The mighty do not smite one another; the strong do not treat the weak like chaff.
Lipit-Ishtar, proud king, enthroned prince,
fitting ornament of kingship,
rising like the sun, true radiance of the Land,
mounting the great divine powers, exalted toward lordship —
the peoples of the four corners set upon the earth,
pleasing to Enlil, beloved of Ninlil.
True young man, bright of eye, fit for the throne,
his head adorned with crown and true diadem,
scepter held in hand for the dark-haired people —
Prince Lipit-Ishtar, son of Enlil, discerning shepherd,
who gathers the people under pleasant shade,
filling the day with trembling awe.
Great wild bull, lord beloved of An,
living sign of Mother Ninlil —
Lipit-Ishtar, may princely power come to you!
Sweet as honey, the name fitting in the mouth,
carried in Inanna's heart as her beloved spouse,
upon whom Enki bestowed broad wisdom preeminently —
Nisaba, the brilliant blossoming woman,
the true woman, the scribe, the lady who knows all things,
set your stylus straight with clay tablets,
made the pattern of the tablet beautiful,
adorned the golden stylus with colored markings.
The one-rod measuring reed, the gleaming surveyor's line,
the wise writing board —
Nisaba gave these with open hands.
Lipit-Ishtar, son of Enlil am I.
He has made justice and righteousness manifest.
Your goodness covers the rim of heaven.
Lipit-Ishtar, king of vast understanding, who gives wise counsel,
who without tiring renders judgment to set the people right,
with broad wisdom knowing all things magnificently —
to set right the judgments of all the lands,
the hidden word: you know what is false and what is true.
Lipit-Ishtar, you have cut the enemy away from the land.
With the word of punishment you crush the foot of those who rebel.
You know grave sin, the oppressor's word, the one who destroys life.
The mighty do not smite one another.
The strong do not treat the weak like chaff.
Justice has been established in Sumer and Akkad.
The body of the Land has been made well.
Lipit-Ishtar, king of Isin,
king of Sumer and Akkad —
I am the scribe toward Nippur.
You are the foremost of the Ekur, the house of Enlil.
I am the beloved of Enlil and Ninlil's hearts.
Heroic Ninurta is your mighty guardian.
Nuska, grand vizier, supports your word.
I am the one rightfully chosen as priest of Keš by Nintur.
I am the youthful one established toward Ur, chosen by Suen.
I am the one granted the true crown from Eridu by Enki.
I, Lipit-Ishtar, am the delight of holy Inanna's heart in Uruk.
Ninsina has erected your great throne in Isin.
In a song of the heart, a sweet turning year —
the prince, the surpassingly great and exalted lord:
your father Ishme-Dagan, king of the Land,
established the foundation of his throne for you
by the spoken word of An and Enlil.
He stilled the strife of the lands with silence.
Lipit-Ishtar, son of Enlil am I.
Your righteousness is upon the lips of all.
Your praise is inscribed on tablets in the school.
May the scribes perform it with shouts,
may they exalt it loudly!
May your praise never depart from the school!
Vigorous shepherd, young son of Enlil,
Lipit-Ishtar, be praised!
Colophon
Translated from Sumerian (ETCSL c.2.5.5.2) by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. ETCSL English translation (t.2.5.5.2) consulted as reference for difficult lines; all English independently derived from the Sumerian transliteration. Scribal credit: liberation-translator, 2026-03-21.
🌲
Source Text
Sumerian Transliteration (ETCSL c.2.5.5.2)
- dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 lugal saj il2 nun barag-ga
- he2-du7 jicisimu2sar nam-lugal-la
- dutu-gin7 du ce-er-zid kalam-ma
- nam-nun-ce3 mah me gal-la u5
- ub-da 4 uj3 ki jar-ra
- ce-ga den-lil2-la2 dnin-lil2-le ki aj2
- cul zid igi gun3 barag-ga tum2-ma
- men aga zid saj me-te-jal2
- cibir cu du8 saj gig2-ga
- nun dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 dumu den-lil2-la2 sipad igi-jal2-tuku
- uj3 lah5-lah5-e jissu dug3-ga ud ni2 dub2-bu
- en alim mah an-ne2 ki aj2
- jickim-til3-zu-um ama dnin-lil2-la2
- dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 a2 nun hu-mu-te-jal2
- ka lal3-gin7 dug3 mu ka-ge du7
- cag4-ge de6-a dam dinana
- den-ki-ke4 jectug2 dajal saj-e-ec rig7-ga
- dnisaba munus ul-la gun3-a
- munus zid dub-sar nin nij2-nam zu
- si-zu im-ma si ba-ni-in-sa2
- cag4 dub-ba-ka gu-cum2 mi-ni-in-sag9-sag9
- gi-dub-ba kug-sig17-ka cu mu-ni-in-gun3
- gi-1-nindan ec2-gana2 za-gin3
- jic-as4-lum le-um igi-jal2 cum2-mu dnisaba-ke4 cu dajal ma-ra-an-dug4
- dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 dumu den-lil2-la2-me-en
- nij2-zid nij2-gen6-na pa bi2-e-e3
- en sag9-zu an-zag-ce3 na-dul
- dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 lugal umuc gal-gal-la ad gi4-gi4
- inim-ma nu-kuc2-u3 gal-zu ka-ac bar uj3-e si sa2
- jectug2 dajal nij2-nam gal-le-ec zu
- di kur-kur-ra-ke4 si sa2-sa2-e-de3
- inim cag4-ga jal2-la lul zid-bi mu-e-zu
- dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 lu2-erim2-ra guru5-uc mu-e-ta-ab-ed2-de3-en
- ka cer7-da-ka jiri3 saga11 dug4 lu2 zi-zi-i mu-e-zu
- nam-tag dugud ka garac2-kam lu2 til-le mu-ni-in-zu
- a2-tuku sa gaz nu-mu-un-ci-ak-e
- kalag-ga sig9-ga ce29-ec2 nu-mu-un-ak-e
- nij2-si-sa2 ki-en-gi ki-uri-a mu-ni-jar
- su kalam-ma mu-dug3
- dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 lugal i3-si-inki-na lugal ki-en-gi ki-uri-me-en
- nibruki-ce3 dub sar-re-me-en
- e2-kur-re e2 den-lil2-la2-ce3 dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 saj us2-bi za-e-me-en
- den-lil2 dnin-lil2-ra ki aj2 cag4-ba-me-en
- ur-saj dnin-urta mackim kalag-ga-zu-um
- dnuska sukkal-mah a2-tah inim-ma-zu-um
- icib kec3ki-ce3 dnin-tur5-re zid-de3-ec pad3-da-me-en
- urim2ki-ce3 jal2-la cul jic tuku dsuen-na-me-en
- den-ki-ke4 eridugki-ta aga zid cum2-ma-me-en
- ki unugki-ga kug dinana-ra dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 hi-li cag4-ga-na-me-en
- dnin-i3-si-in-na-ke4 i3-si-inki-na barag mah-zu mi-ni-in-ri
- i-lu cag4-ga mu bal sag9-ga
- nun-e nun uru16 dirig gal mah-bi
- ad-da-zu dic-me-dda-gan lugal kalam-ma-ke4
- jicgu-za-na suhuc-bi mu-ra-an-ge-en
- inim dug4-ga an den-lil2-la2-ta
- du17 nim kur-kur-ra si-a mu-ni-in-jar
- dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 dumu den-lil2-la2-me-en
- nij2-gen6-na-zu ka-ga14 mi-ni-in-jal2
- za3-mi2-zu e2-dub-ba-a-ka im mu-e-ni-dug4-dug4
- dub-sar-re a-le he2-em-ci-ak-e gal-le-ec he2-i-i
- ar2-zu e2-dub-ba-a-ka muc3 nam-ba-an-tum2-mu
- sipad gu2-tuku cul dumu den-lil2-la2
- dli-pi2-it-ec4-tar2 za3-mi2
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL c.2.5.5.2), Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. Accessed 2026-03-21.
🌲