14. _du na-a-ni a am-e gal-la_
Whose powerful dwelling-place (is the seat of) a great command,
_du_: the sign giving this value has two origins, one of which is
represented by the value _dul_, meaning “cover” (Br. 9582). The other is
represented by the value _du_ and means “dwelling-place”, rendered in
Assyrian by _šubtu_ (Br. 9588). _du_ really means “prescribed space”.
_na-a-ni_ means “his lying-down place”. _na-a_ defines with more
particularity the nature of the dwelling as “a lying-down place”, “a
permanent place of rest”. Here we have _du na-a_; above we have _ama
na-a_ (line 9).
_a_: IDU and DADDU come from the same ideogram which is the picture of
the hand and the forearm, the fingers pointing to the left. The value
_id_ is supposed to be of Semitic derivation, from the root appearing in
Assyrian as _idu_, “hand”. The sign IDU also means “side”, “wing”,
“horn”, “power”. Hence I render “powerful” here, making it qualify _du
na-a-ni_. The sign in our text is old Babylonian; yet it seems to be a
form that is approaching the Assyrian form. TA is also related to ID and
DA and is used as DA sometimes is, as a postposition.
_am-e_, composed of prefix _am_ and stem _e_. _am_: we have had the sign
used phonetically (line 1). Here it is undoubtedly an abstract prefix
(MSL. p. XVII), qualifying the following _e_. The sign is old
Babylonian, readily found in old Babylonian inscriptions. It is a
composite sign. The enclosure contains the sign IZU which is also
composite. IZU however, as explained above (line 6), means “fire”. So
_am_ is primarily the “fire of love”, hence the usual meaning “love”.
_e_: it is clear that _e_ can equal _ḳabu_, “speak” (Br. 5843 and HW.
578a). Hence _am-e_ must mean “speech”. The sign is old Babylonian, as
may be seen, for instance, by examining Ḥammurabi. It is called EGU. The
New-Babylonian form comes nearer to the old Babylonian than the Assyrian
does. This fact goes to show that the Assyrian signs are as a rule
farther away from the archaic forms than the New-Babylonian signs are.
The sign AU represented “water”, but the sign EGU represented the
“waterditch”, “canal”. How _e_ comes to mean _ḳabu_ may perhaps be
explained by its relation to the value _i_ of KAGU which equals _amatu_,
“word”.
_gal-la_: _gal_, “great”, is often followed by the phonetic complement
_la_.
15. _kur ^dimmer Babbar-e-ta kur ^dimmer Babbar-šu-šu_
From the land of the rising sun to the land of the setting sun!
_kur_ (see on line 3).
_^dimmer Babbar-e-ta_ equals ideogram for “the sun”, plus verb _e_ =
“coming out”, plus postposition “from”. _^dimmer Babbar_ is the ordinary
ideogram for _^ilu Šamaš_ used of “the sun”, as well as of “the god
_Šamaš_”. _Babbar_ is a value of ḤISSU which means “to be white”.
_e_: = two signs, UD and DU, equivalent to this value, meaning _a⋅u_,
“come out”, or “go out”. The sign UD is a picture of the sun, and
represents the rising sun; hence = “come forth”.
_ta_ is a postposition meaning in this case “from”, but often “in,
into”. TA in our text is old Babylonian and much like the linear form in
early tablets. Nearly the same form can be found in Ḥammurabi also. But
on the whole, the old Babylonian, the Assyrian and the New-Babylonian
all differ from each other much. TA has a close relation to DA and ID
(see on line 14).
_^dimmer Babbar-šu-šu_ equals ideogram for “the sun”, plus _šu_ = “going
in”, plus postposition “to”.
_šu_ equals _erebu_, “enter in”. Ideographically, ŠU means “bent over”,
or “depressed”.
_šu_ is a value of KU, as a postposition, meaning “unto”. The sign is of
rectangular form and has many values, consequently many meanings
starting with the idea “enclosure”. The governing force of _šu_ here
reaches back over _kur_ in the middle of the line, just as the governing
force of _ta_ goes back over _kur_ at the beginning of the line.
The beautiful expression of this line occurs more than once in Sumerian
and Babylonian literature. As early as Lugalziggisi it appears in royal
writings. Lugalziggisi speaks of his kingdom as extending “from the
rising sun to the setting sun”. _Babbar-e-ta_ (UD.UD.DU.TA)
_Babbar-šu-šu_ (UD.ŠU.KU) (OBI. No. 87, Col. II, 12 and 13). And
Esarhaddon in Cylinder A says that “From the rising sun to the setting
sun he marched without a rival”. _ul-tu ⋅i-it ^ilu Šam-ši a-di e-rib
^ilu Šam-ši it-tal-lak-u-ma ma-ḥi-ra la i-šu-u_ (I R. 45, Col. I, 7 and
8).
16. _kur-ra u-mu-un nu-um-ti za-e u-mu-un ab-da-me-en_
O mountain, the lord of life, thou the lord indeed art!
_kur-ra_ (see on line 3).
_u-mu-un_ (see on line 1).
_nu-um-ti_ occurs also in the next line and no doubt equals _balaṭu_,
“life”.
