# The Epic of Gilgamish/Translation and Transliteration

TRANSLITERATION AND TRANSLATION
| 1it-bi-e-ma $^{ilu}$Gilgamiš šu-na-tam i-pa-aš-šar. | 1Gilgamish arose interpreting dreams, |
| 2iz-za-kar-am a-na um-mi-šu | 2addressing his mother. |
| 3um-mi i-na ša-a-at mu-ši-ti-i̭a | 3“My mother! during my night |
| 4ša-am-ḫa-ku-ma at-ta-na-al-la-ak | 4I, having become lusty, wandered about |
| 5i-na bi-ri-it id-da-tim | 5in the midst of omens. |
| 6ib-ba-šu-nim-ma ka-ka-’a ša-ma-i | 6And there came out stars in the heavens, |
| 7ki-?-?-rum ša a-nim im-ku-ut a-na ṣi-ri-i̭a | 7Like a … of heaven he fell upon me. |
| 8áš-ši-šu-ma ik-ta-bi-it e-li-i̭a | 8I bore him but he was too heavy for me. |
| 9ilam iš-šu-ma nu-uš-ša-šu u-ul el-ti-’i̭ | 9He bore a net but I was not able to bear it. |
| 10ad-ki ma-tum pa-ḫi-ir e-li-šu | 10I summoned the land to assemble unto him, |
| 11id-lu-tum ú-na-ša-ku ši-pi-šu | 11that heroes might kiss his feet. |
| 12ú-um-mi-id-ma pu-ti | 12He stood up before me |
| 13i-mi- du i̭a-ti | 13and they stood over against me. |
| 14aš-ši-a-šu-ma at-ba-la-áš-šu a-na ṣi-ri-ki | 14I lifted him and carried him away unto thee.” |
| 15um-mi $^{ilu}$Gilgamiš mu-u-da-a-at ka-la-ma | 15The mother of Gilgamish she that knows all things, |
| 16iz-za-kar-am a-na $^{ilu}$Gilgamiš | 16said unto Gilgamish:— ​ |
| 17mi-in-di $^{ilu}$Gilgamish ša ki-ma ka-ti | 17“Truly oh Gilgamish he is |
| 18i-na ṣi-ri i-wa-li-id-ma | 18born in the fields like thee. |
| 19ú-ra-ab-bi-šu ša-du-ú | 19The mountains have reared him. |
| 20ta-mar-šu-ma [sa(?)]-ap-ḫa-ta at-ta | 20Thou beholdest him and art distracted(?) |
| 21id-lu-tum ú-na-ša-ku ši-pi-šu | 21Heroes kiss his feet. |
| 22te-iṭ-ṭi-ra-šu(?) … šu-ú-zu | 22Thou shalt spare him…. |
| 23ta-tar-ra-[’a]-šu a-na ṣi-[ri-i̭]a | 23Thou shalt lead him to me.” |
| 24[iš-(?)] ti-lam-ma i-ta-mar ša-ni-tam | 24Again he dreamed and saw another dream |
| 25[šu-na-]ta i-ta-wa-a-am a-na um-mi-šu | 25and reported it unto his mother. |
| 26[um-m]i a-ta-mar ša-ni-tam | 26“My mother, I have seen another |
| 27[šu-na-ta a-ta]mar e-mi-a i-na zu-ki-im | 27[dream. I beheld] my likeness in the street. |
| 28[i-na?] Unuk-(ki) ri-bi-tim | 28In Erech of the wide spaces |
| 29ḫa-aṣ-ṣi-nu na-di-i-ma | 29he hurled the axe, |
| 30e-li-šu pa-aḫ- ru | 30and they assembled about him. |
| 31ḫa-aṣ-ṣi-nu-um-ma ša-ni bu-nu-šu | 31Another axe seemed his visage. |
| 32a-mur-šu-ma aḫ-ta-ta a-na-ku | 32I saw him and was astounded. |
| 33a-ra-am-šu-ma ki-ma áš-ša-tim | 33I loved him as a woman, |
| 34a-ḫa-ap-pu-up el-šu | 34falling upon him in embrace. |
| 35el-ki-šu-ma áš-ta-ka-an-šu | 35I took him and made him |
| 36a-na a-ḫi-i̭a | 36my brother.” |
| 37um-mi $^{ilu}$Gilgamish mu-da-at ka-la-ma | 37The mother of Gilgamish she that knows all things |
| 38[iz-za-kar-am a-na $^{ilu}$Gilgamish] | 38[said unto Gilgamish:—] |
Col. II
| 1aš-šum uš-[tu-] ma-ḫa-ru it-ti-ka. | 1that he may join with thee in endeavor.” |
