Chapter II

Tablet 13930, Plates 16 and 17, Hymn to Sin

Obverse

1. _mà-gur(ḤAR) azag an-na še-ir-ma-al nì(IM)-te-na_ O shining ship of the heavens, majestic alone!

2. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ù-mu-un-e Šis-unu-^ki-ma_ O father Nannar, lord of Ur!

3. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ù-mu-un-e È(BIT)-ner-nu-gál(IG)_ O father Nannar, lord of E-gišširgal!

4. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ù-mu-un ^dimmer Áš-suḥ-ud_ O father Nannar, lord of Namra⋅it!

5. _ù-mu-un ^dimmer Šis-^ki ṭú-mu sag ^dingir En-lil-lá_ O lord Nannar, chief son of Bêl!

6. _síg(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne síg(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_ When thou art full, when thou art full,

7. _i-de(NE) a-a-zu i-de(NE) ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-ra še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ When before thy father, before Bêl thou art sovereign,

8. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne gaba zi(g)-ga-zu-ne_ O father Nannar, when thou art sovereign, when thou liftest up the breast,

9. _mà-gur(ḤAR) an-šàg(LIB)-ga síg(DIRIG)-ga še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ O ship in the midst of the heavens, when thou art full and sovereign,

10. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki za-e éš(AB) azag-šù(KU) pa(d)-a-zu-ne_ O father Nannar, thou, when thou speakest to the shining house,

11. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki mà-dim êgâ(A.MI.A) síg(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_ O father Nannar, when like a ship on the tide thou art full,

12. _síg(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne síg(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne za-e síg(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_ When thou art full, when thou art full, thou, when thou art full,

13. _síg(DIRlG)-ga-zu-ne bi-šag-a-zu-ne za-e síg(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_ When thou art full, when thou speakest favorably, thou when thou art full,

14. _bi-šag-a rù(UL)-ti-a-zu-ne za-e síg(DIRIG)-ga-zu-ne_ When thou speakest graciously and engenderest life, thou, when thou art full!

15. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki lid damal lid-ne-ra sal-dug(KA)-ga-zu-ne_ O father Nannar of extensive progeny, when thou speakest to that progeny,

16. _a-a-zu ide(ŠI) ḥùl-la mu-e-ši-in-maš sal-zi ma-ra ni-in-gú(KA)_ Thy father discerns the joyful face and speaks life to the land.

17. _e i-i lugal-ra û(d) (UD)-de(NE)-eš e mu-un-ê(UD.DU)_ As an exalted royal command, daily he causes the word to go forth!

18. _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-li mu-du-ru û-sud-du šú-za ma-ra ni-in-rù_(UL) Bel with the sceptre of distant days exalts thy hand over the land.

19. _Šis-unu-^ki-ma mà-gur(ḤAR) azag-ga pa(d)-a-zu-ne_ When in Ur, O shining ship, thou speakest,

20. .. _^dimmer Nu-dim-mud-e sal-dug(KA)-ga-zu-ne_ When to .. Ea thou speakest,

21. ............ _[pa(d)]-a-zu[-ne]_ When ..... thou speakest,

Reverse

22. .................... ....................

23. .............. _lal a im[-si]_ ............... with water is filled.

24. ............ _gi a im-si_ ............ with water is filled.

25. _ìd(A.ṬÚ) ....... e a im-si ^dimmer [Šis-^ki-kam]_ The river ...... is filled with water by Nannar.

26. _azag-gi ìd(A.ṬÚ) ud-kib-nun-na-ge(KIT) a im-si [^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam]_ The bright Euphrates is filled with water by Nannar.

27. _ìd(A.ṬÚ) nu e-bi láḥ-e a im-si ^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam_ The empty river is filled with water by Nannar.

28. _sug maḥ sug ban(TUR)-da a im-si ^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam_ The large marsh, the little marsh is filled with water by Nannar.

29. _ér(A.ŠI) lim(LIB)-ma ^dimmer En-zu_ Penitential Psalm to En-zu.

