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Babylonian (in Latinate transcription) and English
A text from the first dynasty of Babylon or earlier, pertaining to suffering and the end of life.
Reformatted from the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative:
https://cdli.ox.ac.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=dialogue_between_a_man_and_his_god
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialogue_between_a_Man_and_His_God
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1
et,-lu-um ru-i-isz a-na i-li-szu i-ba-ak-ki u2-te-ne-en-ne-en iq-[bi? …] szu
A young man was weeping to his god like a friend, constantly praying, he […] his […]
2
ha-mi-it, li-ib-bu-usz du-ul-la-szu ma-ru-is,!?-ma
His heart was aflame, his toil grim.
3
i-ta-a'-da-ar ka-ba-at-ta-szu i-ni-in-hi
His liver was grieving from its suffering.
4
i-ni-isz-ma ik-ta-mi-us i-pa-al-si20-ih
He is bent over in suffering; he is prostrate.
5
ik-pi2-us,!?-ma um-ma du-ul-la-szu ba-ka-i-isz iq-ra-ab
His toil has become too heavy for him, he has drawn near to weep.
6
ki-ma bu-ri-im pa-ar-si-im ša i-me-ri i-na-ag-ga-ag
He brays like the weaned foal of a donkey,
7
iš-ta-pu ma-ha-ar i-li-[im] reši-[…]-šu
He has got loud in the god's presence, his chief,
8
ri-mu-um pu-šu-u2 la-al-la-ra-ma ri-gi-im-[š]
A bull is his speech, [his] voice two lamenters,
9
be-li-iš-šu qu2-ba-am ub-ba-la ša-ap-ta-aš-[šu]
His lips bear a lament to his lord.
10
be-li-iš-šu du-ul-li ih-bu-tu i-ma-an-nu
He recounts to his lord the toil he has gone through,
11
in-hu i-na-hu-u2 i-pa-aš-ša-ar et,-lu-um
The man explains the suffering he is enduring:
12
be-li-am-ta-al-ka-am-ma i-na ka-ba-at-ti-ia
"My lord, I have reflected within my reins,
13
[…] i li-ib-bim še-et, i-pu-šu la i-di
[...] in [my] heart. I do not know what sin I have committed.
14
[…] an-zi-il-la-ka a-na-ku ik-ki-ba-am le-em-na-ma am-ma-[…] ar
Have I [eaten] a very evil forbidden fruit?
15
u2-ul da-[a]-gi-il a-hu [a]-hi-iš-šu ka-ar-s,i2 ib-ri-im ib-ra-šu la a-ki-il
Does brother look down on brother?
16
u2-ul […] an-ni […] na šu ša-ap-li-ka be-lu bi-it ri-a-ši-im
[...] has not [...] me, [...] beneath you, the lord of the house of rejoicing [...]
17
ši-mi-[…] pi […] ra-na-ba-iz-za be-lu mi-ša-ri mu-[ši?-im?]
[...] there is present for me the lord of justice who decrees [...]
18
[…] i […] am-ma li-ib-ba-šu na-as-qu2-um li
[...] may his choice intelligence [...]
19
[…] i […] ra-ma-an-šu us,-s,u2-ra a-na
[...] to guard himself for [...]
20
[…] tu […]-ni-tu-a ti-ib-ta
[...] my [...]
21
[…]-še ša ku-[… tu]-ul-li-da-an-ni u3 be-[…]
[...] [you] begot me and [...]
22
[...] x-ar a-ta-szu-x [...]
[...] I got distressed [...]
23
[...] ki-ma sza x pa?-[...] ri-sze-pi2 x...
[...] like/when [...]
24
UR? x iq-ta-ti ka-ba-at-ti szi? ma x […] da?-ar U4-mi-ia
my spirit came to an end, [...] of my days.
25
[isz-tu s,]e-eh,2-re-ku a-di ra-bi-ya-ku ur-ri im-ma-ti mu-[…]
[From] my childhood to my maturity, the days have lengthened
26
[im-ma]-ti ma-la tu-da-mi-qa2-an-ni-ma ma-la tur-tab-ba […] la am-szi
?
27
i-na x du-um-qi2 tu-ka-al-li-ma lu-um-na be-li-ma x tu-sza-an-me-er iq-[qi2]-ib-bi
In [...] of grace you have shown me evil, my lord, you have caused [...] it will be said.
28
ru-ub-bu mu-usz-qi2 sze-pi2-isz wa-ta-ti-ma me-eh,2-s,e-tim […] ma-h,i-ia
My misfortune has increased, it attaches itself to [my] feet, [it has inflicted] blows upon me.
29
pi2ya-am-ma at-ta tu-ma-ar-ri-ra-am da-an-ni-isz […] x-tu-szu i-wi da-da-ar-szu
You are making the mouth (filled with food) bitter to me, its […] ha become like stinkwort.
30
[…] tu-ur2-ri-x ta-ad-lu-uh,-ma-mi pi2-isz-ri […]-wi-ir isz-tu s,e2-eh,-re-ku
You have [...], you have muddied the water, [...] since my childhood.
