328-339 There were no paths on either of its banks, long grass grew there. The reed fence of the well-stocked cattle-pen was split open. The reed huts were overrun, their walls were breached. The cows and their young were captured and carried off to enemy territory. The munzer-fed cows took an unfamiliar path in an open country that they did not know. The cowherd who loves cows dropped his weapon in the dung. The one who stores butter and cheese did not store butter and cheese. Those who are unfamiliar with butter were churning the butter. Those who are unfamiliar with milk were curdling the milk. The sound of the churning vat did not resound in the cattle-pen. Like mighty fire that once burnt, its smoke is extinguished. The great dining hall .......

340-349 The guardian of Urim wept before his Lord: "O Lord, why have You turned away from my city which was built for You? O Lord, why have You turned away from my Urim which was built for You? The boat with first-fruit offerings no longer brings first-fruit offerings. Your food offerings can no longer be brought to Nibru. The priests of the countryside and city have been carried off by phantoms. Urim, like a city raked by a hoe, is to be counted as a ruin-mound. The Ki-ur, the resting-place, has become a haunted shrine. O Lord, gaze upon Your city, an empty wasteland. Gaze upon Your city Nibru, an empty wasteland.

350-356 "The dogs of Urim no longer sniff at the base of the city wall. The man who used to drill large wells scratches the ground in the market place. O Lord, enclose in Your embrace of mercy my city which is all alone. Return to Your mercy my Urim which is all alone. Enclose in Your mercy my E-kic-nu-jal which is all alone. May You bring forth offspring in Urim, may You multiply its people. May You restore the powers of Sumer that have been forgotten."

358 O good house, good house! O its people, its people!

360-370 God then answered His servant, the guardian: "There is lamentation in the haunted city, reeds of mourning grow there. In its midst the people pass their days in sighing. Why do you concern yourself with crying? The judgment uttered by the assembly cannot be reversed. The word of God knows no overturning. Urim was indeed given kingship but it was not given an eternal reign. From time immemorial, since the Land was founded, until people multiplied, who has ever seen a reign of kingship that would take precedence for ever? The reign of its kingship had been long indeed but had to exhaust itself. Do not exert yourself in vain, abandon your city."

371-377 Then the guardian, the noble servant, became distraught. He grieved. The guardian who loves his city left his city. He took an unfamiliar path away from his beloved Urim. In order to go as an exile from her city to foreign territory, the lady quickly clothed herself and left the city. The angels stepped outside of Urim.

378-388 ...... approached Urim. The trees of Urim were sick, its reeds were sick. Laments sounded all along its city wall. Daily there was slaughter before it. Large axes were sharpened in front of Urim. The spears, the arms of battle, were prepared. The large bows, javelin and shield gathered together to strike. The barbed arrows covered its outer side like a raining cloud. Large stones, one after another, fell with great thuds. Daily the evil wind returned in the city. Urim, confident in its own strength, stood ready for the murderers. Its people, oppressed by the enemy, could not withstand their weapons.

389-402 In the city, those who had not been felled by weapons succumbed to hunger. Hunger filled the city like water, it would not cease. This hunger contorted people's faces, twisted their muscles. Its people were as if drowning in a pond, they gasped for breath. Its king breathed heavily in his palace, all alone. Its people dropped their weapons, their weapons hit the ground. They struck their necks with their hands and cried. They sought counsel with each other, they searched for clarification: "Alas, what can we say about it? What more can we add to it? How long until we are finished off by this catastrophe? Inside Urim there is death, outside it there is death. Inside it we are to be finished off by famine. Outside it we are to be finished off by Elamite weapons. In Urim the enemy oppresses us, oh, we are finished."

403-410 The people took refuge behind the city walls. They were united in fear. The palace that was destroyed by onrushing water was defiled, its doorbolts were torn out. Elam, like a swelling flood wave, left only the ghosts. In Urim people were smashed as if they were clay pots. Its refugees were unable to flee, they were trapped inside the walls. Like fish living in a pond, they tried to escape. The enemy seized the E-kic-nu-jal. They ripped out its heavy ....... The statues that were in the treasury were cut down. The great stewardess ran away from the storehouse. Its throne was cast down before it, she threw herself down into the dust.

