c. 1900-1600 BCE
various translators
1921/1927
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NOTE |
The text below is one of several Mesopotamian accounts of the creation, though certainly less famous that the Enuma Elish or the Eridu Genesis. This account is written in Sumerian on a clay tablet excavated at Nippur and currently resides in the Penn Museum in Philadelphia. It dates to the Old Babylonian period (1900-1600 BCE), and it was first published in translation by George Barton in a 1917 journal article and then his 1918 book Miscellaneous Babylonian Inscriptions. In 1921, D. D. Luckenbill published a revised translation as an appendix to his study of the Enuma Elish. I reproduce that translation below with the translator’s preface, followed by Barton's second attempt at a translation, made in light of Luckenbill's and the identification of additional lines of text, from the 1927 fifth edition.
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A SUMERIAN STORY OF BEGINNINGS
trans. D. D. Luckenbill
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TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE
As an appendix I have added a translation of a Sumerian “creation” text, published by Barton in Miscellaneous Babylonian Inscriptions, No. 8. A new copy of the text (it cried to heaven for one) was given by Langdon in Le poème sumérien, Plates VII and VIII. My translation, made from the photograph, had practically the same shape it has now before Langdon's work appeared, but the delay in publication, occasioned by a visit to the scenes of the exploits of the Sumerian and Babylonian heroes, allowed me to profit by Langdon’s study of the text. |
OBVERSE
In the mountain of heaven and earth,
when, above(?), the gods, the Anunna, were born,
green and the grain-god had not (yet) sprouted, had not (yet) become green;
his people, with Takku, had not (yet) been formed,
5 for Takku they (his people) had not (yet) heaped up a temple platform.
A ewe had not (yet) bleated, a lamb had not yet been dropped,
a she-goat had not (yet) baaed, a kid had not (yet) been dropped.
The ewe had not (yet) borne her lamb,
the she-goat had not (yet) borne her kid.
10 The grain of the grain-god and the fold (flocks)
the Anunna-the great gods are they knew not (yet);
shesh-grain of thirty days there was none,
shesh-grain of sixty days there was none,
turtur-grain, kurra-grain, shining adam-grain, there was none.
15 There was no living in dwellings.
Takku had not (yet) been born, had not (yet) worn the crown,
the lord, the god of the horned tiara, the all-powerful lord, had not (yet) been born,
the sun-god, brightness bringing, had not (yet) gone forth.
Mankind, when they were created (on the day of their begetting),
20 food and sleep they knew not of,
garments for their covering they knew not of.
The people brought all kinds(?) of reeds from the marshes(?),
like sheep they ate grass with their mouths(?),
water of the gardens [from the ditches] they drank.
(Rest of obverse too broken to allow of any translation.)
when, above(?), the gods, the Anunna, were born,
green and the grain-god had not (yet) sprouted, had not (yet) become green;
his people, with Takku, had not (yet) been formed,
5 for Takku they (his people) had not (yet) heaped up a temple platform.
A ewe had not (yet) bleated, a lamb had not yet been dropped,
a she-goat had not (yet) baaed, a kid had not (yet) been dropped.
The ewe had not (yet) borne her lamb,
the she-goat had not (yet) borne her kid.
10 The grain of the grain-god and the fold (flocks)
the Anunna-the great gods are they knew not (yet);
shesh-grain of thirty days there was none,
shesh-grain of sixty days there was none,
turtur-grain, kurra-grain, shining adam-grain, there was none.
15 There was no living in dwellings.
Takku had not (yet) been born, had not (yet) worn the crown,
the lord, the god of the horned tiara, the all-powerful lord, had not (yet) been born,
the sun-god, brightness bringing, had not (yet) gone forth.
Mankind, when they were created (on the day of their begetting),
20 food and sleep they knew not of,
garments for their covering they knew not of.
The people brought all kinds(?) of reeds from the marshes(?),
like sheep they ate grass with their mouths(?),
water of the gardens [from the ditches] they drank.
(Rest of obverse too broken to allow of any translation.)
REVERSE
The opening lines, of which there may have been one or two more than the numbering shows, are too fragmentary to permit of any attempts at restoration. Mankind (l. 3) and the gods Enki and “Father” Enlil (ll. 4 and 5), representing the “great gods, the Anunna,” are the dramatis personae.
