Cuneiform Digital Library Preprints <https://cdli.ucla.edu/?q=cuneiform-digital-library-preprints> Hosted by the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (<https://cdli.ucla.edu>) Number 16 Title: The Literary Sumerian of Old Babylonian Ur: UET 6/1-3 in Transliteration and Translation with Select Commentary Part II: UET 6/2 Author: Jeremiah Peterson Posted to web: 16 April 2019 The Literary Sumerian of Old Babylonian Ur: UET 6/1-3 in Transliteration and Translation with Select Commentary Jeremiah Peterson Part II: UET 6/2 UET 6, 124 = U 16900E CDLI P346209 Lamentation over Sumer and Ur 1f., Michalowski MC 1, source BB, Attinger La lamentation sur Sumer et Ur (2.2.3) obverse 1. ud šu bal ke3-de3 [...]-lam? -e-de3 In order to overturn the day, in order to destroy the plans 2. ud-de3 mar-rux(TE)-gin7 [...] x-gu7-e The storm ravages like a stormwind 3. me ki-en-gi-ra šu bal ke3-de3 In order to overturn the cosmic powers of Sumer 4. bal sag9-ga e2-ba gi4-gi4-de3 In order to confine the good reign in its house 5. iri gul-gul-u3-de3 e2 gul-gul-u3-de3 In order to destroy the city, in order to destroy the temple 6. tur3 gul-gul-u3-de3 amaš tab-tab-be2-de3 In order to destroy the cattlepen, in order to flatten the sheepfold 7. gud-bi tur3-bi-a nu-gub-bu-de3 So that the ox does not does not stand in its cattlepen 8. udu-bi amaš-bi-a nu-daĝal-e-de3 So that the sheep does not expand (in number?) in its sheepfold 9. id2-bi a mun4-na tum3-u3-de3 So that the canal irrigates with (only) brackish water 10. gan2-ne2 zid-de3 u2hirim mu2-mu2-de3 So that hirin grass grows in the fertile field 11. eden-e u2 a-nir mu2-mu2-de3 So that the "lamentation plant" grows in the plain 12. ama dumu-ni-ir ki nu-kiĝx-kiĝx(UR4-UR4)-de3 So that the mother does not seek the whereabouts of her child 13. ad-da a dam-ĝu10 nu-di-de3 So that the father does not say "ah, my wife" 14. dam banda3 ur2-ra nu-hul2-le-de3 So that the junior spouse does not delight in (his) lap 15. TUR-TUR dub3-ba nu-buluĝ3-ĝe26-e-de3 So that the little ones do not grow on the knee 16. emedada-e u5-a nu-di-de3 So that the nursemaid does not sign a lullaby 17. nam-lugal-la ki-tuš-bi kur2-ru-de3 So that the dwelling of kingship is changed 18. eš-bar kiĝx(UR4)-ĝa2 [...]-e-de3 In order to paralyze/actively diminish(?) decision making note: For the debated meaning of eš-bar kiĝ₂ (... dug₄), see Attinger ELS, 508, Steinkeller RAI 60, 8-9. !335 19. nam-lugal kalam-ma kar? -kar? -re? -e-[de3] In order to take away the kingship of the land 20. igi-bi ki!-šar2-ra ĝa2-ĝa2-[de3] So that it (the destructive storm) sets its gaze on the entire world note: This expression also occurs in Ninurta and the Turtle 29. 21. inim dug4-ga an den-lil2-ta ĝeš-hur ha-lam-e-[de3] So that it ruins the plans according to the command of An and Enlil 22. ud an-ne2 kur-kur-ra saĝ-ki ba-da-an-gid2-da-a-[ba] It was the time when An frowned upon the lands 23. den-lil2-le igi-ni ki kur2-ra ba-an-ĝar-ra-a-ba It was the (time) that Enlil set his gaze on another place 24. dnin-tur5-re niĝ2-dim2-dim2-ma-ni zag bi2-in-tag-ga-a-ba It was the (time) that Nintur rejected her creations 25. den-ki-ke4 id2idigna id2buranun-na šu!? bi2-in-bal-a-ba It was the (time) that Enki changed (the course of) the Tigris and Euphrates 26. ki-en-gi-ra me-bi ha-lam-e-de3 ĝeš-hur-bi kur2-ru-de3 In order to destroy the me of Sumer, in order to alter its plans 27. urim2ki-ma me nam-lugal-la bal-bi su3-su3-ud-de3 In order to obfuscate the me and the reign of kingship in Ur 28. dumu nun-na e2-kiš-nu-ĝal2-na šu pe-el-la2 di-de3 In order to defile the princely son in his Ekišnuĝal temple 29. [d]nanna uĝ3 u8?