_nu-um_ seems to be an abstracting prefix of the nature of _nam_ as in
_nam-ti-la_ = _balaṭu_ (Br. 1697). _nu-um-ti_, however, may be a
phonetic representation of _nim_, also written _num_ which means
_elitu_, “height” (Br. 1982 and 9011). According to this view,
_nu-um-ti_ might mean “the acme of life”, just as _nam-ti_ equals “the
fortune of life”; hence “life in general”. Or it might be suggested that
_num_ is really for _nam_, as _a_ is known to differentiate sometimes
into _u_; _ga_ for instance becomes _gu_ (MSL. p. X).
_ti_ equals _balaṭu_, “life”, and has its fuller form in _tin_, also
equal to _balaṭu_ “live”.
_za-e_ equals _atta_, “thou” (Br. 11762, also ASK. p. 139).
_ab-da-me-en_ equals “thou thyself art”. The form consists of verbal
prefix, infix and verb, as follows: _ab_, being an indeterminate prefix,
may therefore be used of the second person (MSL. p. XXV). EŠU is an old
Babylonian sign pictorially representing “enclosed space”, hence the
meaning of “enclosure”. It means, with the value _eš_, “house”, and,
with the value _ab_, “sea”. _da_ is like _a_(ID) (line 14),
ideographically represented by the picture of the hand and forearm (line
4). It means “side”, also “strength”. It is sometimes a reflexive verbal
infix (MSL. p. XXIV). _me-en_ equals _bašu_ (Br. 10404). _me_ also
equals _bašu_ (Br. 10361) and the longer _me-a_ equals _bašu_ (Br.
10459). _en_, therefore, is not an essential part of the word which
means “be”. _me-en_ has no connection with _ma-e_, the personal pronoun
of the first person. _men_, in fact, can be used of the second person
and even of the third as well. The defining pronoun _za-e_ here compels
us to take _me-en_ in the second person.
Reverse
17. _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil kur-kur-ra ga-ša-an nu-um-ti nin-zu
ga-ša-anab-da(-me-en)_
O Bel of the lands, lord of life, lord of wisdom, lord indeed thou
art!
_^dimmer Mu-ul-lil_ (see line 2 for note).
_kur-kur-ra_ (see line 3 for note).
_ga-ša-an_, like _u-mu-un_ (line 1), equals _belu_, “lord”, and is a
phonetic form of _gašan_ which is usually represented by GEŠPU-GUNU (Br.
6989 and MSL. p. 129). _ga_ is only a syllable here (see lines 4 and 12
for further comment). ŠA is an old sign; here it is old Babylonian and
represents closely the linear form. The sign is much used in Assyrian
with the syllabic value _ša_, especially in the place of NITU(ša) which
is often a relative pronoun.
_nu-um-ti_ (see on line 16).
_nin-zu_ means “lord of wisdom”. _nin_ equals _belu_ (Br. 10985; see
line 10). On _zu_ (see line 1).
_ab-da_ should evidently be _ab-da-me-en_ (see line 16).
18. _e-lum ni an-na a-kad za-da ša mu-e-da-mal_
O mighty one, dread of heaven, royal one indeed thou art!
_e-lum_ equals _kabtu_ (Br. 5888), and appears to stand for _elim_ which
also equals _kabtu_ (Br. 8885). _lum_ is clearly syllabic here, but the
sign, old Babylonian here, is indicative of plant-growth, consisting of
waving lines.
_ni_ equals _puluḥtu_, “fear”, here (see on line 1).
_an-na_: _an_ equaling _šame_, “heavens”, is a value of ANU attested by
the phonetic complement _na_. The sign ANU in our text is old Babylonian
and is the same as the original ideogram of the star, except that wedges
have taken the place of straight lines. In our Hymn to Adad (CT. XV,
Tablet 29631) the transition from the Babylonian to the Assyrian ANU may
be clearly seen all on one page, wedges however are used, not straight
lines. There is the original form, there is the Assyrian form, and there
are intermediate forms enough to show how the Babylonian star passes
into the Assyrian ANU. The NANU of our text may be found exactly in the
Brick of Ur-Gur (CT. XXI, Tablet 90000, plate 8). In Nebuchadrezzar I.
(CT. IX, Tablet 92987), the internal horizontals have disappeared, but
the sign has not fully reached the Assyrian NANU.
_a-kad_: perhaps this word _a-kad_ is a loan-word from the Assyrian
_ekdu_. It is better to take _a_ as a vocalic abstract prefix and to
consider _kad_ as the root. There are three signs that give this value
_kad_ (Br. 1364, 1365 and 2700). The sign GADU means _kitu_, “clothing
material” (Br. 2704 and WH. 361; see also MSL. p. 114). The context
alone suggests here that some idea of power may be expected in the word
_a-kad_. Perhaps royal power is meant, which could be symbolically
represented by a garment, especially a royal robe.
_za-da_ no doubt stands for _za-e-da_ and would be equal to “thou
thyself”, “thou indeed” (see line 16).
_ša_ in Sumerian may represent the Assyrian _lu_, “verily”, (Br. 7047).
_ša_, simply as a syllable, occurs above (see line 17).
_mu-e-da-mal_ is a verb. _mu_ is an indeterminate verbal prefix. Whether
it is first, second or third person may be determined by the context.
Here, however, the _za-da_ of the context shows _mu_ to be second person
(see on line 1). _e_ here is a verbal infix, corroborative in character
(see MSL. p. XXIV, also lines 3 and 14). _da_ is also a verbal infix
(see line 16). _mal_ equals _bašu_, “to be”, (Br. 2238).
