Exercise. searching for information in passages of historical texts

Table I

The first table describes how the seven warlike deities of Sibitti, created by Anu, incite Erra to do unseemly deeds. They complain that their weapons, born warriors, have become dull due to idleness. Erra's advisor, Ishum, tries to dissuade him from evil deeds, but in vain - the god of plague thirsts for revenge and the blood of people who have forgotten his cult. Erra goes to Babylon to see Marduk and wants to find out from him why the king of the gods does not pay attention to the fact that his sacred robes are dirty and his tiara has faded. Marduk explains that only the god of cleansing fire Girru can lighten the clothes and clarify the tiara, but if the ruler leaves the earth, then “the charter of heaven and earth will weaken.” Then Erra offers to replace him during Marduk’s absence and promises to take care of maintaining order. Marduk happily agrees and transfers power to Erra.

King of all abodes, creator of the universe... Hendusanga, son of Enlil, glorious firstborn, Bearer of the beautiful scepter, guardian of the black-headed, shepherd of men, Ishum, revered slaughterer, whose hands are accustomed to the formidable swing of weapons 5. And throwing sharp spears! Erra, the warrior of the gods, languishes in his home, His heart yearns to start a battle. He commands the weapon: “Anoint yourself with mortal poison!” Sibitti, incomparable fighters: “Draw your weapons!” And he says to you: “I will go free!” 10. You are a lamp, everyone looks at your light, You are the leader, the gods are your army, You are a broad sword, a killer of many! “Erra, get up! As you overthrow the country, As your spirit rejoices, your womb rejoices!” 15. As if sleepy, Erra’s hands became weak. He says to his heart: “Should I stand up or lie down?”, He commands the weapon: “Remain in the sheath!”, Sibitti, the incomparable fighters: “Return to your home!” Until you raise him, he will remain on the bed, 20. Indulging in pleasures with his wife Mammi, O Engidudu, lord, wandering in the night, mentor of sovereigns. Who guides virgins and youths to goodness as the day shines on them! Sibitti, incomparable fighters, have a different nature, Their birth is wondrous, they inspire fear, 25. Their appearance is terrible, death is their breath, People are afraid, they do not dare to approach. Ishum is the door that is closed to them! Anu, the king of the gods, knocked up the earth - She gave birth to seven gods, he named them Sibitti. 30. They stood before him, he assigned their destinies. He called one and gave the command: “Wherever you go on a rampage, you will not meet an opponent!” He says to the second: “Burn like fire, blaze like flame!” He conjures the third: “Be like a lion; whoever sees you, let him perish!” 35. To the fourth he says: “Let the mountain collapse from the swing of your weapon!” To the fifth he says: “Blow like the wind, disturb the whole earth!” He tells the sixth: “Strike left and right, don’t show mercy to anyone!” He supplied the seventh with snake venom: “Exterminate the living!” How he assigned the fates of all Sibitti Anu, 40. To Erra, the warrior of the gods, he gave them: “Let them walk next to you. When you get tired of the human hubbub and you want to commit reprisals, Kill the blackheads and the herds of Shakkan, - May they become your formidable weapon, may they walk next to you! 45. They are fierce, their weapons are raised, They say to Erra: “Get up! Get to work! Why are you sitting in the city like a frail old man, Why are you sitting at home like a weak child! As those who do not know the will, should we eat the food of women? 50. Should we tremble in fear, as ignorant in battle? Going free is a holiday for a man. Even a prince in the city cannot find food, People will take him away, he will become a laughing stock, How will he extend his hand to those leaving for freedom? 55. Even if he who sits in the city is strong, how will he prevail over him who is free? Even if there is plenty of bread in the city, it cannot compare with an ash flatbread, Sweet strained beer cannot compare with the water of a wineskin, A magnificent palace cannot compare with a camp tent! 60. Erra-warrior, go free, wave your weapon, Let the north and south tremble with your cry, Let the Igigi hear and exalt your name, Let the Anunnaki hear and fear your glory, Let the gods hear and bow under your yoke, 65. Let the kings hear and bow before you, let the countries hear and send you tribute, let the demons hear and appear voluntarily, let the strong hear and bite their lips, let the wooded mountains hear and their peaks collapse. 70. Let the waves of the sea hear and, stirring up, destroy their wealth, In the thicket, let the trunks be exposed, In the impenetrable thickets, let their reeds break, Let the people be afraid, let their hubbub subside, Let the animals shudder, and let them become clay again, 75. Gods , let your ancestors see and praise your valor. Erra the warrior, why have you left your freedom and are you sitting in the city? Shakkan's herds and beasts despise us. Erra-warrior, we say to you, do not let our word be in anger: Before the whole country rises above us, 80. Perhaps, incline your ear to our words. The Anunnaki, who love the blissful silence and service, Because of human hubbub, sleep does not come to them! The life of the country, the meadows, the herds are flooded, the plowman weeps bitterly over his field, 85. The flocks of Shakkan are destroyed by the lion and the wolf, The shepherd does not lie down for the sheep day or night, he calls to you. And we, experts in mountain passes, forgot about hiking, a cobweb lay on our armor, the faithful bow betrayed us, it became beyond our strength, 90. The tip of a sharp arrow bent, our dagger rusted without killing!” The warrior Erra heard