The eršemma — "tears of the šem-drum" — was a Mesopotamian liturgical genre: a short, focused lament performed in temple worship to appease an angry deity. Where the longer balag lamented cosmic catastrophe, the eršemma was intimate — one voice addressing one god, often with musical accompaniment. This text (Sm.954) is a complete bilingual eršemma, written in Sumerian with an interlinear Akkadian translation on every line. It was copied for the royal library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh in the seventh century BCE, and its colophon states it was "written and checked according to its original" — meaning it was copied from an older text, now lost.
The eršemma moves in three parts. First, Ishtar is described by her worshipper: she is the light of heaven, a she-wolf, a lioness, a bejeweled young woman ascending to heaven. Then the voice shifts: Ishtar speaks in the first person, declaring herself goddess of evening and dawn — the Morning Star and the Evening Star, both faces of Venus — and cataloguing her cosmic powers. Finally, the penitent speaks again, calling Ishtar by her names at seven different temples across Mesopotamia, begging her heart to be at rest. The genre is appeasement: something has made the goddess angry, and the entire liturgy exists to bring her back.
This is a Good Works Translation from Akkadian, produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with AI assistance. The Sumerian text is primary; the Akkadian interlinear translation, which dates to the same Neo-Assyrian period, is the basis for the English. The Sumerian is used as supplementary context, particularly in the litany section where no Akkadian is provided.
Part One — The Hymn of the Wolf and the Lioness
Light of heaven, who like fire blazes across the land — you!
Goddess, when you stand upon the earth —
you who surpasses the earth — you!
To you the streets of truth do homage.
When you enter the house of a man —
a she-wolf led forth to seize the lamb — you!
A lioness who stalks through the midst — you!
When the young woman goes forth to heaven —
the young woman Ishtar goes forth to heaven!
She who is adorned with precious ornaments goes forth to heaven.
The twin sister of Shamash goes forth to heaven.
To guide the oracles I stand — perfectly I stand.
For my father Sîn, to guide the oracles I stand — perfectly I stand.
For my brother Shamash, to guide the oracles I stand — perfectly I stand.
Me — my father the Luminary has set me in place.
To guide the oracles I stand.
In the renewing heavens, to guide the oracles I stand — perfectly I stand.
Part Two — The Self-Praise of Ishtar
In jubilation are your praises! In jubilation are your praises!
In jubilation — the goddess am I! On high I go!
Ishtar — goddess of evening am I!
Ishtar — goddess of dawn am I!
Ishtar, opener of the bolt of the pure heavens — your praises!
She makes heaven spacious, she makes earth tremble — your praises!
She who widens the sky, who shakes the ground — your praises!
She who blazes at the foundation of heaven,
whose name is renowned among the settlements — your praises!
Queen of heaven — above and below let it be spoken — your praises!
I level the mountains all together — your praises!
I am the great foundation of the mountains!
I am their great bolt! — your praises!
Part Three — The Appeasement
May your heart be at rest, may your spirit be calmed.
Lord Anu the great — may your heart be at rest.
Lord, the great mountain Enlil — may your spirit be calmed.
Goddess, Lady of heaven — may your heart be at rest.
Princess, Lady of Heaven — may your spirit be calmed.
Princess, Lady of Eanna — may your heart be at rest.
Princess, Lady of Uruk — may your spirit be calmed.
Princess, Lady of the Mountain of the Land — may your heart be at rest.
Princess, Lady of Etur-kalamma — may your spirit be calmed.
Princess, Lady of Babylon — may your heart be at rest.
Princess, my Lady Nanaya — may your spirit be calmed.
Lady of the house, Lady of the gods — may your heart be at rest.
Eršemma of Inanna.
Colophon
This is a Good Works Translation of eBL fragment Sm.954, a complete Neo-Assyrian bilingual clay tablet held in the British Museum (BM ID: W_SM-954; CDLI: P425677). The tablet was excavated from the library of Ashurbanipal at Kuyunjik (Nineveh). Its colophon identifies it as having been "written and checked according to its original" for the palace of Ashurbanipal, king of the universe, king of Assyria, son of Esarhaddon, king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the kings of Cush and Egypt, king of the four quarters, son of Sennacherib, king of the universe, king of Assyria.
The text is an eršemma — a liturgical lament classified among the Canonical Literature / Lamentations corpus. It is written in Sumerian with an interlinear Akkadian translation. The English translation above is derived primarily from the Akkadian interlinear text, with the Sumerian consulted as supporting context. The litany section (Part Three, lines beginning "Princess, Lady of…") is in Sumerian only, without Akkadian interlinear; these lines are translated from the Sumerian formulaic vocabulary, which is standard and well-attested across the liturgical corpus.
The phrase "to guide the oracles" translates Akkadian šutābul tērēti — literally "to carry/conduct the omens." Ishtar's role as guide of divination reflects her identification with the planet Venus, whose appearances and disappearances were primary omen-signs in Mesopotamian celestial divination.
"Twin sister of Shamash" (talimti Šamaš): Ishtar/Venus and Shamash/the Sun are astronomical siblings — Venus is visible only near sunrise and sunset, always adjacent to the Sun's position.