19. _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil u en(?) dimmer-ri-ne za-da ša mu-e-da-mal_
O Bel, very lord of gods thou indeed art!
_u_ equals _belu_, “lord”, and is a very common ideogram for “lord” (see
_u-mu-un_, line 1). _en_ also equals _belu_, “lord”, but evidently the
text is imperfect at this point (see line 16, on _en_).
_dimmer-ri-ne_ means “gods”. _ri_ is a phonetic complement; _ne_ is a
purely phonetic plural ending used both for nouns and verbs (see SVA. p.
69).
_za-da ša mu-e-da-mal_ (see line 18).
20. _a-a ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil mu-lu gu ma-ma-me-en mu-lu se ma-ma-me-en_
O father Bel, who causest vegetation to sprout, who causest grain to
grow!
_a-a ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil_ (see on lines 2 and 3).
_mu-lu_ is a phonetic representation of _mulu_ (Br. 6398). _mulu_ is ES;
EK would be _gulu_ (Br. 6395). _mu-lu_ frequently means the Assyrian
relative pronoun _ša_ (Br. 6406).
_gu_: GU is a composite sign whose original parts are NI and BE and
which means “full of death”. According to the derivation, GU then may be
read as “destruction” (MSL. p. 156). GU has also an Assyrian equivalent
_gu_ meaning “plant”, “vegetation” (Br. 11138 and HW. p. 582). The
consideration of GU as meaning “vegetation” looks only on the perishable
side of the object. The sign has few values. Here, it is clearly old
Babylonian resembling the linear form.
_ma-ma-me-en_ here equals _a⋅u_, “go out”, used of plants and trees (Br.
4303). The more generally used word for _a⋅u_ is _e_ (UD.DU) (see on
line 15).
_ma_: the name of the sign is NISIGU (see note on _še-ir_, line 1). The
sign is old Babylonian here. _me-en_ (see on line 16).
_še_: the sign is old Babylonian here. Its most common Assyrian
equivalent is _še’u_, “grain” (see line 1). If we gave U-UM the broader
meaning of “production”, at the same time reading GU as “destruction”,
we would have the fine antithetical parallelism: “O father Bel, who
bringest forth destruction and who bringest forth production.” Such a
reading would give quite correctly the course of thought, for Bel is god
of the atmosphere, lord of the clouds, and commander of the rain-storms
which are either sources of growth on earth or of ruin. On the other
hand, the translation which I have adopted seems perhaps preferable.
21. _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil me-lam-zu gur-ra ha-mu-ni-ib-( )-ne-ne_
O Bel, before the great glory may they be (in fear?)!
_me-lam-zu_: from the combination of ME and LAM we get the Assyrian
_melammu_, “glory”. _me_: MIMU with the value _išib_ means _ellu_,
“bright” (see line 16 for further comment). _lam_: one of the values of
IZU, seems to equal _išatu_, “flame”, but the usual value of IZU for
_išatu_ is _bil_ (see line 6, _de_), _me-lam_ literally means “bright
flame”. _zu_, besides being an ideogram for _idu_, “know”, is the usual
pronominal suffix of the second person singular (see on _zu_, line 1),
as in this passage.
_gur-ra_ gives a good sense, though the signs resemble KU and RA giving
_šu-ra_, a double postposition. The text however is defective. _gur-ra_
equals _kabtu_ (Br. 10183), making the phrase read “before thy great
glory”. _gur_: KIL also has the value _gurun_ equal to _ebnu_, “fruit”
(Br. 10179). _ra_ (see on line 3).
_ḥa_: KUA is the usual Sumerian sign used with a verb, to give a
precative sense as here. The sign here is old Babylonian and resembles
the pictorial form which is clearly that of “a fish” (see on line 22).
The original pictorial figure is one of the few to be found in which
curved lines predominate.
_mu-ni-ib-( )-ne-ne_: strangely enough the verb seems to be omitted in
the sentence of this line. Perhaps the omission is due to scribal error.
_mu_ is a verbal prefix of the third person here (see on line 18).
_ni-ib_ is a verbal infix (see MSL. p. XXXIII). The infixes are
generally personally indeterminate. They incorporate, between the verbal
prefixes that represent the subject and the verb, the object in
pronominal form, whether it be direct or indirect. _ni-ib_ really equals
“before it”. The translation disregards _ni-ib_ for the sake of
smoothness. _ni_ (see on line 13). _ib_ stands to _ni_ as postposition
to pronoun. The sign for _ib_ is old Babylonian; it is really composite
and signifies “side”. _ne-ne_ is a personal pronoun of the third person
(see ASK. p. 139). _ne_ is syllabic here (see _de_, line 6, about its
ideographic value; also _lam_, line 21).
22. _ḥu-e an-na ḥa-e ṭu-ra ša-ni ma-ni-ib-si_
The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea are filled with
fear of thee!
_ḥu-e_ equals _i⋅⋅uru_, “bird”. _ḥu_: simple _ḥu_ is used elsewhere for
_i⋅⋅uru_. The sign MUŠENNU here is old Babylonian. The archaic form is
supposed to be the picture of a bird in flight. _mušen_, another value
of MUŠENNU, also means “bird”. _e_ is not a necessary part of the word,
being here only a vowel of prolongation probably indicating the definite
article (see lines 3 and 14).
