Lamentation Over the Destruction of Sumer and Ur

1 To overturn the appointed time, to forsake the preordained plans, 2 The storms gather to strike like a flood. 3 To overturn the divine decrees of Sumer, 4 To lock the favorable reign in its abode, 5 To destroy the city, to destroy the temple, 6 To destroy the cattle pen, to level the sheep fold, 7 That the cattle not stand in the pen, 8 That the sheep not multiply in the fold, 9 That its watercourses carry brackish water, 10 That weeds grow in the fertile fields 11 That “mourning” plants grow in the steppe, 12 That the mother does not seek out her child,⁠a 13 That the father not say, “Oh, my dear wife!” 14 That the junior wife not take joy in his embrace, 15 That the young child not grow vigorous on her knee, 16 That the wetnurse not sing lullabies, 17 To change the location of kingship, 18 To defile the rights and decrees, 19 To take away kingship from the land, 20 To cast the eye of the storm on all the land, 21 To forsake the divine decrees by the order of An and Enlil, 22 After An had frowned upon all the lands, 23 After Enlil had looked favorably on an enemy land, 24 After Nintu had scattered the creatures that she had created, 25 After Enki had altered the course of the Tigris and Euphrates, 26 After Utu had cast his curse on the roads and highways, 27 In order to forsake the divine decrees of Sumer, to change its pre-ordained plans, 28 To alienate the divine decrees of the reign of kingship of Ur, 29 To defile the Princely Son in his temple Ekimugal, 30 To break up the unity of the people of Nanna, numerous as ewes, 31 To change the food offerings of Ur, the shrine of magnificent food offerings, 32 That its people no longer dwell in their quarters, that they be given over to live in an inimical place, 33 That the soldiers of Sim~ki and Elam, the enemy, dwell in their place, 34 That its shepherd be captured by the enemy, all alone, 35 That lbbi-Sin be taken to the land of Elam in fetters, 36 That from the mountain Zabu, which is on the edge of the sealand, to the borders of Ansan, 37 Like a bird that has flown its nest, he not return to his city, 38 That on the two banks of the Tigris and Euphrates “bad weeds” grow, 39 That no one set out for the road, that no one seek out the highway, 40 That the city and its settled surroundings be razed to ruins, 41 To slaughter its numerous black-headed people, 42 That the hoe not attack the fertile fields, that seed not be planted in the ground, 43 That the sound of the song of the one tending the oxen not resound on the plain, 44 That butter and cheese not be made in the cattle pen, that dung not be laid on the ground, 45 That the shepherd not enclose the sacred sheep fold with a fence, 46 That the song of churning not resound in the cattle pen, 47 To decimate the animals of the steppe, to finish off all living things, 48 That the four-legged creatures of Sakan not lay dung on the ground, 49 That the marshes be so dry as to be full of cracks, that it not have any new seed, 50 That saghul-reeds grow in the canebrake, that they be covered by a stinking morass, 51 That there be no new growth in the orchards, that it all collapse by itself- 52 The city of Ur is a great charging aurochs, confident in its own strength, 53 It is the primeval city of Lordship and Kingship, built on sacred ground- 54 To quickly subdue it like a yoked ox, to bow its neck to the ground, 55 the gods An, Enlil, Enki, and Ninmab decided its fate. 56 Its fate, which cannot be changed, who can overturn it- 57 Who can oppose the commands of An and Enlil? 58 An frightened the very dwelling of Sumer, the people were afraid, 59 Enlil blew an evil storm, silence lay upon the city, 60 Nintu bolted the door of the storehouses of the land, 61 Enki blocked the water in the Tigris and Euphrates, 62 Utu took away the pronouncement of equity and justice, 63 lnanna handed over victory in strife and battle to a rebellious land, 64 Ningirsu wasted Sumer like milk poured to the dogs. 65 Revolt descended upon the land, something that no one had ever known, 66 Something unseen, which had no name, something that could not be fathomed. The lands were confused in their fear, 68 The god of that city turned away, its shepherd vanished. 69 The people, in fear, breathed only with difficulty, 70 The storm immobilizes them, the storm does not let them return, 71 There is no return for them, the time of captivity does not pass. 72 This is what Enlil, the shepherd of the black-headed people did: 73 Enlil, to destroy the loyal household, to decimate the loyal man, 74 To put the evil eye on the son of the loyal one, on the first-born, 75 Enlil then sent down Gutium from the mountains. 