Inana and Enki
SEGMENT A
about 6 lines missing
"When I have gratified the lord ......, when I
have made ...... brilliant, when I have made ...... beautiful, when I
have made ...... glorious, when I have ......, when I have made
...... perfect, when I have made ...... luxuriant, when I have made
...... exuberant, when I have made ...... shining (?), when I have
made ...... return, when I have made ...... brilliant, when I have
made ...... shimmering, I shall direct my steps to the
abzu, to
Eridug, I shall direct my steps to Enki, to the abzu, to Eridug, and I
myself shall speak coaxingly to him, in the abzu, in Eridug, I myself
shall speak coaxingly to Enki, in the abzu, in Eridug. ......
had her go out ......." SEGMENT B Inana, ...... it is I who ....... I,
Inana,
personally intend to go to the abzu (1 ms. has instead: intend
to go to Eridug). I shall utter a plea to the lord Enki. Like the
sweet oil of the cedar, who will ...... for my holy ...... perfume?
It shall never escape me that I have been neglected by him who has
had sex." On that day the maiden Inana, holy Inana,
directed her steps all by herself towards Enki's abzu in Eridug. On that
day, he of exceptional knowledge, who knows the divine powers in
heaven and earth, who from his own dwelling already knows the
intentions of the gods, Enki, the king of the abzu, who, even before
holy Inana had approached within six miles of the abzu (1 ms. has instead: the
temple) in Eridug, knew all about her enterprise -- Enki spoke to his
man, gave him instructions: "Come here, my man, listen to my
words." SEGMENT C ...... she will drink, ...... she will eat.
Come here! ....... I will ......, ...... do. The maiden ...... the
abzu and
Eridug, Inana ...... the abzu and Eridug .......
When the maiden Inana has entered the abzu and Eridug, when
Inana has entered the abzu and Eridug, offer her
butter cake to eat. Let her be served cool refreshing water. Pour
beer for her, in front of the Lions Gate, make her feel as if she is
in her girlfriend's house, make her ...... as a colleague. You are to
welcome holy Inana at the holy table, at the table of An."
After Enki had spoken thus to him, Isimud the
minister followed his master's instructions closely. He let the
maiden into the abzu and Eridug. He let Inana into the abzu and Eridug. When the
maiden had entered the abzu and Eridug, when
Inana had entered the abzu and Eridug, she got
butter cake to eat. They poured cool refreshing water for her, and
they gave her beer to drink, in front of the Lions Gate. He made her
feel as if she was in her girlfriend's house, and made her ...... as
a colleague. He welcomed holy Inana at the holy table, at the table
of An. So it came about that Enki and Inana were
drinking beer together in the abzu, and enjoying the
taste of sweet wine. The bronze aga vessels were filled to
the brim, and the two of them started a competition, drinking from
the bronze vessels of Urac. SEGMENT D I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter;
may ...... not ......." Holy Inana received heroism, power,
wickedness, righteousness, the plundering of cities, making
lamentations, rejoicing. "In the name of my power, in the name of my
abzu, I
will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not
......." Holy Inana received deceit, the rebel lands,
kindness, being on the move, being sedentary. "In the name of my
power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to
holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......." Holy Inana received the craft of the carpenter,
the craft of the coppersmith, the craft of the scribe, the craft of
the smith, the craft of the leather-worker, the craft of the fuller,
the craft of the builder, the craft of the reed-worker. "In the name
of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to
holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......." Holy Inana received wisdom, attentiveness, holy
purification rites, the shepherd's hut, piling up glowing charcoals,
the sheepfold, respect, awe, reverent silence. "In the name of my
power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to
holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......." Holy Inana received the bitter-toothed (?)
