Enuma Elish Tablet I

1. When above the heand had not (yet) been named,

2. (And) below the earth had not (yet) been called by a name;
3. (When) Apsu primeval, their begetter,
. !ummu, (and) "iamat, she who gave birth to them all,
#. ($till) mingled their waters together,
%. And no pasture land had been &ormed (and) not (even) a reed marsh was to be seen;
'. When none o& the (other) gods had been brought into being,
(. (When) they had not (yet) been &i)ed,
*. (At that time) were the gods created within them.
1+. ,ahmu and ,ahamu camin into being; they were called by (their) names.
11. -ven be&ore they had grown up (and) become tall,
12. Anshar and .ishar were created; they surpassed them (in stature).
13. "hey lived many days, adding years (to days).
1. Anu was their heir presumptive, the rival o& his &athers;
1#. /ea, Anu, his &irst0born, e1ualed Anshar.
1%. And Anu begot 2udimmud, his li3eness.
1'. 2udimmud, the master o& his &athers was he;
1(. 4e was broad o& understanding, wise, mighty in strength,
1*. !uch stronger than his grand&ather, Anshar;
2+. 4e had no rival among the gods his brothers.
21. "he divine brothers gathered together.
22. "hey disturbed "iamat and assaulted(5) their 3eeper;
23. /ea, they disturbed the inner parts o& "iamat,
2. !oving (and) running about in the divine abode(5)
2#. Apsu could not diminish their clamor,
2%. And "iamat was silent in regard to their 6behavior7.
2'. /et, their doing was pain&ul 6to them7.
2(. "heir way was not good...
2*. "hen Apsu, the getter o& the great gods,
3+. 8alled !ummu, his vi9ier, and said to him:
31. ;!ummu, my vi9ier, who gladdenest my heart,
32. 8ome, let us 6go7 to "iamat<;
33. "hey went and reposed be&ore "iamat;
3. "hey too3 counsel about the matter concerning the gods, their &irst0born.
3#. Apsu opened his mouth
3%. And said to "iamat in a loud voice:
3'. ;"heir way has become pain&ul to me,
3(. =y day > cannot rest, by night > cannot sleep;
3*. > will destroy (them) and put an end to their way,
+. "hat silence be established, and then let us sleep<;
1. When "iamat heard this,
2. $he was wroth and cried out to her husband;
3. $he cried out and raged &uriously, she alone.
. $he pondered the evil in her heart (and said):
#. ;Why should we destroy that which we ourselves have wrought &orth5
%. "heir way is indeed very pain&ul, but let us ta3e it good0naturedly<;
'. !ummu spo3e up and counseled Apsu;
(. 6....7 and un&avorable was the advice o& his !ummu:
*. ;/es, my &ather, destroy (their) disorderly way;
#+. ("hen) verily thou shalt have rest by day (and) sleep by night<;
#1. When Apsu 6hear7d it, his &ace grew bright,
#2. =ecause o& the evil he planned against the gods his children.
#3. !ummu embraced 6his7 nec3,
#. $at down on his 3nee, and 3issed him.
##. Whatever they planned in their assembly
#%. Was communicated to the gods, their &irst0born.
#'. When the gods heard (it), they hasten(ed) about;
#(. "hey too3 to silence, they sat 1uietly.
#*. "he one o& supreme understanding, the s3il&ul (and) wise,
%+. -a, who understands everything, saw through their plan.
2(

%1. 4e made and established against it a magical circle &or all.
%2. 4e s3il&ully composed his overpowering, holy incantation.
%3. 4e recited it and thus caused (it) to be upon the water.
2*