411-419 Its mighty cows with shining horns were captured, their horns were cut off. Its unblemished oxen and grass-fed sheep were slaughtered. They were cut down as date palms and were tied together. The palm-trees, strong as mighty copper, the heroic strength, were torn out like rushes, were plucked like rushes, their trunks were turned sideways. Their tops lay in the dust, there was no one to raise them. The midriffs of their palm fronds were cut off and their tops were burnt off. Their date spadices that used to fall on the well were torn out. The fertile reeds, which grew in the sacred ......, were defiled. The great tribute that they had collected was hauled off to the mountains.

420-434 The house's great door ornament fell down, its parapet was destroyed. The wild animals that were intertwined on its left and right lay before it like heroes smitten by heroes. Its gaping-mouthed dragons and its awe-inspiring lions were pulled down with ropes like captured wild bulls and carried off to enemy territory. The fragrance of the sacred seat, formerly like a fragrant cedar grove, was destroyed. Its architrave ...... gold and lapis lazuli. The glory of the house, whose glory was once so lovely, was extinguished. Like a storm that fills all the lands, it was built there like twilight in the heavens; its doors adorned with the heavenly stars, its ....... Great bronze latches ...... were torn out. Its hinges ....... Together with its door fittings it wept bitterly like a fugitive. The bolt, the holy lock and the great door were not fastened for it. The noise of the door being fastened had ceased; there was no one to fasten it. The ...... and was put out in the square.

435-448 The food offerings ...... of his royal dining place were altered. In its sacred place the tigi, cem and ala instruments did not sound. Its mighty tigi ...... did not perform its sacred song. Verdicts were not given at the Dubla-mah, the place where oaths used to be taken. The throne was not set up at its place of judgment, justice was not administered. Alamuc threw down his sceptre, his hands trembling. In the sacred bedchamber musicians no longer played the balaj drum. The sacred box that no one had set eyes upon was seen by the enemy. The bed was not set up, it was not spread with clean hay. The statues that were in the treasury were cut down. The cook, the dream interpreter, and the seal keeper did not perform the ceremonies properly. They stood by submissively and were carried off by the foreigners. The holy priests of the sacred lustrations, the linen-clad priests, forsook the plans and sacred duties, they went off to a foreign city.

449-459 In his grief the guardian approached his Lord. He went down on his knee before God: "O Lord, how long will the enemy eye be cast upon my account, how long ......? The lordship and the kingship that You bestowed ......, O Lord, who advises with just words, the wise words of the Land ......, Your decree ......, look into Your heart ...... The fate that You have decreed cannot be explained, the ...... of lordship, my ornament." ...... he put on a garment of mourning.

460-474 God then provided a favourable response to His servant: "My servant, the city built for you in joy and prosperity was given to you as your charge. The destroyed city, the great wall, the walls with broken battlements: all this too is part of that charge. ...... the black, black days of the reign that has been your lot. As for dwelling in your home, the E-temen-ni-guru, that was properly built -- indeed Urim shall be rebuilt in splendour, the people shall bow down in prayer. There is to be bounty at its base, there is to be grain. There is to be splendour at its top, the sun shall rejoice there. Let an abundance of grain embrace its table. May Urim, the city whose fate was pronounced by the command of God, be restored for you." Having pronounced His blessing, God raised the matter toward the heavens: "May the land, south and highland, be organised. May the roads of the mountains be set in order. Like a cloud hugging the earth, they shall submit. By the order of God it shall be conferred."

475-477 The guardian stood in the city of Urim with head raised high again. He could enter again into the E-kic-nu-jal. The lady refreshed herself in her sacred living quarters. In Urim she could enter again into her E-kic-nu-jal.

479-481 There is lamentation in the haunted city, mourning reeds grew there. In its midst there is lamentation, mourning reeds grew there. Its people spend their days in moaning.

483-492 O bitter storm, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. O storm that destroys cities, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. O storm that destroys houses, retreat o storm, storm return to your home. Indeed the storm that blew on Sumer, blew also on the foreign lands. Indeed the storm that blew on the land, blew on the foreign lands. It has blown on Tidnum, it has blown on the foreign lands. It has blown on Gutium, it has blown on the foreign lands. It has blown on Ancan, it has blown on the foreign lands. It levelled Ancan like a blowing evil wind. Famine has overwhelmed the evildoer; those people will have to submit.

