CDLI Literary 000481, ex. 017 (P346172)

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 © The Trustees of the British Museum (CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0)

Transliteration

tablet
obverse
1. giri2-ur3#-ra u3-sar ak#-me-en#
 en: I am the one sharpening the giri'ura knife
2. me3#-a nim-gin7# gir2-gir2-re-me-en#
 en: In battle I am the one flashing like lightning
3. suhusz# gin6-na erin2-na gar3 dar-re-me-en
 en: I am the one who secured the foundations (of the land?) and repulse the (enemy) troops
4. {na4}sag-NIR na4 pesz5-pesz5-a-me-en
 en: I am the sagkal(!) stone, the stone that ...(?)
5. {kusz}gur21{+ur3#} igi tab ugnim-ma-me-en
 en: I am a shield, the watcher of the army
6. ur-sag igi zalag-ga zu2-kesz2 gin6-na#-me-en
 en: I am the bright-faced hero who solidifies the troop formation
7. {d}li-pi2-it-esz18-dar dumu {d}en-lil2-la2-me-en
 en: I am Lipit-Ištar, the son of Enlil
8. {kusz}ummu3 a sed4 zi# gurusz-a-me-en
 en: I am a waterskin (of) cold water, the life of the young man/worker
9. igi gal2 kaskal-la an-dul3 erin2-na-me-en
 en: I am the one who watches the campaign, the (protective) shade of the troops
10. lugal tusz-a-ni bara2-ga tum2-ma-me#-en#
 en: I am a king that when he sits, he is suitable for the dais
11. sza3 dugud-da inim#-sze3 gal2-la-me-en
 en: I put important thoughts to words(?)
12. dim2#?-ma# galga su13 a-ra2-e kin2-ga2-me-en
 en: I am one (who possesses) profound intellect and counsel(!?), seeking the (correct) way
13. nig2-GI-[...]-ul4-e egirx(IL)#-bi kikken2-me-en
 en: I am one who does not hurry(!?) anything, seeking its “end” (instead)
14. sza3# su13-ra2# gesztux(|GISZ.TUG2|)# dagal#-la#-me-en
 en: I am one (who possesses) profound thought and broad understanding
15. {na4}u2# nig2# bur3-bur3-[...] ug3#-ta e3-a#-me-en
 en: I am emery, that which perforates, emerging from the people/land
16. nig2#-gin6#-[...] ka-[...] gal2#?-la#?-me-en
 en: I am the one who has/puts truth in the mouth
17. si sa2 da#-[...]-me-en
 en: I am one who does not destroy eternal justice
18. di#-ku5# ka#-[...] si# sa2# [...]
 en: I am judge who sets affairs straight when he is to make a decision
19. kur#-kur-re a2# [...]-ga2#? [...] x x [...]
 en: I am adept at giving orders to the lands
20. nig2#!?-si#?-sa2# ki#-en-gi ki-uri#?-[...]
 en: I established justice in Sumer and Akkad
21. nig2#-gin6-na-gu10-sze3 a-na-am3 mu#?-[...]
 en: What can be abandoned because of my truth?
reverse
1. [...] {d#}li#-pi2-it#-[...]
 en: I am Lipit-Ištar, who sets the people in order
2. e2#-gal nam#-[...]
 en: In my palace of kingship, the pure and sweet dwelling
3. gidlam#-gu10# [...]
 en: My spouse, holy Inanna
4. {gesz}gu#-za#?-ga2#? [...]
 en: She established the foundation of my throne there for me
5. [...] gu2#-da# hu-[...]
 en: And therefore she (will) embrace (me) until distant (time) and far-off days
6. [...] sza3# hul2-la-ka
 en: In the sweet bedroom, the place where the heart rejoices
7. [...]-mu-di-ni-ib-zal-e
 en: For the lady I will spend the day with her
8. [...]-dar#? ibila kal-ga-me-en
 en: I am Lipit-Ištar, the mighty heir
9. lugal# [...] e3# ak-me-en
 en: I am the king who makes justice manifest
10. mu#-gu10# kur#-kur#-ra# [zi]-de3#-esz# hu#-mu#-un#-pa3
 en: May my name be uttered faithfully in the lands
11. {d#}[li]-pi2-it-esz18-dar# [dumu {d}en-lil2-me]-en#
 en: I am Lipit-Ištar, the son of Enlil;
12. za3#-mi2#-gu10 du10-ga-am3#
 en: My praise is sweet
  double ruling
  blank space