76 Their advance was as the flood of Enlil that cannot be withstood, 77 The great storm of the plain filled the plain, it advanced before them, 78 The teeming plain was destroyed, no one moved about there. 79 The dark time was roasted by hailstones and flames, 80 The bright time was wiped out by a shadow. 80a On that bloody day, mouths were crushed, heads were crashed, 80b The storm was a harrow coming from above, the city was struck as by a hoe. 81 On that day, heaven rumbled, the earth trembled, the storm worked without respite, 82 The heavens were darkened, they were covered by a shadow, the mountains roared, 83 The sun lay down at the horizon, dust passed over the mountains, 84 The moon lay at the zenith, the people were afraid. 85 The city ... stepped outside. 86 The foreigners in the city even chase away the dead. 87 Large trees were being uprooted, the forest growth was ripped out, 88 The orchards were being stripped of their fruit, they were being cleaned of their offshoots, 89 The crop was drowning while it was still on the stalk, the yield of the 90 grain was being diminished. 91 ... 92 ... 93 ... they piled up in heaps ... they spread out like sheaves. 94 There were corpses floating in the Euphrates, brigands roamed the roads. 95 The father turned away from his wife, he says not, “Oh, my wife!” 96 The mother turned away from her child, she says not, “Oh, my child!” 97 The one who had a productive estate says not, “Oh, my estate!” 98 The rich left his possessions and took an unfamiliar path. 99 In those days the kingship of the land was defiled, 100 The crown that had been on the head of the king ... by itself. 101 The lands that had taken the same road in obedience to Ur, were split into factions, 102 The food offerings of Ur, the shrine that received magnificent food offerings, were changed for the worse. 103 Nanna traded away his people numerous as ewes. 104 Its king sat immobilized in the palace, all alone. 105 lbbi-Sin was sitting in anguish in the palace, all alone. 106 In the Enamtila, the palace of his delight, he was crying bitterly. 107 The devastating flood was leveling everything, 108 Like a great storm it roared over the earth, who could escape it? 109 To destroy the city, to destroy the temple,⁠b 110 That traitors would lay on top of loyal men, and 111 The blood of traitors flow upon loyal men, 112 The first kirugu. 113 The storms gather to strike like a flood. 114 -the antiphone of the kirugu. 115 The temple of Kis, ljursagkalama, was destroyed, 116 Zababa took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved dwelling, 117 Mother Ba~u was lamenting bitterly in her Urukug, 118 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 119 ... 120 ... 121 ... 122 Alas, the destroyed city, my dest 123 Kazallu, the city of teeming multitudes, was wrought with confusion, 124 Numusda took an unfamiliar path away from the city, bis beloved dwelling· 125 His wife Namrat, the beautiful lady, was lamenting bitterly, 126 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 127 Its river bed was empty, no water Bowed, 128 Like a river cursed by Enki, its opening channel was dammed up, 129 On the fields fine grains grew not, people had nothing to eat, 130 The orchards were scorched like an oven, its surrounding steppe was scattered, 131 The wild animals, the four legged creatures did not run about, 132 The four legged creatures of Sakan could find no rest. 133 Lugalmarada stepped outside bis city, 134 Ninzuana took an unfamiliar path away from her beloved dwelling, 135 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 136 lsin, the shrine that was not a quay, was split by onrushing waters, 137 Ninisina, the mother of the land, wept bitter tears, 138 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 139 Enlil smote Duranki with a mace, 140 Enlil established lamenting in bis city, the shrine of Nippur, 141 Mother Ninlil, the lady of the Kiur, wept bitter tears, 142 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 143 Kes, built all alone on the high steppe, was haunted, 144 Adah, which stretches out along the river, was deprived of water. 145 The snake of the mountain made bis lair there, it became a rebellious land; 146 The Gutians bred there, issued their seed. 147 Nintu wept bitter tears over her creatures that she had created, 148 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 149 In Zabala the sacred Giguna was haunted, 150 Inanna abandoned Uruk, went off to enemy territory. 151 In the Eanna the enemy laid bis eyes upon the sacred Gipar shrine. 152 The sacred Gipar of the en-ship was defiled, 153 Its En priest was snatched from the Gipar and carried off to enemy territory. 