Psalm to Enlil Containing a Long Intercession by the Mother Goddess. 15204 (No. 5)
This liturgical psalm in one melody adds one more document of this kind to the classical Sumerian corpus of old short musical services on which the later complex liturgies were based.[162] The title, árabu-(ģu) árabu-(ģu) múzu kúrra munmállašu záe alménna, arranged in seven dactyls, does not appear in the catalogue of old songs given in the Assyrian list, IV Raw. 53 Col. III. Since the greater part of the psalm consists in an address of the mother goddess to Enlil on behalf of Nippur, the composition is defined as an adoration of “my mother,”[163] an epithet applied to Innini by the singers in most liturgies. The psalm begins with twelve lines sung by the choir and addressed to Enlil. They then in lines 13-15 introduce Innini whom they represent in discourse before Enlil in lines 16-47. This part of the song service contains refrains characteristic of public worship. Theologically the text illustrates one of the most profound principles of Sumerian religion, the sympathy and concern of the virgin mother for mankind.[164] The great daily services of the standard prayer books represent her as a mater dolorosa and she with Tammuz shares the vicissitudes of mortal life. Our text is unique and noteworthy for one salient fact. It illustrates the scenes so common on Babylonian seals, where the mother goddess stands in intercession before the god, with one or both hands raised in supplication and the left foot advanced as though about to set it on the paved approach to the throne of the deity.
1. arâ-bu-(ģu) arâ-bu-(ģu) mu-zu kur-ra mu-un-ma-al-la-šú
1. Oh bird arabu, arabu,[165] thou art he whose name is proclaimed in the world.
2. za-e al-me-en-na
3. d.Mu-ul-lil arâ-bu-(ģu) mu-zu kur-ra mu-un-ma-al-al-la-šú
3. Oh Enlil, arabu-bird, thou art he whose name is proclaimed in the world.
4. za-e al-me-en-na
5. d.Mu-ul-lil šag-sud-du e-ne-em zid- da
5. Enlil of unsearchable heart, of faithful word.
6. gú ki-ma-al[166] e-ne-em di- di[167]
6. He that bends the neck, that speaks the word.
7. mu-zu kur-ra mu-un-ma-al-la-šú za-e al-me-en- na
7. Thou art he whose name is proclaimed in the world.
8. mu-zu kur-ra mu-un-ma-al-la-šú
8. At thy name which is proclaimed in the world,
9. dúg-ga-zu kur-ra ám-da-ma-al-la-šú
9. At thy discourse which is proclaimed in the world,
10. taģ-a-zu kur-ra ám-da-ma-al-la-šú
10. At thy aid which is wrought in the world,
11. uru-me-a[168] an ní-bi nam-dúb ki ní-bi nam- sīg
11. In my city heaven trembles of itself, earth quakes of itself.[169]
12. nibru-(ki)-a an ní-bi nam-dúb ki ní-bi nam- sīg
12. In Nippur the heaven trembles of itself, earth quakes of itself.
13. ama mu-gíg-gi ama nu-bar-ra ama-mu ni-mi-ni-in-gí-gí
13. The mother virgin, the mother courtesan, my mother began discourse.
14. d.[...]-e ga-ša-an urú-bar-ra-ra[170]
14. She the divine ..., queen of the villages,
15. ... ni-mi-ni-in-gí- ... gí
15. ... discoursed.
16. ... ku-a-zu- ... dé
16. When in ... thou dwellest,
17. ... -la ku-gar-ra[171]-zu-dé
17. When in ... thou makest thy abode,
18. [d.Nin-lil-da?][172] ga-ša-an keš-(ki)-a-ge
18. With Ninlil (?) queen of Keš
19. ... ģen mu-e-da-ab-tar-ri
19. ... thou decreest.
...[173]
20. ... ge me-ri-mu-šú[174] nu-GÁ-e
20. [As I was ...] my foot I lifted not.[175]
21. [a-a-mu lu-]lu-mu-ùr[176] su-din-ģu ab-ba-ge
21. To my father, my benefactor, as a sudin-bird of the sea,[177]
22. me-ri-mu-šú nu-GA-e
22. My foot I lifted not.
23. d.Mu-ul-lil-]-e šag-sud-da
23. [To Enlil of] unsearchable heart,
24. [ù-mu-un e-ne]-em zi-da
24. [Lord] of faithful word,
25. [gú ki-ma-al e-]ne-em di-di
25. That bends the neck, that speaks the word,
26. ... ge me-ri-mu-šú nu-GA-e
26. [As I was ...] my foot I lifted not.
27. [d.Mu-ul-lil ?]-e me-ri-mu-šú ù[178]-GA-e
27. [But unto Enlil] I would lift my foot.
28. ... -ra ga-ám-ši-rá
28. Unto ... verily I will go;
29. [me-ri]-mu-šú ga-mu-ni-ib-GA
29. My foot I will lift.
30. [a-a-mu]lu-lu-mu-ùr ga-ám-ši-rá
30. To my father, my benefactor, verily I will go;
31. me-ri-mu-šú ga-mu-ni-ib-GA
31. My foot I will lift.
32. d.Mu-ul-lil-ra šu-mu-šú ga-mu-ni-ib-GA
32. Unto Enlil my hand I will raise;
33. me-ri-mu-šú ga-mu-ni-ib-GA
33. my foot I will lift.
34. me-e d.Mu-ul-lil-ra um-ma dé-til
35. ... ṭu[179]-mu-na-da- ab- dúg
34. I unto Enlil will say, “May the mother live.”
36. a-a-mu lu-lu-mu-ùr ab-ba dé-til
37. ... ṭu-mu-na-da-ab- dúg
36. Unto my father, my benefactor, I will say, “May the father live.”
38. gù-gù gù-si-di ṭu-mu-na-ám-mar
38. Words which set aright all things I will say.
39. urú-me-a ama dumu dé-im-me
40. ... dumu ama dé-im-me
39. In my city may the mother hail her son, may the son hail his mother.[180]
41. nibru-(ki)-a ama dumu-dé-im-me
41. In Nippur may the mother hail her son,
42. ... dumu ama dé-im-me
42. may the son hail his mother.
43. ùz[181]-e síl-bi ģe-im-ši-ib-še-gi-en
43. To ewe and her lamb may he be propitious.
44. e-ne-em d.Mu-ul-lil-lá UZ-dé[182] máš-bi
45. ... ģe-en-ši-ib-še-gi-en
44. May the word of Enlil be propitious to the she-goat and her kid.
46. d.Mu-ul-lil-ra uru-ni še-ib nibru-(ki)
46. For Enlil, his city, brick-walled
47. ki-bi ga-mu-na-ab-gí
47. Nippur, unto its place I will restore.”
48. ní-na-teg ní-na-teg ama-mu ní-na teg
48. She offers devotion, she offers devotion, my mother offers devotion.