_an-na_ (see on line 18).
_ḥa-e_ equals _nunu_, “fish”. _ḥa_ alone equals _nunu_ (see on line 21).
_e_ serves the same purpose as in _ḥu-e_.
_ṭu-ra_ equals _apsu_, “sea”. _ṭu_ alone equals _apsu_ (Br. 10217). _ra_
may be taken as a sign of the genitive (see on line 3).
_ša-ni_ equals “in the midst of fear”. _ša_: ŠAGU, with the value _ša_,
equal to _libbu_ or _kirbu_, is one of the few Sumerian prepositions. It
precedes its object as a noun in the construct state, _ni_ (see on line
18).
_ma-ni-ib-si_ consists of prefix, infix and verb. _ma_ is not a very
common verbal prefix. It is indeterminate, but the sense requires the
third person (see MSL. p. XXIV). _ni-ib_ is second person here (see on
line 21). _si_: the most common meaning of _si_ is _malu_, “fill”. The
sign is Babylonian and can be found either in the Code of Ḥammurabi or
the Cyrus Cylinder.
23. _a-a ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-li da-da maḥ mu-e-gin sag-e-zi si-ba-e
e-nab_
O father Bel, in great strength thou goest, the head of life, the
shepherd of the stars!
_a-a ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-li_ (see on line 2). _li_ is merely phonetic
complement. We might give it an ideographic value and connect it with
_da-da_ and render “abundant in strength”. The common meaning of LILU is
_rašu_, “abound”. With the value _gub_, however, it means _ellu_,
“bright”. The sign is old Babylonian, yet quite different from the
archaic linear form.
_da-da_ means “strength” (see on line 16).
_maḥ_ has three common Assyrian equivalents, _ma’adu_, “many”, _rabu_,
“great” and _⋅iru_, “high”. _maḥ_ here equals _rabu_. There is still
another Assyrian equivalent, _maḥḥu_ which must be a loanword in
Semitic.
_mu-e-gin_ as prefix, infix and verb means “he indeed goes”. _mu-e_ (see
on line 18). _gin_ is a value of the sign ARAGUBBU (see _e_, line 15).
_sag-e-zi_ equals “head” (line 5) plus vowel of prolongation (line 3)
and “of life” (line 4). ZITU equals _napištu_ as well as _imnu_ and
_kinu_.
_si-ba-e_ divides into _siba_ and _e_. _si-ba_ is the same as _siba_
(line 5), only here the word is given syllabically rather than
ideographically. _e_ is a vowel prolongation (as in line 3).
_e-nab_ is naturally treated as though _e_ were a vocalic prefix and
_nab_ the root. _e_ as an abstract prefix, no doubt, is possible (MSL.
p. XVII). _nab_: instead of NABBU, perhaps the sign is ANA-EŠŠEKU with
the last component omitted; then the value should be _mul_, equal to
_kakkabani_, “stars”, and the clause reads: “shepherd of the stars”. _e_
may equal _mu_ “water” (see line 14), and _nab_ may equal _šamu_,
“heaven”; then we have the reading: “shepherd of the water of heaven”.
24. _u-mu-un ka na-am-ga iz-ba eri ga mu-e-gin gin si-ti šu-me-a_
O lord, the mouth of production thou openest, as a prolific city
thou goest, the reed of the fulness of life thou art!
_u-mu-un_ (line 1).
_ka_: KAGU here is a noun with the value _ka_ equal to _pu_, “mouth”,
(Br. 538). The sign originally represented the head, and its first
meaning was _gu_ equal to _ḳibu_. The sign is old Babylonian (see on
lines 1 and 4).
_na-am-ga_ is a noun. _na-am_ is an abstract prefix (line 1). _ga_
equals _šakanu_, “cause to be”, (Br. 5421). The sign is PISANNU. We have
had the sign phonetically represented by _ma-al_ (line 11) used as a
suffix. Here _ga_ is not a suffix, but the root.
_iz-ba_ is a verb. _iz_ is an indeterminate prefix, shown by the context
to be of the second person. _ba_ equals _pitu_, “open”. The sign is old
Babylonian. The archaic form of the sign signified “divide”.
_eri_ (see on line 13).
_ga_ (see line 12). _ga_ can be used as an adjective meaning “prolific”,
one of the derived ideas of _ga_ as “milk”.
_mu-e-gin_ (see line 23).
_gin_ equals _ḳanu_, “reed”. The sign is sometimes followed by the
phonetic complement _na_. The sign is old Babylonian.
_si_ equals “fulness” (see on line 22).
_ti-šu_ means “unto life”. _ti_ (see line 16); the sign here, however,
really resembles BALA which primarily means “breaking into”. Then we
have the derived meaning _palu_, “weapon”, then “insignia of royal
authority”, and consequently “rule”, “government”. If we read _bal_
instead of _ti_, then Bel is “a full reed unto royalty”, which makes
little sense. _šu_ (see line 15).
_me-a_ is the same as _me-en_ (see on line 16). _a_ is phonetic (see on
line 9).
25. _a-a ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil sag zi sag ne-la šu ti ba-ni-ib-ag_
O father Bel, the head of life, the head of strength, the power of
life thou makest thyself!
_a-a ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil_ (see lines 2 and 3). _sag_ (see line 5).
