This is one of the most extraordinary theological poems of the ancient world. Composed in Standard Babylonian Akkadian around the eighth century BCE, Erra and Ishum tells how the god of plague and destruction is goaded from idle sleep into devastating the civilized world. The poem survives on five clay tablets totalling approximately 750 lines — a work of narrative power, theological daring, and dark comedy that has no parallel in Mesopotamian literature.

Tablet I, presented here, is the dramatic opening. Erra — god of plague, war, and the scorched earth — sits idle in his dwelling while his herald Ishum patrols the night. The Seven, Erra's terrifying warrior attendants born of heaven and earth, taunt their master for his sloth: he sits in the city like a feeble old man, eating women's bread, while his weapons rust and spiders spin webs over his camp. Stung into action, Erra travels to Esagil, the great temple of Marduk in Babylon, and challenges the king of the gods: why has his divine regalia grown tarnished? Marduk explains that the last time he rose from his throne — to ordain the Great Flood — the bond of heaven and earth was loosened, the stars were displaced, the springs dried up, and the craftsmen who maintain his regalia were lost to the Abyss. Erra offers to govern the cosmos while Marduk departs for restoration. Marduk accepts — not knowing that Erra intends to destroy Babylon in his absence.

The poem is attributed by its own colophon (preserved on the fifth tablet) to Kabti-ilāni-Marduk, son of Dabibi, who claimed to have received the complete text in a nocturnal vision — making this one of the few works of Mesopotamian literature with a named author and a claim of divine revelation. The Erra Epic was extraordinarily popular in antiquity: dozens of copies survive from sites across Mesopotamia, and excerpts were inscribed on amulet tablets hung in doorways to ward off plague.

No free English translation of the complete poem exists. The standard scholarly editions — Cagni's The Poem of Erra (1977), Foster's Before the Muses (2005), and Dalley's Myths from Mesopotamia (2000) — are locked behind academic paywalls or out of print. This is a Good Works Translation from the Standard Babylonian Akkadian, produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with AI assistance. The source text is the normalized transliteration from the Electronic Babylonian Literature (eBL) critical edition, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (CC BY-SA 3.0). Tablets II–V are forthcoming as their critical texts become available from eBL.

Tablet I

King of all the settlements, creator of the world-quarters —
Hendursanga, foremost son of Enlil,
bearer of the exalted scepter,
herdsman of the black-headed ones, shepherd of the people —

Ishum, the reverent slaughterer,
whose hands are fitted to carry his fierce weapons
and to flash his sublime mace —

Erra, warrior of the gods,
at that time sat resting in his dwelling.

His heart desired to make battle.
He spoke to his weapons: "Coat yourselves with the poison of death!"
To the Seven, warriors without equal: "Gird your weapons!"
To Ishum he said: "I will go out to the field!

You are the torch — they look upon your light.
You are the vanguard — the gods [...].
You are the sword, the slaughter[er ...]."

Erra rose to devastate the land.
His mood was bright. His heart was glad.

But Erra — like a weary man — his arms grew heavy.
He said to himself: "Shall I rise, or shall I lie down?"
He spoke to his weapons: "Stand in the corners!"
To the Seven, warriors without equal: "Return to your dwelling!"
"While you would rouse him — he sleeps in his bed,
sporting with Mami his wife in pleasure."

Hendursanga, lord who roams the night, guide of princes,
who leads young men and women safely through the dark,
making them bright as day —

The nature of the Seven, warriors without equal, is different from all.
Their birth is unique — they are full of terror.
Whoever sees them is struck with dread — their breath is death.
The people are afraid — they cannot approach them.
Ishum is the door — shut before them.

Anu, king of the gods, impregnated Earth.
She bore him seven gods — he named them Seven.
They stood before him, and he decreed their fates.

He summoned the first and gave the command:
"Wherever you turn and march — face no equal!"

He spoke to the second:
"Burn like fire — be swift as a flame!"

He said to the third:
"Take the face of a lion — let whoever sees you be shattered!"