This beautiful and interesting hymn begins with a picturesque and lordly epithet of the god whose full face so often shone upon the worshipper night by night. His fatherly nature and his full-orbed glory are dwelt upon in adoring and glowing terms. The name of his city and temple are mentioned. His power to lighten the world is acknowledged. His peculiar relation of “son to Bêl” is announced. The phenomenon of his appearance in the heavens as the _full moon_ is described to us from several points of view. This is the famous Nannar, dwelling in the temple of E-gišširgal at the ancient city of Ur. The sacred ship, becoming a peculiar emblem in Babylonian worship, symbolized several important ideas connected with Nannar’s transit through the heavens by night or during the month. Perhaps Nannar was in the beginning a water-god. His power over the waters is graphically described.

Obverse

1. _mà-gur azag an-na še-ir-ma-al nì-te-na_ O shining ship of the heavens, majestic by thyself!

_mà-gur_ is a boat of crescent form. Sin is a man sitting in the half circle of the moon and sailing across the firmament of the heavens as in a majestic ship. _mà_: the sign MÙ was originally pictorial and represented the rudder of the ship. The sign of our tablet is New-Babylonian and can be found in the inscriptions of Nebuchadrezzar II. It is half way between the old pictorial and the usual Assyrian MÙ. _gur_: the sign ḤAR probably refers to the body of the ship as “an enclosure”, or more particularly to “the crescent form” of the ship, since ḤAR means “circular enclosure”. The ḤAR of our text is much like the linear form found in the _Stèle des Vautours_.

_azag_ equals _ellu_, “shining”, (Br. 9890). The sign also has the value _ku_ with the meaning _ellu_. _azag_, “shining”, refers to the moon and the moon looks like a ship.

_an-na_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 18).

_še-ir-ma-al nì-te-na_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 1). The ideas of these two words find their way into the first line of the Ašurbânipal Hymn to Sin, K. 2861, (IV R. 9). _še-ir-ma-al_ appears especially as _ner-gal_ (_š-n_ and _m-g_) and _nì-te-na_ as _aš-ni maḥ-àm_; _e-diš-ši-šu ⋅i-i-ru_.

2. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ù-mu-un-e Šis-unu-^ki-ma_ O father Nannar, lord of Ur!

_a-a_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 3).

_^dimmer Šis-^ki_ is the most common Sumerian name of the god Sin, and means “brother of the land”. Sin was probably looked upon as “the helper of earth”. _^dimmer_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 2). _Šis_ equals _aḥu_, “brother”, (Br. 6437). _ŠIŠ_ sometimes has the value _uru_, especially when it means _na⋅âru_, “keep”. The _ŠIŠ_ of our hymn is New-Babylonian but is not essentially different from the _ŠIŠ_ of Gudea. _ki_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 9).

_ù-mu-un-e_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 3).

_Šis-unu-^ki-ma_ means “of the brother’s dwelling place”. _Šis_ means “brother”. _unu_ equals _šubtu_, “dwelling”, (Br. 4792). _ma_, perhaps, can be taken as a sign of the genitive, being dialectic for _ga_, which is for _ge_, one of the values of KIT (see MSL. pp. XI and XVI). Perhaps we ought to read this word _Uru-um-^ki-ma_, taking the other value of ŠIŠ and also reading _um_ instead of _unu_. In texts of OBI. it would appear that UNU is closely related to UM as well as to AB.

3. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ù-mu-un-e È(BIT)-ner-nu-gál(IG)_ O father Nannar, lord of E-gišširgal!

_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ù-mu-un-e_ (see line 2).

