Atramḫasīs, OB version from Sippir, Tablet I, lines i.1-iii.16, read by Claus Wilcke

Transcription and translation kindly supplied by Claus Wilcke.

Original Transcript English Translation
I i 01 inūma ilū awīlum
I i 02 ublū dulla izbilū šupšikka
I i 03 šupšik ilī kabit-ma
I i 04 dullum kabit maˀad šapšāqum
I i 01 When the gods were man,
I i 02 they toiled at corvée work, they dragged the earth-basket.
I i 03 The earth-basket of the gods was heavy,
I i 04 the corvée work was heavy, much was (their) distress.
I i 05 rabûtum Anunakkū sebettam
I i 06 dullam ušazbilū Ig[igī]
I i 05 While the great Anunakkū sevenfold
I i 06 let the Igigū toil under the corvée.
I i 07 Anu abūšunu šarru
I i 08 [m]ālikšunu qurād[u] Enlil
I i 09 [ku]zzallûšunu Ninurta
I i 10 [u] gallûšunu [En]nugi
I i 11 x-tam īḫuzū lētišša
I i 12 isqam iddû ilū izzūzū
I i 11 had taken in hand a shaker,
I i 12 had cast lots; the gods had divided.
I i 13 Anu īteli š[am]êša
I i 14 [Enlil ī]ḫuz erṣetam baˀulātuššu
I i 15 [šigar]ū naḫbalū tiˀamtim
I i 16 [inna]d[n]ū ana Enki naššīki
I i 13 Anu had gone up away to heaven,
I i 14 Enlil had seized earth as his realm,
I i 15 the bolts and the slings of the sea
I i 16 had been given to Enki the prince.
I i 17 [šūt Ani]m īlû šamêša
I i 18 [u šūt Enki ana A]psî [īt]ardū
I i 17 The ones of Anu had gone up to heaven,
I i 18 and the ones of Enki had descended into Apsû,
I i 19 [irtīqū eliš šūt šamāmī]
I i 20 [dulla ušaz]bilū Igigī
I i 21 [nārātim] iḫerrûnim
I i 22 [miṭrāt ilī na]pišti mātim
I i 19 Idle were those of heaven above,
I i 20 they had the Igigū toil under the corvée.
I i 21 They were digging canals,
I i 22 irrigation ditches for the gods, the life of the land.
(15 badly broken lines relaying the work of the Igīgū) (15 badly broken lines relaying the work of the Igīgū)
I i 38 [ilū] dullam izbilū mūšī u urrī
I i 39 [idabbu]bū-ma ikkalū karṣī
I i 40 [uttaz]zamū ina kalakkī
I i 38 The gods toiled under the corvée night and day
I i 39 while debating and cursing,
I i 40 while complaining in the excavation:
I i 41 [alk]āni kuzzallâm i nimḫur
I i 42 [ka]btam dullani lišassik ēlni
I i 43 [ilam m]ālik ilī qurādam
I i 44 [alk]ānim i niššiˀa ina šubtišu
I i 45 [Enlil m]ālik ilī qurādam
I i 46 [alk]ānim i niššiˀa ina šubtišu
I i 41 “Come on, let’s confront our chamberlain,
I i 42 so that he will abolish our heavy corvée from us!
I i 43 The god, the counsellor of the gods –
I i 44 come on, let’s lift (him) from his abode!
I i 45 Enlil, the counsellor of the gods –
I i 46 come on, let’s lift him from his abode!”
I i 47 [Wê] piˀašu īpušam-ma
I i 48 [issaqqa]r ana ilī aḫḫīšu
I i 47 [Wê] opened his mouth
I i 48 saying to the gods, his brothers:
I i 49 [ni...] kuzzallê labīrūtim I i 49 “We [....ed] the chaimberlains of old,
(7 lines lost of the speech by Wê, the strike leader) (7 lines lost of the speech by Wê, the strike leader)
I ii 01 māli[k] i[lī] qurādam
I ii 02 alk[ā] ˹i˺ niššiˀa ina šubtišu