_zi_ equals _napištu_ like _ti_ (see line 16, also 23). _ne-la_ (see on
line 8).
_šu_ equals _ḳatu_, “hand”. The sign also has a value _kad_ which is
evidently derived from the Semitic _ḳatu_.
_ti_ (see on line 24). If we read the sign as TIL, then Bel is “the
power of life”. If we read BALA, then Bel is “the power of royalty”,
signifying perhaps that royal authority is vested in Bel.
_ba-ni-ib-ag_ is a verb, _ba_ is an indeterminate verbal prefix, but is
much used for the second person (MSL. p. XXVI). _ni-ib_ (see on line
21). _ag_ equals _epešu_, “make”. The sign is old Babylonian.
26. _šu-gil niš-ĭa mu-bi im_
Altogether there are twenty-five lines in the tablet.
_šu-gil_ equals _napḥaru_, “what is collected”, “totality”, “entirety”.
_šu_ is a prefix to the causative stem (see on line 25). _gil_ equals
_paḥaru_, “collect”.
_nišĭa_: the signs for the numerals twenty and five are the same as in
Assyrian, _niš_ is the Sumerian numeral for “twenty”. _ĭa_ is the
Sumerian numeral for “five”.
_mu-bi im_: _mu-bi_ equals “his name”, each line of the Hymn being
considered a name of Bel. In our translation we may read “its lines”.
_im_, the same sign as _ni_ (line 1). _im_ is sometimes equal to _ṭiṭu_,
“clay”, or _duppu_, “tablet”.
27. _er(A.ŠI) lim(b)-ma_
Hymn of praise.
_er_ is a value derived from two signs, A and ŠI, taken together. The
most common meaning of the value is _bikitu_, “lamentation”, or “song”
(see _i-de_, line 6).
_lim-ma_: the phonetic complement _ma_ indicates that the preceding
value should end with _m_. Dr. Lau regards this as the sign _lib(m)_ =
_kuru_, “woe”, (Br. 7271); hence _er-lim-ma_ would mean a penitential
psalm.
Chapter II
Tablet 13930, Plates 16 and 17, Hymn to Sin
Obverse
1. _ma-gur(ḤAR) azag an-na še-ir-ma-al ni(IM)-te-na_
O shining ship of the heavens, majestic alone!
2. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki u-mu-un-e Šis-unu-^ki-ma_
O father Nannar, lord of Ur!
3. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki u-mu-un-e E(BIT)-ner-nu-gal(IG)_
O father Nannar, lord of E-gišširgal!
4. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki u-mu-un ^dimmer Aš-suḥ-ud_
O father Nannar, lord of Namra⋅it!
5. _u-mu-un ^dimmer Šis-^ki ṭu-mu sag ^dingir En-lil-la_
O lord Nannar, chief son of Bel!
6. _sig(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne sig(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_
When thou art full, when thou art full,
7. _i-de(NE) a-a-zu i-de(NE) ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-ra
še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_
When before thy father, before Bel thou art sovereign,
8. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne gaba zi(g)-ga-zu-ne_
O father Nannar, when thou art sovereign, when thou liftest up the
breast,
9. _ma-gur(ḤAR) an-šag(LIB)-ga sig(DIRIG)-ga še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_
O ship in the midst of the heavens, when thou art full and
sovereign,
10. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki za-e eš(AB) azag-šu(KU) pa(d)-a-zu-ne_
O father Nannar, thou, when thou speakest to the shining house,
11. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ma-dim ega(A.MI.A) sig(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_
O father Nannar, when like a ship on the tide thou art full,
12. _sig(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne sig(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne za-e sig(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_
When thou art full, when thou art full, thou, when thou art full,
13. _sig(DIRlG)-ga-zu-ne bi-šag-a-zu-ne za-e sig(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_
When thou art full, when thou speakest favorably, thou when thou art
full,
14. _bi-šag-a ru(UL)-ti-a-zu-ne za-e sig(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_
When thou speakest graciously and engenderest life, thou, when thou
art full!
15. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki lid damal lid-ne-ra sal-dug(KA)-ga-zu-ne_
O father Nannar of extensive progeny, when thou speakest to that
progeny,
16. _a-a-zu ide(ŠI) ḥul-la mu-e-ši-in-maš sal-zi ma-ra ni-in-gu(KA)_
Thy father discerns the joyful face and speaks life to the land.
17. _e i-i lugal-ra u(d) (UD)-de(NE)-eš e mu-un-e(UD.DU)_
As an exalted royal command, daily he causes the word to go forth!
18. _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-li mu-du-ru u-sud-du šu-za ma-ra ni-in-ru_(UL)
Bel with the sceptre of distant days exalts thy hand over the land.
19. _Šis-unu-^ki-ma ma-gur(ḤAR) azag-ga pa(d)-a-zu-ne_
When in Ur, O shining ship, thou speakest,
20. .. _^dimmer Nu-dim-mud-e sal-dug(KA)-ga-zu-ne_
When to .. Ea thou speakest,
21. ............ _[pa(d)]-a-zu[-ne]_
When ..... thou speakest,
Reverse
22. ....................
....................
23. .............. _lal a im[-si]_
............... with water is filled.
24. ............ _gi a im-si_
............ with water is filled.
