The life-giving water of all lands — Winter is its noble one.

The Sumerian debate poem (a-da-min3, "disputation") is one of the great genres of Mesopotamian literature. More than a dozen survive, pitting grain against sheep, bird against fish, copper against silver, the hoe against the plough. This poem — one of the longest and best-preserved — stages a cosmic argument between Summer (Emesh) and Winter (Enten), the two seasons Enlil made to govern the land's fertility. Both brothers are the legitimate sons of Enlil. Both do real work. Both have real claims. The fun, and the seriousness, lie in the question of which one the land cannot do without. The answer comes from Enlil himself, in a single sentence.

I. The Making of the Seasons

An raised his lordliness — a good day arose.
He set the design; he spread it wide across the people.
Enlil set his feet on the earth like a great bull.

To cause a good day to grow into abundance —
to make the night blossom with joy —
to cause flax to grow, to cause grain to spread wide —
to make the carp plentiful at the quays —
to extend the fine days into distant days —
to make Emesh the bond of heaven,
to make Enten the abundance of water at the quay:

Enlil, king of all the lands, set his wisdom.
On the great mountains he planted his seed;
he gave the mountains their share.
Emesh and Enten — abundance and life of the land —
he cast into the heart of the earth.

Where Enlil planted his seed,
like a wild bull, he roared.
On the mountain, the day passed swiftly — the night flew.
Emesh and Enten, like the rich oil of the house,
rose to the full.
Like a great wild bull at the mountain's base,
the two fed on pure plants.
In the innermost mountain, their necks grew thick and strong.

Enlil decreed fate for Emesh and Enten.

To Emesh he gave: settlements, farmlands, laying out the earth,
bringing great harvest into the mountain of Enlil,
making the great fields respond when the cattle are put to them.

To Enten he gave: carp, abundance, the life of the land,
laying grain in the fields and on the good earth, laying down all things.

Enlil decreed this fate for both of them.

II. The Work of Winter

Enten, from the breast of the mountain,
made the carp plentiful and the life of the land abundant.
He set his feet on the Tigris and the Euphrates like a great bull.
He spread his hands over the fields — the good earth of Enlil.

In the sea he fashioned marshes.
In the lagoon, fish and birds bred of themselves.
In the reed-beds all around,
old reeds, young reeds, and the thick reed-stands
filled up together.

[Lines 33–44 fragmentary: further preparations of Winter.]

Enten caused the ewes to give birth to lambs,
the goats to give birth to kids.
The cows brought forth their calves from their wombs;
the milk and cream were stored up in cattle pen and fold.

In the open steppe the deer and wild creatures rejoiced.
The birds of heaven nested in the broad earth.
The fish of the marshes laid their eggs in the reed-beds.
In the orchard wells, honey and wine touched the ground.
The trees brought their fruit up from the soil.
The garden greens were set in rows; the lush plants laid in.
In the furrows, the grain-ears thickened.
Like a beautiful young woman, Ezina the grain goddess made herself radiant.
The harvest festival of great Enlil rose with its head toward heaven.

III. The Work of Summer

Emesh laid down houses and settlements;
cattle pens and sheepfolds spread wide.
In the great fields he made grace multiply.
On his chest and neck he laid down the flax.
He brought abundant harvest into the house;
the storehouses bent beneath the weight.
He laid settlements across the earth; he built the houses of the land.
The temples of the gods he raised like mountains on the pure earth —
the house of life, the holy royal dwelling, fit for the great throne —
and he established abundance for great mountain Enlil.

Emesh, the heroic son of Enlil,
prepared offerings for the house of life, the house of Enlil:
wild animals and cattle of the mountain,
deer and gazelle, wild goat,
fat sheep and choice sheep,
pigs fattening in the reed-beds,
birds with their nests and eggs seized —
products of harvest and grain, flour and malt, oil and milk from fold and pen,
grains of all kinds heaped up in basket and chest,
garlic and leeks in the furrows,
cucumbers and spices, and all the fresh garden plants.

Emesh, son of the heroic Enlil, made the offerings.