I ii 03 Enlil [māli]k ilī qurādam
I ii 04 al[kā] i niššiˀa ina šubtišu
I ii 01 The heroic counsellor of the gods –
I ii 02 go ahead, let’s lift (him) from his abode!
I ii 03 Enlil, the heroic counsellor of the gods –
I ii 04 go ahead, let’s lift (him) from his abode
I ii 05 anumma tisiˀā tuqumtam
I ii 06 tāḫāza i niblula qablam
I ii 05 Now, proclaim war!
I ii 06 Let’s mingle battle and combat!”
I ii 07 ilū išmû zikiršu
I ii 08 išātam nēpešīšunu iddû-ma
I ii 09 marrīšunu išātam
I ii 10-11 šupšikkīšunu Girra ittakšū
I ii 07 The gods heeded his words,
I ii 08 they set their tools afire,
I ii 09 afire their shovels,
I ii 10-11 to their earth-baskets they set (the fire god) Girra.
I ii 12 ītaḫzūnim illakūnim
I ii 13 bābiš-atmāni qurādi Enlil
I ii 12 They held them as they went
I ii 13 towards the shrine of heroic Enlil.
I ii 14 mišil maṣṣarti mūšum ibašši
I ii 15 bītum lawi ilum ul īde
I ii 16 mišil maṣṣarti mūšum ibašši
I ii 17 Ekur lawi Enlil ul īde
I ii 14 Night had reached the middle of the watch,
I ii 15 the house was surrounded, the god did not know.
I ii 16 Night had reached the middle of the watch,
I ii 17 Ekur was surrounded, Enlil did not know.
I ii 18 ūteqqi Kakka uše[...]
I ii 19 ilput sikkūra iḫīṭ [bāba]
I ii 18 Kakka payed attention, he ...,
I ii 19 he touched the bolt, checked the [gate].
I ii 20 Kakka iddeki Nuska
I ii 21 rigma išemmû š[a Igigī]
I ii 22 Nuska iddeki bē[lšu]
I ii 23 ina mayyāli ušet[bīšu]
I ii 20 Then Kakka roused Nuska,
I ii 21 they were listening to the noise of the [Igigū].
I ii 22 Then Nuska roused his lord,
I ii 23 made him get up from his bed:
I ii 24 bēlī lawi bītka
I ii 25 qablum irūṣa ana bābika
I ii 26 Enlil lawi bītka
I ii 27 qablum irūṣa ˹ana˺ bābika
I ii 24 “My lord, your house is surrounded!
I ii 25 Combat has come close to your gate!
I ii 26 Enlil, your house is surrounded!
I ii 27 Combat has come close to your gate!”
I ii 28 Enlil kakkī ušardi ana šubtišu
I ii 29 Enlil pâšu īpušam-ma
I ii 30 ana šukkalli Nuska isaqqar
I ii 28 Enlil had weapons led to his abode.
I ii 29 Enlil opened his mouth,
I ii 30 saying to the vizier Nuska:
I ii 31 Nuska edil bābka
I ii 32 kakkīka liqe iziz maḫrīya
I ii 33 Nuska īdil bābšu
I ii 34 kakkīšu ilqe ittaziz maḫar Enlil
I ii 31 “Nuska, bar your gate!
I ii 32 Take your weapons, stand before me!”
I ii 33 Nuska barred his gate,
I ii 34 he took his weapons, then stood before Enlil.
I ii 35 Nuska piˀašu īpušam-ma
I ii 36 issaqqar ana qurādi Enlil
I ii 35 Nuska opened his mouth,
I ii 36 saying to heroic Enlil:
I ii 37 bēlī bīnū būnūka
I ii 38 mārū ramānika mīnšu tādur
I ii 39 Enlil bīnū būnūka
I ii 40 mārū ramānika mīnšu tādur
I ii 37 “My lord, your face is (the colour of freshly cut) tamarisks.
I ii 38 They are your own children – why are you afraid?
I ii 39 Enlil, your face is (the colour of cut) tamarisks.
I ii 40 They are your own children – why are you afraid?
I ii 41 šupur Anam lišēridūnim-ma