| 2$^{ilu}$Gilgamish šu-na-tam i-pa-šar | 2(Thus) Gilgamish solves (his) dream. |
| 3$^{ilu}$En-ki-[dû w]a?-ši-ib ma-ḫar ḫa-ri-im-tim | 3Enkidu sitting before the hierodule |
| 4UR-ḫa-mu DI-?-al-lu-un | 4 |
| 5 im-ta-ši a-šar i-wa-al-du | 5 forgot where he was born. |
| 6ûmê 6 ù 7 mu-ši- a-tim | 6Six days and seven nights |
| 7$^{ilu}$En-ki-dû te-bi- i-ma | 7came forth Enkidu |
| 8ša-[am-ka-ta] ir- ḫi | 8and cohabited with the courtesan. |
| 9ḫa-[ri-im-tu pa-a]-ša i-pu-ša-am-ma | 9The hierodule opened her mouth |
| 10iz-za-[kar-am] a-na $^{ilu}$En-ki-dû | 10speaking unto Enkidu. |
| 11a-na-ṭal-ka $^d$En-ki-dû ki-ma ili ta-ba-áš-ši | 11“I behold thee Enkidu; like a god thou art. |
| 12am-mi-nim it-ti na-ma-áš-te-e | 12Why with the animals |
| 13ta-at-ta-[na-al-]la -ak ṣi-ra-am | 13wanderest thou on the plain? |
| 14al-kam lu-ùr-di- ka | 14Come! I will lead thee |
| 15a-na libbi Uruk-(ki) ri-bi-tim | 15into the midst of Erech of the wide places, |
| 16a-na biti [el-]lim mu-ša-bi ša A-nim | 16even unto the holy house, dwelling place of Anu. |
| 17$^d$En-ki-dû ti-bi lu-ru-ka | 17Oh Enkidu, arise, I will conduct thee |
| 18a-na É-[an-n]a mu-ša-bi ša A-nim | 18unto Eanna dwelling place of Anu, |
| 19a-šar [$^{ilu}$Gilgamiš] it-[.........] ne-pi-ši-tim(?) | 19where Gilgamish [oppresses] the souls of men(?) |
| 20ù at- -di [-] ma | 20And as I ............ |
| 21ta- ra-ma-an- ka | 21thou shalt ........ thyself. ​ |
| 22al-ka ti-ba i-[na] ga-ag-ga-ri | 22Come thou, arise from the ground |
| 23ma-a-a? -ak ri-i-im | 23unto the place yonder (?) of the shepherd.” |
| 24iš-me a-wa-az-za im-ta-gár ga-ba-ša | 24He heard her speak and accepted her words with favor. |
| 25mi-il-kum ša sinništi | 25The advice of the woman |
| 26im-ta-[ku]-ut a-na libbi-šu | 26fell upon his heart. |
| 27iš-ḫu-uṭ li-ib-ša-am | 27She tore off one garment |
| 28iš-ti-nam [ú]-la-ab-bi-iš-šu | 28and clothed him with it. |
| 29li-ib- [ša-am] ša-ni-a-am | 29With a second garment |
| 30ši-i it-ta-al-ba- áš | 30she clothed herself. |
| 31ṣa-ab-ta-at ga-az- zu | 31She clasped his hand, |
| 32ki-ma ? i-ri-id-di-šu | 32guiding him like .............. |
| 33a-na gu-up-ri ša ri-i-im | 33unto the mighty presence of the shepherd, |
| 34a-š[ar] tar-ba-ṣi-im | 34unto the place of the ... of the sheepfolds. |
| 35i-na-ḫu-ru ri-i̭a-ú' | 35In ......... to shepherd |
| 36............................. | 36............................. |
(About two lines broken away)
Col. III
| 1ši-iz-ba ša na-ma-áš-te-e | 1Milk of the cattle |
| 2i-te-en-ni-iḳ | 2he drank. |
| 3a-ka-lam iš-ku-nu ma-ḫar-šu | 3Food they placed before him. |
| 4ip-te-iḳ-ma i-na -aṭ-ṭal | 4He broke bread |
| 5ù ip-pa-al-la-as | 5gazing and looking. |
| 6u-ul i-di $^d$En-ki- dû | 6But Enkidu understood not. |
| 7aklam a-na a-ka-lim | 7Bread to eat, |
| 8šikaram a-na ša-te-e-im | 8beer to drink, |
| 9la-a lum-mu- ud | 9he had not been taught. ​ |
| 10ḫa-ri-im-lum pi-ša i-pu-ša-am- ma | 10The hierodule opened her mouth |
| 11iz-za-kar-am a-na $^{ilu}$En-ki-dû | 11and said unto Enkidu:— |