......, the kindling of fire, the extinguishing of fire, hard work,
......, the assembled family, descendants. "In the name of my power,
in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may
...... not ......." Holy Inana received strife, triumph, counselling,
comforting, judging, decision-making. "In the name of my power, in
the name of my abzu, I will give them
to holy Inana, my daughter; may ...... not ......." Holy Inana
received ......, ......, SEGMENT E "He has given me righteousness. He has given me
the plundering of cities. He has given me making lamentations. He has
given me rejoicing. "He has given me deceit. He has given me
the rebel
lands. He
has given me kindness. He has given me being on the move. He has
given me being sedentary. "He has given me the craft of the carpenter. He
has given me the craft of the coppersmith. He has given me the craft
of the scribe. He has given me the craft of the smith. He has given
me the craft of the leather-worker. He has given me the craft of the
fuller. He has given me the craft of the builder. He has given me the
craft of the reed-worker. "He has given me wisdom. He has given me
attentiveness. He has given me holy purification rites. He has given
me the shepherd's hut. He has given me piling up glowing charcoals.
He has given me the sheepfold. He has given me respect. He has given
me awe. He has given me reverent silence. "He has given me the bitter-toothed (?) .......
He has given me the kindling of fire. He has given me the
extinguishing of fire. He has given me hard work. He has given me
....... He has given me the assembled family. He has given me
descendants. He has given me strife. He has given me triumph. He has given me
counselling." SEGMENT F Enki spoke to the minister Isimud: " Isimud, my
minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your
service! What is your wish?" "Since she said that she would not yet
depart from here for Unug Kulaba, that she would not yet depart from
here to the place where Utu ......, can I still reach her?" But holy
Inana had gathered up the divine powers and embarked onto the Boat of
Heaven. The Boat of Heaven had already left the quay. As the effects
of the beer cleared from him who had drunk beer, from him who had
drunk beer, as the effects of the beer cleared from father Enki who
had drunk beer, the great lord Enki turned his attention to the
...... building. The lord looked up at the abzu. King Enki turned his
attention to Eridug. Enki spoke to Isimud the minister: " Isimud, my
minister, my Sweet Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your
service! What is your wish?" "Where are the office of en priest, the office of
lagal
priest, divinity, the great and good crown, the royal throne?" "My
master has given them to his daughter." "Where are the noble sceptre, the staff and
crook, the noble dress, shepherdship, kingship?" "My master has given
them to his daughter." "Where are the office of egi-zi priestess, the
office of nin-dijir priestess, the office of icib priest, the office of
lu-mah
priest, the office of gudu priest?" "My master
has given them to his daughter." "Where are constancy, ......, ......, going
down to the underworld, coming up from the underworld, the
kur-jara
priest?" "My master has given them to his daughter." "Where are the sword and club, the cultic
functionary saj-ursaj, the black garment, the colourful garment, the ......
hair-style, the ...... hair-style?" "My master has given them to his
daughter." "Where are ......?" "My master has given them
to his daughter." "Where are the standard, the quiver, sexual
intercourse, kissing, prostitution, ...... running (?)?" "My master
has given them to his daughter." "Where are forthright speech, deceitful speech,
grandiloquent speech, ......, the cultic prostitute, the holy
tavern?" "My master has given them to his daughter." "Where are the holy nijin-jar shrine, ......,
the hierodule of heaven, loud musical instruments, the art of song,
venerable old age?" "My master has given them to his daughter." SEGMENT G ..... king ...... in the house of Enki should
not forget a word. ...... full of advice, loud voiced, knowing much
....... They said: "By the bolt of the temple door, a frog spoke." He
showed him to a place. Enki grasped the frog by his right paw. He
showed him into his holy ....... He received ...... the
halub tree
and his box-tree. He gave ...... to the bird of heaven. He gave
...... to the fish of the subterranean waters. SEGMENT H The prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki
addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet
Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is
your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just
now reached the ...... Quay." "Go now! The enkum are to take the Boat
of Heaven away from her!" The minister Isimud spoke to holy Inana: "My
lady! Your father has sent me to you. Inana, your father has sent me
to you. What your father said was very serious. What Enki spoke was
very serious. His important words cannot be countermanded." Holy
Inana replied to him: "What has my father said to you, what has he
spoken? Why should his important words not be countermanded?" "My
master has spoken to me, Enki has said to me: " Inana may travel to
Unug, but you are to get the Boat of Heaven back to Eridug for
me"." Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How
could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have
altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have
discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my
father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely
by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously
sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her
mouth, he got the enkum to seize hold of the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana
adressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My
fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable words! Water has never
touched your hand, water has never touched your feet!" So Inana got hold again of the divine powers
which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for
the second time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki
addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet
Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is
your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just
now reached the holy ......." "Go now! The fifty giants of Eridug are
to take the Boat of Heaven away from her!" The minister Isimud spoke to holy Inana: "My
lady! Your father has sent me to you. Inana, your father has sent me
to you. What your father said was very serious. What Enki spoke was
very serious. His important words cannot be countermanded." Holy
Inana replied to him: "What has my father said to you, what has he
spoken? Why should his important words not be countermanded?" "My
master has spoken to me, Enki has said to me: " Inana may travel to
Unug, but you are to get the Boat of Heaven back to Eridug for
me"." Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How
could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have
altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have
discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my
father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely
by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously
sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her
mouth, he got the fifty giants of Eridug to seize hold of the Boat of
Heaven. Holy Inana adressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my good
minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable
words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched
your feet!" So Inana got hold again of the divine powers
which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for
the third time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki
addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet
Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is
your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just
now reached the UL.MA hill." "Go now! The fifty lahama of the subterranean
waters are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her!" The minister Isimud spoke to holy Inana: "My
lady! Your father has sent me to you. Inana, your father has sent me
to you. What your father said was very serious. What Enki spoke was
very serious. His important words cannot be countermanded." Holy
Inana replied to him: "What has my father said to you, what has he
spoken? Why should his important words not be countermanded?" "My
master has spoken to me, Enki has said to me: " Inana may travel to
Unug, but you are to get the Boat of Heaven back to Eridug for
me"." Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How
could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have
altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have
discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my
father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely
by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously
sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her
mouth, he got the fifty lahama of the subterranean
waters to seize hold of the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana adressed her
minister Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken
minister! My envoy of reliable words! Water has never touched your
hand, water has never touched your feet!" So Inana got hold again of the divine powers
which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for
the fourth time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki
addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet
Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is
your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just
now reached the Field Hill." "Go now! All the great fish together
...... are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her!" The minister Isimud spoke to holy Inana: "My
lady! Your father has sent me to you. Inana, your father has sent me
to you. What your father said was very serious. What Enki spoke was
very serious. His important words cannot be countermanded." Holy
Inana replied to him: "What has my father said to you, what has he
spoken? Why should his important words not be countermanded?" "My
master has spoken to me, Enki has said to me: " Inana may travel to
Unug, but you are to get the Boat of Heaven back to Eridug for
me"." Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How
could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have
altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have
discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my
father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely
by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously
sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her
mouth, he got all the great fish together ...... to seize hold of the
Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana adressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my
good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable
words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched
your feet!" So Inana got hold again of the divine powers
which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for
the fifth time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki
addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet
Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is
your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just
now reached ......." "Go now! ......, the guardians of Unug, are to
take the Boat of Heaven away from her!" The minister Isimud spoke to holy Inana: "My
lady! Your father has sent me to you. Inana, your father has sent me
to you. What your father said was very serious. What Enki spoke was
very serious. His important words cannot be countermanded." Holy
Inana replied to him: "What has my father said to you, what has he
spoken? Why should his important words not be countermanded?" "My
master has spoken to me, Enki has said to me: " Inana may travel to
Unug, but you are to get the Boat of Heaven back to Eridug for
me"." Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How
could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have
altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have
discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my
father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely
by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously
sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her
mouth, he got the ......, the guardians of Unug, to seize hold of the
Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana adressed her minister Nincubur: "Come, my
good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister! My envoy of reliable
words! Water has never touched your hand, water has never touched
your feet!" So Inana got hold again of the divine powers
which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then for
the sixth time the prince spoke to his minister Isimud, Enki
addressed the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet
Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is
your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just
now reached the Id-surungal ......." "Go now! The Id-surungal ......