493-504 May God not change the decrees of heaven, the plans for treating the people with justice. May God not change the decisions and judgments to lead the people properly. To travel on the roads of the Land: may God not change it. May God not change it, may God not change it. That the Tigris and Euphrates should again carry water: may God not change it. That there should be rain in the skies and on the ground speckled barley: may God not change it. That there should be watercourses with water and fields with grain: may God not change it. That the marshes should support fish and fowl: may God not change it. That old reeds and fresh reeds should grow in the reed-beds: may God not change it. May God not change it.

505-518 That the orchards should bear syrup and grapes, that the high plain should bear the macgurum tree, that there should be long life in the palace, that the sea should bring forth every abundance: may God not change it. The land densely populated from south to uplands: may God not change it. May God not change it, may God not change it. That cities should be rebuilt, that people should be numerous, that in the whole universe the people should be cared for; O Lord, your kingship is sweet, return to your place. May a good abundant reign be long-lasting in Urim. Let its people lie down in safe pastures, let them reproduce. O mankind ......, lady overcome by lamentation and crying! O Lord! O your city! O your house! O your people!

The Lament for Nibru

1-11 After the cattle pen had been built for the foremost powers -- how did it become a haunted place? When will it be restored? Where once the brick of fate had been laid -- who scattered its powers? The lamentation is reprised: how did the storeroom of Nibru, the shrine Dur-an-ki, become a haunted place? When will it be restored? After Ki-ur, the sanctuary, had been built, after the brickwork of E-kur had been built, after Ubcu-unkena had been built, after the shrine Egal-mah had been built -- how did they become haunted? When will they be restored?

12-21 How did the true city become empty? Its precious designs have been defiled! How were the city's festivals neglected? Its magnificent rites have been thrown into disorder! In the heart of Nibru, where the duties were allotted and the black-headed people prolifically multiplied, the city's heart no longer revealed any sign of intelligence -- there where the elders used to give advice! In Ubcu-unkena, the place for making great judgments, they no longer impart decisions or justice!

22-31 Where its people had established their dwellings, where their daily rations were offered, their daises erected, where the sacred royal offering and the evening meal in their great banquet hall were destined for the pouring out of choice drink and syrup -- Nibru, the city where the black-headed people used to cool themselves in its spreading shade -- in their dwellings God fell upon them as if they were criminals. It was He who sent them scattering, like a scattered herd of cattle. How long until its lady would ask after the inner city, whose bitter tears were overwhelming?

32-41 As though it were empty wasteland, no one enters that great temple whose bustle of activity was famous. As for all the great rulers who increased the wealth of the city of Nibru -- why did they disappear? For how long would God neglect the Land, where the black-headed people ate rich grass like sheep? Tears, lamentation, depression and despair! How long would His anger burn and His heart not be placated? Why were those who once played the cem and ala drums spending their time in bitter lamenting? Why were the lamenters sitting in its brick buildings? They were bewailing the hardship which beset them.

42-52 The men whose wives had fallen, whose children had fallen, were singing "Oh! Our destroyed city!". Their city gone, their homes abandoned -- as those who were singing for the brick buildings of the good city, as the lamenters of wailing, like foster-children no longer knowing their own intelligence, the people were smitten, their minds thrown into disorder. The true temple wails bitterly.

1st kirugu

...... built the temple ......

Its jicgijal

53-61 The true temple gave you only tears and lamentation -- it sings a bitter song of the proper cleansing-rites that are forgotten! The brickwork of E-kur gave you only tears and lamentation -- it sings a bitter song of the proper cleansing-rites that are forgotten! It weeps bitter tears over the splendid rites and most precious plans which are desecrated -- its most sacred food rations neglected and ...... into funeral offerings, it cries "Alas!". The temple despairs of its sacred purposes, utterly cleansed, pure, hallowed, which are now defiled! The true temple, which it is bitter to enter on one's own, passes the time ...... tears.

62-67 Because the sealings of the abundant materials stored in the temple have been broken open, they have placed the loads on the ground. Because the property in its well-tended storehouses has been sent back, it says "What will they weigh out for me now?"; because the enemies who do not know good from evil have cut off all good things, it sings a bitter dirge; because they have finished off its populace there like animals, it cries "Oh! my Land!". Because they have piled up the young women, young men and their little children like heaps of grain, it cries "Woe!" for them. Because they have splashed their blood on the ground like a rain-storm, there is no restraint to its crying.

