The Epic of Gilgameš, Old Babylonian Version, Tablet II, lines 1-61, read by Jacob Klein
With the kind permission of Professor A. R. George, the translation below is taken from his work The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic (Oxford, 2003), with minor modifications. The transcription is based on the transliteration in the same work.
| Original Transcript | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 1 itbema gilgameš šunatam ipaššar2 issaqqaram ana ummišu | 1 Gilgameš arose to reveal dream, 2 saying to his mother: |
| 3 ummī ina šât mušītiya 4-5 šamhākuma attanallak ina birīt eṭlūtim |
3 “O mother, during the course of this night 4-5 I was walking about lustily in the company of young men. |
| 6 ipzirūnimma kakkabū šamā’ī 7 ... ša anim imqutam ana ṣēriya 8 aššišuma iktabit eliya 9 unīssuma nuššašu ul elte’i |
6 “The stars of the sky hid from me, 7 a ... of heaven fell down before me. 8 I picked it up but it was too heavy for me, 9 I pushed at it but I could not move it. |
| 10 uruk mātum pahir elišu 11 eṭlūtum unaššaqū šēpīšu 12-13 ummidma pūtī īmidū yâti 14 ašši’aššuma atbalaššu ana ṣēriki |
10 The land of Uruk was gathered about it, 11 the young men were kissing its feet. 12-13 I braced my forehead and they supported me, 14 I picked it up and carried it off to you”. |
| 15 ummi gilgameš mūde’at kalāma 16 issaqqaram ana gilgameš |
15 The mother of Gilgameš, well versed in everything, 16 said to Gilgameš: |
| 17 minde gilgameš ša kīma kâti 18-19 ina ṣēri iwwalidma urabbišu šadû 20 tammaršuma tahaddu atta 21 eṭlūtum unaššaqū šēpīšu 22-23 teddiraššuma tatarrâššu ana ṣēriya |
17 “For sure, Gilgameš, one like yourself 18-19 was born in the wild and the upland reared him. 20 You will see him and you will rejoice, 21 the young men will kiss his feet. 22-23 You will hug him and bring him to me”. |
| 24 [i]ttīlamma ītamar šanītam 25 [i]tbe itawwâm ana ummišu |
24 He lay down and saw another dream. 25 He arose to talk to his mother: |
| 26 [um]mī ātamar šanītam 27-28 […] … ina sūqim [ša uru]k rebītim 29-30 haṣṣinnu nadima elišu pahrū 31 haṣṣinnumma šani būnūšu 32 āmuršuma ahtadu anāku 33-34 arāmšuma kīma aššatim ahabbub ēlšu 35-36 elqešuma aštakanšu ana ahiya |
26 “O mother, I have seen another. 27-28 […] … in the street of Uruk-Main-Street, 29-30 an axe was lying and (people) were gathered around it. 31 The axe itself, its appearance was strange; 32 I saw it and became glad. 33-34 I loved it like a wife, caressing and embracing it, 35-36 I took it up and put it at my side”. |
| 37 ummi gilgameš mūdât kalāma 38 [issaqqaram] a[na gilgameš] |
37 The mother of Gilgameš, well versed in everything, 38 [said] t[o Gilgameš:] |
| lines 39-42 are lost) | lines 39-42 are lost) |
| 43 aššum uš[ta]mahharu ittika | 43 “... so that I shall make him your equal” |
| 44 gilgameš š[un]atam ipaššar 45 enki[du w]ašib mahar harimtim 46 urt[a’’]amū kilallūn 47 ṣē[r]am imtaši ašar iwwaldu 48 ūmī (sebet u sebe) muši’ātim 49-50 en[kidu t]ebima ša[mkata]m irhi |
44 As Gilgameš was relating the dream, 45 Enkidu was sitting before the harlot. 46 The two of them were making love together, 47 he forgot the wild where he was born.48 For seven days and seven nights 49-50 Enkidu was erect and coupled with Šamkatum |
| 51 har[imtum p]īša īpušamma 52 issaqqa[ram] ana enkidu |
51 The harlot opened her mouth, 52 saying to Enkidu: |
| 53 anaṭṭalka enkidu kīma ilim tabašši 54-55 ammīnim itti nammaštê tatta[n]allak ṣēram |
53 “I look at you, Enkidu, you are like a god, 54-55 why with the animals do you range through the wild? |
| 56-57 alkam lurdeka ana libbi [uru]k rebītim 58 ana bītim e[ll]im mūšabi (ša) anim 59 enkidu tibe lūruka 60 ana e[anna] m[ūš]abi ša anim 61 ašar [š]itkunu nēpešētim |
56-57 “Come, I will lead you to Uruk-Main-Street, 58 to the sacred temple, the home of Anu. 59 Enkidu, arise, I will take you 60 to Eanna, the home of Anu. 61 Where (people) are engaged in labours of skill, |