  AN ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF A CITY AND THE BEGINNING OF AGRICULTURE, FROM A TABLET WRITTEN AT NIPPUR BEFORE 2000 B. C. Translation. Comparison with Biblical Material. This tablet begins with a description of a place the name of which is not identified; it is, accordingly, indicated in the translation by X. Possibly it was Eridu; possibly Dilmun. 1. Translation. Column I[407] 1. They that are lofty, they that are lofty are ye, 2. O X, pure; 3. They that are holy, they that are lofty are ye. 4. O X, pure, 5. X is pure, X is bright, 6. X is splendid, X is resplendent. 7. Alone were they in X; they lay down. 8. Where Enki and his consort lay, 9. That place is splendid, that place is pure. 10. Alone [in X they lay down]. 11. Where Enki with Ninella lay down, 12. That place is splendid, [that place is pure]. 13. In X the raven cried not, 14. The kite gave not his kite-call, 15. The deadly lion destroyed not, 16. The wolf a lamb seized not, 17. The dog the weak kid worried not, 18. The ewes the food-grain destroyed not, 19. Offspring increased not .......... 20. The birds of heaven their offspring ..... not; 21. The doves were not put to flight (?). 22. Of eye-disease, “it is eye-disease,” one said not; 23. Of headache, “it is headache,” one said not. 24. To a mother, “mother,” one said not, 25. To a father, “father,” one said not. 26. In the holy place a libation was poured not; in the city one drank not; 27. The river-man “cross it?” said not; 28. Fear one’s couch troubled not; 30. The prince of the city spoke not. 31. Ninella to her father Enki said: 32. “A city thou hast founded, a city thou hast founded, its destiny thou hast fixed; 33. In X a city thou hast founded, 34. .......... thou hast founded a city, 35. ............ a canal there is not 36. .............. thou hast founded a city.” The rest of the first column is broken away; probably about nine lines are missing. All the first column is descriptive of a place inhabited only by a god and goddess. Many activities are absent, because there is no one there to carry them on. Lines 16-21 remind one a little of Isa. 11:6-9. After the break the text continues: Column II 1. “From the bright covering of thy great heaven may the waters flow, 2. May thy city be refreshed with water, may it drink, 3. May X be refreshed with water, may it drink, 4. May thy well of bitter water flow as a well of sweet water. 5. May thy city be a resting, an abode of the people, 6. May X be a resting, an abode of the people. 7. Now, O sun-god, shine forth, 8. O sun-god, stand in heaven; 9. Bring the festal-grain from its place 10. [And] fish, O moon-god, from the water. 11. Along the face of the earth on the road with earth’s sweet water come.” 12. From the bright covering of the great heavens the waters flowed, 13. His city was refreshed with water, it drank; 14. X was refreshed with water, it drank, 15. His well of bitter water became a well of sweet water. 16. The fields and meadows with moisture caused grain to sprout (?); 17. His city was a resting, an abode of the people; 18. X was a resting, an abode of the people. 19. Then the sun-god shone forth; this verily was so, 20. The brilliant one, creator of intelligence. 21. To Nintu, the mother of the people (Lines 22-30 describe with a frankness common among primitive people a marital union of the god and goddess. In many parts of the world it has been thought that acts of creation proceed from such unions.) 31. Enki, the father of Damgalnunna, his word spoke. 32. Ninkharsag flooded the fields, 33. The fields received the waters of Enki. 34. It was the first day whose month is first; 35. It was the second day whose month is second; 36. It was the third day whose month is third; 37. It was the fourth day whose month is fourth; 39. It was the sixth day whose month is sixth; 40. It was the seventh day whose month is seventh; 41. It was the eighth day [whose month is eighth]; 42. It was the ninth day whose month is ninth, the month of fertility. 43. Like fat, like fat, like abundant sweet oil, 44. [Nintu], mother of the land, 45. .......... had brought them forth. In the first part of the above column the description of the city is continued. As a consequence of the union of the gods, water flowed to irrigate the land. Lines 34-42 tell in a quaint way how the waters continued to come for nine months and nine days. Column III 1. Ninshar on the bank of the river cried (?): 2. “O Enki, for me are they filled! they are filled!” 3. His messenger, Usmu himself the word repeated. 4. The sons of men his favor did not understand, 5. Ninshar his favor did not understand. 