Origin/Historian/Author: Sumer, Temple Library Nippur, ca 2500 BCE
Source: Miscellaneous Babylonian Inscriptions, By Prof. George A. Barton, 1918
Introduction
Excavated from the temple library of the ancient city Nippur, this text was recorded around 2500-2300 BCE. It’s considered by some to be one of the earliest mentions of the God of Wind/Air, Enlil. This translation comes from a single four column tablet. While a large portion of the tablet is legible, there are some sections that were broken away. Thankfully other copies have been located since this translation was released in 1918 which filled in most of the gaps.
This myth takes place after the defeat of Tiamat, and in an already established city of Nippur with the mountain house Ekur complete. There is no indication the rebellion of the Igigi, or the creation of man had yet occurred, however this composition lacks information that allows to properly place this myth into a timeline. It features a young Enlil, Sud/Ninlil, and their four children Suen, Nergal, Ninazu, and Enbilulu. As the title of Enlil was held by numerous deities, it is sometimes difficult, or even impossible to determine which is being referenced. Despite these difficulties, we are still able to narrow it down to those who would have helped establish Ekur, as well as a known holder of the title Enlil. This leaves us with only two candidates, either Marduk or his son, who in the Defeat of Enmersharra Myth is known to have attained the title Lord of Urta, otherwise known as Ninurta.
In another translation, provided in the link below, the city Nippur is instead referred to as Nibru. Contrary to popular belief, the establishment of Nibru as referenced in the Enuma Elish is not of a celestial body, but the most northern Sumerian city at that time. It was founded to mark the boundaries of the gods, and to serve as a dam city, controlling the levels of the rivers in all Sumerian cities downstream.
Although this incomplete version does not offer enough information to properly determine what is actually occurring, the complete version provided in the link below does. It explains how Enlil raped Sud, was then demonized and banished for his actions, until eventually winning favor with the gods and being allowed to return to power with Sud as his wife, Ninlil.
A more modern and complete translation of this myth is available on the ETCSL Corpus website created by The University of Oxford. Click here to view the newer translation: ETCSL Enlil and Ninlil t.1.2.1.
Full Text Below
COLUMN I
1. At…. their Nippur(?) they dwelt;
2. At Nippur, the city which is theirs, they, dwelt;
3. At the favorable dwelling, the city which is theirs, they dwelt.
4. The wide river is their holy river;
5. Its close-shut dyke,-its dyke is theirs;
6. The crowded dyke,-the dyke of its large ships is theirs;
7. The good well, the well of sweet water is theirs;
8. The canal Nunbiirra, its starbright one, is theirs;
9. They reap a bur of irrigated land; its food is theirs;
10. Enlil, its young hero, is theirs;
11. Ninlil, its young maidservant, is theirs;
12. Nunbarshegunu, the exalted, its mother, is theirs.
13. At that time the handmaid, the mother who bore her, verily helped,
14. Ninlil Nunbarshegun verily helped.
15. The holy river, the woman Idazagga, did not flow.
16. Ninlil stood on the bank of the canal Nunbiir;
17. With holy eyes the lord of …. eyes looked upon her;
18. The great mountain, father Mulil, of holy eyes, with his eyes looked upon her;
19. Her shepherd, he who determines fate, of the holy eyes, with his eyes looked upon her;
20. The exalted father rising, ran; he seized her; he kissed her;
21. The heart of the lady exulted; her heart was captivated; she wished it; she yielded to him;
22. …. he received her; he cohabited with her; he caused it to rain.
23. The holy river, the woman Idazagga, flowed;
24. Ninlil stood on the bank of the canal,-the bank of Nunbiir;
25. Enlil of holy eyes, the king with holy eyes with his eyes looked upon her;
26. The great mountain, father Enlil, of the holy eyes, with his eyes looked upon her;
27. Her shepherd, he who determines fate, of the holy eyes, with his eyes looked upon her;
28. To his wife in anger he said: “Did I not yield to thee?”
29. To Ninlil in anger he said: “Did I not yield to thee?”
30. ….. “Did I not embrace(?) thee?” “Did I not know [thee]?”
31. ….. “I kissed thee; I knew [thee]”;
32. ….. “thou didst seize me; I submitted;
33. ….. “thou didst lie down; thou didst gain the mastery;
34. ….. “thou wast [enticing?]; thou wast mighty.
35. ….. he said.
COLUMN II
(About 8 lines broken away)
1. King….
2. To her husband she spoke; to his anger she..
3. Father Enlil, the tablet of fate …
4. To her husband she spoke, to his anger she…
5. His hand grasped it….
6. To her husband she spoke, to his anger she….
7. In a dwelling with offspring thou shalt lie down.
8. To her husband she spoke; to his anger she gave a kiss;
9. Resting her head on her husband, she kissed him.
10. Standing brilliant by Enlil, her husband, her heart rejoiced.
11. Enlil, the hero came;
12. Enlil, the hero, entered.
13. The great gods,-fifty are they;
14. The gods of fate,-seven are they;
15. With Enlil they marched.
16. Enlil cast the poisonous plant(?) from the city;
17. Nunamnir cast the poisonous plant(?) from the city;
18. Enlil came; Ninlil [descended,]
19. Nunamnir came; the handmaid
20. Enlil to him of the palace called:
21. “O man of the great gate! man of the lock!
22. Man of the strong wood; man of the lock!
23. Thy lady, Ninlil, [comes]!
24. If a name he shall ask of thee,
25. Thou shalt not tell him of my place.”
26. Ninlil’ to the man of the great gate spoke:
27. O man of the great gate, man of the lock,
28. O man of the bolt, man of the holy lock,
29. Mulil, the lord of the lands.
30. Is thy god’ O man of the lock.
COLUMN III
1. …..
2. Mulil, lord of lands;
3. Mulil, lord, thou didst create,
4. “In brilliance, O lord, art thou; by thy hand thou created (?) …..
5. Father, lord, thou dost illumine their heart!
6. Thou, father Enlil, dost illumine their heart!
7. O father, my king, mighty god, thou comest, thou dwellest….
(About 18 lines are broken away.)
25 …. Mulil, lord of lands …..
26. Mulil, lord of the month, like a tree …..
27. When, O lord, thou art in thy might thou overthrowest …..
28. O father, lord, thou art brilliant; the heart thou liftest up …..
29. O father Enzu, exalted one, brilliant, the heart thou liftest up …..
30. O father, my king, mighty god, thou comest, thou abidest, thou comest …..
31. O my father, as my king thou advancest, thou comest …..
32. O Enlil, who, like the river of the land, mightily risest,
33. O hero, thou speakest to them; they have rest!
34. With the hero is their preservation; with the hero is their rest.
35 O father, divine lord, who is against the king? My hero, verily thou overthrowest him.
36. Enlil comes; Ninlil descends;
37. Nunamnir comes; the handmaid
COLUMN IV
1. …..
2. …..
3. My ….. determined,
4. My ….. does not overthrow them.
5. .…. the boat for the ferry Ninlil makes;
6. …… the boat for the ferry comes.
7. Enlil, lord of ….. king;
8. Ninlil fills the flock with favor, she gives verdure;
9. She is gracious, to her beloved she speaks;
10. Enlil is gracious to his beloved he speaks.
11. Ninlil, the exalted, gives decisions; Ninlil the exalted thunders;
12. Turning she establishes, she clothes the weak, she.
13. Mulil the lord with the weapon turns in brilliance he …..
14. When, O lord, thou art in thy might thou overthrowest..
15. O father, lord, thou art brilliant; the heart thou liftest up;
16. O Enlil, lord, thou art brilliant; the heart thou liftest up;
17. O father, king of countries, thy favor thou ……
18. O my father, as my king thou advancest, thou comest ……
19. Enlil ……
20. O hero, thou speakest to them; they have rest!
21. With the hero is their preservation; with the hero is their rest.
22. O father Enlil(?) ……
23. O lord, to thee ……
24. O Enlil, thou art lord ……
25. Nunamnir comes; the maiden ……
26. ……
27. The hero makes. …… grow ……
28. The lord creates, the lord ……
29. Enlil is lord; Eniil is king ……
30. Enlil, the king does not [deny] food to man
31. The prince, creator of all, does not deny them intelligence!
32. Full praise to mother Ninlil!
33. To father Enlil praise!