He spoke to the fourth:
"When you carry your fierce weapons, let the mountain crumble!"

To the fifth he said:
"Blow like the wind — survey the horizon!"

The sixth he commissioned:
"Go above and below — spare no one!"

The seventh he gave the poison of the serpent:
"Bring down the living!"

When Anu had decreed the fates of all seven,
he gave them to Erra, warrior of the gods:
"Let them march at your side.
When the noise of the people weighs upon you
and your heart moves you to heap up the dead —
to put the black-headed ones to death,
to fell the cattle of Shakkan —
let these be your fierce weapons.
Let them march at your side."

They were fierce — their weapons raised.
They spoke to Erra:

"Rise! Stand up!

Why, like a feeble old man, do you sit in the city?
Like a helpless child, you sit in the house!
Like one who never goes to the field —
shall we eat women's bread?
Like those who have never known battle —
shall we tremble with fear?

Going to the field is a festival for young men!
A city-dweller, even a prince, cannot get his fill of bread —
his name stinks in the mouths of his people,
his reputation sinks low.
But the one who goes to the field — his hand reaches far.
The city-dweller — his form is ugly.
But the field-goer — his strength increases.

The finest bread of the city
cannot match the ash-cake of the camp.
The sweetened beer, the honeyed draught,
cannot match the water of the river.
The towering palace
cannot match the shelter of the shepherd.

Hero Erra, go out to the field! Rouse your weapons!
Make your cry thunder —
let those above and below tremble!
Let the Igigi hear — and magnify your name!
Let the Anunnaki hear — and tremble at your word!
Let the gods hear — and bow to your yoke!
Let the kings hear — and crouch beneath you!
Let the lands hear — and bring you their tribute!
Let the demons hear — and destroy themselves!
Let the mighty hear — and guard their strength!
Let the towering mountains hear —
let them crumble and bow their heads!
Let the raging seas hear —
let them churn and destroy their creatures!
Let the thick forest — let its trunks be uprooted!
Let the impenetrable reed-thicket — let its reeds be cut down!
Let the people be afraid — let them still their noise!
Let the cattle shudder — let them turn to clay!
Let the father-gods see — and praise your valor!

Hero Erra, why have you abandoned the field
to sit in the city?
The cattle of Shakkan and the wild beasts treat us with contempt.

Hero Erra, we speak to you —
may our words be painful to you!
While the whole land has grown great over us —
surely you will hear our words!
Do a kindness for the Anunnaki who love the darkness!
The Anunnaki, in the clamor of humanity, can find no sleep.
The living things of the land, the cattle,
crowd the pasture like a pen.
The farmer over his furrow weeps bitterly.
The lion and the wolf fell the cattle of Shakkan.
The shepherd, for his flock, day and night does not sleep —
he prays to you.
And we who knew the mountain passes —
we have forgotten the road.
Over our camps, spiders have spun their webs.
Our good bow has changed — it is too strong for our arms.
Our sharp arrow — its point is bent.
Our dagger, without battle, has grown rusty."

The warrior Erra heard them.
The words the Seven spoke were sweet to him as finest oil.
He opened his mouth and spoke to Ishum:

"Why, hearing this, do you sit in silence?
Open the road — let me take the path!
The Seven, warriors without equal — let them make battle!
My fierce weapons — march at my side!
And you, my vanguard — go before me!"

When Ishum heard this,
he felt pity and spoke: "Alas!
Hero Erra — why have you planned evil against the gods?
To devastate the lands, to destroy their peoples —
you have planned evil, and you will not turn back!"

Erra opened his mouth and spoke.
To Ishum, his vanguard, he says the word:

"Ishum, be silent! Hear what I say!
As for the people of the settlements —
you spoke of sparing them.
O vanguard of the gods, wise Ishum, whose counsel is good —

In heaven I am a wild bull.
On earth I am a lion.
In the land I am king.
Among the gods I am the fierce one.

