Monday, March 23, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org

The Great Ishtar Prayer

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The shuilla — "raised hand" prayer — was the central liturgical form of Babylonian personal religion. A worshipper in extremity would raise both hands in supplication and recite a prayer to a chosen deity: first praising that god's greatness, then confessing distress, then petitioning for relief. This is Ishtar 2, the Great Ishtar Prayer, one of the most complex and beautiful of all known shuillas.

Ishtar is the hardest deity in the Mesopotamian pantheon to hold in a single image. She is the Morning Star — the planet Venus — visible before dawn and after sunset, belonging to neither day nor night. She is goddess of erotic love and also of war. She gives life and brings devastation. In this prayer both faces are present: the speaker spends the first half praising a being of terrifying cosmic power, then spends the second half confessing that this same being has turned her full force against him. The prayer ends with a doxology — Ishtar is great, Ishtar is queen — delivered in the imperative register of someone who believes they will be heard.

This is a Good Works Translation from Akkadian, produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with AI assistance.

Incantation: I implore you —
lady of ladies, goddess of goddesses,
Ishtar, queen of all the inhabited world,
who guides the peoples aright,
Irnini, most exalted, greatest of the Igigi —

O powerful one, O sovereign —
your name stands supreme.
You are the light of heaven and earth,
daughter of Sîn the warrior.
Bearer of all weapons, clothed in battle.
Holder of all rites, who wears the crown of dominion.
All humankind, all who carry a name —

Star of battle cries,
who sets brothers into accord.
[Who has not sinned? Who has not transgressed?]
Furious one, lady of the righteous,
who treads the high mountains.
Gushea — herself clad in battle, herself armored in terror.
Perfector of law and verdict over heaven and earth.
Lady of temples, of chapels —
the pedestals and thrones wait upon you.

Where are you not named?
Where are your rites not observed?
Where are your designs not drawn?
Where have your thrones not been set?
Where are you not great?
Where are you not supreme?

Anu, Enlil, and Ea have exalted you above the gods,
have made your sovereignty great.
They have raised you high over all the Igigi,
have made your station surpass.
At the mention of your name, heaven and earth tremble.
The gods shudder. The Anunnaki are terrified.
Your name is terrible —
humankind chants it in dread.

You are the greatest.
You are the most supreme.
All the black-headed peoples, all life, the human race —
they praise your might.
You render the judgment of the multitude
in truth and righteousness.
You look upon the wronged and the wicked
and set them right each day.

Alas for you, lady of heaven and earth,
shepherdess of the teeming peoples!
Alas for you, lady of holy Eanna,
the pure and silent house!
Alas for you, My Lady —
your feet never tire,
your knees never rest.

You who are renowned,
who subdues the Igigi,
who tames the wrathful gods —
most capable of all rulers,
who holds the reins of all kings —
who opens the veils of all maidens!
Who receives and grants —
warrior goddess,
your valor is great.
Shining torch of heaven and earth,
radiance of all the inhabited world.

Fierce in battle, unmatched.
Mistress of the fray.
Firestorm against the enemy —
devastation of the mighty.
Who wears the robes of Ishtar,
who assembles the assembly.
Goddess of men. Ishtar of women.
None can learn her counsel.
Wherever you look, the dead revive.
The sick arise.

The one who prospers
is the one who looks upon your face.

I call to you —
weary, exhausted, afflicted,
your servant:

See me, My Lady.
Receive my prayer.
Look upon me truly.
Hear my supplication.
Alas for me —
speak, that your heart may be eased.
Alas for my body, burdened with confusion.
Alas for my heart, afflicted,
full of tears and lamentation.
Alas for my innards, disordered,
full of confusion and trouble.
Alas for my house, scattered —
where they pour out tears.
Alas for my spirit, weighed down
with grief and sighing.

Irnini, fierce and terrible —
may your heart rest.
May your mercy, which is held back,
release your heart.
May your favor shine upon me.
Look upon me truly
with your bright countenance.
Drive away the evil sorceries of my body —
let your light, your pure light, be seen.

How long, My Lady,
will those who slander me stare me down?

May my pursuers, my enemies,
not rejoice over me.
How long, My Lady,
will the empty-headed, the stupid, assail me?

The weak have overpowered me.
I have become weak.
I surge like a wave beaten by an evil wind.
My heart flutters and flies
like a bird of the open sky.
I moan like a dove,
night and day.
I am crushed.
I weep bitterly.
With weeping, with wailing, my spirit is in pain.

What have I done,
my god and my Ishtar?
Like one who does not fear his god
I have been treated.
Illness, headache, destruction, devastation —
placed upon me.
Terror, scorn, a turned-away face,
a heart made full of bitterness —
set upon me.
The wrath and rage
of gods and men.

I have seen, My Lady, days of darkness.
Months of darkness. Years of trouble.
I have seen judgment, disease, and vexation.
Death and distress have held me.
My shrine is desolate.
My dwelling is ruined.
Over my door and my private room
lamentation has been poured.
My god has turned his face
to another place.
My family is scattered.
My shelter is undone.

I give ear to you, My Lady —
my hearing is yours.
I implore you:
release the yoke.
Release the sin, the transgression,
the guilt, the error.
Absolve the guilt.
Take my prayer.
Unbind me from my fetters,
set my freedom.
Guide my steps rightly —
let me walk the street among the living
in splendor, in glory.
Speak, that the wrathful god may be reconciled.
May Ishtar who is angry return.
May the darkened hearth be lit.
May the torch be kindled.
May my scattered clan be gathered.
May the fold be broad.
May the herds be multiplied.

Accept my prostration.
Hear my prayer.
Look upon me truly.

How long, My Lady, angry,
your face turned away?
How long, My Lady, in rage,
your heart troubled?
Turn your neck that you have set against me —
set your face to good.
Like water that dissolves in the river,
let your heart release.

Subdue my enemies.
Press them down under me.
May my prayers and petitions come before you.
May your great mercy cover me.
May those who see me in the street
praise your name.
And may I, before the black-headed peoples,
proclaim your godhead and your valor.

Ishtar is great. Ishtar is queen.
My Lady is great. My Lady is queen.
Irnini, daughter of Sîn, the warrior —
she has no equal.

Colophon

Translation from Standard Babylonian Akkadian by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (tulku, March 2026). Source: transliteration as preserved in Alan Lenzi (ed.), Reading Akkadian Prayers and Hymns: An Introduction (Society of Biblical Literature, 2011), pp. 257–282. The transliteration is based on earlier critical editions; Lenzi's English was consulted as a reference for resolving lexical questions, but this translation was independently derived from the Akkadian. Several lines (2, 3, 8, 10) were reconstructed from the phonemic normalizations in the commentary. Lines 57, 60, and 97 appear to be damaged or missing in the source. Lines 106–110 are ritual instructions (colophon/subscript) and are included in the source text below but not the prayer body. Standard Babylonian, first millennium BCE; the composition likely dates to the Kassite period or earlier.