_È-ner-nu-gál_ is not the usual spelling. The more common form is _È-giš-šir-gal_. Our _È(BIT)-ner(NER)-nu(NU)-gál(IG)_ which also occurs in Ḥammurabi (for example, in CḤ. Col. II, line 21, Plate II) is dialectic for _È(BIT)-giš(IZ)-šir(ŠIR)-gal(GAL)_. _È(BIT)-giš(IZ)-šir(ŠIR)-gal(GAL)_ is the spelling found in the Ašurbânipal Hymn. In the inscription of the Clay Cylinder of Nabonidus found at Ur (Col. I, line 30), the spelling is _È(BIT)-giš(IZ)-šir(ŠIR)-gal(GAL)_, but the margin has the spelling _È(BIT)-giš(IZ)-nu(NU)-gál(IG)_. _È_ equals _bîtu_, “house”, (Br. 6238). _ner_ evidently stands for _kiš_. These two values, _ner_ and _kiš_, were represented by the same sign in old Babylonian; namely, PIRIḲḲU. From the sign PIRIḲḲU, there developed in Assyrian another sign, whose chief value is _kiš_ with the meaning _kiššatu_. The sign here then should have the value _kiš_, or in old Babylonian _giš_, which is also one of the values of GISSU, a determinative before the name of a light. _nu_ is for _šir_ which equals _nûru_, “light”. IṢ.ŠIR is a common ideogram for “light”. The interchange of NU and SIRU is not so easy to explain. The fact that NU instead of SIRU occurs in the name of the temple in the time of Ḥammurabi would go to show that the spelling of the word with NU is more primitive than the spelling with SIRU. Perhaps NU has a value _šir_. Brünnow recognizes the fact that NU in the name of the temple sometimes takes the place of SIRU (see Br. 2005 and 1657). There is a difference between IḲU and GALLU. IḲU equals _bašû_, while GALLU equals _rabû_. The _gal_ (ES _mal_) of IḲU must be different from the _gal_ of GALLU.

4. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ù-mu-un ^dimmer Áš-suḥ-ud_ O father Nannar, lord of Namra⋅it!

_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki ù-mu-un_ (see line 2).

_^dimmer Áš-suḥ-ud_: one of the citations Brünnow gives, in which the name of this god occurs, is in Incantation K. 3255 (IV R.² 2, 21), where, in the Sumerian as well as in the marginal reading of the Assyrian, Sin is said to be the lord of the god Namra⋅it. _^dimmer En-zu-na en ^dimmer Áš-suḥ-ud ra-ge_ = _^ilu Sin be-el Nam-ra-⋅i-it_. _Áš-suḥ-ud_ means “the only foundation of light”. _Áš_ has a very common Assyrian equivalent _edu_, “one”. _suḥ_ equals _išdu_, “foundation”, (Br. 4811). _ud_ equals _urru_, “light”, (see Br. 7798).

5. _ù-mu-un ^dimmer Šis-^ki ṭú-mu sag ^dingir En-lil-lá_ O lord Nannar, chief son of Bêl!

_^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see line 2).

_ṭu-mu_: ṬU.MU is a syllabic and dialectic form of DUMU (Br. 4069 and 11917). When DUMU stands for _mâru_, “son”, it is supposed to have the value _du_ (Br. 4081). _ṭu-mu_ is no doubt for _dumu_ and _du_ is a shortened form of _dumu_. _ṭu_: the sign may be recognized as old Babylonian appearing in this form in the Code of Ḥammurabi (see also AL. p. 135, No. 328).

_sag_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 5). _ṭu-mu sag_ must be equal to some such expression as “first born son”, or “only begotten son”.

_^dingir En-lil-lá_: in line 7, we shall have _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-ra_ and in line 18, _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-li_. _^dingir_ may be preferred to _^dimmer_ because the sign is a determinative to an EK form. _En-lil-lá_ consists of the god’s name, _En-lil_ (see _Mu-ul-lil_ in Hymn to Bêl, line 2).

6. _síg-ga-zu-ne síg-ga-zu-ne_ When thou art full, when thou art full,

_síg-ga-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause equal to _ina malîka_, “in thy fulness”. _síg_: the sign to which this value is attached is composite. One element consists of SI whose chief meaning is “fill”. The other element consists of A which means “water”. SI.A then means “full of water”, or “fulness”. The sign, called DIRIGU, has two values ending with _g_; i. e., _dirig_ related to the sign-name and _síg_ which is quite certainly equal to _malû_ (Br. 3722). _ga_ is a phonetic complement (see Hymn to Bêl, line 4). _zu_ is a determinate suffix of the second person (see Hymn to Bêl, line 21). _ne_ is a postposition equal to _ina_ (see Br. 4602, also _de_ in Hymn to Bêl, line 6).

7. _i-de a-a-zu i-de ^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-ra še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ When before thy father, before Bêl thou art sovereign,

_i-de_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 6). _i-de_ is a preposition used as a noun in the construct state, having the meaning of _maḥru_ or _pânu_ and equal to _ina maḥar_ or _ina pân_.

