maģ sá_
1. [Temple ...] in splendor blazing, which Anu with a far-famed name has
named.
2. _[è ...]-gal __d.__En-lil-li nam-ma-ni gal tar-ri_
2. [Temple ...] great, whose fate Enlil has grandly decreed.
3. _[é]á-nun-gál __d.__A-nun-ge-ne kalam sigi(?)_(_440_)_ lám(?)-mu_
3. [Temple] ... of the Anunnaki, in the Land _starlike gleaming_.
4. _é ki-dúr im-dúb-bu_(_441_)_ dingir gal-gal-e-ne_
4. Temple, peaceful dwelling place of the great gods.
5. _é an-ki-bi-da giš-ģar-bi ni-ģar me el šu-ba-e-tag_
5. Oh temple whose design in heaven and earth has been planned, thou art
possessed of pure decrees.
6. _é kalam ki-gar-ra zag-gar-ra uš-sa_
6. Temple erected in the Land, where stand the chapels of the gods.
7. _é-kur ģe-gál ka-zal ud-zal-zal-li_
7. Mountain house, radiant with abundance and festivity.
8. _é __d.__Nin-ģar-sag-gà zi-kalam-ma ki-bi-šú gar_
8. Temple in whose place Ninharsag has instituted the breath of life of
Sumer.
9. _é-ģar-sag-gal šu-luģ-ģa túm-ma nig-nam-ma-ni ni_(_442_)_-kúr_
9. Great mountain house, made worthy of the rituals of purification, of
its possessions nought changes.
10. _é ... da-nu ka-áš-bar nu-gà-gà_
10. Temple ... ceases not to render decision.
11. _è ... kalam-dagal-šú lá-a_
11. Temple ... unto the wide Land bearing.
12. _[é] kalam šár ù-tud numun giš-isimu tuk-tuk_
12. [Temple] causing the multitudes of the Land to produce offspring,
causing the seed to send forth sprouts.
13. _[é] lugal ù-tud nam kalam-ma tar-ri_
13. Temple that gives birth to king, decreeing the fate of the Land.
14. _[é] bár-bár kar su-ḳin-dúr-bi ag-dé_
14. ...
15. _ÉN-ḪAR-(ki)-gim rib-ba galu ši-in-ga-an-túm-mu_
15. Like _ÉN-ḪAR_ it has been made surpassing; verily man has wrought
solicitude for it.
16. _ur-sag-bi __d.__Áš-šir-gí-gim rib-ba ama ši-in-ga-ám-ù-tud_
16. Its hero like Ašširgi has been made surpassing; the mother verily has
borne him.
17. _nin-bi __d.__Nin-tud-gim rib-ba-ra a-ba er-mu-ni-in-duģ_
17. Its lady like Nintud has been made surpassing. And then wailing began.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
18. [_gú_ 4]_-kam-ma-ám_
18. It is the fourth section.
ASHMOLEAN PRISM, COL. II
26. _[uru]_(_443_)_-in-ga-ám uru-in-ga-ám šag-bi a-ba a-mu-un-zu_(_444_)
26. It is a city, it is a city! Its secrets who shall understand?
27. _é Keš-ki uru-in-ga-ám šag-bi a-ba a-mu-un-zu_
27. The temple of Keš is a city! Its secrets who shall understand?
28. _šag-bi-a ur-sag ur-sag-e-ne si-mu-un-si-di-e-ne_
28. Within it the heroic ones administrate.
29. _eš-bar-ḳin-dùg-ga šu-gal mu-un-dú-dú_(_445_)
29. The oracles proclaimed grandly it executes.
30. _é-e gud-udu_(_446_)_-dam gud-ám-ma-gur-ri_(?)_-en_
30.
31. _?-e tum-ma-ám luģ-luģ-_ ...
31.
32. _é-e gud-šár-ra-ám_(_447_)_ al-dúg-[ga?]_
32.
33. _è-e udu-šár-ra-ám al-dúg-[ga?]_
33.
