CDLI Literary 000380, ex. 019 (P346216)

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

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Text / annotations

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Chemical Data

Seal Chemistry

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Museum Collection(s)

British Museum, London, UK

Museum Number

BM —

Period

Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

Provenience

Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)

Artifact Type

Tablet

Material(s)

Clay

Genre / Subgenre(s)

Literary (ETCSL 2.02.03 Lament for Sumer and Ur (witness))

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

-

Witness

tablet
obverse
1. {d}en#-[lil2]-le sza3-gar lu2# nig2#-hul# iri{ki}-ta ba-da-tusz
 en: Enlil made starvation (in the form of?) an evil person dwell in the city
2. nig2 iri{ki} gul#-gul [nig2] e2# gul#-gul# iri{ki}-ta ba-da-tusz
 en: He made that which destroys cities, that which destroys temples, dwell in the city
3. nig2 igi-bi-sze3 {gesz}tukul-e# la-ba-ab#-[...] iri{ki}-ta ba-da-tusz
 en: He made that which before it a weapon does not stand (against) dwell in the city
4. sza3 nu-si-si igi nigin-nigin-bi iri{ki}-ta# ba-da-tusz
 en: He made the hungry/dissatisfied and the eye-roller dwell in the city
5. uri2{ki}-ma gi dili du3-a-gin7 sag# sag3-ge nu-ga2-ga2
 en: In Ur, even (the fear/disdain of) head shaking like a single planted reed was not established
6. ug3-bi ku6 pu2#-a# lug-ga-gin7 zi#?-[...] mi-ni-ib-tum2-tum2-mu
 en: Its people took refuge like a fish living in a well/pond
7. tur mah-bi i3-par4-par4-ra-ge#-[esz] lu2# nu-um-zi-zi-zi
 en: Meager and great alike spread out, no one arose/was mustered
8. lugal-bi {+du}dub-la2-a u5-a x-[...]-na#?-gal2
 en: The king(?) mounted atop the gate tower(?), there was no food there for him
9. lugal nig2-sa6-ga gu7 x-a szukur2#?-[...]-ma#-an-dab5
 en: The king who had ate and drank(?) good things, (had to now) clutch at a (mere) ration(?)
10. u4 im-szu2-szu2 igi im-la2-e sza3-ka-tab# [...]-zu#-zu
 en: The sun was clouded over, (one) was being envious/watching(?) and knew fasting
11. e2-lunga-na kasz nu-un-gal2 gid2-da#?-[...]-x-gal2
 en: He did not have beer in his brewery, its ... was not present
12. e2-gal-la-na nig2-gu7 la-ba#-na#-gal2 [... la]-ba#-ab-du7
 en: There was no food for him in his palace, it was not suitable for dwelling
13. ga2-nun mah-a-ni sze# nu#?-um#?-si#-si zi-bi# [...]-tum2-mu#
 en: His supreme storehouse was not filled with grain, no one could take refuge there(?)
14. gur7# du6 guru7 masz-e {d#}nanna#-ka {d}asznan nu#?-[...]-gal2
 en: (The) grain (goddess) was not present in the large and small grain heaps
15. kin2-sig dingir-re-e-ne-ke4 szu#!? ba#-e-lal#-lal
 en: The afternoon meal of the gods was actively diminished there
16. unu2 gal-bi kurun# lal3 musz3 im-ma-[...]-de6
 en: In the great banquet the honeyed liquor ceased
17. giri2-PA-a gu4 gu7 udu gu7-ra u2-szim-e ba-x-nu2
 en: (As for?) the giriPAa knife that consumes oxen and sheep, it lay (abandoned) in the plants
18. gir4 mah-ba! gu4 udu nu#-ke3-e ir nu-mu-un-ur5#-ur5#-e
 en: In the great oven the oxen and sheep were not being prepared (i.e., roasted?), one could no longer smell it(?)
19. bur-sag a2 sikil {d}nanna-ka za-pa-ag2-bi ba-ra-gul#
 en: The cry/breath of the “pure-armed” bursag building/functionary(?) stopped(?)
20. e2 gu4-gin7#? gu3 bi2-ib2-du11-ga-a-ri si-ga-bi ba-x
 en: The temple that had once belowed like a bull ... silently
21. mu-un-DU ku3-ga si# sa2-e gar-ra-bi ba-su3-u4
 en: The deposit of the properly executed deliveries was (a) distant (memory)
22. {na4}kin2 naga3 gesz-gan-na i3-durun-durun lu2 nu-um-szi-gurum-e
 en: The millstone, the mortar, and the pestle sat idle, no one bends down towards them
23. kar za-gin3-na {d}nanna-ka a-e ba-da-la2
 en: In the lapis harbor of Nanna (boats?) were “bound in the water” (due to silt?)
24. a ma2 sag-ga2-ke4 gu3 nu-mu-un-gi4-gi4 asil-la2 nu-mu-un-szub
 en: The water of the prow did not scream(?), it did not cast joy(?)
25. unu2-RI-banda3{+da} {d}nanna-ka isz ba-da-dub-dub
 en: Sand(?) was piled up in the unuRIbanda building/shrine of Nanna
26. {u2}numun2 ba-da-mu2 {u2}numun2 ba-da-mu2 gir-re-e ba-an-mu2
 en: The ... rushes grew, the ... rushes grew, the reed of mourning(?) grew
27. ma2 ma2-gur8-ra kar za-gin3-na musz3 im-ma-ab-de6
 en: Boats and barges quit the shining harbor
28. i7 ma2-gur8#-ra ba-ab-du7-a-za a2 nu-mu-un-su3-su3-e
 en: In “your” canal that was made suitable for barges, no one was rowing anymore
29. ezem ki garza-ka gesz-hur-bi ba-kur2
 en: The plans of the festival at the place of rites was changed