| 12a-ku-ul ak-lam $^d$En-ki-dû | 12“Eat bread, oh Enkidu! |
| 13zi-ma-at ba-la-ṭi-im | 13It is the conformity of life, |
| 14bi-ši-ti ši-im-ti ma-ti | 14of the conditions and the fate of the land.” |
| 15i-ku-ul a-ak-lam $^{ilu}$En-ki-dû | 15Enkidu ate bread, |
| 16a-di ši-bi-e-šu | 16until he was satiated. |
| 17šikaram iš-ti-a-am | 17Beer he drank |
| 187 aṣ-ṣa-am-mi-im | 18seven times(?). |
| 19it-tap-šar kab-ta-tum i-na-an-gu | 19His thoughts became unbounded and he shouted loudly. |
| 20i-li-iṣ libba- šu- ma | 20His heart became joyful, |
| 21pa-nu-šu [it-]ta(?)-bir -ru' | 21and his face glowed. |
| 22ul-tap-pi-it [............]-i | 22He stroked................. |
| 23šu-ḫu-ra-am pa-ga-ar-šu | 23the hair of the head. His body |
| 24ša-am-nam ip-ta-ša-áš-ma | 24with oil he anointed. |
| 25a-we-li-iš i-mē | 25He became like a man. |
| 26il-ba- áš li-ib-ša-am | 26He attired himself with clothes |
| 27ki-ma mu-ti i-ba-áš-ši | 27even as does a husband. |
| 28il-ki ka-ak-ka-šu | 28He seized his weapon, |
| 29la-bi ú gi-ir- ri | 29which the panther and lion |
| 30iš-sa-ak-pu šab-[ši]-eš mu-ši-a-ti | 30fells in the night time cruelly. |
| 31ut- tap -pi-iš šib-ba-ri | 31He captured the wild mountain goats. |
| 32la-bi uk-t[a ]-ši-id | 32The panther he conquered. |
| 33it-ti immer na-ki-[e?] ra-bu-tum | 33Among the great sheep for sacrifice |
| 34$^{ilu}$En-ki-dû ma-aṣ-ṣa-ar-šu-nu | 34Enkidu was their guard. |
| 35a-we-lum wa-ru-um | 35A man, a leader, |
| 36iš-[te]-en id-lum | 36A hero. |
| 37a-na[ ........ u]-za-ak-ki-ir | 37Unto .......... he elevated |
(About five lines broken away)
Reverse I
| 1i-ip-pu-uš ul-ṣa-am | 1And he made glad. |
| 2iš-ši-ma i-ni-i-šu | 2He lifted up his eyes, |
| 3i-ta-mar a-we-lam | 3and beheld the man, |
| 4iz-za-kar-am a-na ḫarimti | 4and said unto the hierodule:— |
| 5ša-am-ka-at uk-ki-ši a-we-lam | 5“Oh harlot, take away the man. |
| 6a-na mi-nim il-li-kam | 6Wherefore did he come to me? |
| 7zi-ki-ir-šu lu-uš-šu | 7I would forget the memory of him.” |
| 8ḫa-ri-im-tum iš-ta-si a-we-lam | 8The hierodule called unto the man |
| 9i-ba-uš-šu-um-ma i-ta-mar-šu | 9and came unto him beholding him. |
| 10e-di-il e-eš-ta-ḫi-[ṭa-am] | 10She sorrowed and was astonished |
| 11mi-nu a-la-ku-zu na-aḫ- [-]ma | 11how his ways were ............ |
| 12e pi-šu i-pu-ša-am-[ma] | 12Behold she opened her mouth |
| 13iz-za-kar-am a-na $^{ilu}$En-[ki-dû] | 13saying unto Enkidu:— |
| 14bi-ti-iš e-mu-tim | 14“At home with a family [to dwell??] |
| 15ši-ma-a-at ni-ši-i- ma | 15is the fate of mankind. |
| 16tu-ṣa-ar pa-a-ta-tim | 16Thou shouldest design boundaries(??) |
| 17a-na âli dup-šak-ki-i e ṣi-en | 17for a city. The trencher-basket put (upon thy head). |
| 18UG-AD-AD-LIL e-mi ṣa-a-a-ḫa-tim | 18...........an abode of comfort. ​ |
| 19a-na šarri Unuk-(ki) ri-bi-tim | 19For the king of Erech of the wide places |
| 20pi-ti pu-uk epši a-na ḫa-a-a-ri | 20open, addressing thy speech as unto a husband. |