_a-a-zu_ equals noun _a-a_, plus suffix _zu_. _a-a_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 3). _zu_ (see line 6).

_^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-ra_ equals god’s name _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil_, plus phonetic complement _ra_. _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 2). _ra_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 3). It might be better to regard _lil-ra_ as a shortened form of _lil-lá-ra_. _lil_ is quite apt to take the phonetic complement _lá_, a value of the sign LALLU, while _ra_ is naturally a postposition.

_še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause equal to “in thy sovereignty”. _še-ir-ma-al_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 1). _zu-ne_ (see line 6).

8. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne gaba zi-ga-zu-ne_ O father Nannar, when thou art sovereign, when thou liftest up thy breast,

_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see line 2).

_še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ (see line 7).

_gaba_ equals _irtu_, “breast”, (Br. 4470). We have had _gaba_ as an adjective equal to _pitû_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 6).

_zi-ga-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause meaning “in thy lifting up”. _zi_ equals _našû_, “lift up”, (Br. 2325). We have had _zi_ as equal to _kênu_, “right”, and _napištu_, “life”, (see Hymn to Bêl, lines 4 and 25). _ga_ is a phonetic complement. _zi_ might be _zig_ (see Br. 2303 and Hymn to Bêl, line 4). _zu-ne_ (see line 6). In _gaba zi-ga-zu-ne_, perhaps we have the picture of the full moon suddenly rising in the night from the horizon.

9. _mà-gur an-šàg-ga síg-ga še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ O ship in the midst of the heavens, when thou art full and sovereign,

_mà-gur_ (see line 1).

_an-šàg-ga_: ŠÂGU is usually taken as a preposition and stands before its object. Here it seems to follow its object, _an_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 18). _šàg-ga_ equals LIB plus GA. _šàg_: ŠÂGU, equal to _libbu_, may have either one of three values; viz., _šà_ when not followed by a phonetic complement, _šàg_ when followed by the phonetic complement _ga_ and _šàb_ when followed by the phonetic complement _ba_ (see Br. 7980 and Hymn to Bêl, line 22). _ga_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 4).

_síg-ga_ (see line 6).

_še-ir-ma-al-la-zu-ne_ (see line 7).

10. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki za-e éš azag-šù pa(d)-a-zu-ne_ O father Nannar, thou, when thou speakest to the shining house,

_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see line 2).

_za-e_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 16).

_éš_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 16). _éš_ is admittedly a Sumerian value as is shown by its relation to the sign-name ÊŠU. _éš_ is the fuller form of _è_(BIT). From _éš_ there has arisen a Semitic loan-word _ešu_, “house”.

_azag-šù_ means “to the shining”, _azag_ (see line 1). _šù_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 15).

_pa(d)-a-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause composed of a preposition with an infinitive that governs a suffix, as _ina tamîka_, “in thy speaking”, i. e., “when thou speakest”. _pad_ is a verb equal to _tamû_, “speak”. _pad_ also equals _zakâru_, “to name”. _pa_, the shortened form of _pad_, evidently intended here, is sometimes represented by the Assyrian _nabû_. _a_ is the vowel of prolongation indicating the _pa_, rather than the _pad_-value. _zu-ne_ (see line 6).

11. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki mà-dim êgâ síg-ga-zu-ne_ O father Nannar, when like a ship on the tide thou art full,

_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see line 2).

_mà-dim_ consists of noun _mà_ and postposition _dim_. _mà_ (see on line 1). _mà-gur_ refers to the moon, _mà_ refers to an ordinary ship. _dim_ is equal to _kîma_, “like”. The sign-name is DIMMU. _dim_ is ES. The EK form of the value is _gim_.

_êgâ_ is a contraction of _a_, _gè_ and _a_ from the signs A, MI and A, and means “tide”, or “high water”. _a_ means “water” and MI with the value _gè_ means “black”, and the second A is evidently phonetic only. _êgâ_, therefore, means “black water”, such water as is seen in a “flood” or “high tide”.

_síg-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 6).

