Anu made his voice heard and spoke, he addressed his words to Kakka,
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"Kakka, I shall send you to Kurnugi.
You must speak thus to Ereshkigal,
Saying, 'It is impossible for you to come up.
In your year you cannot come up to see us
And it is impossible for us to go down.
In our months we cannot go down to see you.
Let your messenger come
And take from the table, let him accept a present for you.
I shall give something to him to present to you.'"
When he reached the gate of Ereshkigal, he said,
"Gatekeeper, open the gate to me!"
He let the god Kakka in through the first gate,
He let the god Kakka in through the second gate,
He let the god Kakka in through the third gate,
He let the god Kakka in through the fourth gate,
He let the god Kakka in through the fifth gate,
He let the god Kakka in through the sixth gate,
He let the god Kakka in through the seventh gate.
He knelt down and kissed the ground in front of her.
He straightened up, stood and addressed her,
"Anu your father sent me
To say, 'It is impossible for you to go up;
In your year you cannot go up to see us,
And it is impossible for us to go down;
In our month we cannot go down to see you.
Let your messenger come
And take from the table, let him accept a present for you.
I shall give something to him to present to you,"'
addressed her words to Kakka.
"O messenger of Anu our father, you who have come to us,
May peace be with Anu, Ellil, and Ea, the great gods.
May peace be with Nammu and Nash, the pure Goddesses.
May peace be with the husband of the Lady of Heaven.
May peace be with Ninurta, champion in the land."
"Peace is indeed with Anu, Ellil, and Ea, the great gods.
Peace is indeed with Nammu and Nash the pure.
Peace is indeed with the husband of the Lady of Heaven.
Peace is indeed with Ninurta, champion in the land."
Kakka made his voice heard and spake, he addressed his words to Ereshkigal,
"[ ] may be well with you."
addressed her words to her vizier Namtar,
"O Namtar my vizier, I shall send youto the heaven of our father Anu.
Namtar, go up the long stairway of heaven.
Take from the table and accept a present for me.
Whatever Anu gives to you, you must present to me."
"[ ]
[ ] path [ ]
The gods are kneeling together before him.
The great gods, the lords of destiny.
For it is he who controls the rites, controls the rites of [ ]
The gods who dwell within Erkalla.
Why do you not kneel before him?
I keep winking at you,
But you pretend no to realize,
And..."
"[ ] I will rise to my feet
[ ] you said.
[ ] will double it."
"[ ]"
"My son, you shall go on the journey you want to
make,... grasp a sword in your hand.
Go down to the forest of mesu trees.
Cut down mesu trees, tiaru trees, and juniper!
Break off kanaktu trees and simberru trees."
Drew the sword from his belt,
Went down to the forest of mesu trees,
Cut down mesu trees, tiaru trees, and juniper,
Broke off kanaktu trees and simberru trees,
[ ] he made a throne for far-sighted Ea.
He painted it with [ ] as a substitute for silver,
Painted it with yellow paste and red paste as a substitute for gold,
Painted it with blue glaze as a substitute for lapis lazuli.
The work was finished, the chair complete.
"My son, about the journey which you wnat to make:
from the moment you arrive,
Follow whatever instructions I give you.
From the moment they bring a chair to you,
Do not go to it, do not sit upon it.
When the baker brings you bread, do not go to it, do not eat the bread.
When the butcher brings you meat, do not go to it, do not eat the meat.
When the brewer brings you beer, do not go to it, do not drink the beer.
When they bring you a foot bath, do not go to it, do not wash your feet.
When she (Ereshkigal) has been to the bath
And dressed herself in a fine robe,
Alowing your to glimpse her body...
You must not do that which men and women do."
To the dark house, dwelling of Erkalla's god,
To the house which those who enter cannot leave,
On the road where travelling is one way only,
To the house where those who enter are deprived of light,
Where dust is their food, clay their bread.
They are clothed, like birds, with feathers.
They see no light, the dwell in darkness.
They moan like doves.
"I must take back a report about the god standing at the door."
The gatekeeper entered an addressed his words to Ereshkigal,
"May lady, a [ ] has come to see us.
[ ] will identify him."
"[ ]"
"Let me identify him,
Let me ... him at the outer gate.
Let me bring back to my lord a description of him."
Namtar went and looked at Erra in the shadow of the door.
Namtar's face went as livid as cut tamarisk.
His lips grew dark as the rim of a kuninu vessle.
Namtar went and addressed his lady,
"My lady, when you sent me to your father,
When I entered the courtyard of Anu
All the gods were kneeling, humbled before him,
All the gods of the land were kneeling humbled before him.
The gods rose to their feet in my presence.
Now 'they' (Nergal) have gone down to Kurnugi."
addressed her words to Namtar,
"My dear Namtar, you should not seek Ellil power,
Nor should you you desire to do heroic deeds.
What, come up and sit on the throne of the royal dais?
You, perform the judgments of the broad Earth?
Should I go up to the heaven of Anu my father?
Should I eat the bread of the Anunnaki?
Should I drink the water of the Anunnaki?
Go and bring the god into my presence!"
He let Nergal in through the first, the gate of Nedu.
He let Nergal in through the second, the gate of Enkishar.
He let Nergal in through the third, the gate of Endashurimma.
He let Nergal in through the fourth, the gate of Enuralla.
He let Nergal in through the fifth, the gate of Endukuga.
He let Nergal in through the sixth, the gate of Endushuba.
He let Nergal in through the seventh, the gate of Ennugigi.
And he knelt down, kissed the ground in front of her.
He straightened up, stood and sddressed her,
"Anu your father sent me to see you,
Saying, 'Sit down on that throne,
Judge the cases of the great gods,
The great gods who live within Erkalla!'"
He did not go to it, and did not sit on it.
When the baker brought him bread, he did not go to it, and did not eat the bread.
When the butcher brought him mean, he did not go to it, and did not eat the meat.
When the brewer brought him beer, he did not go to it, and did not drink the beer.
When they brought him a footbath, he did not go to it, and did not wash his feet.
When she went to the bath,
And dressed herself in a fine robe,
And allowed him to catch a glimpse of her body,
He resisted his heart's desire to do what men and women do.
She went to the bath
And dressed in a fine robe,
and allowed him to catch a glimpse of her body.
He gave in to his heart's desire to do what men and women do.
The two embraced each other
And went passionately to bed.
They lay there, queen Ereshkigal and Erra, for a first day and a second day.
They lay there, queen Ereshkigal and Erra, for a third day and a fourth day.
They lay there, queen Ereshkigal and Erra, for a fifth day and a sixth day.
Nergal, without [ ]
Took away after him [ ]
"let me go, and my sister [ ]
Do not make tremble [ ]
Let me go now, and I will return to Kurnugi later."
He addressed his speech to the gatekeeper,
"Ereshkigal your lady sent me,
Saying, 'I am sending you to the heaven of Anu our father'
So let me be allowed out! The message [ ]."
When he arrived at the gate of Anu, Ellil, and Ea,
Anu, Ellil, and Ea saw him and said,
"The son of Ishtar has come back to us,
She (Ereshkigal) will search for him and [ ].
Ea his father must sprinkle him with spring water, and bareheaded,
Blinking and cringing let him sit in the assembly of the gods."
To the bath [ ]
Her body [ ]
She called out [ ]
"The chair [ ]
Sprinkle the room with the water of [ ]
Sprinkle the room with the water of [ ]
Sprinkle the room with the water of [ ]
The [ ] of the two daughters of Lamashtu and Enmesharra,
Sprinkle with the waters of [ ].
The messenger of Any our father who came to see us
Shall eat our bread and drink our water."
Addressed his words to Ereshkigal his lady,
"The messenger of Anu our father who came to see us-
Before daylight he disappeared!"
Fell from the throne to the ground,
Then straightened up from the ground.
Her tears flowed down her cheeks.
"Erra, the lover of my delight-
I did not have enough delight with him before he left!
Erra, the love of my delight-
I did not have enough delight with him before he left."
"Send me to Anu your father, and let me arrest the god!
Let me take him to you, that he may kiss you again!"
