Yale Tablet.

Transliteration.

(About ten lines missing.)

Col. I.

11.................. [ib]-ri(?)

12[mi-im-ma(?) šá(?)]-kú-tu wa(?)-ak-rum

13[am-mi-nim] ta-aḫ-ši-iḫ

14[an-ni]-a-am [e-pi]-šá-am

15...... mi-im[-ma šá-kú-tu(?)]ma-

16di-iš

17[am-mi]-nim [taḫ]-ši-iḫ

18[ur(?)]-ta-du-ú [a-na ki-i]š-tim

19ši-ip-ra-am it-[ta-šú]-ú i-na [nišê]

20it-ta-áš-šú-ú-ma

21i-pu-šú ru-ḫu-tam

22.................. uš-ta-di-nu

23............................. bu

24...............................

(About 17 lines missing.)

40.............. nam-........

41.................... u ib-[ri] .....

42.............. ú-na-i-du ......

43[zi-ik]-ra-am ú-[tí-ir]-ru

44[a-na] ḫa-ri-[im]-tim

45[i]-pu(?)-šú a-na sa-[ka]-pu-ti

Col. II.

(About eleven lines missing.)

57... šú(?)-mu(?) ...............

58ma-ḫi-ra-am [šá i-ši-šú]

59šú-uk-ni-šum-[ma] ...............

60la-al-la-ru-[tu] ..................

61um-mi d-[Giš mu-di-a-at ka-la-ma]

62i-na ma-[ḫar dŠamaš i-di-šá iš-ši]

63šá ú

64i-na- an(?)-[na am-mi-nim]

65ta-[aš-kun(?) a-na ma-ri-ia li-ib-bi la]

66ṣa-[li-la te-mid-su]

67.............................

(About four lines missing.)

72i-na [šá dEn-ki-dũ im-la-a] di-[im-tam]

73il-[pu-ut li]-ib-ba-šú-[ma]

74[zar-biš(?)] uš-ta-ni-[iḫ]

75[i-na šá dEn]-ki-dũ im-la-a di-im-tam

76[il-pu-ut] li-ib-ba-šú-ma

77[zar-biš(?)] uš-ta-ni-[iḫ]

78[dGiš ú-ta]-ab-bil pa-ni-šú

79[iz-za-kar-am] a-na dEn-ki-dũ

80[ib-ri am-mi-nim] i-na-ka

81[im-la-a di-im]-tam

82[il-pu-ut li-ib-bi]-ka

83[zar-biš tu-uš-ta]-ni-iḫ

84[dEn-ki-dũ pi-šú i-pu-šá]-am-ma

85iz-za-[kàr-am] a-na dGiš

86ta-ab-bi-a-tum ib-ri

87uš-ta-li-pa da-1da-ni-ia

88a-ḫa-a-a ir-ma-a-ma

89e-mu-ki i-ni-iš

90dGiš pi-šú i-pu-šá-am-ma

91iz-za-kàr-am a-na dEn-ki-dũ

(About four lines missing.)

Col. III.

96..... [a-di dḪu]-wa-wa da-pi-nu

97.................. ra-[am(?)-ma]

98................ [ú-ḫal]- li-ik

99[lu-ur-ra-du a-na ki-iš-ti šá] iserini

100............ lam(?) ḫal-bu

101............ [li]-li-is-su

102.............. lu(?)-up-ti-šú

103dEn-ki-dũ pi-šú i-pu-šá-am-ma

104iz-za-kàr-am a-na dGiš

105i-di-ma ib-ri i-na šadî(-i)

106i-nu-ma at-ta-la-ku it-ti bu-lim

107a-na ištên(-en) kas-gíd-ta-a-an nu-ma-at ki-iš-tum

108[e-di-iš(?)] ur-ra-du a-na libbi-šá

109d[Ḫu-wa]-wa ri-ig-ma-šú a-bu-bu

110pi-[šú] dBil-gi-ma

111na-pi-iš-šú mu-tum

112am-mi-nim ta-aḫ-ši-iḫ

113an-ni-a-am e-pi-šá-am

114ga-[ba]-al-la ma-ḫa-ar

115[šú]-pa-at dḪu-wa-wa

116(d)Giš pi-šú i-pu-šá-am-ma

117[iz-za-k]àr-am a-na dEn-ki-dũ

118....... su(?)-lu-li a-šá-ki2-šá

119............. [i-na ki-iš]-tim

120...............................

