When in the height heaven was not named,⁠a
And the earth beneath did not yet bear a name,
And the primeval Apsu, who fathered them,
And chaos, Tiamat, the mother of them both,
Their waters were mingled together,
And no field was formed, no marsh was to be seen;
When of the gods none had been called into being,
And none bore a name, and no destinies [were ordained];
Then the gods were created in the midst of [heaven],
Lahmu and Lahamu were formed and came into being.
While they grew and increased in stature
Anshar and Kishar, who excelled them, were created.
They prolonged their days, they multiplied their years.
Anu, their son, could rival his fathers.
Anu, the son, equalled Anshar,
And Anu fathered Nudimmud, his own equal.
Nudimmud was the champion among his fathers:
Profoundly discerning, wise, of robust strength;
Very much stronger than his father’s begetter, Anshar
He had no rival among the gods, his brothers.
The divine brothers came together,
Their clamour got loud, throwing Tiamat into a turmoil.
They jarred the nerves of Tiamat,
And by their dancing they spread alarm in Anduruna.
Apsu did not diminish their clamour,
And Tiamat was silent when confronted with them.
Their conduct was displeasing to her,
Yet though their behaviour was not good, she wished to spare them.
Then Apsu, the begetter of the great gods,
Cried to Mummu, his minister, and said to him:
“O Mummu, you minister who rejoices my spirit,
Come, to Tiamat let us [go]!”
So they went and before Tiamat they lay down,
They consulted on a plan with regard to the gods [their sons].
Apsu opened his mouth [and spoke],
And to Tiamat, the glistening one, he addressed [the word]:
“Their behaviour has become displeasing to me
By day I cannot rest, by night [I cannot lie down (in peace)].
I will destroy and break up their way of life
Let there be lamentation, and let us lie down (again in peace).”
When Tiamat [heard] these words,
She raged and cried out to her spouse,
She cried in distress, fuming within herself,
She uttered a curse, and to [Apsu she spoke]:
“What then shall we [do]?
Let their way be made difficult, and let us [lie down (again) in peace].”
Mummu answered, and gave counsel to Apsu,
(As from) a rebellious vizier was the counsel of his Mummu—
“Come, their way is strong, but you shall destroy [it];
Then by day you shall have rest, by night you shall lie down (in peace).”
Apsu [listened to] him and his face grew bright,
[Since] he (i.e. Mummu) planned evil against the gods his sons.
Mummu put his arms around Apsu’s neck,
His knees [became weak(?)], they gave way beneath him,
What they plotted in their gathering
Was reported to the gods, their sons.
The gods heard it and were frantic.
They were overcome with silence and sat quietly.
Ea, who excels in knowledge, the skilled and learned,
Ea, who knows everything, perceived their tricks.
He fashioned it and made it to be all-embracing,
He executed it skilfully as supreme—his pure incantation.
He recited it and set it on the waters,
He poured sleep upon him as he was slumbering deeply.
He put Apsu to slumber as he poured out sleep,
And Mummu, the counsellor, was breathless with agitation.
He split (Apsu’s) sinews, ripped off his crown,
Carried away his aura and put it on himself.
He bound Apsu and killed him;
Mummu he confined and handled roughly.
He set his dwelling upon Apsu,
And laid hold on Mummu, keeping the nose-rope in his hand.
After Ea had bound and slain his enemies,
Had achieved victory over his foes,
He rested quietly in his chamber,
He called it Apsu, whose shrines he appointed.
Then he founded his living-quarters within it,
And Ea and Damkina, his wife, sat in splendour.
In the chamber of the destinies, the room of the archetypes,
The wisest of the wise, the sage of the gods, Bel was conceived.
In Apsu was Marduk born,
In pure Apsu was Marduk born.
Ea his father fathered him,
Damkina his mother bore him.
He sucked the breasts of goddesses,
A nurse reared him and filled him with terror.
His figure was well developed, the glance of his eyes was dazzling,
His growth was manly, he was mighty from the beginning.
Anu, his father’s begetter, saw him,
He exulted and smiled; his heart filled with joy.
Anu rendered him perfect: his divinity was remarkable,
And he became very lofty, excelling them in his attributes.
His members were incomprehensibly wonderful, and his eyes likewise took in everything.
Incapable of being grasped with the mind, hard even to look on.
Four were his eyes, four his ears,
Flame shot forth as he moved his lips.
His four ears grew large,
[…]
His figure was lofty and superior in comparison with the gods,
His limbs were surpassing, his nature was superior.
“Mari-utu, Mari-utu,
The Son, the Sun-god, the Sun-god of the gods.”
He was clothed with the aura of the Ten Gods, so exalted was his strength,
The Fifty Dreads were loaded upon him.
Anu formed and gave birth to the four winds,⁠b
He delivered them to him, “My son, let them whirl!”
He formed dust and set a hurricane to drive it,
He made a wave to bring consternation on Tiamat.
Tiamat was confounded; day and night she was frantic.
The gods took no rest, they […]
In their minds they plotted evil,
And addressed their mother Tiamat,
“When Apsu, your spouse, was killed,
You did not go at his side, but sat quietly.
The four dreadful winds have been fashioned
To throw you into confusion, and we cannot sleep.
You gave no thought to Apsu, your spouse,
Nor to Mummu, who is a prisoner. Now you sit alone.
From now on you will be in frantic consternation!
And as for us, who cannot rest, you do not love us!
Consider our burden, our eyes are hollow.
Break the immovable yoke that we may sleep.
Make battle, avenge them!
[…] to the tempest you shall […]!”
Tiamat heard, the speech pleased her,
(She said,) “Let us make demons, [as you] have advised.”
The gods assembled within her.
They conceived [evil] against the gods their begetters.
[They banded themselves together and] at the side of Tiamat [they] advanced;
Fiercely plotting, unresting by night and day,
[They prepared for battle], fuming and raging;
[They joined their forces] and made war.
[Mother Hubu]r, who formed all things,
[Made in addition] weapons invincible, she spawned monster-serpents,
[Sharp of] tooth, and merciless of fang;
[With poison instead of] blood she filled [their] bodies.
Fierce [monster-vipers] she clothed with terror,⁠c
[With splendour] she decked them, [she made them] of lofty stature.⁠d
[Whoever saw] them, terror overcame him,
Their bodies reared up and none could withstand [their attack].
[She set] up vipers, and dragons, and the (monster) [Lahamu],
[And hurricanes], and raging hounds, and scorpion-men,
And mighty [tempests], and fish-men, and [rams];
[They bore] cruel weapons, without fear of [the fight].
Her commands [were mighty], [none] could resist them;
After this fashion, huge of stature, [she made] eleven (monsters).
Among the gods who were her sons, inasmuch as he had given [her support],
She exalted Qingu; in their midst [she raised] him [to power].
To march before the forces, to lead [the host],
To give the battle-signal, to advance to the attack,
To direct the battle, to control the fight,
To him she entrusted; in [costly clothing] she made him sit, (saying):
“I have uttered your spell, in the assembly of the gods I have raised you to power.
The dominion over all the gods [I have entrusted to you].
Be exalted, you my chosen spouse,
Let your commands prevail over all the Anunnaki.”
She gave him the Tablets of Destiny, on [his] breast she laid them, (saying):⁠e
“Your command shall not be without avail, and [the word of your mouth shall be established].”
Now Qingu, (thus) exalted, having received [the power of Anu],
[Decreed] the fate among the gods his sons, (saying):
“Let the opening of your mouth [quench] the Fire-god;
Whoever is exalted in the battle, let him [display (his) might]!”