34. _giš-KU-LIL(?)-ne_(_448_)_ gú-LIL-ma-ám gál-li_ ...
34.
35. _giš-KU-da_(_449_)_ ... gùr_ ...
35.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
COL. III
2. _giš__A-TU-GAB-LIŠ-dam an-da-PI-PI-SAL(?)_ ...
2.
3. _ģar-sag-da mă-a_(_450_)_ an-da-sîg-sîg-[ga-ám?]_
3.
4. _EN-ḪAR-(ki)-gim rib-ba galu ši-in-ga-túm-mu_
4. Like EN-HAR it has been made surpassing; verily man has wrought
solicitude for it.
5. ur-sag-bi d.Aš-šir-gi-gim rib-ba ama ši-in-ga-an-ù-tud
5. Its hero like Ašširgi has been made surpassing; the mother verily has
borne him.
6. _nin-bi __d.__Nin-tud-gim rib-ba-ra a-ba er mu-ni-in-duģ_
6. Its lady like Nintud has been made surpassing. And then wailing began.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
7. _[gú_(_451_)_ 4-kam-ma-ám_
7. Section four(452) it is.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
8. ...
8. ...
9. _é_ [ ]
9.
10. _é_ [ ]_-la né_ [ ] _tu_(_453_)_ [ ] ur_ [ ]
10.
11. _šag-bi-a ur-sag ur-sag-e-ne si-mu-un-si-di-e-ne_
11. Within it the heroic ones administrate.
12. _d.__Nin-ģar-sag-gà ušumgal-ám šag-ki im-_[ ]
12. Ninḫarsag _placed_ it in the bosom of the earth like a python.
13. _d.__Nin-tud ama-gal-la tud-tud mu-un_-[ ]
13. Nintud the great mother ...
14. _d.__Šul-pa-è-a pa-te-si-ge nam-en-na mu_ [ ]
14. Šulpae the priest king lordship ...
15. _d.__Áš-šir-gi_(_454_)_ ur-sag-gà AB_(_455_)_-mu_-[...]
15. Ašširgi, the champion, ...
16. _d.__Urumaš ligir-gal-ám_(_456_)_ edin-na-an_(_457_)_ mu-da-an_-[...]
16. Urumaš great prince in the (heavenly) plain has ...
17. _é-e siḳḳa lu-lim_(_458_)_ gú-ám-ma-gur-ri_(_459_)
17. The temple assembles the rams and bucks.
18. _ÉN-ḪAR-(ki)-gim rib-ba galu ši-in-ga-an-túm-mu_
18. Like EN-HAR it has been made surpassing; verily man has wrought
solicitude for it.
19. _ur-sag-bi __d.__Áš-šir-gi_(_460_)_-gim rib-ba_
19. Its hero like Ašširgi has been made surpassing; the mother
20. _ama ši-in-ga-a-an-ù-tud_
20. verily has borne him.
21. _nin-bi __d.__Nin-tud-gim rib-ba-ra_(_461_)_ a-ba er-mu-ni-in-duģ_
21. Its lady like Nintud has been made surpassing. And then wailing began.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
22. _é 5-kam-ma-ám_
22. It is the fifth(462) section.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
23. _é ud-gim ki-gal-la gub-ba_
23. The temple like the sun on the vast foundation stands.
24. _am-laģ-laģ-gim edin-na sūg-sūg-[gi]_
24. Like a white bull on the landscape it reposes.
25. [ ] _e gar-ra é_ [ ]
25.
26. [ ]-_bi-ta_ [ ]
26.
27. [ -]_ta_ [ ]
27.
28-30.
(28-30 illegible or lost on all the variants.(463))
31. [ ] _ra_ [ ]
31.
32. [ ] _gar nu_ [ ]
32.
33. [ ] _an-šár ki-šar_
33.
34. [ ]_bi la-ģa-ma ki-uš-sa_
34.
35. [ ] _na-ra-ab Uri-(ki)-ka keš-du_
35.
36. _ÉN-ḪAR-(ki)-gim rib-ba_(_464_)_ galu ši-in-ga-an-túm-mu_
36. Like ÉN-HAR it has been made surpassing; verily man has brought
solicitude for it.
