Literary letter and letter-prayer artifact dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period
Transliteration
object composite text surface a 1. lugal-gu10-ra u3-na-du11 en: After you speak to my king 2. masz2 hur-sag-ga2 a2 sa6-sa6-gu10 en: To my ram of the mountain range with beautiful horns 3. sisix(|ANSZE.KUR|) hur-sag-ga2 umbin hu-ri2-in{muszen}-na en: Horse of the mountain range with claws of an eagle 4. {gesz}geszimmar ki sikil-e mu2-a zu2-lum {na4}za-gin3 la2-gu10-ur2 en: Date palm grown in a pure place from which shining dates hang down. 5. u3-ne-de3-tah en: After you repeat to him 6. {disz}a-ba-in-da-sa2 ugula erin2 zu2 kesz2 en: For(!?) Abaindasa, the overseer of the arrayed troops, 7. szudux(|KA.SZU|){+u4} lugal-la-na-ta sza3 lugal-la-na du10-du10-ge-ra en: he who by delighting his king pleases the heart of his king, 8. ARAD2-zu na-ab-be2-a en: Your servant, thus says 9. kal-ga-me-en lugal-gu10 ga-ab-us2 en: I am powerful, the soldier of my king, 10. inim-ma-zu ra-gaba-zu he2-me-en en: (By/of) your word I shall be your rider. 11. {gesz}ma2 gub-ba {gesz}gisal mu-un-se3-ge en: (When) the boat is idle, (I) prepare the oars 12. a gub-ba a mu-un-da-ak-e en: When the water is standing still, (I) can make it flow; 12a. dumu gub?-ba sze mu-un-se3-ge en: (When) the wind is still, (I) prepare(?) the grain 12b. [...] x x mu-un-zalag-ge en: (When) ..., (I) illuminate ... 13. tu15 gub-ba sze mu-un-da-la2-e en: (When) the water is still, I make it flow 14. dub-sar-me-en na-ru2-a ab-sar-re-en en: As a scribe, I incise a stele, 14a. inim ugnim-ma mu-[...] en: the words of the army I ..., 15. inim pu-uh2-ru-um-ma szub-ba e11?-de3-bi mu-un-da-se3-ge en: I am able to reproduce the dropped and excised(?) words of the assembly 15a. inim sa6-ge gaba-ri x [...] en: the sweet words, copies ..., 16. gesz-gin7 {gesz}tir-ga2 mu-un-du3-nam mu-dur7-re im-gurumx(BUR3)-e en: (But now, as if) I was planted like a tree in my forest, (I) bend over as one who is dirty(?) 17. {gesz}gu-za-ga2 lu2 mu-un-da-la2-a szu-gu10 esz2 im-ma-an-la2 en: The one who is near to(?) the royal throne has bound my hands with rope 18. iri-ga2 tug2 dan6-na-a mu-ni-mur10-ra tug2-mu-dur7-ra ba-an-mur10 en: In my city, I, the one who wore a clean garment, (now) wears a dirty garment 19. lag-e a mi-ni-in-tu5-a sahar igi gun3? ba-e-gub en: As one who has washed with mud clods, I caked(?) dirt to serve as facial makeup(?) 20. ur-e ad6 ib2-gu7 gaba-bi ib2-zi-zi en: A dog that has eaten carrion has (also) retreated 21. uszumgal-e sag gesz ib2-ra-ra ka-ta ab-tak4 i3-ib2-tak4 en: An ušumgal (creature) that kills has (also) left behind scraps(?) 22. gesz-gi izi ib2-gu7 a!-nigin2 i3-da13-da13 en: After the reedbed is consumed by fire, the ponds remain 23. {d}utu i3 un-gu7 ga un-gu7 {gesz}szakir-ra-sze3 szu-ni ib2-szi-tum3 en: After Utu has consumed ghee has consumed cheese, he touches(?) the churn (to make it more productive?) 23a. zi-gu10 ba-e-i szu-gu10 ha-za-a-ab en: I have “brought out” my life/breath(?), take hold of my hand; 23b. dumu nu-mu-un-su-me-en lu2 en3 tar-re la-ba-an-tuku en: I am the child of a widow, one who has not had anyone to inquire after him; 24. ga2-a me-na-am3 sza3 {d}szul-gi lugal-ga2 ki-be2 ha-ma-gi4-gi4 en: as for me, when will the heart of Šulgi, my king, be returned to its place on my behalf? 24a. lugal-gu10 en3-gu10 he2-tar-re ki ama-gu10-sze3 he2-em-mi-ib-gi4-gi4 en: May my king inquire after me and restore me(!) to the “place of my mother.”