To overturn the
appointed times, to obliterate the divine plans, the storms
gather to strike like a flood.
An, Enlil, Enki and Ninhursaja (2 mss. have instead: Ninmah)
have decided its fate -- to overturn the divine powers of Sumer,
to lock up the favourable reign in its home, to destroy the
city, to destroy the house, to destroy the cattle-pen, to level
the sheepfold; that the cattle should not stand in the pen, that
the sheep should not multiply in the fold, that watercourses
should carry brackish water, that weeds should grow in the
fertile fields, that mourning plants should grow in the open
country, that the mother should not seek out her child, that the
father should not say "O my dear wife!", that the junior wife
should take no joy in his embrace, that the young child should
not grow vigorous on his knee, that the wet-nurse should not
sing lullabies; to change the location of kingship, to defile
the seeking of oracles, to take kingship away from the Land, to
cast the eye of the storm on all the land, to obliterate the
divine plans by the order of An and Enlil; after An had frowned
upon all the lands, after Enlil had looked favourably on an
enemy land, after Nintud had scattered the creatures that she
had created, after Enki had altered the course of the Tigris and
Euphrates, after Utu had cast his curse on the roads and
highways; so as to obliterate the divine powers of Sumer, to
change its preordained plans, to alienate the divine powers of
the reign of kingship of Urim, to humiliate the princely son in
his house E-kic-nu-jal, to break up the unity of the people of
Nanna, numerous as ewes; to change the food offerings of Urim,
the shrine of magnificent food offerings; that its people should
no longer dwell in their quarters, that they should be given
over to live in an inimical place; that Cimacki and Elam, the
enemy, should dwell in their place; that its shepherd, in his
own palace, should be captured by the enemy, that Ibbi-Suen
should be taken to the land Elam in fetters, that from Mount
Zabu on the edge of the sea to the borders of Ancan, like a
swallow that has flown from its house, he should never return to
his city; that on the two banks of the Tigris and of the
Euphrates bad weeds should grow, that no one should set out on
the road, that no one should seek out the highway, that the city
and its settled surroundings should be razed to ruin-mounds;
that its numerous black-headed people should be slaughtered;
that the hoe should not attack the fertile fields, that seed
should not be planted in the ground, that the melody of the
cowherds' songs should not resound in the open country, that
butter and cheese should not be made in the cattle-pen, that
dung should not be stacked on the ground, that the shepherd
should not enclose the sacred sheepfold with a fence, that the
song of the churning should not resound in the sheepfold; to
decimate the animals of the open country, to finish off all
living things, that the four-legged creatures of Cakkan should
lay no more dung on the ground, that the marshes should be so
dry as to be full of cracks and have no new seed, that
sickly-headed reeds should grow in the reed-beds, that they
should be covered by a stinking morass, that there should be no
new growth in the orchards, that it should all collapse by
itself -- so as quickly to subdue Urim like a roped ox, to bow
its neck to the ground: the great charging wild bull, confident
in its own strength, the primeval city of lordship and kingship,
built on sacred ground.
Its fate cannot be changed. Who can overturn it? It is the
command of An and Enlil. Who can oppose it?
An frightened the very dwellings of Sumer, the people were
afraid. Enlil blew an evil storm, silence lay upon the city.
Nintud bolted the door of the storehouses of the Land. Enki
blocked the water in the Tigris and the Euphrates. Utu took away
the pronouncement of equity and justice. Inana handed over
victory in strife and battle to a rebellious land. Ninjirsu
poured Sumer 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.
The people, in their fear, breathed only with difficulty. The
storm immobilised them, the storm did not let them return. There
was no return for them, the time of captivity did not pass. What
did Enlil, the shepherd of the black-headed people, do? Enlil,
to destroy the loyal households, to decimate the loyal men, to
put the evil eye on the sons of the loyal men, on the
first-born, Enlil then sent down Gutium from the mountains.
Their advance was as the flood of Enlil that cannot be
withstood. The great wind of the countryside filled the
countryside, it advanced before them. The extensive countryside
was destroyed, no one moved about there.
The dark time was roasted by hailstones and flames. The bright
time was wiped out by a shadow.(2 mss. add 2 lines: On that
bloody day, mouths were crushed, heads were crashed. The storm
was a harrow coming from above, the city was struck by a hoe.)
