Enki Creates Man

83-91. Enki devised a shape with head, …… and mouth in its middle, and said to Ninmaḫ: “Pour ejaculated semen into a woman’s womb, and the woman will give birth to the semen of her womb.”

Ninmaḫ stood by for the newborn ……. and the woman brought forth …… in the midst ……. In return (?), this was Umul: its head was afflicted, its place of …… was afflicted, its eyes were afflicted, its neck was afflicted.

It could hardly breathe, its ribs were shaky, its lungs were afflicted, its heart was afflicted, its bowels were afflicted.

With its hand and its lolling head it could not not put bread into its mouth; its spine and head were dislocated.

The weak hips and the shaky feet could not carry (?) it on the field – Enki fashioned it in this way.

92-101. Enki said to Ninmaḫ: “For your creatures I have decreed a fate, I have given them their daily bread.

Now, you should decree a fate for my creature, give him his daily bread too.” Ninmaḫ looked at Umul and turned to him. She went nearer to Umul asked him questions but he could not speak.

She offered him bread to eat but he could not reach out for it. He could not lie on ……, he could not ……. Standing up he could not sit down, could not lie down, he could not …… a house, he could not eat bread.

Ninmaḫ answered Enki: “The man you have fashioned is neither alive nor dead. He cannot support himself (?).”

102-110. Enki answered Ninmaḫ: “I decreed a fate for the first man with the weak hands, I gave him bread.

I decreed a fate for the man who turned back (?) the light, I gave him bread.

I decreed a fate for the man with broken, paralysed feet, I gave him bread. I decreed a fate for the man who could not hold back his urine, I gave him bread. I decreed a fate for the woman who could not give birth, I gave her bread. I decreed the fate for the one with neither penis nor vagina on its body, I gave it bread. My sister, …….”

2 lines fragmentary

112. Ninmaḫ answered Enki:

9 lines fragmentary

122-128. (Ninmaḫ’s answer continues)

“You (?) entered ……. Look, you do not dwell in heaven, you do not dwell on earth, you do not come out to look at the Land.

Where you do not dwell but where my house is built, your words cannot be heard. Where you do not live but where my city is built, I myself am silenced (?).

My city is ruined, my house is destroyed, my child has been taken captive. I am a fugitive who has had to leave the E-kur, even I myself could not escape from your hand.”

129-139. Enki replied to Ninmaḫ:

“Who could change the words that left your mouth? Remove Umul from your lap ……. Ninmaḫ, may your work be ……, you …… for me what is imperfect; who can oppose (?) this?

The man whom I shaped …… after you ……, let him pray! Today let my penis be praised, may your wisdom be confirmed (?)! May the enkum and ninkum …… proclaim your glory ……. My sister, the heroic strength ……. The song …… the writing (?) …….

The gods who heard …… let Umul build (?) my house …….”

140-141. Ninmaḫ could not rival the great lord Enki. Father Enki, your praise is sweet!