Among the Igigi I am the warrior.
Among the Anunnaki I am the powerful.
Among the cattle I am the wild bull.
In the mountains I am the ibex.
In the reeds I am fire.
In the forest I am the axe.
On the march I am the standard.

Like the wind I blow.
Like the storm I thunder.
Like the sun I survey the whole circle.
When I go out to the field I am a wild beast.
When I enter the pasture I am Nergal in his own dwelling.

All the gods fear my name.
And the people, the black-headed ones, take my orders.

But because they have not honored my name —
and because Prince Marduk has abandoned his word
and acts as he pleases —
I will stir Prince Marduk from his dwelling,
and I will devastate the people!"

The warrior Erra set his face toward Shuanna,
city of the king of the gods.
He entered Esagil, the palace of heaven and earth,
and stood before him.
He opened his mouth and spoke to the king of the gods:

"Why has the ornament, the emblem of your lordship —
which like the stars of heaven was full of splendor —
lost its radiance?
The crown of your lordship,
which like Etemenanki made a vision of the cosmos —
its surface is covered over."

The king of the gods opened his mouth and spoke.
To Erra, warrior of the gods, he says the word:

"Hero Erra, regarding the work you have spoken of performing —

Long ago I grew angry.
I rose from my dwelling, and I ordained the Flood.

When I rose from my dwelling,
the bond of heaven and earth was loosened.

The heavens I shook —
the stations of the stars were changed,
and I could not return them to their places.

The netherworld shook — its harvest diminished,
and ever since I have struggled to replenish it.

The bond of heaven and earth that was loosened —
the springs diminished, the floods receded.
I looked back, and it was hard to restore.

The living creatures and their offspring were reduced —
I could not return them to their places,
until like a farmer I held their seed in my own hand.

I built a house and dwelled within it.

My ornament, which was damaged in the Flood —
its appearance had grown dark.
To polish my features and cleanse my garments,
I sent forth fire.

When they had brightened my ornament and completed the work,
and the crown of my lordship was fitted —
I returned to my place.
My features were splendid. My gaze was proud.

The people who survived the Flood
and witnessed the work —
shall I raise my weapons and destroy the remnant?

Those artisans — I sent them down to the Abyss,
and I did not command their return.
The mesu-wood, the elmeshu-stone —
their location I changed, and I showed it to no one.

Now, regarding the work you spoke of, hero Erra —

Where is the mesu-wood, flesh of the gods,
emblem of the king of all?
The pure wood, the noble youth,
exalted, destined for lordship —
whose roots, through a hundred leagues of water
in the vast sea, reached the depth of the Netherworld —
and whose crown above was lodged in the heavens of Anu?

Where is the bright lapis lazuli, overlaid with alabaster?

Where is Ninildu, the great carpenter of my divinity,
who carries the pure golden axe, who knows that wood —
who makes it shine like day and binds it beneath me?

Where is Kusigbanda, maker of god and man,
whose hands are precious?

Where is Ninagal, who carries the bellows and crucible,
who smelts bronze like leather, who fashions vessels?

Where are the precious stones,
produce of the vast sea, fit for the crown?

Where are the seven sages of the Abyss,
the holy carp,
who like Ea their lord
are perfect in exalted wisdom —
who cleanse my body?"

The warrior Erra heard this.
He opened his mouth and spoke to Prince Marduk:

"[...] from the Abyss [...] upward —
the mesu-wood [...] its equal I will bring up [...] another mesu-wood.
The pure elmeshu [...] its equal I will bring up [...] another elmeshu."

When Marduk heard this,
he opened his mouth and spoke to the warrior Erra:

"When I rise from my dwelling —
the bond of heaven and earth will be loosened.
The waters will rise and flood the land.
The bright day will turn to darkness.
The storm will rise and cover the stars of heaven.
The evil wind will blow
and rob the sight of the living creatures.
The demons will rise and seize [...].
Those whose weapons are stripped — who will face them?
The Anunnaki will rise and trample the living.
Until my weapons are fitted again — who will turn them back?"

