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A balbale to Inana (Dumuzid-Inana C)

1-2. "My sister, what have you been doing in the house? Little one, what have you been doing in the house?"

3-8. "I was bathing, I was rubbing myself with soap. I was washing myself with water from the holy kettle, I was rubbing myself with the soap from the white stone bowl. I was anointing myself with good oil from the stone bowl, and dressing myself in the formal dress proper to Inana. That is how I was busying myself in the house."

9-18. "I have put lots of kohl on my eyes, I have arranged ...... the nape of my neck. I have washed my dangling hair, I have tested my weapons that make his reign propitious. I have straightened my tousled head of hair, I have tightened my loosened hairgrips, and let my hair fall down the back of my neck. I have put a golden bracelet on my wrist. I have put little lapis-lazuli beads round my neck, and arranged their buttons over my neck muscles."

19-26. "Sister! I will bring you whatever you desire. I will bring the loving heart of your heart. Your goddess has given you good looks. Sister, shining bright, you are the honey of your own mother. My sister, to whom I shall bring five things, my sister, to whom I shall bring 10 things, she has perfected your appearance for you; sister, shining bright, she has really made it a delight."

27-31. "When my brother enters from the palace, the singers shall ......, and I shall pour wine into his mouth. That should gladden his heart, should please his heart."

32-41. "Let him bring, let him bring, now let him bring pats of butter and cream!" "My sister, I will bring them with me to the house." "Let him bring, let him bring me lambs like ewes." "My sister, I will bring them with me to the house." "Let him bring, let him bring me kids like goats." "My sister, I will bring them with me to the house!" "Let the lambs be as comely as ewes!" "My sister, I will bring them with me to the house!" "Let the kids be as fine as goats!" "My sister, I will bring them with me to the house!"

42-48. "See now, {our} {(1 ms. has instead:) my} breasts stand out; see now, hair has grown on {our} {(1 ms. has instead:) my} genitals, signifying (?) my progress to the embrace of a man. Let us be very glad! Dance, dance! O Bau, let us be very glad about my genitals! Dance, dance! Later on it will delight him, it will delight him!"

x.

    49. A balbale of Inana.

50-51. "Let him bring, let him bring, come let him bring pats of butter and cream!"

    52. Its jicgijal.



Revision history

24.ix.1998-26.ix.1998: JAB, editor: adapting translation
30.xi.1998: GZ, editor: proofreading
05.viii.1999: GC, editor: minor corrections
16.x.1999: GZ, editor: SGML tagging
20.iv.2000: ER, editor: proofreading SGML
20.iv.2000: ER, editor: web publication
01.vi.2003: GC/JE, editor/technical developer: XML/TEI conversion

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