6. His messenger, Usmu himself, answered; 7. The sons of men his favor did not understand, 8. Ninshar his favor did not understand. 9. “My king, a storm-cloud! A storm-cloud!” 10. With his foot on the boat he stepped, 11. Two strong men as watchers he stationed, 12. The command they received, they took. 13. Enki flooded the fields, 14. The fields received the waters of Enki. 15. It was the first day whose month is first; 16. It was the second day whose month is second; 17. It was the ninth day whose month is ninth, the month of the height of the waters. 18. Like fat, like fat, like abundant sweet oil, 19. [Ninshar] like fat, 20. Ninshar had brought them forth. 21. Ninkurra[408] [on the bank of the river] c[ried (?)] 22. “O Enki, for me they are filled! they are filled!” 23. His messenger, Usmu, the word repeated. 24. The sons of men his favor did not understand, 25. Ninkurra his favor did not understand. 26. His messenger, Usmu himself answered; 27. The sons of men did not understand, 28. Ninkurra did not understand. 29. “My king, a storm-cloud! A storm-cloud!” 30. With his foot on the boat he stepped, 31. Two strong men as watchers he stationed; 32. The command they received, they took. 33. Enki flooded the fields 34. The fields received the waters of Enki. 36. It was the ninth day whose month is ninth, the month of the height of the waters. 37. Like fat, like fat, like abundant sweet oil, 38. Ninkurra like fat had brought them forth. 39. The god Tagtug and his wife she received; 40. Ninkurra to Tagtug [and his wife] spoke: 41. “Verily I will help (?) thee, my upright one, .......... 42. With favorable words I speak .......... 43. One man for me shall be counted .......... 44. Enki for me shall .......... The rest of the column, consisting of two or three lines, is missing. The repetition in this column is characteristic of early poetry. Primitive peoples are fond of iteration, and in the description of the way the waters came it was to them very effective. Column IV (about twelve lines are broken from the tablet at the beginning) 13. [To Tagtug and] his wife spoke .......... 14. ........................................ 15. ...................................... 16. ................ in the garden .................... 17. ........................................ 18. [Eba]raguldu let him found, 19. Erabgaran let him found, 20. At the temple let my fettered oxen stand, 21. For Enki let my fettered oxen be sacrificed, 22. Let two strong men pour out water, 23. Abundant water let them pour out, 24. Reservoir-water let them pour out, 25. The barren land let them irrigate, 26. As gardeners for the little plants let them go forth, 27. On the bank, along the bank let them (i. e., the plants) extend. 28. Who art thou? The garden .................... 29. For Enki the gardener ............................ (Five lines are here broken away.) 35. Ebaraguldu he founded, 36. Erabgaran he founded, on its foundation he set it. 37. Enki turned his eyes unto him; his scepter he lifted up; 38. Enki to Tagtug directed the way. 39. At the temple he cried: “Open the door, open the door;” 40. “Who is it that thou art?” 41. “I am a gardener, with gladness .......... 42. With .......... the price (?) of milk will I present thee.” 43. Tagtug with joyful heart at the temple opened the door, 44. Enki spoke to Tagtug and his wife, 45. With joy his possessions he gave to him; 46. That Ebaraguldu he gave him; 47. That Erabgaran he gave him. 48. Tagtug and his wife bowed down; with the left hand they covered the mouth; with the right they did obeisance. At the beginning of Column V some seven lines have crumbled away, and the beginnings of eight more have also become illegible. Column V ........................................... ........................................... 8. [The .......... plant] was green, 9. [The .......... plant] was green, 10. [The .......... plant] was green, 11. [The .......... plant] was green, 12. [The .......... plant] was green, 13. [The .......... plant] was green, 14. [The .......... plant] was green. 15. “O Enki, for me they are counted,” 16. His messenger, Usmu himself, the word repeated; 17. “Plants I have called forth, their abundance ordained, 18. The water shall make them bright, the water shall make them bright;” 19. His messenger, Usmu himself, answered: 20. “My king, as to the woody plants,” he said, 21. “He shall prune, he shall [eat].” 22. “As to the tall plants,” he said, 23. “He shall pluck, he shall eat.” 24. “My king, as to the .......... plants,” he said, 25. “He shall prune, he shall eat.” 26. “As to the plants of the watered garden (?),” he said, 27. “He shall pluck, he shall eat.” 28. “[My king], as to the .......... plants,” he said, 29. “[He shall prune], he shall eat.” 30. “[My king, as to the .......... plants],” he said, 31. “[He shall pluck, he shall eat].” 