1 The Lord on High opened His mouth,

2 And unto Gaga, His minister, spake the word:

3 "O Gaga, minister that rejoicest My spirit,

4 "Unto Lahmu and Lahamu will I send thee.

5 "...thou canst attain,

6 "...thou shalt cause to be brought before thee.

7 "Let the angels, all of them,

8 "Make ready for a feast, at a banquet let them sit,

9 "Let them eat bread, let them take their refreshment,

10 "That for the champion, their avenger, they may decree the matter.

11 "Go, Gaga, stand before them,

12 "And all that I tell thee, repeat unto them, and say:

13 "'The Lord on High, your Master, hath sent me,

14 "'The purpose of His heart He hath made known unto me.

15 "'He saith that Tiamat, who was with us in the beginning, hath conceived a hatred for us,

16 "'With all her force she rageth, full of wrath.

17 "'Some of the hosts have turned to her,

18 "'With those whom ye created, they go at her side.

19 "'They are banded together, and at the side of Tiamat they advance;

20 "'They are furious, they devise mischief without resting night and day.

21 "'They prepare for battle, fuming and raging;

22 "'They have joined their forces and are making war.

23 "'Ummu-Hubur, who shaped the monsters,

24 "'Hath made in addition weapons invincible, she hath spawned monster-serpents,

25 "'Sharp of tooth and merciless of fang.

26 "'With poison instead of blood she hath filled their bodies.

27 "'Fierce monster-vipers she hath clothed with terror,

28 "'With splendour she hath decked them, she hath made them of lofty stature.

29 "'Whoever beholdeth them, terror overcometh him,

30 "'Their bodies rear up and none can withstand their attack.

31 "'She hath set up vipers, and dragons, and the monster Lahamu,

32 "'And hurricanes, and raging hounds, and scorpion-men,

33 "'And mighty tempests, and fish-men, and rams;

34 "'They bear merciless weapons, without fear of the fight.

35 "'Her commands are mighty, none can resist them;

36 "'After this fashion, huge of stature, hath she made eleven monsters.

37 "'Among the hosts who are her followers, inasmuch as he hath given her support,

38 "'She hath exalted Kingu; in their midst she hath raised him to power.

39 "'To march before the forces, to lead the host,

40 "'To give the battle-signal, to advance to the attack,

41 "'To direct the battle, to control the fight,

42 "'Unto him hath she entrusted; in costly raiment she hath made him sit, saying:

43 "'"I have uttered thy spell, in the assembly I have raised thee to power,

44 "'"The command over the host have I entrusted unto thee.

45 "'"Be thou exalted, thou my chosen commander,

46 "'"May they magnify thy name over all of them."

47 "'She hath given him authority that was not rightly his, on his breast she laid it, saying:

48 "'"Thy command shall not be without avail, and the word of thy mouth shall be established."

49 "'Now Kingu, thus exalted, having received the power of command,

50 "'Decreed the fate for his followers, saying:

51 "'"Let the opening of your mouth quench the Fire;

52 "'"Whoso is exalted in the battle, let him display his might!"

53 "'I sent one, but he could not withstand her;

54 "'He was afraid and turned back.

55 "'But the champion hath set out, the director of the angels, your servant;

56 "'To set out against Tiamat his heart hath prompted him.

57 "'He opened his mouth and spake unto me, saying:

58 "'"If I, your avenger,

59 "'"Conquer Tiamat and give you life,

60 "'"Appoint an assembly, and proclaim the decree concerning me.

61 "'"In the assembly seat yourselves joyfully together;

62 "'"With my word in place of yours will I carry out the decree.

63 "'"May whatsoever I do remain unaltered,

64 "'"May the word of my lips never be changed nor made of no avail."

65 "'Hasten, therefore, and swiftly decree for him the matter which you bestow,

66 "'That he may go and fight your strong enemy!'"