12. _síg-ga-zu-ne síg-ga-zu-ne za-e síg-ga-zu-ne_ When thou art full, when thou art full, thou, when thou art full,

_síg-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 6).

_za-e_ (see line 10). It may be noticed that _síg-ga-zu-ne_ occurs three times in this line and ten times in the section, lines 6-18. This repetition no doubt serves for rhetorical effect, especially in oral delivery and, together with the marked uniformity of measure in the clauses, characterizes the passage as poetic.

13. _síg-ga-zu-ne bi-šag-a-zu-ne za-e síg-ga-zu-ne_ When thou art full, when thou speakest favorably, thou, when thou art full,

_síg-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 6).

_bi-šag-a-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause equal to “in thy speaking graciously”. _bi_ equals _ḳibû_, “speak”, (Br. 5124). Starting with the meaning “speak” the sign KŠU comes to have a demonstrative force and is generally used as a suffix of the third person singular. We shall also see that it sometimes equals _šikaru_ “strong drink”. _šag_: the sign giving this value is one not much used. It may be identified as GIŠIMMAR (see AL. p. 130, No. 206, also Br. 7286). _šag_ is the chief value, equal to _damâḳu_ or _damḳu_, “gracious”. _a_: the value is generally followed by the phonetic complement _ga_, but here it is followed by _a_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 9). _zu-ne_ (see line 6).

14. _bi-šag-a rù-ti-a-zu-ne za-e síg-ga-zu-ne_ When thou speakest graciously and engenderest life, thou, when thou art full,

_bi-šag-a_ (see line 13).

_rù-ti-a-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause equal to “in thy engendering life”. _rù_: we have had UL already as a composite part of _Mu-ul-lil_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 2). UL here probably with the value _rù_ equals _kalâlu_, “perfect”. The sign is intended to be the picture of a goring bull; then, as we get away from the primary idea, there arise the meanings of “exultation”, “perfection”, etc. Nannar is “the perfecter of life”. _ti_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 16). _a_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 9). _zu-ne_ (see line 6).

_za-e_ (see line 10).

_síg-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 6).

15. _a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki lid damal lid-ne-ra sal-dug-ga-zu-ne_ O father Nannar of extensive progeny, when thou speakest to that progeny,

_a-a ^dimmer Šis-^ki_ (see on line 2).

_lid_ may be of Semitic origin from the Assyrian word _littu_, “progeny”. The two horizontal lines in the sign suggest the idea of “pairing”, from which comes the idea of “progeny” (thus, Prince, MSL., p. 223).

_damal_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 10).

_lid-ne-ra_ equals “to that progeny”. _ne_ equals _annû_, a demonstrative pronoun “this”. _ne_ is cognate with _de_ which is also cognate with _da_ and _ta_ used as postpositions (see _de_ and _da_ in Hymn to Bêl, lines 6 and 4). _ra_ is a postposition = “unto” (see Hymn to Bêl, line 3).

_sal-dug-ga-zu-ne_ is a _ḥal_-clause: “in thy speaking”. _sal_ is a prefix of an abstract character. It is equivalent to the Assyrian _zinništu_, “feminine”. It is a counterpart to _ku_ in the expressions _Eme-sal_ and _Eme-ku_, _ku_ being equal to _bêlu_, “lord”. As a prefix, _sal_ generalizes the root-idea of the stem to which it is attached and is consequently an abstract prefix (see Br. 10930, 10949 and 10955). _dug-ga_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 4). _zu-ne_ (see line 6).

16. _a-a-zu ide ḥùl-la mu-e-ši-in-maš sal-zi ma-ra ni-in-gú_ Thy father discerns the joyful face and speaks life to the land.

_a-a-zu_ (see on line 7).

_ide_ equals _pânu_, “face”, (Br. 9281). The sign IGÛ can be read either _ide_, which is ES, or _ige_, which is EK.

_ḥùl-la_ equals noun _ḥùl_, plus phonetic complement _la_. _ḥùl_ equals _ḥadû_, “joy” (Br. 10884). The sign giving this value is not to be confounded with another sign which also has the value _ḥul_ meaning “evil”, expressed by _limuttu_ (Br. 9503).

