An ululumama to Suen for Ibbi-Suen (Ibbi-Suen D): translation

SEGMENT A

^1-8Great lord, light holding his head high in the vault of the sky, ...... brilliance, Suen, powerful dragon from the high mountains shedding light on the people, light of the remote heavens, crown ......, joy of the father who begot him! Impressive son born of Ninlil, respected in the E-kur, visible even at noontime, youthful Suen, ...... light of heaven, whose majestic radiance is visible even at noontime, light who illuminates the black-headed people, father Nanna, emerging from the remote (?) ......, understanding well how to make the night pleasant! Respected prince who, when he appears, is the glorious radiance of the heavens!

^9-16At the foundations of heaven and earth, father Nanna appears in the night time over Urim, the foremost city of Sumer, whose divine powers can never be altered. He has called the name, he has filled the heart with joy, my Ibbi-Suen! At the shrine Nibru, whose interior is a mountain of abundance, the dwelling-place of the Ki-ur, he spreads his majestic light from above over the land in princely style, in the august courtyard, the unceasing ...... of its majestic light determining great destinies. Suen offers a prayer in the assembly hall to the father who begot him, the great ...... of heaven and earth, lord Nunamnir:

^17-20"Canal inspector, prince on the dais, prince with life-giving divine powers! There shall be no end to the butter and the milk of the cow in the cattle-pen -- the shrine Urim, which you have chosen in your heart, the august royal dwelling-place, the encouragement of the Land! It shall have an abundance of butter, fish, birds, births, copper and gold!"

^21-32The divine powers of the city which was responsible for the emergence of human seed cannot be altered, my Ibbi-Suen! He has made its kingship shine forth; he prolongs life! He has strengthened for you the foundations of its great dais, and has made you take your seat proudly upon it. He has made the divine powers of its kingship come forth; great power emerges from there. Those august commands cannot ever be changed, my Ibbi-Suen! You, Acimbabbar, have caused respect for the king to shine forth throughout the whole of heaven and earth. For Nanna ...... the just man chosen in the holy heart, my Ibbi-Suen, ...... august ...... shine forth like a god. Suen ...... his command ...... the E-kur; An and Enlil, who determine the destiny of the land, the Great Mountain Enlil ......
1 line unclear
approx. 7 lines missing

SEGMENT B

^1-15The destiny which has been determined ....... Acimbabbar ....... He has made the divine powers of kingship ...... shine forth ...... with head high ......, Nanna-Suen ......, the noble manifest lord ...... in heaven and earth, source of trust, son of Ninlil, ornament of ......, Nanna, lord with a holy mouth (?) and with an august name, encouragement of the Land! Prince endowed with charm, chosen in my holy heart, my Ibbi-Suen! Among the numerous people his name reaches far abroad, ...... the decision of the Land. You know well how to benefit the reign and to increase abundance; direct your attention to the great storehouses! Father Nanna, ...... is given to the one you have chosen in your heart, you noble lord who ...... the good seed, impressive with your divine powers, making ...... decisions together with Enlil, unique bull, manifest lord! Praise be to Suen!

¹⁶An ululumama to Suen.

Top | Home This composition: composite text | bibliography

Revision history

15.iv.1999-18.iv.1999 : JAB : adapting translation
28.vii.1999 : GZ : proofreading
19.x.1999 : SGML tagging
11.ii.2000 : ER : proofreading SGML
11.ii.2000 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file not changed