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