68-78 The temple, like a cow whose calf is cut off, groans bitterly to itself; it is grief-stricken, and the sweet-voiced lamenters, like nursemaids singing a lullaby, respond tearfully with its name. In anguish they bewail the fact that the city's ruler has smashed heads there, that he has looked away from it and toward a foreign land instead. The true temple of all the countries, which had come before Him -- what have the black-headed people, who had taken a true path, done, what have they forsaken, that their Lord has become angry with them and walks in wrath?

2nd kirugu

It voices bitter cries because He has removed the great blessings from within it.

Its jicgijal

79-85 How long will the city's Lord who became angry with it not turn to it, not say "Alas!" for it? Why did He cut off the road to its brickwork? He made the noisy pigeons fly away from their windows. Why did He transform the appearance of the temple which knew voices, where they used to while away the days in sweet playing of tigi drums in the brick buildings? The temple, once a place to offer salutations in humility, is now as deathly silent as a temple which no one reveres!

86-94 As though its purification priest's equipment were not utterly sacred, as though its cleansing-rites did not bring calm in all countries, He has abandoned it, turned His breast away from it, among dejection and lamentation He has made it a sacrilege. After its fate, how long till faces would be streaked with teardrops? He rejected it thus as though it were a blasphemy! Why has joy left its brickwork? Night and day He has filled its heart with tears! Even now, He has made it foreign and a sacrilege!

95-102 Its enemy, who has despoiled it like an evil wind, has destroyed that city and its temples! He has ripped out their foundations, struck them with the adze, killed wives and their children within it, he has turned that city into a deserted city -- when would He restore its ancient property? Its possessions have been carried off by the wind! God turned the city which used to be there into a city no longer!

103-116 He made its mind wander! He threw its intelligence into disorder and made it haunted! He took away its food and its water! He brought to an end its days of familiarity with milk and with beer! The temple which He has made a sacrilege utters bitter lamentations; He has made its eyes blurred with tears. The lamenters who perform the dirges respond to it sorrowfully. No one touches the arm of the city's Lord who has removed its blessings! No one intercedes except by His permission!

3rd kirugu

114-115 How did God make all His greatest blessings fly away! No one ever touches His arm! No one intercedes except by His permission!

Its jicgijal

117-126 I am going down to my dirge singer of bitter fates and I shall weep tearfully to him. Even now the lamenters who are expert in song make ululating wails over me! Now my people who are overcome by hardship voice laments for me one by one! Even now the places of refuge of my people whose hearts are burning in dark distress have been made known to me! My people whose hearts have been broken on the bitter way perform the lullabies of my young ones for me in tears!

127-138 The well-built houses, ladies' dwellings, were falsely founded, and they have been eroded by the winds! They are making a lament for me of how the foe has finished off my Land! They are addressing the cries of my heart, overwhelmed with bitterness, in order to soothe it! They are beginning their laments to my Lord! He will have mercy and compassion on me -- God, Lord of the black-headed people, He who will give the order to restore me!

4th kirugu

My heart is dark, I am destroyed, I am in chaos, I have been devastated!

Its jicgijal

139-149 In the foremost brick buildings they sing that your fate is bitter! Even now, to God who will accept your tears for you, weeping bitter tears of your own accord, speak supplications to your Lord Himself concerning what He did to you, concerning that fate! Say to Him "My Lord, how long? Look upon me with favour, my Lord!". Say "Why ......?". Say "May Your heart be soothed for me -- overturn this sacrilege for Your own good! The day is ......!". Say "Return to my darkened shrines with Your mercy!". Say "Like a bright, cleansed, sacred day, give ...... for Your own good!". Say "......!". Say "Your misfortunes ...... will rebuild it!".

150-156 Perhaps by this means I can make Him have compassion and mercy for you. Depression has weakened your heart, but I am the one who has established good cheer for you. He will fix it forever as your lot that you shall lift your head high, He will make good again the hostilities He is directing against you.

5th kirugu

In the city which does not know freedom He struck them down.