them, Sabitti’s speech was like oil pleasant to him. He opened his mouth, Ishumu said: 95. “Why are you silent, hearing all this? Pave the way for me, I will go on a hike! Sabitti, incomparable fighters, offspring of Anu, My formidable weapon, let them walk next to me, You go forward or follow me.” 100. Ishum heard such speeches, was overcome with compassion, and said to the warrior Erra: “Lord, why did you plan evil against the gods? Are you planning evil for the destruction of the country and the irrevocable destruction of people?” Erra opened his mouth and spoke, 105. He spoke to the advisor Ishum: “Hear, O Ishum, listen to my speech, About all the living, to whom you ask for mercy, O leader of the gods, whose advice is for good! I am a tour in heaven and I am a lion on earth, 110. In the world I am a king, among the gods I am formidable. Among the Igigi I am brave, among the Anunnaki I am omnipotent, For the mountains I am a battering ram, for the game I am a hunter, In the reeds I am a fire, in the forest I am an ax, in a campaign I am a banner. 115. I blow like the wind, I thunder like a thunderstorm, I look around the circumference of the universe like the sun, I go out into the steppe as a wild mouflon, I wander through the deserts, I don’t build a dwelling. All the gods are afraid of a fight with me, 120. But the black-headed people neglect me! Since they were not afraid of my glory, and they rejected Marduk’s word and acted according to their own will, I myself will make Marduk, the sovereign, angry, I will raise him from his home, I will overthrow the people!” The warrior Erra turned to Shuanna, the city of the king of the gods, 125. He entered Esagila, the Temple of Heaven and Earth, he appeared before him, he opened his mouth, he spoke to the king of the gods: “What happened to your robe, befitting a ruler, that shone like stars? She's dirty! And with the tiara of your power, which illuminated Ehalanki, like Etemenanki? She's dirty! The king of the gods opened his mouth and spoke, 130. Erra, the warrior of the gods, he said a word: “Warrior Erra, as for the deed that you intend to accomplish, I was once angry, I came out of my house - I caused a flood, I came out of my house - the rules of heaven and I canceled the land. The skies shook, the constellations shifted, I did not return them back. 135. The underworld shuddered - the crops were reduced by the arable land, and not even a tax could be collected! The regulations of heaven and earth weakened - the springs became scarce, the floods fell. I’ll turn around and take a look; there’s nothing to get enough of. The offspring of living creatures decreased - I did not intervene, Until, like a plowman, I took their seed in a handful. I built a house and settled in it. 140. The flood washed over my robe and it became dirty. I ordered Girra to brighten my appearance and cleanse my clothes. How he brightened my vestments, he finished the job, I put on the tiara of power, returned to myself, - My face is angry and my gaze is menacing. 145. Against the people who survived the flood and saw it all, won’t you raise your weapons and destroy the remnant? I sent their sages into the abyss, did not order them to return, I hid the stone-tree and amber, where I did not tell anyone. As for the matter that you spoke about, warrior Erra, - 150. Where is the stone-tree, the flesh of the gods, the adornment of the king of the universe, the pure tree, the high hero worthy of power, which in the middle of a sea wide for a hundred fields of water extends its roots to the underworld? does Anu raise its peak to the sky? Where is the brilliant azure stone that I will choose for the tiara? 155. Where is Ninilda, the great carver, the embodiment of my heavenly, The owner of the golden chisel, the connoisseur of the art, which he enlightens like a day, Makes me bow at my feet? Where is Gushkinbanda, creator of gods and people, whose hands are clean? Where is Ninagal, the owner of the hammer and the anvil, 160. Who chews hard copper, like skin, the creator of things? Where are the choice stones, the product of the wide sea, the decoration of the tiara? Where are the seven masters from the Abyss, the sacred fish "puradu" Whose wisdom, like Eya, their lord, is perfect, the purifiers of my body? Hearing him, the warrior Erra approached, he opened his mouth, and to the sovereign Marduk he spoke: 165. …………………. …..him……………….I will make him rise Glittering amber…….him……….I will make him rise. When Marduk heard all this, he opened his mouth and spoke to the warrior Erra: 170. “If I rise from my home, the rule of heaven and earth will weaken, the waters will rise and sweep away the earth, the bright day will darken and become darkness, a hurricane will break out and blow out the stars, An evil wind will come, it will obscure the vision of all living things, 175. Demons will rise, people will be seized with horror: He who is naked will not be able to resist them, the Anunnaki will rise, destroy the living, - Until I wave my weapon, who will turn them back? The warrior Erra, having heard this, 180. opened his mouth, he spoke to the sovereign Marduk: “Sovereign Marduk, until you enter that house, And the Fire cleanses your clothes and you return to yourself, Until then I will rule, I will strengthen the statutes of the earth and sky, I will rise to heaven. I will give the order to the Igigi, I will descend into the Abyss, I will subdue the Anunnaki, 185. I will return the evil demons to the Land of No Return, I will wave my formidable weapon over them. I will break the wings of an evil wind like a bird. To the house where you will enter, lord Marduk, I will place Anu and Enlil on the sides of the gate, like bulls.” 190. Lord Marduk heard this, Erra’s speech pleased him. He rose from his impregnable dwelling, He turned his face to the dwelling of the Anunnaki.