Col. IV
1. _ur-sag-bi __d.__Áš-šir-gí-gim rib-ba-ra_
1. Its hero like Ašširgi has been made surpassing; the mother
2. _ama-a_(_465_)_ ši-in-ga-an-ù-tud_
2. verily has borne him.
3. nin-bi d.Nin-tud-gim rib-ba-ra a-ba er-mu-ni-in-duģ
3. Its lady like Nintud has been made surpassing. And then wailing began.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
4. _é_(_466_)_ 6-kam-ma ám_
4. It is the sixth section.
5. _é-azag LU-bi é_(_467_)....
5. The sacred temple whose (?) is....
6. _é-Keš-(ki)-azag LU-bi é_(_468_)
6. The sacred temple of Keš whose ? is....
7. _é-a en-bi __d.__A-nun-na-me-eš_
7. In the temple whose high priests are the Anunnaki,
8. _nu-éš-bi dim-é-an-na-me-eš_(_469_)
8. Whose sacrificial priests are the _dim_ of Eanna,
9. _kisal-e lugal-bur-ra-ám mu-un-gub_
9. The aisle ... treads.
10. _en-dug šag túg-lal nam-mi-in-lal_
10. (The temple) unto which a beneficent lord has shown solicitude....
11. _a-tu-e umun __d.__En-ki NE-GAB in-_[ ]
11. The libator(?), lord Enki....
12. _tu-e a-ŭr(?)_(_470_)_-a_(_471_)_ mu- e- gub_
12. The baptizer ... treads thee.
13. _làl a-šag-ga ki-azag-ga-ám mi-_(_472_)...
13.
14. _en isimu-e_(_473_)_ abkal ubar-e-ne tù ki-ám-ma-gál-li-eš [
]šeš-a-ni SU-mu-un-sīg-gi-ne_(_474_)
14. The lord Isimu, the councilor....
15. [ ] _RU URU RU mu-ni-ib-bi-ne_
15.
16. [ ]_-ma-ge gig-ga_(_475_)_ mi-ni-ib-za [ ] á-lal-e gù-ģu
mi-ni-ib-bi_
16. ... in sorrow abounds. ... the _bound_ cry like birds (?)[7]
17. [ ]?_-ra-ge sūģ-sūģ mi-ni-ib-za [ ] dug-gi si-ģa-ba-ni-ib di_
17. ... in desolation abounds. ... may direct aright.
18. [ ] _ka-zal-bi al-dug_
18. Of ... its joy was sweet.
19. [ -]_dug ka-zal-bi al-dug_
19. Of ... its joy was sweet.
20. [ ]-_zal-bi a-mu-un-KU_
20.
21. [ ]-_ģar-sag-gà nin-bi[?-] bi ám-mu-un-KU(?)_
21.
22. _ÉN-ḪAR-(ki)-gim rib-ba galu ši-in-ga-an-túm-mu_
22. Like EN-HAR it has been made surpassing; verily man has brought
solicitude for it.
23. _ur-sag-bi __d.__Áš-šir-gi-gim rib-ba ama ši-in-ga-an-ù-tud_
23. Its hero like Ašširgi has been made surpassing; verily the mother has
borne him.
24. _nin-bi __d.__Nin-tud-gim rib-ba-ṛa a-ba er-mu-ni-in-duģ_
24. Its lady like Nintud has been made surpassing. And then wailing began.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
25. _[é(?)_(_476_)_] 7-kam-ma-ám_
25. It is the seventh section.
THIRD TABLET OF THE SERIES “THE EXALTED ONE WHO WALKETH” (_E-LUM DIDARA_)
(NO. 13)
The series _elum didara_ is entered in the Assyrian liturgical catalogue,
IV Raw. 53_a_ 8, and the first tablet of this Enlil liturgy has been found
in the Berlin collection and published by REISNER, SBH. No. 25.(477) The
Berlin tablet belongs to a great Babylonian temple library of the Greek
period redacted by a family of liturgists descendants of Sin-ibni. A
fragment of the same first tablet of another Babylonian copy has been
found, BM. 81-7-27, 203.(478) The catch line of tablet two is lost on SBH.