121ik(?) .........................

122a-na ..........................

123mu-šá-ab [dḪu-wa-wa] .......

124ḫa-aṣ-si-nu .................

125at-ta lu(?) .................

126a-na-ku lu-[ur-ra-du a-na ki-iš-tim]

127dEn-ki-dũ pi-šú i-pu-[šá-am-ma]

128iz-za-kàr-am a-na [dGiš]

129ki-i ni[il]-la-ak [iš-te-niš(?)]

130a-na ki-iš-ti [šá iṣerini]

131na-ṣi-ir-šá dGiš muḳ-[tab-lu]

132da-a-an la ṣa[-li-lu(?)]

133dḪu-wa-wa dpi-ir-[ḫu ša (?)]

134dAdad iš ..........

135šú-ú ..................

Col. IV.

136áš-šúm šú-ul-lu-m[u ki-iš-ti šáiṣerini]

137pu-ul-ḫi-a-tim 7 [šú(?) i-šim-šú dEnlil]

138dGiš pi-šú i-pu [šá-am-ma]

139iz-za-kàr-am a-na [dEn-ki-dũ]

140ma-an-nu ib-ri e-lu-ú šá-[ru-ba(?)]

141i-ṭib-ma it-ti dŠamaš da-ri-iš ú-[me-šú]

142a-we-lu-tum ba-ba-nu ú-tam-mu-šá-[ma]

143mi-im-ma šá i-te-ni-pu-šú šá-ru-ba

144at-ta an-na-nu-um-ma ta-dar mu-tam

145ul iš-šú da-na-nu ḳar-ra-du-ti-ka

146lu-ul-li-ik-ma i-na pa-ni-ka

147pi-ka li-iš-si-a-am ṭi-ḫi-e ta-du-ur

148šum-ma am-ta-ḳu-ut šú-mi lu-uš-zi-iz

149dGiš mi3-it-ti dḪu-wa-wa da-pi-nim

150il(?)-ḳu-ut iš-tu

151i-wa-al-dam-ma tar-bi-a i-na šam-mu(?) Il(?)

152iš-ḫi-it-ka-ma la-bu ka-la-ma ti-di

153it- ku(?) ..... [il(?)]-pu-tu-(?) ma .....

154.............. ka-ma

155.............. ši pi-ti

156............ ki-ma re’i(?) na-gi-la sa-rak-ti

157.... [ta-šá-s]i-a-am tu-lim-mi-in li-ib-bi

158[ga-ti lu]-uš-ku-un-ma

159[lu-u-ri]-ba-am iṣerini

160[šú-ma sá]-ṭa-ru-ú a-na-ku lu-uš-ta-ak-na

161[pu-tu-ku(?)] ib-ri a-na ki-iš-ka-tim lu-mu-ḫa

162[be-le-e li-iš-]-pu-ku i-na maḫ-ri-ni

163[pu-tu]-ku a-na ki-iš-ka-ti-i i-mu-ḫu

164wa-áš-bu uš-ta-da-nu um-mi-a-nu

165pa-ši iš-pu-ku ra-bu-tim

166ḫa-aṣ-si-ni 3 biltu-ta-a-an iš-tap-ku

167pa-aṭ-ri iš-pu-ku ra-bu-tim

168me-še-li-tum 2 biltu-ta-a-an

169ṣi-ip-ru 30 ma-na-ta-a-an šá a-ḫi-ši-na

170išid(?) pa-aṭ-ri 30 ma-na-ta-a-an ḫuraṣi

171[d]Giš ù [dEn-ki-]dũ 10 biltu-ta-a-an šá-ak-nu]

172.... ul-la . .[Uruk]ki 7 i-di-il-šú

173...... iš-me-ma um-ma-nu ib-bi-ra

174[uš-te-(?)]-mi-a i-na sûḳi šá Urukki ri-bi-tim

175...... [u-še(?)]-ṣa-šú dGis

176[ina sûḳi šá(?) Urukki] ri-bi-tim

177[dEn-ki-dũ(?) ú]-šá-ab i-na maḫ-ri-šú

178..... [ki-a-am(?) i-ga]-ab-bi

179[........ Urukki ri]-bi-tim

180 [ma-ḫa-ar-šú]

Col. V.

