His word is weighty in heaven, a foundation upon the earth.
In the heavens it reaches up to the sky. On the earth it cannot be destroyed.

I. The Lord's Word

Enlil's words are supreme —
his utterance is holy,
what leaves his mouth cannot be turned back.
Fate he decrees forever.

His lifted gaze makes the mountains restless.
His raised brilliance looks into the mountain's heart.

Father Enlil, seated on the wide and holy dais —
Nunamnir, whose lordship and princeship are made fully perfect —
the gods of the earth bow down before him of themselves.
The Anuna gods prostrate themselves at his feet
and stand faithfully ready for his command.

II. The City

The great lord, greatest in heaven and earth,
the knowing judge, the wide-minded wise one —
he took his seat in the Duranki
and made the Ki-ur, the great place, resplendent with majesty.
He made his dwelling in Nippur,
the high bond between heaven and earth.

The city's face is laden with terrible radiance.
Its back is such that even the mightiest god does not dare to attack.
Its interior is the blade of a sharp dagger,
the mouth of a battle-axe.
For rebel lands it is a snare, a net, a trap.

It cuts short those who speak too greatly.
No treacherous word can be spoken there in judgment.
False speech cannot be straightened within its walls —
deceit, hostile words, wrongdoing, arrogance,
violence, slander, impropriety, boastful speech —
no abomination passes through the city.

III. The Community of Nippur

The borders of Nippur are a great net
where the hurīn-eagle spreads wide its talons.
No evil man, no wicked man escapes its grasp.

In this city, set apart and established,
where righteousness and justice are made a lasting possession,
where the quay is clothed in clean garments —
the younger brother honours the older
and treats him with human dignity.
They attend to the word of a father
and shelter under his protection.
The child is humble and modest toward the mother
and reaches old age in this way.

IV. The Ekur

In the city, the holy settlement of Enlil,
in Nippur, the beloved shrine of the Great Mountain —
he has raised the dais of abundance,
the Ekur, the shining temple, up from the soil.
He has made it grow on pure land
as high as a towering mountain.

Its prince, the Great Mountain, father Enlil,
has taken his seat upon the dais of the Ekur, the lofty shrine.
No god can trouble the divine powers of this temple.
Its holy hand-washing rites are everlasting like the earth.
Its divine powers are the powers of the Abzu —
no one may look upon them.

Its interior is a wide sea that knows no horizon.
In its glistening stands the banner of the eternal;
the bonds and ancient powers are made perfect within.
Its words are prayers; its incantations are supplications.
Its word is a favourable omen;
its rites are precious above all things.

At its festivals there is abundance of fat and cream.
Its divine plans bring joy and celebration;
its verdicts are great.
Each day is a festival;
at the day's end the harvest is full.
The temple of Enlil is a mountain of abundance —
to reach out with greedy hands,
to look with covetous eyes,
to seize —
these are abominations there.

V. The Priests and the Farmer

The lagar priests of this temple, grown up with their lord,
are expert in blessing.
Its gudu priests of the Abzu are suited for lustration rites.
Its nueš priests are perfect in the holy prayers.

Its great farmer is the good shepherd of the Land,
born vigorous on a propitious day —
the farmer who belongs to the broad fields,
who comes forward with rich offerings
and does not hold back from the shining Ekur.

VI. The Foundation

Enlil — when you marked out the holy settlements
you built Nippur, your own city.
You set apart the Ki-ur, the mountain, your pure place.
You founded it in the Duranki, at the middle of the four quarters.

Its soil is the life of the Land,
the life of every foreign country.
Its brickwork is red gold; its foundation is lapis lazuli.
You made it glisten high across Sumer
like the horns of a great wild bull.
All foreign countries tremble before it.
At its great festivals the people spend their days in abundance.

VII. Enlil in the Deep

Enlil, pure Uraz is adorned with beauty for you.
You are greatly suited to the Abzu, the holy throne.
You refresh yourself in the deep underworld, the holy chamber.