On that day, heaven rumbled, the earth trembled, the storm
worked without respite. Heaven was darkened, it was covered by a
shadow; the mountains roared. Utu lay down at the horizon, dust
passed over the mountains. Nanna lay at the zenith, the people
were afraid. The city ...... stepped outside. The foreigners 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 on the stalk, the yield of the grain
diminished.
3 lines fragmentary
They piled ...... up in heaps, they spread ...... out like
sheaves. There were corpses floating in the Euphrates, brigands
roamed the roads. The father turned away from his wife without
saying "O my wife!" The mother turned away from her child
without saying "O my child!" He who had a productive estate
neglected his estate without saying "O my estate!" The rich man
took an unfamiliar path away from his possessions. In those days
the kingship of the Land was defiled. The tiara and crown that
had been on the king's head were both spoiled. The lands that
had followed the same path were split into disunity. The food
offerings of Urim, the shrine of magnificent food offerings,
were changed for the worse. Nanna traded away his people,
numerous as ewes.
Its king sat immobilised in the palace, all alone. Ibbi-Suen was
sitting in anguish in the palace, all alone. In E-namtila, his
place of delight, he wept bitterly. The devastating flood was
levelling everything. Like a great storm it roared over the
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 flow upon loyal men.
1st kirugu.
The storms gather to strike like a flood.
Jicgijal to the kirugu.
The house of Kic, Hursaj-kalama, was destroyed. Zababa took an
unfamiliar path away from his beloved dwelling. Mother Bau was
lamenting bitterly in her E-Iri-kug. "Alas, the destroyed city,
my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.
1 line fragmentary
2 lines missing
"Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried
bitterly.
Kazallu, the city of teeming multitudes, was cast into
confusion. Numucda took an unfamiliar path away from the city,
his beloved dwelling. His wife Namrat, the beautiful lady, was
lamenting bitterly. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed
house," she cried bitterly. Its river bed was empty, no water
flowed. Like a river cursed by Enki its opening channel was
dammed up. On the fields fine grains grew no more, people had
nothing to eat. The orchards were scorched like an oven, its
open country was scattered. The four-legged wild animals did not
run about. The four-legged creatures of Cakkan could find no
rest.
Lugal-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 onrushing waters.
Nininsina, the mother of the Land, wept bitter tears. "Alas, the
destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Enlil
smote Dur-an-ki with a mace. Enlil made lamentation in his city,
the shrine Nibru. Mother Ninlil, the lady of the Ki-ur shrine,
wept bitter tears. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed
house," she cried bitterly.
Kec, 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 of the mountains made his lair there, it became a
rebellious land. The Gutians bred there, issued their seed.
Nintud wept bitter tears over her creatures. "Alas, the
destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. In
Zabalam the sacred Giguna was haunted. Inana abandoned Unug and
went off to enemy territory. In the E-ana the enemy set eyes
upon the sacred Jipar shrine. The sacred Jipar of en-ship was
defiled. Its en priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried
off to enemy territory. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed
house," she cried bitterly.
A violent storm blew over Umma, brickwork in the midst of the
highlands. Cara took an unfamiliar path away from the E-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 the
E-ninnu. Mother Bau wept bitter tears in her E-Iri-kug. "Alas,
the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly.
On that day the word of Enlil was an attacking storm. Who could
fathom it? The word of Enlil was destruction on the right, was
...... on the left. What did Enlil do in order to decide the
fate of mankind? Enlil brought down the Elamites, the enemy,
from the highlands. Nance, the noble daughter, was settled
outside the city. Fire approached Ninmarki in the shrine Gu-aba.
Large boats were carrying off its silver and lapis lazuli. The
lady, sacred Ninmarki, was despondent because of her perished
goods. Then the day ......, burning like ....... The province of
Lagac was handed over to Elam. And then the queen also reached
the end of her time.
Bau, as if she were human, also reached the end of her time:
"Woe is me! Enlil has handed over the city to the storm. He has
handed it over to the storm that destroys cities. He has handed
it over to the storm that destroys houses." Dumuzid-abzu was
full of fear in the house of Kinirca. Kinirca, the city of her
noble youth, was ordered to be plundered. The city of Nance,
Nijin, was delivered to the foreigners. Sirara, her beloved
dwelling, was handed over to the evil ones. "Alas, the destroyed
city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar
of en-ship was defiled. Its en priest was snatched from the
Jipar and carried off to enemy territory.