181dGiš šá i-ga-ab-bu-ú lu-mu-ur

182šá šú-um-šú it-ta-nam-ma-la ma-ta-tum

183lu-uk-šú-su-ma i-na ki-iš-ti iṣerini

184ki-ma da-an-nu pi-ir-ḫu-um šá Urukki

185lu-ši-eš-mi ma-tam

186ga-ti lu-uš-ku-un-ma lu-uk-[šú]4-su-ma iṣerini

187šú-ma šá-ṭa-ru-ú a-na-ku lu-uš-tak-nam

188ši-bu-tum šá Urukki ri-bi-tim

189zi-ik-ra ú-ti-ir-ru a-na dGiš

190ṣi-iḫ-ri-ti-ma dGiš libbi-ka na-ši-ka

191mi-im-ma šá te-te-ni-pu-šú la ti-di

192ni-ši-im-me-ma dḪu-wa-wa šá-nu-ú bu-nu-šú

193ma-an-nu-um [uš-tam]-ḫa-ru ka-ak-ki-šú

194a-na ištên(-en) [kas-gíd-ta-a]-an nu-ma-at kišti

195ma-an-nu šá [ur-ra]-du a-na libbi-šá

196dḪu-wa-wa ri-ig-ma-šú a-bu-bu

197pi-šú dBil-gi-ma na-pi-su mu-tum

198am-mi-nim taḫ-ši-iḫ an-ni-a-am e-pi-šá

199ga-ba-al-la ma-ḫa-ar šú-pa-at dḪu-wa-wa

200iš-me-e-ma dGiš zi-ki-ir ma-li-[ki]-šú

201ip-pa-al-sa-am-ma i-ṣi-iḫ a-na ib-[ri-šú]

202i-na-an-na ib-[ri] ki-a-am [a-ga-ab-bi]

203a-pa-al-aḫ-šú-ma a-[al-la-ak a-na kišti]

204[lu]ul-[lik it-ti-ka a-na ki-iš-ti iṣerini(?)]

(About five lines missing.)

210........................ -ma

211li ............... -ka

212ilu-ka li(?) ..............-ka

213ḫarrana li-šá-[tir-ka a-na šú-ul-mi]

214a-na kar šá [Urukki ri-bi-tim]

215ka-mi-is-ma dGiš [ma-ḫa-ar dŠamaš(?)]

216a-wa-at i-ga-ab- [bu-šú-ma]

217a-al-la-ak dŠamaš katâ-[ka a-ṣa-bat]

218ul-la-nu lu-uš-li-ma na-pi-[iš-ti]

219te-ir-ra-an-ni a-na kar i-[na Urukki]

220ṣi-il-[la]m šú-ku-un [a-na ia-a-ši(?)]

221iš-si-ma dGiš ib-[ri.....]

222te-ir-ta-šú ..........

223is(?) ..............

224tam ................

225........................

226i-nu(?)-[ma] ..................

(About two lines missing.)

Col. VI.