154 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 155 A violent storm blew over Umma, the brickwork in the midst of the “highland,” 156 Sara took an unfamiliar path away from the Emab, his beloved dwelling, 157 Ninmul cried bitter tears over her destroyed city, 158 “O my city, whose charms can no longer satisfy mel” bitterly she was crying. 159 Girsu, the city of heroes, was afflicted with a lightning storm, 160 Ningirsu took an unfamiliar path away from the Eninnu, 161 Mother Ba’u wept bitter tears in her Urukug, 162 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 163 On that day the word of Enlil was an attacking storm-who could fathom it? 164 The word of Enlil is destruction on the right, is ... on the left, 165 This is what Enlil did in order to decide the fate of mankind: 166 Enlil brought down the Elamites, the enemy, from the highlands. 167 Nanse, the Noble Son, was settled outside the city. 168 Fire approached Ninmar in the shrine Guabba, 169 Large boats were carrying off its precious metals and stones. 170 The lady-sacred Ninmar-was despondent because of her perished goods. 171 Then the day, burning like ... , 172 The province of Lagd was handed over to Elam. 173 And then the Queen also reached the end of her time, 174 Ba’u, as if she were human, also reached the end of her time: 175 “Woe is me, he Enlil has handed over the city to the storm, 176 He has handed it over to the storm that destroys cities, 177 He has handed it over to the storm that destroys temples” 178 Dumuziabzu was full of fear in the temple of Kinunir!a, 179 Kinunirsa, the city of her noble youth, was ordered to be plundered. 180 The city of Nanse, ABxijAki, was delivered to the foreigners, 181 Sirara, her beloved dwelling, was handed over to the evil ones, 182 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 183 Its sacred Gipar of en-ship was defiled, 184 Its En priest was snatched from the Gipar and carried off to enemy territory. 185 A mighty arm was set over the banks of the Idnuna-Nanna canal, 186 The settlements of Edana-Nanna were destroyed like a mighty cattle pen. 187 Its refugees, like stampeding goats, were chased by dogs. 188 They destroy Gael like milk poured out to dogs, 189 Its finely fashioned statues they shatter, 190 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 191 Its sacred Gipar of en-ship was defiled, 192 Its En priest was snatched from the Gipar and carried off to enemy territory. 193 A lament was raised at the dais that stretches out toward heaven, 194 Its heavenly throne was not set up, it was not St to be crowned, 195 Was cut down as if it were a date palm and tied together. 196 Ahu, the estate that stretches out along the river, was deprived of water, 197 At the place of Nanna where evil had never walked, the enemy walked, 198 Thus the temple was treated. 199 The Epub,ruma was emptied, 200 Kiabrig, which used to be filled with numerous cows and numerous calves, was destroyed like a mighty cattle pen, 201 Ningublaga took an unfamiliar path away from the Gabur, 202 Niniagara wept bitter tears all alone, 203 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 204 Its sacred Gipar of en-ship was defiled, 205 Its En priest was snatched from the Gipar and carried off to enemy territory. 206 Ninazu deposited his weapon in a comer in the Egida. An evil storm swept over Ninbursag at the Enutura, 208 Like a dove she flew from the window, she stood away on the plain. 209 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 210 In the G~banda, the temple that was filled with lamentation, “lamentation” reeds grew, 211 Ningizzida took an unfamiliar path away from the G~banda, 212 Ninazimua, the queen of the city, wept bitter tears, 213 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 214 On that day, the storm forced people to live in darkness, 215 In order to destroy Ku~ara, it forced people to live in darkness. 216 Ninebama in fear wept bitter tears, 217 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 218 Asarlubi put his robes on with haste ... , 219 Lugalbanda took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved dwelling, 219 Ninsun ... , 220 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 221 Eridu, floating on great waters, was deprived of drinking water, 222 In its outer environs, which had turned into haunted plains ... , 223 The loyal man in a place of treachery ... 224 The gods Kal'egala and Igibegala ... 225 “I am a young man ... , 226 ... 227 ... 228 ... 229 “We are spilled out like figurines being cast in molds, 230 We are being wiped out by the Gutians, the vandals. 231 We turned to Enki in the Abzu of Eridu: 232 ... what can we say, what more can we add? 233 ... what can we say, what more can we add?” 234 ... went out from Eridu. 235 ... ... a shadow ... 236 By night ... by day ... 