The Hymn to Enlil (Enlil A) is a Sumerian composition of approximately 171 lines (ETCSL c.4.05.1), preserved on multiple tablets from Old Babylonian Nippur. It is one of the most important surviving Sumerian hymns — a sustained meditation on the absolute cosmic authority of Enlil, chief of the gods, whose spoken word determines all fates and whose city Nippur stands as the axis mundi, the Bond of Heaven and Earth (Dur-an-ki). The hymn belongs to the broader corpus of Enlil praise poetry that anchored the theological curriculum of the Nippur scribal schools.
The composition moves through a carefully ordered sequence: from the power of Enlil's speech, to the splendor of his city, to the abundance his favor bestows upon the land — culminating in praise of the E-kur temple as the cosmic granary and storehouse of the gods. Its literary architecture is marked by elaborate catalogues, sustained metaphor, and a technique of cumulative repetition in which each new passage deepens and extends the claims of the last. The hymn's diction is elevated throughout, dense with epithets and divine titles that resist easy paraphrase.
The translation below follows the composite text established by the Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL, Oxford). Section headings have been supplied for navigation; they are not present in the original. The two-line couplet structure that dominates the Sumerian is preserved in English where the sense allows.
The Word
To the distant heavens, Enlil's speech rises exalted —
his word is holy, unchangeable:
what issues from his mouth cuts fate into eternity.
His raised gaze moves through all the lands.
His lifted radiance illumines the mountain's heart.
Father Enlil, seated upon the broad and holy dais —
Nunamnir, who perfects lordship and nobility with his great hand —
before him the gods of the earth bow down of themselves,
the Anunnaki prostrate themselves,
and they stand upright in obedience to his true command.
Nippur
Great supreme lord of heaven and earth,
surpassing all, vast in wisdom —
he set his seat at Dur-an-ki, the Bond of Heaven and Earth,
in wide counsel.
He revealed the aura of his princehood at the Ki-ur, the great place.
He built his dwelling in Nippur,
foremost among the great places of heaven and earth.
The City
Before the city there stands a terrible divine radiance —
the great gods dare not look upon its outer edges.
Within: gates dark as knife-blades,
a blade at the threshold.
The weapon laid as trap for rebellious lands —
pit and snare, set and ready.
What is spoken of it shall never grow distant from its day.
As the judgment goes forth, no hostile word is spoken.
Within and without, no tongue is set against it.
No different word, no contrary thing, is laid there.
Crooked judgment, wickedness — these do not face the sun.
Eyes that stray, violence, base speech —
these are not found here.
What is found: pure words spoken freely,
aura of radiance, greetings of peace —
no abomination passes through this city.
Nippur spreads like a great hunting net:
within it, the eagle opens her wings.
The enemy, the evildoer — their hands do not enter here.
A city of right order, freely given.
Justice and equity, practiced always.
The fine robe, laid out at the quay.
Elder brother and younger brother,
weighty matters, the affairs of humankind —
to give ear to the word of the elders,
for the child to approach the mother with reverence
and extend fatherhood far —
this is the homestead of holy Enlil,
the beloved temple of the great father of the mountains.
The E-kur
The dais of abundance — the E-kur, house of lapis lazuli —
raised from the dust,
it grew on pure ground like a mountain lifted.
Its lord, the great father Enlil,
set his seat upon its holy dais.
The divine powers in that house: no god scatters them.
The purification rites: steady as the earth, they do not cease.
The me of that house — me of the Abzu — no eye can behold them.
Its interior: an expanse, a sea reaching to the edge of heaven.
The sacred standards rise, starred.
Ancient rites perfected in the hand.
Prayer and incantation fill it.
The rites of offering — what is most precious.
Festivals, oil, cream, and abundance spread wide —
its design is joy and gladness, great things.
Days pass, the sun sets in its time,
the harvest season comes: the house of Enlil is a land of abundance.
The Dwelling
Arms stretched in welcome, gifts received, hands raised in holy reverence —
the lord who grew up in that house.
Its keeper: a right hand of welcome, fitting.
The Abzu priest: prepared for purification.
The nu-esh priest: furnished with the holy scepter.
The great farmer — true shepherd of the land,
born in good time, rightly —
the great farmer, fitting for the broad fields.
May the offering be brought — great offerings —
may it not be withheld from the lapis lazuli house.
Enlil — in your holy settlement inscribed in the earth,
Nippur, your city, you have caused to rise.
At the Ki-ur, your pure and calming mountain foundation,
sweet water has been poured.
At the four corners, at the center, at Dur-an-ki, the earth is touched.
Its dust is the life-breath of the land, the life of all countries.