_mu-e-ši-in-maš_ is a verb consisting of verbal prefix _mu_, verbal infixes _e_ and _ši-in_ and root _maš_. _mu_ (see Hymn to Bêl, lines 1 and 18). _e_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 18). _ši-in_: an objective verbal infix naturally has its person determined by the object to which it refers. That object in this case seems to be _ide ḥùl-la_, “the joyful face” of the moon. _maš_: the sign has two names, BÂRU and MŠU, and two chief values related to these names, _bar_ and _maš_. _bar_ and _maš_ are cognate forms. _b_ changes to _m_ (MSL. p. X); _r_ changes to _š_ (MSL. p. XII). The sign has two chief meanings, “side” and “cut”. The meaning of “side” is represented by _bar_ (see MSL. p. 234), while the meaning of “cut”, from which we get the idea of “distinguish” is generally represented by the value _maš_ (Br. 1735).

_sal-zi_ consists of abstract prefix _sal_ and noun _zi_. _sal_ (see on line 15). _zi_ (see on line 8).

_ma-ra_ equals “unto the land”. _ma_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 8). _ra_ (see line 15).

_ni-in-gú_: _ni_ can be a verbal prefix and _in_ a verbal infix, or _ni-in_ can be a verbal infix with the verbal prefix omitted, _gú_ being the verbal root. _ni_, if taken as a prefix, naturally refers to _a-a-zu_. _ni_ may have a demonstrative force, equal to _šuatu_, like _ne_. _in_ as an infix refers to _ma-ra_. _gú_, a shortened form of _gug_, equal either _ḳìbû_, “speak”, or _apâlu_, “answer”. _gú_ and _gug_ have dialectic forms _du_ and _dug_, the _g_ changing to _d_ which ES prefers. The sign is apparently a modification of the sign SANGU (see AL. p. 121, No. 14, and p. 124, No. 87). The primary meaning was “opening” and the leading value is _ka_ equal to _pû_, “mouth”. The values _ka_ and _gú_ come from the sign-name KÂGU (see Hymn to Bêl, lines 1 and 4). With the value _ì_ the sign means “word”.

17. _e i-i lugal-ra û-de-eš e mu-un-ê_ As an exalted royal command, daily he causes the word to go forth!

_e_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 14).

_i-i_: _i_ is the chief value of GIṬṬÛ. The sign with its five parallel lines or wedges representing the five fingers of the hand is a symbol of power. From the idea of “power”, we get that of “exaltation” (see Hymn to Bêl, line 6).

_lugal-ra_ consists of stem _lugal_ and postposition _ra_ _lugal_: the sign is composite, the elements being GAL and LU which mean “great” and “man”. _lugal_ equals _šarru_ (Br. 4266). We shall have the element LU with the ES value _mulu_. _ra_ (see Hymn to Bêl, lines 3 and 8). We might expect _la_ here.

_û-de-eš_ consists of root _û_, phonetic complement _de_ and adverbial ending _eš_. _û_ equals _ûmu_, “day”, (Br. 7797), and is a shortened form of _ud_. _de_ is phonetic here. The more usual phonetic complement of _ud_ is _da_ (see Br. 7774). _eš_ (see Br. 10001). _eš_ as an adverbial ending is probably derived from the Semitic adverbial ending _-iš_ which is supposed to have grown out of the Assyrian suffix of the third person _šu_. Agglutinative languages do not often possess special adverbial endings.

_mu-un-ê_ consists of verbal prefix _mu-un_ and verbal root _ê_. _mu-un_ is phonetic for _mun_ which is simply a nasalized _mu_ (see MSL. p. XXVIII, and Hymn to Bêl, line 1). On _ê_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 15).

18. _^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-li mu-du-ru û-sud-du šú-za ma-ra ni-in-rù_ Bêl with the sceptre of distant days exalts thy hand over the land.

_^dimmer Mu-ul-lil-li_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 23).

_mu-du-ru_: there is a sign MUDRU (Br. 10776) which may be related to PA. We may infer a relation between MUDRU and PA, because the two signs have a common value _sig_. We know also that MU.DU.RU sometimes stands for PA (Br. 1275). Now if MU.DU.RU can stand for PA it must have some meaning in common with PA. The most usual meaning of PA is _ḥaṭṭu_, “sceptre”, which gives good sense here. _mu_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 1). _du_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 15).