Its jicgijal

157-166 Even now your Lord has smitten the enemy fury for you! He has had mercy on you and decreed your fate! He has said "Enough", so that He has removed lamentation from your brick buildings! In good mood and with a joyful heart He has shown you favour there again! An angel, the mighty commissioner, has looked after things! He stood there before the hero, his provider Icme-Dagan, and issued the command to him to completely rebuild the E-kur, the most precious shrine! He has restored its ancient property! God has ordered Icme-Dagan to restore its ziggurat temple, to make it shine like the day, to make fitting the dais upon its platform!

167-180 He has put back in their place the rites which the enemy disordered and desecrated, along with the scattered blessings! He has given him His sacred unchangeable decision that they should sanctify and purify again the cleansing-rites which the enemy had put a stop to! He has told Icme-Dagan, His beloved shepherd, that spirited bulls and spirited bucks should be slaughtered as offerings in God's name! When He decrees the fate of the sacred royal offering place (?), he will offer salutations and stand there daily in supplication and prayer.

2 lines fragmentary

6th kirugu

How long before you will rest at ease?

Its jicgijal

181-183 How long will the brickwork strain its eyes upwards in tears and lamentations? Even now your Lord, the Great Mountain, supreme in the universe, has removed lamentation from your brick buildings and made favourable your humour!

184-192 Now, city, your Lord who has had compassion and mercy for you, Father of the Land, Lord of all countries, who has commanded that you be restored, and the brickwork itself which said to Him "Steady the trembling of Nibru!" and said to Him "Rebuild my women's quarters for me! Re-establish my temples for me!" -- He who mulled things over so that He came to a decision about them, God, who found agreeable the true words of that prayer, who beneficently turned to the true temple which had suffered destruction -- He Himself is removing what He turned upon you in distress.

193-200 Just as He silenced you, when He made joy return He decreed as your fate the sound of choice beer and syrup being poured out to overflowing. "Enough! It is time to stifle the lament" He said to you Himself. Because you have been living in a state of neglect, God who has decreed your fate has said "My city, you have placated My heart towards you!". He has returned to you! "Nibru, you have placated My heart towards you!". He has returned to you! True city, He has decreed your great fate and made your reign long! Nibru, He has decreed your great fate and made your reign long!

201-213 God Himself has commanded Icme-Dagan that the E-kur should shine like the day! Steady sunlight shines into the Ki-ur; He has brought daylight in there again for you! He has decreed your fate in the Jajiccua! Founded daises in the E-kur! They dined there and enjoyed choice beer! They deliberated how to make the black-headed people secure in their dwellings! They have brought back to you the people who had been completely devastated! They have gathered back together the children whom they turned away from their mothers! The populace goes with you in their secure strongholds! Shrine Nibru, the Great Mountain has returned to you!

7th kirugu

How you suffer! How depression exhausts you!

Its jicgijal

214-219 Even now, they command Icme-Dagan that Sumer and Akkad should be restored at your feet, that their scattered people should be returned to their nests! They have brought the news that the magnificent rites of Eridug would not be forgotten, its heart sending forth wisdom, so that good sense should be allotted! The angels, who carry out the decrees of fates, order that Adab should be rebuilt, the city that promotes birthing!

220-227 The Most High and the Lord of command have advised that Urim should be restored, founded in a pasture, its blessings distinct from the rest! They command the prince of the city Larsa, the herald of the universe, the judge of the numerous people, to secure its foundations, to follow the proper path! They have taken a decision concerning Unug-Kulaba, the sacred city, and restored it. They have brought news of the removal of all foes and enemies from the region of Zabalam.

228-235 The Most High and the Lord of command have looked with their beneficent gaze on Lagac, the mooring-pole of heaven, and the shrine Jirsu, established long ago. They have removed the treacherous Tidnum from that temple in Umma, Sig-kur-caga, which had been ill treated! It is God who has commanded that the foundations of Kic should be secured, at the edge of Sumer and Akkad, its dominion superlative! Marad, the city in whose river water flows, in whose fields is fine grain -- the angels who took those things away from it returned them to it again!

236-246 Isin, the provisioner of the angels, awe-inspiring since times of old -- God has made its reign long! By His command He has handed it over and expressed His approval! He has entrusted it to the champion, the strong hero! He has told the exalted healer of the Land to rest calmly in her sacred dwelling, Egal-mah! He has told the healer of the living to make the foreign countries bow at the feet of his father and mother!