In a favorable month a tablet was . . . . . . .
(in) a favorable month—it was a joyous one—the . . . . for . . . . . .
Enki and Enlil uttered an incantation . . . .
flocks and grain (the grain-god) in the favorable month they . . . . for . . . .
10 The flocks . . . . the fold . . . .
Grass of the plain in abundance they gave them,
grain . . . . they put before them,
shepherds (?) and under-shepherds they gave them.
The flocks stood in their fold,
15 the shepherd brought abundance to the fold.
The grain stood in the ear,
the “green maiden” brought abundance.
In the fields the head was lifted on high,
abundance (of rain) came from heaven,
20 flocks and grain “blossomed forth.”
The gatherings (of people) were blessed with abundance,
the (whole) land was blessed with renewal of life.
The law of their gods they promulgated,
the storehouses of the land they filled with food,
25 the mercy (favors) shown the land was abundant (heavy).
The prostrate, trampled in the dust,
lords they became (?), rich abundance was theirs.
Both of them in———stood.
In a favorable month a tablet was . . . . . . .
(in) a favorable month—it was a joyous one—the . . . . for . . . . . .
Enki and Enlil uttered an incantation . . . .
flocks and grain (the grain-god) in the favorable month they . . . . for . . . .
10 The flocks . . . . the fold . . . .
Grass of the plain in abundance they gave them,
grain . . . . they put before them,
shepherds (?) and under-shepherds they gave them.
The flocks stood in their fold,
15 the shepherd brought abundance to the fold.
The grain stood in the ear,
the “green maiden” brought abundance.
In the fields the head was lifted on high,
abundance (of rain) came from heaven,
20 flocks and grain “blossomed forth.”
The gatherings (of people) were blessed with abundance,
the (whole) land was blessed with renewal of life.
The law of their gods they promulgated,
the storehouses of the land they filled with food,
25 the mercy (favors) shown the land was abundant (heavy).
The prostrate, trampled in the dust,
lords they became (?), rich abundance was theirs.
Both of them in———stood.