are to take the Boat of Heaven away from her! ...... from holy
Inana." The minister Isimud spoke to holy Inana: "My
lady! Your father has sent me to you. Inana, your father has sent me
to you. What your father said was very serious. What Enki spoke was
very serious. His important words cannot be countermanded." Holy
Inana replied to him: "What has my father said to you, what has he
spoken? Why should his important words not be countermanded?" "My
master has spoken to me, Enki has said to me: " Inana may travel to
Unug, but you are to get the Boat of Heaven back to Eridug for
me"." Holy Inana spoke to the minister Isimud: "How
could my father have changed what he said to me? How could he have
altered his promise as far as I am concerned? How could he have
discredited his important words to me? Was it falsehood that my
father said to me, did he speak falsely to me? Has he sworn falsely
by the name of his power and by the name of his abzu? Has he duplicitously
sent you to me as a messenger?" Now as these words were still in her
mouth, he got the Id-surungal ...... to seize hold of the Boat of
Heaven. ...... from holy Inana. Holy Inana adressed her minister
Nincubur: "Come, my good minister of E-ana! My fair-spoken minister!
My envoy of reliable words! Water has never touched your hand, water
has never touched your feet!" So Inana got hold again of the divine powers
which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven; and then Her minister Nincubur spoke to holy Inana: "My
lady, today you have brought the Boat of Heaven to the Gate of Joy,
to Unug Kulaba. Now there will be rejoicing in our city, now there
will be rejoicing in our city. ...... barges on our river
......." Holy Inana replied to her: "Today I have
brought the Boat of Heaven to the Gate of Joy, to Unug Kulaba. It
shall pass along the street magnificently. The people shall stand in
the street full of awe. " When she had ...... the Boat of Heaven to the
Gate of Joy at Unug Kulaba, it passed magnificently along the street.
It reached the maiden's house, and she ...... its place. ...... the
purified well, her principal well. Inana ...... the divine powers
which had been presented to her, and the Boat of Heaven, at the Jipar
Gate. At the Agrun Chamber ....... Holy Inana ...... the Boat of
Heaven ....... The prince addressed his minister Isimud, Enki
spoke to the Sweet Name of Heaven: " Isimud, my minister, my Sweet
Name of Heaven!" " Enki, my master, I am at your service! What is
your wish?" "Where has the Boat of Heaven reached now?" "It has just
now reached the White Quay." "Go now, ...... admiration. ......
admiration ...... the Boat of Heaven. Holy Inana ....... ......
admiration ....... " SEGMENT J " Inana, you have brought with you the office
of en
priest, you have brought with you the office of lagal priest, you have
brought with you divinity, you have brought with you the great and
good crown, you have brought with you the royal throne. "You have brought with you the noble sceptre,
you have brought with you the staff and crook, you have brought with
you the noble dress, you have brought with you shepherdship, you have
brought with you kingship. "You have brought with you the office of
egi-zi
priestess, you have brought with you the office of nin-dijir priestess, you
have brought with you the office of icib priest, you have
brought with you the office of lu-mah priest, you have
brought with you the office of gudu priest. "You have brought with you constancy, you have
brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have
brought with you going down to the underworld, you have brought with
you coming up from the underworld, you have brought with you the
kur-jara
priest. "You have brought with you sword and club, you
have brought with you the cultic functionary saj-ursaj, you have
brought with you the black garment, you have brought with you the
colourful garment, you have brought with you the ...... hair-style,
you have brought with you the ...... hair-style. "You have brought with you ......, you have
brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have
brought with you ......, you have brought with you ......, you have
brought with you ......, you have brought with you .......
