1-7 ...... entire land ......, ....... struck, the palace was devastated. ...... panic spread rapidly among the dwellings of the black-headed people. ...... abandoned places ...... in Sumer. ...... the cities were destroyed in their entirety; the people were seized with panic. Evil came upon Urim and made the trustworthy shepherd pass away. It made Ur-Namma, the trustworthy shepherd, pass away; it made the trustworthy shepherd pass away.

8-14 Because the Most High had altered His holy words completely, ...... became empty, and because God had completely changed the fate He decreed, the mother began a lament in her ....... The great door of Eridug was shut (?). The moon frowned at the ...... words. The sun did not come forth in the sky, and the day was full of sorrow.

15-21 The mother, miserable because of her son, the mother of the king, was crying: "Oh my heart!". Because of the fate decreed for Ur-Namma, because it made the trustworthy shepherd pass away, she was weeping bitterly in the broad square, which is otherwise a place of entertainment. Sweet sleep did not come to the people whose happiness ......; they passed their time in lamentation over the trustworthy shepherd who had been snatched away.

22-30 As the early flood was filling the canals, their canal-inspector was already silenced (?); the mottled barley grown on the arable lands, the life of the land, was inundated. To the farmer, the fertile fields planted (?) by him yielded little. The keeper of levees and ditches took away the levees and ditches from Urim.

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As the intelligence and ...... of the Land were lost, fine food became scarce. The plains did not grow lush grass any more, they grew the grass of mourning. The cows ......, their ...... cattle-pen has been destroyed. The calves ...... their cows bleated bitterly.

31-51 The wise shepherd ...... does not give orders any more. ...... in battle and combat. The king, the advocate of Sumer, the ornament of the assembly, Ur-Namma, the advocate of Sumer, the ornament of the assembly, the leader of Sumer, ...... lies sick. His hands which used to grasp cannot grasp any more, he lies sick. His feet ...... cannot step any more, he lies sick.

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The trustworthy shepherd, king, the sword of Sumer, Ur-Namma, the king of the Land, was taken to the ...... house. He was taken to Urim; the king of the Land was brought into the ...... house. The proud one lay in his palace. Ur-Namma, he who was beloved by the troops, could not raise his neck any more. The wise one ...... lay down; silence descended. As he, who was the vigour of the Land, had fallen, the Land became demolished like a mountain; like a cypress forest it was stripped, its appearance changed. As if he were a boxwood tree, they put axes against him in his joyous dwelling place. As if he were a sappy cedar tree, he was uprooted in the palace where he used to sleep (?). His spouse ...... resting place; ...... was covered by a storm; it embraced it like a wife her sweetheart (?). His appointed time had arrived, and he passed away in his prime.

52-75 His (?) pleasing offerings were no longer accepted; they were treated as dirty (?). The angels refused his gifts. The Most High did not stand by an "It is enough", and he could not complete his (?) days. Because of what God ordered, there was no more rising up; his beloved men lost their wise one. Strangers turned into (?) ....... How iniquitously Ur-Namma was abandoned, like a broken jar! His ...... with grandeur like (?) thick clouds (?). He does not ...... any more, and he does not reach out for ....... "...... Ur-Namma, alas, what is it to me?" Ur-Namma was brought to Arali, the ...... of the Land, in his prime. The soldiers accompanying the king shed tears: their boat (i.e. Ur-Namma) was sunk in a land as foreign to them as Dilmun. ...... was cut. It was stripped of the oars, punting poles and rudder which it had. ......; its bolt was broken off. ...... was put aside; it stood (?) in saltpetre. His donkeys were to be found with the king; they were buried with him. His donkeys were to be found with Ur-Namma; they were buried with him. As he crossed over the ...... of the Land, the Land was deprived of its ornament. The journey to the nether world is a desolate route. Because of the king, the chariots were covered over, the roads were thrown into disorder, no one could go up and down on them. Because of Ur-Namma, the chariots were covered over, the roads were thrown into disorder, no one could go up and down on them.

