The Epic of Gilgameš, Standard Version, Tablet XI, lines 1-29, read by Stephanie Dalley
With the kind permission of Professor A. R. George, the translation below is taken from his work The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic (Oxford, 2003), with minor modifications. The transcription is based on the transliteration in the same work.
| Original Transcript | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 1 gilgameš ana šâšumma izakkara ana ūta-napištim rūqi | 1 Gilgamesh spoke to him, to Ūta-napišti the Far-Away: |
| 2 anaṭṭalakkumma ūta-napišti 3 minâtuka ul šanâ kī yâtimma atta 4 u atta ul šanâta kī yâtimma atta |
2 "As I look at you, Ūta-napišti, 3 Your form is no different, you are just like me, 4 You are not different at all, you are just like me. |
| 5 gummurka libbī ana epēš tuqunti 6 [x]x ahī nadât elu ṣērika 7 [att]a kī kī tazzizma ina puhur ilī balāṭa teš'u |
5 I was fully intent on doing battle with you, 6 [but] in your presence my hand is stayed. 7 How was it that you attended the gods' assembly, and found eternal life?" |
| 8 ūta-napištim ana šâšumma izakkara ana gilgameš | 8 Ūta-napišti spoke to him, to Gilgamesh: |
| 9 lupteka gilgameš amāt niṣirti 10 u pirišti ša ilī kâša luqbika |
9 "I will disclose to you, Gilgamesh, a secret matter, 10 and I will tell you a mystery of the gods. |
| 11 šurippak ālu ša tīdûšu atta 12 ā[lu ša ina kišā]d puratti šaknu 13 [āl]u šū labirma ilū qerbuššu 14 [an]a šakān abūbi ubla libbašunu ilāni rabûti |
11 "The city of Shuruppak — a city you yourself know, 12 the [city that] is situated on the [banks] of the Euphrates — 13 that city was old and the gods were inside it, 14 (when) the great gods decided to cause the Deluge. |
| 15 [it]mama abūšunu anum 16 mālikšunu qurādu Enlil 17 [g]uzallâšunu ninurta 18 gugallâšunu ennugi |
15 "Their father Anu took the oath, 16 (as did) their counsellor, the hero Enlil, 17 their chamberlain, Ninurta, 18 their inspector of waterways, Ennugi |
| 19 ninšiku ea ittišunu tamima 20 amāssunu ušannâ ana kikkišu |
19 "Prince Ea was likewise under oath with them, 20 (but) repeated their words to a reed fence: |
| 21 kikkiš kikkiš igār igār 22 kikkišu šimema igāru hissas 23 šuruppakû mār ubara-tutu 24 uqur bīta bini eleppa |
21 "'Reed fence, reed fence! Brick wall, brick wall! 22 Listen, O reed fence! Pay heed, O brick wall! 23 O man of Shuruppak, son of Ubara-tutu, 24 demolish the house, build a boat! |
| 25 muššir mešrê še'i napšāti 26 [m]akkūru zērma napišti bulliṭ 27 šūlima zēr napšāti kalāma ana libbi eleppi |
25 "'Abandon riches and seek survival! 26 Spurn property and save life! 27 Put on board the boat the seed of all living creatures! |
| 28 eleppu ša tabannûši atta 29 lū mindudā minâtuša |
28 "'The boat that you are going to build, 29 her dimensions should all be matching". |