25. _id(A.ṬU) ....... e a im-si ^dimmer [Šis-^ki-kam]_
The river ...... is filled with water by Nannar.
26. _azag-gi id(A.ṬU) ud-kib-nun-na-ge(KIT) a im-si [^dimmer
Šis-^ki-kam]_
The bright Euphrates is filled with water by Nannar.
27. _id(A.ṬU) nu e-bi laḥ-e a im-si ^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam_
The empty river is filled with water by Nannar.
28. _sug maḥ sug ban(TUR)-da a im-si ^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam_
The large marsh, the little marsh is filled with water by Nannar.
29. _er(A.ŠI) lim(LIB)-ma ^dimmer En-zu_
Penitential Psalm to En-zu.
This beautiful and interesting hymn begins with a picturesque and lordly
epithet of the god whose full face so often shone upon the worshipper
night by night. His fatherly nature and his full-orbed glory are dwelt
upon in adoring and glowing terms. The name of his city and temple are
mentioned. His power to lighten the world is acknowledged. His peculiar
relation of “son to Bel” is announced. The phenomenon of his appearance
in the heavens as the _full moon_ is described to us from several points
of view. This is the famous Nannar, dwelling in the temple of
E-gišširgal at the ancient city of Ur. The sacred ship, becoming a
peculiar emblem in Babylonian worship, symbolized several important
ideas connected with Nannar’s transit through the heavens by night or
during the month. Perhaps Nannar was in the beginning a water-god. His
power over the waters is graphically described.
Obverse
1. _ma-gur azag an-na še-ir-ma-al ni-te-na_
O shining ship of the heavens, majestic by thyself!
_ma-gur_ is a boat of crescent form. Sin is a man sitting in the half
circle of the moon and sailing across the firmament of the heavens as in
a majestic ship. _ma_: the sign MU was originally pictorial and
represented the rudder of the ship. The sign of our tablet is
New-Babylonian and can be found in the inscriptions of Nebuchadrezzar
II. It is half way between the old pictorial and the usual Assyrian MU.
_gur_: the sign ḤAR probably refers to the body of the ship as “an
enclosure”, or more particularly to “the crescent form” of the ship,
since ḤAR means “circular enclosure”. The ḤAR of our text is much like
the linear form found in the _Stele des Vautours_.
_azag_ equals _ellu_, “shining”, (Br. 9890). The sign also has the value
_ku_ with the meaning _ellu_. _azag_, “shining”, refers to the moon and
the moon looks like a ship.
_an-na_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 18).
_še-ir-ma-al ni-te-na_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 1). The ideas of these two
words find their way into the first line of the Ašurbanipal Hymn to Sin,
K. 2861, (IV R. 9). _še-ir-ma-al_ appears especially as _ner-gal_ (_š-n_
and _m-g_) and _ni-te-na_ as _aš-ni maḥ-am_; _e-diš-ši-šu ⋅i-i-ru_.
2. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki u-mu-un-e Šis-unu-^ki-ma_
O father Nannar, lord of Ur!
_a-a_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 3).
_^dimmer Šis-^ki_ is the most common Sumerian name of the god Sin, and
means “brother of the land”. Sin was probably looked upon as “the helper
of earth”. _^dimmer_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 2). _Šis_ equals _aḥu_,
“brother”, (Br. 6437). _ŠIŠ_ sometimes has the value _uru_, especially
when it means _na⋅aru_, “keep”. The _ŠIŠ_ of our hymn is New-Babylonian
but is not essentially different from the _ŠIŠ_ of Gudea. _ki_ (see Hymn
to Bel, line 9).
_u-mu-un-e_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 3).
_Šis-unu-^ki-ma_ means “of the brother’s dwelling place”. _Šis_ means
“brother”. _unu_ equals _šubtu_, “dwelling”, (Br. 4792). _ma_, perhaps,
can be taken as a sign of the genitive, being dialectic for _ga_, which
is for _ge_, one of the values of KIT (see MSL. pp. XI and XVI). Perhaps
we ought to read this word _Uru-um-^ki-ma_, taking the other value of
ŠIŠ and also reading _um_ instead of _unu_. In texts of OBI. it would
appear that UNU is closely related to UM as well as to AB.
3. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki u-mu-un-e E(BIT)-ner-nu-gal(IG)_
O father Nannar, lord of E-gišširgal!
_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki u-mu-un-e_ (see line 2).
_E-ner-nu-gal_ is not the usual spelling. The more common form is
_E-giš-šir-gal_. Our _E(BIT)-ner(NER)-nu(NU)-gal(IG)_ which also occurs
in Ḥammurabi (for example, in CḤ. Col. II, line 21, Plate II) is
dialectic for _E(BIT)-giš(IZ)-šir(ŠIR)-gal(GAL)_.
_E(BIT)-giš(IZ)-šir(ŠIR)-gal(GAL)_ is the spelling found in the
Ašurbanipal Hymn. In the inscription of the Clay Cylinder of Nabonidus
found at Ur (Col. I, line 30), the spelling is
_E(BIT)-giš(IZ)-šir(ŠIR)-gal(GAL)_, but the margin has the spelling
_E(BIT)-giš(IZ)-nu(NU)-gal(IG)_. _E_ equals _bitu_, “house”, (Br. 6238).
_ner_ evidently stands for _kiš_. These two values, _ner_ and _kiš_,
were represented by the same sign in old Babylonian; namely, PIRIḲḲU.