Mighty strength was set against the banks of the Id-nuna-Nanna
canal. The settlements of the E-danna of Nanna, like substantial
cattle-pens, were destroyed. Their refugees, like stampeding
goats, were chased (?) by dogs. They destroyed Gaec like milk
poured out to dogs, and shattered its finely fashioned statues.
"Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried
bitterly. Its sacred Jipar of en-ship was defiled. Its en priest
was snatched from the Jipar and carried off to enemy territory.
A lament was raised at the dais that stretches out toward
heaven. Its heavenly throne was not set up, was not fit to be
crowned (?). It was cut down as if it were a date palm and tied
together. Accu, the settlement that stretches out along the
river, was deprived of water. At the place of Nanna where evil
had never walked, the enemy walked. How was the house treated
thus? The E-puhruma was emptied. Ki-abrig, which used to be
filled with numerous cows and numerous calves, was destroyed
like a mighty cattle-pen. Ningubalag took an unfamiliar path
away from the Ja-bur. Niniagar wept bitter tears all alone.
"Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried
bitterly. Its sacred Jipar of en-ship was defiled. Its en priest
was snatched from the Jipar and carried off to enemy territory.
Ninazu deposited his weapon in a corner in the E-gida. An evil
storm swept over Ninhursaja at the E-nutura. Like a pigeon she
flew from the window, she stood apart in the open country.
"Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried
bitterly. In Jicbanda, the house that was filled with
lamentation, lamentation reeds grew. Ninjiczida took an
unfamiliar path away from Jicbanda. Azimua, the queen of the
city, wept bitter tears. "Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed
house," she cried bitterly.
On that day, the storm forced people to live in darkness. In
order to destroy Kuara, 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 put his
robes on with haste and ....... Lugalbanda took an unfamiliar
path away from his beloved dwelling.(1 ms. adds: Ninsun .......)
"Alas the destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried
bitterly.
Eridug, floating on great waters, was deprived (?) of drinking
water. In its outer environs, which had turned into haunted
plains, ....... The loyal man in a place of treachery .......
Ka-hejala and Igi-hejala .......
"I, a young man whom the storm has not destroyed, ....... I, not
destroyed by the storm, my attractiveness not brought to an end,
....... We have been struck down like beautiful boxwood trees.
We have been struck down like ...... with coloured eyes. We have
been struck down like statues being cast in moulds. The Gutians,
the vandals, are wiping us out. We turned to father Enki in the
abzu of Eridug. ...... what can we say, what more can we add?
...... what can we say, what more can we add?
"...... we have been driven out of Eridug. We who were in charge
of ...... 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 our weary ones him who was in
charge during the day? How shall we let him who was in charge by
night go astray among our sleepless ones? Enki, your city has
been cursed, it has been given to an enemy land. Why do they
reckon us among those who have been displaced from Eridug? Why
do they destroy us like palm trees, us who were not violent? Why
do they break us up, like a new boat that has not ......?"
After Enki had cast his eyes on a foreign land,
1 line unclear
...... have risen up, have called on their cohorts. Enki took an
unfamiliar path away from Eridug. Damgalnuna, the mother of the
E-mah, wept bitter tears. "Alas the destroyed city, my destroyed
house," she cried bitterly. Its sacred Jipar of en-ship was
defiled. Its en priest was snatched from the Jipar and carried
off to enemy territory.
In Urim 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. To the south, the Elamites stepped
in, slaughtering ....... In the uplands, the vandals, the enemy,
....... The Tidnum daily strapped the mace to their loins. To
the south, the Elamites, like an onrushing wave, were ....... In
the uplands, like chaff blowing in the wind, they ...... over
the open country. Urim, like a great charging wild bull, bowed
its neck to the ground.
What did Enlil, who decides the fates, then do? Again he sent
down the Elamites, the enemy, from the mountains. The foremost
house, firmly founded, ....... In order to destroy Kisiga, ten
men, even five men ....... Three days and three nights did not
pass, ...... the city was raked by a hoe. Dumuzid left Kisiga
like a prisoner of war, his hands were fettered.
5 lines fragmentary
She rode away from her possessions, she went to the mountains.
