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© Copyright 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 The ETCSL project, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford |
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| ETCSLtranslation |
| Enki and Ninḫursaĝa: c.1.1.1 (Ninḫursaĝa asked:) "My brother, what part of you hurts you?" "The top of my head (ugu-dili) hurts me." She gave birth to Ab-u out of it." My brother, what part of you hurts you?" "The locks of my hair (siki) hurt me." She gave birth to Ninsikila out of it." My brother, what part of you hurts you?" "My nose (giri) hurts me." She gave birth to Ningiriutud out of it." My brother, what part of you hurts you?" "My mouth (ka) hurts me." She gave birth to Ninkasi out of it. |
| Enki and Ninḫursaĝa: c.1.1.1 (She said:) "For the little ones to whom I have given birth may rewards not be lacking. Ab-u shall become king of the grasses, Ninsikila shall become lord of Magan, Ningiriutud shall marry Ninazu, Ninkasi shall be what satisfies the heart, Nazi shall marry Nindara, Azimua shall marry Ninĝišzida, Ninti shall become the lady of the month, and Ensag shall become lord of Dilmun." |
| Lugalbanda in the mountain cave: c.1.8.2.1 He was alone and, even to his sharp eyes, there was not a single person to be seen. Sleep overcame the king (i.e. Lugalbanda) -- sleep, the country of oppression; it is like a towering flood, like a hand demolishing a brick wall, a hand raised high, a foot raised high; covering like syrup that which is in front of it, overflowing like syrup onto that which is in front of it; it knows no overseer, knows no captain, yet it is overpowering for the hero. And by means of Ninkasi's wooden cask (i.e. with the help of beer), sleep finally overcame Lugalbanda. He laid down ilinnuš, pure herb of the mountains, as a couch, he spread out a zulumḫi garment, he unfolded there a white linen sheet. There being no …… room for bathing, he made do with that place. The king lay down not to sleep, he lay down to dream -- not turning back at the door of the dream, not turning back at the door-pivot. To the liar it talks in lies, to the truthful it speaks truth. It can make one man happy, it can make another man sing, but it is the closed tablet-basket of the gods. It is the beautiful bedchamber of Ninlil, it is the counsellor of Inana. The multiplier of mankind, the voice of one not alive -- Zangara, the god of dreams, himself like a bull, bellowed at Lugalbanda. Like the calf of a cow he lowed: |
| Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird: c.1.8.2.2 Lugalbanda lies idle in the mountains, in the faraway places; he has ventured into the Zabu mountains. No mother is with him to offer advice, no father is with him to talk to him. No one is with him whom he knows, whom he values, no confidant is there to talk to him. In his heart he speaks to himself: "I shall treat the bird as befits him, I shall treat Anzud as befits him. I shall greet his wife affectionately. I shall seat Anzud's wife and Anzud's child at a banquet. An will fetch Ninguena for me from her mountain home -- the expert woman who redounds to her mother's credit, Ninkasi the expert who redounds to her mother's credit. Her fermenting-vat is of green lapis lazuli, her beer cask is of refined silver and of gold. If she stands by the beer, there is joy, if she sits by the beer, there is gladness; as cupbearer she mixes the beer, never wearying as she walks back and forth, Ninkasi, the keg at her side, on her hips; may she make my beer-serving perfect. When the bird has drunk the beer and is happy, when Anzud has drunk the beer and is happy, he can help me find the place to which the troops of Unug are going, Anzud can put me on the track of my brothers." |
| A lullaby for a son of Šulgi (Šulgi N): c.2.4.2.14 (7 lines fragmentary) …… goats, sheep and donkeys …… (1 line fragmentary) Ninkasi (the goddess of beer) …… in her vat …… (5 lines fragmentary) The shepherd's wife ……He …… the …… of the date palm. He brings date shoots among the offerings. |
| A praise poem of Išme-Dagan (Išme-Dagan A + V): c.2.5.4.01 An brought Ninkasi along with him …… to its ……, and I libated delicious …… beer, mixed with aromatic cedar essence, over the brickwork of E-kur. Daily I made the E-kur like a harvest-place, and each month on its seventh and fifteenth days I made the temple festive. Both inside and outside the house, like ……, I spread the scent of ……. (1 line unclear)laying …… oil, …… cream, ……, first-fruits of the gardens, dates, ……, on the table of Enlil, my master, ……. The main part of my food, …… drink, his favourite things ……. Enlil ……. I am the …… son of Enlil, I am the …… of Ninlil, I am the strong young man of the E-kur. I am the foremost, with respectful strength, making excellent food offerings. I am untiring, indefatigable. Daily I shall issue instructions for what my master will have to eat, and what I will give to drink, fulfilling the great commands of E-kur: thereby I carry out correctly the instructions of my master Enlil. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 Given birth by the flowing water ……, tenderly cared for by Ninḫursaĝa! Ninkasi, given birth by the flowing water ……, tenderly cared for by Ninḫursaĝa! |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 Having founded your town upon wax, she completed its great walls for you. Ninkasi, having founded your town upon wax, she completed its great walls for you. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 Your father is Enki, Lord Nudimmud, and your mother is Ninti, the queen of the abzu. Ninkasi, your father is Enki, Lord Nudimmud, and your mother is Ninti, the queen of the abzu. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 It is you who handle the …… and dough with a big shovel, mixing, in a pit, the beerbread with sweet aromatics. Ninkasi, it is you who handle the …… and dough with a big shovel, mixing, in a pit, the beerbread with sweet aromatics. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 It is you who bake the beerbread in the big oven, and put in order the piles of hulled grain. Ninkasi, it is you who bake the beerbread in the big oven, and put in order the piles of hulled grain. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 It is you who water the earth-covered malt; the noble dogs guard it even from the potentates (?). Ninkasi, it is you who water the earth-covered malt; the noble dogs guard it even from the potentates (?). |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 It is you who soak the malt in a jar; the waves rise, the waves fall. Ninkasi, it is you who soak the malt in a jar; the waves rise, the waves fall. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 It is you who spread the cooked mash on large reed mats; coolness overcomes ……. Ninkasi, it is you who spread the cooked mash on large reed mats; coolness overcomes ……. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 It is you who hold with both hands the great sweetwort, brewing it with honey and wine. Ninkasi, it is you who hold with both hands the great sweetwort, brewing it with honey and wine. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 (1 line fragmentary) You …… the sweetwort to the vessel. Ninkasi, ……. You …… the sweetwort to the vessel. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 You place the fermenting vat, which makes a pleasant sound, appropriately on top of a large collector vat. Ninkasi, you place the fermenting vat, which makes a pleasant sound, appropriately on top of a large collector vat. |
| A hymn to Ninkasi (Ninkasi A): c.4.23.1 It is you who pour out the filtered beer of the collector vat; it is like the onrush of the Tigris and the Euphrates. Ninkasi, it is you who pour out the filtered beer of the collector vat; it is like the onrush of the Tigris and the Euphrates. |
| The debate between Grain and Sheep: c.5.3.2 Again Grain addressed Sheep: "When the beer dough has been carefully prepared in the oven, and the mash tended in the oven, Ninkasi (the goddess of beer) mixes them for me while your big billy-goats and rams are despatched for my banquets. On their thick legs they are made to stand separate from my produce." |
| The debate between Winter and Summer: c.5.3.3 "When the šem and ala drums, …… and other instruments play together for him, he passes the time with your heart-gladdening tigi and zamzam instruments. But it is I who have made the wine plentiful and made much to eat and drink. I perfect the garments with fine oil. I bring up the ……, the šutur and aktum garments. As for safeguarding, the best in Sumer, in the oppressive heat (?) of Summer, where they had been put away in the bedrooms amongst the black-headed people, moths destroy the blankets and make the aktum cloth perish because of you. …… exhausts itself for you ……. The wooden chest ……. I am Ninkasi's help, for her I sweeten the beer, with as much cold water, the tribute of the hills, as you brought." |
| A drinking song: c.5.5.a May the heart of your god be well disposed towards you! Let the eye of the gakkul vat be our eye, and let the heart of the gakkul vat be our heart! What makes your heart feel wonderful in itself also makes our hearts feel wonderful in themselves! We are in a happy mood, our hearts are joyful! You have poured a libation over the fated brick, and you have laid the foundations in peace and prosperity -- now may Ninkasi dwell with you! She should pour beer and wine for you! Let the pouring of the sweet liquor resound pleasantly for you! |
| A drinking song: c.5.5.a A …… to Ninkasi. |
| The instructions of Šuruppag: c.5.6.1 The beer-drinking mouth ……. My little one ……. The beer-drinking mouth ……. Ninkasi ……. (5 lines unclear) |
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© Copyright 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 The ETCSL project, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford |
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