Ammi-ditāna's hymn to Ištar read by Doris Prechel

Transcription after D. O. Edzard, OBO 160/4 (2004), 509-514.
Translation by Martin Worthington.

Original Transcription English Translation
1 [i]ltam zumrā rašubti ilātim
2 litta''id bēlet nišī rabīt igigī
3 ištar zumrā rašubti ilātim
4 litta''id bēlet iššī rabīt igigī
1 Sing ye of the goddess, the most fearsome of the gods,
2 Praise be upon the lady ruler of men, the greatest of the Igigi!
3 Sing ye of Ishtar, the most fearsome of the gods,
4 Praise be upon the lady ruler of women, the greatest of the Igigi!
5 šāt mēliṣim ru'āmam labšat
6 za'nat inbī mīqiam u kuzbam
7 ištar mēliṣim ru'āmam labšat
8 za'nat inbī mīqiam u kuzbam
5 She who gets excited, clothed in sex appeal,
6 adorned with fruits, charm and allure.
7 Ishtar, who gets excited, clothed in sex appeal,
8 adorned with fruits, charm and allure.
9 [š]aptīn duššupat balāṭum pīša
10 simtišša ihannīma ṣīhātum
11 šarhat irimmū ramû rēšušša
12 baniwā šimtāša bitrāmā īnāša šit'arā
9 She is sweet at the lips, her mouth is life,
10 Delights are lush on her cheeks,
11 She is lovely, beads are strewn on her head,
12 Her cheeks are comely, her eyes twinkle and sparkle.
13 eltum ištawša ibašši milkum
14 šīmat mimmami qātišša tamhat
15 napalsušša bani buārum
16 bāštum mašrahu lamassum šēdum
13 The pure one, with her rests counsel,
14 She holds in her hand the fate of anything you care to name,
15 Seeing her makes for happiness,
16 Pride, splendour, protective spirit male and female.
17 tartāmī tešmê ritūmī ṭūbī
18 u mitguram tebēl šīma
19 ardat tattadû umma tarašši
20 izakkarši in-nišī inabbi šumša
17 Of love-making, seduction, making love, pleasure
18 and harmony, she is the lady ruler.
19 The girl who was exposed will get a mother,
20 She will mention her among the people, speak her name.
21 ayyûm narbiaš išannan mannum
22 gašrū ṣīrū šūpû parṣūša
23 ištar narbiaš išannan mannum
24 gašrū ṣīrū šūpû parṣūša
21 Who can rival any of her glory?
22 her powers are mighty, exalted and manifest.
23 Ishtar, who can rival her glory?
24 her powers are mighty, exalted and manifest.
25 qa-a-at in-ilī atar nazzāzuš
26 kabtat a[m]assa elšunu haltatma
27 ištar inilī atar nazzazzuš
28 kabtat amassa elšunu haltatma
25 .... among the gods, her standing is huge,
26 Her word is mighty, she has power over them.
27 Ishtar among the gods, her standing is huge,
28 Her word is mighty, she has power over them.
29 šarrassun uštanaddanū siqrīša
30 kullassunu šâš kamsūši
31 nannarīša ilaqqûšim
32 iššû u awīlum palhūšīma
29 They are always getting their queen to impart orders,
30 All of them bow down before her,
31 They take her luminous insignia from her,
32 Woman and man hold her in fear.
33 puhriššun etel qabûša šūtur
34 ana anim šarrišunu ma-la-am ašbassunu
35 uznam nēmeqim hasīsam eršet
36 imtallikū šī u hammuš
33 To all of them together her speech is noble (and) exalted,
34 Among them she sits, equal to Anu their king,
35 She is wise in understanding, shrewdness and comprehension,
36 She and her husband confer.
37 ramûma ištēniš parakkam
38 iggēgunnim šubat rīšātim
39 muttiššun ilū nazuzzū
40 epšiš pīšunu bašiwā uznāšun
37 The have sat down on the dais together,
38 In Gēgunnu, (their) delightful dwelling,
39 The gods stand before them,
40 Awaiting her bidding.
41 šarrum migrašun narām libbišun
42 šarhiš itnaqqišunūt niqiašu ellam
43 ammi-ditāna ellam niqī qātīšu
44 mahrīšun ušebbi li'ī u ayyālī na-am-ra-i-i
41 The king, their favourite, the beloved of their hearts,
42 Makes his pure sacrifice before them in splendour.
43 *In their presence, Ammiditana with his own hands
44 *Made pure offerings aplenty of bulls and fattened deer.
45 išti anim hāmerīša tēteršaššum
46 dāriam balāṭam arkam
47 mādātim šanāt balāṭim ana ammi-ditāna
48 tušatlim ištar tattadin
45 From Anum, her bridegroom, she has demanded for him
46 a long life forever.
47 Many years of life to Ammiditana
48 Ishtar has granted and given.
49 siqrušša tušaknišaššum
50 kibrāt erbêm ana šēpīšu
51 u naphar kalīšunu dadmī
52 taṣṣammissunūti an-nīrīšu
49 By her command she has made bow down
50 At his feet the four corners of the earth,
51 And all the orb of the earth
52 She has bound to his yoke.
53 bibel libbīša zamar lalêša
54 naṭûmma ana pîšu siqri ea īpussi
55 ešmēma tanittaša irīssu
56 libluṭmi šarrašu lirāmšu ad-dāriš
53 Her heart's desire, the song of her praise,
54 is fitting for his mouth, her has obeyed a command of Ea.
55 "I have heard her eulogy" (said Ea), and he was delighted with it.
56 "May her king live" (he said), "may she love him forever!".
57 ištar ana ammi-ditāna šarri rā'imīki
58 arkam dāriam balāṭam šurkī libluṭ
57 O Ishtar, upon Ammiditāna, the king who loves you,
58 bestow a long life for ever more! May he live!