IV. The First Quarrel

Enten, the noble son of Enlil, raised his bright hands.
He released the life-giving water; his spirit was strong.

[Lines 91–111: the brothers make joint offerings and are seated together before Enlil. Then:]

Enten approached; he started a dispute with Emesh.

"Emesh, my brother — don't say you are well-being itself.
What have you brought to the palace as your gift?
You labored hard — and I labored harder.
You, the farmer — the irrigated field, the fisherman — have you made their silver?
You brought grain to the field like rain from the sky —
but that grain, those meadows —
did you bring them on your own?

My own labor, beside me — you performed it?
And now you take the credit?"

[Lines 122–151 partially fragmentary: further exchange.]

At that time, Enten spoke to Emesh again:
"Emesh, you warrior — you start no fight; you scurry about.
On the day of harvest you stand proud,
eating various grasses like a great ox, lifting your head.
But I tell you:

Sit beside my fire — warm yourself.
You were born after me.
When the heavy rain falls — you could not receive it.
In my months of working, seven months of labor —
my labor benefited you. Its weight comes from me.

I drained the irrigated fields; I arranged them.
I set up the fish-storehouses; I heaped up the fish.
I am the great father of Enlil —
in the fields I lead the plow.
The oxen set the fields from their own hands.
In the moist ground I send the work forward.
The great irrigated fields — without my labor coming from the north —
the grain-ears in the nursery would not be drawn to the heart."

V. The Great Speeches

At that time, Emesh spoke to Enten:

"Emesh, son of Enlil's warrior —
you are master of the productive field.
But Enten — do not be arrogant.
Your place is swelling with itself.
Let me tell you about your place in the city:

From the fire to the oven, from the oven back to the fire —
you huddle like sheep crowding each other.
In the noon-heat when the street cannot be walked —
the servant who slips joyfully from the fire into the house when night falls —
the woman who has not stood at the flood at night, spending the day wrapped in cloth —

The field of Enten does no work.
The furrows are not drawn toward the heart.
The grain does not fall to the ground in its season — the heavy birds carry it away.
The green-cut herb finds no market.
The old reed, lifted — a man turns it into a carrying frame.
The wide-mouthed channel — do not open it to speak!

Let me tell you what I am:

I am the one who fills the storehouse.
I am the one who brings the harvest home.
I dressed Ibbi-Suen the king in the royal robe for the new year.
I completed the festivals of the gods.
I spread garments for the Anunna on their sacred thrones.
I filled the great palace with all good things.
Beside the great throne I made the feasting-day pass in joy.
The drum and the lyre, the long flute and the zam-zam —
the days pass in what makes the heart glad.
I am the one who makes the grape multiply and the fine drink grow.
I am the one who clothes the cloth-makers and the weavers.

The summer heat — great Emesh, the soul of Sumer —
the black-headed people lay under me at their ease.
I brought out their garments.
I dressed the New Year king Ibbi-Suen in robe and mantle.
I set the festivals of the gods in order.
I laid garments for the Anunna on their pure thrones.
In the great house of life I made the feasting good.

What can you match with me?"

[Lines 255–282: Emesh continues, listing Enten's winter failures — cold that freezes the farmer, bare gardens, idle woodcutters, shivering servants. Enten replies, listing summer's failures — scorching fields, cracked earth, idle workers, grain parched before it matures. The exchange grows heated.]

VI. Before Enlil

At that time, the Ekur — the great festival house —
gleamed with the abundance of Sumer.

The two brothers, like great perfect bulls,
knelt facing each other in the great courtyard.
They set their knees to the ground.

Enten raised his word proudly:

"Father Enlil — you gave me understanding;
you brought abundant water.
I spread my hands over the great irrigated fields.
I caused the grain-ears to thicken in the furrows.
Like a beautiful young woman, I raised Ezina to radiance.

Emesh, the disruptor — knowing nothing of the fields' heart —
beside my own labor, he labored.
And now he stands as master of the palace?"

Enten spoke this with pride.
Emesh, examining each thing, took back his spirit.

Emesh spoke to Enlil:

"Enlil — your judgment is precious.
Your holy word is great.
Your verdict cannot be changed — who would dispute it?
Between brothers, there is strife — and there is sweet peace.
Come, let us go to the palace together.
Let the people marvel at us.
Let us sit — let us not trouble each other.
Let us make it sweet between us."

Then Enlil replied to Emesh and Enten:

"The life-giving water of all the lands —
Winter is its noble one.
The farmer of the gods — all things were laid before him.
My son Emesh — can you compare yourself to your brother Enten?"

Enlil's great spoken word — its heart was woven with subtlety.
His verdict cannot be changed. Who would dispute it?

VII. The Reconciliation

Emesh bowed to Enten; he brought a gift.
In Enten's house he filled the cups with wheat-beer and wine.
Beside the cup, the good banquet table —
the days were spent there together.

Emesh gave Enten gold, silver, and lapis lazuli.
Brotherhood and friendship they exchanged like sweet oil.
Between them, speaking sweet words,
together they made it sweet.

Colophon

The debate of Emesh and Enten.

Enten, the true farmer of Enlil, has surpassed Emesh.

Great mountain, Father Enlil — praise.

Translated from the Sumerian by Ur-Nisaba (Good Works Translation), 2026. Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), text c.5.3.3, 318 lines. The English is independently derived from the Sumerian transliteration accessed via ETCSL; the ETCSL English translation summary was consulted as a structural reference only. The text survives across multiple tablets with varying damage; the debate section (lines 89–282) has the most gaps, and several extended passages are only partially recoverable. What is translated here represents the full recoverable narrative, with gaps noted. "Emesh" (e2-me-eš): the Sumerian word for Summer; literally "good/rich house," or possibly related to e2-me = the house of divine powers. "Enten" (en-te-en): Winter; literally "lord who remains." "Ezina" (dezina2): the grain goddess, personification of the grain itself. "Kisnugal": the Moon-temple at Ur. "A-da-min3": the Sumerian word for this debate genre, meaning "mutual combat" or "rivalry." The disputation genre was a staple of scribal education; students learned these texts in the edubba (the scribal school). Enlil's verdict — that Winter is the controller of the life-giving water — reflects Mesopotamian ecological reality: without the winter floods of the Tigris and Euphrates, fed by snowmelt in the Zagros Mountains, there would be no spring cultivation.

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Source Text

Sumerian transliteration from the Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), text c.5.3.3 (etcsl.cgi?text=c.5.3.3). 318 lines. Angle brackets / indicate uncertain readings; [X] indicates unclear signs; bracketed ellipses indicate irrecoverable gaps.

Lines 1–60

1. [an-ne2 nam]-nir-ra saĝ mi-ni-in-il2 ud dug3 am3-mi-e3
2. [...]-ke4 ĝiš-ḫur ba-an-sig10 uĝ3-e daĝal bi2-in-tag
3. [den]-/lil2-le ki-a gud gal-gin7 ĝiri3-ni nam-mi-in-gub
4. ud dug3 nam-ḫe2-a buluĝ3-e-de3
5. ĝi6 X X giri17-zal-e pa e3 ak-de3
6. gu mu2-mu2-de3 še daĝal-e-de3
7. a-eštubku6 kar-ra gen6-ne2-de3
8. X-e nam-ḫe2-a ud sud4-su13-ru-de3
9. e2-me-eš an-na niĝ2-keše2 ak-de3
10. en-te-en a ḫe2-ĝal2-la kar-ra gen6-ne2-de3
11. den-lil2 lugal kur-kur-ra-ke4 ĝeštug2-ga-ni na-an-gub
12. ḫur-saĝ gal-gal-la ĝiš3 bi2-in-dug4 kur-re ḫa-la ba-an-šum2
13. e2-me-eš en-te-en ḫe2-ĝal2 zi kalam-ma šag4-ga mu-ni-in-ri
14. den-lil2-le ki ĝiš3 dug4-ga-ni am-gin7 mur im-ša4
15. ḫur-saĝ-e ud ki-bi-še3 nam-zal ĝi6 ḫaš4 nam-mi-ib-dug4
16. e2-me-eš en-te-en i3-ḫe-nun-na-gin7 šu nam-ta-ab-us2
17. am gal-gin7 temen-na ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ka u2 sikil mu-un-gu7-e
18. šag4-tum2-šag4-tum2 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ka gu2 mu-un-peš-peš-e
19. den-lil2-le e2-me-eš en-te-en-bi-da nam am3-mi-ib2-tar-re
20. e2-me-eš-ra iri a2-dam ki ĝa2-ĝa2
21. kur gal den-lil2-ra buru14 ḫe2-ĝal2-la ku4-ku4
22. a-gar3 gal-gal-e kiĝ2-gi4-a-aš gi4-gi4 gud-de3 gana2 ĝa2-ĝa2
23. en-te-en-ra ḫe2-ĝal2 a-eštub nam-ḫe2 zi kalam-ma
24. gan2-ne2 gana2 zid-de3 še ĝa2-ĝa2 niĝ2-nam ĝar-ĝar-re
25. den-lil2-le e2-me-eš en-te-en-bi-da nam-še3 im-mi-in-tar
26. en-te-en-e gaba ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ta
27. a-eštubku6 nam-ḫe2 zi kalam-ma šu-še3 im-ma-ab-la2
28. id2idigna id2buranuna-bi-da gud gal-gin7 ĝiri3-bi nam-mi-in-gub
29. gan2-ne2 gana2 zid-de3 den-lil2-la2-ka šu ba-ni-in-ba-ba
30. a-ab-ba-ka ambar ba-ni-ib2-dim2-dim2
31. ab-ba ku6 mušen ni2-ba mu-un-u3-tud
32. ĝiš-gi ki-šar2-ba gi sumun gi ḫenbur2 gi BAD ba-ni-ib2-gur-gur
33. e2-me-eš dumu ur-saĝ den-lil2-la2-ke4
34. a-gar3 gal-gal-ta a nam-ta-an-ĝar
35. gan2-ne2 gana2 zid-de3 X-gin7 a sed4 [...]
36. gana2 /lu2?\ bal-a šu mu-un-ak-da
37. /mu ge?-en-ge-en-bi-še3 X X nam-tu11
38. X X [...]-ib2-du7
39. [...]-/in?-gi
40. [...] UD X nam-mi-in-lu?-[X]
41. [...] X numun? kal? nam-ta-ĝar
42. [...]-/in-DI
43. [approx. 1 line missing]
44. [...] X E X [...]
45. en-te-en kug nam-/ta\ [...]
46. gud-de3 ĝiššudul-a /saĝ\ [...]
47. dnin-urta dumu den-lil2-[la2-ke4] gana2 zid na-/an-[X]
48. a-gar3 gal-gal /še\ X X X
49. gan2-ne2 gana2 zid den-lil2-la2-/ka\ niĝ2 mu-ni-in-/ĝar-ĝar?\
50. en-te-en-e u8-e sila4 bi2-in-tu-ud ud5-de3 maš2 ba-an-šum2
51. ab2 amar-bi-ta im-da-an-lu-lu i3 ga mu-un-ĝar-ĝar
52. an-edin-na šeg9-bar lu-lim-e šag4 ba-ni-in-ḫul2-ḫul2
53. mušen an-na-ke4 ki daĝal-la gud3 ba-ni-in-u2-us2
54. ku6 ambar-ra-ke4 ĝiš-gi-a nunuz mu-ni-ib2-nu2-nu2
55. pu2-ĝiškiri6-pu2-ĝiškiri6-a lal3 ĝeštin ki ba-ni-in-tag-tag
56. ĝiš ki mu2-a gurun bi2-in-il2
57. sar-sar-re gu im-mi-in-tag-tag nisig mu-un-ĝar-ĝar
58. še ab-sin2-na gu2 ba-ni-in-peš
59. dezina2-e ki-sikil sag9-ga-gin7 ni2 pa e3 bi2-in-ak
60. buru14 ezen gal den-lil2-la2-ke4 saĝ an-še3 nam-mi-il2

Lines 61–107 (selected)

61. e2-me-eš-e e2 e2-duru5 ki bi2-in-ĝar tur3 amaš mu-un-daĝal-daĝal
62. a-gar3 gal-gal-e ḫi-li mi-ni-in-šar2-šar2
63. gaba-ba gada gu2-na ki ba-ni-in-tag-tag
64. buru14 ḫe2-ĝal2-la e2-a mu-ni-in-kur9 guru7 gu2 bi2-in-gur-gur
65. iri a2-dam ki-a bi2-in-ĝar-ĝar e2 kalam-ma mu-un-du3
66. e2 diĝir-re-e-ne ḫur-saĝ-gin7 ki sikil-la bi2-in-mu2
67. e2-nam-til3-la ki-tuš kug nam-lugal-la barag maḫ-a tum2-ma
68. kur gal den-lil2-ra nam-ḫe2-a ki mu-na-ni-in-us2
69. e2-[me]-/eš\ dumu ur-saĝ [den-lil2-la2-ke4] ĝiš im-ma-ni-in-tag-[tag]
70. en-te-en dumu nir-ĝal2 den-lil2-la2-ke4 [X X]-še3 šu dadag-e
71. en-te-en-e gu2-un ĝar-ra-bi-še3 ni2-ba mi-ni-in-ĝar-ĝar
72. e2-nam-til3-la e2 den-lil2-la2-še3
73. e2-me-eš en-te-en-bi-da maš2 kadra si ba-ni-in-sa2-sa2-eš
74. 2-na-ne-ne am gal du7-du7-gin7 u3-na ba-an-sug2-ge-eš

Lines 108–170 (selected)

108. en-te-en a2 kuš2-a zag-še kuš2-a-ni-še3
109. še ab-sin2-na gu2 peš-a-ni-še3
110. gib ziz2 a šu-ta im-mi-in-dug4-ga-na
111. nu-erim2-gin7 bar-ta im-ta-gub da-bi nu-mu-un-tag-ge
112. ur5-da en-te-en-ra ninim mu-na-te e2-me-eš-ra du14 bi2-in-ĝar
113. e2-me-eš šeš-ĝu10 ni2 silim-eš na-an-e-en
114. niĝ2 buru14 kadra e2-gal-še3 a-na mu-e-de6-a-zu
115. a2 kuš2-a-zu-gin7 na-ra-dim2 ni2 na-an-bur2-bur2-en
116. lu2 du-lum-bi mu-e-il2-[a]-/gin7\
117. nam-engar-bi mu-e-ak-a-gin7
118. a-eštubku6-ba nam-ku3-ĝal2-bi mu-e-dim2-dim2-ma-gin7
119. /še\ X a-gar3-a-gar3-ra im-du8 an-na-ka mi-ni-in-e3-a-gin7
120. a2 kuš2-a-ĝu10-ta e2-gal-la a-gin7 im-da-kur9-re-en
121. en-te-en nam-gu3-ra ki nu-um-di-ni-ib-ĝar-ra
122. a-gar3-a-gar3-ta a um-ta-ḫaš bur u3-mu-ni-ib-nu2-nu2
123. ki nam-šu-KU6-da um-mi-ĝar-ĝar ku6 guru7 u3-mu-dub-dub
124. saĝ-tun3 maḫ a-a den-lil2-la2-me-en
125. gan2-ne2 gana2 zid-de3 eš2 mi-ni-ib-ur3-ur3-en

Lines 283–318 (resolution)

