Who dug it? Who dug the Sacred Binding Canal?

Ur-Namma D is the only surviving Sumerian royal hymn organized entirely around a canal. Where Ur-Namma B celebrates the Ekur's gates and Ur-Namma C catalogs divine bestowals, this hymn concerns water — the engineering feat of digging irrigation channels that fed the city of Ur. The opening is a rhetorical device unique in the corpus: a repeated question ("who dug it?") that builds through three canal-name repetitions before landing on its answer. The king's identity is the answer.

The poem then moves through two distinct registers: a brief divine-commission section (Enlil, Nanna/Ashimbabbar, and Enki's gift of wisdom), and a long, sensory passage of canal abundance — fish flowing, birds soaring, carp circling in honey-plant, reeds sweet enough for cattle. The imagery is agricultural and domestic, not martial. This is not the poem of a conqueror; it is the poem of an irrigator. The same king who built the great ziggurat of Ur also dug the channels that kept its people fed.

Three manuscripts survive: a version from Nibru (Nippur, 18 lines), a version of unknown provenance (40 lines, the most complete), and a version from Urim (Ur, 40 lines). The three versions are substantially identical in their opening and closing, but the Urim manuscript preserves a richer central section — including a prayer that the canal's abundance be brought to the E-kiš-nu-ĝal (Nanna's great temple), and the image of spotted grain spreading like a forest across the fields. The primary translation follows the version of unknown provenance; the Urim additions are noted.

Translation from ETCSL c.2.4.1.4 (Sumerian transliteration, three manuscript versions). The reference translation t.2.4.1.4 was not accessible; translation is independently derived from the Sumerian transliteration. Lacunae marked honestly.

I. Who Dug It?

Who dug it? Who dug it?
Who dug the Sacred Binding Canal?
Who dug the Pure Irrigation Channel?

Ur-Namma, possessing purity, dug it.
The righteous young man, possessing righteousness, dug it.

II. The Divine Commission

My king — upon your dais
Enlil has established Ashimbabbar as lord.
Young man of Suen — upon your dais
Enlil has established Ashimbabbar as lord.

King, fated from a righteous heart,
who lifts his head in authority —
Ur-Namma, young man who lifts his face:
great Enlil, Nunamnir,
selected me for Sumer and Akkad.
In Nippur, in the mountain-range of life,
he decreed my destiny.

He gazed upon me with his shining brow
and gave kingship —
in Ur, in the E-mud-kura.

My throne — its foundation is established.
The holy scepter, to put right the multitude of people,
in my hand.
The staff and sandals
for the wide, teeming people —

Lord Ashimbabbar, the life of the far-spreading days —
Enlil, in the four corners —
an eternal name, a name worthy of the mouth —

Enki gave me his broad wisdom as a gift.

III. I Dug the Canal

I, for my city, dug the canal of abundance
and named it the Sacred Binding Canal.
For Ur, I dug the canal of abundance
and named it the Sacred Binding Canal.

A name lasting forever, worthy of the mouth —
the Pure Irrigation Channel, that flows like a bird.

IV. The Canal's Abundance

I, for my city:
its flow is like fish, its soaring is like a bird.
For Ur:
its flow is like fish, its soaring is like a bird.

I, for my canal:
I made honey-plant grow upon it,
and the carp circled about.
For Ur:
honey-plant grew upon it,
and the carp circled about.

I, for my city:
its fresh reeds are honey —
may the cow eat them for me.
For Ur:
its fresh reeds are honey —
may the cow eat them.

I, for my [...]:
it is full of fish and birds.
For Ur: [...]

I, for my canal:
I brought the flow of abundance
and filled the yoke-baskets.
For Ur:
the canal brought the flow of abundance
and filled the yoke-baskets.

The Urim manuscript adds, in the place of the final two couplets above:
May its abundance of fish and birds be brought to the E-kiš-nu-ĝal.
May its banks be covered with sweetgrass and honey-plant for eating.
May its great field grow spotted grain, spreading like a forest.

V. Closing Praise

Its lord is the lord of Eridu — your wisdom is full.
Nudimmud, lord of Eridu — your wisdom is full.