-gin7 lu-a-na igi-te-en-bi si-il-le-de3 In order to tear apart the "mesh" of the people teeming/pastured like ewes(?) of Nanna 30. urim2ki eš3 nindaba gal-gal-la nindaba-bi kur2-ru-de3 In order to change the nindaba offering of Ur, the shrine of great nindaba offerings 31. uĝ3-bi ki-tuš-bi nu-tuš-u3-de3 ki-erim2-e šum2-mu-de3 So that its people do no dwell in their dwelling, so that they are given into enemy territory 32. še29-SUki elamki lu2 ha-lam-ma ki-tuš-bi tuš-u3-de3 So that Simaški and Elam, the destructive people, dwell in their dwellings 33. sipad-bi e2-gal-la ni2-te-na lu2-erim2-e dab5-be2-de3 So that the enemy seizes their shepherd in his very own palace 34. i-bi2-dSUEN kur elamki-ma-še3 ĝeš-bur-re tum2-u3-de3 So that Ibbi-Sîn is brought to the land of Elam in a ĝešbur trap/restraint note: For this and the following line, see Steinkeller Biggs FS, 221. 35. iš za-bu gaba a-ab-ba-ka-ta zag an-ša4-anki-še3 From the sand dunes of Zabu on the shore of the sea to the border of Anšan 36. simmušen e2-bi-a ba-ra-an-dal-a-gin7 uru17-ni-še3 nu-gur-re-dam? Like a swallow that has flown from(!?) its house (= nest), he is not to return to his city note: For this line, see Woods CM 32, 236. 37. id2idigna id2buranun-na gu2 min4min-a-bi u2 hul mu2-mu2-de3 So that malevolent plants grow on both banks of the Tigris and Euphrates !336 38. kaskal-e ĝiri3 nu-ĝa2-ĝa2-de3 har-ra-an nu-kiĝx-kiĝx(UR4-UR4)-de3 So that no one sets foot on the road, so that no one seeks the path reverse 1. uru17 a2-dam ki ĝar-ĝar-ra-ba du6-du6-ra ŠID-de3 In order to break up the founded city and (outlying) settlements into ruin mounds note: For the uncertain reading of the ŠID sign (kid₄, tuba₃) in analogous contexts as opposed to the previously understood interpretation šid "to count (as)", see Crisostomo The Old Babylonian Word List Izi, 380. 2. uĝ3 saĝ-gig2 lu-lu-a-ba ĝešhaš-e ke3-de3 In order to smite the teeming black-headed people with the haš weapon 3. gan2-ne2 zid-de3 ĝešal nu-ru-gu2-de3 numun ki nu-tag-ge-de3 So that the hoe does not penetrate the fertile field, so that the seed is not planted note: An erased GANA₂ sign occurs between the NE and ZI signs. 4. e-el-lu šir3 gud sub2-sub2-ba eden-na nu-di-de3 So that the e'ellu, the song of the going oxen, is not sung in the plain note: For /e'elu/, see Civil Kramer FS, 90. For this line, see Shehata GBAO 9, 235. 5. e2-tur3-ra i3 ga-ar3-ra nu-ke3-de3 x ŠU ha-lam-e-de3 So that butter and cheese(?) are not made in the cattlepen, so that ... is destroyed The unread sign looks like BI:BI or possibly GUD!:GUD! In light of the variant in source U and the sign used in UET 6, 126+ oi9’ and 12’, as well as the fact that this strongly resembles the inscribed component of ŠURIM, perhaps the lexeme /šurim/ “litter, bedding” (if so, perhaps the grapheme ŠU is a pronunciation gloss) or the (de facto) DN Gayau suggested by later Ea/Aa tradition is present. 6. sipad-de3 gišukur-ra amaš kug-ga šu nu-ni10-ni10-de3 So that the shepherd does not circle around (herding) within the corral and the holy sheepfold note: For this and the following line, see Shehata GBAO 9, 236. 7. i-lu-lam-ma dun5-dun5 dugšakir3-ra amaš-a nu-di-de3 So that the ilulama song, the churning of the churn, is not sung in the sheepfold 8. eden-na maš2-anše tur-re-de3 niĝ2-zi-ĝal2 til-le-de3 In order to diminish the herd, in order to finish the wild animals 9. niĝ2-ur2-limmu2 dšakkan-ke4 šurim ki nu-tag-ge-de3 So that the dung/bedding of the quadrupeds of Sumuqan does not touch the ground 10. ambar-re šu ki-in-dar di-de3 numun nu-tuku-tuku-de3 So that in the marshes (wet land) is turned into cracked land, so that they do not acquire seeds 11. ĝeš-gi gi saĝ hul mu2-mu2-de3 hab2-ba uš-u3-de3 So that the "evil-headed" reed grows in the wetlands, so that (the wetlands) die with a stench(?) note: For the reading of the finite verb see Attinger La lamentation sur Sumer et Ur (2.2.3) 4 n. 30 .A LI sign was erased and partially written over, probably an error of preservation for til-le-de3 above.