She loudly sang out a lament over those brightly lit mountains:
"I am queen, but I shall have to ride away from my possessions,
and now I shall be a slave in those parts. I shall have to ride
away from my silver and lapis lazuli, and now I shall be a slave
in those parts. There, slavery, ...... people, who can ......
it? There, slavery, Elam ......, who can ...... it? Alas, the
destroyed city, my destroyed house," she cried bitterly. My
queen, though not the enemy, went to enemy land. Ama-ucumgal-ana
...... Kisiga. Like a city .......
2nd kirugu.
1 line fragmentary
1 line missing
Jicgijal to the kirugu.
7 lines missing or fragmentary
Enlil threw open the door of the grand gate to the wind. In Urim
no one went to fetch food, no one went to fetch water. Its
people rushed around like water being poured from a well. Their
strength ebbed away, they could not even go on their way. Enlil
afflicted the city with an evil famine. He afflicted the city
with that which destroys cities, that which destroys houses. He
afflicted the city with that which cannot be withstood with
weapons. He afflicted the city with dissatisfaction and
treachery. In Urim, which was like a solitary reed, there was
not even fear. Its people, like fish being grabbed in a pond,
sought to escape. Its young and old lay spread about, no one
could rise.
At the royal station (?) there was no food on top of the
platform (?). The king who used to eat marvellous food grabbed
at a mere ration. As the day grew dark, the eye of the sun was
eclipsing, the people experienced hunger. There was no beer in
the beer-hall, there was no more malt for it. There was no food
for him in his palace, it was unsuitable to live in. Grain did
not fill his lofty storehouse, he could not save his life. The
grain-piles and granaries of Nanna held no grain. The evening
meal in the great dining hall of the 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 aroma of roasting meat. The sounds of the bursaj
building, the pure ...... of Nanna, were stilled. The house
which used to bellow like a bull was silenced. Its holy
deliveries were no longer fulfilled, its ...... were alienated.
The mortar, pestle and grinding stone lay idle; no one bent down
over them.
The Shining Quay of Nanna was silted up. The sound of water
against the boat's prow ceased, there was no rejoicing. Dust
piled up in the unuribanda of Nanna. The rushes grew, the rushes
grew, the mourning reeds grew. Boats and barges ceased docking
at the Shining Quay. Nothing moved on your watercourse which was
fit for barges. The plans of the festivals at the place of the
divine rituals were altered. The boat with first-fruit offerings
of the father who begot Nanna no longer brought first-fruit
offerings. Its food offerings could not be taken to Enlil in
Nibru. Its watercourse was empty, barges could not travel.
There were no paths on either of its banks, long grass grew
there. The reed fence of the well-stocked cattle-pen of Nanna
was split open. The reed huts were overrun, their walls were
breached. The cows and their young were captured and carried off
to enemy territory. The munzer-fed cows took 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 and cheese. Those who
are unfamiliar with butter were churning the butter. Those who
are unfamiliar with milk were curdling (?) the milk. The sound
of the churning vat did not resound in the cattle-pen. Like
mighty fire that once burnt, its smoke is extinguished. The
great dining hall of Nanna .......
Suen wept to his father Enlil: "O father who begot me, why have
you turned away from my city which was built (?) for you? O
Enlil, why have you turned away from my Urim which was built (?)
for you? The boat with first-fruit offerings no longer brings
first-fruit offerings to the father who begot him. Your food
offerings can no longer be brought to Enlil in Nibru. The en
priests of the countryside and city have been carried off by
phantoms. Urim, like a city raked by a hoe, is to be counted as
a ruin-mound. The Ki-ur, Enlil's resting-place, has become a
haunted shrine. O Enlil, gaze upon your city, an empty
wasteland. Gaze upon your city Nibru, an empty wasteland.
"The dogs of Urim no longer sniff at the base of the city wall.
The man who used to drill large wells scratches the ground in
the market place. My father who begot me, enclose in your
embrace my city which is all alone. Enlil, return to your
embrace my Urim which is all alone. Enclose in your embrace my
E-kic-nu-jal which is all alone. May you bring forth offspring
in Urim, may you multiply its people. May you restore the divine
powers of Sumer that have been forgotten."
3rd kirugu.
O good house, good house! O its people, its people!
Jicgijal.
