Nanshe and the birds (Nanshe C): translation

SEGMENT A

^1-7The pelican (?) came forth from the holy reed-beds. It came forth from the holy reed-beds. The wise pelican (?) spent the day high in the skies. The pelican (?) cried out in the sky: its singing was sweet and its voice was pleasing. My lady ...... her pelican (?) with beauty. The mistress mother Nance ...... her pelican (?) with beauty.

^8-9"I am the mistress! How can my pelican (?) ......? How can I ......? I am Nance! How can my pelican (?) ...... holy? How can ......?"

^10-22She herself ...... upon the water like a large pelican (?). Stepping onto earth from heaven, she ...... in the water like a holy cow. A holy pelican (?), a white cow, she drank by the water's side. With the towering flood ....... Nance, shining ...... of the Anuna, the great gods! Mistress mother Nance, good woman, ......! Nance, sister praised by the Anuna! Mother, beautiful matriarch of Enlil! Nance (1 ms. has instead: My lady), delighting in her pelican (?), erected a lapis lazuli shrine, and set the holy pelican (?) by her feet.

^23-27"I am the mistress, so let my birds assemble for me where the sheaves are gathered! I am Nance, so let my birds assemble for me where the sheaves are gathered! Let the birds of heaven and earth stand at my service! Let every bird without a name bring offerings! Let every bird not caught in nets ......!"

^28-30The voiceless bat ......, a bird that darts by in the heavens. The Anzud bird decides the fates with (?) the Anuna gods.

^31-42The ...... bird in (?) the water sends forth ...... wisdom: "My mistress, ....... I am the ...... bird! All by myself ....... My Nance, ......! I am the ...... bird! All by myself ......."
3 lines fragmentary
The bearded vulture ....... ...... the bearded vulture ....... It kills wild bulls in the foothills, and it kills the stags in the high mountains.

^43-45Raven, raven, your eggs are shining bright! Raven bird, your eggs are shining bright! Where do people carry off your holy eggs, your ...... eggs to?

^46-48The ostrich ...... her eggs on the hillside. She receives those eggs as something to carry: the bird knows how to keep watch at night.

^49-53The peacock spends the day keeping watch. The holy bird, the peacock, spends the day calling "haya!". A bird red from cornelian, blue from lapis lazuli, white (?) from chalcedony (?), with all kinds of gold, and leather inlaid with gold -- may the coppersmith fashion the peacock for you thus.

^54-63O bird in the sky! O vulture, weaver, vulture, weaver! O uz vulture in the sky! O vulture, weaver, vulture, weaver! Its wings together, its feet together,
1 line fragmentary
Its call ...... to the ear (?) ....... ...... its call .......
4 lines fragmentary
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT B

^1-143 lines fragmentary
The misaz bird ...... cries out .......
1 line fragmentary
The snake-eater bird is green ....... Its wings ...... a barge ....... The ...... bird ....... The gubi bird .......
5 lines fragmentary
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT C

^1-61 line fragmentary
...... of Ninhursaja (?) he brings as his property to the mountains. Since it was searching for its property, the bird is called nijgurmudum ('He brings his property'). The nijgurmudum bird calls out and laments in the desert of Kec.

^7-17The twittering birds flocking in the palace ....... The salsal bird cries in lament over itself. The cegbar bird, seemly in a ...... linen garment, is present at the quayside. The cegbar-gurug bird is brown, and clad in ...... in the reed-beds. The ...... bird catches azagur fish. The giri-ilu bird, dread of the people, ...... its "giri-ilu!". The stork ...... picks up (?) ...... like grass. The sa bird names ...... its young ....... The dubdubu bird ....... The cegceg bird turns green (?) like a crying baby. The gubiguzaga bird ...... like an angry man.
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT D

(It is possible that Segment D belongs to a different version.)

^1-152 lines fragmentary
...... green ....... ...... birds, like ants in crevices ....... ...... Bau takes a bath ....... The tigilu bird ...... the split roots ....... The dove ...... gently in the broad fields. The pigeon ...... bitterly in the vacant lot of the king. The ubi bird and the udar bird ...... ants ....... The bird ....... ...... in the gutter like beasts.
1 line unclear
...... humbly like an orphaned child ....... The hamun bird ...... in harmony ...... is dressed in linen. ...... wine, like wine ......
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT E

^1-16The heron (?) ....... The girgid bird ....... The dur bird .......
1 line fragmentary
The dar bird ...... guard ....... The dar bird ...... "tikutikumae!". The ulbad bird ...... in the marshes. The adardara bird ...... the swallow ....... The ...... bird, when the net is suspended ....... The ...... bird ...... marshes ....... The cu-ur bird ...... its extended wings and its head. The sleep bird spends its time crying "dilibipila!". The shepherd bird cries "uludig uludig!". The shepherd bird is brightly coloured like the durdar bird, and has a crest on its head. The nu-erimla bird does not live in windows or reed huts. The tirida bird calls the name "tirida!" in the reed-beds.

^17-20......, you are she who loves the fishes and birds! You are she who does not scatter my ......! You are she who does not belittle ......! Mistress mother Nance, it is sweet to praise you!

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Revision history

16.v.2000-25.vii.2000 : JAB : adapting translation
08.viii.2000 : GZ : proofreading
11.viii.2000 : GC : tagging
26.x.2000 : ER : proofreading SGML
26.x.2000 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file not changed