Dilmun
 

 

 

Dilmun (Sumerisch)

e-ne ba-am e-ne ba-am me-en-ze-en 
kur-dil-mun-(KI) ku-ga-am 
ki-ku-ga e-ne ba-am me-en-ze-en
kur-dil-mun-(KI) ku-ga-am 
kur-dilmun-(KI)  ku-ga-am kur-dilmun sikil-am 
kur-dilmun sikil-am kur-dilmun za(lag)-zalag-ga-am
as-ni-ne dilmun (KI)-a  u-ne-in-nad 
ki *en-ki dam-an-ni-da  ba-an-da-nad-a-ba 
ki-bi sikil-am ki-bi  za(lag)-zalag-ga-am 
ki *en-ki  nin-sikil-la   ba-an-da-nad-a-ba
dilmun-(KI) uga du(g)-dug nu-mu-ni-bi 
dar-e dug-dar-ri  nu-muni-ib-bi
ur-gu-la sag-gis-nu-ub-ra-ra 
ur-bar-ra-ge sil nu-ub-kar-ri
ur-ku mas-ga(m)-gam nu-ub-zu 
dun se-ku-ku-e nu-ub-zu.....
tu sag-nu-mu-un-da-sub-e igi-gig-e igi-gig-me-en nu-mu-ni-bi
sag-gig-gi sag-gig-me-en nu-(mu-ni-bi)
um-ma-bi um-ma-me-en nu
ab-ba-bi  ab-ba-me-en nu 
ki-sikil a-nu-tu-a-ni uru-a  nu-mu-ni-ib-si-gi lu id-da bal-e-mi-de nu-mu-ni-bi 
ligir-e zag-ga-na nu-um-nigin 
lul-e e-lu-lum nu-mu-ni-bi
zag -uru-ka i-lu-nu-mu-ni-bi

Dilmun (Deutsch)

Jene, denen gegeben ist, Jene, denen es gegeben ist, seid Ihr!
Dilmun, der Ort in dieser Welt ist rein.
Der reiner Ort. Jene, denen er gegeben ist seid Ihr!
Dimun, der Ort in dieser Welt ist rein.
Dilmun, der Ort in dieser Welt ist rein. Dilmun, der Ort in dieser Welt ist sauber.
Dilmun, der Ort in dieser Welt ist sauber. Dimun, der Ort in dieser Welt reinigt Dich.
Sie lagen allein bei Dilmun. Es war der Ort, an dem Enki sich bei seiner Frau niederlegte.
Dieser Ort ist sauber. Dieser Ort reinigt Dich.
Es war der Ort, an dem Enki sich mit seiner Frau Ninsikilla niederlegte.
An diesem Ort in dieser dieser Welt schreit eine Krähe keinen Schrei.
Der gesprenkelte Vogel, er schreit keinen Schrei.
Kein Löwe tötet hier.
Kein Leopard verschleppt hier ein Lamm.
Kauernde kleine Hunde wissen nichts.
Getreide kauende Ochsen wissen nichts.
Keine Taube (läßt sich dort nieder.
Kranke Augen? 'Ich habe kranke Augen' - sagt niemand.
Kopfschmerzen? 'Ich habe Kopfschmerzen' - sagt niemand.
Eine alte Frau sagt hier nicht: 'Ich bin eine alte Frau'.
Ein alter Mann sagt hier nicht: 'Ich bin ein alter Mann'.
Ein Mädchen, dessen Wasser noch nicht verströmt ist in der Stadt wird nicht freigegeben zu heiraten.
Kein Mann gibt hier Anweisungen die Richtung des Kanals zu ändern.
Kein Herrscher wendet sich hier ab.'Er ist ein Lügner und lügt' sagt hier kein Mann.
Am Stadtrand jammert niemand.