229[a-na-ku] dGiš [i-ik]-ka-di ma-tum

230........... ḫarrana šá la al-[kam] ma-ti-ma

231.... a-ka-lu ..... la(?) i-di

232[ul-la-nu] lu-uš-li-[mu] a-na-ku

233[lu-ud-lul]-ka i-na [ḫ]u-ud li-ib-bi

234...... [šú]-ḳu-ut-[ti] la-li-ka

235[lu-še-šib(?)] - ka i-na kussêmeš

236....................... ú-nu-su

237[bêlêmeš(?)ú-ti-ir]-ru ra-bu-tum

238[ka-aš-tum] ù iš-pa-tum

239[i-na] ga-ti iš-ku-nu

240[il-]te-ki pa-ši

241....... -ri iš-pa-as-su

242..... [a-na] ili šá-ni-tam

243[it-ti pa(?)] - tar-[šú] i-na ši-ip-pi-šú

244........ i-ip-pu-šú a-la-kam

245[ša]-niš ú-ga-ra-bu dGiš

246[a-di ma]-ti tu-ut-te-ir a-na libbi Urukki

247[ši-bu]-tum i-ka-ra-bu-šú

248[a-na] ḫarrani i-ma-li-ku dGiš

249[la t]a-at-kal dGiš a-na e-[mu]-ḳi-ka

250[a-]ka-lu šú-wa-ra-ma ú-ṣur ra-ma-an-ka

251[li]-il-lik dEn-ki-dũ i-na pa-ni-ka

252[ur-ḫa]-am a-we-ir a-lik ḫarrana(-na)

253[a-di] šá kišti ni-ri-bi-tim

254[šá(?)] [d]Ḫu-wa-wa ka-li-šú-nu ši-ip-pi-iḫ(?)-šú

255[ša(?)a-lik] maḫ-ra tap-pa-a ú-šá-lim

256[ḫarrana](-na)-šú šú-wa-ra-[ma ú-ṣur ra-ma-na-ka]

257[li-šak-šid]-ka ir-[ni-ta]-ka dŠamaš

258[ta]-ak-bi-a-at pi-ka li-kal-li-ma i-na-ka

259li-ip-ti-ḳu pa-da-nam pi-ḫi-tam

260ḫarrana li-iš-ta-zi-ik a-na ki-ib-si-ka

261šá-di-a li-iš-ta-zi-ik a-na šêpi-ka

262mu-ši-it-ka aw-a-at ta-ḫa-du-ú

263li-ib-la-ma dLugal-ban-da li-iz-zi-iz-ka

264i-na ir-ni-ti-ka

265ki-ma ṣi-iḫ-ri ir-ni-ta-ka-ma luš-mida(-da)

266i-na na-ri šá dḪu-wa-wa šá tu-ṣa-ma-ru

267mi-zi ši-pi-ka

268i-na bat-ba-ti-ka ḫi-ri bu-ur-tam

269lu-ka-a-a-nu mê ellu i-na na-di-ka

270[ka-]su-tim me-e a-na dŠamaš ta-na-di

271[li-iš]ta-ḫa-sa-as dLugal-ban-da

272[dEn-ki-]dũ pi-su i-pu-šá-am-ma, iz-za-kàr a-na dGiš

273[is(?)]-tu(?) ta-áš-dan-nu e-pu-uš a-la-kam

274[la pa]la-aḫ libbi-ka ia-ti tu-uk-la-ni

275[šú-ku-]un i-di-a-am šú-pa-as-su

276[ḫarrana(?)]šá dḪu-wa-wa it-ta-la-ku

277.......... ki-bi-ma te-[ir]-šú-nu-ti

(Three lines missing.)

L.E.

281.............. nam-ma-la

282............... il-li-ku it-ti-ia

283............... ba-ku-nu-ši-im

284......... [ul]-la(?)-nu i-na ḫu-ud li-ib-bi

285[i-na še-me-e] an-ni-a ga-ba-šú

286e-diš ḫarrana(?) uš-te-[zi-ik]

287a-lik dGiš lu-[ul-lik a-na pa-ni-ka]

288li-lik il-ka ..........

289li-šá-ak-lim-[ka ḫarrana] ......

290dGiš ù[dEn-ki-dũ] .......

291mu-di-eš ..........

292bi-ri-[su-nu] ........

Translation.

(About ten lines missing.)

Col. I.

11.................. (my friend?)

12[Something] that is exceedingly difficult,

13[Why] dost thou desire

14[to do this?]

15.... something (?) that is very [difficult (?)],

16[Why dost thou] desire

17[to go down to the forest]?

18A message [they carried] among [men]

19They carried about.

20They made a ....

21.............. they brought

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

23..............................

(About 17 lines missing.)

40.............................

41................... my friend

42................ they raised .....

43answer [they returned.]

44[To] the woman

45They proceeded to the overthrowing

Col. II.

(About eleven lines missing.)

57.......... name(?) .............