From the sign PIRIḲḲU, there developed in Assyrian another sign, whose
chief value is _kiš_ with the meaning _kiššatu_. The sign here then
should have the value _kiš_, or in old Babylonian _giš_, which is also
one of the values of GISSU, a determinative before the name of a light.
_nu_ is for _šir_ which equals _nuru_, “light”. IṢ.ŠIR is a common
ideogram for “light”. The interchange of NU and SIRU is not so easy to
explain. The fact that NU instead of SIRU occurs in the name of the
temple in the time of Ḥammurabi would go to show that the spelling of
the word with NU is more primitive than the spelling with SIRU. Perhaps
NU has a value _šir_. Brunnow recognizes the fact that NU in the name of
the temple sometimes takes the place of SIRU (see Br. 2005 and 1657).
There is a difference between IḲU and GALLU. IḲU equals _bašu_, while
GALLU equals _rabu_. The _gal_ (ES _mal_) of IḲU must be different from
the _gal_ of GALLU.
4. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki u-mu-un ^dimmer Aš-suḥ-ud_
O father Nannar, lord of Namra⋅it!
_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki u-mu-un_ (see line 2).
_^dimmer Aš-suḥ-ud_: one of the citations Brunnow gives, in which the
name of this god occurs, is in Incantation K. 3255 (IV R.² 2, 21),
where, in the Sumerian as well as in the marginal reading of the
Assyrian, Sin is said to be the lord of the god Namra⋅it. _^dimmer
En-zu-na en ^dimmer Aš-suḥ-ud ra-ge_ = _^ilu Sin be-el Nam-ra-⋅i-it_.
_Aš-suḥ-ud_ means “the only foundation of light”. _Aš_ has a very common
Assyrian equivalent _edu_, “one”. _suḥ_ equals _išdu_, “foundation”,
(Br. 4811). _ud_ equals _urru_, “light”, (see Br. 7798).
5. _u-mu-un ^dimmer Šis-^ki ṭu-mu sag ^dingir En-lil-la_
O lord Nannar, chief son of Bel!
_^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see line 2).
_ṭu-mu_: ṬU.MU is a syllabic and dialectic form of DUMU (Br. 4069 and
11917). When DUMU stands for _maru_, “son”, it is supposed to have the
value _du_ (Br. 4081). _ṭu-mu_ is no doubt for _dumu_ and _du_ is a
shortened form of _dumu_. _ṭu_: the sign may be recognized as old
Babylonian appearing in this form in the Code of Ḥammurabi (see also AL.
p. 135, No. 328).
_sag_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 5). _ṭu-mu sag_ must be equal to some such
expression as “first born son”, or “only begotten son”.
_^dingir En-lil-la_: in line 7, we shall have _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-ra_ and
in line 18, _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-li_. _^dingir_ may be preferred to
_^dimmer_ because the sign is a determinative to an EK form. _En-lil-la_
consists of the god’s name, _En-lil_ (see _Mu-ul-lil_ in Hymn to Bel,
line 2).
6. _sig-ga-zu-ne sig-ga-zu-ne_
When thou art full, when thou art full,
_sig-ga-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause equal to _ina malika_, “in thy
fulness”. _sig_: the sign to which this value is attached is composite.
One element consists of SI whose chief meaning is “fill”. The other
element consists of A which means “water”. SI.A then means “full of
water”, or “fulness”. The sign, called DIRIGU, has two values ending
with _g_; i. e., _dirig_ related to the sign-name and _sig_ which is
quite certainly equal to _malu_ (Br. 3722). _ga_ is a phonetic
complement (see Hymn to Bel, line 4). _zu_ is a determinate suffix of
the second person (see Hymn to Bel, line 21). _ne_ is a postposition
equal to _ina_ (see Br. 4602, also _de_ in Hymn to Bel, line 6).
7. _i-de a-a-zu i-de ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-ra še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_
When before thy father, before Bel thou art sovereign,
_i-de_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 6). _i-de_ is a preposition used as a noun
in the construct state, having the meaning of _maḥru_ or _panu_ and
equal to _ina maḥar_ or _ina pan_.
_a-a-zu_ equals noun _a-a_, plus suffix _zu_. _a-a_ (see Hymn to Bel,
line 3). _zu_ (see line 6).
_^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-ra_ equals god’s name _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil_, plus
phonetic complement _ra_. _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 2).
_ra_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 3). It might be better to regard _lil-ra_ as
a shortened form of _lil-la-ra_. _lil_ is quite apt to take the phonetic
complement _la_, a value of the sign LALLU, while _ra_ is naturally a
postposition.
_še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause equal to “in thy sovereignty”.
_še-ir-ma-al_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 1). _zu-ne_ (see line 6).
8. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne gaba zi-ga-zu-ne_
O father Nannar, when thou art sovereign, when thou liftest up thy
breast,
_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see line 2).
_še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ (see line 7).
_gaba_ equals _irtu_, “breast”, (Br. 4470). We have had _gaba_ as an
adjective equal to _pitu_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 6).