_û-sud-du_ consists of noun _û_, adjective _sud_, and phonetic complement _du_. _û_ (see line 17). _sud_ equals _rûḳu_, “distant” (Br. 7603). _du_ (see _gin_, line 23), phonetic complement here.

_šú-za_ equals noun _šú_ and suffix _za_. _šú_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 25). _za_ is a suffix of the second person singular masculine (Br. 11722). We have had _za-e_ as being equal to “thou” (Hymn to Bêl, line 16). _zu_ we have found to be the more usual suffix of the second person (see on line 6). _za_ is dialectic for _zu_.

_ma-ra_ (see on line 16).

_ni-in-rù_ consists of prefix _ni_, infix _in_ and verbal root _rù_. _ni-in_ (see on line 16). _rù_ (see on line 14).

19. _Šis-unu-^ki-ma mà-gur azag-ga pa(d)-a-zu-ne_ When in Ur, O shining ship, thou speakest,

_Šis-unu-^ki-ma_ (see on line 2).

_mà-gur_ (see on line 1).

_azag-ga_ equals adjective _azag_, plus phonetic complement _ga_. _azag_ (see on line 1). _ga_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 4).

_pa(d)-a-zu-ne_ (see on line 10).

20. _... ^dimmer Nu-dim-mud-e sal-dug-ga-zu-ne_ When to ... Ea thou speakest,

_^dimmer Nu-dim-mud-e_: we have here a compound ideogram as a name of the god Ea. _^dimmer_ is determinative before the name of a god (see Hymn to Bêl, line 2). _Nu-dim-mud_ equals the Assyrian E-a (Br. 2016). The usual Sumerian ideogram is EN.KI. _e_ in _Nu-dim-mud-e_ a vowel of prolongation (see Hymn to Bêl, line 3).

_sal-dug-ga-zu-ne_ (see line 15).

21. _......... [pa(d)]-a-zu[-ne]_ When ..... thou speakest,

_pa(d)-a-zu-ne_ (see line 10).

Reverse

22. .............

23. _...... la a im[-si]_ ....... with water is filled

_a_ equals _mû_, “water” (Br. 11347). “Water” is a primary meaning of the sign ÂU, which at first consisted of two short perpendicular lines representing “falling water” (see Hymn to Bêl, line 3).

_im-si_ consists of indeterminate verbal prefix _im_ and verbal root _si_. _im_ (Br. p. 545). _si_ (Hymn to Bêl, line 22).

24. _........ gi a im-si_ ..... with water is filled.

_a im-si_ (see line 23).

25. _ìd ...... e a im-si ^dimmer [Šis-^ki-kam]_ The river .... is filled with water by Nannar.

_ìd_ equals _nâru_, “river”. Sometimes _ìd_ is shortened to _i_ (Br. 11647). The value _ìd_ comes from the union of two signs A “water” and ṬÚ (Br. 10217). Moreover, ṬÚ with the value _ṭú_ equals _apsû_, “sea”. The ṬÚ sign, explained more minutely, consists of ḤAL “run” inside of KIL “enclosure”. So ḤAL + KIL = running, “flowing within an enclosure”, hence = “sea”. While _ìd_ means primarily “water of the sea”, it is much used also as a determinative before names of rivers. We have the name of the Euphrates in the next line. Perhaps the name of the Tigris was given in some one of the lines. The common Sumerian ideogram for the name of the Tigris is _ḥal-ḥal_, an intensified form of _ḥal_, which means “running” or “rushing”. The Tigris is thus very appropriately called “the rushing river”. The Babylonian _Diglat_ in the hands of the Persians took the form _Tigra_.

26. _azag-gi ìd ud-kib-nun-na-ge a im-si [^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam]_ The bright Euphrates is filled with water by Nannar.

_azag-gi_ equals _ellu_, “shining” (Br. 9901). _azag_ (see line 19). _gi_ is a phonetic complement, chosen no doubt with a view to vowel harmony as regards the following _ìd_ (?). GI as an ideogram means “reed” (see Hymn to Bêl, line 24, _gín_).