58[The one who is] a rival [to him]

59subdue and ................

60Wailing ................

61The mother [of Gišh, who knows everything]

62Before [Shamash raised her hand]

63Who

64Now(?) [why]

65hast thou stirred up the heart for my son,

66[Restlessness imposed upon him (?)]

67............................

(About four lines missing.)

72The eyes [of Enkidu filled with tears].

73[He clutched] his heart;

74[Sadly(?)] he sighed.

75[The eyes of En]kidu filled with tears.

76[He clutched] his heart;

77[Sadly(?)] he sighed.

78The face [of Gišh was grieved].

79[He spoke] to Enkidu:

80[“My friend, why are] thy eyes

81[Filled with tears]?

82Thy [heart clutched]

83Dost thou sigh [sadly(?)]?”

84[Enkidu opened his mouth] and

85spoke to Gišh:

86“Attacks, my friend,

87have exhausted my strength(?).

88My arms are lame,

89my strength has become weak.”

90Gišh opened his mouth and

91spoke to Enkidu:

(About four lines missing.)

Col. III.

96..... [until] Ḫuwawa, [the terrible],

97........................

98............ [I destroyed].

99[I will go down to the] cedar forest,

100................... the jungle

101............... tambourine (?)

102................ I will open it.

103Enkidu opened his mouth and

104spoke to Gišh:

105“Know, my friend, in the mountain,

106when I moved about with the cattle

107to a distance of one double hour into the heart of the forest,

108[Alone?] I penetrated within it,

109[To] Ḫuwawa, whose roar is a flood,

110whose mouth is fire,

111whose breath is death.

112Why dost thou desire

113To do this?

114To advance towards

115the dwelling(?) of Ḫuwawa?”

116Gišh opened his mouth and

117[spoke to Enkidu:

118”... [the covering(?)] I will destroy.

119....[in the forest]

120....................

121....................

122To .................

123The dwelling [of Ḫuwawa]

124The axe ..........

125Thou ..........

126I will [go down to the forest].”

127Enkidu opened his mouth and

128spoke to [Gish:]

129“When [together(?)] we go down

130To the [cedar] forest,

131whose guardian, O warrior Gish,

132a power(?) without [rest(?)],

133Ḫuwawa, an offspring(?) of ....

134Adad ......................

135He ........................

Col. IV.

136To keep safe [the cedar forest],

137[Enlil has decreed for it] seven-fold terror.”

138Gish [opened] his mouth and

139spoke to [Enkidu]:

140“Whoever, my friend, overcomes (?) [terror(?)],

141it is well (for him) with Shamash for the length of [his days].

142Mankind will speak of it at the gates.

143Wherever terror is to be faced,

144Thou, forsooth, art in fear of death.

145Thy prowess lacks strength.

146I will go before thee.

147Though thy mouth calls to me; “thou art afraid to approach.”

148If I fall, I will establish my name.

149Gish, the corpse(?) of Ḫuwawa, the terrible one,

150has snatched (?) from the time that

151My offspring was born in ......

152The lion restrained (?) thee, all of which thou knowest.

153........................

154.............. thee and

155................ open (?)

156........ like a shepherd(?) .....

157[When thou callest to me], thou afflictest my heart.

158I am determined

159[to enter] the cedar forest.

160I will, indeed, establish my name.

161[The work(?)], my friend, to the artisans I will entrust.

162[Weapons(?)] let them mould before us.”

163[The work(?)] to the artisans they entrusted.

164A dwelling(?) they assigned to the workmen.

165Hatchets the masters moulded:

166Axes of 3 talents each they moulded.

167Lances the masters moulded;

168Blades(?) of 2 talents each,

169A spear of 30 mina each attached to them.

170The hilt of the lances of 30 mina in gold

171Gish and [Enki]du were equipped with 10 talents each

172.......... in Erech seven its ....

173....... the people heard and ....

174[proclaimed(?)] in the street of Erech of the plazas.

175..... Gis [brought him out(?)]

176[In the street (?)] of Erech of the plazas

177[Enkidu(?)] sat before him

178..... [thus] he spoke:

179”........ [of Erech] of the plazas

180............ [before him]

Col. V.