237 ... 238 ... 239 Enki, your city has been cursed, it has been given to an enemy land. 240 We ... 241 Like a palm tree we ... why are we being destroyed? 242 Like a new boat that ... why are we being destroyed?” 243 After Enki has cast his eyes on a foreign land, 244 ... 245 ... 246 Enki took an unfamiliar path away from Eridu, 247 Damgalnuna, the mother of the Emab, wept bitter tears, 248 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 249 Its sacred Gipar was defiled, 250 Its En priest was snatched from the Gipar and carried off to enemy territory. 251 In Ur no one went to fetch food, no one went to fetch drink51 252 But the one who went to fetch food went away from the food, and so will not return, 253 The one who went to fetch drink went away from the drink, and so will not return. 254 To the south, the Elamites stepped in, slaughtering ... , 255 To the north, the vandals, the enemy ... , 256 The Tidnumites daily strapped the mace to their loins, To the south, the Elamites, like an onrushing wave, were ... , 258 To the north, like chaff blowing in the wind, they ... over the steppe, 259 Ur, like a great charging aurochs, bowed its neck to the ground. 260 This is what Enlil, the one who decides the fates, then did: 261 For the second time he sent down the Elamites, the enemy, from the mountains. 262 The foremost temple, 6rmly founded ... , 263 In order to destroy Kisiga, ten, nay five men ... , 264 Three days and three nights did not pass ... the city was raked as by a hoe, 265 Dumuzi went out of Kisiga like a prisoner of war, his hands were fettered. 266 ... 267 “Rise up, ride away ... rise up, ride away ... 268 ... rise up, ride away ... 269 Small ... had ridden away ... 270 Large ... like a lead goat ... captured. 271 She rode away from her possessions, she went to the mountains, 272 She loudly sang out a lament over those brightly lit mountains: 273 “I am a Lady, but I had to ride away from my possessions, and now I am a slave in these parts, 274 I had to ride away from my precious metals and stones, and now I am a slave in these parts, 275 There, slavery, ... people, who can ... it? 276 There, slavery, Elam ... , who can ... it?” 277 “Alas, the destroyed city, my destroyed temple!” bitterly she cries. 278 Her Majesty, though not the enemy, went to enemy land. 279 Amausumgalana ... Kisiga, 280 ... like a city ... 281 The second kirugu 282 ... 283 ... 284 the antiphone of the kirugu. 285 ... 286 ... 287 ... 288 ... 289 ... 290 ... 291 ... like a great ration ... 292 Enlil threw open the door of the grand gate to the wind. 293 In Ur no one went to fetch food, no one went to fetch drink, 294 Its people rush around like water churning in a well, 295 Their strength has ebbed away, they cannot even go on their way. 296 Enlil afflicted the city with an inimical famine. 297 He afflicted the city with something that destroys cities, that destroys temples, 298 He afflicted the city with something that cannot be withstood with weapons, 299 He afflicted the city with dissatisfaction and treachery. 300 In Ur, which was like a solitary reed, there was not even fear, 301 Its people, like fish being grabbed in a pond sought shelter, 302 Everyone lay spread about, no one could rise. 303 At the royal station that was on top of the platform there was no food, 304 The king who was used to eating marvelous food grabbed at a mere ration, 305 As the day grew dark, the eye of the sun was eclipsing, the people experienced hunger, 306 There was no beer in his the king’s beer-hall, there was no more malt for making it, 307 There was no food for him in the palace, it was made unsuitable to live in,⁠c 308 Grain filled not his lofty storehouse, he could not send there for supplies to save his life. 309 The grain stacks and grain depots of Nanna held no grain, 310 The evening meal in the great dining hall of the gods was defiled, 311 Beer, wine, and honey ceased to flow in the great dining hall, 312 The butcher knife that used to slay sheep and oxen lay hungry in the grass, 313 Its mighty oven no longer processed sheep and oxen, it no longer emitted the aroma of roasting meat. 314 The sounds of the Bursag of Nanna were stilled, 315 The temple, which used to bellow like a bull, was silenced, 316 Its holy deliveries were no longer fulfilled, its ... were alienated, 317 The mortar, pestle, and grinding stone lay idle, no one bends down to use them. 318 The Shining Quay of Nanna was silted up. 319 The sound of water lapping against the prow of the boat ceased, there was no rejoicing, 320 The UnuRlbanda of Nanna was heaped with dust. 321 The rushes grew, the rushes grew, the “mourning reeds” grew and as a result, 322 Boats and ships ceased docking at the Shining Quay. 323 Nothing moved on the watercourse! that was fit for large ships. 