"Goddess of evening… goddess of dawn": Ishtar as both the Evening Star and the Morning Star. The Mesopotamians knew these were the same planet. The double identification carries theological weight — she belongs to neither night nor day, but to the threshold between them.
"I am the great foundation of the mountains, I am their great bolt": Ishtar claims to be both the base and the lock of the mountain ranges — the cosmic barrier between lands. The mountain as bolt is a standard Mesopotamian image: mountains seal the edge of the world.
Source text: eBL corpus, CC BY 4.0 (Electronic Babylonian Literature, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, accessed via Zenodo DOI 10.5281/zenodo.10018951). ATF transliteration by eBL contributors.
First freely available English translation. Paywalled academic treatments of this text or closely related eršemma compositions may exist; this translation is independently derived from the Akkadian and Sumerian source text and does not reproduce any existing English.
Translated from Akkadian and Sumerian by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with AI assistance (Tulku Tanbō, Expeditionary Tulku Life 171), April 2026.
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Source Text: Sm.954
Akkadian and Sumerian bilingual source text from the Electronic Babylonian Literature corpus (eBL), CC BY 4.0. Neo-Assyrian period, from the library of Ashurbanipal at Kuyunjik (Nineveh). British Museum, collection: Kuyunjik. ATF transliteration presented for reference and verification alongside the English translation above.
Obverse
%es an su₃-ud-ag₂ izi-gin₇ mu₂ ki-ta za-e ši-in-ga-me-en-ne
($___$) nu-ur₂ AN-e ša ki-ma i-ša₂-ti₃ i-na ma-a-ti₃ nap-hat at-ti-ma
%es mu-gi₁₇-ib ki-a gub-ba-zu-ne
($___$) iš-ta-ri-tu₄ i-na er-ṣe-ti i-na u₂-zu-zi-ki
%es ki-gin₇ rib-ba za-e ši-in-ga-me-en-ne
($___$) ša₂ ki-ma er-ṣe-ti₃ šu-tu-qat at-ti-ma
%es za-e sila zi-da šu mi-ni-ib₂-mu₂-mu₂
($___$) ka-a-ši su-le-e kit-ti i-kar-rab-ki
%es e₂ mu-lu-e ku₄-ku₄-ra-zu-ne
($___$) a-na E₂ a-wi-li₃ i-na e-re-bi-ki
%es ur-bar-ra sila₄ šu ti-a du-a-gen
($___$) bar-ba-ru ša₂ a-na le-qe₂-e pu-ha-di šu-lu-ku at-ti
%es ur-mah ša₃ tum₂-ta du-a-gen
($___$) ne₂-e-šu₂ ša₂ ina qer-be₂-ti it-ta-na-al-la-ku at-ti
%es u₄-da ki-sikil an-na he₂-du₇-ra
($___$) u₄-mu ar-da-tu₄ u₂-su-ma AN-e
%es ki-sikil innin-na an-na he₂-du₇-ra
($___$) ar-da-tu₄ iš-tar u₂-su-ma AN-e
%es unu₂ la₂ šuba la₂ an-na he₂-du₇-ra
($___$) ša₂ šu-kut-ti šu-bi-i šak-na-at₂ u₂-su-ma AN-e
%es eg₃-u₂-rum utu-ra an-na he₂-du₇-ra
($___$) ta-lim-ti UTU u₂-su-ma AN-e
%es mu-ni-še₃ gub-ba dili-du gub-ba
($___$) a-na šu-ta-bu-ul te-re-e-ti az-za-az git₂-ma-liš az-za-az
%es a-a-gu₁₀ suen-na-ra mu-ni-še₃ gub-ba dili-du gub-ba
($___$) a-na a-bi-ia 30 šu-ta-bu-ul te-re-e-ti az-za-az git₂-ma-liš az-za-az
%es šeš-gu₁₀ utu-ra mu-ni-še₃ gub-ba dili-du gub-ba
($___$) ana ŠEŠ-ia UTU šu-ta-bu-ul te-re-e-ti az-za-az git₂-ma-liš az-za-az
%es ma-ra a-a u₄-sakar-ra mu-un-na-gub-ba mu-ni-še₃ gub-ba dili-du gub-ba
($___$) ia-a-ši a-bi na-an-na-ru ul-zi-iz-za-an-ni šu-ta-bu-ul te-re-e-ti az-za-az
%es mu gi-gi-ir-ra-ke₄ mu-ni-še₃ gub-ba dili-du gub-ba
($___$) ina AN-e ed-de-šu-ti šu-ta-bu-ul te-re-e-ti az-za-az git₂-ma-liš az-za-az
%es el-lu ar₂-re-gu₁₀ el-lu ar₂-re-gu₁₀
($___$) i-na ri-ša₂-a-ti ta-na-da-tu-u-a i-na ri-ša₂-a-ti ta-na-da-tu-u-a
%es a u₃-li-li mu-gi₁₇-ib mu-lu an-na ši-im-gen
($___$) i-na ri-ša₂-a-ti iš-ta-ri-tu₄ ana-ku ša₂-qi₂-iš al-lak
%es gašan-an-na an-na an usan₂-na-gen
($___$) iš₈-tar₂ i-lat ši-me-tan ana-ku
%es gašan-an-na an-na u₄-zal-la-gen
($___$) iš₈-tar₂ i-lat še-re-e-ti ana-ku
%es gašan-an-na si-gar ku₃ RI.RI-gu₁₀ ar₂-re-gu₁₀
($___$) iš-tar pe-ta-at ši-gar AN-e el-lu-ti ta-na-da-tu-u-a
%es an al-dub₂ ki al-sig₃ ar₂-re-gu₁₀
($___$) AN-e u₂-ra-ab er-ṣe-tu₄ u₂-nar-raṭ ta-na-da-tu-u-a
%es an al-dub₂-dub₂ ki al-sig₃-sig₃ ar₂-re-gu₁₀
($___$) mu-rib-bat AN-e mu-nar-ri-ṭa-at KI-ti₃ ta-na-da-tu-u-a
Reverse
%es ul-he₂-še₃ mu₂ kur-kur-ra za₃-še₃ mu-bi ar₂-re-gu₁₀
($___$) ša₂ ina šu-pu-uk AN-e nap-hat ina da-ad₂-mi zi-kir-ša₂ šu-pu-u ta-na-da-tu-u-a
%es ušumgal an-na-ke₄ elam-ma hu-bu-ur₂-ra ha-ma-ab-be₂ ar₂-re-gu₁₀
($___$) šar-rat AN-e e-liš u šap-liš liq-qa-ba-a ta-na-da-tu-u-a
%es kur-kur-ra teš₂-bi bi₂-ib₂-si₃-si₃-ge ar₂-re-gu₁₀
($___$) ša-di-i il-te-niš a-sap-pan ta-na-da-tu-u-a
%es kur-kur-ra bad₃ gal-bi de₃-me-en za-e si-mar-bi de₃-me-en ar₂-re-gu₁₀
($___$) ša ša-di-i du-ur-šu₂-nu ra-bu-u ana-ku ši-gar-šu₂-nu GAL-u₂ ana-ku ta-na-da-tu-u-a
%es ša₃-zu he₂-en-hug-e bar-zu he₂-en-sed-de₃
($___$) lib₃-ba-ki li-nu-uh ka-bat-ta-ki lip-šah
%es umun an gal-e ša₃-zu he₂-en-hug-e
($___$) be-lu₄ a-num GAL-u₂ lib₃-ba-ki li-ni-ih
%es umun kur gal mul-lil₂ bar-zu he₂-en-sed-de₃
($___$) be-lu₄ ša₂-du-u GAL-u en-lil₂ ka-bat-ta-ki li-pa-aš-ši-ih
%es mu-gi₁₇-ib gašan-an-na ša₃-zu he₂-en-hug-ge₂₆
($___$) iš-ta-ri-tu₄ be-let AN-e lib₃-ba-ki li-nu-uh
%es egi₂ gašan-an-na bar-zu he₂-en-sed-de₃
%es egi₂ gašan e₂-an-na ša₃-zu he₂-en-hug-ge₂₆
%es egi₂ gašan ki unug-ga bar-zu he₂-en-sed-de₃
%es egi₂ gašan ki zabalam ša₃-zu he₂-en-hug-ge₂₆
%es egi₂ gašan hur-sag-kalam-ma bar-zu he₂-en-sed-de₃
%es egi₂ gašan e₂-tur₃-kalam-ma ša₃-zu he₂-en-hug-ge₂₆
%es egi₂ gašan tin-tir-ra bar-zu he₂-en-sed-de₃
%es egi₂ gašan-gu₁₀ na-na-a ša₃-zu he₂-en-hug-ge₂₆
%es gašan e₂-a gašan dim₃-me-er-e-ne bar-zu he₂-en-sed-de₃
%es er₂-šem₃-ma inana-ke₄
Colophon of the Tablet
GIM la-bi-ri-šu₂ ša₂-ṭir-ma ba-a-ri
É.GAL Aššur-bān-apli šar kiššati šar māt Aššur
mār Aššur-aḫa-iddina šar šamê šar māt Aššur
girru Bābili šar māt Šumeri u Akkadi
šar šarrāni māt Kūsi māt Muṣur
šar kibrāt erbetti mār Sîn-aḫḫē-erība
šar kiššati šar māt Aššur
ša ana Aššur u Mullissu Nabû u Tašmētu taklu
nīr-galzu lā tēši Nergal
Source Colophon
Source text from the Electronic Babylonian Literature (eBL) corpus, compiled by the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München under the direction of Enrique Jiménez. Full dataset available at Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10018951). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
Fragment identifier: Sm.954. Museum: The British Museum. Collection: Kuyunjik (Nineveh). BM ID: W_SM-954. CDLI Number: P425677. Period: Neo-Assyrian. ATF transliteration by eBL contributors. The cuneiform signs are presented in standard ATF notation: %es marks Emesal (Sumerian liturgical dialect) lines; ($___$) marks Akkadian interlinear translations; # marks uncertain readings; $ marks structural annotations.
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