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

^1-10...... he who cools, who cools ....... He who uproots the grass for holy Inana, who uproots ....... He who gathers the dates, ...... the date palm. He who gathers the dates for holy Inana, ...... the date palm. Let him bring her water, let him bring her water, and black emmer seeds. With the water let him bring Inana a heap, and white emmer seeds. The man brings, the man brings, he brings a heap of stones to choose from. The man brings to the maiden Inana, he brings a heap of stones to choose from. He gathers the lapis lazuli from the top of the heap. He gathers the lapis lazuli for Inana from the top of the heap.

^11-24She chooses the buttocks beads and puts them on her buttocks. Inana chooses the head stones and puts them on her head. She chooses the lumps of translucent lapis lazuli and puts them on the nape of her neck. She chooses the golden genitals and puts them on the hair of her head. She chooses the ribbons (?) of gold for the ears and puts them on her ears. She chooses the burnished bronze and puts it in her ear lobes (?). She chooses that which drips with honey and puts it on her face. She chooses that of the outer shrine and puts it on her nose. She chooses the ...... and puts it on her mouth. She chooses the beautiful ...... ring and puts it in her navel. She chooses a well of honey and fresh water and puts it on her hips. She chooses bright alabaster and puts it on her thighs. She chooses black ...... willow (?) (1 ms. has instead:) fleece (?) and puts it on her genitals. She chooses ornate sandals and puts them on her toes.

²⁵ Sa-gida.

^26-31The lord meets her for whom lapis lazuli was gathered from the heap. Dumuzid meets Inana for whom lapis lazuli was gathered from the heap. The shepherd of An, the servant of Enlil, the lord meets her. The servant of An, the herdsman of Enlil, Dumuzid meets her. The lord meets her at the lapis lazuli door which stands in the jipar shrine. Dumuzid meets her at the narrow door which stands in the storehouse of E-ana.

^32-36When she turns from the top of the heap, when Inana turns from the top of the heap, may the woman enter (?) with her songs, decorated (?). The maiden, singing, sends a messenger to her father. Inana, dancing from joy, sends a messenger to her father:

^37-47"Let them ...... for me into my house, my house. Let them ...... into my house, my house for me, the queen. Let them ...... for me into my jipar shrine. Let them erect for me my flowered bed. Let them spread it for me with herbs like translucent lapis lazuli. For me let them bring in the man of my heart. Let them bring in to me my Ama-ucumgal-ana. Let them put his hand in my hand, let them put his heart by my heart. As hand is put to head, the sleep is so pleasant. As heart is pressed to heart, the pleasure is so sweet."

⁴⁸ Kunjar of Inana.

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Revision history

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