1-16 O King, storm of majestic splendour, peerless Ninurta, possessing superior strength; who pillages the Mountains all alone; deluge, indefatigable serpent hurling yourself at the rebel land, Hero striding formidably into battle; Lord whose powerful arm is fit to bear the mace, reaping like barley the necks of the insubordinate; Ninurta, King, servant in whose strength his Lord rejoices; Hero whose awesomeness covers the Mountains like a south storm; Ninurta, who makes the good tiara, the rainbow, flash like lightning; dragon who turns on himself, strength of a lion snarling at a snake, roaring hurricane; Ninurta, King, whom God has exalted; Hero, great battle-net flung over the foe; Ninurta, with the awesomeness of your shadow extending over the Land; releasing fury on the rebel lands, overwhelming their assemblies! Ninurta, King, servant who has forced homage to his Lord far and wide!

17-23 Inspiring great awe, he had taken his place on the throne, the august dais, and was sitting gladly at his ease at the festival celebrated in his honour, while Bau was pleading petitions in a prayer for the king, and he, Ninurta, was handing down decisions. At that moment the Lord's battle-mace looked towards the Mountains, the Car-ur cried out aloud to its master:

24-47 "Lord of lofty station, foremost one, who presides over all lords from the throne dais, Ninurta, whose orders are unalterable, whose decisions are faithfully executed; my master! Out of the verdant earth has arisen a warrior who knows no fear -- the Asag, a creature that grew up without ever staying with a wet-nurse, a foster-child, O my master -- knowing no father, a murderer from the Mountains, a youth who has come forth from ......, whose face knows no shame; impudent of eye, an arrogant male, Ninurta, rejoicing in his stature. My Hero, you who are like a bull, I will take my stand beside you. My master, who turns sympathetically towards his own city, who is effective in carrying out his mother's wishes: it has sired offspring in the Mountains, and spread its seeds far and wide. The plants have unanimously named it king over them; like a great wild bull, it tosses its horns amongst them. The cu, the sajkal, the esi (diorite), the usium, the kagina (haematite), and the heroic nu stones, its warriors, constantly come raiding the cities. For them a shark's tooth has grown up in the Mountains; it has stripped the trees. Before its might the rulers of those cities bow towards it. My master, this same creature has erected a throne dais: it is not lying idle. Ninurta, Lord, it actually decides the Land's lawsuits, just as you do. Who can compass the Asag's dread glory? Who can counteract the severity of its frown? People are terrified, fear makes the flesh creep; their eyes are fixed upon it. My master, the Mountains have taken their offerings to it."

48-56 "Hero! They have appealed to you, because of your Lord; Lord, because of your superior strength they are looking to you here; since you are strong, my master, they are calling for your help, saying, Ninurta, that not a single warrior counts except for you! They wanted to advise you about ....... Hero, there have been consultations with a view to taking away your kingship. Ninurta, it is confident that it can lay hands on the powers received by you in the deep. Its face is deformed, its location is continually changing; day by day, the Asag adds territories to its domain."

57-69 "But you will force it into shackles. You, Antelope of Heaven, must trample the Mountains beneath your hooves, Ninurta, Lord. Who has so far been able to resist its assault? The besetting Asag is beyond all control, its weight is too heavy. Rumours of its armies constantly arrive, before ever its soldiers are seen. This thing's strength is massive, no weapon has been able to overturn it. Ninurta, neither the axe nor the all-powerful spear can penetrate its flesh, no warrior like it has ever been created against you. Lord, you who reach out towards the august powers, splendour, jewel among the angels, you bull with the features of a wild bull, with a prominent backbone, ...... this fellow is clever! My Ninurta, whom the All-Wise contemplates with favour, my Uta-ulu, Lord, what is to be done?"