Its brickwork: bright, awesome — the frame of lapis lazuli.
Like a wild bull it rises over Sumer.
All the lands bow their heads.
At all the great festivals, the people pass their days in abundance.
Offerings
Enlil — your holy dwelling, rich in beauty.
Your dais of the Abzu: fitting and great.
Your mountain foundation: holy, cooling, intimate.
The E-kur, house of lapis lazuli,
exalted dwelling, laden with awe —
its radiance rises to heaven,
its shadow stretches across all the lands,
its headdress is thrown wide into the heart of the sky.
The lords and kings
set their holy offerings in order.
Prayers, intercessions, and supplications are placed before him.
Enlil, true shepherd, whose gaze is just —
his voice raised rightly over the land —
the mountains submit their hands and their feet to him,
all distant lands bow down.
Like cooling water spread over all creation,
the vast tribute of the world
is brought into order
and set right in his house of abundance.
The great courtyard: offerings arranged.
They bring the finest to the lapis lazuli E-kur.
The King
Enlil, true shepherd — complete in all ways.
Herdsman, master of all living creatures.
His great princehood — visible in its full aura.
Crown, holy headdress, adorned.
The mountain wind fills his throne dais.
Like a rainbow arching back to heaven,
he moves like a cloud that surpasses all.
In heaven, he alone is prince.
On earth, he is the great dragon.
Among the Anunnaki, he is the highest god.
He decides his own fate.
No god looks upon his face.
His chief minister, his sukkal — Nuska,
commander who knows the word hidden in his heart,
who takes counsel with him, faithful and tireless,
who carries his broad command,
who raises the holy scepter, adorned with divine powers, before him.
Without Enlil
Without the great mountain Enlil —
no city is built, no settlement founded.
No pen is raised, no sheepfold established.
No king is lifted up, no lord brought forth.
No high priest, no priestess would be seized by the omens.
The troops would have no general, no overseer.
The river — its carp flood would not surge.
The fish would not lay eggs in the reed grove.
The bird of heaven would not build her nest on the broad earth.
The sky cloud would not open its mouth and rain.
The fields would not ripen with spotted grain, would not fill the meadows.
On the steppe, the herbs of delight — they would not grow.
In the orchard, the fruit-laden mountain trees — they would not lift their fruit.
Without the great mountain Enlil —
Ninhursaga would not give birth, would not bring life.
The cow would not drop her calf in the pen.
The ewe would not birth her lamb in the sheepfold crying.
The creatures of the world — weeping, undone.
The goats and their kind would not bring forth seed,
would not mount, would not travel far.
The Mystery
Enlil — your subtle and ingenious works are filled with silence.
Their interior: tangled thread that cannot be sorted,
a twisted skein that cannot be unraveled.
In your divinity there is trust.
Consulting, weighing, counseling —
you are lord of your own self.
Who knows your deeds?
Your divine powers — not displayed.
Your face — no god can see.
Lord, god, king Enlil —
judge, the one who renders verdict for heaven and earth —
your great word rises, weighty as heaven, heavy as night.
Before your word the Anunnaki have submitted their hands.
Your word is the deep spring in heaven,
the foundation peg in earth that shall not be disturbed.
Heaven approaches — abundance is there,
and abundance rains down from above.
Earth approaches — joy is there,
and joy grows upward from below.
The Word as Life
Your word is grain.
Your word is barley.
Your word is the carp-flood, the life of all lands.
Living creatures, earthly beings —
sweet life blossoms and spreads from you.
Ninlil
Enlil, true shepherd — his movement is known.
He goes starred and crowned, knower of paths.
Ninlil, his holy spouse, whose word lives in the heart —
robed in holy fashion, noble in form,
a likeness of beautiful shape —
a true woman, worthy of raised eyes,
worthy to be found.
Laden with splendor in the E-kur —
a lady who knows what is fitting —
her counsel is made perfect in speech.
Her word, sweet to the body, is fragrant oil within the heart.
Upon the holy, pure dais she dwells with him.
They take counsel together; their hearts are at ease.
She decides fate at the place of the sun's rising.
Ninlil, lady of heaven, lady of earth, lady of all lands —
honored in the praise-song of the great mountain,
her great utterance, her word, is set in its place,
her spoken counsel, her support — unchanging.
What issues from her mouth stands at the head.
Her plans and designs are confirmed.
Great father Enlil — your praise is exalted.
Colophon
Source: Sumerian composite transliteration, Enlil in the E-kur (Enlil A), ETCSL text c.4.05.1. Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, University of Oxford (etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk). 171 lines.
Translated from the Sumerian by the liberation-translator tulku of the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026-03-21. The ETCSL scholarly English translation (t.4.05.1) was consulted as a reference for uncertain passages; the Tianmu English is independently derived from the Sumerian transliteration.
Scribal notes: Line 22 contains an uncertain sign (ce29-ec2) — reading follows the editorial consensus. Lines 57, 129, 155, 157, 162 contain ETCSL editorial marks (! and {}) indicating corrected or uncertain readings; these passages are translated conservatively.
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Source Text: Enlil in the E-kur (Enlil A)
ETCSL c.4.05.1 — Composite Text (Sumerian Transliteration)
- den-lil2 su3-ra2-ce3 dug4-ga-ni mah {inim-ma-ni} kug-ga-am3
- nij2 nu-kur2-ru ka-ta e3-a-ni nam ul-ce3 tar-re
- igi il2-la-ni kur-re di-di
- jic-nu11 il2-la-ni kur-cag4-ga igi jal2
- a-a den-lil2 barag kug mah-a dajal-bi tuc-a-ni
- dnu-nam-nir nam-en nam-nun-na cu gal du7-a-ni
- dijir ki ni2-ba mu-un-na-gam-e-ec
- dijir-dijir da-nun-na mu-un-na-sun5-sun5-ne-ec
- a2 aj2-ja2 zid-de3-ec im-ma-sug2-ge-ec
- en u19-ru gal an ki-a dirig di zu gal-an-zu-e
- dur-an-ki-ka dur2 ba-an-jar jectug2 dajal-la-ke4
- nam-nun-na ni2 pa e3-a ci-bi2-in-ak ki-ur3 ki gal-la
- nibruki uz3-saj mah an ki-ka ki-tuc im-ma-ni-in-du3
- iri igi-bi ni2 me-lem4 huc-a
- bar-bi dijir u19-ru-na saj nu-ja2-ja2-dam
- cag4-bi ka jiri2 kij2-a ka garac2-a-ka
- jices2-ad ki-bal-a pu2 sa ak-a
- gal-bi dug4-ga-bi ud la-ba-ni-ib-su3-ud-de3
- di-da inim erim2-jal2 nu-mu-ni-ib-be2
- cag4-a bar-a {eme} si nu-sa2
- inim kur2 nij2 kur2 u3-nu-jar-ra
- {ce29-ec2} di nij2-erim2 i-dutu
- igi bal nij2-a2-jar {inim-inim} sig dug4-dug4
- sun7-na inim bur2-ra ni2 buluj5 di silim-ec2 di
- iri nij2-gig-ga nu-mu-ni-ib-dib-be2
- nibruki a2-bi sa-par3 gal-la-am3
- cag4-ba hu-ri2-inmucen-e dub3 mu-un-bad-ba9-re6
- lu2-erim2 lu2 hul-jal2 cu-bi la-ba-ra-e3
- iri nij2-gen6-na saj-e-ec rig7-ga
- nij2-zid nij2-si-sa2 gi16-sa-ce3 ak-a
- tug2 dan2-dan2-na kar-ra jal2-la
- cec-gal cec-ban3-da dugud-de3-da nam-lu2-ulu3 ak-da
- inim ab-ba-ce3 jizzal ak-de3 ni2 cu-a gi4-gi4-dam
- dumu ama-ni-ir sun5-na ni2 tej3-je26-da nam-ab-ba sud-de3
- iri a2-dam kug den-lil2-la2-kam
- nibruki ec3 ki aj2 a-a kur gal-la-kam
- barag nam-he2 e2-kur e2 za-gin3 sahar-ta ca-ba-ra-an-il2
- hur-saj il2-la-gin7 ki sikil-la bi2-in-mu2
- nun-bi kur gal a-a den-lil2
- e2-kur ec3 mah-a barag-ba dur2 bi2-in-jar
- e2-a me-bi dijir sag2 nu-di
- cu-luh sikil-bi ki-gin7 nu-silig-ge
- me-bi me abzu lu2 igi nu-bar-re-de3
- cag4-bi ab su3-ra2 an-zag nu-zu-a
- {KA} urin du3-a urin mul-la-ba
- di-ir-ga me ul-e cu im-ta-du7-du7
- inim-inim-ma-bi cudu3-cudu3-de3
- {mu7-mu7-bi} inim sizkur-ra-kam
- inim-bi inim-jar sag9 bar cu cub-cub-bu-da
- jarza nij2 kal-kal-la-kam
- ezen i3 gara2 sud he2-jal2-la du8-a
- jic-hur-bi giri17-zal cag4 hul2-la di-bi nij2 gal-gal-la-kam
- ud cu2-uc ezem-ma ud zal-le buru14 mah-am3
- e2 den-lil2-la2 kur he2-jal2-la-kam
- cu gid2 igi-tum3 la2 cu sumur nij2-gig-ga
- e2-a en-bi e2-da mu2-a
- lagar!-bi ca! ka-ra-bi cu silim-ma he2-du7-am3
- abzu gudug-bi {cu-luh-ha} tum2-ma-me-ec
- nu-ec3-bi cita kug-ge du7-me-ec
- engar mah-bi sipad zid kalam-ma
- ud dug3-ga zid-de3-ec tu-ud-da-am3
- engar gana2 dajal-la he2-du7-am3
- ci-im-da-jen nidba gal-gal-la-da
- jic-la2-bi nu-mu-un-DU e2-kur za-gin3-ce3
- den-lil2 a2-dam kug ki-a hur-ra-za
- nibruki iri ni2-za ci-im-mi-du3-du3-am3
- ki-ur3 kur ki sikil-zu a bi2-dug3-ga
- ub-da 4-ba murub4-ba dur-an-ki-ka ki ba-e-ni-tag-ge
- sahar-bi zi kalam-ma zi kur-kur-ra-ka
- ceg12-bi kug huc-a uc8 na4za-gin3-na-ka
- am-gin7 ki-en-gi-ra si mul {ba-ni-ib-be2}
- kur-kur-re saj im-ma-da-sag3-ge
- ezen gal-gal-ba uj3-e nam-he2-a ud-bi mu-un-di-ni-ib-zal-e
- den-lil2 durac kug hi-li du8-du8-a-zu
- abzu {barag} kug-ga gal-bi tum2-ma-zu
- kur sig itima kug ki ni2 te-en-te-en-zu
- e2-kur e2 za-gin3 ki-tuc mah ni2 gur3-ru-zu
- ni2 me-lem4-bi an-ne2 im-us2
- jissu-bi kur-kur-ra ca-mu-un-la2
- suh10-bi an-cag4-ga-ac ca-mu-un-bad-ba9-re6
- en-en-e barag-barag-ge2-ne
- nidba kug-ge si mu-ni-in-sa2-ec
- {cudu3} sizkur-ra u3-gul mu-na-ja2-ja2
- den-lil2 sipad igi zid bar-ra-zu
- gu3 zid de2-a kalam-ma il2-la-zu
- kur cu-ni-ce3 kur jiri3-ni-ce3
- kur-ra ki su3-ra2-bi gu2 mu-na-ab-ja2-ja2
- a sed4-gin7 du8-a nij2 ki-car2-ra-ka
- mac2-da-ri-a gu2-un dugud-da-bi
- sa2 bi2-in-dug4 e2 nij2-gur11-ra-ka
- kisal mah-ha nidba si bi2-in-sa2
- e2-kur e2 za-gin3-na ma-sar-re-ec im-mi-in-tum3
- den-lil2 sipad zid {tec2-ba} lu-a
- na-gada mas-su nij2-zi-jal2-la-ka
- nam-nun gal-la-ni {ni2 pa e3-a-ac bi2-in-ak}
- men suh10 kug-ga {mu-ni-in-sig7}
- tum9 hur-saj-ja2 barag-ge si-a-na
- dtir-an-na-gin7 an-e ci-in-gi4
- dungu dirig-ga-gin7 ni2-bi-a mu-un-jen
- an-na dili nun-bi-im ki-a ucumgal-bi-im
- da-nun-na-ke4-ne dijir mah-bi-im
- nam ni2-te-a-ni ci-im-mi-in-tar-re
- dijir na-me igi nu-mu-ni-in-du8
- sukkal-mah-a-ni {kingal} dnuska
- dug4-ga inim cag4-ga jal2-la-ni
- mu-un-da-an-zu cag4 mu-da-an-kuc2-u3
- a2 aj2-ja2 dajal-bi mu-un-na-da-an-tum2
- cita kug me kug-ga cu mu-un-na-mu2-mu2
- kur gal den-lil2-da nu-me-a
- iri nu-du3 a2-dam ki li-bi2-ib-jar
- tur3 nu-du3 amac nu-jar-jar
- lugal nu-il2-e en nu-u3-tud
- lu2-mah nin-dijir mac2-e nu-mu-un-dab5-be2
- erin2-e cagina ugula nu-tuku-tuku
- id2-da a-ectubku6 u3-bi nu-dun-dun
- ejer-bi ab-ta e3 si li-bi2-in-sa2 kun-bi nu-mu-un-sud-e
- ab-e erim3 dugud ni2-ba nu-mu-un-u3-tud
- ku6 engur-ra-ke4 jic-gi-a nunuz nu-mu-ni-ib-nu2-nu2
- mucen an-na-ke4 ki dajal-la gud3 la-ba-ni-ib-u2-us2
- an-na dungu sir2-ra ka-bi nu-du8-e
- a-cag4-ga ce gu-nu a-gar3-ra nu-si-si
- edin-na giri17-zal-bi u2-cim nu-mu2-mu2
- jickiri6-a {jic dajal} kur-ra-ke4 gurun nu-il2-e
- kur gal den-lil2-da nu-me-a
- dnin-tur5 nu-ug5-ge saj jic nu-ra-ra
- ab2-e e2tur3-ra amar-bi nu-cub-be2
- u8-e amac-bi-a sila4 ja2 gig nu-e3
- a-za-lu-lu ni2-ba lu-a
- {TUG2-bi KUL-ba nu-mu-ni-ib-nu2-nu2}
- mac2-ance nij2-ur2-4-e numun nu-mu-ni-ib-e3 e-ne su3-ud-bi nu-mu-un-u5
- den-lil2 nij2 galam-ma-galam-ma-zu nij2-me-jar sug4-ga
- cag4-bi gu suh3-a si nu-sa2-e-dam
- gu-gu gilim-ma igi nu-pad3-de3-dam
- nam-dijir-zu-ce3 nir im-te-jal2
- cag4 kuc2-u3 ad gi4-gi4 en ni2-te-na-me-en
- nij2 ak-zu a-ba i3-zu-zu
- me-zu me pa nu-ed2-de3
- muc3-za dijir igi nu-bar-re-dam
- en dijir lugal den-lil2-la2-me-en
- di-kud ka-ac bar an ki-me-en
- inim mah-zu an-gin7 dugud-da-gin7 zig3-zig3 nu-e-zu
- inim-zu-ce3 dijir da-nun-na cu cum2-ma! im-ma-an-ak-ec
- inim-zu an-ce3 idim-ma ki-ce3 temen-am3
- an-ce3 idim gal an-ne2 us2-sa
- ki-ce3 temen sag2 nu-di-dam
- an-e um-ma-te he2-jal2-la-am3
- an-ta he2-jal2 im-da-cej3-cej3
- ki-a um-ma-te giri17-zal-am3
- ki-ta giri17-zal im-da-mu2-mu2
- inim-zu gu-am3 inim-zu ce-am3
- [inim]-zu a-ectub zi kur-kur-ra-kam
- nij2-zi-jal2 nij2-ki! u5-a
- zi dug3-ga u2-cim im-da-pa-an-pa-an
- den-lil2 sipad zid-me-en DU.DU-bi mu-un-zu
- X-ga dub3-tuku-am3 mul gun3-gun3-a
- dnin-lil2 nitalam kug inim-ma-ni cag4-ga
- tug2-ba13 kug ulutim2-ta nir-ra alan me-dim2-ta sig10-ga
- munus zid igi il2-la ba-e-de3-tuku-dam
- ul gur3-ru e2-kur-ra nin me-te-jal2 zu
- ad gi4-gi4 inim-ma ba-ab-du7
- inim-ma-ni su-a bi2-dug3-ga-bi i3 li cag4-ga-kam
- barag kug barag sikil-da {ci-im-mu-e-da-an-til3}
- ad ci-mu-da-an-gi4-gi4 cag4 ci-mu-da-an-kuc2-u3
- nam tar-re ki dutu e3-a nam ci-mu-da-ab-tar-re
- dnin-lil2 nin an ki nin kur-kur-ra-ke4
- za3-mi2 kur gal-la-ka mi2 dug4-ga
- mah-di inim-ma-ni ki-bi-ce3 jar
- dug4-ga a2-tah-a-ni nij2 nu-kur2-zu
- ka-ta e3-a-ni saj ba-an-gub
- jic-hur-hur-ra-ni inim ge-en-ge-en
- kur gal a-a den-lil2 za3-mi2-zu mah-am3
Source Colophon
Sumerian composite transliteration from the Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), University of Oxford. Text c.4.05.1, den-lil2 e2-kur-ra-ke4 ("Enlil in the E-kur"), designated Enlil A. The ETCSL composite represents the critical edition reconstructed from approximately 80+ manuscript tablets held in collections including the British Museum, the Oriental Institute (Chicago), the Musée du Louvre, and the University of Pennsylvania Museum. The original composition dates to the Ur III or early Old Babylonian period (~2100–1800 BCE).
Curly braces {} indicate alternative manuscript readings. Square brackets [] indicate restoration of damaged text. Exclamation marks (!) indicate scribal corrections in the original manuscript.
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