t.2.4.1.1.txt

XX entire land XX, XX struck, the palace was devastated. XX panic spread rapidly among the dwellings of the black-headed people. XX abandoned places XX in Sumer. XX the cities were destroyed in their entirety; the people were seized with panic. Evil came upon Urim and made the trustworthy shepherd pass away. It made Ur-Namma, the trustworthy shepherd, pass away; it made the trustworthy shepherd pass away.
Because An had altered his holy words completely, XX became empty, and because, deceitfully, Enlil had completely changed the fate he decreed, Ninmah began a lament in her XX. Enki shut (?) the great door of Eridug. Nudimmud withdrew into his bedchamber and lay down fasting. At his zenith, Nanna frowned at the XX words of An. Utu did not come forth in the sky, and the day was full of sorrow.
The mother, miserable because of her son, the mother of the king, holy Ninsumun, was crying: Oh my heart!. Because of the fate decreed for Ur-Namma, because it made the trustworthy shepherd pass away, she was weeping bitterly in the broad square, which is otherwise a place of entertainment. Sweet sleep did not come to the people whose happiness XX; they passed their time in lamentation over the trustworthy shepherd who had been snatched away.
As the early flood was filling the canals, their canal-inspector was already silenced (?); the mottled barley grown on the arable lands, the life of the land, was inundated. To the farmer, the fertile fields planted (?) by him yielded little. Enkimdu, the lord of levees and ditches, took away the levees and ditches from Urim.  As the intelligence and XX of the Land were lost, fine food became scarce. The plains did not grow lush grass any more, they grew the grass of mourning. The cows XX, their XX cattle-pen has been destroyed. The calves XX their cows bleated bitterly.
The wise shepherd XX does not give orders any more. XX in battle and combat. The king, the advocate of Sumer, the ornament of the assembly, Ur-Namma, the advocate of Sumer, the ornament of the assembly, the leader of Sumer, XX lies sick. His hands which used to grasp cannot grasp any more, he lies sick. His feet XX cannot step any more, he lies sick.  The trustworthy shepherd, king, the sword of Sumer, Ur-Namma, the king of the Land, was taken to the XX house. He was taken to Urim; the king of the Land was brought into the XX house. The proud one lay in his palace. Ur-Namma, he who was beloved by the troops, could not raise his neck any more. The wise one XX lay down; silence descended. As he, who was the vigour of the Land, had fallen, the Land became demolished like a mountain; like a cypress forest it was stripped, its appearance changed. As if he were a boxwood tree, they put axes against him in his joyous dwelling place. As if he were a sappy cedar tree, he was uprooted in the palace where he used to sleep (?). His spouse XX resting place; XX was covered by a storm; it embraced it like a wife her sweetheart (?). His appointed time had arrived, and he passed away in his prime.
His (?) pleasing sacrifices were no longer accepted; they were treated as dirty (?). The Anuna gods refused his gifts. An did not stand by an It is enough, and he could not complete his (?) days. Because of what Enlil ordered, there was no more rising up; his beloved men lost their wise one. Strangers turned into (?) XX. How iniquitously Ur-Namma was abandoned, like a broken jar! His XX with grandeur like (?) thick clouds (?). He does not XX any more, and he does not reach out for XX. XX Ur-Namma, alas, what is it to me? Ur-Namma, the son of Ninsumun, was brought to Arali, the pre-eminent place of the Land, in his prime. The soldiers accompanying the king shed tears: their boat i.e. Ur-Namma was sunk in a land as foreign to them as Dilmun. XX was cut. It was stripped of the oars, punting poles and rudder which it had. XX; its bolt was broken off. XX was put aside; it stood (?) in saltpetre. His donkeys were to be found with the king; they were buried with him. His donkeys were to be found with Ur-Namma; they were buried with him. As he crossed over the XX of the Land, the Land was deprived of its ornament. The journey to the nether world is a desolate route. Because of the king, the chariots were covered over, the roads were thrown into disorder, no one could go up and down on them. Because of Ur-Namma, the chariots were covered over, the roads were thrown into disorder, no one could go up and down on them.
