(OBVERSE OF THE TABLET.)
“To the land of no return, to the land [which thou knowest (?)],[19]
Istar, the daughter of the moon-god, meditated [to go].
The daughter of the moon-god meditated to go
To the house of darkness, to the seat of Irkalla,
To the house whose visitor never returns, 5.
On the path the descent of which never leads back,
To the house whose occupants are removed from the light,
To the place where dust is food, and dirt is meat,
Where they (the occupants) see no light, where they dwell in darkness,
Where they are clothed like birds, dressed with wings,[20]. 10.
Where upon gate and bolt dust is spread.
“When Istar had reached the gate of the land of no return,
She spake to the keeper of the gate:
‘Keeper of the waters, open thy gate,
Open thy gate,—I wish to enter! 15.
If thou openest not, if I cannot enter,
I shall demolish the gate, I shall break the bolt,
I shall smash the threshold, I shall break the doors;
I shall lead out the dead, shall make them eat and live,
And unto the crowds of the living the dead shall I join.’ 20.
“The keeper opened his mouth and spake
In reply to the sublime Istar:
‘Stay, my lady, do not upset [the door]!
I will announce thy name to Queen Allatu.’
“The keeper entered and spake to Queen Allatu: 25.
‘The water has been crossed by thy sister Istar....”
[The goddess Allatu is greatly agitated about Istar’s appearance in Sheol. The poem continues:]
“When Goddess Allatu [heard] this....
Like unto a tree cut down....
Like unto reeds mowed down [she drooped and spake]: 30.
‘What has driven her heart, what....
These waters have I [made encompass Sheol] ...
Like the inundation of the deluge, like the swelling (?) waters of a great flood,
I will weep over the men who left their wives.
I will weep over the wives who were taken from their consorts, 35.
Over the little children I will weep, who prematurely [were taken away].[21]
Go, keeper, open the gate,
And strip her according to the primordial decree.’
The keeper went, he opened the door to her:
‘Enter, my lady, let the underworld [Kûtu] rejoice; 40.
Let the palace of the land of no return rejoice at thy arrival!’
“Through the first door he bade her enter and, stripping her,
Took off from her head the golden crown.
‘Why, O keeper, takest thou from my head the golden crown?’
‘Step in, my lady, for such are the commands of the mistress of the earth.’[22]
Through the second door he bade her enter and, stripping her, 45.
Took off the ornaments from her ears.
‘Why, O keeper, takest thou the ornaments from my ears?’
‘Step in, my lady, for such are the commands of the mistress of the earth.’
Through the third door he bade her enter and, stripping her,
Took off the chains from her neck.
‘Why, O keeper, takest thou the chains from my neck?’
‘Step in, my lady, for such are the commands of the mistress of the earth.’ 50.
Through the fourth door he bade her enter and, stripping her,
Took off the ornaments from her breast.
‘Why, O keeper, takest thou the ornaments from my breast?’
‘Step in, my lady, for such are the commands of the mistress of the earth.’
Through the fifth door he bade her enter and, stripping her,
Took off the gem-covered belt from her hips.
‘Why, O keeper, takest thou the gem-covered belt from my hips?’ 55.
‘Step in, my lady, for such are the commands of the mistress of the earth.’
Through the sixth door he bade her enter and, stripping her,
Took off the bracelets from her hands and feet.
‘Why, O keeper, takest thou the bracelets from my hands and feet?’
‘Step in, my lady, for such are the commands of the mistress of the earth.’
Through the seventh door he bade her enter and, stripping her, 60.
Took off the robe from her body.
“Why, O keeper, takest thou the robe from my body?’
‘Step in, my lady, for such are the commands of the mistress of the earth.’
Now, when Istar was descended to the land of no return—
Allatu beheld her, and vehemently upbraided her;
Istar, forgetful, assaulted her.... 65.
Then Allatu opened her mouth and spake.
Addressing Namtar, her servant, giving him
this command:
‘Go, Namtar, open (?) my....
Let her out ... the goddess Istar,
With a disease on her eyes [punish her], 70.
With a disease on her hips [punish her],
With a disease on her feet [punish her],
With a disease on her heart [punish her],
With a disease on her head [punish her],
Upon her whole person [inflict diseases].’ 75.
When Istar, the lady, [was thus afflicted],
The bull no longer covered the cow, the he-ass the she-ass,
The lord no longer sought the maiden of the street.
The lord fell asleep in giving command,
The maid-servant fell asleep....” 80.
REVERSE OF THE TABLET.
“Pap-sukal, the servant of the great gods, scratched his face before Samas,
Clothed in mourning and filled with....
Samas went: he went to Sin, his father [and wept];
Before Ea, the king, he shed tears;
‘Istar has descended into the land and has not returned. 5.
Since Istar descended into the land of no return,
The bull no longer covers the cow,
The jack-ass no longer covers the she-ass,
A man no longer seeks the maiden of the street,
The lord falls asleep in giving command,
The maid-servant falls asleep.... 10.
Then Ea in the wisdom of his heart created a male being,
He created Uddusunâmir,[23] the servant of the gods:
‘Go forth, Uddusunâmir! to the door of the land of no return turn thy face,
The seven doors of the land of no return shall open before thee,
Let Allatu see thee, let her rejoice at thy arrival. 15.
When her heart has become calm, and her soul is comforted,
Conjure her in the name of the great gods,[24]
Lift up thy head over the source of waters (?), make up thy mind (and speak):
‘Not, O my lady, shall the spring be debarred from me; from its waters I will drink.’
When Allatu heard this, 20.
She smote her loins and bit her finger[25] (and spake):
‘Thou hast made a demand which cannot be fulfilled—
Hence, Uddusunâmir, I will confine thee in the great prison,
The slime of the city shall be thy food,
The gutters of the street shall be thy drink, 25.
The shadow of the wall shall be thy habitation.
The thresholds, thy dwelling-place,
Prison and confinement shall break thy strength.