30. ma2 nesag-ga2 a-a ugu-na-ka nesag nu-mu-un-ab-tum2
 en: The nesag offering ships of his birth father (Enlil) no longer brought the nesag offering
31. {ninda}nindaba-bi {d}<en-lil2> nibru{ki}-sze3 nu-mu#-un-na-da-an-ku4-ku4
 en: ... could not bring its nindaba offerings to Nibru for him
32. i7-bi sza3 sug4-ga i-ni-gal2 ma2-gur8 nu-mu-un-dab-be2
 en: There was emptiness in the river/canal, barges were not traversing it
33. gu2 min4{min}-a-bi giri3 nu-gal2 u2 gid2-da ba-am3-mu2
 en: No foot was set/present on its two banks, tall plants grew
34. e2#-tur3 dagal-la {d}nanna-ka dub-ba-an-bi ba-si-il
 en: The fence of the broad cattle pen of Nanna was torn apart
reverse
1. gi-sig {gesz}kiri6#-[...] x [...]-la2 gu2-giri16 ba-an-gar-gar
 en: The reed fence of the orchard was ..., ... established a breach
2. {ab2}szilam amar-bi-da# [...]-ab#-dab5
 en: The cow was seized along with its calf
3. ab2 munzer-e# edin ki nu-zu#-bi#? giri3 kur2 ba-ra-an-dab5-be2-esz
 en: The munzer fed cows took to a strange path in an unknown part of the plain
4. {d}ga-a-a-u2 lu2 ab2 ki ag2-ga2 {gesz}tukul szurim-ma ba-szub
 en: Gayau, who loves cows, dropped his weapon in the bedding/dung
5. {d}szu#-ni-du10 i3 ga-ar3-ra du6-ul-du6-ul-e i3 ga-ar3-ra nu-du6-ul-du6-ul
 en: Šunidug, the one who stores butter and cheese, did not store butter and cheese
6. i3-bi lu2 i3 nu-zu-ne i3-dun5-dun5-ne
 en: People who did not know butter were churning its butter
7. ga-bi lu2 ga nu-zu-ne i3-musz3-musz3-u3-ne
 en: People who did not know milk were ... its milk
8. e2-tur3-re {dug}szakir3-e dun5-dun5-e gu3 nun nu-mu-ni-ib-be2
 en: In the cattle pen the churning churn was not bellowing nobly
9. ne-mur dugud-bi i-ra-a-ri i-bi2-bi ba-gul
 en: The heavy coals that had been lit(?), their smoke ceased
10. {d}suen-e a-a-ni {d}en-lil2-ra er2 mu-un-na-szesz4-szesz4
 en: Suen wept to his father Enlil
11. a-a ugu-gu10 uru17{ki}-gu10 a-na-ra-x a-na-asz ba-e-da-gur-re-en
 en: My birth father, my city was ... for you/him(!?), why did you turn away from me?
12. {d}en-lil2 uri2{ki}-gu10 a-na-ra-x a-na-asz ba-e-da-gur-re-en
 en: Enlil, my Ur was ... for you/him(!?), why did you turn away from me?
13. ma2 nesag-ga2 a-a ugu-na-sze3 nesag nu-mu-un-na-ab-tum3
 en: The nesag offering ships of his birth father no longer brought the nesag offering for him
14. {ninda}nindaba-bi {d}en-lil2 nibru{ki}-sze3 nu-mu#-un-na-da-an-ku4-ku4
 en: ... could not bring its nindaba offerings to Enlil (at) Nibru for him
15. en# iri bar-ra en iri sza3-ga# lil2-e ha-ba-ab-lah5-e-esz
 en: The wind(s) carried off the en priest(ess) of the outer city and the en priest(ess) of the inner city
16. uri2#{ki} iri{ki} {gesz}al-e ri-a-gin7 du6-du6#-da ba-szid!?
 en: Ur, like a city struck by a hoe, has been broken up into ruin heaps
17. [ki]-ur3 ki ni2 dub2-bu {d}en-lil2#-la2 esz3 lil2-la2 ba-ab-gar
 en: The Ki'ur(?) shrine, the place of relaxation of Enlil, has been made into a windblown shrine
18. {d}en-lil2 iri-zu igi-zu#? igi ba-x e2-ri-a sug4-ga
 en: Enlil, ... your eye at your city, it is an empty wasteland
19. uri2{ki}-ma ur-bi ur2 bad3-da si-im-si-im nu-mu-un-ke3-e
 en: The dogs of Ur are not sniffing at the base of the city wall
20. tul2-sag bulug-ga ganbaba-bi-a ki# li-bi-ib-de5-de5-ge
 en: The one who burrows/demarcates(?) wells is not gathering earth at the market price(?)
21. a-a ugu-gu10 iri{ki}-gu10 dili-bi-ta a2-zu-sze3 nigin2-am3-szi-ib
 en: My birth father, turn around my city back to your arms from its loneliness
22. {d}en-lil uri2{ki}-gu10 dili-bi-da! a2-zu-sze3 nigin2-am3-szi-ib
 en: Enlil, turn around my Ur back to your arms from its loneliness
23. e2#-kisz#-nu-gal2-la-gu10 dili-bi-da a2-zu-sze3 nigin2-am3-szi-ib
 en: Turn around my Ekišnugal temple back to your arms from its loneliness
24. uri2#{ki}-ma-gu10 ha-ra-ni-ib-e3 ug3 hu-mu-ra-ab-dagal-la
 en: So that my Ur is brought out, so that the people are broadened
25. me ki-en#-gi-ra ba#-da#-ha-lam-ma ki ha-ra-ab-gi4-gi4
 en: So that he returns the me of Sumer which were destroyed to their place
26. ($ blank space $) ki-ru-gu2 3(disz)-kam-ma
 en: It is the 3rd kirugu
27. a e2 zi e2 zi lu2-bi lu2-bi
 en: Alas, the true temple, the true temple, its man, its man
28. ($ blank space $) gesz-gi4-gal2-bi-im
 en: It is the gešgigal “response”
29. {d}en-lil2-le dumu-ni {d}suen-ra mu-un-na-ni-ib-gi4-gi4
 en: Enlil was replying to his son Suen
30. ($ blank space $) 1(disz) szu-szi
 en: (Total:) 60 (lines)
31. ($ blank space $) im-gid2-da dam-qi2-i3-li2-szu
 en: "Long-tablet" of Damqi-ilišu
32. ($ blank space $) {iti}ab-e3 u4 2(u) 1(disz)-kam
 en: Month "Abe," 21st day.

Consult previous versions and their differences
Consult sign list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
Consult word list of Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

  • Artifact type: Tablet
  • Material: Clay
  • Measurements (mm):
  • Weight:
  • Artifact Preservation:
  • Condition Description:
  • Join Information:
  • Seal no.:
  • Seal information:
  • Artifact comments:

  • Genre(s): Literary (ETCSL 2.02.03 Lament for Sumer and Ur (witness))
  • Language(s): Sumerian


  • history: UET 6, 0131

    [Gadd1963] Gadd, Cyril J., and Aaron Shaffer. 1963, 1966.

  • history: Michalowski Lamentation over Sumer and Ur p.32,

    [sec87751] N.d.

  • Composite No.:
  • Museum No.: BM —
  • Accession No.:

  • Provenience: Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
  • Elevation:
  • Stratigraphic Level:
  • Excavation No: U 16900b
  • Findspot Square:
  • Findspot Comments:

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2023-06-15 at 20:34:30 Rattenborg, Rune Artifact Rattenborg, Rune Geomapping Landscapes of Writing Rattenborg, Rune approved View
2019-11-29 at 10:36:53 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-06-12 at 09:36:30 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-06-11 at 15:37:49 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2019-06-01 at 14:34:09 Englund, Robert K. Atf Peterson, Jeremiah CDLI approved View
2019-05-29 at 21:01:58 Englund, Robert K. Atf Englund, Robert K. CDLI approved View
2006-11-02 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact Foxvog, Daniel A.; Guerra, Dylan; Peterson, Jeremiah; Veldhuis, Niek; Wolfe, Jared N. CDLI approved View

This artifact is a witness to the following composite(s):

Composite Score
CDLI Literary 000380 (Lament for Sumer and Ur) composite (P469682) View the score

General Notes: -
CDLI Notes: -
Cite this Artifact
“CDLI Literary 000380, Ex. 019 Artifact Entry.” (2006) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346216.
CDLI Literary 000380, ex. 019 artifact entry (No. P346216). (2023, June 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346216 (Original work published 2006)
CDLI Literary 000380, ex. 019 artifact entry (2023) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346216 (Accessed: April 19, 2024).
@misc{2023CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2024-04-19]},
	year = {2023},
	month = {jun 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000380, ex. 019 artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346216},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346216},
}

TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2023/6/15/
PY  - 2023
ID  - P346216
LB  - CDLI:P346216
M1  - 2024/4/19/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000380, ex. 019 artifact entry
UR  - https://cdli.ucla.edu/P346216
ER  - 
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