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
Image
© [see publications]
Transliteration
tablet
obverse
1. e2 ama-gu10-ta di-lim-da-gu10 he2-en#?-[...]
en: From(?) the house of my mother my tilimda vessel(?) ...
2. e2 ni2-ta-ni mu-un-DU-a [...]
en: The one who has ... his own house ...
3. ki-tusz ni2-ta-ni mu-un-gar-ra ba?-[...]
en: The one who has established(?) his own dwelling ...
4. nin {d}nin-a2-zi-mu2-a-ra ur5-gin7 gu3 mu-[...]
en: To lady Ninazimua ... thus spoke
5. kin2-gi4-a-ka didli-bi nin {d}nin-a2-zi-[mu2-a-ra] szu#!? x ba!?-an-gi4#?-[...]
en: Several/each of the messengers(?) repeated to(?) lady Ninazimua
6. u4-ba nin-e er2# im#?-ma#?-an-pa3# si12-si12-ga#? i3-ga2#-ga2#
en: At that time the lady wept, making sobbing noises
7. nin {d}nin-a2-zi-mu2#-a# x [...] im#-x-[...]
en: Lady Ninazimua ....
8. x gul-la-zu a-ba [...]
en: Who(?) ... your destroyed(?) ...
9. [...] x gul-la-zu!? x [...]
en: ... your destroyed(?) ...
10. [...]-IG#? gu-la#?-zu x [...]
en: ... your great ...
11. i7#? ma2-gur8-ra#-zu mu#-[...]
en: The river ... your barge ...
12. har-ra-an {gesz}gigir-zu mu#-[...]
en: The road ... your chariot ...
13. pu2 a du10-ga mu-un-ba-[al ...]
en: ... dug a well (for) fresh water ...
14. pu2 a ses mu-un-ba-al# [...]
en: ... dug a well (for) brackish water ...
15. i7 mu-un-DU mu-un#?-[...]
en: The river/canal ...
16. a-sza3 mu-un-DU-zu? x [...] x [...]
en: The field ...
17. e2 ad-da#?-zu dur2-ru UR-zu [...]
en: The house of your father/your patrimony ..., your pride/dog ...
18. e2 du5!?-mu-zu di-lim-da-gu10 x [...]
en: The house of your son(?), my tilimda vessel ...
19. u3-mu-un-zi-da-ra ur5-gin7#? [...]
en: ... thus spoke to Ningešzida
20. kin2-gi4-a-ka didli-bi x [...]
en: Several of the messengers(?) repeated to(?) ...
21. u4#-ba# lugal-gu10 er2 x-[...]
en: At that time, my king wept ...
22. [{d}]nin#-gesz-zi-da x x [...]
en: Ningešzida ...
reverse
1. [...] gidlam#? ur2 KA x [...] na-an-x-x [...]
en: .... spouse(?) ... lap ...
2. [...] {d#}nin-a2-zi-mu2-a-ra gu3 al#?-[...] x [...]
en: He was speaking(?) to lady Ninazimua ...
3. gi4#?-bi nu-me-en nu-mu-un-da#-[...]
en: I(?) am not one who is returning(?), ...
4. szu nigin2 nu-me-en nu-mu-un#-da#?-[...]
en: I(?) am not one making a return trip(?), ...
5. kaskal-ga2 gur-ru nu-gal2-la# [...]
en: On my journey, there is no return ...
6. igi x szu NIG2-ba-ni e2-sze3#? x [...]
en: ... towards the house ...
7. gesztu2 edin?-sze3 du3#-du3#? er2# [...]
en: Listening for(?) the plain, ... weeps(?)
8. ama-gu10 siki sag-ki-na ni2 he2#-[...]
en: My mother ... the hair of her head
9. ab-lal er2-ra-ka-ni x [...]
en: The window/nook(?) of her weeping(?) ...
10. ab-lal sza3 hul2-la-ka-ni# [...]
en: The window/nook(?) of her rejoicing heart ...
11. ama ugu ir an-ur2#? x [...]
en: The birth mother ... the horizon(?) ...
12. x u2-szim-gin7 ki-in-dar-[ra-ba ...] igi# [...]
en: ... like vegetation in the cracks, who(?) shall you(?) see?
13. u2-szim {gesz}erin?-gin7 ki#-in#-[dar-ra-ba ...]
en: Vegetation in the cracks like cedar trees, who(?) shall you see?
14. u2-szim-gin7 ki-in-dar#-ra-ba# [...]
en: Like vegetation in the cracks, who(?) shall you see?
15. u2-szim {gesz}erin-gin7 ki-in#-dar#-ra#-ba#? [...]
en: Vegetation in the cracks like cedar/juniper trees, who(?) shall you see?
16. {u2}NUMUN2? nu-me-en edin nu-mu2# mu# [...]
en: You(?) are not a ... rush, you(?) do not grow in the plain, ...
17. igi SZESZ-e bar ba-da-an-x-[...]
en: A bitter/guarded(?) glance(!?) ...
18. {gesz}taszkarin-gin7 szu sa6-ga-gin7 x x [...]
en: Like a boxwood tree, like one with “good hands"(?) ...
double ruling
bottom
1. a-ra2 2(disz)-kam#? x en#?-e x gal x x [...] NI x [...]
en: It is the second (extract in a series), the composition “the lord(?) ...”