1. Anshar opened his mouth and said,
2. [To Gaga] his [messenger] a word he spoke:
3. "[O Gaga, thou messen]ger, thou rejoicest my heart.
4. [To Lakhmu and Lakh]amu will I send thee;
5. [The desire of my heart] mayest thou attain,
6. .................................bring before me.
7. [May there come] the gods, all of them,
8. [Let them prepare for converse], at banquets let them sing,
9. [Bread may they eat], wine may they prepare,
10. [For Marduk[, their [avenger], let them decree the fate.
11. [Go, Ga]ga , before them stand,
12. [And all that] I tell thee repeat unto them
13. Anshar], your son, hath sent me,
14. [The purpose of his heart he] hath disclosed to me,
15. Saying]: Tiamat, who bore us, hates us,
16. An assemblage is appointed, angrily she rages,
17. Turned to her are the gods, all of them,
18. With those whom ye created, they march at her side,
19. They are rebellious, at Tiamat's side they come.
20. They rage, they plot, they rest not day nor night,
21. They prepare for battle, fuming and raging,
22. An assembly is made, they start a revolt.
23. Mother Khubur, who formed all thing,
24. Has made weapons without rival, has spawned monster-serpents,
25. Sharp of tooth, unsparing of fange,
26. With poison like blood their bodies she has filled;
27. Fierce dragons with terror she has clothed,
28. Luster has made abundant, to loftiness made equal.
29. whoever beholds them, terror overcomes him.
30. Their bodies they raise up without turning their breasts.
31. She has established vipers, serpents, Lakhami,
32. Hurricanes, raging hounds, scorpion men,
33. Might storms, fish-men, and rams;
34. They bear merciless weapons, fearless of battle,
35. Her behests are mighty, without rival are they.
36. Moreover eleven such as these she has created.
37. Among the gods, her firstborn, who are gathered at her side,
38. She has exalted Kingu, made him great in their midst,
39. To march before the forces, to lead the host,
40. To raise the conquering weapons, to lead the attack,
41. To direct the battle as commander-in-chief;
42. To him she has entrusted it, made him sit in purple, [saying,]
43. 'Thy spell I have uttered, in the assembly of gods I have made thee great.
44. the sovereignty of all the gods I have placed in thy hand,
45. Surely thou art exalted, O my spouse!
46. May they magnify thy name over all the Anunnki.'
47. She has given him the tablets of destiny, on his breast has laid the, [saying.]
48. 'Thy command shall be unalterable, established be thy word.'
49. Now Kingu has been exalted, has received highest rank,
50. Among the gods, her sons, he fixes fate, [saying]:
51. 'The opening of your mouth shall quench the fire-god.
52. Whose is excellence, let him increase in might.'
53. I sent Anu; he had no power before her,
54. Nudimmud feared and turned back,
55. Marduk has set forth, the leader of the gods, your son.
56. As a foe of Tiamat his heart prompts him to go.
57. He opened his mouth and spake to me, [saying]/
58. 'If I accomplish your preservation,
59. Take Tiamat captive, and save your lives,
60. Appoint an assembly, make my fate strong, let it come in.
61. In Upshukkunaku seat yourselves joyfully together,
62. The word of my mouth shall determine fate instead of you.
63. Let there not be changed whatever I create,
64. May there not be altered or opposed the command of my lips.'
65. Hasten, therefore, and quickly decree your fate.
66. There he may go and fight your strong enemy."
67. Then Gaga went, his way he pursued,
68. To the place of Lakhmu and Lakhamu, the gods, his fathers;
69. He kissed the ground at their feet,
70. He bowed himself; he stood up, he addressed them [saying];
71. "Anshar, your son, hath sent me,
72. The purpose of his heart he has disclosed to me
73. Saying: Tiamat, who bore us, hates us;
74. An assemblage is appointed, angrily she rages,
75. Turned to her are the gods, all of them,
76. With those whom you created, they march at her side,
77. They are rebellious, at Tiamat's side they come.
78. They rage, they plot, they rest not day nor night,
79. They prepare for battle, fuming and raging,
80. An assembly is made, they start a revolt,
81. Mother Khubur, who formed all things,
82. Has made weapons without rival, has spawned monster-serpents,
83. Sharp of tooth, unsparing of fang,
84. With poison like blood their bodies she has filled;
85. Fierce dragoon with terror she has clothed;
86. Luster has been made abundant, so loftiness made equal.
87. Whoever beholds them, terror overcomes him.
88. Their bodies they raise up without turning their breasts.
89. She has established vipers, serpents, Lakhami,
90. Hurricanes, raging hounds, scorpion-men,
91. Mighty storms, fish-men, rams;
92. They bear merciless weapons, fearless of battle.
93. Her behests are mighty, without rival are they.
94. Moreover eleven such as these she has created.
95. Among the gods, her firstborn, who are gathered at her side,
96. She has exalted Kingu, made him great in their midst,
97. to march before the forces, to lead the host,
98. To raise the conquering weapon, to lead the attack,
99. To direct the battle as commander-in-chief;
100. To him she has entrusted it, made him sit in purple, [saying];
101. 'Thy spell I have uttered, in the assembly of the gods I have made thee great;
102. The sovereignty of all the gods I have placed in thy hand
103. Surely thou art exalted, O my spouse!
104. May they magnify thy name over all the Anunnaki.'
105. She has given him the tablets of destiny, on his breast has laid them, [saying]:
106. 'Thy command shall be unalterable, established he thy word.'
107. Now Kingu has been exalted, has received highest rank,
108. Among the gods, her sons, he fixes fate, [saying:]
109. 'The opening of your mouth shall quench the fire-god,
110. Whose is exalted in excellence, let him increase in might.'
111. I sent Anu, he had no power before her,
112. Nudimmud feared and turned back,
113. Marduk has set forth, the leader of the gods, your son
114. As a foe of Tiamat his heart prompts him to go.
115. He opened his mouth and spake to me, [saying:]
116. 'If I accomplish your preservation,
117. Take Tiamat captive and save your lives,
118. Appoint an assembly, make my fate strong, let it come in.
119. In Upshukkunaku seat yourselves joyfully together,
120. The word of my mouth shall determine fate instead of you,
121. Let there not be changed whatever I create,
122. May there not be altered or opposed the command of my lips.'
123. Hasten, therefore, and quickly decree your fate,
124. That he may go and fight your strong enemy."
125. Lakhmu and Lakhamu heard, they cried aloud;
126. The Igigi, all of them, wailed bitterly, [saying]
127. "What has changed that they should desire to take us (?)
128. We do not understand what Tiamat has done."
129. Then they themselves together, they went,
130. The great gods, all of them, who decrees fate,
131. They entered in before Anshar, they filled, [Upshukkunaku].
132. Brother kissed brother in the assembly....
133. They prepared for converse, sat down to the banquet,
134. Bread they ate; wine they prepared.
135. The sweet drink confused their minds,
136. Drunk were they with drink, their bodies were filled,
137. They became very unsteady, their hearts were exalted,
138. For Marduk, their deliverer, they decreed fate.