Enlil then answered his son Suen: "There is lamentation in the
haunted city, reeds of mourning grow there. (1 ms. adds the
line: In its midst there is lamentation, reeds of mourning grow
there.) In its midst the people pass their days in sighing. (1
ms. adds the line: My son, the noble son ......, why do you
concern yourself with crying?) Oh Nanna, the noble son ......,
why do you concern yourself with crying? The judgment uttered by
the assembly cannot be reversed. The word of An and Enlil knows
no overturning. Urim was indeed given kingship but it was not
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 take precedence for ever? The reign of its
kingship had been long indeed but had to exhaust itself. O my
Nanna, do not exert yourself in vain, abandon your city."
Then my king, the noble son, became distraught. Lord Acimbabbar,
the noble son, grieved. Nanna who loves his city left his city.
Suen took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved Urim. In
order to go as an exile from her city to foreign territory,
Ningal quickly clothed herself and left the city. The Anuna
stepped outside of Urim.
...... approached Urim. The trees of Urim were sick, its reeds
were sick. Laments sounded all along its city wall. Daily there
was slaughter before it. Large axes were sharpened in front of
Urim. The spears, the arms of battle, were prepared. The large
bows, javelin and shield gathered together to strike. The barbed
arrows covered its outer side like a raining cloud. Large
stones, one after another, fell with great thuds.(1 ms. adds the
line: 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.
In the city, those who had not been felled by weapons succumbed
to hunger. Hunger filled the city 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 gasped
for breath. Its king breathed heavily in his palace, all alone.
Its people dropped their weapons, their weapons hit the ground.
They struck their necks with their hands and cried. They sought
counsel with each other, they searched for 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? Inside Urim there
is death, outside it there is death. Inside it we are to be
finished off by famine. Outside it we are to be finished off by
Elamite weapons. In Urim the enemy oppresses us, oh, we are
finished."
The people took refuge (?) behind the city walls. They were
united in fear. The palace that was destroyed by onrushing water
was defiled, its doorbolts were torn out. Elam, like a swelling
flood wave, left (?) only the ghosts. In Urim people were
smashed as if they were clay pots. Its refugees were unable to
flee, they were trapped inside the walls.(1 ms. adds 3 lines:
Like fish living in a pond, they tried to escape. The enemy
seized the E-kic-nu-jal of Nanna. They ripped out its heavy
.......) The statues that were in the treasury were cut down.
The great stewardess Niniagar ran away from the storehouse. Its
throne was cast down before it, she threw herself down into the
dust.
Its mighty cows with shining horns were captured, their horns
were cut off. Its unblemished oxen and grass-fed sheep were
slaughtered.(1 ms. adds the line: They were cut down as date
palms and were tied together.) The palm-trees, strong as mighty
copper, the heroic strength, were torn out like rushes, were
plucked like rushes, their trunks were turned sideways. Their
tops lay in the dust, there was no one to raise them. The
midriffs of their palm fronds were cut off and their tops were
burnt off. Their date spadices that used to fall (?) on the well
were torn out. The fertile reeds, which grew in the sacred
......, were defiled. The great tribute that they had collected
was hauled off to the mountains.
The house's great door ornament fell down, its parapet was
destroyed. The wild animals that were intertwined on its left
and right lay before it like heroes smitten by heroes. Its
gaping-mouthed dragons and its awe-inspiring lions were pulled
down with ropes like captured wild bulls and carried off to
enemy territory. The fragrance of the sacred seat of Nanna,
formerly like a fragrant cedar grove, was destroyed. (1 ms. adds
the line: Its architrave ...... gold and lapis lazuli.) The
glory of the house, whose glory was once so lovely, was
extinguished. Like a storm that fills all the lands, it was
built there like twilight in the heavens; its doors adorned with
the heavenly stars, its ....... Great bronze latches ...... were
torn out. Its hinges ....... Together with its door fittings it
(?) wept bitterly like a fugitive. The bolt, the holy lock and
the great door were not fastened for it. The noise of the door
being fastened had ceased; there was no one to fasten it. The
...... and was put out in the square.