I ii 42 Enki libbikūnim ana ma[ḫrika]
I ii 41 Give the order that Anum be fetched down,
I ii 42 that Enki be led before you!”
I ii 43 išpur Anam ušēr[idūni]ššu
I ii 44 Enki ibbikūnim ana maḫrišu
I ii 45 wašib Anum šarri [šam]ê
I ii 46 šarri apsî Enki ūteqqe
I ii 43 He gave the order; one fetched Anum down to him,
I ii 44 Enki was led before him.
I ii 45 There sat Anum, the king of heaven,
I ii 46 the king of the Apsû, Enki, was paying attention.
I ii 47 rabûtum Anun[akkū w]ašbū
I ii 48 Enlil itbī-ma ša[kin] dīnu
I ii 47 The great Anunakkū were seated.
I ii 48 Enlil got up. The court was in place:
I ii 49 Enlil piˀašu ī[puš]am-ma
I ii 50 issaqqar an[a ilī rab]ûtim
I ii 49 Enlil opened his mouth,
I ii 50 saying to the great gods:
I ii 51 yâšimma it[tenep]pušū[nim]
I ii 52 tāḫāza eppuš ana Igi[gī]
I ii 53 īnī mīnâ āmur anāku
I ii 54 qablum irūṣa ana bābiya
I ii 51 “Is this done to me again and again?
I ii 52 Have I to do battle with the Igigū?
I ii 53 What did I see with my own eyes?
I ii 54 Combat has come close to my gate!”
I ii 55 Anu piˀašu īpušam-ma
I ii 56 issaqqar ana qurādi Enlil
I ii 55 Anu opened his mouth,
I ii 56 saying to heroic Enlil:
I ii 57 zikra ša Igigū
I ii 58 ilmû bābiška
I iii 01 līṣī-ma Nusku [ana puḫrim]
I iii 02-03 tērta[ka lišanni ] / ana mārīka
I ii 57 “As to the word that the Igigū
I ii 58 surrounded you up to your gate –
I iii 01 Let Nusku go out to the assembly!
I iii 02 May he repeat your message to your children!”
I iii 04 Enlil piˀašu [īpušam-ma]
I iii 05 issaqqar ana [šukkalli Nuska]
I iii 03 Enlil opened his mouth,
I iii 04 saying to the vizier Nuska:
I iii 06 Nuska pite bābka
I iii 07 kakkīka liqe [ṣī ana puḫrim]
I iii 08 ina puḫr[i kala ilī-ma]
I iii 09 kimis iziz [tērtī šunni]
I iii 05 “Nuska, open your gate,
I iii 06 Take your weapons go out to the assembly!
I iii 07 In the assembly of all the gods
I iii 08 kneel down, stand up, repeat my message:
I iii 10 išpuranni [abūkunu Anum]
I iii 11 mālikkunu [qurādu Enlil]
I iii 12 kuzzalûku[nu Ninurta]
I iii 13 u gallûkunu Ennugi
I iii 09 “Your father Anu has sent me,
I iii 10 (as have) your counsellor, heroic Enlil,
I iii 11 your chamberlain Ninurta,
I iii 12 and your sheriff Ennugi:
I iii 14 mannum-mi [ilum bēl qablim]
I iii 15 mannum-[mi ilum bēl tāḫāzim]
I iii 16 mann[um-mi ša iblulu tuqumtam]
I iii 17 q[ablum irūṣam ana bāb Enlil]
I iii 13 Who is the god in charge of combat?
I iii 14 Who is the god in charge of battle?
I iii 15 Who is it who mingled war,
I iii 16 so that combat came close to Enlil’s gate?”

Comments by reader:

I i 11 The end of a second vertical is visible before the (last) vertical wedge; the beginning of the only horizontal wedge is broken away. W. von Sodens reading “ku-tam” is therefore uncertain.

I ii 02 al-k[a] (no space left before ˹i˺ ni-iš-ši-a).

I ii 04 I could not see the slanted wedge drawn in the copy before i ni-iš-ši-a.

I ii 28 ˹ka?-ak?˺-ki