Enlil and Nam-zid-tara: translation

^1-10Nam-zid-tara walked by Enlil, who said to him: "Where have you come from, Nam-zid-tara?" "From Enlil's temple. My turn of duty is finished. I serve at the place of the gudu priests, with their sheep. I am on my way home. Don't stop me; I am in a hurry. Who are you who asks me questions?"

^11-18"I am Enlil." But Enlil had changed his appearance: he had turned into a raven and was croaking. "But you are not a raven, you really are Enlil!" "How did you recognise that I am Enlil, who decrees the destinies? "

^17-18"When your uncle En-me-cara was a captive, after taking for himself the rank of Enlil, he said: "Now I shall know the fates, like a lord. " "

^19-23"You may acquire precious metals, you may acquire precious stones, you may acquire cattle or you may acquire sheep; but the day of a human being is always getting closer, so where does your wealth lead? Now, I am indeed Enlil, who decrees the fates. What is your name? "

^24-27"My name is Nam-zid-tara (Well-blessed). " "Your fate shall be assigned according to your name: leave the house of your master, and your heirs shall come and go regularly in my temple. "

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Revision history

31.x.1998 : JAB : translation
30.xi.1998 : GZ : proofreading
11.xii.1998 : GC : tagging
15.i.1999 : ER : proofreading tagged text
21.i.1999 : ER : converting to HTML
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file not changed