Lamentation to Innini on the Sorrows of Erech. 13859 (Poebel No. 26)
This well preserved single column tablet is published by Poebel in PBS. V 26. The composition reflects the standard theological ideas found in the canonical psalms and liturgies. The mother goddess Innini is represented as a divine mother wailing for the misery of her city and her people. The calamity [pg 273] consists in the pillage of the city and its holy places by a foreign invader, who is repeatedly compared to an ox. Like the ordinary psalms of public service the singers abruptly introduce the goddess speaking in the first person as in lines 16; 18-20; 33-4. But the lamentation does not have refrains and at the end the style approaches nearly that of a prayer. The tablet also bears no liturgical note at the end. For these reasons and because of the general impression which the lines leave with the present interpreter, he classifies this text as the product of a scholastic liturgist of the Ur or Isin period whose work was not incorporated into the corpus of the official breviary.
Obverse
1. zabar aga-[zu?] im-gūr-gūr-ri
1. Oh pure one thy(?) crown overawes.
2. til-igi-da[201]-zu ... im-bi-bi-ri
2. Thy proceeding arrow scatters the....
3. zíd[202]-gu-šig suģur-sū-lal (ģa)-da ... -kùr....
3. Meal of the ... bean to the beared skate-fish thou givest to eat.
4. eg ģa sĭg eg-eg ģa sŭ-lum-ma-gim im-bul-[...]—
4. She that gives fish to the stream, in the streams fish (as numerous) as dates she causes to dart about.
5. gud-dam ra e-sir unug-(ki)-ga-ge šár-ám mu-na-ab(?)- ... uš
5. Rushing like an ox in the street of Erech like a multitude(?) he followed[203]
6. šár-ra giš-KU-A[204] mu-na-an-dúr-ru-ne-eš
6. Multitudinously in the habitations they dwelled.
7. šattam-a-ni lugal gab-gál[205] ki-gub-bu-ne ba-ra-è
7. Her precentor,[206] the defender king, whither they go, went up.
8. ugnim-e igi-im- ma- an- sĭg
8. The hosts of peoples she beholds.
9. nar-e li-du-a šu-i-ni-in-gí ŭb[207] šu-na be-in-šub
9. The singer refuses to chant and from his hand has thrown the drum.
10. ni[208]-nag-a-zu ni-nag-a-zu
10. Thou drinkest not; thou drinkest not.
11. a[209] nu-e-nag amaš-zu um-mi-ni-nag
11. Water thou drinkest not, but thy sheepfolds drink.
12. ni-nag-a-zu ni-nag-a-zu
12. Thou drinkest not; thou drinkest not.
13. kaš nu-e-nag ùš[210]-zu um-mu-ni-nag
13. Beer thou drinkest not, but thy protégés drink.
14. gud-dam e[211] e-sir unug-(ki)-ga-ge šár-ám ma-ra-mi-ù-uš
14. Like an ox going forth in the streets of Erech like a multitude(?) he pursues thee.
15. šar-ra-ám giš-KU-A ma-ra-dúr-ru-ne-eš
15. In multitudes they have taken up their abodes in the habitations.
16. mèn[212] a-na-ag-en sal-e mà-a ma-an-dúg-ga sal-un-ne[213] mèn-ne-en
16. As for me what shall I do? I who have bestowed care. A sacred devotee I am.
17. gud-dam e ib-tag-ra be-in-ra ni-zu[214] e-ne-ib-uš
17. Coming forth like an ox, hastening in destructive fury he came; even thee thyself he pursued.
18. šar-úr á nam-ur-sag-gà-mu šu-nu-um-ma-ti
18. The šar-ur weapon, arm of my heroic power I have taken not in my hand.
19. é ģallab-mà a-gil-zu[215]-bi dal-la mi-ni-gí[216]
19. Of my temple in Hallab its treasures he has hidden far away.
20. giš-dal é-an-na pa-ba mi-ni-in-kud
20. Of the tallu[217] of Eanna its PA he broke off.
21. gud-dam sil-šú im-ma-na-ra-è
21. Like an ox he came up against thee on the highways.
22. gud-dam e e-sir unu-(ki)-ga-ge šár-ra mu-ni-in-gaz
22. Like an ox going forth in the streets of Erech he slaughtered multitudes(?).
23. šár-ra giš-KU-A-a-na mu-ni-in-dīg
23. Multitudes in their habitations he caused to die.
24. giš-ig ká-gal-la im-ma-an-gŭr-gŭr
24. The doors of the city gate he shattered.
25. a-tuģ[218]-na-ka ... im-ma-an-è
25. Her defender he caused to go forth,
26. šu-PEŠ[219] dumu šu-PEŠ d.Innini-ge
26. The fisherman, the son fisherman of Innini.
27. šen-urudu mu-na-an-bar-ri-ia-dúg[220]
27. The copper vessels he scattered.
28. gud-dam ra ... im-ma-an-ra-aģ
28. Hastening like an ox he has wrought demolition.
29. gud-dam e er-im-ma-an-šub[221] sîg-sîg-ni-mà-mal[222]
29. Coming forth like an ox tears he has caused to fall and misery he caused to be.
30. d.Innini zig[223]-mu sum-ma-ab
30. Oh Innini, grant me favor.
31. gud kur-ra ga-mu-ra-ab-sum tùr-zu ga-mu-ra-ah-lu[224]
31. Oxen of the mountains I will give thee; thy stables I will enrich for thee.
32. udu ... kur-ra ... ga-mu-ra-ab-sum amaš-zu ga-mu-ra-ab-lu
32. Sheep of the mountains I will give thee; thy sheepfolds I will enrich for thee.
33. azag d.Innini-ge mu-na-ni-íb-gí-gí[225]
33. Holy Innini replied:—
34. a-šag ģallab-(ki)-a dúr-gar be-e-gar-ra e-ku[226] ni-nad-ba
34. “In the plains of Hallab thou shalt make thy abode where the people repose.”
35. ama-ba[227] ... gĭr(?) ... ģa-ra-ab-túg-e balag-al[228] ģu-mu-ra-ab-bi
35. May their hosts attend(?) thee and proclaim to thee on lyre and harp(?)
36. d.Innini nam-ur-sag-[zu][229] ga-ám-dúg
36. Oh Innini, I will rehearse thy valor.
37. zag-sal-zu ... dug-ga-ám
37. It is good to sing thy praise.