CDLI Literary 000764, ex. 020 (P346665)

Literary tablet excavated in Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar), dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period and now kept in British Museum, London, UK

Open image

Transliteration

tablet
obverse
  beginning broken
1'. [...] x x
 en: ...
2'. [...] BUR2#-bi im-me#
 en: It was able to(?) set its neck on the ground (sarcastically?), it was speaking freely/"humbly"(?)
3'. [...]-na-ni-ib2-gi4-gi4#
 en: For the 2nd time the fish replied to the bird
4'. [... su]-ul#-su-ul [...] sal-sal
 en: (Possessor of) trimmed limbs, crippled(?) feet, a ... mouth/beak, and a thinned out/flattened tongue
5'. [...]-bi ka-bi sza3-gal-gal u4 szu2-szu2
 en: Roaming the harbor(!?), its .... and its mouth(?) <...?>, “a storm blowing away(?)” excessive amounts of(?) fodder
6'. [...] x zi mu-e-da-an-ir-re
 en: The cook, the brewer, and the gatekeeper who reside in the temple are distressed with (you)
7'. [...] x-la RI-RI#? nu-ga2-ga2
 en: ...
8'. [...] x-zukumx(|ZI&ZI.MIN|)-zukumx(|ZI&ZI.MIN|) [...]-x-tar
 en: Bird, (you) do not know my greatness, (you) did not tread behind me, (you are one who) has not inquired after me
9'. [...] x x x
 en: ...
  rest broken
reverse
  beginning broken
1'. [...]-gin7 amar-x-[...]
 en: When the bird got up from its nest in order to bring (back) food for its chick
2'. [... mu]-un-gar
 en: ...
3'. [...]-gul#-gul [... mu]-un-bur12
 en: It destroyed its built house, it tore out(?) its storeroom
4'. [...]-gaz-[gaz] [...]-mi#-in#-[...]
 en: It killed its eggs and its nest with water(?), it covered them in the sea
5'. [...] mu#-[...]
 en: For a 2nd time the fish insulted the bird
  rest broken
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