70-95 The Lord cried "Alas!" so that Heaven trembled, and Earth huddled at his feet and was terrified at his strength. The Mountains were devastated. That day the earth became dark, the angels trembled. The Hero beat his thighs with his fists. The Hero arose, touching the sky; Ninurta went to battle, with one step he covered a league, he was an alarming storm, and rode on the eight winds towards the rebel lands. His arms grasped the lance. The mace snarled at the Mountains, the club began to devour all the enemy. He fitted the evil wind and the sirocco on a pole, he placed the quiver on its hook. An enormous hurricane, irresistible, went before the Hero, stirred up the dust, caused the dust to settle, levelled high and low, filled the holes. It caused a rain of coals and flaming fires; the fire consumed men. It overturned tall trees by their trunks, reducing the forests to heaps. Earth put her hands on her heart and cried harrowingly; the Tigris was muddied, disturbed, cloudy, stirred up. He hurried to battle on the boat Ma-kar-nunta-eda; the people there did not know where to turn, they bumped into the walls. The birds there tried to lift their heads to fly away, but their wings trailed on the ground. The storm flooded out the fish there in the subterranean waters, their mouths snapped at the air. It reduced the animals of the open country to firewood, roasting them like locusts. It was a deluge rising and disastrously ruining the Mountains.

96-118 The Hero Ninurta led the march through the rebel lands. He killed their messengers in the Mountains, he crushed their cities, he smote their cowherds over the head like fluttering butterflies, he tied together their hands with hirin grass, so that they dashed their heads against walls. The lights of the Mountains did not gleam in the distance any longer. People gasped for breath; those people were ill, they hugged themselves, they cursed the Earth, they considered the day of the Asag's birth a day of disaster. The Lord caused bilious poison to run over the rebel lands. As he went the gall followed, anger filled his heart, and he rose like a river in spate and engulfed all the enemies. In his heart he beamed at his lion-headed weapon, as it flew up like a bird, trampling the Mountains for him. It raised itself on its wings to take away prisoner the disobedient, it spun around the horizon of heaven to find out what was happening. Someone from afar came to meet it, brought news for the tireless one, the one whose wings bear the deluge, the Car-ur. What did it gather there ...... for Lord Ninurta? It reported the deliberations of the Mountains, it explained their intentions to Lord Ninurta, it outlined what people were saying about the Asag.

119-121 "Hero, beware!" it said concernedly. The weapon embraced him whom it loved, the Car-ur addressed Lord Ninurta:

122-134 "Hero, pitfall, net of battle, Ninurta, King, celestial mace ...... irresistible against the enemy, vigorous one, tempest which rages against the rebel lands, wave which submerges the harvest, King, you have looked on battles, you have ...... in the thick of them. Ninurta, after gathering the enemy in a battle-net, after erecting a great reed-altar, Lord, heavenly serpent, purify your pickaxe and your mace! Ninurta, I will enumerate the names of the warriors you have already slain: the Kuli-ana, the Dragon, Gypsum, the Strong Copper, the hero Six-headed Wild Ram, the Magilum boat, Lord Saman-ana, the Bison bull, the Palm-tree King, the Anzud bird, the Seven-headed Snake -- Ninurta, you slew them in the Mountains."

135-150 "But Lord, do not venture again to a battle as terrible as that. Do not lift your arm to the smiting of weapons, to the festival of the young men! Lord, do not go to such a great battle as this! Do not hurry; fix your feet on the ground. Ninurta, the Asag is waiting for you in the Mountains. Hero who is so handsome in his crown, firstborn son whom his mother has decorated with numberless charms, good Lord, Hero who wears horns like the moon, who is long life for the king of the Land, who opens the sky by great sublime strength, inundation who engulfs the banks ......, Ninurta, Lord, full of fearsomeness, who will hurry towards the Mountains, proud Hero without fellow, this time you will not equal the Asag! Ninurta, do not make your young men enter the Mountains."

151-167 The Hero, the pride of his Lord, the very wise, rising from profound deliberation, Ninurta, the Lord, gifted with broad wisdom, stretched his leg to mount the onager, and joined the battalions ....... He spread over the Mountains his great long ......, he caused ...... to go out among its people like the ....... He reached ....... He went into the rebel lands in the vanguard of the battle. He gave orders to his lance, and attached it ...... by its cord; the Lord commanded his mace, and it went to its belt. The Hero hastened to the battle. He prepared the throw-stick and the shield, the Mountains were smitten and cringed beside the battle legions of Ninurta. When the hero was girding on his mace, the sun did not wait, the moon went in; they were forgotten, as he marched towards the Mountains; the day became like pitch.