He presented gifts to the seven chief porters of the nether world. As the famous kings who had died and the dead išib priests, lumah priests, and nindiŋir priestesses, all chosen by extispicy, announced the king's coming to the people, a tumult arose in the nether world. As they announced Ur-Namma's coming to the people, a tumult arose in the nether world. The king slaughtered numerous bulls and sheep, Ur-Namma seated the people at a huge banquet. The food of the nether world is bitter, the water of the nether world is brackish. The trustworthy shepherd knew well the rites of the nether world, so the king presented the offerings of the nether world, Ur-Namma presented the offerings of the nether world: as many faultless bulls, faultless kids, and fattened sheep as could be brought.
To Nergal, the Enlil of the nether world, in his palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a mace, a large bow with quiver and arrows, an artfully made barbed dagger, and a multicoloured leather bag for wearing at the hip.
To Gilgameš, the king of the nether world, in his palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a spear, a leather bag for a saddle-hook, a heavenly lion-headed imitum mace, a shield resting on the ground, a heroic weapon, and a battle-axe, an implement beloved of Ereškigala.
To Ereškigala, the mother of Ninazu, in her palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a XX which he filled with oil, a šaŋan bowl of perfect make, a heavy garment, a long-fleeced garment, a queenly pala robe, XX the divine powers of the nether world.
To Dumuzid, the beloved husband of Inana, in his palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a XX sheep, XX, mountain XX, a lordly golden sceptre, XX a shining hand.  1 ms. adds: He XX a gold and silver XX, a lapis-lazuli XX, and a XX pin to Dimpikug XX.
To Namtar, who decrees all the fates, in his palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered perfectly wrought jewellery, a golden ring cast (?) as a XX barge, pure cornelian stone fit to be worn on the breasts of the gods.
To Hušbisag, the wife of Namtar, in her palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a chest (?) with a lapis-lazuli handle, containing (?) everything that is essential in the underworld, a silver hair clasp adorned with lapis-lazuli, and a comb of womanly fashion.
To the valiant warrior Ninŋišzida, in his palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a chariot with XX wheels sparkling with gold, XX donkeys, thoroughbreds, XX donkeys with dappled thighs, XX, followed XX by a shepherd and a herdsman. To  Dimpimekug  1 ms. has instead: Dimpikug , who stands by his side, he gave a lapis-lazuli seal hanging from a pin, and a gold and silver toggle-pin with a bison's head.
To his spouse, Ninazimua, the august scribe, denizen of Arali, in her palace, the shepherd Ur-Namma offered a headdress with the august ear-pieces (?) of a sage, made of alabaster, a XX stylus, the hallmark of the scribe, a surveyor's gleaming line, and the measuring rod XX.
To XX, the great XX of the nether world, he gave
After the king had presented properly the offerings of the nether world, after Ur-Namma had presented properly the offerings of the nether world, the XX of the underworld, the XX, seated Ur-Namma on a great dais of the nether world and set up a dwelling place for him in the nether world. At the command of Ereškigala all the soldiers who had been killed by weapons and all the men who had been found guilty were given into the king's hands. Ur-Namma was XX, so with Gilgameš, his beloved brother, he will issue the judgments of the nether world and render the decisions of the nether world.
After seven days, 10 days had passed, lamenting for Sumer overwhelmed my king, lamenting for Sumer overwhelmed Ur-Namma. My king's heart was full of tears, he XX bitterly that he could not complete the wall of Urim; that he could no longer enjoy the new palace he had built; that he, the shepherd, could no longer XX his household (?); that he could no longer bring pleasure to his wife with his embrace; that he could not bring up his sons on his knees; that he would never see in their prime the beauty of their little sisters who had not yet grown up.
The trustworthy shepherd XX a heart-rending lament for himself: I, who have been treated like this, served the gods well, set up chapels for them. I have created evident abundance for the Anuna gods. I have laid treasures on their beds strewn with fresh herbs. Yet no god stood by me and soothed my heart. Because of them, anything that could have been a favourable portent for me was as far away from me as the heavens, the XX. What is my reward for my eagerness to serve during the days? My days have been finished for serving them sleeplessly during the night! Now, just as the rain pouring down from heaven cannot turn back, alas, nor can I turn back to brick-built Urim.
