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Segment A

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Segment B

B1-4 'At his command your weapon struck me evilly. As I let the decrees go out of my hand, these decrees returned to the deep. As I let the divine plan go out of my hand, this divine plan returned to the deep. This tablet of destinies returned to the deep. I was stripped of the decrees.'

B5-8 Ninurta was stunned at these words of the Anzu chick. Ninmena gave out a wail: 'And what about me? These decrees have not fallen into my hand. I shall not exercise their lordship. I shall not live like him in the shrine, in the deep.'

B9 The All-Wise in the deep knew what had been said.

B10-14 The chick Anzu took the hero Ninurta by his hand and drew near with him to the place of the All-Wise, the deep. The chick Anzu returned Uta-ulu to the deep. The lord was delighted with the hero, the All-Wise was delighted with the hero Ninurta.

B15-24 The All-Wise honoured him duly: 'Hero, none among your brothers could have acted so. As for the bird which your mighty weapon captured, from now to eternity you will keep your foot placed on its neck. May the angels give your heroic strength its due. May your Lord grant whatever you command. May no one be as awesome as you and none extend an upraised hand before you. Monthly may your house regularly receive tributes in the shrine, in the deep. May the Most High proclaim your name in the seat of honour.'

B25-30 The hero secretly was not happy with these promises. Where he stood, he darkened and yellowed like a flood-storm. He contemplated great deeds and inwardly he was rebellious. He uttered a word which has no ....... The hero Ninurta set his sights on the whole world. He told no one and inwardly did not .......

B31-32 The great Lord, the All-Knowing, intuitively grasped the substance of the plan. In the shrine, in the deep he stirred up a dark flood-storm.

B33-35 By the house the minister Isimud opposed Ninurta. The hero Ninurta refused to come out and raised his hand against the minister Isimud.

B36-46 Against Ninurta, the All-Wise fashioned a turtle from the clay of the deep. Against him he stationed the turtle at an opening, at the gate of the deep. He talked to him near the place of the ambush and brought him to the place where the turtle was. The turtle was able to grab Ninurta's tendon from behind. The hero Ninurta managed to turn back its feet. The turtle scraped the ground with its claws, and dug an evil pit. The hero Ninurta fell into it with the turtle. The hero did not know how to get out from ....... The turtle kept on gnawing his feet with its claws.

B47-54 The great Lord said to him: 'From ......, you who set your mind to rebel, ...... who makes big claims -- I cut down, I raise up. You who set your sights on me like this -- what has your position seized for you, how ......? Where has your strength fled? Where is your heroism? In the great mountains you caused destruction, but how will you get out now?'

B55-60 Ninmena learned of this situation. She ripped the clothes on her body and she ....... 'O All-Wise, whom shall I send to you? Men will shake their heads in fear ....... Whom shall I send to you? ...... You who are death which has no mercy, whom shall I send to you?'

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