76-87 He presented gifts to the seven chief porters of the nether world. As the famous kings who had died and the dead priests, priestesses, all chosen by extispicy, announced the king's coming to the people, a tumult arose in the nether world. As they announced Ur-Namma's coming to the people, a tumult arose in the nether world. The king slaughtered numerous bulls and sheep, Ur-Namma seated the people at a huge banquet. The food of the nether world is bitter, the water of the nether world is brackish. The trustworthy shepherd knew well the rites of the nether world, so the king presented the offerings of the nether world, Ur-Namma presented the offerings of the nether world: as many faultless bulls, faultless kids, and fattened sheep as could be brought.

132-144 After the king had been laid to rest with the honours of the dead, after Ur-Namma had been laid to rest with the honours of the dead, they seated Ur-Namma on a great dais of the nether world and set up a dwelling place for him there. All the soldiers who had been killed by weapons and all the men who had been found guilty were brought before the king.

145-154 After seven days, ten days had passed, lamenting for Sumer overwhelmed my king, lamenting for Sumer overwhelmed Ur-Namma. My king's heart was full of tears, he ...... bitterly that he could not complete the wall of Urim; that he could no longer enjoy the new palace he had built; that he, the shepherd, could no longer ...... his household (?); that he could no longer bring pleasure to his wife with his embrace; that he could not bring up his sons on his knees; that he would never see in their prime the beauty of their little sisters who had not yet grown up.

155-165 The trustworthy shepherd ...... a heart-rending lament for himself: "I, who have been treated like this, served well, set up chapels for the worship of God. I have created evident abundance for the servants of God. I have laid treasures for the needy. Yet no one stood by me and soothed my heart. Because of this, anything that could have been a favourable portent for me was as far away from me as the heavens, the ....... What is my reward for my eagerness to serve during the days? My days have been finished for serving sleeplessly during the night! Now, just as the rain pouring down from heaven cannot turn back, alas, nor can I turn back to brick-built Urim.

166-186 "Alas, my wife has become a widow (?)! She spends the days in tears and bitter laments. My strength has ebbed away ....... The hand of fate ...... bitterly me, the hero. Like a wild bull ......, I cannot ....... Like a mighty bull, ....... Like an offshoot ....... Like an ass ......, I died. ...... my ...... wife ....... She spends the days in tears and bitter laments. Her kind protector has left her; her kind guardian does not care for her any more. No one any longer rests an august arm firmly on her head. No one any longer leads (?) her by hand. ...... Her ...... has been silenced (?), she can no longer answer. She is cast adrift like a boat in a raging storm; the mooring pole has not been strong enough for her. Like a wild ass lured (?) into a perilous pit she has been treated heavy-handedly. Like a lion fallen into a pitfall, a guard has been set up for her. Like a dog kept in a cage, she is silenced. The sun does not pay heed to the cries "Oh, my king" overwhelming her.

187-197 "My tigi, adab, flute and zamzam songs have been turned into laments because of me. The instruments of the house of music have been propped against the wall. Because I have been made to ...... on a heap of soil (?) instead of my throne whose beauty was endless; because I have been made to lie down in the open, desolate steppe instead of my bed, the sleeping place whose ...... was endless, alas, my wife and my children are in tears and wailing. My people whom I used to command (?) sing like lamentation and dirge singers because of her (?)."

217-233 ...... Ur-Namma, my ...... who was killed,

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Among tears and laments, a fate was decreed for Ur-Namma: "Ur-Namma ......, your august name will be called upon. From the south to the uplands, ...... the holy sceptre. Sumer ...... to your palace. The people will admire ...... the canals which you have dug, the ...... which you have ......, the large and grand arable tracts which you have ......, the reed-beds which you have drained, the wide barley fields which you ......, and the fortresses and settlements which you have ....... Ur-Namma, they will call upon ...... your name. God, surpassing ......, will drive away the evil spirits ......"