168-186 The Asag leapt up at the head of the battle. For a club it uprooted the sky, took it in its hand; like a snake it slid its head along the ground. It was a mad dog attacking to kill the helpless, dripping with sweat on its flanks. Like a wall collapsing, the Asag fell on Ninurta. Like an accursed storm, it howled in a raucous voice; like a gigantic snake, it roared at the Land. It dried up the waters of the Mountains, dragged away the tamarisks, tore the flesh of the Earth and covered her with painful wounds. It set fire to the reed-beds, bathed the sky in blood, turned it inside out; it dispersed the people there. At that moment, on that day, the fields became black potash, across the whole extent of the horizon, reddish like purple dye -- truly it was so! The angels flattened themselves against walls, the house was full of fearful sighing as of pigeons.

187-190 [The faithful in the house of God said:] "Our warrior is no longer here; what is there to support us? The Lord, the authority of the House, the King who imposes the strong shackle, a cedar rooted in the deep, a crown with broad shade, our security -- he is not here any more: who will take us by the hand?"

191-214 The weapon which loved the Lord, obedient to its master, the Car-ur ...... for Lord Ninurta ....... The awesome splendour enveloped Ninurta like a garment, ....... ...... bound him: therefore the Lord ....... The weapon ...... spoke.

215-224 "...... Ninurta, having confidence in himself; ...... he will be standing; the waters will be dried up as if by the sun's heat; ...... he will breathe again, he will be standing full of joy. I shall cause horrid storms to rise against ...... of the Hero Ninurta ....... ...... as for him who resisted the Mountains, he has been amazed by his strength. Now I shall give my orders, you are to follow these instructions:

1 line unclear

...... in the fields, let him not diminish the population. ...... let him not cause a lack of posterity. Let him not cause to perish the name of all the kinds of species whose destinies God has decreed."

225-227 The weapon, its heart ......, was reassured: it slapped its thighs, the Car-ur began to run, it entered the rebel lands, joyfully it reported the message to Lord Ninurta:

228-243 "My master, ...... for you, God has said: 'As the Deluge, Ninurta, before whom the venom has piled up, attacks the enemy, let him take the Asag by the shoulder, let him pierce its liver. Then, Ninurta, to the limits of the earth my people will deservedly praise your power.' You, Lord who trusts in the word of his Lord, do not tarry, great strength sent by God. Storm of the rebel lands, who grinds the Mountains like flour, Ninurta, bearer of God's seal, go to it! Do not tarry. My master: the Asag has constructed a wall of stakes on an earthen rampart; the fortress is too high and cannot be reached, ...... its fierceness does not diminish.

3 lines unclear

My master, ......."

244-251 Ninurta opened his mouth to speak to the mace ....... He aimed the lance at the Mountains ....... The Lord stretched out an arm towards the clouds. Day became a dark night. He yelled like a storm, .......

2 lines unclear

251-264 The Lord ...... clouds of dust. In his battle he smote the Mountains with a cudgel. The Car-ur made the storm-wind rise to heaven, scattering the people; like ...... it tore. Its venom alone destroyed the townspeople. The destructive mace set fire to the Mountains, the murderous weapon smashed skulls with its painful teeth, the club which tears out entrails gnashed its teeth. The lance was stuck into the ground and the crevasses filled with blood. In the rebel lands dogs licked it up like milk. The enemy rose up, crying to wife and child, "You did not lift your arms in prayer to Lord Ninurta". The weapon covered the Mountains with dust, but did not shake the heart of the Asag. The Car-ur threw its arms around the neck of the Lord:

265-280 "Hero, ah, what further awaits you? Do not on any account meddle with the hurricane of the Mountains. Ninurta, Lord, I tell you again, it is made like a storm. It is a blister whose smell is foul, like mucus which comes from the nose it is unpleasant, Lord, its words are devious, it will not obey you. My master, it has been created against you as a mighty one; who can help you? Hero, it falls on the land as a whirlwind, it scrubs it as if with saltwort, Ninurta, it chases the onagers before it in the Mountains. Its terrifying splendour sends the dust into clouds, it causes a downpour of potsherds. In the rebel lands it is a lion striking with savage teeth; no man can catch it. After reducing everything to nothing in the north wind, it ....... The sheepfolds have been closed by wicked demons. It has dried up the waters in the ground. In the whirlwind storm, the people are finished, they have no solution. From an implacable enemy, great Hero, Lord, turn away," he said quietly.

