Inana and Enki

Segment A

approx. 6 lines missing

1-10. She …… of the desert. She put the šu-gura, the desert crown, on her head. ……

when she went out to the shepherd, to the sheepfold, …… her genitals were remarkable. …… her genitals were remarkable.

She praised herself, full of delight at her genitals, she praised herself, full of delight at her genitals. She looked at ……, she looked at ……, she looked at …….

11-27. “When I have gratified the lord ……, when I have made …… brilliant, when I have made …… beautiful, when I have made …… glorious, when I have ……, when I have made …… perfect, when I have made …… luxuriant, when I have made …… exuberant, when I have made …… shining (?), when I have made …… return, when I have made …… brilliant, when I have made …… shimmering, I shall direct my steps to the abzu, to Eridug, I shall direct my steps to Enki, to the abzu, to Eridug, and I myself shall speak coaxingly to him, in the abzu, in Eridug, I myself shall speak coaxingly to Enki, in the abzu, in Eridug. …… had her go out …….” approx. 21 lines missing

Segment B

1-5. “Inana, …… it is I who ……. I, Inana, personally {intend to go to the abzu} {(1 ms. has instead:) intend to go to Eridug}.

I shall utter a plea to Lord Enki. Like the sweet oil of the cedar, who will …… for my holy …… perfume? It shall never escape me that I have been neglected by him who has had sex.”

6-15. On that day the maiden Inana, holy Inana, directed her steps all by herself towards Enki’s abzu in Eridug.

On that day, he of exceptional knowledge, who knows the divine powers in heaven and earth, who from his own dwelling already knows the intentions of the gods, Enki, the king of the abzu, who, even before holy Inana had approached within six miles of {the abzu} {(1 ms. has instead:) the temple} in Eridug, knew all about her enterprise – Enki spoke to his man, gave him instructions: “Come here, my man, listen to my words.” 1 line fragmentary

approx. 2 lines missing

Segment C

1-14. “…… she will drink, …… she will eat. Come here! ……. I will ……, …… do. The maiden …… the abzu and Eridug, Inana …… the abzu and Eridug ……. When the maiden Inana has entered the abzu and Eridug, when Inana has entered the abzu and Eridug, offer her butter cake to eat.

Let her be served cool refreshing water. Pour beer for her, in front of the Lions’ Gate, make her feel as if she is in her girlfriend’s house, make her …… as a colleague. You are to welcome holy Inana at the holy table, at the table of An.”

15-26. After Enki had spoken thus to him, Isimud the minister followed his master’s instructions closely. He let the maiden into the abzu and Eridug. He let Inana into the abzu and Eridug.

When the maiden had entered the abzu and Eridug, when Inana had entered the abzu and Eridug, she got butter cake to eat. They poured cool refreshing water for her, and they gave her beer to drink, in front of the Lions’ Gate.

He made her feel as if she was in her girlfriend’s house, and made her …… as a colleague. He welcomed holy Inana at the holy table, at the table of An.

27-30. So it came about that Enki and Inana were drinking beer together in the abzu, and enjoying the taste of sweet wine.

The bronze aga vessels were filled to the brim, and the two of them started a competition, drinking from the bronze vessels of Uraš.

approx. 35 lines missing

Segment D

1-5. “I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may …… not …….” Holy Inana received heroism, power, wickedness, righteousness, the plundering of cities, making lamentations, rejoicing. “In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may …… not …….”

6-9. Holy Inana received deceit, the rebel lands, kindness, being on the move, being sedentary. “In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may …… not …….”

10-13. Holy Inana received the craft of the carpenter, the craft of the coppersmith, the craft of the scribe, the craft of the smith, the craft of the leather-worker, the craft of the fuller, the craft of the builder, the craft of the reed-worker.

“In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may …… not …….”

14-17. Holy Inana received wisdom, attentiveness, holy purification rites, the shepherd’s hut, piling up glowing charcoals, the sheepfold, respect, awe, reverent silence. “In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may …… not …….”

18-21. Holy Inana received the bitter-toothed (?) ……, the kindling of fire, the extinguishing of fire, hard work, ……, the assembled family, descendants. “In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may …… not …….”

22-27. Holy Inana received strife, triumph, counselling, comforting, judging, decision-making. “In the name of my power, in the name of my abzu, I will give them to holy Inana, my daughter; may …… not …….” Holy Inana received ……, ……, approx. 78 lines missing

Segment E

1-4. “He has given me righteousness. He has given me the plundering of cities. He has given me making lamentations. He has given me rejoicing.”

5-9. “He has given me deceit. He has given me the rebel lands. He has given me kindness. He has given me being on the move. He has given me being sedentary.”

10-17. “He has given me the craft of the carpenter. He has given me the craft of the coppersmith. He has given me the craft of the scribe. He has given me the craft of the smith.

He has given me the craft of the leather-worker. He has given me the craft of the fuller. He has given me the craft of the builder. He has given me the craft of the reed-worker.”

18-26. “He has given me wisdom. He has given me attentiveness. He has given me holy purification rites. He has given me the shepherd’s hut. He has given me piling up glowing charcoals. He has given me the sheepfold. He has given me respect. He has given me awe. He has given me reverent silence.”

27-36. “He has given me the bitter-toothed (?) ……. He has given me the kindling of fire. He has given me the extinguishing of fire. He has given me hard work. He has given me ……. He has given me the assembled family. He has given me descendants. He has given me strife. He has given me triumph. He has given me counselling.” approx. 34-35 lines missing