Table II

Fragment C

He entered Emeslam, entered the dwelling, questions himself in this matter - 10. His heart is angry, does not give an answer. Again he asks him: “Make a path for me, I will go on a hike, the day has come, the time has come! I will say - and Shamash will drop his rays, 15. I will cover Sin’s face at night, I will say to Adad: “Call off the Taurus, drive away the clouds, remove the rain and snow!” I will bring the news to Marduk and Aya: “He who is born on a rainy day will be buried in a drought, 20. He who goes down the stream of water will return along a dusty road.” To the king of the gods I will say: “Dwell in Esagila, What you commanded, I will do, I will fulfill your order, As the black-heads pray, reject their prayers!” I will crush the country, turn it into ruins, 25. I will destroy the cities, turn them into desert, I will stir up the seas, I will destroy their wealth, I will eradicate the swamp thickets, I will burn them like Girra, I will overthrow people, I will destroy all living things, 30. I will not leave anyone, not even for seed! I will not let livestock and animals go to pasture. I will raise the communities against each other, the son will hate his father and will not give him peace, the mother, smiling, will plot her daughter’s intrigues. 35. Into the abode of the gods, where the evil has no entry, I will bring the villain, Into the abode of the sovereigns, the rogue of all. I will force the underwater animals to rise, Where they see them, the city will be deserted, I will force the mountain animals to descend, 40. Where they set foot, the place will be empty, I will let countless steppe animals through the stacks of hail, I will make bad omens, I will bring sanctuaries into desolation, I will bring to the high abode of the gods I will let in Sangkhulhaza, I will turn the magnificent royal palace into ruins, 45. I will stop the noise of people, I will take away their joy, Like a fire, enmity will burn in the place of friendship….

The end is damaged

Table III

Fragment A

In the third table, Erra's monologue continues. Apparently, Ishum tries to no avail to dissuade his master from completely destroying all living things.

