- Time was when above ----------heaven was not named
- Below to the earth -------------no name was given.
- Then the primeval Abyss
-------their begetter,
- The roaring Sea ---------------who bore them,--
- Their waters ------------------together were mingled;
- No field had been
formed, -------no marsh-land seen.
- When no gods ------------------had ever been honored,
- No name was formed -----------no destiny fixed,
- Gods were created -------------in their midst
- Lakhmu and Lakhamu -----------their associates were called.
- Together they became
great, ----grew tall.
- Anshar and Kishar were
born ----they were trater than they.
- The days were prolonged,
-------years passed;
- Anu their son ------------------was a rival of his fathers.
- Anshar made Anu, his
firstborn, --like
himself
- And Anu begat in his
likeness -----Nudimmud,
- Nudimmud of his fathers
---------became ruler, even he;
- Clever, wise, joyful, -------------who grasped deep things,
- Stronger far than
Anshar, --------the father who begat him,
- Not a rival has he ----------------among the gods his fathers.
- They stood; the gods
assembled
- They troubled Tiamat ------------to protect themselves they
attaked her,
- They troubled the body -----------of Tiamat.
- In agitation ---------------------he was enrolled among the
great.
- Apsu could not quiet -------------their outcry;
- Tiamat roared at
their.................
- She smote and their
deeds....................
- Their way was not good;
they themselves prospered.
- Then Apsu, the begetter
of the great gods,
- Cried to Mummu, his
minister, and said,
- O Mummu, my minister,
who delightest my heart,
- Come, unto Tiamat [let
us go].
- They went, before Timat
they lay down,
- A plan they formed
against the gods [their offspring].
- [Apsu] opened his mouth,
[he said to her],
- Unto Tiamat, the
brilliant, a word he spoke:
- "[Intolerable to me] is
their advancement,
- By day I have no rest,
at night, no peace.
- But I will destroy their
way, an end will I make.
- Let there be a cry, then
we may be at peace!J"
- When Tiamat heard these
words,
- She was angry and spoke
against them [a curse];
- [She was] grievously
[pained[she raged....
- A curse she let fall,
unto [Apsu she spoke]:
- "What are we that we
[should perish]!
- Let their way become
difficult."....
- Mummu answered, Apsu [he
counseled]
- ....not favorable was
the counsel of the Roarer:
- "Their way is strong,
but do thou confound [lit],
- By day thou shalt be
calm, by night thou shalt lie down."
- Apsu heard and his face
brightened.
- [Since] he planned evil
against the gods his sons
- Mummu (Roar of the
ocean) clasped his [neck]
- He sat him on his knees,
he kissed....
- The whole they planned -------in the whole....
- Against the gods, their
firstborn, ----they unlossed their power.
- They cursed the gods ---------------they slandered them,
- Silence seized them, ---------------they sat quietly.
- The wise, the instructed
------------the exalted one,
- Ea, who understands
everything, ------saw their plan
- He grasped it and, ------------------comprehending all, sat.
- He prepared his power, --------------his holy witchcraft,
- He nunmbered it --------------------and put it in water.
- Sleep came upon him
PApsu] ---------resting, he sank down.
- He put Apsu to rest, ----------------pouring out sleep.
- Mummu wandered about, ------------with dress disordered
- He burst his bond, ------------------from his mouth....
- His lustre was gone ----------------he himself was prostrated.
- He (Ea) had bewitched
him; ----------Apsu he had killed.
- Mummu he bound, ------------------over him stationed a guard,
- He placed himself on
Apsu ----------in a sitting posture,
- Mumm he grasped, ----------------- he held his massive form,
- Both of them he had
bound, ----------he had destroyed,
- He established his
triumph ----------over his enemies.
- Amid the destruction ---------------he rested peacefully.
- He bound him ----------------------and cast Apsu down to the
depths.
- On his body ------------------------he founded his luxurious
palace;
- Lakhmu and Lakhamu his
wife -------he placed as rulers over it,
- As guardsof the domed
abodes
- In the abode of the
fates,the dwelling of destiny.
