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

^1-19When I go, when I go -- the mighty queen who ......, who ......; when I, the queen, go to the abzu, when I, Inana, go to the abzu, when I go to the abzu, the shrine, when I go to Eridug the good, when I go to E-engura, when I go to E-ana, the temple of Enlil, when I go to ......, when I go to where the great offering bowls stand in the open air, when I go to where the ...... pure ...... bowls, when I go to where ...... is honoured, when I go to where lord Enki is honoured, when I go to where Damgalnuna ...... is honoured, when I go to where Asarluhi ...... is honoured -- then I bring a dog with me, I bring a lion (?) with me, I bring boxwood with me, I bring halub wood with me. I, Inana, receive the little ......, when I travel there, when I travel there.

^20-35I go as one who brings forth water; I go as one who brings forth water. When I, the queen, go into the marshes, I go as the ...... of the marshes. When I go into the hub of the battle, I go as one who brings forth its brightest light (?). When I go into the van of the battle, I go as one who brings forth its brightest light (?). When I follow at the rear of the battle, I go for ...... the evil of the ....... When I enter the temple of Enlil, I go as its woman who triumphed over the mountains. I (?) utter hostile words against the foreign lands; I seat my husband before me. I utter a challenge in (?) the temples of the gods (?); I utter a challenge against Utu, against Nanna; I utter a challenge against Sud in its holy .......

^36-47The river, the river, good as the vast river, the ......, good as the city -- there is nothing as good as this! The river, the noble river, as the vast river, the river, the Euphrates, as the vast river, the ...... of the Euphrates, as the vast river,
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-- good as the ......, good as the city -- there is nothing as good as this! Just as when Enki, the wild bull of Eridug, arrives; as when the mother of the E-mah, Damgalnuna, arrives; as when Asarluhi, the son of Eridug, arrives; as when Enlil eats, as when he drinks, ...... good as ......, good as the city -- there is nothing as good as this!

^48-51 (Inana speaks:) "...... this is in (?) my heart. To where ...... is honoured, ...... to where the just man honours him, its man prepares a flowered bed within the house."

^52-65In E-ana the linen-clad priests prepare an altar for him. Water is placed there for the lord; they address him. Bread is placed there; they address him. He is refreshed in the palace; they address him as follows: "Dumuzid, radiant in the temple (?) and on earth! Mother Inana, mother Inana, your mounds, your mounds (?)! Mother Inana, Inana of heaven, your garments, your garments, your black garment, your white garment!" (Inana (?) speaks:) "Oh my man who has come to the house: approach (?)!" (The priests (?) speak:) "Bring forward a chant, a melody of the heart! Bring forward their ......, as they seat the ......! Approach their place, where they are stationing, where they are stationing, where they are stationing, where they are stationing Enlil in the Ki-ur!"

^66-69 (Inana speaks:) "Wild bull, face of the Land! I will give life to its man! I will fulfil all its needs (?)! I will make its man produce correct speech in the shrine, ...... correct speech in the interior hall of the palace."

^70-77 (The priests (?) speak:) "Oh mistress, let your breasts be your fields! Inana, let your breasts be your fields, your wide fields which pour forth flax, your wide fields which pour forth grain! Make water flow from them! Provide it from them for the man! Make water flow and flow from them! Keep providing it from them for the man! ...... for the specified man, and I will give you this to drink."

⁷⁸A cir-namcub of Inana.

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Revision history

29.ix.2000-05.viii.2001 : JAB : adapting translation
29.viii.2001 : GC : proofreading
30.viii.2001 : GC : tagging
14.ix.2001 : ER : proofreading SGML
14.ix.2001 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0