The food offerings ...... of his royal dining place were
altered. In its sacred place (?) the tigi, cem and ala
instruments did not sound. Its mighty tigi ...... did not
perform its sacred song. Verdicts were not given at the
Dubla-mah, the place where oaths used to be taken. The throne
was not set up at its place of judgment, justice was not
administered. Alamuc threw down his sceptre, his hands
trembling. In the sacred bedchamber of Nanna musicians no longer
played the balaj drum. The sacred box that no one had set eyes
upon was seen by the enemy. The divine bed was not set up, it
was not spread with 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 ceremonies properly. They stood
by submissively and were carried off by the foreigners. The holy
usga priests of the sacred lustrations, the linen-clad priests,
forsook the divine plans and sacred divine powers, they went off
to a foreign city.
In his grief Suen approached his father. He went down on his
knee in front of Enlil, the father who begot him: "O father who
begot me, how long will the enemy eye be cast upon my account,
how long ......? The lordship and the kingship that you bestowed
......, father Enlil, the one who advises with just words, the
wise words of the Land ......, your inimical judgment ......,
look into your darkened heart, terrifying like waves. O father
Enlil, the fate that you have decreed cannot be explained, the
...... of lordship, my ornament." ...... he put on a garment of
mourning.
Enlil then provided a favourable response to his son Suen: "My
son, the city built for you in joy and prosperity was given to
you as your reign. The destroyed city, the great wall, the walls
with broken battlements: all this too is part of that reign.
...... the black, black days of the reign that has been your
lot. As for dwelling in your home, the E-temen-ni-guru, that was
properly built -- indeed Urim shall be rebuilt in splendour, the
people shall bow down to you. There is to be bounty at its base,
there is to be grain. There is to be splendour at its top, the
sun shall rejoice there. Let an abundance of grain embrace its
table. May Urim, the city whose fate was pronounced by An, be
restored for you." Having pronounced his blessing, Enlil raised
his head toward the heavens: "May the land, south and highland,
be organised for Nanna. May the roads of the mountains be set in
order for Suen. Like a cloud hugging the earth, they shall
submit to him. By order of An and Enlil it shall be conferred."
Father Nanna stood in his city of Urim with head raised high
again. The youth Suen could enter again into the E-kic-nu-jal.
Ningal refreshed herself in her sacred living quarters. (1 ms.
adds the line: In Urim she could enter again into her E-kic-nu-jal.)
4th kirugu.
There is lamentation in the haunted city, mourning reeds grew
there. In its midst there is lamentation, mourning reeds grew
there. Its people spend their days in moaning.
Jicgijal.
bitter storm, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. O
storm that destroys cities, retreat o storm, storm return to
your home. O storm that destroys houses, retreat o storm, storm
return to your home. Indeed the storm that blew on Sumer, blew
also on the foreign lands. Indeed the storm that blew on the
land, blew on the foreign lands. It has blown on Tidnum, it has
blown on the foreign lands. It has blown on Gutium, it has blown
on the foreign lands. It has blown on Ancan, it has blown on the
foreign lands. It levelled Ancan like a blowing evil wind.
Famine has overwhelmed the evildoer; those people will have to
submit.
May An not change the divine powers of heaven, the divine plans
for treating the people with justice. May An not change the
decisions and judgments to lead the people properly. To travel
on the roads of the Land: may An not change it. May An and Enlil
not change it, may An not change it. May Enki and Ninmah not
change it, may An not change it. That the Tigris and Euphrates
should again carry water: may An not change it. That there
should be rain in the skies and on the ground speckled barley:
may An not change it. That there should be watercourses with
water and fields with grain: may An not change it. That the
marshes should support fish and fowl: may An not change it. That
old reeds and fresh reeds should grow in the reed-beds: may An
not change it. May An and Enlil not change it. May Enki and
Ninmah not change it.
That the orchards should bear syrup and grapes, that the high
plain should bear the macgurum tree, that there should be long
life in the palace, that the sea should bring forth every
abundance: may An not change it. The land densely populated from
south to uplands: may An not change it. May An and Enlil not
change it, may An not change it. May Enki and Ninmah not change
it, may An not change it. That cities should be rebuilt, that
people should be numerous, that in the whole universe the people
should be cared for; o Nanna, your kingship is sweet, return to
your place. May a good abundant reign be long-lasting in Urim.
Let its people lie down in safe pastures, let them reproduce. O
mankind ......, princess overcome by lamentation and crying! O
Nanna! O your city! O your house! O your people!
5th kirugu.