Adapa and the food of life

This was taken from the excellent Gateways to Babylon. They, in turn got it from
R.W. Rogers (1912), Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament. The Summary is
theirs. Please report errors to me (link at end of page). -Alan Humm
[Summary: Adapa, or perhaps Adamu, son of Ea, had recieved from his father, the
god Ea, wisdom, but not eternal life. He was a semi-divine being and was the wise
man and priest of the temple of Ea at Eridu, which he provided with the ritual
bread and water. In the exercise of this duty he carried on fishing upon the Persian
Gulf. When Adapa was fishing one day on a smooth sea, the south wind rose
suddenly and overturned his boat, so that the was thrown into the sea. Angered by
the mishap, he broke the wings of the south wind so that for seven days it could
not blow the sea's coolness over the hot land. Anu calls Adapa to account for this
misdeed, and his father Ea warns him as to what should befall him. He tells him
how to fool Tammuz and Gishzida, who will meet him at the gate of heaven. Ea
cautions him not to eat or drink anything in heaven, as Ea fears that the food and
drink of death will be set before Adapa. However, the food and drink of eternal life
are set before him instead, and Adapa's over-caution deprives him of immortality.
He has to return to Earth intead.]
TABLET NO.1
He possessed intelligence [...],
His command like the command of Anu [...
He (Ea) granted him a wide ear to reveal the destiny of the land,
He granted him wisdom, but he did not grant him eternal life.
In those davs, in those years the wise man of Eridu,
Ea had created him as chief among men,
A wise man whose command none should oppose,
The prudent, the most wise among the Anunnaki was he,
Blameless, of clean hands, anointed, observer of the divine
statutes,
With the bakers he made bread
With the bakers of Eridu, he made bread,
The food and the water for Eridu he made daily,
With his clean hands he prepared the table,
And without him the table was not cleared.
The ship he steered, fishing and hunting for Eridu he did.
Then Adapa of Eridu
While Ea, ... in the chamber, upon the bed.
Daily the closing of Eridu he attended to.
Upon the pure dam, the new moon dam) he embarked upon the
ship,
The wind blew and his ship departed, With the oar, be steered his
ship Upon the broad sea [...
{remainder of tablet broken off}
TABLET NO. 2
[.................]
The south wind [.... when
He had driven me to the house of my lord, I said,
O South wind, on the way I shall to thee [...] everything that,
Thy wing, will I break." As be spoke with his mouth,
The wing of the South wind was broken, seven davs
The South wind blew not upon the land. Anu
Called to his messenger Ilabrat:
Why has the South wind not blown upon the land for seven davs?
His messenger Ilabrat answered him: "My lord,
Adapa, the son of Ea, the wing of the South wind
Has broken."
When Anu heard these words
He cried, Help!" He ascended his throne,
"Let some one bring him,"
Likewise Ea, who knows the heaven. He roused him

...] he caused him to wear. With a mourning garment

He garbed him, and gave him counsel

TABLET NO. 1
Ele possua Inteligncia [...],
Seu comando como o comando de Anu [...
Ele (Ea) concedeu-lhe uma orelha grande para revelar o destino
da terra,
Ele concedeu-lhe sabedoria, mas ele no lhe concedeu a vida
eterna.
Naqueles davs, naqueles anos o homem sbio de Eridu,
Ea tinha criado ele como chefe entre os homens,
Um sbio homem cujo comando nenhum deve opor-se,
O prudente, o mais sbio entre os Anunnaki era ele,
Sem culpa, de mos limpas, ungidas, observador dos estatutos
divinos,
Com os padeiros ele fez po
Com os padeiros de Eridu, ele fez po,
A comida e a gua para Eridu ele fez diariamente,
Com as mos limpas, ele preparou a mesa,
E sem ele a tabela no foi autorizada.
O navio que ele dirigiu, pescar e caar para Eridu ele fez.
Ento Adapa de Eridu
Enquanto a Ea,... na cmara, em cima da cama.
Diariamente o fechamento de Eridu ele participou.
Sobre a barragem pura, a barragem de lua nova) ele embarcou
no navio,
O vento soprou e o navio partido, com o remo, ser dirigido seu
navio em cima do mar amplo [...
{restante do tablet quebrado}
TABLET N. 2
[.................]
O vento do Sul [... quando
Ele tinha me conduzido casa de meu senhor, eu disse,
Vento O Sul, o caminho que apresentarei a ti [...] tudo isso,
Tua asa, vai eu quebrar." Como ser falou com a boca,
A asa do vento do Sul foi quebrado, sete davs
O vento de Sul no sobre a terra. Anu
Ligou para seu mensageiro de Ilabrat:

Por que tem o vento do Sul no foi descoberto na terra por sete
dias?
Seu mensageiro Ilabrat respondeu-lhe: "meu senhor,
Adapa, o filho de Ea, a asa do vento do Sul
Est quebrado."
Quando Anu ouviu estas palavras
Ele chorou, ajuda!" Ele ascendeu seu trono,
"Deixe algum traz-lo"
Da mesma forma Ea, quem sabe o cu. Ele despertou-o
...] Ele o levou a usar. Com uma roupa de luto
Ele vestida com ele e deu-lhe um advogado

Saying: " Adapa, before the face of Anu the King thou art to go
...] to heaven
When thou comest up, and when thou approachest the door of
Anu,
At the door of Anu, Tammuz and Gishzida are standing,
"they will see thee, they will ask thee; 'Sir,'
For whose sake dost thou so appear, Adapa? For whom
Art thou clad in a mourning garment?' 'In our country two gods
have vanished, therefore
Am I so.' 'Who are the two gods, who in the land
Have vanished?' 'Tammuz and Gishzida.' They will look at one
another and
Be astonished. Good words
They will speak to Anu. A good countenance of Anu
They will show thee. When thou standest before Anu
Food of death they will set before thee,
Eat not. Water of death they will set before thee,
Drink not. Garments they will set before thee,
Put them on. Oil they will set before thee, anoint thyself.
The counsel that I have given thee, forget not. The words
Which I have spoken, hold fast." The messenger
Of Anu came: "Adapa has broken
The wing of the South wind. Bring him before me."
The road to Heaven he made him take, and to Heaven he
ascended.
When he came to Heaven, when he approached the door of Anu,
At the door of Ann, Tammuz and Gisbzida are standing.
When they saw him, Adapa, they cried: " Help,
Sir, for whom dost thou so appear? Adapa,
For whom art thou clad in a mourning garment?"
In the country two gods have vanished; therefore am I clad
In mourning garments." "Who are the two gods, who
have vanished from the land?"
"Tammuz and Gishzida." They looked at one another and
Were astonished. When Adapa before Anu, the King,
Drew near, and Anu saw him, he cried:
" Come hither, Adapa. Why hast thou broken the wings
Of the South wind? " Adapa answered Ann: " My lord,
For the house of my lord in the midst of the sea,
I was catching fish. The sea was like a mirror,
The South wind blew, and capsized me.
To the house of my lord was I driven. In the anger of my heart,
I took heed." Tammuz and Gishzida
Answered ... "art thou." To Anu
They speak. He calmed himself, his heart was [...
"Why has Ea revealed to impure mankind
The heart of heaven and earth? A heart
...] has created within him, has made him a name?
What can we do with him? Food of life
Bring him, that be man, eat."Food of life
They brought him, but he ate not. Water of life
They brought him, but he drank not. Garments
They brought him. He clothed himself. Oil
They brought him. He anointed himself.
Anu looked at him; he wondered at him.
" Come, Adapa, why hast thou not eaten, not drunken?
Now thou shalt not live." [...] men [...] Ea, my lord
Said: "Eat not, drink not."
Take him and bring him back to his earth.
...] looked upon him.
{remainder of tablet broken off}
TABLET NO. 3
"When heard that
In the anger of his heart
His messenger he sent.
He who knows the heart of the great gods
[............]
To King Ea to come,
To him, he caused words to be borne.

...] to him, to King Ea.

He sent a messenger
With a wide ear, knowing the heart of the great gods,
...] of the heavens be fixed.
A soiled garment he made him wear,
With a mourning garment he clad him,
A word he spoke to him.
"Adapa, before the King Anu thou shalt go
Fail not the order, keep my word
When thou comest up to heaven, and approachest the door of
Anu,
Tammuz and Gishzida at the door of Anu are standing.
{remainder of tablet broken off}