_ìd_ _ud-kib-nun-na-ge_ means the river of Sippar. For _ìd_, see on line 25. _ud-kib-nun_ consists of _ud_ “sun” + _kib_ “flourish, generate”, and _nun_ “great”. The sign KIB suggests the idea “double” and hence, of course, “generate, beget” (MSL. p. 203). _Nun_, of course, = _rabû_ “great” (Br. 2628), while _na_ must be the phonetic complement and _ge_ the _nota genitivi_ as used in the next Hymn. The form _ud-kib-nun_ then seems to mean “the great (_nun_) generative force (_kib_) of the sun” (_ud_); a name applied to Sippar had been from time immemorial the seat of the worship of the sun-god Šamaš (RBA., pp. 69, 117). _Ìd-ud-kib-nun-na-ge_ then simply means “the river (_ìd_) of (_ge_) Sippar”, viz., the Euphrates, which was usually termed in Sumerian _Bura-nunu_ “the great stream” (MSL. p. 7, C).

_a im-si_ (see on line 23).

27. _ìd nu e-bi láḥ-e a im-si ^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam_ The empty river is filled with water by Nannar.

_ìd_ (see on line 25).

_nu_, regular Sumerian negative adverb, equal to the Assyrian _la_.

_e-bi_ equals noun _e_ and suffix _bi_. _e_ equals _mû_, “water” (Br. 5844). We have also had _e_ equal to _ḳabû_, “speech” (Hymn to Bêl, line 14). _bi_ is a suffix of the third person singular (see Br. 5135). _bi_ gets its demonstrative nature from the conception “speak” which seems to be the primary one in the old Babylonian linear hieroglyph.

_láḥ-e_ consists of root _láḥ_ and vocalic prolongation _e_. _láḥ_ equals _misû_ “wash” (Br. 6167). It is used of washing the hands and feet. It gets the idea “wash” from the idea “servant” who does the washing, but it may have meant “servant” before it meant “wash”. It often has the phonetic complement _ḥa_ or _ḥi_. Literally the clause read: “the river whose water washes not”.

_a im-si_ (see on line 23).

_^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam_ equals god-name _^dimmer Šis-^ki_ plus _kam_ = KAMMU without doubt (see CT. XV, Colophon of Tablet 29623, plate 12). _kam_ is a well recognized determinative used after ordinal numerals. It no doubt occupies this position as a genitive particle, but, as a genitive sign, it may be used after words other than numerals; and, in fact, is so used in Gudea. It is evidently a lengthened form of the postposition _ka_; being _ka_ plus _am_ (see SVA. p. 60).

28. _sug maḥ sug ban-da a im-si ^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam_ The great marsh, the little marsh is filled with water by Nannar.

The sign looks like MÀ but perhaps the copyist made a mistake. _maḥ_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 23).

_sug_ equals _⋅u⋅û_, “marsh”. The sign is the enclosure-sign KIL with the “water” sign ÂU within the “enclosure” sign.

_ban-da_: the signs are DUMU and DADDU. DUMU has several values, the chief of which are _dumu_, _tur_ and _ban_. _dumu_ equals _mâru_, “son”. We have met the value _dumu_ or its dialectic equivalent _ṭumu_, represented by ṬU and MU (see on line 5). _tur_ equals _⋅iḥru_, “small”, and is naturally followed by the phonetic complement _ra_. _lan-da_ also equals _⋅iḥru_ “little” (Br. 4133).

_a im-si_ (see on line 23).

_^dimmer Šis-^ki-kam_ (see line 27).

29. _êr lim-ma ^dimmer En-zu_ Penitential Psalm to Sin.

_êr-lim-ma_ (see Hymn to Bêl, line 27).

_^dimmer En-zu_ “lord of wisdom” is the other name by which Sin is known in Sumerian. We have had one name above; viz., _^dimmer Šis-^ki_. _^dimmer En-zu_ is no doubt in genitive relation to the preceding part of the line, although the _nota genitivi_ is lacking. In another hymn to Bêl (CT. XV, Tablet 29644, plate 12), the genitive relation is signified by the postposition _kam_. The words are: _êr-lim-ma ^dingir En-lil-lá-kam_.