324 The rites of the festivals at the place of the “plans” were altered, 325 The boat with first fruit-offerings no longer brings the first fruit offerings to the father who begat him Nanna, 326 Its food offerings could not be taken to Enlil in Nippur. 327 Its watercourse was empty, and so ships could not travel, 328 There were no paths on both of its banks for long grasses grew there. 329 The reed fence of the fecund cattle pen of Nanna was torn out, 330 The garden huts were overrun, their walls were breached, 331 The cow and her young were captured and carried off to enemy territory. 332 The munzer-fed cows took an unfamiliar path, in a steppe that they did not know, 333 Gajau, who loves cows, dropped his weapon in the dung, 334 Sunidu, who stores the butter and cheese, did not store the butter and cheese. 335 Those who are unfamiliar with butter were churning the butter, 336 Those who are unfamiliar with milk were ... ing the cream. 337 The sound of the churning vat did not resound in the cattle pen, 338 Like mighty fire that used to bum but now its smoke is extinguished, 339 ... the great dining hall of Nanna ... , 340 Su’en wept to his father Enlil: 341 “O father who begot me, why have you turned away from Ur the city that was built for you? 342 O Enlil, why have you turned away from Ur, the city that was built for you?” 343 The boat with first fruit-offerings no longer brings the first fruit offerings to the father who begot him, 344 Its food offerings could no longer be brought to Enlil in Nippur.” 345 The En-priests of the city and of the countryside were carried off by phantoms, 346 Ur, like a city that has been wrought by the hoe, became a ruined mound, 347 The Kiur, the place of Enlil’s Bour offerings, became a haunted shrine. 348 O Enlil, your city ... an empty wasteland, 349 Nippur, your city ... an empty wasteland. 350 The dogs of Ur no longer sniff at the base of the city wall. 351 The one who used to drill large wells, now just scratches the ground in the market place. 352 “My father who bore me, my city, which is all alone, return to your embrace, 353 Enlil, my city of Ur, which is all alone, return to your embrace, 354 My Eki!nugal, which is all alone, return to your embrace! 355 May you bring forth offspring in Ur, may you multiply its people, 356 May you restore the divine decrees of Sumer that have been forgotten!” 357 The third kirugu. 358 Oh, the righteous temple, the righteous temple! Oh, its people, its people! 359 -the antiphone of the kirugu. 360 Enlil then answers his son Su’en: 361 “There is lamentation in the haunted city, ‘mourning’ reeds grow there, 361a In its midst there is lamentation, ‘mourning’ reeds grow there, 362 In it the population pass their days in sighing. 362a My son, the Noble Son ... , why do you concern yourself with crying? 363 O Nanna, the Noble Son ... , why do you concern yourself with crying? 364 The judgment of the assembly cannot be turned back, 365 The word of An and Enlil knows no overturning, 366 Ur was indeed given kingship but it was not given an eternal reign. 367 From time immemorial, since the land was founded, until the population multiplied, 368 Who has ever seen a reign of kingship that would take precedence for ever? 369 The reign of its kingship had been long indeed but had to exhaust itself. 370 O my Nanna, do not exert yourself in vain, leave your city!” 371 Then, upon hearing this, His Majesty, the Noble Son, became distraught, 372 Lord Asimbabbar, the Noble Son, grieved, 373 Nanna, who loves his city, left his city, 374 su~en took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved Ur. 375 Ningal ... in order to go to an alien place, 376 Quickly clothed herself and left the city. 377 All the Anunna stepped outside of Ur, 378 Ur ... approached, 379 The trees of Ur were sick, the reeds of Ur were sick, 380 Laments sounded all along its city wall. 381 Daily there was slaughter before it. 382 Large axes were sharpened in front of Ur, 383 The spears, the arms of battle, were being launched, 384 The large bows, javelin, and siege-shield gather together to strike, 385 The barbed arrows covered its outer side like a raining cloud, 386 Large stones, one after another, fell with great thuds. 386a Daily the evil wind returns to attack the city. 387 Ur, which had been confident in its own strength, stood ready for slaughter, 388 Its people, oppressed by the enemy, could not withstand their weapons. 389 Those in the city who had not been felled by weapons, died of hunger, 390 Hunger filled the city like water, it would not cease, 391 This hunger contorts people’s faces, it twists their muscles. 