Your presence spreads awesomeness over the Ekur,
the shining temple, the lofty dwelling.
Its fearsomeness and radiance reach up to heaven.
Its shadow stretches over all the foreign lands.
Its crenellations reach into the midst of heaven.
All lords and kings regularly supply holy offerings there,
approaching Enlil with prayers and supplications.

VIII. The Shepherd's Favour

Enlil — if you look with favour on the shepherd,
if you raise up the one truly called in the Land,
then all foreign countries fall into his hands,
all foreign countries lie at his feet.
Even the most distant lands submit to him.
He causes enormous tribute and heavy goods
to flow into the treasury like cool water.
In the great courtyard he sets the offerings in order.
Into the Ekur, the shining temple, he brings them.

IX. The Cloud and the Dragon

Enlil, faithful shepherd of the teeming multitudes,
herdsman, leader of all living creatures —
he made manifest his great princeship,
he put on the holy crown.

As the Wind of the Mountain, he settled on the dais.
He spanned the sky like a rainbow.
Like a floating cloud, he moved alone.

He alone is the prince of heaven,
the dragon of the earth.
He, the greatest among the Anuna gods,
himself determines the fates.
No god can look upon him.

His great minister, his commander Nuska
learns his commands and intentions from him,
consults with him,
and executes his far-reaching instructions on his behalf,
praying to him with holy prayers and divine powers.

X. Without the Great Mountain

Without the Great Mountain, Enlil —
no city would be built, no settlement founded.
No cow-pen would be built, no sheepfold established.
No king would be raised up, no lord brought to birth.
No high priest or high priestess would perform divination.
Soldiers would have no generals or captains.
The rivers would not fill with carp at their peak;
no fish would dart up from the sea,
the sea would not yield its heavy treasure.
No freshwater fish would lay eggs in the reedbeds.
No bird of the sky would build its nest in the wide land.
In the sky, the thick clouds would not open their mouths.
On the fields, dappled grain would not fill the fertile lands;
no green things would grow lushly on the plain.
In the gardens, the tall mountain trees would not bear fruit.

Without the Great Mountain, Enlil —
Nintud would not strike, would not cause death.
No cow would drop its calf in the cattle-pen.
No ewe would bring forth a lamb in the sheepfold.
The living creatures that multiply of themselves
would not lie down in their places.
The four-footed animals would not mate or multiply.

XI. His Mystery

Enlil — your ingenuity takes the breath away.
By its nature it is like entangled threads that cannot be unraveled,
crossed threads that no eye can follow.
Your divinity is reliable.
You are your own counsellor and adviser,
a lord by your own nature.
Who can comprehend your actions?
No divine powers shine as resplendently as yours.
No god can look upon your face.

XII. The Word That Shapes the World

You are lord, god, king — Enlil —
the judge who decides the fate of heaven and earth.
Your great word is as heavy as heaven itself;
there is no one who can lift it.
The Anuna gods act at your word.

Your word is weighty in heaven,
a foundation upon the earth.
In the heavens it is a great depth reaching up to the sky.
On the earth it is a foundation that cannot be destroyed.

When it speaks to the heavens, it brings abundance —
abundance pours down from the heavens.
When it speaks to the earth, it brings prosperity —
the earth bears forth its fullness.

Your word means flax.
Your word means grain.
Your word means the early flooding,
the life of every land.

It stirs all living creatures,
all the animals that breathe and mate joyfully in the greenery.
You, Enlil, good shepherd, know their ways,
you who watch over the sparkling stars.

XIII. Ninlil

You took Ninlil as your wife —
the holy consort, whose words come from the heart,
she of noble face in a sacred garment,
beautiful of form and limb,
the trustworthy lady of your choosing.