The first 6 lines are corrupted

I will tear away the soul of a good defender, I will raise the evil murderer above all, I will change people’s hearts: the father will not hear his son, 10. The daughter will say an evil word to the mother, I will put evil words in them, they will forget God, they will spew blasphemy against their goddess, I will raise up robbers, block the road, In the middle of the city, people will begin to rob each other, 15. The lion and the wolf will destroy Shakkan's herd, I will anger Ninmennanna, I will stop births, the nanny will not wait for the children's cry, In the fields I will drown out the exclamations of “Alala!” The shepherd and the shepherd will leave the folds, 20. I will tear off the clothes from the human body, I will let the husband wander naked through the haystacks, I will send him without clothes to the abode of the dead, the husband will not find his sacrificial sheep for the sake of life, the sovereign will not find the lamb for the oracle of Shamash, the sick man will not get meat for victims

Lines 25-35, as well as fragment B, are badly damaged.

Fragment C

Lines 1-23 are corrupted. Apparently, Ishum tried to dissuade Erra from his intentions.

“Pave the way for me, I will go on a campaign, Sibitti, incomparable fighters, the offspring of Anu, Let my formidable weapon be with me, You go forward or follow me!” Ishum heard such speeches, overwhelmed with compassion, he said to himself: 30. “Woe to my people, against whom Erra is angry and angry, against whom Nergal the warrior, like a storm of battle, unleashes Asakka, As when killing a defeated god, their hand will not waver, As to bind the evil Anzu, their net is spread out!” Ishum opened his mouth and spoke, 35. He said this to the warrior Erra: “Why did you plan evil for the gods and people, did you plan evil for the Blackheads to be destroyed irrevocably?” Erra opened his mouth and spoke, He said this to Advisor Ishum: 40. “You know Igigov’s decision, the advice of the Anunnaki, you give orders to the Blackheads, you bestow wisdom. So why do you speak like an ignoramus, give advice as if you don’t know Marduk’s words! The king of the gods left his home - 45. Of the many countries, which one will stand? He took off the tiara of his power - Sovereigns and kings, like slaves, forgot their duty. He untied the bandage - The connection between gods and people was broken, it is difficult to fasten it. 50. The terrible Girru, like the day, illuminated his vestments, awakened his menacing brilliance. He grabbed the mace with his right hand, his great weapon, The gaze of Marduk the sovereign is menacing! What will you tell me in their defense, O Ishum, wise adviser of the gods, whose advice is for the good? 55. ………………………………………………………. You don’t like Marduk’s words!” Ishum opened his mouth and spoke to the warrior Erra:

About 15 lines are damaged.

Fragment D

…………………………………

Ishum opened his mouth and spoke to the warrior Erra: “Warrior Erra, you hold the reins of heaven, You are the ruler of the whole earth, the owner of the country, 5. You rock the sea, level the mountains, You lead people, you graze animals, And you are glorious to Esherra; in Engurra you are powerful, Shuana you watch, Esagila you rule, All the power of the gods you have collected, the gods obey you, 10. The Igigi are afraid, the Anunnaki are afraid, Anu listens to your decisions, Ellil loves you, without you there is no battle, Without you there is no battle, they belong to you war armor! 15. And you also say in your heart: “Behold, they despise me!”

Table IV

Erra finally calms down in her outrages and listens to Ishum’s admonitions. The fourth table is a lament for the destruction of Babylon. Marduk reproaches Erra for bringing destruction, plague and chaos to his beloved city. The same fate befell other cities: Sippar, Uruk, Der.