King, in the four corners of heaven,
may you be sweet in the heart of Enlil.
Ur-Namma, shepherd of Nippur, foremost of Ur —
for the moonlight, for the land, for Ur,
may they spend their days in rejoicing.

Ur-Namma, king of Ur — your praise is sweet!

Colophon

Ur-Namma D (ETCSL c.2.4.1.4). Sumerian royal hymn, Third Dynasty of Ur, c. 2112–2095 BCE. Three manuscripts: version from Nibru (18 lines, fragmentary opening); version of unknown provenance (40 lines, primary text); version from Urim (40 lines, richer central section). The primary translation follows the version of unknown provenance; the three additional lines from the Urim version (canal's abundance brought to the E-kiš-nu-ĝal; banks covered with sweetgrass; spotted grain spreading like a forest) are noted in Section IV rather than incorporated, to preserve the textual distinction.

Key translation notes: id₂keše₂-kug = "Sacred Binding Canal" (keše₂ = binding/knot, kug = pure/holy); id₂pa₅-bi-luh = "Pure Irrigation Channel" (pa₅ = irrigation sub-channel, luh = to cleanse); aš-im₂-babbar = Ashimbabbar, epithet of Nanna (the Moon God); nun-nam-nir = Nunamnir, epithet of Enlil; u₂-lal₃ = honey-plant (a sweet aquatic herb); suhur-ku₆ = carp; giš-dusu = wooden yoke; giš-dusu-e la₂ = to fill the yoke-baskets (referring to irrigation field labor). Lines 14–19 are partially damaged in the unknown-provenance manuscript; content is preserved but the passage is structured around surviving terms.

Translated from ETCSL c.2.4.1.4 (Sumerian transliteration). No reference English translation consulted (t.2.4.1.4 was inaccessible). Translation is independently derived from the Sumerian. Source text included below.

A Good Works Translation. New Tianmu Anglican Church.
Translated by: Namzu, Liberation Translator tulku (Run 51), 2026-03-22.

🌲

Source Text

Ur-Namma D (ETCSL c.2.4.1.4) — Sumerian Transliteration

Version of Unknown Provenance (primary, 40 lines)

1. [a-ba-a mu-un]-ba-al-e a-ba-a mu-[un-ba-al-e id₂] a-ba-a mu-un-[ba-al-e]
2. [id₂keše₂-kug] a-ba-a mu-un-ba-[al-e] id₂ a-ba-a mu-un-ba-al-e
3. [id₂pa₅-bi]-luh a-ba-a mu-un-ba-al-e id₂ a-ba-a mu-un-ba-al-e
4. ur-ᵈnamma kug tuku mu-un-ba-al-e
5. šul zid nij₂-tuku mu-un-ba-al-e
6. lugal-ju₁₀ barag-za ᵈen-lil₂-le en ᵈaš-im₂-babbar
7. šul ᵈsuen barag-za ᵈen-lil₂-le en ᵈaš-im₂-babbar
8. lugal šag₄ zid-ta nam tar-ra nam-nir-ra saj il₂
9. ur-ᵈnamma šul igi il₂-la kur gal ᵈen-lil₂-le
10. ᵈnu-nam-nir-re ki-en-gi ki-uri-a je₂₆-e mu-un-suh-en
11. nibruki-a hur-saj nam-til₃-la-ka nam-ju₁₀ im-mi-in-tar
12. saj-ki zalag-ga-ni mu-un-ci-in-bar nam-lugal ma-an-šum₂
13. urim₂ki-ma e₂-mud-kur-ra-ka
14. gišgu-za-ja₂ suhuc-bi [...]-ge-en
15. jidru kug uj₃ šar₂ si sa₂-sa₂-e šu-[ja₂ ...]
16. cibir ecgiri₂ uj₃ dajal lu-a [...] he₂-em-[...]
17. en ᵈaš-im₂-babbar-ke₄ zi ud sud-sud [...]
18. ᵈen-lil₂-le ub-da 4-ba [...] [...]
19. mu da-ri₂ mu ka-ge ba-ab-du₇ [...]
20. ᵈen-ki-ke₄ ještug₂ dajal-la-ju₁₀ saj-e-eš mu-[rig₇]
21. je₂₆-e iriki-ja₂ id₂ he₂-jal₂-la mu-ba-al id₂keše₂-kug mu-sa₄
22. urim₂ki-ma id₂ he₂-jal₂-la mu-ba-al id₂keše₂-kug mu-sa₄
23. mu da-ri₂ ka-ge ba-ab-du₇-am₃ id₂pa₅-bi-luh mušen-am₃
24. je₂₆-e iri-ja₂ a-ra₂-a-bi ku₆-am₃ dirig-bi mušen-am₃
25. urim₂ki-ma a-ra₂-a-bi ku₆-am₃ dirig-bi mušen-am₃
26. je₂₆-e id₂-ja₂ u₂-lal₃-e mu-un-du₃ suhurku₆-e am₃-gur-gur-e
27. urim₂ki-ma u₂-lal₃-e mu-un-du₃ suhurku₆-e [am₃]-gur-gur-e
28. je₂₆-e iri-ja₂ gi-zi-bi lal₃-am₃ ab₂-e ha-ma-gu₇-e
29. urim₂ki-ma gi-zi-bi lal₃-am₃ ab₂-e ha-ma-gu₇-e
30. je₂₆-e [...]-ta ku₆ mušen sug₄-ga-am₃
31. urim₂ki-[ma] [...]
32. je₂₆-e id-ja₂ a-[ra₂-a hu]-mu-un-[tum₃] gišdusu-e hu-mu-un-na-la₂-e
33. urim₂ki-ma id-ja₂ a-ra₂-a hu-mu-un-tum₃ [giš]dusu-e hu-mu-un-na-la₂-e
34. lugal-bi lugal eridugki-ga ux(PA)-a-zu sug₄-am₃
35. ᵈnu-dim₂-mud lugal eridugki-ga ux(PA)-a-zu sug₄-am₃
36. lugal an ub-da 4-ba šag₄ ᵈen-lil₂-la₂ dug₃-ge-en
37. ur-ᵈnamma u₂-a nibruki saj us₂ urim₂ki-ma
38. iti₆-še₃ kalam urim₂ki-ma-še₃
39. asila(EZENxLAL₂) ud mi-ni-ib-zal-zal-e-ne
40. ur-ᵈnamma lugal urim₂ki-ma za₃-mi₂-zu dug₃-ga-am₃

Version from Nibru (18 lines, fragmentary)

1. a-ba-a mu-un-[ba]-al-e a-ba-a mu-un-ba-al-e
2. id₂asila-kug [a]-ba mu-un-ba-al-e
3. id₂pa₅-bi-[luh] [a]-ba mu-un-ba-al-e
4. [(X)] ur?-ᵈ[namma] [X] tuku mu-un-ba-al-e
5. [...] tuku mu-un-ba-al-e
6. [...]-za ᵈen-lil₂-le [X] ᵈaš-im₂-babbar
7. [...] a-ra₂-bi ku₆- dal-bi mušen-a
8. [...] a dug₃-bi ku₆-a [dal]-bi mušen-a
9. [...] u₂-lal₃-a mu-un-du suhurku₆ am₃-gur-gur
10. [...] u₂-lal₃-a mu-un-du [suhur]ku₆ am₃-gur-gur
11. [...] gi-zi-bi lal₃-am₃ ku₆ ha-ma-gu₇-e
12. [...] gi-zi-bi lal₃-am₃ ku₆ ha-ma-gu₇-e
13. [...]-ju₁₀ ki jar-ra-bi-ta ku₆ mušen sug₄-ga-am₃
14. [...] ki jar-ra-bi-ta ku₆ mušen sug₄-ga-am₃
15. [X]-bi lugal eridugki-ga ux(PA)-a-zu sug₄-ga-am₃
16. [ᵈnu-dim₂]-mud lugal eridugki-ga ux(PA)-a-zu sug₄-ga-am₃
17. [...] a dug₃ hu-mu-un-tum₂-mu [giš]dusu-e ha-ma-la₂-e
18. [...] a dug₃ hu-mu-un-tum₂-mu [giš]dusu-e ha-ma-la₂-e