32. [“My king, as to the .......... plants”], he said, 33. “[He shall prune, he shall] eat.” 34. [“My king, as] to the cassia plant,” he said, 35. “He [shall pluck] ........ he shall eat.” 36. [“Enki] for [me] the plant of his wisdom has plucked, his heart has spoken.” 37. Of Ninkharsag the name Enki uttered in curse: 38. “The face of life when he dies he shall not see.” 39. Then Anunnaki in the dust sat down. 40. The rebellious one to Enlil said: 41. “I, Ninkharsag, brought forth for thee people; what is my reward?” 42. Enlil, the begetter, answered the rebellious one: 43. “Thou, Ninkharsag, hast brought forth people,” 44. “‘In my city let two creatures be made,’ shall thy name be called.” 45. As a dignitary his head alone he exalted, 46. His heart (?) alone he made impetuous, 47. His eye alone he filled with fire (?). Column VI (perhaps five lines are broken away) 6. .......... the lord Enlil .......... 7. ........ the lord of life .......... 8. To .......... they went, .......... 9. To .......... they went, the lord of the gods .......... 10. Spoke to him, the water of life .......... 11. .............................. 12. Ninkharsag .................... 13. .............................. 14. .................................. 15. .............................. 16. .......................... 17. ............................ 18. Ninkharsag .................... 19. Enlil ...... his .......... they founded, 20. Priests (?) they ordained, 21. Fate they determined, 22. With power established it. 23. Ninkharsag in her temple granted his life to him: 24. “My brother, what of thee is ill?” 25. “My herd (?) is ill.” 26. “The god Absham have I brought forth for thee.” 27. “My brother, what of thee is ill?” 28. “My herd is ill.” 29. “The goddess ‘Queen of the herd’[409] have I brought forth for thee.” 30. “My brother, what of thee is ill?” “My face is ill.” 31. “The goddess Ninkautu have I brought forth for thee.” 32. “My brother, what of thee is ill?” “My mouth is ill.” 33. “The goddess ‘Queen who fills the mouth’[410] have I brought forth for thee.” 34. “My brother, what of thee is ill?” [“My ...... is ill”]. 35. “The goddess Nazi have I brought forth for thee.” 36. “My brother, what of thee is ill?” “My hand [is ill.”] 37. “My goddess ‘Living hand’[411] have I brought forth for thee.” 38. “My brother, what of thee is ill?” “My health is ill.” 39. “The goddess ‘Queen of health’[412] have I brought forth for thee.” 40. “My brother, what of thee is ill?” “My intelligence is ill.” 41. “The god who makes the intelligence clear[413] have I brought forth for thee.” 42. “Grandly are they brought forth, they are created. 43. Let Absham be lord of vegetation, 44. Let Nintulla be lord of Magan, 46. May Ninkasi be the full heart’s possession, 47. May Nazi become mistress of weaving (?), 48. May Dazima the house of strong life take, 49. May Nintil become mistress of the month, 50. May Enshagme become lord of X. 51. Glory!” 2. Comparison with the Bible. Here the tablet concludes. This last column, which tells how the goddess Ninkharsag came to favor the hero and to create a number of divine helpers for him, has no parallel in the Biblical account. As Tagtug received the especial protection of Ninkharsag who created for him all these divine helpers, it seems certain that this tablet had no reference to the fall of man, as Langdon supposes. It appears rather to be a mythical account of the beginnings of agriculture and the medicinal use of plants in Babylonia. Agriculture implies irrigation. “From the first day whose month is first” to the ninth month, is the period when Babylonia is watered. The Tigris begins to rise in March, the first month, the overflow of the Euphrates does not subside till the sixth month, and the winter rains are at their height in the ninth month. As Adam was driven from Eden to eat of the fruits of the earth (Gen. 3:18, 24; compare Gen. 1:29), and Noah became a husbandman (Gen. 9:20), the story of Tagtug presents a remote similarity to both of them. Langdon[414] compares the list of divine beings with which the tablet ends with the antediluvian patriarchs of Gen. 4 and 5, and suggests the possibility that here we have the original names of those patriarchs. Beyond the fact that Absham somewhat resembles the name Abel and was, like Abel, an agriculturist, there is no apparent connection. The names in no way correspond. It is more probable that we have the names of those patriarchs in the list of kings translated in Chapter V. |
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