25 and no part of tablet two has been identified. In 1914 I copied BM.
78239 (=88-5-12, 94) the upper half of a large tablet carrying according
to the colophon ninety-six Sumerian lines. The number of lines provided
with an interlinear translation on this fragment is only two, which
increases the actual number of lines to ninety-eight. Probably a few more
should be added for Semitic lines on the lost portion. This tablet, also
from a Babylonian redaction, belongs to an edition made by another school
of liturgists and contains tablet three of _elum didara_.
The third tablet of _elum didara_ began with a melody _nin-ri nin-ri
gû-am-me_ to the mother goddess Bau (I. 2), who in line 7 is identified
with Nanâ. Lines 3-6 introduce by interpolation other local forms of the
mother goddess, as a concession to cities whose liturgists succeeded in
inserting these lines before the canon of sacred songs were closed in the
Isin period. Hence Babylon is favored by a reference to Zarpanit in line
3; Barsippa by a reference to Tašmet in lines 4-6. Bau or Gula wails for
Nippur whose destruction is here attributed to the moon-god, Sin. The
introduction of a long passage to the moon-god in the weeping mother
melody of an Enlil liturgy is unusual. The entire passage reflects the
phraseology and ideas of the well-known Sumerian hymn to the moon-god
_magur azag anna_.(479) The composer desiring to utilize these fine lines
makes a setting for them by describing Sin as the god who visited Nippur
with wrath, regardless of the inconsistency of placing such a passage in
an Enlil song service which attributed the sorrows of Nippur to Enlil
himself.
According to the catch line of tablet two of the Ninurta liturgy _gud-nim
kurra_ the third tablet of that series began by the same melody as tablet
three of the _elum didara_.(480) It is probable that the first melody of
tablet three of both series was identical. Melodies are always identified
by their first lines and when these agree we assume that the entire
melodies are identical. Since the musicians referred to all melodies by
their first lines it was manifestly impossible to begin two different
melodies with the same line. But tablet three of the weeping mother
liturgy _muten nu-nunuz-gim_ begins its first melody(481) _nin-ri nin-ri
gù-ám_, etc., otherwise both melodies differ completely. This is the first
known of example of two different melodies bearing the same title. It is
curious indeed that an Enlil, a Ninurta and a _mater dolorosa_ series all
begin their third tablets in the same manner.
The obverse of BM. 78239 breaks away before the end of the melody _nin-ri
ninri gú-ám-me_. Here forty-five Sumerian lines are lost; one or two
melodies at least stood in this break. For the last passage on tablet
three, the scribe borrows the first melody of the Ninurta series _gud-nim
kurra_.(482) The litanies which begin these melodies or series of
addresses to Ninurta differ greatly in the two redactions. Since SBH. No.
18 belongs to a Ninurta series the addresses therein are much more
extensive. The composer of the Enlil series _elum didara_ obviously
introduced this irrelevant melody to obtain the fine passage to the
weeping mother, Rev. 10-21 on BM. 78239. These lines are lost on the
Berlin text SBH. No. 18. On the whole the liturgy _elum didara_ is more
inconsistent in the development of ideas than any song service of which
extensive portions are known. Only tablets one and three are as yet
identified and neither of these is much more than half complete.
_ru-ba-tum (rubatum) ši-si-it âli i-šes-si ina lal-la-ra-ti_
The princess, the princess, in misery shouts the wailing of the city.(483)
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
1. _nin-ri nin-ri gú-ám-me úru in-ga-ám-me ù-li-li_
1.
