He hastened to separate heaven from earth —
he hastened to separate earth from heaven.
That flesh might come forth, that bodies might grow —
at Dur-an-ki he set the hoe to work,
and the day came forth.
I. The Lord's Work
The lord — who brings fitting things to light —
the lord whose decreed fate cannot be turned back —
Enlil, seed of the land, rising from the earth —
hastened to separate heaven from earth,
hastened to separate earth from heaven.
That flesh might come forth, that bodies might grow —
at Dur-an-ki, bond of heaven and earth,
he stretched the binding peg.
He set the hoe to work. The day came forth.
He set the task. He determined the fate.
II. The Sacred Hoe
The hoe was matched with the basket.
Enlil sang the praise of his hoe.
His hoe of gold —
its crown of lapis lazuli,
its binding cord of silver and gold.
At its raised edge — a plough of lapis lazuli.
Its blade rising like a great wall.
The lord counted the hoe's praises.
He fixed its fate.
He placed the sacred crown upon its head.
III. The First People
In the place where flesh comes forth —
where none had yet set their head —
he placed the form of humanity
into the mould of brick.
Before Enlil the earth split open.
Upon his black-headed people he gazed with true eyes.
The Anuna gods stood all around him.
They placed their hands to their noses.
They appeased him with prayers.
The black-headed people took up the hoe.
IV. The Gift to the Land
To give birth to ladies and lords,
to give birth to kings —
Ninmena set birth after birth.
Enlil — foremost lord of heaven and earth —
called the righteous ones by name,
called the precious ones by name,
and brought them forth on a single thread.
He assigned rations to the gods.
Enki sang the praise of his hoe.
Nisaba the pure maiden stood at the decision.
They placed the gleaming, sacred hoe
into the hands of the land.
V. The Holy Houses
The Ekur — Enlil's house —
the hoe built it, by day and by night.
Nippur, the established holy place,
the shrine of Tummal — sanctuary of Ninlil —
was properly ordered.
The warrior Ninurta entered before Enlil
with black goats as first-fruits offering.
Holy Ninisina came before Enlil.
A true lord, Nudimmud, worked with the hoe
to build the Abzu, lion-faced,
where the divine powers cannot be commanded —
building the Abzu at Eridu.
Ninhursaja, mother of all the gods,
worked with the hoe until Kesh was complete.
Shulpa'e helped her.
The E-ana shrine — sacred work of the hoe.
The lady of the E-ana, the true woman —
hers is the hoe that raises mounds, hers the hoe that clears weeds.
In Zabalam, the hoe belongs to Inanna.
The fate-decreeing hoe — its lapis lazuli blade gleaming.
In Inanna's hoe-work, Utu helped.
The decisive word belongs to the hero Utu.
Nisaba, lady of broad wisdom,
measured and planned the E-ana,
helped raise the E-hamun.
Alongside the praised hoe, day after day,
the warrior Ninurta worked with the hoe
in the rebel lands —
in cities that refused to submit to the lord.
Toward heaven his roar echoed back like a storm.
Toward earth he moved like a great dragon.
Shara sat at Enlil's knee,
and Enlil gave him all he desired.
He named: mace, weapon, spear, lance —
and called them all the hoe.
Dumuzi made the upper land flourish.
Gibil raised the hoe's head toward heaven
and spread fire over it.
The Anuna gods were all rejoicing.
Geshtinanna's house — the hoe's harvest-work,
sweet with Geshtinanna's voice.
The lord's hoe bellowed like an ox.
VI. The Hoe Is Everywhere
The underworld — the hoe is fit to send heads to the ground.
The corpse — the hoe brings up from the earth again.
Strength of heaven, younger brother of Nergal —
the warrior Gilgamesh is the hoe's net.
Son of Ninsun, master with the hoe —
the hoe is the barber of the rivers,
minister of the inner sanctuary.
Those who are laid in the ground — children of the hoe.
Born from the proper decree, from what was spoken above.
Toward heaven — the hoe is the divine bird.
Toward earth — the hoe is the lion in the reed thicket,
the great dragon in the forest.
On the battlefield — it is the stinging creature.
At the city wall — it is the battering force.
The hoe's good name is found on the mountain.
The mountain's wood is the hoe's own.
The mountain's fragrant herbs belong to the hoe.
The mountain's stone — the gleaming algameš-stone.
VII. The Hoe Blesses
The flourishing hoe, the spreading hoe —
the hoe of good grain, the hoe that gathers —
the hoe of the brick mould, the hoe held high —
the hoe that is the strength of young men.
The hoe and basket — builders of cities.
Building the righteous house,
laying out the righteous field —
with a broad hand reaching across the land.
The field that rebels against its lord,
the field that will not bow its neck —
the hoe bows it to the lord.
The evil weeds — the hoe cuts off their heads,
tears out their roots,
strips away their branches.
The hoe clears the way.
The hoe — whose fate father Enlil decreed —
be praised!
Nisaba — be praised!
Colophon
Translated from Sumerian by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Good Works Translation. Source text: ETCSL composite transliteration c.5.5.4 (Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, University of Oxford, ed. Jeremy Black et al., 1998–2006), fetched March 2026. ETCSL English translation consulted as reference for ambiguous passages; English independently derived from Sumerian. Composite based on Old Babylonian manuscripts, primarily from Nippur, dated ca. 2000–1600 BCE.
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Source Text
The Song of the Hoe — Sumerian Composite Transliteration
ETCSL c.5.5.4
- en-e niĝ2-du7-e pa na-an-ga-mi-in-e3
- en nam tar-ra-na šu nu-bal-e-de3
- den-lil2 numun kalam-ma {ki-ta} {ed2-de3} {ed3-de3}
- an ki-ta ba9-re6-de3 saĝ na-an-ga-ma-an-šum2
- ki an-ta ba9-re6-de3 saĝ na-an-ga-ma-an-šum2
- {uzu-e3-a} {uzu-mu2-a} saĝ mu2-mu2-de3
- dur-an-ki-ka bulug {nam-mi-in-la2} {nam-il2-e} {nam-il2-la}
- ĝišal-e mu-un-ĝar ud al-e3
- eš2-gar3 mu-un-du3 nam al-tar-re
- ĝišal-e ĝišdusu-e a2 si ba-ab-sa2-e
- den-lil2-le ĝišal-a-ni za3-mi2 ba-an-dug4
- ĝišal-a-ni kug-sig17-ga saĝ-bi na4za-gin3-na
- ĝišal sa la2-a-ni kug-me kug-sig17-ga
- ĝišal-a-ni a2 bulug-ba apin na4za-gin3-na-kam
- zu2-bi gud-si-AŠ {bad3 gal ed2-de3-dam} {saĝ gal u3-tud-da}
- en-e ĝišal mu-un-šid nam mi-ni-ib-tar-re
- ki-in-du men kug saĝ-ĝa2 mu-ni-in-ĝal2
- {{uzu-e3-a} {uzu-mu2-a} ĝišal am3-mi-ni-in-du3}
18A. uzu-mu2-a saĝ nu-ĝa2-ĝa2-de3 - saĝ nam-lu2-ulu3 u3-šub-ba mi-ni-in-ĝar
- den-lil2-še3 kalam-ma-ni ki mu-un-ši-in-dar-re
- saĝ gig2-ga-ni-še3 igi zid mu-ši-in-bar
- da-nun-na mu-un-na-sug2-sug2-ge-eš
- šu-bi giri17-ba mu-un-ne-ĝal2
- den-lil2 a-ra-zu-a mu-ni-in-ḫuĝ-e-ne
- uĝ3 saĝ gig2-ga al mu-un-da-be2-ne
- nin en u3-tud-de3 lugal u3-tud-de3
- dnin-men-na-ke4 tud-tud al-ĝa2-ĝa2
- mas-su an ki-a en dnu-nam-nir-ra
- saĝ zid saĝ kal-la mu-ni-ib-sa4-sa4
- saĝ-bi gu dili-a {mu-un-ed2-de3-a} {mu-un-ne-ed3-de3-a} {mu-un-ni-ib-du8}
- diĝir-re-e-ne-ra šukur2-še3 mu-un-dab5-be2
- den-ki-ke4 ĝišal-a-ni za3-mi2 ba-an-dug4
- ki-sikil dnisaba eš-bar-ra ba-an-gub
- ĝišal mul ĝišal kug-ba šu mu-un-ne-ĝal2
- e2-kur e2 den-lil2-la2 ĝišal-e ĝar-ra-am3
- ud-de3 al-du3-e ĝi6 al-mu2-mu2
- nibruki ki ĝar-ra ama5 tum-ma-alki-a
- tum-ma-al {gipisaĝ ninda} {gašam in-du3} ama dnin-lil2-la2-kam
- e2-mi tum-ma-alki-a niĝ2 sa2 dug4-ga-ta
- ur-saĝ dnin-urta den-lil2-ra mu-na-da-an-ku4-ku4
- maš2 gig2 nesaĝ en-na-ta
- kug dnin-i3-si-in-na den-lil2-ra mu-na-da-an-ku4-ku4
- abzu igi piriĝ3-ĝa2 me al nu-di-da
- al-tar lu2 zid-de3 en dnu-dim2-mud-e
- abzu al-du3-e eridugki al-tar-ra
- ama diĝir-re-e-ne dnin-ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ke4
- ud al-tar en-na keš3ki-a mu-da-an-til3
- dšul-pa-e3-a na-nam ĝišal-tar mu-da-an-gub
- eš3 e2-an-na ĝišal-e kug-ga-am3
- nin e2-an-na { im-ma-al } {munus} zid-da
- ĝišal du6-du6-dam ĝišal u2KI.KAL-dam
- ki zabalamki-a ĝišal lu2 dinana-kam
- ĝišal nam mi-ni-ib-tar-re {sun4} {zu2} za-gin3 ed2-de3
- ĝišal-tar-ra-ni-a dutu mu-da-an-gub
- ĝišal-tar ka tar-ra šul dutu-kam
- nin ĝeštug2 daĝal-la dnisaba-ke4
- šudum e2-an-na-ka ĝišal-tar ba-an-dug4
- e2-ḫa-mun na-nam ĝišal-tar mu-da-an-gub
- lugal ĝišal šid-da us2-a ud zal-la
- ur-saĝ dnin-urta ki-bal-a ĝišal-tar ba-an-gub
- iri en-še3 nu-še-ga šu-še3 al-ĝa2-ĝa2
- an-še3 ud-dam šeg11 al-gi4-gi4
- ki-še3 ušumgal-am3 al-ĝa2-ĝa2
- dšara2 den-lil2-la2 dub3-ba {nam-mi-in-tuš} {nam-mi-in-ĝar}
- niĝ2 al-dug4-ga-ni mu-na-da-ab-šum2-mu
- šita2 ĝištukul ti mar-uru5 {ĝišal} {al} am3-ma-an-dug4
- ddumu-zid al-lum-lum-ma igi-nim-ma-ka
- dgibil6 ĝišal-a-ni saĝ an-še3 mi-ni-il2
- ĝišal-e kug-ga-am3 izi nam-mi-in-la2
- da-nun-na al-ḫul2-ḫul2-le-de3-eš
- e2 dĝeštin-an-na-ka ĝišal-ĝar-surx(UZ3×BALAĜ)-ra-am3
- ama dĝeštin-an-na-ka ĝišal-ĝar-surx(UZ3×BALAĜ) gu3 dug3-ga-ka
- en-e ĝišal-a-ni gud-gin7 mur im-ša4
- irigal-am3 ĝišal saĝ ki-a tum2-ma
- adx(BAD.LU2) ĝišal-e ki-ta tum2-ma-am3
- šul idim an-na šeš-ban3-da dnergal-ka-kam
- ur-saĝ dgilgameš2 ĝišal-e sa-par4-am3
- dumu dnin-sumun2-ka {gašam} ĝišĝisal-e dub-saĝ-ĝa2
- ĝišal-e id2-da kindagal-am3
- {dag} {ki} agrun-na-ka ĝišal-e sukkal-am3
- ḫul-ĝal2 ud nu2-a dumu ĝišal-me-eš
- u4-sa2 dug4-ga-ta an-ta u3-tud-de3-eš
- an-še3 al-ti-ri2-gu7 mušen diĝir-ra-am3
- ki-še3 ĝišal-am3 ĝiš-gi-a ur-ra tir-ra ušumgal-am3
- ki me3-ka dur10-al-lub-am3
- ki bad3-ka ĝišal-lu5-ḫab2-am3
- ki ĝišbanšur-ra ĝišma-al-tum-ma
- ki ĝišgigir-ka ĝišma-a-a-al-tum-ma
- e2 anše-ka ĝišar-gibil2-am3
- ĝišal-am3 mu-bi dug3-ga ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 mu-un-ĝal2
- ĝiš ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 ĝišal-la-nu-um-ma
- šim ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 ĝišar-ga-nu-um-ma
- na4 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 na4algameš-am3
- ĝišal lum-lum-ma ĝišal lam-lam-ma
- ĝišal še dug3-ga ĝišal {sa-par4-am3} {/šabra-[…]}
- ĝišal u3-šub-ba ĝišal saĝ ĝal2-la-am3
- ĝišal-am3 a2 nam-ĝuruš-a-kam
- ĝišal ĝišdusu niĝ2 iri du3-du3-dam
- e2 zid al-du3-e gana2 zid al-ĝa2-ĝa2
- gan2-ne2 zid-de3 šu daĝal-la-me-en
- gan2-ne2 lugal-bi-ir bal-e
- gan2-ne2 lugal-bi-ir gu2 nu-ĝar-ra-e
- ĝišal-e lugal-bi-ir gu2 mu-na-ab-ĝa2-ĝa2
- u2numun2 ḫul u2numun2 ḫul-e saĝ dub2-dub2-be2
- ur2-ba mu-un-bur12-re pa-bi mu-un-ze2-e
- ĝišal-e u2ḫirinḫu-ri2-in šu-še3 al-ĝa2-ĝa2
- ĝišal-e ĝiš nam tar-ra a-a den-lil2-la2
- ĝišal-e za3-mi2 dug4-ga
- dnisaba za3-mi2
Sumerian composite transliteration from approximately forty Old Babylonian cuneiform manuscripts, primarily from Nippur. ETCSL designation c.5.5.4. The text is sometimes titled "Enlil and the Pickaxe" in older scholarship; the instrument is correctly an al, a broad-bladed hoe used in agriculture, canal-digging, and construction. The cosmogonic sequence — Enlil separating heaven from earth, driving the hoe into the primordial ground at Dur-an-ki, and raising the first humans from the earth like plants from a seed-bed — is one of the oldest creation narratives in any written literature. Variants and alternate readings indicated in curly braces following ETCSL conventions. Manuscripts ca. 2000–1600 BCE.
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