“It is you, warrior Erra, who are not afraid of the words of Marduk! You untied the connection of all countries in Dimkurkur, the city of the king of the gods, changed your divinity, and became like people. You waved your weapon, went out onto the hills, 5. In Babylon, like a city destroyer, you spoke arrogantly. The Babylonians, who, like reeds, do not know the leader, have gathered around you, He who does not know the weapon draws his sword, He who does not know the arrows strains his bow, He who does not know the quarrel enters into battle, 10. He who does not know strength flies like a bird, The weak strongman defeats, the swift-footed one is overtaken by a cripple, the ruler who cares about the shrines is told contemptuous speeches, the Gates of Babylon, the river of their wealth, they block with their hands, flames are thrown onto the sanctuaries of Babylon, like an invading enemy, 15. And you are their leader, you have become their leader ! You aim your arrows at Imgur-Ellil, “Alas!” - says my heart. Mukhra, the head of the gate, you have stained your home with the blood of husbands and maidens. These Babylonians are birds, and you are their trap, You drive them into the net, you catch them, you destroy them, warrior Erra. 20. You left the city, went outside, took the form of a lion, and entered the chambers. The army sees you and waves their weapons. The heart of the ruler, the avenger of Babylon, is angry. Like someone going on a raid, he gives orders, 25. He inclines the leader of the army to evil: “I am sending you to this city, man! Do not be afraid of gods, do not be afraid of people, put everyone to death, from young to old, do not spare either children or infants. 30. Loot Babylon’s acquired wealth!” The royal army lined up, entered the city, Arrows are burning, daggers are drawn. You forced the initiated people to carry weapons - an abomination for Dagan and Anu, Like sewage water, you shed their blood on haystacks, 35. You opened their veins, colored the rivers. Marduk, the great lord, saw, "Alas!" - he exclaimed, his heart was embarrassed, on his lips - an irrevocable curse. He vowed not to drink the river water, He is afraid of their blood, does not want to enter Esagila. 40. “Alas, Babylon, whose top I likened to a lush palm tree, the wind tore it to pieces! Alas, Babylon, which I filled with grain like a cedar cone, will not be satisfied with it! Alas, Babylon, what I cultivated like a blooming garden, its fruits cannot be seen by me! Alas, Babylon, which, like a seal of amber, I hung on Anu’s neck! Alas, Babylon, which, like the Tables of Fate, I held in my hands, entrusting it to no one!” 45. And so the sovereign Marduk said: ……….from the past days………………. Those who sail from the pier will cross on foot. Even if the tank is the depth of a rope, a person will not satiate his soul in it. In the vast expanse of the wide sea - in a thousand fields - the fisherman will move his boat with his pole. 50. As for Sippar, the eternal city, which the ruler of the gods, out of love, did not surrender to the flood, - Against the will of Shamash, you destroyed its walls and demolished its fortifications. As for Uruk, the abode of Anu and Ishtar, the city of hieroduls, harlots and whores, Whose husbands Ishtar took away and they are only subject to herself, Where the essences and the essences proclaimed cries - 55. They drove out singers and dancers from Eanna, whose masculinity people fear, Ishtar turned into womanhood, Bearers of daggers and razors, knives and stone blades. That, to the joy of Ishtar, they violate the prohibitions: You have placed an evil ruler who knows no mercy over them, 60. He oppresses them, does not maintain order. Ishtar became angry, turned to Uruk, sent enemies like grain with water, and scattered the country. The inhabitants of Daxa are weeping incessantly because of the destruction of Eugal - The enemy sent by you does not want to stop 65. Ishtaran echoes with the words: “You turned the city of Der into a desert, You broke its people like reeds, Like foam on the water, drowned out their hubbub. And he didn’t leave me alone, he gave me away. 70. And because of Der, my city, I cannot carry out the right judgment, nor give decisions for the country, the command