"You have brought with you the standard, you
have brought with you the quiver, you have brought with you sexual
intercourse, you have brought with you kissing, you have brought with
you prostitution, you have brought with you ...... running
(?). "You have brought with you forthright speech,
you have brought with you deceitful speech, you have brought with you
grandiloquent speech, you have brought with you ......, you have
brought with you the cultic prostitute, you have brought with you the
holy tavern. "You have brought with you the holy
nijin-jar
shrine, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with you
the hierodule of heaven, you have brought with you loud musical
instruments, you have brought with you the art of song, you have
brought with you venerable old age. "You have brought with you heroism, you have
brought with you power, you have brought with you wickedness, you
have brought with you righteousness, you have brought with you the
plundering of cities, you have brought with you making lamentations,
you have brought with you rejoicing. "You have brought with you deceit, you have
brought with you the rebel lands, you have brought with you kindness,
you have brought with you being on the move, you have brought with
you being sedentary. "You have brought with you the craft of the
carpenter, you have brought with you the craft of the coppersmith,
you have brought with you the craft of the scribe, you have brought
with you the craft of the smith, you have brought with you the craft
of the leather-worker, you have brought with you the craft of the
fuller, you have brought with you the craft of the builder, you have
brought with you the craft of the reed-worker. "You have brought with you wisdom, you have
brought with you attentiveness, you have brought with you holy
purification rites, you have brought with you the shepherd's hut, you
have brought with you piling up glowing charcoals, you have brought
with you the sheepfold, you have brought with you respect, you have
brought with you awe, you have brought with you reverent
silence. "You have brought with you the bitter-toothed
(?) ......, you have brought with you the kindling of fire, you have
brought with you the extinguishing of fire, you have brought with you
hard work, you have brought with you ......, you have brought with
you the assembled family, you have brought with you
descendants. "You have brought with you strife, you have
brought with you triumph, you have brought with you counselling, you
have brought with you comforting, you have brought with you judging,
you have brought with you decision-making. "You have brought with you the establishing of
plans (?), the attractiveness of women, you have brought with you
...... to handle the perfect divine powers, you have brought with you
...... small ......, you have brought with you ...... exalted ......,
you have brought with you the holy tigi, holy lilis, ub, meze and ala drums, you have
brought with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought with you the
...... of holy An, you have brought with you the ...... of holy An,
you have brought with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought
with you the ...... of holy An, you have brought with you the ......
of holy An, you have brought with you all of the ......, ......
beer." Where the woman ...... joy ......, she named it
with the name "The house Ganzer is rebuilt". Where the trader said
"Fifty shekels" but when he brought (?) it there was less, she named
that place with the name "Potsherds and scrap metal (?)". Where the
boat ......, she named it with the name "......". Where the boat came
to dock at the quay, she named that place with the name "White Quay".
Where ......, she named that place with the name "Blue Quay".
Enki spoke to holy Inana: "In the name of my
power, in the name of my abzu, I will establish
...... in my abzu for the woman." ( Inana speaks:) "Why has this one now entered
here? ...... taking the divine powers from me?" Gracious permission from:
"Copyright J.A. Black, G. Cunningham, E. Robson, and G. Zlyomi 1998,
1999, 2000. The authors have asserted their moral rights."
Scholarly Versions at their Home Page
The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian
Literature, Oxford University, Counter added 2.01.06 12:50 5600
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...... Unug ......
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...... the Boat of Heaven. Nincubur ......, ...... the Boat of
Heaven. A seventh time ......
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The great princely scion, holy ....... Holy Inana ...... the Boat of
Heaven. Holy Inana at that time .......
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...... in joy. ...... the old men of the city ...... comfort, ......
the old women ...... counsel, ...... the young men ...... strength of
arms, ...... the children ...... joy. ...... Unug.
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"...... festival ...... the Boat of Heaven. He shall recite great
prayers. The king shall slaughter bulls, shall sacrifice sheep. He
shall pour beer from a bowl. He shall have the cem and ala drums sound, and have
the sweet-sounding tigi instruments play. The foreign lands shall declare my
greatness. My people shall utter my praise."
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(A third deity speaks:) "May the ...... in your name!"
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"May there be ...... a festival! May ...... pass their time ...... at
the gate of your Jipar! May the citizens of your city, Inana, the
citizens of Unug, live ......! And as for you, Enki -- may ......
your city, Eridug ......, and has indeed restored ......."