When Erra heard this,
he opened his mouth and spoke to Prince Marduk:

"Prince Marduk — while you enter that house,
and fire cleanses your garment,
and you return to your place —
for that time I will govern.
I will strengthen the bond of heaven and earth.

I will ascend to heaven
and give orders to the Igigi.
I will descend to the Abyss
and command the Anunnaki.
I will drive the fierce demons to the Land of No Return.
My fierce weapons — I will brandish over them.
The evil wind — like a bird I will clip its wings.

To that house where you enter, Prince Marduk —
at your gate, right and left,
I will station Anu and Enlil like bulls."

Prince Marduk heard this.
The words Erra spoke pleased him.

Colophon

The Poem of Erra and Ishum (also known as the Erra Epic) is a work of Standard Babylonian Akkadian literature composed around the eighth century BCE. It survives on five clay tablets preserved in dozens of copies from sites across Mesopotamia — Nineveh, Ashur, Babylon, Sultantepe, and beyond. The poem's own colophon, on Tablet V, attributes the text to Kabti-ilāni-Marduk, son of Dabibi, who claimed to have received the complete work in a nocturnal vision. Excerpts of the poem were inscribed on amulet tablets and hung in doorways as protection against plague — making this not only literature but living ritual practice.

This file presents Tablet I (191 lines). Tablets II–V, which relate Erra's devastation of Babylon, the civil war he incites, Ishum's intervention, and the poem's resolution in Erra's self-pacification, are forthcoming as critical source texts become available from eBL.

No freely available English translation of this poem exists. The standard scholarly editions — Luigi Cagni, The Poem of Erra (Sources from the Ancient Near East 1/3, 1977); Benjamin R. Foster, Before the Muses (3rd ed., 2005); and Stephanie Dalley, Myths from Mesopotamia (rev. ed., 2000) — are locked behind academic paywalls or out of print.

Translated from the Akkadian by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with AI assistance, 2026. Lacunae in the source text are indicated by [...].

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Source Text: Akkadian Transliteration

Normalized transliteration from the Electronic Babylonian Literature (eBL) critical edition, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. CC BY-SA 3.0. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

šar gimir dadmē bānû kibrā[ti ...]
hendursanga apil ellil rēšt[û ...]
nāš haṭṭi ṣīrti nāqid ṣalmāt qaqqadi rēʾû [tenēšēti?]
īšum ṭābihu naʾdu ša ana našê kakkīšu ezzūti qātāšu asmā
(u) ana šubruq ulmīšu šērūti erra qarrād ilī inūšu ina šubti

īrissū-ma libbašu / epēš tāhāzi
ītammi ana kakkīšu / litpatā imat mūti
ana sebetti qarrād lā šanān / nandiqā kakkīkun
iqabbīku ana kâša / luṣī-ma ana ṣēri
attā dipārum-ma / inaṭṭalū nūrka
attā ālik mahrim-ma / ilū ... [...]
attā namṣarum-ma ṭābih[u ...]
erra tebī-ma / ina sapān māti
kī namrat kabtatka / (u) hadû libbuk

erra kī ša amēli dalpi / idāšu an[hā]
iqabbi ana libbīšu / lutbe luṣlal-ma
ītamma ana kakkīšu / ummedā tubqāti
ana sebetti qarrād lā šanān / ana šubtīkunu tūrā-ma
adi attā tadekkûšu / ṣalil uršuššu
itti māmi hīratuš / ippuša ulṣam-ma

engidudu bēlu muttallik mūši muttarrû rubê
ša eṭla u ardata (ina šulmi) ittanarrû unammaru kīma ūmi

ša sebetti qarrād lā šanān / šunnât ilūssun
ilittašunu ahât-ma / malû pulhāti
āmiršunu uštahhat-ma / napīssunu mūtum-ma
nišū šahtū-ma / ul iʾirrū ana šâšu
īšum daltum-ma / edil pānu[ššu]n