_zi-ga-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause meaning “in thy lifting up”. _zi_ equals
_našu_, “lift up”, (Br. 2325). We have had _zi_ as equal to _kenu_,
“right”, and _napištu_, “life”, (see Hymn to Bel, lines 4 and 25). _ga_
is a phonetic complement. _zi_ might be _zig_ (see Br. 2303 and Hymn to
Bel, line 4). _zu-ne_ (see line 6). In _gaba zi-ga-zu-ne_, perhaps we
have the picture of the full moon suddenly rising in the night from the
horizon.
9. _ma-gur an-šag-ga sig-ga še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_
O ship in the midst of the heavens, when thou art full and
sovereign,
_ma-gur_ (see line 1).
_an-šag-ga_: ŠAGU is usually taken as a preposition and stands before
its object. Here it seems to follow its object, _an_ (see Hymn to Bel,
line 18). _šag-ga_ equals LIB plus GA. _šag_: ŠAGU, equal to _libbu_,
may have either one of three values; viz., _ša_ when not followed by a
phonetic complement, _šag_ when followed by the phonetic complement _ga_
and _šab_ when followed by the phonetic complement _ba_ (see Br. 7980
and Hymn to Bel, line 22). _ga_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 4).
_sig-ga_ (see line 6).
_še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ (see line 7).
10. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki za-e eš azag-šu pa(d)-a-zu-ne_
O father Nannar, thou, when thou speakest to the shining house,
_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see line 2).
_za-e_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 16).
_eš_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 16). _eš_ is admittedly a Sumerian value as
is shown by its relation to the sign-name EŠU. _eš_ is the fuller form
of _e_(BIT). From _eš_ there has arisen a Semitic loan-word _ešu_,
“house”.
_azag-šu_ means “to the shining”, _azag_ (see line 1). _šu_ (see Hymn to
Bel, line 15).
_pa(d)-a-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause composed of a preposition with an
infinitive that governs a suffix, as _ina tamika_, “in thy speaking”, i.
e., “when thou speakest”. _pad_ is a verb equal to _tamu_, “speak”.
_pad_ also equals _zakaru_, “to name”. _pa_, the shortened form of
_pad_, evidently intended here, is sometimes represented by the Assyrian
_nabu_. _a_ is the vowel of prolongation indicating the _pa_, rather
than the _pad_-value. _zu-ne_ (see line 6).
11. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ma-dim ega sig-ga-zu-ne_
O father Nannar, when like a ship on the tide thou art full,
_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see line 2).
_ma-dim_ consists of noun _ma_ and postposition _dim_. _ma_ (see on line
1). _ma-gur_ refers to the moon, _ma_ refers to an ordinary ship. _dim_
is equal to _kima_, “like”. The sign-name is DIMMU. _dim_ is ES. The EK
form of the value is _gim_.
_ega_ is a contraction of _a_, _ge_ and _a_ from the signs A, MI and A,
and means “tide”, or “high water”. _a_ means “water” and MI with the
value _ge_ means “black”, and the second A is evidently phonetic only.
_ega_, therefore, means “black water”, such water as is seen in a
“flood” or “high tide”.
_sig-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 6).
12. _sig-ga-zu-ne sig-ga-zu-ne za-e sig-ga-zu-ne_
When thou art full, when thou art full, thou, when thou art full,
_sig-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 6).
_za-e_ (see line 10). It may be noticed that _sig-ga-zu-ne_ occurs three
times in this line and ten times in the section, lines 6-18. This
repetition no doubt serves for rhetorical effect, especially in oral
delivery and, together with the marked uniformity of measure in the
clauses, characterizes the passage as poetic.
13. _sig-ga-zu-ne bi-šag-a-zu-ne za-e sig-ga-zu-ne_
When thou art full, when thou speakest favorably, thou, when thou
art full,
_sig-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 6).
_bi-šag-a-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause equal to “in thy speaking
graciously”. _bi_ equals _ḳibu_, “speak”, (Br. 5124). Starting with the
meaning “speak” the sign KAŠU comes to have a demonstrative force and is
generally used as a suffix of the third person singular. We shall also
see that it sometimes equals _šikaru_ “strong drink”. _šag_: the sign
giving this value is one not much used. It may be identified as GIŠIMMAR
(see AL. p. 130, No. 206, also Br. 7286). _šag_ is the chief value,
equal to _damaḳu_ or _damḳu_, “gracious”. _a_: the value is generally
followed by the phonetic complement _ga_, but here it is followed by _a_
(see Hymn to Bel, line 9). _zu-ne_ (see line 6).
14. _bi-šag-a ru-ti-a-zu-ne za-e sig-ga-zu-ne_
When thou speakest graciously and engenderest life, thou, when thou
art full,
_bi-šag-a_ (see line 13).
_ru-ti-a-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause equal to “in thy engendering life”.
_ru_: we have had UL already as a composite part of _Mu-ul-lil_ (see
Hymn to Bel, line 2). UL here probably with the value _ru_ equals
_kalalu_, “perfect”. The sign is intended to be the picture of a goring
bull; then, as we get away from the primary idea, there arise the
meanings of “exultation”, “perfection”, etc. Nannar is “the perfecter of
life”. _ti_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 16). _a_ (see Hymn to Bel, line 9).
_zu-ne_ (see line 6).
_za-e_ (see line 10).
_sig-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 6).
15. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki lid damal lid-ne-ra sal-dug-ga-zu-ne_
O father Nannar of extensive progeny, when thou speakest to that
progeny,
_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see on line 2). |
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