| 21a-na $^{ilu}$Gilgamiš šarri ša Unuk-(ki) ri-bi-tim | 21Unto Gilgamish king of Erech of the wide places |
| 22pi-ti pu-uk epši | 22open, addressing thy speech |
| 23a-na ha-a-a-ri | 23as unto a husband. |
| 24áš-ša-at ši-ma-tim i-ra-aḫ-ḫi | 24He cohabits with the wife decreed for him, |
| 25šu-u pa-na-nu-um-ma | 25even he formerly. |
| 26mu-uk wa-ar-ka-nu | 26But henceforth |
| 27i-na mi-il-ki ša ili ga-bi-ma | 27in the counsel which god has spoken, |
| 28i-na bi-ti-iḳ a-pu-un-na-ti-šu | 28in the work of his presence |
| 29ši- ma- az- zum | 29shall be his fate.” |
| 30a-na zi-ik-ri id-li-im | 30At the mention of the hero |
| 31i-ri-ku pa-nu-šu | 31his face became pale. |
Reverse II
(About five lines broken away)
| 1i-il-la-ak- .......... | 1going ....................... |
| 2ù ša-am-ka-atar-ki-šu | 2and the harlot ..... after him. |
| 3i- ru- ub-ma a-na libbi Uruk-(ki) ri-bi-tim | 3He entered into the midst of Erech of the wide places. |
| 4ip-ḫur um-ma-nu-um i-na ṣi-ri-šu | 4The artisans gathered about him. |
| 5iz-zi-za-am-ma i-na zu-ki-im | 5And as he stood in the street |
| 6ša Unuk-(ki) ri-bi-tim | 6of Erech of the wide places, |
| 7pa-aḫ-ra-a-ma ni-šu | 7the people assembled ​ |
| 8i-ta-mē-a i-na ṣi-ri-šu pi(?)-it-tam32 | 8disputing round about him:— |
| 9a-na mi-[ni] $^{ilu}$Gilgamiš ma-ši-il | 9“How is he become like Gilgamish suddenly? |
| 10la-nam ša- pi- il | 10In form he is shorter. |
| 11e-ṣi[pu]-uk-ku-ul | 11In ........ he is made powerful. |
| 12i? -ak-ta | 12 |
| 13i[--]di i-ši? | 13 |
| 14ši-iz-ba ša[na-ma-]áš-[te]-e | 14Milk of the cattle |
| 15i-te- en- ni- iḳ | 15he drank. |
| 16ka-i̭ā-na i-na [libbi] Uruk-(ki) kak-ki-a-tum | 16Continually in the midst of Erech weapons |
| 17id-lu-tum u-te-el-li- lu | 17the heroes purified. |
| 18ša-ki-in ip-ša- nu | 18A project was instituted. |
| 19a-na idli ša i-tu-ru zi-mu-šu | 19Unto the hero whose countenance was turned away, |
| 20a-na $^{ilu}$Gilgamiš ki-ma i-li-im | 20unto Gilgamish like a god |
| 21ša-ki-iš-šum me-iḫ-rum | 21he became for him a fellow. |
| 22a-na $^{ilat}$Iš-ḫa-ra ma-i̭ā-lum | 22For Išhara a couch |
| 23na- [di]-i- ma | 23was laid. |
| 24$^{ilu}$Gilgamish id-na-an(?)... | 24Gilgamish ................... |
| 25i-na mu-ši in-ni-[-]id | 25In the night he .............. |
| 26i-na-ak-ša-am- ma | 26embracing her in sleep. |
| 27it-ta-i-na zûki | 27They ........ in the street |
| 28ip-ta-ra-[ku]-ak-tām | 28halting at the ................ |
| 29ša $^{ilu}$Gilgamish | 29of Gilgamish. |
| 29........... da-na(?) ni-iš-šu | 29.......... mightily(?) |
Col. III
| 1ur-(?)ḫa ..................... | 1A road(?) .................... |
| 2$^{ilu}$Gilgamiš ................ | 2Gilgamish ................... |
| 3i-na ṣi-ri .................... | 3in the plain .................. ​ |
| 4i-ḫa-an-ni-ib [pi-ir-ta-šu?] | 4his hair growing thickly like the corn. |
| 5it-bi-ma ....... | 5He came forth ... |
| 6a-na pa-ni- šu | 6into his presence. |
| 7it-tam-ḫa-ru i-na ri-bi-tu ma-ti | 7They met in the wide park of the land. |