234-242 After the shepherd Ur-Namma ......, ...... devastated sheepfolds ...... (the other ms. has instead: ...... the foremost, the flood ......). ...... holy ......, lion born on high (the other ms. has instead: ...... basket (?) ......). ...... your city; renders just judgements. ...... be praised! My king ...... among tears and laments; ...... among tears and laments.

A version from Susa

Segment A

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1-4 1 line fragmentary

...... frowned at ....... ......, the day was full of sorrow. ...... withdrew into his bedchamber and lay down fasting.

5-11 The mother, wretched (?) because of her son, ...... the mother of the king, was crying: "Oh my heart!". She was weeping bitterly in the broad square, which is otherwise a place of entertainment, that the fate of Ur-Namma had been overturned and that the trustworthy shepherd had been made to pass away. She spent the day in lamentation over the trustworthy shepherd who had been snatched away. Sweet sleep did not (?) come to the people whose happiness had come to an end.

12-19 As the early flood was filling the canals, their canal-inspector ....... The mottled barley come forth on the arable lands, the life of the land, ....... To the farmer, the fertile fields ....... The keeper of levees and ditches, ....... ...... its numerous people ....... ...... of the Land ....... The plains ...... fine grass ....... ...... heavy cows ......

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Segment B

1-13 Ur-Namma ....... His hands which used to grasp, cannot ....... His feet which used to tread, .......

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The trustworthy shepherd, the king, the ...... of Sumer, Ur-Namma, ....... As he himself was going to Urim, Ur-Namma ...... house. The proud one lying in the palace, Ur-Namma, who ...... by the troops (?), ....... He could not rise any more, the wise one of the countries lay down; silence ....... As he, who was the vigour of the Land, has fallen, the land became demolished like a mountain. As he, a cypress forest, was felled, the state of the Land became confused. As he, the cedar tree of the Land, was uprooted, the state of the Land became altered. Axes (?) were set against him, a boxwood tree, in his joyous dwelling place. His appointed time arrived, and he passed away in his prime.

14-22 His (?) pleasing offerings were no longer accepted; they were treated as dirty (?). The angels did not reach out for his gifts any more. ...... did not stand by an "It is enough", his (?) days were not prolonged. ......, there was no more rising up. Ur-Namma, a broken jar, was abandoned at .......

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"......, what is it to me?"

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Segment C

1-10 3 lines unclear

...... the bolt ....... ...... sat (?) in saltpetre. ......, the roads were thrown into disorder, no one could go up and down on them; ......, the roads were thrown into disorder, no one could go up and down on them. ...... is a long route. ...... the way ....... ...... the journey to the nether world .......

11-20 ...... gifts ....... ...... chief porters ....... ...... who died ......, ...... dead priestesses, chosen by extispicy,

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...... raised a tumult ......; ...... raised a tumult ....... The king knew well the rites of the nether world, Ur-Namma knew well the rites of the nether world: so he brought magnificent bulls, faultless kids, and fattened sheep.

64-72 After the offerings were presented, they (?) seated Ur-Namma on a great dais of the nether world and set up a dwelling place for him in the nether world.

73-88 After five days, ten days had passed, lamenting for Sumer overwhelmed my king, lamenting for Sumer overwhelmed Ur-Namma. As he could not complete the wall of Urim; as he could no longer enjoy the new palace he had built; as he, the shepherd, could no longer protect (?) his household; as he could no longer bring pleasure to his wife with his embrace; as he could not bring up his sons on his knees; as he would never see in their prime the beauty of their little sisters, who are yet to grow up, the trustworthy shepherd uttered a heart-rending lament for himself: "I, who ......, who ......, ...... great ......, I have set up chapels. I have created evident abundance for the servants of God. I have ...... treasures to their ...... shining thrones. ...... a favourable portent for me, was ...... as the nether world or the heavens .......

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Segment D

1-11 "...... guard ....... ...... silence ....... ...... adab, flute and zamzam songs ...... laments. ...... have been propped against the wall. Because I have been made to sit on ...... whose beauty was endless; because I have been made to fall in ...... was endless,

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