A song of Inana and Dumuzid (Dumuzid-Inana R): translation

Version A (of three closely related compositions)

^1-8Maiden, glossy mane, lovely beauty, Inana, glossy mane, lovely beauty! Maiden, mane of the ibex, ...... red deer, ...... red deer, Inana, mane of the ibex, ...... red deer, ...... red deer! Maiden, colourful as a pile of grain, fit for the king, Inana, colourful as a pile of grain, fit for Dumuzid! Maiden, you are a shock of two-row barley, fully developed in loveliness, Inana, you are a shock of two-row barley, fully developed in loveliness!

^9-14I am the queen, I am the queen, I am ...... full of loveliness! I am the maiden, I am the queen, I am ...... full of loveliness! I am the queen, seed engendered by An, I am ...... full of loveliness! I am good oil, good oil, ...... sweet perfume! ...... may he moor the boat ....... ...... may he moor the boat .......

^15-19I am the queen, I shall go with him to his ....... I am Inana, I shall go with him to his ....... I shall go with him to his ....... I shall go with him to his ...... shrine. I shall go with him to the house with its measuring jars.

^20-28Let me learn the way to the man, my milk, my cream! Let me learn the way to my Ama-ucum, my milk, my cream! Let me learn the way to Ama-ucumgal-ana, my milk, my cream! Let me learn the way to the esparto grass, my milk, to my milk, my milk! Let me learn the way to the poplars, the cool place, my milk! Let me learn the way to the innuc plants, the pure plants, my milk! Let me learn the way to the grasslands, the frosty place, my milk! Let me learn the way to the holy sheepfold, my man's sheepfold! Let me learn the way to the holy sheepfold, my Dumuzid's sheepfold!

^29-99 Sa-gida

^30-99I will speak ...... (this line is probably a catch-line to the second (sa-jara) section, not preserved)

Version B (of three closely related compositions)

unknown no. of lines missing
^1-13...... the small things, ...... the small things, ...... the great things, ...... the small things, ...... my property that has to be brought ......; my sheep that eat ....... The cowherd ...... will not find the cow-pen, the shepherd ...... will not find the sheepfold. My butter carrier will not carry the butter, my milk carrier will not carry the milk. My ...... to the evil ones.
2 lines fragmentary

unknown no. of lines missing

Version C (of three closely related compositions)

unknown no. of lines missing
^1-7 1 line fragmentary
The lord made the milk abundant for me, ....... Dumuzid made the butter abundant for me, ....... When he carried the butter, butter was abundant. When he carried the milk, milk was abundant. When he carried milk and butter, he did not enter the house ....... May the lady anoint herself with finest oil!

^8-16Let me learn the way to the man, my milk, my cream! Let me learn the way to my Ama-ucum, my milk, my cream! Let me learn the way to Ama-ucumgal-ana, my milk, my cream! Let me learn the way to the esparto grass, my milk, ......, my milk! Let me learn the way to the poplars, the cool place, my milk! Let me learn the way to the grasslands, the frosty place, my milk! Let me learn the way to the innuc plants, the pure plants, my milk! Let me learn the way to the holy sheepfold, my bridegroom's sheepfold! Let me learn the way to the holy sheepfold, my Dumuzid's sheepfold!

^17-18The mistress ....... The shepherd Dumuzid .......

¹⁹A ...... song

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Revision history

04.ii.1999 : JAB : adapting translation
30.ix.1999 : GC : proofreading
18.x.1999 : GZ : SGML tagging
13.xi.1999 : ER : proofreading SGML
13.xi.1999 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file not changed