A song of Inana and Dumuzid (Dumuzid-Inana C1): translation

SEGMENT A

^1-10
2 lines fragmentary
Ninegala, your wedding ushers are lords! ...... like someone cracking eggs ....... Inana, your ushers are lords! ...... is first, ...... is second,
1 line fragmentary
the fowler ......, and the fisherman from the depths of the reed-beds.

^11-20"I will send a messenger to the shepherd: let him treat me to the best butter and the best milk! I will send a messenger to my farmer: let him treat me to ...... and wine! I, the lady, will send a messenger to the fowler, whose bird-nets are spread out: let him treat me to fine birds! I, Inana, will send a messenger to the fisherman too whose nets are set up in the reed-beds: let him treat me to fat carp!"

^21-32One of her ushers brought the gifts. The fowler brought choice birds, and the fisherman brought fat carp and put them ...... my lady. The shepherd carried butter in his hands, Dumuzid carried milk on his shoulders. He carried butter and milk in containers on his shoulders, he carried milk in the churn on his shoulders. ...... called out to the house; Dumuzid ......: "Open the house, my lady! Open the house!"
1 line fragmentary
approx. 4 lines missing

SEGMENT B

^1-11The mistress ....... She stepped forward to her own mother, and stood ...... expert in song: (Ningal speaks:) "He will be just like ....... He will be just like ....... He will be just like ...... for you. He will be just like your father. He will be just like your mother. His mother too will ...... just like your mother! His father too will ...... just like your father!" (Dumuzid speaks:) "Open the house, my lady! Open the house!"

^12-23At her mother's bidding, Inana bathed in water and anointed herself with sweet oil. She covered her body with a grand robe; she also took her pin. She straightened the lapis lazuli stones on her neck, and grasped her cylinder seal in her hand. The young lady stepped forward as Dumuzid pushed open the door, and like a moonbeam she came forth to him from the house. He looked at her and rejoiced in her; he embraced her and kissed her.
1 line fragmentary
approx. 9 lines missing

SEGMENT C

^1-8
1 line fragmentary
Dumuzid ....... Lord Dumuzid ....... "My master, ...... home. My master, my spouse ....... Dumuzid ....... My master, take me (?) into the house." The shepherd Dumuzid said to his bride:

^9-13"My bride, come forth from the ....... Inana, ...... the house of my personal god. I shall bring you to the house of my god. I shall get you to lie down before my god and, Inana, you shall sit with me in my god's seat of honour!"

^14-24When he had spoken thus to her, she sat down ......
1 line fragmentary
...... stepped forward ....... ...... uttered a prayer ......
5 lines fragmentary
...... your usher ......
approx. 4 lines missing

SEGMENT D

^1-4
1 line fragmentary
...... before you ....... My Ama-ucumgal, ...... boat. ...... the young lady:

^5-13"I have not carried you off to be my slave girl! ......, your table will be a splendid table. You will eat at a splendid table. Your table will be a splendid table, a splendid table. You will eat ....... My mother does not eat there, Durtur's brother does not eat there, my sister Jectin-ana does not eat there; but you will eat .......

^14-27"My bride, you should not weave cloth for me! ......, you should not spin yarn for me! ......, you should not comb out goat's wool for me! ......, you should not warp threads for me!"
3 lines fragmentary
"You should not (?) ...... bread for me!" Ninegala, ....... The wild bull Dumuzid ....... ...... holy radiance on the horizon ......., ...... radiance in heaven ......,
2 lines fragmentary
up to 5 lines missing

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Revision history

29.i.1999 : JAB : adapting translation
03.xii.1999 : GC : proofreading
04.xii.1999 : GC : tagging
28.i.2000 : ER : proofreading SGML
28.i.2000 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file not changed