to give, to send down wisdom! People have forgotten the truth, resorted to violence, abandoned justice, and serve the evil. 75. I will direct seven winds to one country: Whoever does not die in massacre will die from pestilence. Whoever does not die from the pestilence will be taken into captivity by the enemies, Whomever will not be driven into captivity - the villains will finish off, Whom the villains will not finish off - the royal sword will overtake, 80. Whoever the royal sword does not overtake - the prince will overthrow, Whom the prince will not overthrow - Adad will wash away, Whom the prince will not overthrow - Adad will wash away Adad will not wash away - he will be kidnapped by Shamash, Whoever goes outside will be carried away by the wind, Whoever hides in the house will be struck by an evil demon, 85. Whoever goes to the hills will die of thirst, Whoever goes down to the valley will die in the water! You have made hills and dales equal. The ruler of the mother’s city says: “On the day you gave birth to me, I would have stayed in the womb, 90. We would have given up the ghost, died together! For you gave me to the city, whose walls are destroyed, Its people are like game, their god is a hunter, Its net is strong, its husband will not escape, he will die an evil death! 95. Who gave birth to a son: “Here is my son! - he said. “I will raise him, he will repay him with kindness,” “I will kill my son.” Let the father bury, And then let the father lie without a grave. Whoever built a house and said: “Here is a dwelling, 100. I built it, I will rest in it, On the day of my destiny I will rest here,” - I will kill him, destroy the dwelling, and then give the ruins to someone else. Warrior Erra! You put to death the right one, 105. And the wrong one you put to death, Whoever is guilty before you, you put to death, Whoever is not guilty before you, you put to death, En, who hastens with the divine sacrifice, you put to death, The palace eunuch, the king’s servant, you betrayed death, 110. You put the elders to death at the threshold, You put the little girls in their chambers to death, But you did not find any peace. In your heart you said: “They neglect me!” So you say in your heart, warrior Erra: 115. “I will overthrow the strong, intimidate the weak, I will kill the commander, I will put his army to flight, I will destroy the holy temples, the battlements of the walls, I will destroy the beauty of the city. I’ll tear out the mooring post, let the ship be carried away by the current, I’ll break the helm - it won’t reach the shore, 120. I’ll pull out the mast, tear the rigging. I will dry up the breasts - the baby will not survive, I will clog the springs - the water of abundance will not fill the canals, I will shake the underworld, shake the sky, I will destroy the shine of Shulpae, I will destroy the stars in the sky, 125. I will cut the roots of a tree - the shoots will dry out, I will undermine the foundation of the wall - the top will collapse, I will enter the dwelling of the king of the gods - there will be no more decisions! As the warrior Erra-Ishuma heard his speech, how the oil was pleasant to him, 130. And so the warrior Erra said: “Primorets - Primorets, Subarei - Subarei, Assyrian - Assyrian, Elamite - Elamite, Kassite - Kassite, Suti - Sutia, Kutia - Kutia , Lulubey - lulubey, country - country, community - community, 135. Family - family, person - person, brother - brother Let them not spare, let them destroy each other! And then may the Akkadians rise up! And they will defeat everyone, they will rule everyone!” Warrior Erra says the word to advisor Ishum: “Ishum, go, do what you said!” Ishum turned to Hehe, to the mountain, 140. Sibitti, incomparable fighters, gathered around him. A warrior approached Mount Hehe, raised his hand and destroyed the mountain, leveled Mount Hehe to the ground, uprooted the trees in the cedar forest, 145. As if Hanish had passed, such a thicket became; He destroyed the cities, turned them into deserts, carried away the Mountains, destroyed their living creatures, stirred up the seas, destroyed their wealth, uprooted the reed beds, burned them like flames, 150. Cursed the herds, turned them to clay. When Erra calmed down, he entered his home.