1 e-ne (Jene, denen) ba-am (gegeben ist) e-ne (Jene, denen) ba-am (es gegeben ist) me-en-ze-en (seid Ihr!)
2. kur-dil-mun-(KI) (Dilmun, das Paradies dieser Welt)  ku-ga-am (ist rein)
3. ki-ku-ga (Ein reiner Ort) e-ne (Jene, denen) ba-am (er gegeben ist)  me-en-ze-en (seid Ihr!)
4. kur-dil-mun-(KI) ku-ga-am (Dimun, das Paradies dieser Wet ist rein)
5. kur-dilmun-(KI)  (Dilmun, das Paradies dieser Welt) ku-ga-am (ist reine)  kur-dilmun (Dilmun, das Pardies) sikil-am (ist sauber)
6. kur-dilmun sikil-am (Dilmun, das Paradies ist sauber)  kur-dilmun za(lag)-zalag-ga-am (Dimun, das Paradies reinigt Dich)
7. as-ni-ne (Allein)  dilmun (KI)-a  u-ne-in-nad (lagen sie im Paradies Dilmun)
8. ki (Es war der Ort)  *en-ki  (an dem Enki) dam-an-ni-da  ba-an-da-nad-a-ba (sich bei seiner Frau niederlegte)
9. ki-bi (Dieser Ort )  sikil-am (ist sauber)  ki-bi  (dieser Ort) za(lag)-zalag-ga-am (reinigt Dich)
10. ki  (Es war der Ort) *en-ki  (an dem Enki) nin-sikil-la   ba-an-da-nad-a-ba (sich mit seiner Frau Ninsikilla niederlegte)
11. dilmun-(KI) (In dem Paradies dieser Welt) uga (schreit eine Krähe)  du(g)-dug nu-mu-ni-bi (keinen Schrei)
12. dar-e (Der gesprenkelte Vogel)  dug-dar-ri  (der gesprenkelte Vogel schreit) nu-muni-ib-bi (keinen Schrei)
13. ur-gu-la (Kein Löwe)  sag-gis-nu-ub-ra-ra (tötet)
14. ur-bar-ra-ge (Kein Leopard?)  sil  nu-ub-kar-ri (verschleppt ein Lamm))
15. ur-ku (Hunde)  mas-ga(m)-gam (kauernde Kleine)   nu-ub-zu (wissen nichts)
16. dun (Ochsen)  se-ku-ku-e (die ihr Getreide essen)  nu-ub-zu.....(wissen nichts)
17. tu  (Keine Taube)   sag-nu-mu-un-da-sub-e (läßt sich dort nieder)
18 igi-gig-e (Kranke Augen) igi-gig-me-en ( 'Ich habe kranke Augen')  nu-mu-ni-bi (sagt niemand)
19. sag-gig-gi (Kopfschmerzen)  sag-gig-me-en  ('Ich habe Kopfschmerzen')  nu-(mu-ni-bi) (sagt niemand)
20. um-ma-bi (Eine alte Frau)  um-ma-me-en nu (sagt hier nicht: 'Ich bin eine alte Frau') ab-ba-bi (Ein alter Mann) ab-ba-me-en nu (sagt hier nicht: 'Ich bin ein alter Mann')
21. ki-sikil (Ein Mädchen) a-nu-tu-a-ni  (dessen Wasser noch nicht verströmt ist) uru-a  (in der Stadt) nu-mu-ni-ib-si-gi (wird nicht freigegeben zu heiraten)
22. lu (Kein Mann) id-da bal-e-mi-de nu-mu-ni-bi (befiehlt hier die Richtung des Kanals zu ändern)
23. ligir-e (Kein Herrscher)  zag-ga-na nu-um-nigin (wendet sich ab)
24. lul-e e-lu-lum ('Der Lügner lügt')  nu-mu-ni-bi (sagt hier kein Mann)
25. zag -ur
u-ka (Am Randes der Stadt)   i-lu-nu-mu-ni-bi (jammert niemand)

1.Holy is [the place] where you are; 
2.The mountain
Dilmun is holy. 
3.Holy is the place where you are; 
4.......the mountain Dilmun is is holy. 
5.The mountain Dilmun is holy, the mountain
Dilmun is pure,
6.The mountain Dilmun is pure; the mountain
Dilmun is brilliant
7.Alone in Dilmun they
lay down
8.Where Enki and his consort lay, 
9.That place is pure; that place is brilliant. 
10.Where Enki and Ninella lay, 
11.That Place is pure, that place is brilliant. 
12.In
Dilmun the raven cried not, 
13.The dar-bird its dar-cry uttered not. 
14.The deadly lion destroyed not, 
15.The wolf a lamb seized not, 
16.The dog the weak kid tore not, 
17.The dun-animal (sow) the food-grain destroyed not, 
18.The planned not for young off spring... 
19.The birds of heaven their offspring hatched not, 
20.Doves laid noteggs (?)_ 
21.Of eye-disease, "it is eye-disease," one said not; 
22.Of headache, "it is headache," one said not. 
23.To a mother, "mother," one said not, 
24.To a father, "father," one said not. 
25.In the holy place a libation was poured not; in the city one drank not; 
26.The river-man "cross it?" said not; 
27.The overseer filled no right hand; 
28.The musician "sing," said not; 
29.The prince of the city spoke not. 
30.Ninella to her father Enki Said: 
31."A city thoust founded, a city thou hast founded, its destiny thou hast fiexe; 
32.In
Dilmun a city thou has hast founded, 
33.......thou hast founded a city, 
34.........a canal there is not 
35...;;;.....thou hast founded a city".