67 Gaga went, he took his way and

68 Humbly before Lahmu and Lahamu, the elders, his seniors,

69 He made obeisance, and he bowed himself before them with respect.

70 He humbled himself; then he stood up and spake unto them, saying:

71 "The Lord on High, your Master, hath sent me,

72 "The purpose of His heart He hath made known unto me.

73 "He saith that Tiamat, who was with us in the beginning, hath conceived a hatred for us,

74 "With all her force she rageth, full of wrath.

75 "Some of the hosts have turned to her,

76 "With those whom ye created, they go at her side.

77 "They are banded together, and at the side of Tiamat they advance;

78 "They are furious, they devise mischief without resting night and day.

79 "They prepare for battle, fuming and raging;

80 "They have joined their forces and are making war.

81 "Ummu-Hubur, who shaped the monsters,

82 "Hath made in addition weapons invincible, she hath spawned monster-serpents,

83 "Sharp of tooth and merciless of fang.

84 "With poison instead of blood she hath filled their bodies.

85 "Fierce monster-vipers she hath clothed with terror,

86 "With splendour she hath decked them, she hath made them of lofty stature.

87 "Whoever beholdeth them, terror overcometh him,

88 "Their bodies rear up and none can withstand their attack.

89 "She hath set up vipers, and dragons, and the monster Lahamu,

90 "And hurricanes, and raging hounds, and scorpion-men,

91 "And mighty tempests, and fish-men, and rams;

92 "They bear merciless weapons, without fear of the fight.

93 "Her commands are mighty, none can resist them;

94 "After this fashion, huge of stature, hath she made eleven monsters.

95 "Among the hosts who are her followers, inasmuch as he hath given her support,

96 "She hath exalted Kingu; in their midst she hath raised him to power.

97 "To march before the forces, to lead the host,

98 "To give the battle-signal, to advance to the attack,

99 "To direct the battle, to control the fight,

100 "Unto him hath she entrusted; in costly raiment she hath made him sit, saying:

101 "'I have uttered thy spell, in the assembly I have raised thee to power,

102 "'The command over the host have I entrusted unto thee.

103 "'Be thou exalted, thou my chosen commander,

104 "'May they magnify thy name over all of them.'

105 "She hath given him authority that was not rightly his, on his breast she laid it, saying:

106 "'Thy command shall not be without avail, and the word of thy mouth shall be established.'

107 "Now Kingu, thus exalted, having received the power of command,

108 "Decreed the fate for his followers, saying:

109 "'Let the opening of your mouth quench the Fire;

110 "'Whoso is exalted in the battle, let him display his might!'

111 "I sent one, but he could not withstand her;

112 "He was afraid and turned back.

113 "But the champion hath set out, the director of the angels, your servant;

114 "To set out against Tiamat his heart hath prompted him.

115 "He opened his mouth and spake unto me, saying:

116 "'If I, your avenger,

117 "'Conquer Tiamat and give you life,

118 "'Appoint an assembly, and proclaim the decree concerning me.

119 "'In the assembly seat yourselves joyfully together;

120 "'With my word in place of yours will I carry out the decree.

121 "'May whatsoever I do remain unaltered,

122 "'May the word of my lips never be changed nor made of no avail.'

123 "Hasten, therefore, and swiftly decree for him the matter which you bestow,

124 "That he may go and fight your strong enemy!"

125 Lahmu and Lahamu heard and cried aloud,

126 All of the Igigi wailed bitterly, saying:

127 "What has been altered, that they should take such a course?

128 "We do not understand the deed of Tiamat!"

129 Then did they collect and go,

130 The great ones, all of them, who carry out the decrees.

131 They entered in before the Lord on High, and they filled the assembly;

132 They greeted one another in the assembly.

133 They made ready for the feast, at the banquet they sat;

134 They ate bread, they took their refreshment.

137 They were wholly at ease, their spirit was exalted;

138 Then for the champion, their avenger, did they decree the matter.