ānu šar ilī / erṣeta irhē-ma
sebetti ilī uldaššum-ma / sebetta ittabi zikiršun
izzazzū ina mahrīšū-ma / šīmassunu išīm-ma
issī-ma ištēn / išakkana ṭēma
ēma tandirū-ma tattalku / māhira ē tarši
iqabbi ana šanî kīma gīri kubum-ma / humuṭ kīma nabli
ītammi ana šalši zīm labbi lū šaknātā-ma āmirka lišharmiṭ
iqabbi ana rebî ana našê kakkīka ezzūti šadû lītabbit
ana hamši iqtabi kīma šāri zīq-ma / kippata hīṭa
šešša umtaʾʾer eliš u šapliš bāʾam-ma / lā tagammil mamma
sibâ imat bašmi iṣēnšū-ma šumqita napišta
ultu šīmat sebetti napharšunu / išīmu ānu
iddinšunūtī-ma ana erra qarrād ilī / lillikū idāka
kī ša nišī dadmē hubūršina / elīka imtarṣu
ublam-ma libbaka / ana šakān kamāri
ṣalmāt qaqqadi ana šumutti / šumqut(u) būl šakkan
lū kakkūka ezzūtu šunū-ma / lillikū idāka

šunu ezzū-ma / tebû kakkūšun
ītammû ana erra / tibe iziz-ma
minsu kī šībi muqqi / tušib ina āli
kī šerri laʾî / tušib ina bīti
kī lā ālik ṣēri / nikkala akal sinniš
kī ša tāhāza lā nīdû / niplaha nirūda
alāk ṣēri ša eṭlūti kī ša isinnum-ma
āšib āli lū rubû / ul išebbi akla
šumsuk ina pī nišīšū-ma / qalil qaqqassu
ana ālik ṣēri akî / itarraṣ qāssu
ša āšib āli / lū puggulat kubukkuš
ana ālik ṣēri akî / idannin mīna
akal āli lullû / ul ubbala kamān tumri
šikar našpi / duššupi / ul ubbala mê nādi
ēkal tamlî ul ubbala maṣallu ša r[ēʾ]î

qurādu erra ṣī-ma ana ṣēri turuk kakkīka
rigimka dunnin-ma / lištarʾibū eliš u šapliš
igīgū lišmû-ma / lišarbû šumka
anunnakū lišmû-ma / lišhuṭ[ū] zikirka
ilū lišmû-ma / liknušū ana nīrīka
malkū lišmû-ma / likmisū šapalka
mātātu lišmâ-ma / bilassin[a] [liš]šâka
gallû lišmû-ma / ina ramā[nīš]unu l[im]ūtū
dannu lišmē-ma / liššur em[ūq]īšu
hursānū zaqrūtu lišmû-ma l[ītabb]itū-ma? lišpilā rēš[āš]un
tâmātu gallātu lišmâ-ma l[idd]alhā-ma lihalliqā m[eš]erta
ša qīši danni / liktappirū gupnūšu
apu ša nēreba lā īšû / li[h]taṣṣiṣū qanûšu
nišū liplahā-ma / litquna hubūršin
būlu līrur-ma / litūr ana ṭiṭṭi
ilū abbūka līmurū-ma / linādū qurdīk[a]

qurādu erra minsu ṣēra tumaššir-ma / tušib ina āli
būl šakkan (u) nammaššû / leqû šēṭūtni
qurādu erra niqabbīkum-ma atmûni l[i]mruṣ elīka
adi mātu napharša / irbû elīni
mindē-ma attā / šemâta amātni
ana anunnakī [r]āʾim šahrarti / damiqta epša
anunnakū ina hubūr nišī / ul irehhû šitta
napišti māti gipāra / rahiṣ būlu
ikkaru ina muhhi ... / ibakki [ṣa]rpiš
nēšu u barbaru [uš]amqatū būl šakkan
rēʾû aššu ṣēnīšu urra u mūša ul iṣallal iballa [k]âša
u nīnu mūdê nēreb šadî / nimtaš[ši h]arrāna
ina muhhi tillê ṣērīni / šatât qê e[tt]ūtu
qašatni ṭābtu ibbalkit-ma / idnina eli em[ūq]īni
ša uṣṣīni zaqti / kepât lišāššu
patarni ina lā ṭabāhi itt[ad]i šuhta