Alas, my wife has become a widow (?)! She spends the days in tears and bitter laments. My strength has ebbed away XX. The hand of the fate demon XX bitterly me, the hero. Like a wild bull XX, I cannot XX. Like a mighty bull, XX. Like an offshoot XX. Like an ass XX, I died. XX my XX wife XX. She spends the days in tears and bitter laments. Her kind protective god has left her; her kind protective goddess does not care for her any more. Ninsumun no longer rests her august arm firmly on her head. Nanna, Lord Ašimbabbar, no longer leads (?) her by the hand. Enki, the lord of Eridug, does not XX. Her XX has been silenced (?), she can no longer answer. She is cast adrift like a boat in a raging storm; the mooring pole has not been strong enough for her. Like a wild ass lured (?) into a perilous pit she has been treated heavy-handedly. Like a lion fallen into a pitfall, a guard has been set up for her. Like a dog kept in a cage, she is silenced. Utu XX does not pay heed to the cries Oh my king overwhelming her.
My tigi, adab, flute and zamzam songs have been turned into laments because of me. The instruments of the house of music have been propped against the wall. Because I have been made to XX in a soil-filled pit instead of my throne whose beauty was endless; because I have been made to lie down in the open, desolate steppe instead of my bed, the sleeping place whose XX was endless, alas, my wife and my children are in tears and wailing. My people whom I used to command (?) sing like lamentation and dirge singers because of her (?). While I was so treated, foremost Inana, the warlike lady, was not present at my verdict. Enlil had sent her as a messenger to all the foreign lands concerning very important matters.
When she had turned her gaze away from there, Inana humbly entered the shining E-kur, she XX at Enlil's fierce brow. (Then Enlil said:) Great lady of the E-ana, once someone has bowed down, he cannot XX (?) any more; the trustworthy shepherd left E-ana, you cannot see him any more. My lady XX among the people  XX  1 ms. has instead: like XX . Then Inana, the fierce storm, the eldest child of Suen, XX, made the heavens tremble, made the earth shake. Inana destroyed cattle-pens, devastated sheepfolds, saying: I want to hurl insults at An, the king of the gods: Who can change the matter, if Enlil elevates someone? Who can change the import of the august words uttered by An, the king? If there are divine ordinances imposed on the Land, but they are not observed, there will be no abundance at the gods's place of sunrise. My holy ŋipar, the shrine E-ana, has been barred up  like (?) a mountain  some mss. have instead: like the heavens . If only my shepherd could enter before me in it in his prime --  I will not enter it otherwise!  some mss. have instead: Why should I enter it otherwise?  If only my strong one could grow for me like greenery in the desert. If only he could hold steady for me like a river boat at its calm mooring. This is how Inana  gave vent (?) to a lament over him  1 ms. has instead: XX Ur-Namma XX
Lord Ninŋišzida XX. Ur-Namma, my XX who was killed,  Among tears and laments, XX decreed a fate for Ur-Namma: Ur-Namma XX, your august name will be called upon. From the south to the uplands, XX the holy sceptre. Sumer XX to your palace. The people will admire XX the canals which you have dug, the XX which you have XX, the large and grand arable tracts which you have XX, the reedbeds which you have drained, the wide barley fields which you XX, and the fortresses and settlements which you have XX. Ur-Namma, they will call upon XX your name. Lord Nunamnir, surpassing XX, will drive away the evil spirits XX
After shepherd Ur-Namma XX, Nanna, Lord Ašimbabbar, XX, Enki, the king of Eridug XX.  XX devastated sheepfolds XX  the other ms. has instead: XX the foremost, the flood XX .  XX holy XX, lion born on high  the other ms. has instead: XX basket (?) XX . XX your city; renders just judgments. XX, Lord Ninŋišzida be praised! My king XX among tears and laments; XX among tears and laments.