Enuma Elish, the Babylonian Creation Epic Barton Tablet I

From George A. Barton, Archaeology and the Bible, 7th edition, p. 279;-282 -------

  1. Time was when above ----------heaven was not named
  2. Below to the earth -------------no name was given.
  3. Then the primeval Abyss -------their begetter,
  4. The roaring Sea ---------------who bore them,--
  5. Their waters ------------------together were mingled;
  6. No field had been formed, -------no marsh-land seen.
  7. When no gods ------------------had ever been honored,
  8. No name was formed -----------no destiny fixed,
  9. Gods were created -------------in their midst
  10. Lakhmu and Lakhamu -----------their associates were called.
  11. Together they became great, ----grew tall.
  12. Anshar and Kishar were born ----they were trater than they.
  13. The days were prolonged, -------years passed;
  14. Anu their son ------------------was a rival of his fathers.
  15. Anshar made Anu, his firstborn, --like himself
  16. And Anu begat in his likeness -----Nudimmud,
  17. Nudimmud of his fathers ---------became ruler, even he;
  18. Clever, wise, joyful, -------------who grasped deep things,
  19. Stronger far than Anshar, --------the father who begat him,
  20. Not a rival has he ----------------among the gods his fathers.
  21. They stood; the gods assembled
  22. They troubled Tiamat ------------to protect themselves they attaked her,
  23. They troubled the body -----------of Tiamat.
  24. In agitation ---------------------he was enrolled among the great.
  25. Apsu could not quiet -------------their outcry;
  26. Tiamat roared at their.................
  27. She smote and their deeds....................
  28. Their way was not good; they themselves prospered.
  29. Then Apsu, the begetter of the great gods,
  30. Cried to Mummu, his minister, and said,
  31. O Mummu, my minister, who delightest my heart,
  32. Come, unto Tiamat [let us go].
  33. They went, before Timat they lay down,
  34. A plan they formed against the gods [their offspring].
  35. [Apsu] opened his mouth, [he said to her],
  36. Unto Tiamat, the brilliant, a word he spoke:
  37. "[Intolerable to me] is their advancement,
  38. By day I have no rest, at night, no peace.
  39. But I will destroy their way, an end will I make.
  40. Let there be a cry, then we may be at peace!J"
  41. When Tiamat heard these words,
  42. She was angry and spoke against them [a curse];
  43. [She was] grievously [pained[she raged....
  44. A curse she let fall, unto [Apsu she spoke]:
  45. "What are we that we [should perish]!
  46. Let their way become difficult."....
  47. Mummu answered, Apsu [he counseled]
  48. ....not favorable was the counsel of the Roarer:
  49. "Their way is strong, but do thou confound [lit],
  50. By day thou shalt be calm, by night thou shalt lie down."
  51. Apsu heard and his face brightened.
  52. [Since] he planned evil against the gods his sons
  53. Mummu (Roar of the ocean) clasped his [neck]
  54. He sat him on his knees, he kissed....
  55. The whole they planned -------in the whole....
  56. Against the gods, their firstborn, ----they unlossed their power.
  57. They cursed the gods ---------------they slandered them,
  58. Silence seized them, ---------------they sat quietly.
  59. The wise, the instructed ------------the exalted one,
  60. Ea, who understands everything, ------saw their plan
  61. He grasped it and, ------------------comprehending all, sat.
  62. He prepared his power, --------------his holy witchcraft,
  63. He nunmbered it --------------------and put it in water.
  64. Sleep came upon him PApsu] ---------resting, he sank down.
  65. He put Apsu to rest, ----------------pouring out sleep.
  66. Mummu wandered about, ------------with dress disordered
  67. He burst his bond, ------------------from his mouth....
  68. His lustre was gone ----------------he himself was prostrated.
  69. He (Ea) had bewitched him; ----------Apsu he had killed.
  70. Mummu he bound, ------------------over him stationed a guard,
  71. He placed himself on Apsu ----------in a sitting posture,
  72. Mumm he grasped, ----------------- he held his massive form,
  73. Both of them he had bound, ----------he had destroyed,
  74. He established his triumph ----------over his enemies.
  75. Amid the destruction ---------------he rested peacefully.
  76. He bound him ----------------------and cast Apsu down to the depths.
  77. On his body ------------------------he founded his luxurious palace;
  78. Lakhmu and Lakhamu his wife -------he placed as rulers over it,
  79. As guardsof the domed abodes
  80. In the abode of the fates,the dwelling of destiny.
  81. The mighty one, the leader of the gods, Marduke [said]
  82. In the midst of the deep ------------ Anshar was born,
  83. In the holy deep --------------------Anshar was born,
  84. There begat him --------------------Lakhmu, his father,
  85. Lakhamu, his mother, ----------------conceived him,