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Source Text

The Great Ishtar Prayer (Shuilla: Ištar 2) — Standard Babylonian Akkadian

  1. ÉN ú-sal-li-ki be-let be-le-e-ti i-lat i-la-a-ti
  2. diš-tar šar-ra-ti kul-lat da-ád-me muš-te-ši-rat te-né-še-e-ti
  3. dir-ni-ni mut-tal-la-a-ti ra-bat dí-gì-gì
  4. gaš-ra-a-ti ma-al-ka-a-ti šu-mu-ki ṣi-ru
  5. at-ti-ma na-an-na-rat AN-e u KI.TIM ma-rat d30 qa-rit-ti
  6. mut-tab-bi-la-at GIŠ.TUKUL.MEŠ šá-ki-na-at tu-qu-un-ti
  7. ḫa-mi-mat gi-mir par-ṣi a-pi-rat a-ge-e be-lu-ti
  8. a-me-lu-tu ma-la šu-ma na-bat
  9. MUL ta-nu-qa-a-ti muš-tam-ḫi-ṣa-at ŠEŠ.MEŠ mit-gu-ru-ti
  10. man-nu la i-šeṭ a-a-ú la ú-gal-lil
  11. it-bur-ti be-let tu-šá-ri mut-tak-ki-pat šá-di-ia
  12. dgu-še-e-a šá tu-qu-un-ta ḫal-pat la-bi-šat ḫur-ba-šá
  13. gam-ra-a-ti šip-ṭa u EŠ.BAR ur-ti KI.TIM u šá-ma-mi
  14. suk-ku eš-re-e-ti né-me-da u BÁRA.MEŠ ú-paq-qu ka-a-ši
  15. e-ki-a-am la MU-ki e-ki-a-am la par-ṣu-ki
  16. e-ki-a-am la uṣ-ṣu-ra GIŠ.ḪUR.MEŠ-ki e-ki-a-am la ŠUB.MEŠ BÁRA.MEŠ-ki
  17. e-ki-a-am la ra-ba-a-ti e-ki-a-am la ṣi-ra-a-ti
  18. da-num den-líl u dé-a ul-lu-ú-ki ina DINGIR.MEŠ ú-šar-bu-ú be-lu-ut-ki
  19. ú-šá-áš-qu-ki ina nap-ḫar dí-gì-gì ú-šá-ti-ru man-za-az-ki
  20. a-na ḫi-is-sat šu-me-ki AN-ú u KI.TIM i-ru-ub-bu
  21. DINGIR.MEŠ i-šub-bu i-nar-ru-ṭu da-nun-na-ki
  22. MU-ki ra-áš-bu iš-tam-ma-ra te-né-še-e-ti
  23. at-ti-ma ra-ba-a-ti ù ṣi-ra-a-ti
  24. nap-ḫar ṣal-mat qaq-qa-di nam-maš-šu-ú te-né-še-e-ti i-dal-la-lu qur-di-ki
  25. di-in ba-ḫu-la-a-ti ina kit-ti u mi-šá-ri ta-din-ni at-ti
  26. tap-pal-la-si ḫab-lu u šag-šu tuš-te-eš-še-ri ud-da-kám
  27. a-ḫu-lap-ki be-let AN-e u KI.TIM re-é-a-at UN.MEŠ a-pa-a-ti
  28. a-ḫu-lap-ki be-let é-an-na qud-du-šú šu-tùm-mu el-lu
  29. a-ḫu-lap-ki dGAŠAN ul a-ni-ḫa GÌR.II-ki la-si-ma bir-ka-a-ki
  30. šu-pu-ú-tu4 la-ab-bat dí-gì-gì mu-kan-ni-šat DINGIR.MEŠ sab-su-ti
  31. le-eʾ-a-at ka-li-šú-nu ma-al-ku ṣa-bi-ta-at ṣer-ret LUGAL.MEŠ
  32. pe-ta-a-at pu-su-um-me šá ka-li-ši-na KI.SIKIL.MEŠ
  33. na-an-še-a-at na-an-di-a-at qa-rit-ti d15 ra-bu-ú qur-di-ki
  34. na-mir-tu4 di-par AN-e u KI.TIM šá-ru-ur kal da-ád-me