išmēšunūtī-(ma) qurādu erra
amāt se[bet]ti iqbû kī ulu š[amn]i elīšu iṭīb
īpuš-ma pâšu / izakkar ana [īš]um
minsu šemâtā-ma / qâliš tuš[ša]b
ṭūda pitē-ma / luṣbat harrā[n]a
sebettu qarrād lā šanān / lupp[išū] t[āhāz]a
kakkī[y]a ezzūti / šūlika idāya
u attā ālik mahrīya / alik pā[nī]ya

īšum annīta [ina šemêšu]
rēma irt[ašī-(ma) / iqt]abi [ahūlap]
(qurādu erra) minsu ana il[ī / lemu]tta takp[ud]
ana sapān mātāti hulluq [nišīšin lemu]tta takpud-ma lā t[atūr ana a]rkīka

erra pâšu / īpuš-[ma] iqabbi
ana īšum ā[li]k mahrīšu / [amāta] izakkar
īšum qūlam-ma / šime qabâya
aššu nišī dadmē / ša taqbû gamālšin
ālik mahri ilī enqu īšum ša milikšu damqu

ina šamê rīmāku / ina erṣeti labbāku
ina māti šarrāku / ina ilī ezzāku
ina igīgī qardāku / ina anunnakī gašrāku
ina būli māhiṣāku / ina šadî šubāku
ina api gīrāk[u] / ina qīši magšarāku
ina alāk harrāni urinnāku
kī šāri azâq / kī addi ur[t]aṣṣan
kī [ša]mši abarri / [k]ippata [k]alāma
ana ṣ[ē]ri uṣṣī-ma bi[b]bāku
ana n[a]mî errub-ma nergal ram[âk]u šubta
ilū napharšunu / nib[ī]tī šahtū
u nišī ṣalmā[t q]aqqadi / leq[û] šēṭūtī

anāku aššu lā išhuṭū-(ma) zikrī
u ša rubê marūtuk amāssu iddû-ma eppuš(u) kī libbuš
rubâ marūtuk ušaggag-ma ina šubtīšu adekkē-ma nišī asappan

qurādu erra ana šuʾanna āl šar ilī ištakan pānīšu
ana ēsagil ēkal šamê (u) erṣeti īrum-ma ittaziz pānuššu
īpuš-ma pâšu / ana šar ilī ītammi
minsu šukuttu simat bēlūtīka ša kīma kakkab(ī) šamāmī lulâ malât leqât urūša
agê bēlūtīka (ša) kīma ētemenanki ušanbiṭu ēhalanki pānūšu katmū

īpuš-ma pâšu / šar ilī ītammi
ana erra qarrād ilī / amāta izakkar
qurādu erra aššu šipri šâšu ša taqbû epēša
ultu ullu āgugū-ma ina šubtīya atbû-ma aškuna abūba
ina šub[t]īya atbē-ma šipīt šamê (u) erṣeti uptaṭṭir
šamê ša uštarʾibū ša kakkabī šamāmī manzāssunu išnī-ma ul utīr ašruššun
erkallu ša inūšu ša šerʾi bilassu imṭī-ma adi ulla ana emēdi ašṭa
šipīt šamê (u) erṣeti ša uptaṭṭiru nagbu imtaṭī-ma mīlū ittahsū atūr āmur-ma ana šebê imtarṣa
ša šiknāt napišti nabnīssina iṣhir-ma / ul utī[r] ašruššun
adi kī(ma) ikkari zērīšin / aṣbat(u) ina qātīya
bīta ēpuš-ma / ušib ina libbi

šukuttī ša ina abūbi uddaʾʾipū-ma / īkilu šikinša
ana šunbuṭ zīmīya (u) ubbub ṣubātīya / gīra umtaʾʾer
ultu šukuttī unammerū-ma / uqattû šipra
agê bēlūtīya annadqū-ma / ana ašrīya atūru
zīmūʾa tubbû-(ma) / galit niṭlī

nišū ša ina abūbi isītā-ma īmurā epēš šipri
kakk[īy]a ušatbā-ma / uhall[a]q rēha
ummânī šunūti ana apsî ušērid-ma / elâšunu ul aqbi
ša mēsi elmēši ašaršun unakkir-ma / ul ukallim mamma

enna aššu šipri šâšu ša taqbû qurādu erra
ali mēsu šīr ilī simat šar gimri
iṣu ellu eṭlu ṣīru / ša šūluku ana bēlūti
ša ina tâmti rapašti (ina) mê meʾat bērī išissu ikšudu šupul aralli
[(u)] qimmassu (ina) elâti emdet šamê ša ānu
ali ebbu zagindurû / ša ušamsakū uqnâ
ali ninildu / nagargal ānūtīya
nāš pāši šašši ebbi / mūdû iṣi šâšu
ša kīma ūmi ušanbaṭū-ma / (ina) šaplūʾa ukann[u]
ali kusibanda bān ili u amēli / ša qātāšu na[sqā]
ali ninagal / nāš (e)sî (u) šapilti [(...)]
ša danna erâ kī(ma) maški ilēmu / pātiqu u[nūti]
ali abnū nasqūtu binût tâmti rapašti simat ag[ê]
ali sebet apkallū apsî purādū ebbūtu ša kīma ēa bēlīšunu uzna ṣīrta šuklulū mubbibū zumrīya

išmēšū-ma qu[r]ādu erra
[īp]uš-ma pâ[šu] izakkar ana rubê marūtuk
[...] ... [u]ltu? apsî [...] ... ana elâti
[mēsu ... m]eheršu ušellâm-ma [...] mēsa
[e]lmēša ebba š[a? ...] ... meheršu ušellâm-ma [...] ... elmēšu

[mar]ūtuk annīta ina šemêšu
[īp]uš-ma pâšu izakkar ana qurādi erra
[ina š]ubtīya atebbī-ma / šipīt šamê erṣeti uptaṭṭar
[m]û illûnim-ma / ibaʾʾū māta
ūma namra / ana daʾummati uta[rrū]
[meh]û itebbâ-ma kakkabī šamām[ī (...) ukattam?]
[šāru] lemnu iziqqam-ma ša nišī šiknāt napišt[i] niṭi[lšin uṭṭa?]
[ga]llû illûnim-ma iṣabbat(ū) [...]
[ša] qablī paṭrāti māhiršun[u ...]
anunnakū illûnim-ma / šiknāt napišti imessū
[adi] kakkīya lā annadqu / utâršunūti mannu

erra annīta ina šemêšu
īpuš-ma pâšu izakkar ana rubê marūtuk
rubû marūtuk adi attā ana bīti šâšu terrubū-ma gīru ṣubātka ubbabū-ma tatūra ašrukka
adi ulla araddī-ma / šipīt šamê erṣeti udannan
ana šamê ellī-ma ana igīgī anaddin ûrta
urrad ana apsî / anunnakī upaqqad
gallê šamrūti / ana kurnugî aṭarrad-(ma)
kakkīya ezzūti / elīšunu ušzaz(za)
ša šāri lemni kīma iṣṣūri / akassâ idīšu
ana bīti šâšu ašar terrubu rubê marūtuk
imna u šumēla ša bābīka ānu (u) ellil ušarbaṣa kīma alpi

išmē(šū)-ma rubû marūtuk
amāt erra iqbû(šu) / elīšu iṭīb

Source Colophon

The source text is the normalized Akkadian transliteration of Tablet I (191 lines) of Erra and Ishum, from the Electronic Babylonian Literature (eBL) project, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (ebl.lmu.de/corpus/L/1/5). Published under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0). The eBL edition represents a critical reconstruction from multiple manuscript witnesses. Tablets II–V are in preparation at eBL.

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