  86. There nourished him milk ------------flowing from goddesses.
  87. A marauder approached him, ----------terror filled him'
  88. Tall was his stature, ----------------brilliant the look of his eye,
  89. Troubled was his voice, -------------his course was hither and thither.
  90. Lakhmu, who begat him, -------------his father, saw him,
  91. Intelligently he looked, --------------his heart was filled with joy,
  92. He saved him and -------------------an equal of the gods made him,
  93. He was greatly exalted ove them who help Tiamat.
  94. Indescribable was his brilliance, unnumbered his...
  95. Unthinkable his.. --------------------difficult to look upon,
  96. Four eyes, four ears he had,
  97. His lips he opened, ------------------fire came forth
  98. There grew four ears,
  99. Four eyes like them were bright,
  100. That one among the gods -------------[his command was that] of Anu;
  101. His leadership... --------------------[is for[ the preservaton of life;
  102. His crown shall shine brightly; ------ he shall confound Tiamat
  103. ................ ....................................... ....................he shall cause fear,
  104. ................. ............................. ............................forever,
  105. ............... ............................... ............................evil,
  106. ................. .......................... ..............................in opposition he spoke:
  107. ................ .............................. ............................he conquered.
  108. .............. .................................. ..........................weeps and sits in tribulation.
  109. ................ ............................. .............................fear,
  110. ....................... ................... ................................we shall not lie down [in peace].
  111. ........................ .................. ................................Apsu and Mummu who were bound.
  112. ......................... .................... .............................quickly thou shalt oppose
  113. ........................ ..................... .............................that we ourselves may rest.
  114. ........................ ................. .................................the fury of the lords...
  115. ........................... .............. .................................avenge them!
  116. ........................ .................... ..............................to the storm....
  117. ....................... ..................... ..............................the word of the bright god,
  118. .......................... ................... .............................what thou givest, we shall indeed do@
  119. .............................. .............. ..............................the gods in.....
  120. .............................. ................ ............................the gods [she] created.
  121. They separated themselves, to the side of Tiamat they came;
  122. They raged, they planned, they rested not night or day.
  123. They prepared for battle, fuming, raging;
  124. Their assemblage was formed and they began war.
  125. Mother Khubur, who formed all things,
  126. Man unrivaled weapons, spawned great serpents,
  127. Sharp of tooth, unsparing of fang;
  128. With poison instead of blood their bodies she filled.
  129. Fierce dragons with terror she clothed,
  130. Luster she made abundant, to loftiness made them eual.
  131. Whoever beheld them, terror overcame him;
  132. Their bodies they reared up without turning their breast.
  133. She established vipers, serpents, and Lakhami,
  134. Hurricanes, raging hounds, scorpion-men,
  135. Mighty storms, fish-men, and rams
  136. They bore merciless weapons, fearless of battle.
  137. Her behests were mighty; without rival were they.
  138. Moreover eleven such as these she created.
  139. Among the gods, her firstborn, who at her side gathered,
  140. She exalted Kingu, made him great in her midst,
  141. To march before the forces, to lead the host,
  142. To raise the conquering weapon, to lead the attack,
  143. To direct the battle, as commander-in-chief;
  144. To him she entrusted it, made him sit in purple.
  145. "Thy spell I have uttered; in the assembly of the gods I have made thee great.
  146. The sovereignty of all the gods, I have placed in thy hand.
  147. Surely thou art exated, my only spouse!
  148. May they magnify thy name over all the Annunaki (spirits of the earth)
  149. She gave him the tablets of destiny, on his brest she laid them:
  150. Thy command shall be unalterable, established, thy word."
  151. Now Kingu was exalted, he received the highest rank,
  152. Among the gods, his sons, he fixed fate:
  153. "The opening of your mouth shall quench the fire-god;
  154. Who is exalted in excellence, let him increase in might."
 
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