281-299 But the Lord howled at the Mountains, could not withhold a roar. The Hero did not address the rebel lands, he ....... He reversed the evil that it had done ....... He smashed the heads of all the enemies, he made the Mountains weep. The Lord ranged about in all directions, like a soldier saying "I will go on the rampage". Like a bird of prey the Asag looked up angrily from the Mountains. He commanded the rebel lands to be silent and ....... Ninurta approached the enemy and flattened him like a wave. The Asag's terrifying splendour was contained, it began to fade, it began to fade. It looked wonderingly upwards. Like water he agitated it, he scattered it into the Mountains, like weeds he pulled it up, like rushes he ripped it up. Ninurta's splendour covered the Land, he pounded the Asag like roasted barley, he piled it up like a heap of broken bricks, he heaped it up like flour, as a potter does with coals; he piled it up like stamped earth whose mud is being stirred. The Hero had achieved his heart's desire. Ninurta, the Lord, ...... began to calm down.

300-309 In the Mountains, the day came to an end. The sun bade it farewell. The Lord ...... his belt and mace in water, he washed the blood from his clothes, the Hero wiped his brow, he made a victory-chant over the dead body. When he had brought the Asag which he had slain to the condition of a ship wrecked by a tidal wave, the powers of the Land came to him. Like exhausted wild asses they bowed before him, and for this Lord, because of his proud conduct, they clapped their hands in greeting. The Car-ur addressed these flattering words aloud to its master:

310-330 "Lord, great mec tree in a watered field, Hero, who is like you? My master, beside you there is no one else, nor can anyone stand like you, nor is anyone born like you. Ninurta, from today no one in the Mountains will rise against you. My master, if you give but one roar, ...... how they will praise you!

1 line unclear

Lord Ninurta ......."

7 lines damaged

After he had pulled up the Asag like a weed in the rebel lands, torn it up like a rush, Lord Ninurta ...... his club:

1 line unclear

"From today forward, do not say Asag: its name shall be Stone. Its name shall be zalag stone, its name shall be Stone. This, its entrails, shall be the underworld. Its valour shall belong to the Lord."

331-333 The blessing of the club, laid to rest in a corner: "The mighty battle which reduces the Land".

1 line missing

334-346 At that time, the good water coming forth from the earth did not pour down over the fields. The cold water was piled up everywhere, and the day when it began to ...... it brought destruction in the Mountains, since the people of the Land were subject to servitude, and had to carry the hoe and the basket -- this was their corvée work -- people called on a household for the recruitment of workers. The Tigris did not bring up its flood in its fullness. Its mouth did not finish in the sea, it did not carry fresh water. No one brought offerings to the market. The famine was hard, as nothing had yet been born. No one yet cleaned the little canals, the mud was not dredged up. Ditch-making did not yet exist. People did not work in furrows, barley was sown broadcast.

347-359 The Lord applied his great wisdom to it. Ninurta set about it in a grand way. He made a pile of stones in the Mountains. Like a floating cloud he stretched out his arms over it. With a great wall he barred the front of the Land. He installed a sluice on the horizon. The Hero acted cleverly, he dammed in the cities together. He blocked the powerful waters by means of stones. Now the waters will never again go down from the Mountains into the earth. That which was dispersed he gathered together. Where in the Mountains scattered lakes had formed, he joined them all together and led them down to the Tigris. He poured carp-floods of water over the fields.

360-367 Now, today, throughout the whole world, kings of the Land far and wide rejoice at Lord Ninurta. He provided water for the speckled barley in the cultivated fields, he raised up the harvest of fruits in garden and orchard. He heaped up the grain piles like mounds. The Lord caused trading colonies to go up from the Land of Sumer. He contented the desires of the people. They duly praised Ninurta's Lord.

368-371 At that time he also reached a woman with compassion. Ninmah was sleepless from remembering the place where she had borne him. She covered her outside with a fleece, like an unshorn ewe, she made a great lament about the now inaccessible Mountains: