HYMN TO RAMMAN, THE WEATHER GOD

• 3 years | 2 minutes | Mesopotamian Text

HYMN TO RAMMAN, THE WEATHER GOD

This strange but powerful hymn, written in Sumerian, belongs to a remote period of antiquity, perhaps as early as the 3rd millenium BCE. It is published by King in the Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets.

“Ramman the glorious,” is thy name, exalted god;
“Lord Ramman, mighty bull and glorious,” is thy
name, exalted god;
“Ramman, child of heaven, mighty bull and glo-
rious,” is thy name, exalted god ;
“Lord of Karkar, mighty bull and glorious” is thy
name, exalted god;
“Ramman, lord of plenty, mighty bull and glorious”
is thy name, exalted god;
“Companion of the lord Ea, mighty bull and glo-
rious” is thy name, exalted god;
“Father Ramman, lord that rideth the storm” is
thy name, exalted god;
“Father Ramman, that rideth the great storm” is
thy name, exalted god;
Father Ramman, that rideth the great lion,” is thy
name, exalted god;
Ramman, lion of heaven, mighty bull and glorious,
is thy name, exalted god;
Thy name doth enthrall the land,
Thy splendor covers the land like a garment.
At thy thunder the great mountain father Mullil (Enlil)
is shaken.
At thy rumbling the great mother Ninlil trembles.
Ellil sent forth his son Ramman:
Who, oh my son, directeth the storm, sendeth forth
the storm?
Ramman directeth the storm, sendeth forth the
storm.
The storm like the seven demons (?) flieth; he send-
eth forth the storm.
Spirit, may thy sonorous voice give forth its utter-
ance, he sendeth forth the storm.
The lightning, thy messenger, goeth before (thee) , he
sendeth forth the storm.
Who, my son, beareth splendor, who that cometh
can strive (with thee)?
If the foe do evil (thy) father is by thee, who can
strive (with thee)?
The little hail thou holdest, who can strive with thee?
The great hail thou holdest, who can strive with thee?
Thy little and great hail stones let be upon him.
Let thy right hand destroy the foe, thy left arm
pluck him away.”
Ramman gave ear to the words of the father, his creator.
The father Ramman went out of the house, spirit of
sonorous voice,
Out of the house, out of the city went (he) up, the
youthful lion,
Out of the city took his way, the spirit of thunderous
voice.