%. 4e poured out sleep upon him, (so that) he slept soundly.
3+

%#. When he had put Apsu to sleep, (Apsu) being su&&used with sleep,
%%. !ummu, his advisor,
%'. 4e loosened his band (and) tore o&& 6his7 tiara;
%(. 4e carried o&& his splendor (and) put (it) on himsel&.
%*. When he had (thus) subdued Apsu, he slew him.
'+. !ummu he shut in (and) barred (the door) against him.
'1. ?n Apsu he established his dwelling place;
'2. !ummu he sei9ed &or himsel&, holding (him) by his nose0rope.
'3. A&ter -a had van1uished (and) subdued his enemies,
'. 4ad established his victory over his &oes,
'#. (And) had peace&ully rested in his abode,
'%. 4e named it Apsu and appointed (it) &or shrines.
''. >n his place he &ounded his chamber;
'(. ("here) -a (and) @am3ina, his wi&e, dwelt in splendor.
'*. >n the chamber o& &ates, the abode o& destinies,
(+. "he wisest o& the wise, the wisest o& the gods, the god was begotten.
(1. Within the Apsu !ardu3 was born;
(2. Within the holy Apsu 6!ardu37 was born.
(3. 4e who begot him was -a, his &ather;
(. @am3i6na7, his mother, was she who bore him.
(#. 4e suc3ed the breasts o& the goddesses.
(%. "he nurse that cared &or him &illed (him) with awe0inspiring maAesty.
('. -nticing was his &igure, &lashing the loo3 o& his eyes,
((. !anly was his going0&orth, a leader(5) &rom the beginning.
(*. When -6a7, his &ather that begot (him), saw him,
*+. 4e reAoiced, he beamed, his heart was &illed with Aoy.
*1. 4e distiguished(5) him and con6&erred upon him(5)7 dou6ble7 e1uality with the gods.
*2. ($o that) he was highly e)alted (and) surpassed them in everything.
*3. Art&ully arranged beyond conprehension where his members,
*. 2ot &it &or (human) understanding, hard to loo3 upon.
*#. Bour were his eyes, &our were his ears.
*%. When his lips moved, &ire bla9ed &orth.
*'. -ach o& (his) &our ears grew large,
*(. And li3ewise (his) eyes, to see everything.
**. 4e was e)alted among the gods, surpassing was 6his7 &orm;
1++. 4is members were gigantic, he was surpassing in height.
1+1. !ariyutu, !ariyutu:
1+2. $on o& the sun0god, the sun0god o& the go6ds7<
1+3. 4e was clothed with the rays o& ten gods, e)ceedingly power&ul was he;
1+. "he te6rror0inspiring ma7Aesty with its consuming brightness(5) rested upon him.
1+#. 6....7 the &our winds did Anu create,
1+%. "o restrain with his 6....7 the strong(est) o& the host.
1+'. 4e caused waves and disturbed "iamat.
1+(. @isturbed is "iamat, and day and night she (relentlessly) hastens about.
1+*. 6"he gods7 were not at rest, carrying on(5) li3e the storm(5);
11+. "hey planned evil in their heart(s).
111. "hey sadi to "iamat, their mother:
112. ;When they slew Apsu, thy spouse,
113. "hou didst not march at his side, but thou didst sit 1uielty.
11. 4e made .... &ear.
11#. @isturbed is thine interior, and we cannot rest.
11%. Cemember(5) Apsu, thy spouse,
11'. And !ummu, who were van1uished; thou dwellest alone.
11(. "hou art 6not a m6other7, rest6less7ly thou runnest about.
11*. 6....7 thou dost not love us (anymore).
12+. 6....7 ...., our eyes are heavy.
121. 6....7 without ceasing(5) let us sleep<
122. 6Do to batt7le(5) (and) re1uite them<
123. 6....7 and give (them) over to the storm<;
12. 6When7 "iamat 6heard it7, the word pleased her,
12#. 6And she said: ;....7 .... let us ma3e storm.
12%. 6....7 and the gods in the midst o& 6....7.
12'. 6.... let us7 ma3e war, against the gods let us 6....7<;
12(. "hey 6separated themselves(5)7 and went to the side o& "iamat;
12*. "hey 6were angry7, they plotted, not resisting day or 6night7;
13+. "hey 6too3 up7 the &ight, &uming (and) raging;
131. "hey held a meeting and planned the con&lict.
132. !other 4ubur, who &ashions all things,
133. Added (thereto) irresistible weapons, bearing monster serpents
13. 6$harp7 o& tooth (and) not sparing the &ang(5).
13#. 6With poison7 instead o& blood she &illed 6their7 bodies.
13%. Berocious 6dra7gons she cl6othed7 with terror,
13'. $he crowned (them) with &ear0inspiring glory (and) made (them) li3e gods,
13(. $o that he who would loo3 upon them should pe6rish7 &rom terror,
13*. $o that their bodies might leap &orward and none turn bac3 6their breasts7.
1+. $he set up the viper, the dragon and the lahamu,
11. "he great lion, the mad dog, and the scorpion0man,
12. @riving the storm demons, the dragon&ly, and the bis6on7,
13. =earing unsparing weapons, una&raid o& ba6ttle7.
1. Eower&ul were her decrees, irresistible were they.
1#. Altogether(5) eleven (3inds o& monsters) o& this sort she brought 6into being7.
1%. ?& those among the gods, her &irst0born, who &ormed her 6assembly7,
1'. $he e)alted .ingu; in their midst she made him great.
1(. "o march at the head o& the army, to direct the &or6ces7,
1*. "o raise the weapons &or the engagement, to launch the attac3,
1#+. "he high command o& the battle,
1#1. $he intrusted to his hand; she caused him to sit in the assembly, 6saying:7
1#2. ;> have cast a spell &or thee, > have made thee great in the assembly o& the gods.
1#3. "he dominion over all the gods > have given into thy hand.
1#. !ayest thou be highly e)alted, thou, my uni1ue spouse<
1##. !ay thy names become greater than (those o&) all the Anunna3i<;
1#%. $he gave him the tablet o& destinies, she &astened (it) upon his breast, (saying:)
1#'. ;As &or thee, thy command shall not be changed, 6the word o& thy mouth7 shall be
dependable<;
1#(. 2ow when .ingu had been e)alted (and) had received 6supreme dominion7,
1#*. 6"hey decreed7 the destinies to the gods, her sons, (saying:)
1%+. ;!ay the opening o& your mouths 61uiet7 the &ire0god<
1%1. !ay thy overpowering poison van1uish the (opposing) might<;
Catch Line
A&ter "iamat had made strong 6preparations7.
Colophon I
1. Birst tablet o& -numa elish; 6written7 li3e 6its7 original 6and collated7.
2. "he tablet o& 2abu0balatsu0i1bi, the son o& 2aid0!a6rdu37.
3. =y the hand o& 2abu0balatsu0i1bi, the son o& 2aid0!ardu3 ....
Colophon II
1. Birst tablet o& the -numa elish, a&ter the ta6blet ....7,
2. A copy &rom =abylon; written li3e its original 6and collated7.
3. "he tablet o& 2abu0musheti10umi, the son o& 6....7.
. 4e who &ears !ardu3 and $arapani6tu shall not ta3e it away illegitimately7
#. ?r withhold (it) &rom use 6....7.
%. "he month o& >yyar, the ninth day, the twenty0seventh year o& @6arius7.