2. _a gašan-mu nu-nunuz-šág-ga ù_
2. How long my queen, the pious woman, in misery?(484)
3. _é-gí-a é-sag-il-la_(_485_)_ ù_
3. The bride of Esagila in misery?
4. _dumu-sag __d.__Uraša-a ù_
4. First born daughter of Urasha in misery?
5. _dumu-sag é-i-be- __d.__A-nu-um ù_
5. First born daughter of the temple Ibe-Anum in misery?
6. _gašan-gù-ur-a-sĭg ud-lal-a-ge ù_
6. The obedient queen, she the ..., in misery?
7. _gašan-mu __d.__Na-na-a ù_
7. My queen Nana in misery?
8. _é-zu é-zu-šú ù_
8. (How long) shall thy temple for thy temple in misery be?
9. _uru-zu uru-zu-šú ù_
9. Thy city for thy city in misery be?
10. _dam-zu dam-zu-šú ù_
10. Thy wives for thy wives in misery be?
11. _dumu-zu dumu-zu-šú ù_
11. Thy sons for thy sons in misery be?
12. _še-ib-šú še-ib-gí-gí ù_
12. (How long) for the brick walls shall the brick walls restored wail?
13. _saģar-šú saģar-gí-gí_(_486_)_ ù_
13. For the dust shall the restored dust wail?
14. _si-mă_(_487_)_ azag an-na še-ir-ma-al-la ní-te-na dirig-ga-zu-dé za-e
dirig-ga-zu-dé_
14. Bright horned light of heaven mighty of itself, in thy excellence, yea
thou in thy excellence,
15. _na-an-na-ru el-lu ša ša-me-e e-ṭil ra-ma-ni-šu ina šu-tu-ru-ti-ka
at-tam_
15.
16. _a-a __d.__Nannar si-mă azag an-na še-ir-ma-al- a ní-te-na_
16. O father Nannar bright horned light of heaven, mighty of itself, (in
thy excellence, yea thou in thy excellence),
17. _a-a __d.__Nannar umun-e an-šár_
17. Father Nannar, lord of all the heavens,
18. _umun __d.__Nannar umun __d.__Aš-ìm-ür-ra_(_488_)
18. Lord Nannar, lord of the rising light,
19. _umun gu-la galu nin-ģul-ma-al-la uru-zu ní-te-en-na še-ir-ma-al-la
ní-te-en-na_
19. Great lord, who himself has wrought evil to thy city,(489) mighty of
himself,
20. _uru-zu Nippur-(ki) galu nin-ģul-ma-al-la uru-zu_
20. As for thy city Nippur, he who has wrought evil to thy city,
21. _nigin kalam-ma-zu á-si ma-ni-ib-bi_
21. All thy Land....
22. _[uru?] kalam-ma-da-zu gig-ga-an-na-ag-eš_
22. _Thy city_ and land are afflicted with woe.
23. [ ] _zu-gà_(_490_)_ (galu) a-ba an-lăģ_(_491_)_-eš_
23. _In_ thy ... and thy ... the scribes are driven away.
24. [ ] _zu-gà pag-da_(_492_)_ ma-an-lá-lal-la-aģ(?)_(_493_)_-eš_
24. In thy ... and thy ... the augurers are exiled.
25. ... _zu ba-ni-ib-gul_
25. Thy ... is destroyed.
26. ... _zu ba-ni-ib-sĭg-sĭg_
26.
27. ... _ḪUL-AŠ-A_ (gloss) _e-ga ib_ ...
27.
28. ... _A-AN ḪUL ... e-ga ib_ ...
28.
29. ...
29. ...
REVERSE
1. _[gū-ud nim] kur-ra [mu-lu ta-zu mu-un-zu]_
1. Exalted hero of the world, doth any one comprehend thy form?(494)
2. _[kar-ra-]du ša-ku-u ša ma-a-tim kat-tuk [man-nu i-lam-mad]_
2.