TEXT OF A TABLET FROM NIPPUR
trans. George Aaron Barton
OBVERSE
1. In the mountain of heaven and earth
2. The day Anu brought forth the great gods;
3. A tree of Ezinu had not been born, had not become green,
4. Her land, the goddess Takku had not created.
5. For Takku a temple-platform had not been filled in;
6. A ewe (?) had not bleated (?), a lamb had not been dropped,
7. A goat had not bleated, a kid had not been born,
8. No ewe had borne her lamb,
9. No goat had borne a kid,
10. The name of Ezinu, tall and holy, and of Sig.
11. The Anunnaki, the great gods, had not known.
12. There was no šes-grain of thirty-fold;
13. There was no šes-grain of fifty-fold;
14. Small grain, mountain-grain, and cattle-fodder there were not;
15. A possession and houses there were not;
16. Takku had not been brought forth, a shrine not lifted up
17. Together with the lady Ninki the lord had not brought forth men.
18. Shamash as leader came, unto her desire came forth;
19. Mankind he planned; many men were brought forth.
20. Food and sleep they knew not;
21. Clothing and dwellings they knew not.
22. The people with rushes and skins came,
23. Like sheep with their mouths... they ate grass,
24. Garden water they drank.
25. When the land was green with the forms of their gods
26. And with edible plants the holy dwelling of Sig and Ezinu were green,
27. They brought food for the gods to the established dwelling
28. From the abundance of Sig and Ezinu.
29. The great gods in their holy dwelling
30. Ate; they were not satisfied;
31. They gave good food to their holy flock.
2. The day Anu brought forth the great gods;
3. A tree of Ezinu had not been born, had not become green,
4. Her land, the goddess Takku had not created.
5. For Takku a temple-platform had not been filled in;
6. A ewe (?) had not bleated (?), a lamb had not been dropped,
7. A goat had not bleated, a kid had not been born,
8. No ewe had borne her lamb,
9. No goat had borne a kid,
10. The name of Ezinu, tall and holy, and of Sig.
11. The Anunnaki, the great gods, had not known.
12. There was no šes-grain of thirty-fold;
13. There was no šes-grain of fifty-fold;
14. Small grain, mountain-grain, and cattle-fodder there were not;
15. A possession and houses there were not;
16. Takku had not been brought forth, a shrine not lifted up
17. Together with the lady Ninki the lord had not brought forth men.
18. Shamash as leader came, unto her desire came forth;
19. Mankind he planned; many men were brought forth.
20. Food and sleep they knew not;
21. Clothing and dwellings they knew not.
22. The people with rushes and skins came,
23. Like sheep with their mouths... they ate grass,
24. Garden water they drank.
25. When the land was green with the forms of their gods
26. And with edible plants the holy dwelling of Sig and Ezinu were green,
27. They brought food for the gods to the established dwelling
28. From the abundance of Sig and Ezinu.
29. The great gods in their holy dwelling
30. Ate; they were not satisfied;
31. They gave good food to their holy flock.
REVERSE
1. The great gods in their holy dwelling
2. Drank; they were not satisfied;
3. For the proper feeding of their holy flock
4. Kingship in security they established.
5. When Enki spoke a word to Enlil,
6. The waters of Enlil and Ezida
7. Made the holy dwelling green.
8. The mighty holy dwelling they inhabited for thee.
9. Enki and Enlil their holy word
10. To Sig and Ezinu spoke from the holy dwelling;
11. Wool from the flock they gave;
12. Vegetables as food in abundance they gave.
13. For vegetation they made canals,
14. Irrigating machines with laborers attached they gave.
15. Wool was taken from the flock;
16. The shepherd of the flock revelled in abundance.
17. Ezinu stood as tall vegetation;
18. The bright land was green; it presented abundance in heaps;
19. In the field the head was lifted high;
20. From heaven abundance came;
21. Sig and Ezinu made increase;
22. For all they raised an abundance;
23. They filled the land with exalted courage;
24. The voice of their god uttered just decisions for them.
25. A dwelling-place was their land; food increased for the people;
26. The prosperity of their land brought them danger;
27. For making house-bricks the clay of the land they burned.
28. They became strong; they raised abundance;
29. Companions were they; man with wife they dwelt;
30. In misfortune the house assists them.
2. Drank; they were not satisfied;
3. For the proper feeding of their holy flock
4. Kingship in security they established.
5. When Enki spoke a word to Enlil,
6. The waters of Enlil and Ezida
7. Made the holy dwelling green.
8. The mighty holy dwelling they inhabited for thee.
9. Enki and Enlil their holy word
10. To Sig and Ezinu spoke from the holy dwelling;
11. Wool from the flock they gave;
12. Vegetables as food in abundance they gave.
13. For vegetation they made canals,
14. Irrigating machines with laborers attached they gave.
15. Wool was taken from the flock;
16. The shepherd of the flock revelled in abundance.
17. Ezinu stood as tall vegetation;
18. The bright land was green; it presented abundance in heaps;
19. In the field the head was lifted high;
20. From heaven abundance came;
21. Sig and Ezinu made increase;
22. For all they raised an abundance;
23. They filled the land with exalted courage;
24. The voice of their god uttered just decisions for them.
25. A dwelling-place was their land; food increased for the people;
26. The prosperity of their land brought them danger;
27. For making house-bricks the clay of the land they burned.
28. They became strong; they raised abundance;
29. Companions were they; man with wife they dwelt;
30. In misfortune the house assists them.
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TRANSLATOR'S NOTE
A colophon states that the tablet contained 60 lines. Ezinu was a god of vegetation-trees, grain, etc. Sig usually signifies "wool," then "garment." As Sig is in this text said to have become green along with Ezinu, it may designate flax, or possibly cotton, which produced a woolly substance from which garments were made. The goddess Takku was a patroness of agriculture. The story, therefore, begins before the existence of vegetation and domestic animals, before fields had been cultivated, or houses built, and before the establishment of political institutions, and it traces the coming of these into existence. In this respect it reminds one of Gen. 2:5, 6. The way in which the word of the great god Enki causes water to flow and other creative acts to follow resembles in a faint way the way God speaks and things come into existence in the first chapter of Genesis. |
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Source: D. D. Luckenbill, “The Ashur Version of the Seven Tablets of Creation,” American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures 38, no. 1 (October 1921): 13, 32-35; George A. Barton, Archæology and the Bible, 5th ed. (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1927), 277-278.
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