Dizendo: "Adapa, perante a face de Anu, o rei que vs estais a ir

...] para o cu
Quando tu vens a, e quando tu approachest a porta de Anu,
Na porta de Anu, Tammuz e Gishzida esto em p,
' eles vo te ver, eles vo pedir-te; 'Senhor,'
Por cuja causa thou ento aparecem, Adapa? Para quem
Art thou vestida com uma roupa de luto?' ' No nosso pas dois
deuses desapareceram, portanto,
Eu sou assim.' ' Quem so os dois deuses, que na terra
Desapareceram?' 'Tammuz e Gishzida. Eles vo olhar para um
outro e
Ficar admirado. Boas palavras
Eles falaro de Anu. Um bom semblante de Anu
Eles vo mostrar-te. Quando te encontras antes Anu
Comida da morte que eles iro definir diante de ti,
Coma no. gua da morte que eles iro definir diante de ti,
Beba no. Peas de vesturio que iro definir diante de ti,
Coloc-los. leo eles iro definir diante de ti, ungi-te a mesmo.
O Conselho que eu te dei, no esquea. As palavras
Que eu tenho falado, segurem firme." O Mensageiro
De veio de Anu: "Adapa est quebrado
A asa do vento do Sul. Traz-lo antes de mim."
A estrada para o cu ele fez levar, e para o cu Ele ascendeu.
Quando ele veio para o cu, quando ele se aproximou da porta
de Anu,
Na porta de Ann, Tammuz e Gisbzida esto em p.
Quando eles o viram, Adapa, gritaram: "ajudar,
Senhor, para quem dost thou ento aparecem? Adapa,
Para quem sois vs folheado em um vesturio de luto?"
No pas dois deuses desapareceram; Portanto, eu sou folheado
Com vestes de luto." "Quem so os dois deuses, que
ter desaparecido da terra?"
"Tammuz e Gishzida." Eles olharam um para o outro e
Ficaram surpresos. Quando Adapa antes de Anu, o rei,
Drew perto e Anu o viu, gritou:
"Venha c, Adapa. Porque tu tens as asas quebradas
Do vento do Sul? "Adapa respondeu Ann:" meu senhor,
Para a casa de meu senhor no meio do mar,
Eu estava pegando peixe. O mar era como um espelho,
O vento do Sul soprou e virou-me.
A casa de meu senhor foi conduzido. Na fria do meu corao,
Eu tomei cuidado." Tammuz e Gishzida
Respondi... "sois vs". A Anu
Eles falam. Ele acalmou-se, seu corao foi [...
"Por que Ea revelou humanidade impura
O corao do cu e da terra? Um corao
...] criou-se dentro dele, ele fez um nome?
O que podemos fazer com ele? Alimento da vida
Traga-o, que ser homem, comer. "Alimento da vida
Eles trouxeram-no, mas ele no comeu. gua da vida
Eles trouxeram-no, mas ele no bebia. Vesturios
Eles o trouxeram. Ele vestiu-se. leo
Eles o trouxeram. Ele ungiu a mesmo.
Anu olhado para ele; Ele se perguntava para ele.
"Venha, Adapa, por que tu no comeste, no bbado?
Agora no vivers." [...] homens [...] Ea, meu senhor
Disse: "comer no, beber no."
Lev-lo e traz-lo de volta sua terra.
...] olhou para ele.
{restante do tablet quebrado}
TABLET N. 3
"Quando ouvi isso
A raiva do seu corao
Seu mensageiro que ele enviou.
Aquele que conhece o corao dos grandes deuses
[............]

Para o rei Ea para vir,

Para ele, ele causou palavras a suportar.
...] para ele, para o rei Ea.
Ele enviou um mensageiro
Com uma orelha grande, sabendo que o corao dos grandes
deuses,
...] dos cus ser fixo.
Uma pea de roupa suja que ele fez o desgaste,
Com uma roupa de luto ele folheados-lo,
Uma palavra que ele falou com ele.

"Adapa, antes o Anu rei thou shalt ir

Falhar no a ordem, manter a minha
Quando tu vens ao cu e approachest a porta de Anu,
Tammuz e Gishzida na porta de Anu esto em p.
{restante do tablet quebrado}

Sometime beween 1912, when Rogers published the preceeding three tablets and 1969 when Pritchard edited his
monumental ANET, a fourth tablet apparently turned up somewhere which appears below in E.A. Speiser's translation,
included in that collection.
TABLET NO. 4
...] he [...
[Oil] he commanded for him, and he an[ointed himself],
[A ga]rment he commanded for him, and he was clothed.
Anu laughed aloud at the doing of Ea, [saying]:
"Of the gods of heaven and earth, as many as there are,
Who[ever] gave such a command,
so as to make his own command exceed the dommand of Anu?
As Adapa from the horizon of heaven to the zenith of heaven
Cast a glance, he saw its awesomenss.
[Th]en Anu imposed on Adapa [...];
For [the city] of Ea he decreed release,
His [pri]esthood to glofify in the future he [decreed] as destiny.
[...]...as for Adapa, the human offspring,
[Who...], lord-like, broke the south wind's wing,
Went up to heavenand so forth
[...] what ill he has brought upon mankind,
[And] the disease that he brought upon the bodies of men,
These Ninkarrak will allay.
[Let] malady be lifted, let disease turn aside
[Upon] this [...] let horror fall,
Let him [in] sweet sleep not lie down,
[...]... joy of human heart(s).
{remainder of tablet broken off}
TABLET NO. 4
...] Ele [...
[Petrleo] comandou por ele e ele um [ointed prprio],
[Uma ga] rment comandou por ele, e ele estava vestido.
Anu riu em voz alta do fazer de Ea, [dizendo]:
"Dos deuses do cu e da terra, como h,
[J], quem deu tal comando
a fim de fazer o seu prprio comando exceder o dommand de Anu?
Como Adapa do horizonte do cu para o Znite do cu
Lanar um olhar, ele viu seu awesomenss.
Pt [Th] Anu impostas Adapa [...];
Para [cidade] da Ea ele decretou a libertao,
Seu [pri] esthood para glofify no futuro ele [decretou] como
destino.
[...]... como para Adapa, a prole humana,
[Quem...], como Senhor, quebrou a asa do vento do Sul,
Subiu ao cu e assim por diante
[...] o mal que ele trouxe para a humanidade,
[E] a doena que ele trouxe sobre os corpos dos homens,
Estes Ninkarrak ir dissipar.
[Deixe] doena ser levantada, deixe a doena virar de lado
[Esta queda de horror deixar [...], sobre]
Decepcion-lo [em] doce sono no de mentira,
[...]... alegria da heart(s) humana.
{restante do tablet quebrado}