283. 2-kam-ma-še3 e2-me-eš-e en-te-en-ra in-še3 mu-ni-in-dub2
284. ud-bi-a e2-kur ezem-ma ki-en-gi ḫe2-ĝal2-la
285. 2-na-/ne-[ne X] dub3 bi2-in-ĝal2-le-eš u3-na ba-an-sug2-ge-eš
286. e2-me-eš en-te-en-bi-da gud maḫ-gin7 teš2-bi a2 si-il-le-de3
287. kisal maḫ-a am-gin7 dub3 i-ni-ib2-ĝar ki ki ba-ni-ib-us2
288. en-te-en-e inim-ma gud maḫ-gin7 saĝ im-il2-il2-e
289. a-a den-lil2 nam-ku5-ĝal2 mu-e-šum2 a ḫe2-ĝal2-la mu-e-de6
290. a-gar3-a-gar3-ra zag ba-ni-tag-tag guru7 gu2 bi2-gur-gur
291. še ab-sin2-na gu2 ba-ni-in-peš
292. dezina2-e ki-sikil sag9-ga-gin7 ni2 pa e3 bi2-ak
293. e2-me-eš šar2-ra-ab-du ni2 bur2-bur2-ra šag4 a-šag4-ga nu-zu
294. a2 kuš2-a zag-še kuš2-a-ĝu10 zag ma-ra-an-tag
295. e2-gal lugal-la-ke4 gu2-un X-ne2-eš si ba-/ni-[X]-sa2-sa2
296. en-te-en-e /šag4\ [...]-a-zu inim-ma nir mi-ni-in-ĝal2
297. e2-me-eš saĝ-ki niĝ2-nam mu-un-kiĝ2 zi im-ma-da-ab-gi4
298. e2-me-eš den-lil2-ra ni2 te-bi-a inim mu-na-ni-ib2-be2
299. den-lil2 di-zu niĝ2 kal-kal-la-am3 inim kug-zu inim maḫ-am3
300. di dab5-ba-zu niĝ2 nu-kur2-ru-dam a-ba šu mi-ni-ib2-bal-e
301. šeš šeš-da du14 mu2-mu2 i3-ĝal2 u3 dug3-ge i3-ĝal2
302. en3-tukum-še3 e2-gal-la u3-mu-e-DU.DU uĝ3-e u6-e me-e
303. u3-mu-e-tuš ni2 na-an-pi-il-pi-il-le-de3-en teš2-bi ga-ba-ra-si-il
304. den-lil2-le e2-me-eš en-te-en-bi-da mu-ne-ni-in-gi4-gi4
305. a zi-šag4-ĝal2 kur-kur-ra-ka en-te-en ku3-ĝal2-bi-im
306. engar diĝir-re-e-ne-ke4 niĝ2-nam mu-un-na-ĝar-ĝar
307. e2-me-eš dumu-ĝu10 en-te-en šeš-zu-da a-na mu-e-da-ab-sa2-e-en
308. den-lil2-le inim maḫ dug4-ga-ni šag4-bi galam kad4-dam
309. di dab5-ba-ni niĝ2 nu-kur2-ru-dam a-ba-a šu mi-ni-ib-bal-e
310. e2-me-eš en-te-en-ra im-ma-an-ši-in-gam u3-gul mu-na-an-ĝa2-ĝa2
311. e2-a-na kaš-ulušin kurun si ba-ni-in-sa2-sa2
312. zag-bi-a ĝišbun niĝ2 dug3-ga ud mi-ni-ib-zal-zal-e-ne
313. e2-me-eš en-te-en-ra kug-sig17 kug-babbar za-gin3 mu-un-na-ba-ba-e
314. nam-šeš nam-dub3-sa i3 li-gin7 i-im-bal-bal-e-ne
315. murub4-ba inim dug3-ga ĝa2-ĝa2-de3 teš2-bi ba-dug3-ge-eš
316. e2-me-eš en-te-en-bi-da a-da-min3 dug4-ga
317. en-te-en engar zid den-lil2-la2 e2-me-eš-ra dirig-ga-ba
318. kur gal a-a den-lil2 za3-mi2

Sumerian transliteration from the Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), text c.5.3.3 (etcsl.cgi?text=c.5.3.3). 318 lines with scattered gaps, primarily in the debate section (lines 89–282). Multiple Nippur manuscripts; see ETCSL apparatus for full source detail.

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