The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer (Ludlul bēl nēmeqi), Tablet II, lines 1-33, read by Nathan Wasserman
Translation after A. R. George, The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic (Oxford, 2003), with minor modifications. Transcription based on George's transliteration.
| Original Transcript | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 1 gilgameš ana šâšumma izakkara ana ūta-napišti rūqi | 1 Gilgamesh spoke to him, to Ūta-napišti the Far-Away: |
| 2 anaṭṭalakkumma ūta-napišti 3 minâtuka ul šanâ kī yâtimma atta 4 u atta ul šanâta kī yâtimma atta |
2 "As I look at you, Ūta-napišti, 3 Your form is no different, you are just like me, 4 You are not different at all, you are just like me. |
| 5 gummurka libbī ana epēš tuqunti 6 [x]x ahī nadât elu ṣērika 7 [att]a kīkī tazzizma ina puhur ilī balāṭa teš'u |
5 I was fully intent on doing battle with you, 6 [but] in your presence my hand is stayed. 7 How was it that you attended the gods' assembly, and found eternal life?" |
| 8 ūta-napišti ana šâšumma izakkar ana gilgameš | 8 Ūta-napišti spoke to him, to Gilgamesh: |
| 9 lupteka gilgameš amāt niṣirti 10 u pirišti ša ilī kâša luqbīka |
9 I will disclose to you, Gilgamesh, a secret matter, 10 and I will tell you a mystery of the gods |
| 11 šurippak ālu ša tīdûšu atta 12 ā[lu ša ina kišā]d puratti šaknu 13 [āl]u šū labirma ilū qerbuššu 14 [an]a šakān abūbi ubla libbašunu ilī rabûti |
11 The city of Shuruppak — a city you yourself know, 12 the [city that] is situated on the [banks] of the Euphrates — 13 that city was old and the gods were inside it, 14 (when) the great gods decided to cause the Deluge. |
| 15 [it]māma abūšunu anum 16 mālikšunu qurādu enlil 17 [g]uzallâšunu ninurta 18 gugallâšunu ennugi |
15 Their father Anu took the oath, 16 (as did) their counsellor, the hero Enlil, 17 their chamberlain, Ninurta, 18 their inspector of waterways, Ennugi |
| 19 ninšiku ea ittīšunu tamīma 20 amāssunu ušannâ ana kikkišu |
19 Prince Ea was likewise under oath with them, 20 (but) repeated their words to a reed fence: |
| 21 kikkiš kikkiš igār igār 22 kikkišu šimema igāru hissas 23 šuruppakû mār ubara-tutu 24 uqur bīta bini eleppa |
21 "Reed fence, reed fence! Brick wall, brick wall! 22 Listen, O reed fence! Pay heed, O brick wall! 23 O man of Shuruppak, son of Ubara-tutu, 24 demolish the house, build a boat! |
| 25 muššir mešrâmma še'i napšāti 26 [m]akkūru zērma napišti bulliṭ 27 šūlīma zēr napšāti kalāma ana libbi eleppi |
25 Abandon riches and seek survival! 26 Spurn property and save life! 27 Put on board the boat the seed of all living creatures! |
| 28 eleppu ša tabannûši atta 29 lū mindudā minâtuša 30 [l]ū mithur rupussa u mūrakša 31 [k]īma apsî šâši ṣullilši |
28 "The boat that you are going to build, 29 her dimensions should all be matching: 30 her breadth and length shoudl be the same, 31 cover her with a roof, like the Apsû". |
| 32 [a]nāku īdēma azakkara ana ea bēliya 33 [amg]ur bēlī ša taqbâ atta kī'am 34 [at]ta'id anāku eppu |
32 I understood and spoke to Ea my master: 33 "I hereby concur, my lord, with what you told me thus. 34 [I] have paid attention; I shall do it. |