 

 

Her city drinks the water of abundance,
Dilmun drinks the water of abundance,
Her wells of bitter water, behold they are become wells of good water,
Her fields and
farms produced crops and grain,
Her city, behold it is become the house of the
banks and quays of the land,
Dilmun, behold it is become the house of the
banks and quays of the land.

Upon Ninhursag he
caused to flow the "water of the heart,"
She received the "water of the heart," the water of Enki.
One day being her one month,
Two days being her two months,
Three days being her three months,
Four days being her four months,
Five days (being her five months,)
Six days (being her six months,)
Seven days (being her seven months,)
Eight days (being her eight months,)
Nine days being her nine months, the months of "womanhood,"
Like . . . fat, like . . . fat, like good butter,
Nintu, the mother of the land, like . . . fat, (like . . . fat, like good butter,)
Gave birth to Ninsar.

The cycle of impregation, nine days' gestation, and birth between Eniki and the offspring of each succeeding goddess is repeated, presumably in the same fashion as Ninsar. With Ninsar he creates Ninkur. With Ninkur he creates Uttu. Ninhursag then intervines to solicit advice to Uttu about her future relationship with Enki. The content of this passage is either lost or unintelligible. What is clear is the result of her relationship with Enki results in the birth of eight different plants. The poem continues:

Enki, in the swampland, in the swampland, lies stretched out,
He says to his messenger Isimud:
"What is this (plant), what is this (plant)?"

His messenger, Isimud, answers him;
"My king, this is the 'tree-plant'," he says to him.
He cuts it off for him and he (Enki) eats it.

"What is this, what is this?"
"My king, this is the 'honey-plant'."
He tears it off for him and he eats it.

The same pattern persists for all eight plants, although some of their names, such as "tree-plant" or "honey-plant" are undecipherable. After has discovered what all of these plants are (by eating them), he is able to decree their fates. Ninhursag is furious with the desecration of her distant offspring and curses Enki:

"Until thou art dead, I shall not look upon thee with the 'eye of life'."

Without the presence of Ninhursag, apparently, Enki cannot survive (she is, after all, the essence of fertility, the supreme mother goddess). The fox then comes before Enlil, who is disturbed by the suffering of the extremly important water-god, and says:

"If I bring Ninhursag before thee, what shall be my reward?"

Enlil promises the fox a reward if he is able to bring Ninhursag back. How the fox goes about this, however, is unknown as the text is completely broken at this point. When the text picks back up, "Ninhursag proceeds to remove the effects of her curse from the rapidly sinking Enki. This she achieves by giving birth to a special deity for each of Enki's pains. This passage which closes our poem runs as follows:

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My . . . hurts me."
"To the god Abu I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My hip hurts me."
"To the god Nintul I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My tooth hurts me."
"To the goddess Ninsutu I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My mouth hurts me."
"To the goddess Ninkasi I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My side hurts me."
"To the goddess Dazimua I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My rib hurts me."
"To the goddess Ninti I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"MY . . . hurts me."
"To the god Enshagag I gave birth for thee."

"For the little ones to which I gave birth . . . "
"Let Abu be the king of the plants,
Let Nintul be the lord of Magan,
Let Ninsutu marry Ninazu,
Let Ninkasi be (the goddess who) sates the heart,
Let Nazi marry Nindar,
Let Dazimua marry Nigishzida,
Let Ninti be the queen of the month,
Let Enshagag be the lord of Dilmun."

O Father Enki, praise!

Dilmun

The land Dilmun is a pure place, the land Dilmun is a clean place,
The land Dilmun is a clean place, the land Dilmun is a bright place;
He who is all alone laid himself down in Dilmun,
The place, after Enki had laid himself by his wife,
That place is clean, that place is bright;
He who is all alone laid himself down in Dilmun,
The place, after Enki had laid himself by Ninsikil,
That place is clean, that place is bright.

