LAMENTATION OF ISHME-DAGAN OVER NIPPUR

Origin/Historian/Author: Isin (ca. 1900 BCE)
Source: Sumerian Liturgies and Psalms, By Stephen Langdon, 1919

Full Text Below

OBVERSE COLUMN I

(About 18 lines broken away.)

1. …..
2. The Anunnaki he caused to take their seats.
3. In the Assembly Hall, place where the great judgments are decided,
4. Decisions to arrange he caused them to know.
5. These gods he caused to take up there their abode.
6. Their clean sacrificial food he gave, their crowns he clothed upon them.
7. In the king’s place, the throne room, the kinsig of the vast abode,
8. The libation of wine and honey yearly he decreed.
9. For Nippur the city whose shadow extends afar
10. The people, the dark headed, he caused to have reverence.
11. But its habitations he cursed …..
12. Like scattered cows he scattered them.
13. The city’s interior is filled with weeping,
14. While the consort, its divine queen, is not solicitous for her.
15. The great house which knew the cry of multitudes,
16. Like a vast building in ruins men enter not.
17. In Nippur, the city where great princes were prosperous,
18. Why have they fled?
19. The people, the dark headed, all of them like sheep …..
20. How long shall loud crying(?), weeping and wailing distress (?) the heart?
21. How long shall the soul be terrified?
22. And the heart repose not?
23. To the drum and cymbals I sing.
24. ….. sorrowfully(?) …..
25. ….. brick ….. they dwell.
26. ….. in tears they speak.
27. ….. are made small.
28. ….. in misery they speak.
29. ….. whose habitations are desolated.
30. Unto ….. they have hastened.
31. …..?
32. ….. like one that knows not,
33. ….. is in confusion.

OBVERSE COLUMN II

(About 15 lines broken away.)

4. ….. evil they know not, good they have decreed.
5. Bitter lament utter.
6. Her population like cattle of the fields within her have perished.
7. Helas! my Land! I sigh.
8. Maid and young man and their children cruelly have been scattered far and wide.
9. Tearfully I sigh.
10. Their brothers like a rain storm have fled afar.
11. I cease not to weep.
12. The household like a cow, whose calf has been separated from her, stand by themselves with sorrowful souls.
13. They have lapsed into the misery of silence.
14. Oh sing to the lyre! The wailers like a child nursing mother who cries in woe
15. because of them devised lamentation.
16. The city whose lord had been magnified,
17. In whose presence a hostile rule has been established, with sighing they have caused to walk.
18. As for the faithful temple, which in the lands excelled all,
19. (Where) the people, the dark headed, reposed in security;
20. What has done it, what has destroyed it?
21. Its lord is a fugitive, he hastens in flight.
22. A melody with prostrations. Second section.
23. The meaning of the great decrees they have glorified. Sorrowful words they restrain not.
24. This is its antiphon.
25. The city whose lord is distressed,
26. Until when shall it not return (to its rest)? Until when shall its “How long” not be spoken?
27. Why are its brick walls trodden underfoot?
28. The doves screaming flew from their nests.
29. The temple ….. the sweet voiced flute,
30. …..
31. …..
32. The temple violently…..
33. The temple like one without reverence…..
34. Its regulations unholy ones…..
35. Its cult of ablutions like those which had not been chosen above those of all lands
36. He has demolished, its wealth he seized away.
37. In misery of soul how long shall I utter lament?
38. Why after the destruction has been done is it not respected?
39. As one who accomplishes pure things this one has uttered a curse:
40. “Why rise her brick-walls in effulgent glory?”

REVERSE COLUMN I

1. Night and day within her wailing is made.
2. Now the stranger has wrought insult.
3. Its lord like a storm wind their hands have removed(?)
4. Their city, their temple, he has destroyed.
5. Its foundation he laid waste, the skilled workmen he transported
6. Wife and children within her he slew.
7. Their city a subjected city he caused to become.
8. Its property he himself took as plunder.
9. Their city which was he has caused to become a city which is not.
10. Its works of art he placed a hostile foot upon.
11. Its garments he seized away, the winds tore them in shreds.
12. Its food and drink he pilfered.
13. Their infants(?) ….. he caused to perish.
14. The temple a stranger plundered.
15. Bitter sighing I utter, tears I pour out.
16. Oh sing to the lyre, he that speaks the songs of wailing.
17. Their hearts which are not glad it will pacify.
18. The decrees of their lord they have glorified.
19. He concerns himself not with their oracles; he cares not for their future.
20. A melody with prostrations. Third section.
21. His great decrees thus he has ordered.
22. He has concerned himself not with their oracles; he cared not for their future.
23. This is its antiphon.
24. He of melodious song the rowful fate weeps for.
25. Sound of mourning he causes to arise; lamentation he utters.
26. Now oh sing to the lyre! They that know the melodies
27. My ….. shall speak for me.
28. Now I am filled with sighing.
29. Her population offer prayers to me.
30. Now my intercession, my pleading(?),
31. Now mightily the population unite with me in making known.
32. Upon ways of pain my mercy
33. Oh woe! my children weep for.
34. In the house, the well builded temple, in their dwelling,
35. Sound like one chanting is raised and praise is diminished.
36. The foe has caused my land to perish.
37. They beseech …..
38. My heart which is filled with misery by their wailing ….. may they calm.
39. Their weeping is made unto me.
40. In the mother goddess’ sanctuary prayer to me they offer.
41. Enlil …..

(About 12 lines broken away.)

REVERSE COLUMN II

4. …..
5. …..
6. …..
7. …..
8. …..
9. …..
10. …..
11. …..
12. Have mercy upon me.
13. Thy heart whose portion has been affliction become for me a glad heart.
14. Thy head which is held aloof turn unto me to glorify thy portion.
15. The hostile deeds which he did unto thee be returned unto his hand.
16. In the city which knew not forgiveness let there be given the cry of multitudes.
17. A melody of prostrations. Fifth section.
18. Now thy lord anger upon the foe will direct.
19. He will have mercy and will decree thy fate.
20. Unto thy brick walls where lamentation arose he will command “it is enough.”
2 I. Thy happy soul he will cause to return for me.
22. Ninurash the valiant guardsman will sustain thy head.
23. His pastor he will establish over (the city).
24. Ekur like (a temple) which has been tenderly built he will make…..
25. Its beauty he will restore to its place.
26. …..
27. That its great dark chamber be restored to its place, that it shine like day
28. Unceasingly he commands.
29. The ordinances the stranger has placed in confusion.
30. The ritual utensils which have been scattered he will restore to their place.
31. The rituals of hand-washing which the wicked caused to lapse into disuse,’
32. To cause to be holy and pure
33. In the holy city which has been consecrated he commands.
34. For Ishme-Dagan his beloved shepherd
35. ….. to cause rejoicing
36. ….. he commands.
37. The holy….. whose fate has been decreed,
38. …..
39. …..

(About 12 lines broken away, in case this section continued to the end of the tablet.)