Enuma Elish (The Seven Tablets of Creation)
The Babylonian creation epic — Marduk's defeat of Tiamat
The Babylonian creation epic recited at the New Year festival, preserved on seven tablets. It narrates the primordial mingling of fresh and salt waters, the generation of the gods, the rise of Marduk to supremacy, and the creation of the world from the slain body of Tiamat.
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When in the height heaven was not named
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And the earth beneath did not yet bear a name
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And the primeval Apst, who begat them
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And chaos, Tiamat, the mother of them both,—
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Their waters were mingled together
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And no field was formed, no marsh was to be seen
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When of the gods none had been called into being
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And none bore a name, and no destinies [were
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Then were created the gods in the midst* of
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Ages*increased,[ . . - - J
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Then Ansar and KiSar were created, and over
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Long were the days, then there came forth*[. . ]
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Anu, theirson, [ 2... 2. 2 ee eee
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AnSarandAnu[ .......... |
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Andthe god Anu [ . . . ; = iy i]
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Nudimmud, whom his fathers [his] bedetrers# fe
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He was exceeding strongf . . . . . . . |
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Hehadnorival[ . . . . . 2... ]
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And unto Tiamat, the glistening one, he addressed
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When Tiamat [heard]* these words
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She raged and cried aloudf . . . . |}.
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She uttered a curse, and unto [Apsii she spake|":
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Mummu answered, and gave counsel unto Apsii
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Apsi [hearkened unto]* him and his countenance
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Lamentation[ . . . . ] they sat in [sorrow] °
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Then Ea, who knoweth all that [is],1 went up and
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To direct the battle, to control the fight
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Now Kingu, (thus) exalted, having received [the
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His[ . . . ], he made a bitter lamentation :
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Ansar opened his mouth,! and
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Su-me-la u [im-na... ]-a tpatifu.... elu-d[zP!
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He sent forth the winds which he had created, the
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To disturb the inward parts of Tiamat, they
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Then the lord raised the thunderbolt, his mighty
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He mounted the chariot, the storm’ unequalled for
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He harnessed and yoked unto it four horses
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Destructive," ferocious, overwhelming, and swift of
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They were skilled inf . . . J, they had been
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Leftand[right . . . 2. 2... 2. JP
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His garment was[ . . . . J], he was clothed
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He seized the spear and burst her belly
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He cast down her body and stood upon it.
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When he had slain Tiamat, the leader
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Her might was broken, her host was scattered.
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Trembled, and were afraid, and turned back.
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They took to flight to save their lives
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But they were surrounded, so that they could not
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He took them captive, he broke their weapons
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In the net they were caught and in the snare
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The [ . . ] . . of the world they filled
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They received punishment from him, they were
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And on the eleven creatures which she had filled
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He brought affliction, their strength [he . . . ]
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Them and their opposition he trampled under
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The stars, their images, as the stars of the Zodiac,’
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He ordained the year and into sections he divided it
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For the twelve months he fixed three stars.
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After he had[... | the days of the year[... |
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That none might err or go astray
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He set the station of Bél and Ea along with him.
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He opened great gates on both sides
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He made strong the bolt on the left and on the
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In the midst‘ thereof he fixed the zenith
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He appointed him, a being of the night, to deter-
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Every month without ceasing with the crown he
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Eland t- kab - bul - u
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When Marduk heard the word of the gods,'
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He opened his mouth and unto Ea [he spake]
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Met pote 8 Se oe Re Re Ee betes
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When [ . .... J]. £ j
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They rejoiced [ . . J. . |
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In Upgukkinnaku they set [their dwelling].
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Of the heroic son, their avenger, [they cried]:
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They seated themselves and in the assembly they
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They all [cried aloud (?)], they exalted [him . .. |
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O Asari, “ Bestower of planting,” “(Founder of
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O Asaru-alim, “who is revered in the house of
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The gods paid homage, fear [took hold upon
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O Asaru-alim-nuna, “the mighty one,” “the Light of [the father who begat him],” °
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He was their patron, he ordained [their . . . . ]
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He, whose provision is abundance, goeth forth
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Sa u-kin-nu an itlani Ssamée(e) el - lu - [t7]
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Should their wants be pure, then are they
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Should he make an incantation, then are the gods
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Let him therefore be exalted, and in the assembly
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None among the gods can [rival him]!
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Tutu is Zi-ukkina, “the Life of the host [of the
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Who established for the gods the bright heavens.
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He set them on their way, and ordained [their
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Never shall: his [ . . . . | deeds be for-
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Sa Sa - ar - u 1: oa ae |
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May his deeds endure, may they never be for-
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In the mouth of mankind’ whom his hands have
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Tutu as Mu-azag, fifthly, his “Pure Incantation”
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Tutuas Zi-si, “the[ . 2. 2 2. wee ]
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May’ he hold the Beginning and the Future,‘
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Sayiag, “ He who forced his way through the
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In the future of mankind, when the days grow old
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May this be heard without ceasing, may it hold
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Since he created the realm (of heaven)” and
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Let the wise and the understanding consider
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Let the father repeat them and teach them to
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Let them be in the ears of the pastor and the
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That he may cause his land to be fruitful, and
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His word standeth fast, his command is un-
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The utterance of his mouth hath no god ever
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He gazed in his anger, he turned not his neck
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When he is wroth, no god can withstand his
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The sinner and evil-doer in his presence
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They received instruction, they spake before him
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The cities sighed, men [ i|é
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Men uttered lamentation, [they |
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For their lamentation there was none [to hele
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For their grief there was none to take [them by
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Who wasthe dragonf{ . . . . . . . . |?
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Tiamat? wasthe dragon{[ . . . . . . . |!