Clothed in allure —
the lady who knows what is fitting for the Ekur,
whose counsel is perfect,
whose words bring comfort like fine oil poured on the heart —
she shares the holy throne, the pure throne with you.
She takes counsel and deliberates with you.
Together you determine the fates
at the place where the sun rises.

Ninlil, lady of heaven and earth,
lady of all the lands,
is honoured in the praise of the Great Mountain.

XIV. Closing Praise

Supreme one, whose word is established,
whose command and support cannot be changed,
whose utterance takes precedence,
whose plans are words made firm —

Great Mountain, father Enlil:
your praise is sublime.

Colophon

Translated from the Sumerian by a tulku of the New Tianmu Anglican Church, March 2026. The ETCSL composite transliteration (c.4.05.1) served as the primary source text. The ETCSL scholarly English translation was consulted as a reference to check understanding; this English is independently derived from the Sumerian. The hymn is conventionally designated "Enlil A" to distinguish it from the shorter "Enlil B" hymn. 171 lines. Scribal attestation: approximately 70 cuneiform manuscripts; major scholarly edition, Falkenstein (1959).

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Source Text

Enlil in the Ekur (Enlil A) — Sumerian Composite Transliteration

ETCSL c.4.05.1

1. den-lil2 su3-ra2-še3 dug4-ga-ni maḫ inim-ma-ni kug-ga-am3
2. niĝ2 nu-kur2-ru ka-ta e3-a-ni nam ul-še3 tar-re
3. igi il2-la-ni kur-re di-di
4. ĝiš-nu11 il2-la-ni kur-šag4-ga igi ĝal2
5. a-a den-lil2 barag kug maḫ-a daĝal-bi tuš-a-ni
6. dnu-nam-nir nam-en nam-nun-na šu gal du7-a-ni
7. diĝir ki ni2-ba mu-un-na-gam-e-eš
8. diĝir-diĝir da-nun-na mu-un-na-sun5-sun5-ne-eš
9. a2 aĝ2-ĝa2 zid-de3-eš im-ma-sug2-ge-eš
10. en u19-ru gal an ki-a dirig di zu gal-an-zu-e
11. dur-an-ki-ka dur2 ba-an-ĝar ĝeštug2 daĝal-la-ke4
12. nam-nun-na ni2 pa e3-a ši-bi2-in-ak ki-ur3 ki gal-la
13. nibruki uz3-saĝ maḫ an ki-ka ki-tuš im-ma-ni-in-du3
14. iri igi-bi ni2 me-lem4 ḫuš-a
15. bar-bi diĝir u19-ru-na saĝ nu-ĝa2-ĝa2-dam
16. šag4-bi ka ĝiri2 kiĝ2-a ka garaš2-a-ka
17. ĝišes2-ad ki-bal-a pu2 sa ak-a
18. gal-bi dug4-ga-bi ud la-ba-ni-ib-su3-ud-de3
19. di-da inim erim2-ĝal2 nu-mu-ni-ib-be2
20. šag4-a bar-a eme si nu-sa2
21. inim kur2 niĝ2 kur2 u3-nu-ĝar-ra
22. šeš2-eš2 di niĝ2-erim2 i-dutu
23. igi bal niĝ2-a2-ĝar inim sig dug4-dug4
24. sun7-na inim bur2-ra ni2 buluĝ5 di silim-eš2 di
25. iri niĝ2-gig-ga nu-mu-ni-ib-dib-be2
26. nibruki a2-bi sa-par3 gal-la-am3
27. šag4-ba ḫu-ri2-inmušen-e dub3 mu-un-bad-ba9-re6
28. lu2-erim2 lu2 ḫul-ĝal2 šu-bi la-ba-ra-e3
29. iri niĝ2-gen6-na saĝ-e-eš rig7-ga
30. niĝ2-zid niĝ2-si-sa2 gi16-sa-še3 ak-a
31. tug2 dan2-dan2-na kar-ra ĝal2-la
32. šeš-gal šeš-ban3-da dugud-de3-da nam-lu2-ulu3 ak-da
33. inim ab-ba-še3 ĝizzal ak-de3 ni2 šu-a gi4-gi4-dam
34. dumu ama-ni-ir sun5-na ni2 teĝ3-ĝe26-da nam-ab-ba sud-de3
35. iri a2-dam kug den-lil2-la2-kam
36. nibruki eš3 ki aĝ2 a-a kur gal-la-kam
37. barag nam-ḫe2 e2-kur e2 za-gin3 saḫar-ta ša-ba-ra-an-il2
38. ḫur-saĝ il2-la-gin7 ki sikil-la bi2-in-mu2
39. nun-bi kur gal a-a den-lil2
40. e2-kur eš3 maḫ-a barag-ba dur2 bi2-in-ĝar
41. e2-a me-bi diĝir sag2 nu-di
42. šu-luḫ sikil-bi ki-gin7 nu-silig-ge
43. me-bi me abzu lu2 igi nu-bar-re-de3
44. šag4-bi ab su3-ra2 an-zag nu-zu-a
45. KA urin du3-a urin mul-la-ba
46. di-ir-ga me ul-e šu im-ta-du7-du7
47. inim-inim-ma-bi šudu3-šudu3-de3
48. mu7-mu7-bi inim sizkur-ra-kam
49. inim-bi inim-ĝar sag9 bar šu šub-šub-bu-da
50. ĝarza niĝ2 kal-kal-la-kam
51. ezen i3 gara2 sud ḫe2-ĝal2-la du8-a
52. ĝiš-ḫur-bi giri17-zal šag4 ḫul2-la di-bi niĝ2 gal-gal-la-kam
53. ud šu2-uš ezem-ma ud zal-le buru14 maḫ-am3
54. e2 den-lil2-la2 kur ḫe2-ĝal2-la-kam
55. šu gid2 igi-tum3 la2 šu sumur niĝ2-gig-ga
56. e2-a en-bi e2-da mu2-a
57. lagar-bi šu silim-ma ḫe2-du7-am3
58. abzu gudug-bi šu-luḫ-ḫa tum2-ma-me-eš
59. nu-eš3-bi šita kug-ge du7-me-eš
60. engar maḫ-bi sipad zid kalam-ma
61. ud dug3-ga zid-de3-eš tu-ud-da-am3
62. engar gana2 daĝal-la ḫe2-du7-am3
63. ši-im-da-ĝen nidba gal-gal-la-da
64. ĝiš-la2-bi nu-mu-un-DU e2-kur za-gin3-še3
65. den-lil2 a2-dam kug ki-a ḫur-ra-za
66. nibruki iri ni2-za ši-im-mi-du3-du3-am3
67. ki-ur3 kur ki sikil-zu a bi2-dug3-ga
68. ub-da 4-ba murub4-ba dur-an-ki-ka ki ba-e-ni-tag-ge
69. saḫar-bi zi kalam-ma zi kur-kur-ra-ka
70. šeg12-bi kug ḫuš-a uš8 na4za-gin3-na-ka
71. am-gin7 ki-en-gi-ra si mul ba-ni-ib-be2
72. kur-kur-re saĝ im-ma-da-sag3-ge
73. ezen gal-gal-ba uĝ3-e nam-ḫe2-a ud-bi mu-un-di-ni-ib-zal-e
74. den-lil2 duraš kug ḫi-li du8-du8-a-zu
75. abzu barag kug-ga gal-bi tum2-ma-zu
76. kur sig itima kug ki ni2 te-en-te-en-zu
77. e2-kur e2 za-gin3 ki-tuš maḫ ni2 gur3-ru-zu
78. ni2 me-lem4-bi an-ne2 im-us2
79. ĝissu-bi kur-kur-ra ša-mu-un-la2
80. suḫ10-bi an-šag4-ga-aš ša-mu-un-bad-ba9-re6
81. en-en-e barag-barag-ge2-ne
82. nidba kug-ge si mu-ni-in-sa2-eš
83. šudu3 sizkur-ra u3-gul mu-na-ĝa2-ĝa2
84. den-lil2 sipad igi zid bar-ra-zu
85. gu3 zid de2-a kalam-ma il2-la-zu
86. kur šu-ni-še3 kur ĝiri3-ni-še3
87. kur-ra ki su3-ra2-bi gu2 mu-na-ab-ĝa2-ĝa2
88. a sed4-gin7 du8-a niĝ2 ki-šar2-ra-ka
89. maš2-da-ri-a gu2-un dugud-da-bi
90. sa2 bi2-in-dug4 e2 niĝ2-gur11-ra-ka
91. kisal maḫ-ḫa nidba si bi2-in-sa2
92. e2-kur e2 za-gin3-na ma-sar-re-eš im-mi-in-tum3
93. den-lil2 sipad zid teš2-ba lu-a
94. na-gada mas-su niĝ2-zi-ĝal2-la-ka
95. nam-nun gal-la-ni ni2 pa e3-a-aš bi2-in-ak
96. men suḫ10 kug-ga mu-ni-in-sig7
97. tum9 ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2 barag-ge si-a-na
98. dtir-an-na-gin7 an-e ši-in-gi4
99. dungu dirig-ga-gin7 ni2-bi-a mu-un-ĝen
100. an-na dili nun-bi-im ki-a ušumgal-bi-im
101. da-nun-na-ke4-ne diĝir maḫ-bi-im
102. nam ni2-te-a-ni ši-im-mi-in-tar-re
103. diĝir na-me igi nu-mu-ni-in-du8
104. sukkal-maḫ-a-ni kingal dnuska
105. dug4-ga inim šag4-ga ĝal2-la-ni
106. mu-un-da-an-zu šag4 mu-da-an-kuš2-u3
107. a2 aĝ2-ĝa2 daĝal-bi mu-un-na-da-an-tum2
108. šita kug me kug-ga šu mu-un-na-mu2-mu2
109. kur gal den-lil2-da nu-me-a
110. iri nu-du3 a2-dam ki li-bi2-ib-ĝar
111. tur3 nu-du3 amaš nu-ĝar-ĝar
112. lugal nu-il2-e en nu-u3-tud
113. lu2-maḫ nin-diĝir maš2-e nu-mu-un-dab5-be2
114. erin2-e šagina ugula nu-tuku-tuku
115. id2-da a-eštubku6 u3-bi nu-dun-dun
116. eĝer-bi ab-ta e3 si li-bi2-in-sa2 kun-bi nu-mu-un-sud-e
117. ab-e erim3 dugud ni2-ba nu-mu-un-u3-tud
118. ku6 engur-ra-ke4 ĝiš-gi-a nunuz nu-mu-ni-ib-nu2-nu2
119. mušen an-na-ke4 ki daĝal-la gud3 la-ba-ni-ib-u2-us2
120. an-na dungu sir2-ra ka-bi nu-du8-e
121. a-šag4-ga še gu-nu a-gar3-ra nu-si-si
122. edin-na giri17-zal-bi u2-šim nu-mu2-mu2
123. ĝiškiri6-a ĝiš daĝal kur-ra-ke4 gurun nu-il2-e
124. kur gal den-lil2-da nu-me-a
125. dnin-tur5 nu-ug5-ge saĝ ĝiš nu-ra-ra
126. ab2-e e2tur3-ra amar-bi nu-šub-be2
127. u8-e amaš-bi-a sila4 ĝa2 gig nu-e3
128. a-za-lu-lu ni2-ba lu-a
129. TUG2-bi KUL-ba nu-mu-ni-ib-nu2-nu2
130. maš2-anše niĝ2-ur2-4-e numun nu-mu-ni-ib-e3 e-ne su3-ud-bi nu-mu-un-u5
131. den-lil2 niĝ2 galam-ma-galam-ma-zu niĝ2-me-ĝar sug4-ga
132. šag4-bi gu suḫ3-a si nu-sa2-e-dam
133. gu-gu gilim-ma igi nu-pad3-de3-dam
134. nam-diĝir-zu-še3 nir im-te-ĝal2
135. šag4 kuš2-u3 ad gi4-gi4 en ni2-te-na-me-en
136. niĝ2 ak-zu a-ba i3-zu-zu
137. me-zu me pa nu-ed2-de3
138. muš3-za diĝir igi nu-bar-re-dam
139. en diĝir lugal den-lil2-la2-me-en
140. di-kud ka-aš bar an ki-me-en
141. inim maḫ-zu an-gin7 dugud-da-gin7 zig3-zig3 nu-e-zu
142. inim-zu-še3 diĝir da-nun-na šu šum2-ma im-ma-an-ak-eš
143. inim-zu an-še3 idim-ma ki-še3 temen-am3
144. an-še3 idim gal an-ne2 us2-sa
145. ki-še3 temen sag2 nu-di-dam
146. an-e um-ma-te ḫe2-ĝal2-la-am3
147. an-ta ḫe2-ĝal2 im-da-šeĝ3-šeĝ3
148. ki-a um-ma-te giri17-zal-am3
149. ki-ta giri17-zal im-da-mu2-mu2
150. inim-zu gu-am3 inim-zu še-am3
151. inim-zu a-eštub zi kur-kur-ra-kam
152. niĝ2-zi-ĝal2 niĝ2-ki u5-a
153. zi dug3-ga u2-šim im-da-pa-an-pa-an
154. den-lil2 sipad zid-me-en DU.DU-bi mu-un-zu
155. mul gun3-gun3-a
156. dnin-lil2 nitalam kug inim-ma-ni šag4-ga
157. tug2-ba13 kug ulutim2-ta nir-ra alan me-dim2-ta sig10-ga
158. munus zid igi il2-la ba-e-de3-tuku-dam
159. ul gur3-ru e2-kur-ra nin me-te-ĝal2 zu
160. ad gi4-gi4 inim-ma ba-ab-du7
161. inim-ma-ni su-a bi2-dug3-ga-bi i3 li šag4-ga-kam
162. barag kug barag sikil-da ši-im-mu-e-da-an-til3
163. ad ši-mu-da-an-gi4-gi4 šag4 ši-mu-da-an-kuš2-u3
164. nam tar-re ki dutu e3-a nam ši-mu-da-ab-tar-re
165. dnin-lil2 nin an ki nin kur-kur-ra-ke4
166. za3-mi2 kur gal-la-ka mi2 dug4-ga
167. maḫ-di inim-ma-ni ki-bi-še3 ĝar
168. dug4-ga a2-taḫ-a-ni niĝ2 nu-kur2-ru
169. ka-ta e3-a-ni saĝ ba-an-gub
170. ĝiš-ḫur-ḫur-ra-ni inim ge-en-ge-en
171. kur gal a-a den-lil2 za3-mi2-zu maḫ-am3

Source Colophon

Sumerian composite transliteration reconstructed from approximately seventy cuneiform manuscripts. Conventionally designated "Enlil A" to distinguish it from the shorter "Enlil B." One of the most important hymns in the Sumerian corpus — the definitive theological statement of Enlil's cosmic sovereignty. Manuscripts date from the Old Babylonian period (ca. 2000–1600 BCE), though the composition may be older. The city of Nippur, with its Ekur temple and the sacred precinct of the Duranki ("bond of heaven and earth"), was the religious centre of Mesopotamia throughout the third and second millennia. Primary ETCSL composite: c.4.05.1. Major scholarly edition: Falkenstein, Adam, "Sumerische Götterlieder" (1959).

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