The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature
Catalogues: by date | by number | in full | Website info: navigation help | site description | display conventions | recent changes
Project info: consolidated bibliography | about the project | credits and copyright | links This composition: composite text | bibliography


A shir-namshub to Inana (Inana I): translation

SEGMENT A

1-15When I ...... as I travel by boat, when I ...... as I travel by boat, when I, the queen, journey to the abzu, when I enter the house of Enlil, I am indeed the queen who is pre-eminent in the mountains. When I stand before the face of Enlil, I am indeed the emanating light. When I stand in the mouth of the battle, I am indeed also the foremost one of all lands. When I stand in the thick of the battle, I am indeed also the very guts of battle, the heroic strength. When I walk about at the rear of the battle, I am indeed also the flood bearing ....... When I take my stand behind the battle, I am the woman who comes (?).

16-22When I sit in the alehouse, I am a woman, and I am an exuberant young man. When I am present at a place of quarrelling, I am a woman, a perfect figure. When I sit by the gate of the tavern, I am a prostitute familiar with the penis; the friend of a man, the girlfriend of a woman.

23-34I am milk of the god. I am pre-eminent in the mountains. I am the milk of the god, of Dumuzid. I am pre-eminent in the mountains. The mountains in my hands, the mountains at my feet, Elam in my hands; I have a pointed dagger in my belt. The gods are small birds, and I am the falcon. The Anuna gods butt each other, but I am the wild cow. I am the grandiloquent daughter of Enlil. I am the formidable one of my father Suen. I am the queen created by Nudimmud. My eye ....... My eye .......
1 line fragmentary
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT B

1-7The life of the lord ....... The life of the king ....... Filling throat and heart ....... The city which is restored ....... The beauteous countenance ....... A foot placed on the earth ....... On its unblemished (?) lips .......

8-9Let the dripping (?) waters ....... The ferry boat, a prayer, a prayer, ...... man .......

10-19Imbued (?) with my awesomeness! Imbued (?) with my awesomeness! The life of the lord, imbued (?) with my awesomeness! The life of the king, imbued (?) with my awesomeness! Filling throat and heart, imbued (?) with my awesomeness! The marsh reeds of Kuara, imbued (?) with my awesomeness! The most beautiful marsh reeds, imbued (?) with my awesomeness! The city which is restored, imbued (?) with my awesomeness! The beauteous countenance, imbued (?) with my awesomeness! A foot placed on the earth, imbued (?) with my awesomeness! On its unblemished (?) lips, imbued (?) with my awesomeness!

20-21Let the dripping (?) waters ....... The ferry boat, a prayer, a prayer, ...... man .......

22-29We shall go! We shall go! We shall go in supplication! We shall go for the supplication of the lord! We shall go for the supplication of the king! Those of the supplication of the corner ...... at the corner. Those of the supplication of the side ...... at the side. Mother Inana of heaven ....... The Mistress .......

30A cir-namcub to Inana.


Top | composite text | bibliography


Revision history

17.viii.1999-1.xii.1999 : JAB : adapting translation
02.xii.1999 : GC : proofreading
03.xii.1999 : GC : tagging
21.i.2000 : ER : proofreading SGML
21.i.2000 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file not changed