Love's mistress, mastered by strong hate, The warder heard, and wondered first, then feared The angered goddess Ishtar what she spake, Then answering said to Ishtar's wrathful might: "O princess, stay thy hand; rend not the door, But tarry here, while unto Ninkigal I go, and tell thy glorious name to her."
ISHTAR'S LAMENT.
"All love from earthly life with me departed, With me to tarry in the gates of death; In heaven's sun no warmth is longer hearted, And chilled shall cheerless men now draw slow breath.
"I left in sadness life which I had given, I turned from gladness and I walked with woe, Toward living death by grief untimely driven, I search for Thammuz whom harsh fate laid low
"The darkling pathway o'er the restless waters Of seven seas that circle Death's domain I trod, and followed after earth's sad daughters Torn from their loved ones and ne'er seen again.
"Here must I enter in, here make my dwelling With Thammuz in the mansion of the dead, Driven to Famine's house by love compelling And hunger for the sight of that dear head.
"O'er husbands will I weep, whom death has taken, Whom fate in manhood's strength from life has swept, Leaving on earth their living wives forsaken,— O'er them with groans shall bitter tears be wept.
"And I will weep o'er wives, whose short day ended Ere in glad offspring joyed their husbands' eyes; Snatched from loved arms they left their lords untended,— O'er them shall tearful lamentations rise.
"And I will weep o'er babes who left no brothers, Young lives to the ills of age by hope opposed, The sons of saddened sires and tearful mothers, One moment's life by death eternal closed."
NINKIGAL'S COMMAND TO THE WARDER.