- The mighty one, the
leader of the gods, Marduke [said]
- In the midst of the deep
------------ Anshar was born,
- In the holy deep --------------------Anshar was born,
- There begat him --------------------Lakhmu, his father,
- Lakhamu, his mother, ----------------conceived him,
- There nourished him milk
------------flowing from goddesses.
- A marauder approached
him, ----------terror filled him'
- Tall was his stature, ----------------brilliant the look of his eye,
- Troubled was his voice,
-------------his course was hither and
thither.
- Lakhmu, who begat him, -------------his father, saw him,
- Intelligently he looked,
--------------his heart was filled with joy,
- He saved him and -------------------an equal of the gods made him,
- He was greatly exalted
ove them who help Tiamat.
- Indescribable was his
brilliance, unnumbered his...
- Unthinkable his.. --------------------difficult to look upon,
- Four eyes, four ears he
had,
- His lips he opened, ------------------fire came forth
- There grew four ears,
- Four eyes like them were
bright,
- That one among the gods
-------------[his command was that] of Anu;
- His leadership... --------------------[is for[ the preservaton of
life;
- His crown shall shine
brightly; ------ he shall confound Tiamat
- ................
.......................................
....................he shall cause fear,
- .................
.............................
............................forever,
- ...............
...............................
............................evil,
- .................
..........................
..............................in opposition
he spoke:
- ................
..............................
............................he conquered.
- ..............
..................................
..........................weeps and sits in
tribulation.
- ................
.............................
.............................fear,
- .......................
...................
................................we shall not
lie down [in peace].
- ........................
..................
................................Apsu and
Mummu who were bound.
- .........................
....................
.............................quickly thou
shalt oppose
- ........................
.....................
.............................that we
ourselves may rest.
- ........................
.................
.................................the fury of
the lords...
- ...........................
..............
.................................avenge
them!
- ........................
....................
..............................to the
storm....
- .......................
.....................
..............................the word of
the bright god,
- ..........................
...................
.............................what thou
givest, we shall indeed do@
- ..............................
..............
..............................the gods
in.....
- ..............................
................
............................the gods [she]
created.
- They separated
themselves, to the side of Tiamat they came;
- They raged, they
planned, they rested not night or day.
- They prepared for
battle, fuming, raging;
- Their assemblage was
formed and they began war.
- Mother Khubur, who
formed all things,
- Man unrivaled weapons,
spawned great serpents,
- Sharp of tooth,
unsparing of fang;
- With poison instead of
blood their bodies she filled.
- Fierce dragons with
terror she clothed,
- Luster she made
abundant, to loftiness made them eual.
- Whoever beheld them,
terror overcame him;
- Their bodies they reared
up without turning their breast.
- She established vipers,
serpents, and Lakhami,
- Hurricanes, raging
hounds, scorpion-men,
- Mighty storms, fish-men,
and rams
- They bore merciless
weapons, fearless of battle.
- Her behests were mighty;
without rival were they.
- Moreover eleven such as
these she created.
- Among the gods, her
firstborn, who at her side gathered,
- She exalted Kingu, made
him great in her midst,
- To march before the
forces, to lead the host,
- To raise the conquering
weapon, to lead the attack,
- To direct the battle, as
commander-in-chief;
- To him she entrusted it,
made him sit in purple.
- "Thy spell I have
uttered; in the assembly of the gods I have
made thee great.
- The sovereignty of all
the gods, I have placed in thy hand.
- Surely thou art exated,
my only spouse!
- May they magnify thy
name over all the Annunaki (spirits of the
earth)
- She gave him the tablets
of destiny, on his brest she laid them:
- Thy command shall be
unalterable, established, thy word."
- Now Kingu was exalted,
he received the highest rank,
- Among the gods, his
sons, he fixed fate:
- "The opening of your
mouth shall quench the fire-god;
- Who is exalted in
excellence, let him increase in might."
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