392 Its people are as if surrounded by water, they gasp for breath, 393 Its king breathed heavily in his palace, all alone, 394 Its people dropped their weapons, their weapons hit the ground, 395 They struck their necks with their hands and cried. 396 They sought counsel with each other, they searched for clarification, “Alas, what can we say about it, what more can we add to it? 398 How long until we are finished off by this catastrophe? 399 Ur-inside it there is death, outside it there is death, 400 Inside it we are being finished off by famine,⁠d 401 Outside it we are being finished off by Elamite weapons. 402 In Ur the enemy has oppressed us, oh, we are finished!” 403 They take refuge behind it the city walls, they were united in their fear. 404 The palace that was destroyed by onrushing waters has been defiled, its bolt was torn out, 405 Elam, like a swelling flood wave, left only the spirits of the dead. 406 In Ur people were smashed as if they were clay pots, 407 Its refugees were unable to flee, they were trapped inside the walls, 407a Like fish living in a pond, they seek shelter. 407b The enemy seized the Ekisnugal of Nanna. 407c ... 408 The statues that were in the treasury were cut down, 409 The great stewardess Niniagara cut herself off from the storehouse, 410 Its throne was cast down before it, she threw herself down into the dust. 411 Its mighty cows with shining horns were captured, their horns were cut off, 412 Its unblemished oxen and grass-fed cows were slaughtered, 412a They were cut down as if they were date palms, and their carcasses were tied together. 413 The palm tree, strong as mighty copper, the heroic weapon, 414 Was torn out like mere rushes, was plucked like mere rushes, its trunk was turned sideways, 415a Its top lay in the dust, there was no one to raise it, 416 The midriffs of its palm fronds were cut off and their tops were burnt off, 417 Its date clusters that used to fall on the well were torn out. 418 The fertile reeds, which grew in the sacred ... , were defiled, 419 The great tribute that they had collected was hauled off to the mountains. 420 The great door ornament of the temple was felled, its parapet was destroyed, 421 The wild animals that were intertwined on its left and right 422 Lay before it like heroes smitten by heroes, 423 Its open-mouthed dragons and its awe-inspiring lions 424 Were pulled down with ropes like captured wild bulls and carried off to enemy territory. 425 The fragrant aroma of the sacred seat of Nanna was destroyed like that of a cedar grove, 425a Its architrave ... gold, silver, and lapis. The admired temple that used to receive first class oil, its admiration was extinguished, 427 Like a storm that fills all the lands, built there like twilight in the heavens, 428 Its door ... 429 Great bronze pins ... were tom out430. 431 Together with its ... it? wept bitterly like a fugitive. 432 The bolt, the holy lock ... 433 ... 434 ... was placed on the wide street. 435 ... the food offerings of his royal dining place were altered for the worse 436 In its sacred ... the tigi, lem, and ala instruments did not sound their splendid notes, 437 Its mighty tigi ... did not sing its sacred song. 438 Verdicts were not given at the Dublamab, the place where oaths used to be taken, 439 The throne was not set up at its place of judgment, justice was not administered. 440 Alamus threw down his scepter, his hands trembled. 441 Musicians no longer played the balag instrument in the sacred bed-chamber of Nanna, 442 The sacred box that no one had set eyes upon was seen by the enemy, 443 The divine bed was not set up, it was not spread with clean hay, 444 The statues that were in the treasury were cut down, 445 The temple cook, the dream interpreter, and the “seal keeper” did not prepare the ceremony, 446 They stood in submission and were carried off by the foreigners. 447 The holy uzga-priests of the sacred lustrations, the linen clad priests, 448 Forsake the sacred rites and decrees, they go off to a foreign city. 449 In his grief Su’en approached his father, 450 He went down on his knee in front of Enlil, the father who begot him. 451 “O father who begot me, how long will the enemy eye be cast upon my account, how long ... ? 452 The en-ship and the kingship that you bestowed ... ... , 453 Father Enlil, the one who advises with just words, 454 The wise words of the land ... , 455 Your inimical judgment ... , 456 Look into your darkened heart, terrifying like waves! 457 O father Enlil, the fate that you have decreed cannot be explained! 458 ... of en-ship, my ornament.” 459 ... he put on a mourning garment. 