3. _alim-ma umun ur-sag-gal_
3. Honored one, lord, great champion.
4. _ur-sag-gal umun si __d.__Mu-ul-lil-lá-ge_
4. Great champion, lord, light of Enlil.
5. _alim-ma abil é-kur-ra_
5. Honored one, son of Ekur.(495)
6. _ur-sag-gal umun é-šu-me-DU_(_496_)
6. Great champion, lord of Ešume-_du_.
7. _umun é-šag-maģ-a umun-e é-i-be-šu-gúd_
7. Lord of Ešamaḫ, lord of E-ibe-šugud.(497)
8. _umun sukkal-maģ-di_(_498_)_ gal-ukkin __d.__Nusku-ge_
8. Lord, great messenger, the herald Nusku.
9. _d.__Maš-tab-ba __d.__Lugal-gĭr-ra_
9. The twin god, Lugalgirra.
10. _dúg-ga-zu mu-lu ta-zu mu-un-zu_
10. As to thy commands, who comprehends thy form?
11. _taģ-a-zu mu-lu_
11. As to thy succor, who comprehends thy form?
12. _e-ne-em-zu mu-lu_
12. As to thy word, who comprehends thy form?
13. _edin-na di-di edin-na še-ám-du_
13. She wanders on the plain, on the plain she wails.
14. _ama gašan tin-dib-ba edin-na_
14. The mother, queen who gives life to the dead, on the plain wails.
15. _nin gašan nigín-gar-ra edin-na_
15. The queen, lady Nigingar, on the plain wails.
16. _nin gašan Lara-ak-(ki)-ge_(_499_)_ edin-na_
16. The queen, lady of Larak, on the plain wails.
17. _nin gašan I-si-in-na-(ki) edin-na_
17. The queen, lady of Isin, on the plain wails.
18. _nin ama é-dúr_(_500_)_-azag-ga edin-na_
18. The queen, mother of the holy city, on the plain wails.
19. _nin ama ŠU-ḪAL-BI_(_501_)_ edin-na_
19. The queen, the ... mother, on the plain wails.
20. _d.__Ba-ú nu-númuz šág-ga edin-na_
20. Bau, the pious woman, on the plain wails.
21. _éš é-rab-ri-ri umun __d.__Sá-kut-maģ-a edin-a_
21. The abode, Erabriri, of the lord Sakutmah on the plain wails.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
22. _e-lum-e la-lu u-’u-a u-’u-a_
22. Oh honored one, the exuberant, alas, alas.
23. _96-ám mu-šid-bi-im duppu 3-kam e-lum di-da-ra nu al-tíl_
23. Ninety-six is the number of its lines. Third tablet of _Elum didara_,
unfinished.
24. _gab-ri Bár-sip-(ki) kima labiri-šu ša-ṭir-ma barim duppu
__d.__Bêl-iḳ-ṣur māri-šu ša __d.__Bêl-iškun-ni_
24. Copy from Barsippa, according to its original, written and collated.
Tablet of Bêlikṣur son of Belishkunni,
25. _mar Iddin-__d.__Papsukkal pa-liḫ __d.__Nabu ina šar-tum la uštešir ù
ina me-riš-tum la u-ša-bi_(_502_)
25. son of Iddin-Papsukkal worshipper of Nebo. In fraud he has not
translated it and with wilful readings has he not published
it.
BABYLONIAN CULT SYMBOLS. 6060 (NO. 12)
Ni. 6060, a Cassite tablet in four columns, yields a notable addition to
the scant literature we now possess concerning Babylonian mystic symbols.
A fragmentary Assyrian copy from the library of Ašurbanipal was published
by ZIMMERN as No. 27 of his _Ritual Tafeln_. The Assyrian copy contains
only fifteen symbols with their mystic identifications, in Col. II of the
obverse. The ends of the lines of the right half of Col. I are preserved
on ZIMMERN 27, and these are all restored by the Cassite original. The
obverse of these two restored tablets contained about sixty symbols with
their divine implications. Most of them are the names of plants, metals,
cult utensils and sacrificial animals, each being identified with a deity.
A tablet in the British Museum, dated in the 174th year of the Seleucid
era or 138 B. C., Spartola Collection I 131, published by STRASSMAIER, ZA.
VI 241-4, begins with an astronomical myth concerning the summer and
winter solstices(503) and then inserts a passage on the mystic meanings of
ten symbols. The myth of the solstices runs as follows: