First Tablet

1 When the heavens above were yet unnamed,

2 And the name of the earth beneath had not been recorded,

3 The deep, the oldest of things,

4 And the chaos of the waters, which bore each and all of them--

5 Their waters were merged into a single mass.

6 A field had not been measured, a marsh had not been searched out,

7 When of the created powers none was shining,

8 A name had not been recorded, a fate had not been fixed,

9 God brought the angels into being in the midst of them.

10 The angels were made to shine, they were named.

11 Together they increased in stature, they grew tall.

12 Other hosts came into being, and others besides them.

13 Long were the days, the years increased.

14 The ranks of the angels were created, one after another.

15 God made them each according to His will.

16 And God fashioned the one endowed with understanding.

17 He was first among his brethren,

18 Endowed with understanding, he who thinketh deeply, the orator,

19 Exceedingly mighty in strength.

20 Unrivalled amongst the angels his brethren ...

21 The company of the angels was established.

22 The deep was troubled, and ... their guardian.

23 Its belly was stirred up to its uttermost depths.

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

25 The watery abyss could not diminish their brawl.

26 And the chaos gathered itself together ...

27 It struck a blow, and their works ...

28 Their way was not good,...

29 At that time the rebel of the deep, who was set against the great angels,

30 Shouted out and summoned his steward, saying

31 "O my steward, who makest my liver to rejoice,

32 "Come, to the chaos we will go."

33 They went, they lay down facing the chaos.

34 They took counsel together about the angels.

35 The rebel took up his word and said,

36 To the chaos he made mention of a matter, saying,

37 "... their way ...

38 "By day I find no peace, by night I have no rest.

39 "Verily I will make an end of their way, I will sweep them away,

40 "There shall be a sound of lamentation; lo, then we shall rest."

41 The chaos, on hearing this,

42 Was stirred up to wrath and shrieked.

43 ... unto sickness. She raged all alone,

44 She uttered a curse, and unto the rebel she spoke, saying,

45 "Whatsoever we have made we will destroy.

46 "Verily their way shall be filled with disaster; lo, then we shall rest."

47 The steward answered and gave counsel unto the rebel,

48 The counsel of the steward was dire in respect of the angels:

49 "Come, destroy their way which is strong.

50 "Then verily by day thou shalt find peace, and by night thou shalt have rest."

51 The rebel heard him, his face grew bright,

52 For they were planning evil against the angels, the servants of God.

53 ...

54 ...

55 They planned the cursing in the assembly,

56 They repeated the curses to the host of the rebels.

57 The angels made answer ...

58 They began a lamentation ...

59 Endowed with understanding, the prudent one, the exalted one,

60 He who pondereth everything that is, searched out their plan.

61 He brought it to nought, he made the form of everything to stand still.

62 He made a prayer, very powerful and holy, and sought help from God.

109 They formed a band, and went forth to battle to help the chaos.

110 They were exceedingly wroth, they made plots by day and by night without ceasing.

111 They offered battle, fuming and raging.

112 They set the battle in array, they uttered cries of hostility.

113 The mother of the deep, who is only a created thing,

114 Set up the unrivalled weapon, she spawned huge serpents,

115 Sharp of tooth, pitiless in attack,

116 She filled their bodies with venom instead of blood,

117 Grim, monstrous serpents, arrayed in terror,

118 She decked them with brightness, she fashioned them in exalted forms,

119 So that fright and horror might overcome him that looked upon them,

120 So that their bodies might rear up, and no man resist their attack.

121 She set up the Viper, and the Snake, and the rebel host,

122 The Whirlwind, the ravening Dog, the Scorpion-man,

123 The mighty Storm-wind, the Fish-man, the horned Beast.

124 They carried the weapon which spared not, nor flinched from the battle.

125 Most mighty were the decrees of the chaos, they could not be resisted by those who had no help from God.

126 Thus she caused eleven monsters of this kind to come into being.

127 Among the rebels, her first-born, who had collected her company,

128 That is to say, Kingu, she set on high, she made him the great one amongst them,

129 Leader of the hosts in battle, disposer of the troops,

130 Bearer of the firmly grasped weapon, attacker in the fight,

131 He who in the battle is the master of the weapon,

132 She appointed, she made him to sit down in goodly apparel.

133 Saying, "I have magnified thee in the assembly of the rebels.

134 "I have filled thy hand with the sovereignty of the whole company.

135 "Mayest thou be magnified, thou who art my chosen one.

136 "May the host make great thy renown over all of them."

137 She gave him authority that was not his, she fastened it on his breast, saying,

138 "As for thee, thy command shall not fall empty, whatsoever goeth forth from thy mouth shall be established."

139 When Kingu was raised on high and had usurped the heavens,

140 He fixed decrees for his host,

141 "Open your mouths, let the Light be quenched,

142 "He who is glorious in battle and is most mighty shall do great deeds."

Second Tablet

1 The chaos made solid that which she had moulded.

2 She bound her host with evil bonds.

3 The chaos wrought wickedness to avenge the rebel of the deep.

4 When ... had harnessed his chariot he went to meet the one who is wise,

5 He hearkened to his story,

6 He was sorely afflicted and abode in sorrow,

7 The days were long, his wrath died down.

8 He went his way to the dwelling of the chief of the angels,

9 He went into the presence of the one whom God had set over the host,

10 Whatsoever the chaos had devised he repeated unto him,

11 "The mother of the deep hath sown these things.

12 "She hath set in order her assembly, she rageth furiously,

13 "All the rebels have joined themselves to her.

14 "They march by her side together with those whom ye have created.

15 "They formed a band and went forth to battle to help the chaos,

16 "They were exceedingly wroth, they made plots by day and by night without ceasing,

17 "They offered battle, fuming and raging,

18 "They set the battle in array, they uttered cries of defiance.

19 "The mother of the deep, who is only a created thing,

20 "Set up the unrivalled weapon, she spawned huge serpents

21 "Sharp of tooth, pitiless in attack,

22 "She filled their bodies with venom instead of blood,

23 "Grim, monstrous serpents arrayed in terror.

24 "She decked them with brightness, she fashioned them in exalted forms,