31
[…] x-le-et sza-di-i asz-x-mu lu-u2 mu-ri-da la i-szu-ni
[...] the side of the mountain, [...] the ascent has no descent.
32
[…] x ta-ka-qa2-ar-szu tu-szu-mi-da sze-pi2-ia
[...] You have set my feet on the earth.
33
[…] x-asz-szi-sza-e-li tu-sza-az-ni-in a-ta
[...] you have made to bear, you have made my [...] care for me.
34
[…] tu-sza-am-li
[...] you have filled up.
35
[…] pi2-sza-tim ta-ag-ru-un
[...] you have heaped up.
36 […] bi-ti-ia a-bi mu-ti ki-im-ti-ia
[...] of my house, my father, the man of my clan.
37
[… wa?]-ar-di-szu
[...] of his slave.
38 […] x-szu
[...] his [...]"
39
[…]
[…]
40
[…] x-ar-ki-isz
?
41
[…] x-ra-ah,-ku
?
42
[…] x-ar-szu tu-ma-i-szu
[...] him [...] his [...]
43
[…] x-szu-li-wa-szu ka-qa2-ar-szu
[...], he raised him to the earth.
44
[…] ta-x […] sza-ma-an a-si-im
[...] with a physician's oil.
45
[…] a-ak-la u3 li-bi-us-su2 ik-tu-um
[...], he [gave] food and his garments.
46
[…] x-s,u2-um-ma li-ib-ba-su2 u2-sza/ta?-an-me-er
[...], he cheered his spirit.
47
i-ta-u2-szu ta-ap-sze-h,a-at t,u2-ub szi-ri-szu
and spoke to him of the relief his good health (would bring)."
48
ši-ib-bu-uk e-de-el li-ib-bu-uk la i-le-em-mi-in
"Gird your loins, do not be dispirited,
49
ga-am-ra ša-na-tu u4-mu ša am-la-u2-ni du-ul-la
the years are finished, the days I filled with toil.
50
šu-um-ma-ma-an la qa2-bi-ya-at a-na ba-la-t,i-im
If you had not been ordained to life,
51
ki-ma-ma-an te-le-'i di-ya-am ka-ab-ta ku-ul-la-ti-iš-šu ta-aš-du-ud
how possibly could you have suffered the severe malady to its end?
52
ta-mu-ur pu-usz-qa2-am i-s,a-bi ka-li-ma
You experienced distress, but my [...] is withdrawn:
53
tu-usz-ta-ag-me-er-ma bi-il-ta-szu ka-bi-it-ta ta-asz-szi
You have borne its heavy load to its completion.
54
isz-ti-i-qu2-uk pa-da-nu-um pe2-ti-i-ku
People have [...]ed you, but [now] the way is open for you,
55
isz-ra-at-ku t,u2-du-um u3 sza-ki-in-ku re-mu-um
Your path is straight and compassion is bestowed on you,
56
ah,-re-ti-isz u4-mi la ta-ma-asz-szu-u2 il-ka
You who in future days will not forget [your] god,
57
ba-ni-ka ki ta-da-am-mi-qu2-nim a-at-ta
Your creator, and that you are well favored.
58
a-na il-ka ba-nu-uk tu-ku-ul-tu-uk
I am your god, your creator, your help.
59
e-ru-kum ma-as,-s,a-ru-ia u3 da-an-nu-ku-[um]
My guards are watching over you with power for your [protection].
60
a-sza3 ma-ar-qi2-us-su2 i-pe2-et-ti-[ku-um]
I will open for you a place of refuge,
61
a-pa-al-la-asz-ku-um-ma da-ri-isz ba-la-t,a-[am]
eternal life I will provide for you.
62
u3 a-at-ta e-te-ep-s,i ub-bu-la-am pu-szu-usz
As for you, unblenchingly anoint the parched,
63
em-s,a szu-ki-il szi-qi2 s,a-mi-ia ma-mi
feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty to drink.
64
u3 sza usz-pu-ma isz-ta-ab-bu-ba i-[…]
But he who has cast sorceries, [whose] [...] have [...],
65
li-it,-t,u2-ul ak-li-isz-ka li-zu-ub li-h,u-ur u3 li-ih,-[h,a-ra-mi-it,]
May he stare at your food as he melts, flowers down and dis[solves].
66
pa-ti-ye-et-ku a-bu-ul szu-ul-mi-im u3 ba-la-t,i-im
For you the gate of prosperity and life is open,
67
mu-um-ma qe2-er-bu-usz e-ru-ub s,i-i lu sza-al-ma-a-at
[...] go in and out of it and prosper."
68
szu-sze-er pa-da-nu-usz pe2-te t,u2-du-usz un-ne-en a-ar-di-ka li-ri-id a-na li-bi-ka
Make straight his way, open his path, may the prayer of your servant sink into your mind.
69
ka-al-ba-nu-um
Kalbanum
-EOF-
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