  35. ez-ze-et qab-lu la ma-ḫar a-li-lat tam-ḫa-ri
  36. a-ku-ku-ú-tu4 šá ana a-a-bi nap-ḫat šá-ki-na-at šaḫ-lu-uq-ti ek-du-ti
  37. mu-um-mil-tu4 diš-tar mu-paḫ-ḫi-rat pu-uḫ-ri
  38. i-lat NITA.MEŠ diš-tar MUNUS.MEŠ šá la i-lam-ma-du mi-lik-šú ma-am-man
  39. a-šar tap-pal-la-si i-bal-luṭ ADDA i-te-eb-bi mar-ṣu
  40. iš-ši-ir la i-šá-ru a-mi-ru pa-ni-ki
  41. ana-ku al-si-ki an-ḫu šu-nu-ḫu šum-ru-ṣu ÌR-ki
  42. A.MUR-in-ni-ma dGAŠAN.MU le-qe-e un-ni-ni-ia
  43. ki-niš nap-li-sin-ni-ma ši-mé-e tés-li-ti
  44. a-ḫu-lap-ia qí-bi-ma ka-bat-ta-ki lip-pa-áš-ra
  45. a-ḫu-lap SU-ia na-as-si šá ma-lu-ú e-šá-a-ti u dal-ḫa-a-ti
  46. a-ḫu-lap lìb-bi-ia šum-ru-ṣu šá ma-lu-ú dím-ti u ta-né-ḫi
  47. a-ḫu-lap te-re-ti-ia na-as-sa-a-ti e-šá-a-ti u dal-ḫa-a-ti
  48. a-ḫu-lap É-ia šu-ud-lu-pu šá ú-na-as-sa-su ÉR.MEŠ
  49. a-ḫu-lap kab-ta-ti-ia šá uš-ta-bar-ru-ú dím-ti u ta-né-ḫi
  50. dir-ni-ni [damaged] la-ab-bu na-ad-ru lìb-ba-ki li-nu-ḫa
  51. ri-i-mu šab-ba-su-ú ka-bat-ta-ki lip-pa-áš-ra
  52. SIG5.MEŠ IGI.II-ki lib-šá-a e-li-ia
  53. ina bu-ni-ki nam-ru-ti ki-niš nap-li-sin-ni ia-a-ši
  54. uk-ki-ši ú-pi-šá ḪUL.MEŠ šá SU.MU ZÁLAG-ki nam-ru lu-mur
  55. a-di ma-ti dGAŠAN.MU EN.MEŠ da-ba-bi-ia né-kel-mu-ú-in-ni-ma
    [57. damaged in source]
  56. re-du-ú-a ḫa-du-ú-a iš-tam-ma-ru UGU.MU
  57. a-di ma-ti dGAŠAN.MU lil-lu a-ku-ú i-ba-aʾ-an-ni
    [60. damaged in source]
  58. en-šu-ti id-ni-nu-ma ana-ku e-ni-iš
  59. a-sab-bu-uʾ ki-ma a-gi-i šá up-pa-qu IM lem-na
  60. i-šá-aʾ it-ta-nap-raš lìb-bi ki-ma iṣ-ṣur šá-ma-mi
  61. a-dam-mu-um ki-ma su-um-ma-tu4 mu-ši u ur-ra
  62. na-an-gu-la-ku-ma a-bak-ki ṣar-piš
  63. ina u8-ú-a a-a šum-ru-ṣa-at ka-bat-ti
  64. mi-na-a e-pu-uš DINGIR.MU u diš-tar-ia5 a-na-ku
  65. ki-i la pa-liḫ DINGIR.MU u dIŠ8.DAR.MU ana-ku ep-še-ek
  66. šak-nu-nim-ma mur-ṣu di-iʾ-i ḫu-lu-uq-qu-ú u šaḫ-lu-uq-ti
  67. šak-na-ni per-da-a-ti suḫ-ḫur pa-ni u ma-le-e lib-ba-a-ti
  68. uz-zu ug-ga-ti sib-sat DINGIR.MEŠ u a-me-lu-ti
  69. a-ta-mar dGAŠAN.MU UD.MEŠ uk-ku-lu-ti ITI.MEŠ na-an-du-ru-ti MU.MEŠ šá ni-ziq-ti
  70. a-ta-mar dGAŠAN.MU šip-ṭa i-ši-ti u saḫ-maš-ti