In Dilmun the raven uttered no cries,
The
kite uttered not the cry of kite,
The lion killed not,
The wolf snatched not the lamb,
Unknown was the kid-killing dog,
Unknown was the grain-devouring
boar,
The bird on high . . . not its
young,
The dove . . . not the head,
The sick-eyed says not "I am sick-eyed,"
The sick-headed says not "I am sick-headed,"
Its (Dilmun's) old woman says not "I am an old woman,"
Its old man says not "I am an old man,"
Its unwashed maid is not . . . in the city,
He who
crosses the river utters no . . . ,
The
overseer does not . . . ,
The singer utters no wail,
By the side of the city he utters no lament.

Her city drinks the water of abundance,
Dilmun drinks the water of abundance,
Her wells of bitter water, behold they are become wells of good water,
Her fields and
farms produced crops and grain,
Her city, behold it is become the house of the
banks and quays of the land,
Dilmun, behold it is become the house of the
banks and quays of the land.

Upon Ninhursag he
caused to flow the "water of the heart,"
She received the "water of the heart," the water of Enki.
One day being her one month,
Two days being her two months,
Three days being her three months,
Four days being her four months,
Five days (being her five months,)
Six days (being her six months,)
Seven days (being her seven months,)
Eight days (being her eight months,)
Nine days being her nine months, the months of "womanhood,"
Like . . . fat, like . . . fat, like good butter,
Nintu, the mother of the land, like . . . fat, (like . . . fat, like good butter,)
Gave birth to Ninsar.

The cycle of impregation, nine days' gestation, and birth between Eniki and the offspring of each succeeding goddess is repeated, presumably in the same fashion as Ninsar. With Ninsar he creates Ninkur. With Ninkur he creates Uttu. Ninhursag then intervines to solicit advice to Uttu about her future relationship with Enki. The content of this passage is either lost or unintelligible. What is clear is the result of her relationship with Enki results in the birth of eight different plants. The poem continues:

Enki, in the swampland, in the swampland, lies stretched out,
He says to his messenger Isimud:
"What is this (plant), what is this (plant)?"

His messenger, Isimud, answers him;
"My king, this is the 'tree-plant'," he says to him.
He cuts it off for him and he (Enki) eats it.

"What is this, what is this?"
"My king, this is the 'honey-plant'."
He tears it off for him and he eats it.

The same pattern persists for all eight plants, although some of their names, such as "tree-plant" or "honey-plant" are undecipherable. After has discovered what all of these plants are (by eating them), he is able to decree their fates. Ninhursag is furious with the desecration of her distant offspring and curses Enki:

"Until thou art dead, I shall not look upon thee with the 'eye of life'."

Without the presence of Ninhursag, apparently, Enki cannot survive (she is, after all, the essence of fertility, the supreme mother goddess). The fox then comes before Enlil, who is disturbed by the suffering of the extremly important water-god, and says:

"If I bring Ninhursag before thee, what shall be my reward?"

Enlil promises the fox a reward if he is able to bring Ninhursag back. How the fox goes about this, however, is unknown as the text is completely broken at this point. When the text picks back up, "Ninhursag proceeds to remove the effects of her curse from the rapidly sinking Enki. This she achieves by giving birth to a special deity for each of Enki's pains. This passage which closes our poem runs as follows:

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My . . . hurts me."
"To the god Abu I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My hip hurts me."
"To the god Nintul I gave birth for thee."


"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My tooth hurts me."
"To the goddess Ninsutu I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My mouth hurts me."
"To the goddess Ninkasi I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My side hurts me."
"To the goddess Dazimua I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"My rib hurts me."
"To the goddess Ninti I gave birth for thee."

"My brother, what hurts thee?"
"MY . . . hurts me."
"To the god Enshagag I gave birth for thee."

"For the little ones to which I gave birth . . . "
"Let Abu be the king of the plants,
Let Nintul be the lord of Magan,
Let Ninsutu marry Ninazu,
Let Ninkasi be (the goddess who) sates the heart,
Let Nazi marry Nindar,
Let Dazimua marry Nigishzida,
Let Ninti be the queen of the month,
Let Enshagag be the lord of Dilmun."

O Father Enki, praise!

 

 

 




volker doormann    -  2003.02.12