An adab of Inana for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-Ninurta D): translation

^1-4Goddess who excels the Anuna gods, who has gathered together all the divine powers! Your gaze is lordly as it surveys all the foreign lands in heaven and earth. Inana, lioness shining in the heavens, your divine powers are most complex, your cultic ordinances are unalterable, and your divine plans are influential.

⁵ barsud.

^6-12Your ideas are as profound as the abzu; no one is known to have perceived them. Your actions are very great, and there is no god to rival you. You fetched your divine powers on a favourable day, and none of them escaped you. You have secured the kingship, and nothing escapes from your hand. You have equal rank with An the king, and you decide destinies with him. Your utterances are as well-established as those of Enlil. Grandiloquent Inana, you have no rival in heaven or on earth.

^13-21You cheer on the king whom the gods love: Ur-Ninurta, the youth whom you chose, in your honour an en priest. Nintud has created attractiveness for him, and has made him step forward to you for your admiration. She has confirmed his lot as favourable, and has made him ...... before you. She has elevated as a prince the ...... who is fitted for the emblem. Your holy heart has driven you towards him as if to a pleasant sweet scent. May he ...... with you on your flowery bed which is full of delight. May the attentive youth, the prince who is all for you, stand at the service of your eternal divine powers. May Ur-Ninurta make the numerous people follow the just path.

²² sa-gida.

²³Inana, may Ur-Ninurta never cease doing so, until far-off days.

²⁴Its jisgijal.

^25-34Inana, lady of heaven and of the broad earth, powerful ......, who radiates ......, who shines by night, who ...... goes forth from ......, who is diffused wide over heaven and earth. ...... may you make eminent ...... Ur-Ninurta, ...... who is the awe ...... and the joy of his mother. ...... may he lift his head high, and be their great wild bull. Make ...... bow low for him ......, so that he may clamp down upon them. Deliver them into the exalted hands of him created from good seed. Under his rule may the people rest in meadows with him as their herdsman. May Ur-Ninurta make the numerous people follow the just path.

³⁵ sa-jara.

³⁶Inana, may Ur-Ninurta prolong the days of his life in your sweet holy embrace.

³⁷Its jisgijal.

^38-40Lady of the great divine powers, perfect in valour! Inana, lady of the great divine powers, perfect in valour! You have bestowed plenty and long-lasting life on Ur-Ninurta.

⁴¹Its uru.

⁴²An adab of Inana.

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Revision history

24.v.1999-7.vii.1999 : JAB : adapting translation
09.viii.1999 : GZ : proofreading
09.viii.1999 : GZ : SGML tagging
03.ix.1999 : ER : proofreading SGML
03.ix.1999 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file not changed