Obverse

1 The holy house, the house of worship, in the holy place had not yet been made;

2 No reed had sprung up, no tree had been created.

3 No brick had been laid, no building had been set up;

4 No house had been erected, no city had been built;

5 No city had been made, no creature had been created.

6 Nippur had not been made, E-kur had not been built;

7 Erech had not been created, E-ana had not been built;

8 The Deep had not been created, Eridu had not been built;

9 Of the holy house, the house of worship, the habitation had not been made.

10 All lands were sea.

11 At that time there was a movement in the sea;

12 Then was Eridu made, and E-sagil was built,

13 E-sagil, in the midst of the Deep.

14 The city of Babylon was built, and E-sagil was finished.

15 The angels He created at one time;

16 The holy city, the dwelling of their hearts' desire, they proclaimed supreme.

17 God laid a reed upon the face of the waters,

18 He formed dust and poured it out beside the reed.

19 That He might cause the angels to dwell in the habitation of their hearts' desire,

20 He formed mankind.

22 The beasts of the field and living creatures in the field He formed.

23 He created the Tigris and the Euphrates, and He set them in their place;

24 Their names He declared in goodly fashion.

25 The grass, the rush of the marsh, the reed, and the forest He created,

26 The green herb of the field He created,

27 The lands, the marshes, and the swamps;

28 The wild cow and her young, the wild calf; the ewe and her young, the lamb of the fold;

29 Plantations and forests;

30 The he-goat and the mountain-goat ...

31 God laid in a dam by the side of the sea,

32 He ... a swamp, He made a marsh,

33 ... He brought into existence.

34 Reeds He formed, trees He created;

35 ... He made in their place.

37 Bricks He laid, buildings He set up;

38 Houses He made, cities He built;

39 Cities He made, creatures He created.

40 Nippur He made, E-kur He built;

41 Erech He made, E-ana He built.

Reverse

3 Thy exalted minister is Papsukal, the wise counsellor of the angels.

5 May the angels, servants of God, purify thee with the pure censer,

7 And cleanse thee with cleansing water!

8 With a cup of pure water from the Deep shalt thou purify thy way!

10 By the word of God, the Lord of the hosts of heaven and earth,

11 May the abundance of the land enter into thee,

12 And may thy decree be accomplished for ever!

13 O E-zida, thou glorious dwelling, thou art dear unto the hearts of those who revere God!

15 May it shine like the heavens, may it be bright like the earth, may it be glorious like the heart of heaven,

16 And may ... be firmly established!