Addressed her words to Namtar her vizier,
"Go, Namtar, you must speak to Anu, Ellil, and Ea!
Set your face towards the gate of Anu, Ellil, and Ea,
To say, 'Ever since I was a child and a daughter,
I have not known the playing of other girls,
I have not known the romping of children.
That god whome you sent to me and who has impregnated me- let him sleep with me again!
Send that god to us, and let him spend the night with me as my lover!
I am unclean, and I am not pure enough to perform the judging of the great gods,
The great gods who dwell within Erkalla.
If you do not send that god to me
According to the rites of Erkalla and the great Earth
I shall raise up the dead, and they will eat the living.
I shall make the dead outnumber the living!'"
When he arrived at the gate of Anu, Ellil, and Ea,
Anu, Ellil, and Ea saw him and said,
"What have you come for, Namtar?"
To say, 'Ever since I was a child and a daughter,
I have not known the playing of other girls,
I have not known the romping of children.
That god whome you sent to me and who has impregnated me- let him sleep with me again!
Send that god to us, and let him spend the night with me as my lover!
I am unclean, and I am not pure enough to perform the judging of the great gods,
The great gods who dwell within Erkalla.
If you do not send that god to me
According to the rites of Erkalla and the great Earth
I shall raise up the dead, and they will eat the living.
I shall make the dead outnumber the living!'"
"Enter, Namtar, the court of Anu,
Search out your wrongdoer and bring him!"
All the gods were kneeling humbly before him,
All the gods of the land were kneeling humbled before him.
He went straight up to one, but did not recognize that god,
Went straight up to a second and a third, but did not recognize that god either.
"My lady, about your sending me up to the heaven of Anu your father:
May lady, there was only one god who sat bearheaded,
blinking, and cringing at the assembly of the gods."
Ea his father sprinkled him with spring water,
And he is sitting in the assembly of all the gods
bearheaded, blinking, and cringing."
When he reached the gate of Anu, Ellil, and Ea,
Anu, Ellil, and Ea saw him and said,
"What have you come for, Namtar?"
To say, 'Seize that god and bring him to me.'"
Went straight up to a second and third, but did not recognize him either.
"Let Namtar, the messenger who has come to us,
Drink our water, wash, and anoint himself."
I shall [ ]"
"Erra, [ ]
All the rites of the great Underworld [ ]
When you go from [ ]
You shall carry the chair [ ]
You shall carry [ ]
You shall carry [ ]
You shall carry [ ]
You shall carry [ ]
You shall carry [ ]
[ ]
Do not grapple with him lest he bind your chest."
He [ ] oiled his strap and slung his bow.
Nergal went down the long stairway of heaven.
When he arrived at the gate of Ereshkigal he said,
"Gatekeeper, open [ ]!"
and did not let him grapple with him.
He struck down the second doorman, and did not let him grapple with him.
He struck down the third doorman, and did not let him grapple with him.
He struck down the fourth doorman, and did not let him grapple with him.
He struck down the fifth doorman, and did not let him grapple with him.
He struck down the sixth doorman, and did not let him grapple with him.
He struck down the seventh doorman, and did not let him grapple with him.
He entered her wide courtyard,
And went up to her and laughed.
He seized her by her hairdo,
And pulled her from the throne.
He seized her by her tresses
[ ].
And went passionately to bed.
They lay there, queen Ereshkigal and Erra, for a
first day and a second day.
They lay there, queen Ereshkigal and Erra, for a third day.
They lay there, queen Ereshkigal and Erra, for a fourth day.
They lay there, queen Ereshkigal and Erra, for a fifth day.
They lay there, queen Ereshkigal and Erra, for a sixth day.
Anu made his voice heard and spoke,
Addressed his words to Kakka, his vizier,
"Kakka, I shall send you to Kurnugi,
To the home of Ereshkigal who dwells within Erkalla,
To say, "That god, whom I sent you,
Forever [ ]
Those above [ ]
Those below [ ]
And by all means, let me know if a link doesn’t work. There are a lot of pages on my site, and I try to make sure all links are updated, but sometimes the gods have other plans in mind.