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Bél in heaven hath formed £ :
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Six cubits is his mouth, twelve cubits [his . . . . ]
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Twelve cubits is the circuit of his [ears . .. . ]
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For the space of! sixty cubits he... . ]a bird
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In water nine cubits deep he draggeth[ . ... ].
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He raiseth his tail on high. ge ey ae de Ts
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Allthe godsofheaven[ . . ..... |.
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In heaven the gods bowed themselves down
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The border of the Moon-god’s robe they hasti{ly
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Su-us-hi-it urpa mi-ha-a [ ..... ]
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Sa lab- bi il-la-ku da-mu-su [ .... jh
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The blood of the dragon flowed[ . . . . J
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When the gods in their assembly had made [the
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And had created the heavens, and had formed [the
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And had brought living creatures into being
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And {had fashioned|* the cattle of the field, and
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Through their sure counsel’ and by their great
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Ordained the renewal * of the Moon-god
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The reappearance of the moon,* and the creation
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In the midst of heaven he beheld it come forth.
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The great gods, through their sure counsel
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The creation of the day and the renewal of the
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In the midst of heaven and earth they duly
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The deluge they sent not before thou wert!”
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Fire, and wrath, and splendour, and terror
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Thou judgest the cause of mankind!
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GI NU E ais NU DIM
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E NU RU URU NU DIM
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URU NU DIM A- DAM NU MU-UN-[GAR]
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ABZU NU RU NuUN(KI) NU DIM
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The holy house, the house of the gods, in the
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No reed had sprung up, no tree had been created.
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No brick had been laid, no building had been
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No house had been erected, no city had been
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No city had been made, no creature had been
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Nippur had not been made, E-kur had not been
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Erech had not been created, E-ana had not been
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The Deep had not been created, Eridu had not
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E AZAG DINGIR-RI-E-NE KI-DUR-BI NU DIM
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NAM- LU- GISGAL- LU BA- RU
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Purify thee with the pure censer
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And may she cleanse thee with cleansing fire!
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By the incantation of Marduk, the king of the
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May the abundance of the Jand enter into thee
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May (Ezida) shine like the heavens, may it be
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Sa me” dal-hu-te isati{u) me” ga-ku-te Ila itsati(u))
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His judgment was the decisionfof . . . . ].
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The fiend was his offspring, the spectre was his
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He was lord of the height and of the depths, he
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A people who drink turbid water, and ae not
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Whose sense is perverted, had taken (men) captive
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On a tablet nought was written, nought was left
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Evil [fiends] and demons that lie in wait[ .. . ]
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Pursuing after (a man), turned [him] from his
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I set out the lambs for sacrifice [in rows of ] seven.
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And the gods [commanded me] that I should go
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Then spake I unto my heart
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Whois . . f[ . . . . Jasorcerer?
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But I will go, since -I have put my trust in the
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And my weapon? of iron will I take!”
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As the first year drew nigh,*
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Sanitum(tum) Ssattu ina kasadi(di) XC.M ado.
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VIJ a-na pa-an VII ”"**puhadu al - plu - tu
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Andsaidf . 2... 1. ee ee ed:
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The New Year’s Feast in the fourth y[ear . . . |
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With supplication unto Ea,[the . . . . ]of
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Pure offerings for the Feast of the New Year
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Pureomens[ . . . . . . ]-
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I cried unto the magicians, and I [directed them]
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I set [out] the lambs for sacrifice in rows of seven.
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I placedthere also the holy . 2. . ff
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And I enquired of the great gods
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Of Istar, [and . . . . , and Zamama, and
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Andf . . . . , and Samas, the warrior.
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Sarru dan-[mu . . . . J w-lu-[ ow... ]
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Bring in thy treasure-chests, and thy corn, and
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Andthy[ . . . ],' and thy household stuff.
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Fix firmly{the . . . J, and build surrounding
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Guard [thy body] and take heed for thy person.
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Du - DU 1 miu-ut-tar-ru-u wlan”
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Mu - AZAG : Sa 84 - pat - su el - hit
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ZI (~ do.) - UKRIN
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GIS-GID-DA a-rnk [ ??
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Asar-ri Sa-vik me-[yis-8 2...
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Tutu? sa pi-t-ik mati i-[ ‘|
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PERSaG- zu" Sun -[KUR eee
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Shi ] mu f ]
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APPENDIX III.
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APPENDIX IIL
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I pray unto thee, lady of ladies, goddess of goddesses !
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O Ishtar, queen of all peoples, directress of mankind !
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O Irnini} thou art raised on high, mistress of the Spirits
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Thou art mighty, thou hast sovereign power, exalted is
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Thou art the light of heaven and earth, O valiant daughter
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Irnini, the valiant daughter of the Moon-god, hath not
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Prayer of the Raising of the Hand to [Star
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This shalt thou do
19
K. 5,419¢, Obv. : Cr, Ser., Tabl. I, Il. 1-16. No. 93,015, Obv.: Cr. Ser., Tabl. I, ll. 1-16.
20
K. 3,938, Obv. : a » Ihe 33-42. No. 93,015, Rev. : ‘s > UL. r2qg-142, and
21
No. 38,396, Obv. : ‘5 Tabl. II, ll. 11-29.
22
KK. 4,832, Obv.: ‘s oy ll. 32-58.
23
K. 3,473, etc., Obv. : » Tabl. III, ll, 1-56.
24
K. 7,067: see Appendix II, p. 195, note 1. K. 10,791: see Appendix II, p. 195, note 1 K. 8,572: see Appendis II, p. 395, note 1. K. 11,048: see Appendix II, p. 195, note 1. K, 12,000¢: see Appendix II, p. 195, note 1. R. 982, etc.: see Appendix II, p. 195, note 1.
25
S.747: see Appendix I, p. 170 f.
26
R. 282, Obv.: see pp. 116 ff.