  71. ú-kal-la-an-ni mu-ú-tu u šap-šá-qu
  72. šu-ḫar-ru-ur sa-ge-e-a šu-ḫar-ru-rat a-šìr-ti
  73. UGU É KÁ u qar-ba-a-ti-ia šá-qu-um-ma-ti tab-kát
  74. DINGIR.MU ana a-šar-šá-nim-ma suḫ-ḫu-ru pa-nu-šú
  75. sap-ḫat il-la-ti ta-bi-ni pur-ru-ur
  76. ú-pa-qa a-na dGAŠAN.MU ka-a-ši ib-šá-ki GEŠTU.II-a-a
  77. ú-sal-li-ki ka-a-ši eʾ-il-ti pu-uṭ-ri
  78. pu-uṭ-ri ár-ni šèr-ti gíl-la-ti u ḫi-ṭi-ti
  79. mé-e-ši gíl-la-ti le-qé-e un-ni-ni-ia
  80. ru-um-mi-ia ki-si-iá šu-bar-ra-a-a šuk-ni
  81. šu-te-ši-ri kib-si nam-riš e-tel-liš it-ti LÚ.TÌL.MEŠ lu-ba-aʾ SILA
  82. qí-bi-ma ina qí-bi-ti-ki DINGIR ze-nu-ú li-is-lim
  83. d15 šá is-bu-sa li-tu-ra
  84. e-ṭu-ú qat-ru lim-mì-ir ki-nu-ni
  85. be-li-ti li-in-na-pi-iḫ di-pa-ri
  86. sa-pi-iḫ-tú il-la-ti lip-ḫur
  87. TÙR li-ir-piš liš-tam-di-lu su-pu-ri
  88. mug-ri le-bé-en ap-pi-ia ši-me-e su-pe-e-a
  89. ki-niš nap-li-sin-ni-ma
  90. a-di ma-ti dGAŠAN.MU ze-na-ti-ma suḫ-ḫu-ru pa-nu-ki
  91. a-di ma-ti dGAŠAN.MU ra-aʾ-ba-ti-ma uz-zu-za-at kab-ta-at-ki
  92. tir-ri ki-šad-ki šá ta-ad-di-ia [ana] a-mat SIG5-tì pa-ni-ki šuk-ni
  93. ki-ma A.MEŠ pa-šìr ÍD ka-bat-ta-ki lip-pa-áš-ra
    [97. damaged in source]
  94. sab-su-ti-ia kun-ni-šim-ma šu-pal-si-ḫi ina šap-li-ia
  95. su-pu-ú-a u su-lu-ú-a lil-li-ku UGU-ki
  96. ta-a-a-ra-tu-ki rab-ba-a-ti lib-šá-a UGU-ia
  97. a-mi-ru-ú-a ina SILA li-šar-bu-ú zi-kir-ki
  98. u ana-ku ana ṣal-mat SAG.DU DINGIR-ut-ki u qur-di-ki lu-šá-pi
  99. diš-tar-ma ṣi-rat diš-tar-ma šar-rat
  100. dGAŠAN-ma ṣi-rat dGAŠAN-ma šar-rat
  101. dir-ni-ni ma-rat d30 qa-rit-ti ma-ḫi-ri NU TUKU
  102. KA.INIM.MA ŠU.ÍL.LÁ dINANA[n]a.KÁ [subscript: "Wording of the raised-hand prayer of Ishtar"]
    107–110. [ritual instructions for performance: prostration, libation, torchlight, incense, recitation three times]

Akkadian transliteration from: Alan Lenzi (ed.), Reading Akkadian Prayers and Hymns: An Introduction, Society of Biblical Literature, 2011, pp. 257–282. Transliteration based on Mayer, UFBG, 450–54, and earlier critical editions. Standard Babylonian, first millennium BCE.

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