Translated by E. A. Speiser, Ancient Near Eastern Texts Related to the Old Testament, edited by J. B. Pritchard (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969), 100-101.
After Anu had created heaven,
Heaven had created the earth,
The earth had created the rivers,
The rivers had created the marsh,
And the marsh had created the worm---
The worm went, weeping, before Shamash,
His tears flowing before Ea:
"What will you give me for food?
What will you give me to suck on?"
"I will give you the ripe fig and the apricot."
"What good is the ripe fig and the apricot?
Lift me up, and assign me to the teeth and the gums!
I will suck the blood of the tooth,
and I will gnaw its roots at the gum!"
Because you have said this, O worm,
May Ea strike you with the might of his hand!