460 Enlil then provides a favorable response to his son: 461 “My son, the city that was built for you in joy and prosperity, it was given to you as your reign, 462 The destroyed city, the great wall, the walls with broken battlements: 463 all this is part of the appointed reign, 464 ... your dwelling-the Etemenniguru-that was properly built. 465 Ur shall be rebuilt in splendor, may the people bow down to you, 466 There is to be bounty at its base, there is to be grain, 467 There is to be splendor at its top, the Sun will rejoice there! 468 Let an abundance of grain embrace its table, 469 May Ur, the city whose fate was pronounced by An, be restored for you!” 470 Having pronounced his blessing, Enlil raised his head toward the heavens saying: 471 “May the land, north and south, be organized for Nanna, 472 May the roads of the land be set in order for su~en! 473 Like a cloud hugging the earth, they shall submit to him, 474 By order of An and Enlil abundance shall be bestowed!” 475 Father Nanna stood in his city of Ur with head raised high once again, 476 The hero su~en entered into the Eki461. “My son, the city that was built for you in joy and prosperity, it was given to you as your reign, 462 The destroyed city, the great wall, the walls with broken battlements: 463 all this is part of the appointed reign, 464 ... your dwelling-the Etemenniguru-that was properly built. 465 Ur shall be rebuilt in splendor, may the people bow down to you, 466 There is to be bounty at its base, there is to be grain, 467 There is to be splendor at its top, the Sun will rejoice there! 468 Let an abundance of grain embrace its table, 469 May Ur, the city whose fate was pronounced by An, be restored for you!” 470 Having pronounced his blessing, Enlil raised his head toward the heavens saying: 471 “May the land, north and south, be organized for Nanna, 472 May the roads of the land be set in order for su~en! 473 Like a cloud hugging the earth, they shall submit to him, 474 By order of An and Enlil abundance shall be bestowed!” 475 Father Nanna stood in his city of Ur with head raised high once again, 476 The hero su~en entered into the Ekisnugal. 477 Ningal refreshed herself in her sacred living quarters, 477a In Ur she entered into her Ekisnugal. 478 The fourth kirugu. 479 There is lamentation in the haunted city, “mourning” reeds grew there, 480 In its midst there is lamentation, “mourning” reeds grew there. 481 Its people spend their days in moaning. 482 -the antiphone of the kirugu. 483 O bitter storm, retreat O storm, storm return to your home! 484 O storm that destroys cities, retreat O storm, storm return to your home! 485 O storm that destroys temples, retreat O storm, storm return to your home! 486 Indeed, the storm that blew on Sumer, blew on the foreign lands, 487 Indeed, the storm that blew on the land, blew on the foreign lands, 488 It has blown on Tidnum, it has blown on the foreign lands, 489 It has blown on Gutium, it has blown on the foreign lands, 490 It has blown on Ansan, it has blown on the foreign lands, 491 And it leveled Ansan like a blowing evil storm.snugal. 492 Famine has overwhelmed the evil doer-may that people submit! 493 May An not change the decrees of heaven, the plans to treat the people with justice, 494 May An not change the decisions and judgments to lead the people properly, 495 Travel on the roads of the land-may An not change it, 496 May An and Enlil not change it-may An not change it, 497 May Enki and Ninmab not change it-may An not change it, 498 That the Tigris and Euphrates again carry water-may An not change it, 499 That there again be rain in the skies and good crops on the ground-may An not change it, 500 That there be water courses with water and fields with grain-may An not change it, 501 That the marshes support fish and fowl-may An not change it, 502 That fresh reeds and new shoots grow in the canebrake-may An not change it, 503 May An and Enlil not change it, 504 May Enki and Ninmab not change it, 505 That the orchards bear honey-plants and grapevines-may An not change it, 506 That the high plain bear the malgurom plant-may An not change it, 507 That there be long life in the palace-may An not change it, 508 That the sealand bring forth abundance-may An not change it, 509 That the land be populated from north to south-may An not change it, 510 May An and Enlil not change it-may An not change it, 511 May Enki and Ninmab not change it-may An not change it, 512 That cities be rebuilt, that the people be numerous-may An not change it, 513 That in the whole universe the people be cared for-may An not change it 514 O Nanna, your kingship is sweet, return to your place! 515 May a good abundant reign be long lasting in Uri 516 Let its people lie down in safe pastures, let them copulate! 517 O mankind ... 518 O Nanna-oh, your city! Oh, your temple! Oh, your people! 519 The fifth kirogu.