Table V

In the fifth table, Erra asks to speak at a meeting of the gods. He admits that he got excited and was wrong. Erra adds that his plan was to completely destroy humanity, but Ishum's pleas softened his heart. From now on, he promises to take care of the Akkadians, help them restore a peaceful life and support them in the fight against their enemies. At the end, the author of the poem Kabtilani-Marduk, the son of Dabibu, reports that this legend was revealed to him in a dream. In the morning he just wrote it down, without adding a single line of his own.

When Erra calmed down, he entered his home. The gods all looked at his face together, Igigi and the Anunnaki appeared in awe. Erra opened his mouth and spoke to all the gods: 5. “Be silent, everyone, listen to my speech! True, in the days of previous sins I myself planned evil, My heart was angry, I overthrew people, Like a hired shepherd, I stole the leader from the herd, Like an inexperienced gardener, I cut too much, 10. Like an invading enemy, I destroyed the evil and the good without parsing. You can’t snatch prey from a lion’s mouth, And where one falls into a rage, the other is no advisor! Without Councilor Ishum, what would have happened? Your guardian, where would your priest be? 15. Where are the victims? You wouldn’t inhale the incense!” Ishum opened his mouth and spoke, He said to the Warrior Erra: “Hark, O warrior, listen to my speech. Enough, calm down, we are all your servants. On the day of your wrath, who will resist you? 20. Erra heard him, his face lit up, Like a bright day, his features shine, He entered Emeslam, entered the dwelling, Ishuma calls, gives an omen, Gives a command about the scattered Akkadians: 25. “Let the small people multiply again, Let everyone They walk on the roads without restraint, Let the weak Akkadian overthrow the mighty being, Let one drive seven like sheep! Their cities are in ruins, and their mountains are turned into desert, 30. Bring their wealth to Shuanna, calm the wrathful gods of the country in their dwellings, return Shakkan and Nisaba to the earth. From the mountains of their wealth, from the seas, take their tribute, From the fields I devastated, reap the harvests again. 35. Let all city rulers bring noble tribute to Shuana, near the temples. What I have destroyed, may the peaks rise like the rising sun, may the Tigris and Euphrates bring abundant waters, may all city rulers bring to the Trustee of Esagila and Babylon what is due!” For countless years, glory to Lord Nergal and warrior Ishum! 40. As Erra became angry, he bowed his face to the ruin of the country and to the destruction of people, But the adviser Ishum calmed him, and the remnants were saved - to Kabtilani-Marduk, the son of Dabib, who compiled this writing, He revealed in a night dream. In the morning he repeated it, he didn’t forget anything, he didn’t add a single line. 45. Erra heard and gave approval, Advisor Ishum was pleased with this, All the gods praised it together with him. And so the warrior Erra said: “The God who honors this song will fill the temple with abundance, 50. Whoever neglects it will not smell the incense! Let the king who spoke my name rule the universe, the Sovereign who proclaimed my glory. Let him not meet an opponent! Let the singer who sings it not die an evil death; his word will be pleasing to the Emperor and the Tsar! 55. The scribe who memorized it will escape the enemy’s land, but will be revered in his own. To the gathering of scientists where my name is revered, I will give wisdom! The house that keeps this tablet, even if Erra is angry, even if the Sibitti are formidable, - The disastrous sword will not approach, it will be safe! May this song always remain, may it be established forever, 60. May all countries hear it, may they honor my valor, may the whole world recognize it, may they exalt my glory!”

To a hopeless land, a vast land

Sin's daughter, Ishtar, bowed her spirit,

Sin's daughter bowed her bright spirit

To the abode of darkness, the abode of Irkalla.

To the house from which the one who enters never leaves,

To a path where the road does not lead back;

To a house in which the one who enters is deprived of light,

He no longer sees the light, he lives in darkness;

There, where its drink is dust and its food is clay,

And he is dressed like a bird, with the clothing of wings.

There is ashes on the doors and bolts,

Desolation spread before the gates.

Having barely reached the gates of the Underworld,

Ishtar opened her mouth and spoke,

A word addressed to the gatekeeper:

"Watchman, watchman, open the gate,

Open the gate, let me in.

If you don't open the gate, you won't let me in,

I'll break down the door, I'll break the lock,

I'll break the jamb, I'll throw the doors.

I will raise the dead who eat the living,

There will be more living then than dead.”

The watchman opened his mouth and spoke,

He turns to the great Ishtar:

“Wait, madam, don’t throw down the doors,

Wait outside, I'll go inside,

I will report your name to Queen Ereshkigal.”

The watchman enters and Ereshkigal says:

“This is your sister, Ishtar, standing at the door,

The innkeeper is the great feast,

Troubled the waters before King Ea.”

Ereshkigal, hearing this,

Like a felled oak, her face turned yellow,

Lips turned black like beaten reeds:

“What does her heart bring to me,

What does her womb have in mind for me?

Well, I’ll sit with her too,

I will drink water with the Anunnaki,

Instead of bread I will eat clay,

Drink muddy water instead of wine,

I will cry for husbands who left their wives,

I will cry together for my wives,

Taken from the womb of their spouses,

I will cry for the little one, for the tender one,

Carried away ahead of schedule!”

“Go, O watchman, open the gates to her,

Deal with her according to the ancient laws."

The watchman comes and opens the gate for her:

“Come in, lady! Kugu rejoices!

The Palace of the Underworld is having fun about you!”

He brought her into one gate and takes her off, removes a large

tiara from her head.

“Why are you removing the big tiara, watchman?

off my head?

He brought her into another gate and removes her, removes her

pendants from her ears.

“Why are you removing the pendants from my