Epic of Paradise, Mountain Dilmun / Tilmun, Flood, Fall of Man - Column III

1. Ninshar on the bank of the river cried (?):
2. "O Enki, for me are they filled; they are filled!"
3. His messenger, Usum, he called:
4. "Man, their favorite son, has not been purified,
5. Ninshar, their favorite has not purified."
6. His messenger, Usmu, answered:
7. "Man, their favorite son, has not been purieied,
8. Ninshar the favorite has not purified."
9. My king, the storm-bringer, the storm-bringer,
10. His was at once to the boat went.
11. Two streams ("), like Shamash, he carried.
12. He closed the hatch. With fire he made purification.
13. Enki flooded the fields;
14. The fields received the waters of Enki.
15. It was the first day whose month is first;
16. It was the second day whose month is second;
17. It was the ninth day whose month is ninth, the mounth of the outpouring of the waters.
18. Like fat, like fat, like abundant sweet oil,
19. [Ninshar] like fat,
20. Ninshar brought them forth.
21. Ninkurra [on the bank of the river] c[ried (?)]
22. "O Enki, for me they are filled! they are filled!"
23. His messenger, Usmu, he called:
24. "Man, their favorite son, has not been purified;
25. Ninkurra (Ninshar) the favorite has not purified."
26. His messenger, Usmu, answered:
27. "Man, their favorite son, has not been purified;
28. Ninkurra, the favorite, has not purified."
29. My king, the storm-bringer, the storm-bringer,
30. His way at once to the boat went.
31. Two streams (?) like Shamash, he carried.
32. He closed the hatch. With fire he made purification.
33. Enki flooded the fields.
34. The fields received the waters of Enki.
35. It was the first day whose month is first;
36. It was the ninth day whose month is ninth, the month of the outpouring of waters.
37. Like fat, like fat, like abundant sweet oil.
38. Ninkurra like fat had brought them forth.
39. The goddess Takku (goddess) to receive his outpouring....
40. Ninkurra to Takku [concerning the outpouring] spoke:
41. "I will irrigate thee with my irrigation.....
42. With favorable words will I speek...
43. The one alone that will restrain it....
44. Enki for me shall....

"The rest of the column, consisting of two or three lines, is missing. The repetition in this column is characteristic of early poetry. Primitive peoples are fond of iteration, and in the description of the way the waters came it was to them very effective."

Source:

Prior to 2000 B.C.From: George A. Barton, Archaeology and The Bible, 7th Edition revised, (Philadelphia: American Sunday School, 1937), pg. 339-340

Eridue Genesis