| 8$^{ilu}$En-ki-dû ba-ba-am ip-ta-ri-ik | 8Enkidu held fast the door |
| 9i-na ši-pi-šu | 9with his foot, |
| 10$^{ilu}$Gilgamiš e-ri-ba-am u-ul id-di-in | 10and permitted not Gilgamish to enter. |
| 11iṣ-ṣa-ab-tu-ma ki-ma li-i-im | 11They grappled with each other |
| 12i- lu- du | 12goring like an ox. |
| 13zi-ip-pa-am ’i-bu- tu | 13The threshold they destroyed. |
| 14i-ga-rum ir-tu-tū | 14The wall they demolished. |
| 15$^{ilu}$Gilgamiš ù $^{ilu}$En-ki- dû | 15Gilgamish and Enkidu |
| 16iṣ-ṣa-ab-tu-ù- ma | 16grappled with each other, |
| 17ki-ma li-i-im i-lu-du | 17goring like an ox. |
| 18zi-ip-pa-am ’i-bu- tu | 18The threshold they destroyed. |
| 19i-ga-rum ir-tu-tū | 19The wall they demolished. |
| 20ik-mi-is-ma $^{ilu}$Gilgamiš | 20Gilgamish bowed |
| 21i-na ga-ga-ag-ga-ri ši-ip-šu | 21to the ground at his feet |
| 22ip-ši-iḫ uṣ-ṣa-šu- ma | 22and his javelin reposed. |
| 23i-ni-’i i-ra-az-zu | 23He turned back his breast. |
| 24iš-tu i-ra-zu i-ni-ḫu | 24After he had turned back his breast, |
| 25$^{ilu}$En-ki-dû a-na ša-ši-im | 25Enkidu unto that one |
| 26iz-za-kar-am a-na $^{ilu}$Gilgamiš | 26spoke, even unto Gilgamish. |
| 27ki-ma iš-te-en-ma um-ma-ka | 27“Even as one did thy mother |
| 28ú-li- id- ka | 28bear thee, |
| 29ri-im-tum ša zu- pu-ri | 29she the wild cow of the cattle stalls, |
| 30$^{ilat}$Nin- sun- na | 30Ninsunna, |
| 31ul-lu e-li mu-ti ri-eš-su | 31whose head she exalted more than a husband. ​ |
| 32šar-ru-tam ša ni-ši | 32Royal power over the people |
| 33i-ši-im-kum $^{ilu}$En-lil | 33Enlil has decreed for thee.” |
| duppu 2 kam-ma | Second tablet. |
| šu-tu-ur e-li .......... | Written upon .......... |
| 4 šu-ši | 240 (lines). |
* ↑ Here this late text includes both variants pašāru and zakāru. The earlier texts have only the one or the other.
* ↑ For kakabê; b becomes u̯ and then is reduced to the breathing.
* ↑ The variants have kima kiṣri; ki-[ma]?-rum is a possible reading. The standard Assyrian texts regard Enkidu as the subject.
* ↑ Var. da-an
* ↑ ŠAM-KAK = ilu, net. The variant has ultaprid ki-is-su-šu, “he shook his murderous weapon.” For kissu see ZA. 9,220,4 = CT. 12,14b 36, giš-kud = ki-is-su.
* ↑ Var. nussu for nuš-šu = nušša-šu. The previous translations of this passage are erroneous.
* ↑ This is to my knowledge the first occurence of the infinitive of this verb, paḫēru, not paḫāru.
* ↑ Literally "he attained my front."
* ↑ IV¹ of walādu.
* ↑ Text ma?
* ↑ ištanamma > ištilamma.
* ↑ Cf. Code of Hammurapi IV 52 and Streck in Babyloniaca II 177.
* ↑ I.e. in the suburb of Erech.
* ↑ Restored from Tab. I Col. IV 21.
* ↑ Cf. Dhorme Choix de Textes Religieux 198, 33.
* ↑ namaštû a late form which has followed the analogy of reštû in assuming the feminine t as part of the root. The long û is due to analogy with namaššû a Sumerian loan-word with nisbe ending.
* ↑ Room for a small sign only, perhaps A; māi̭āk? For mâka, there, see Behrens, LSS. II page 1 and index.
* ↑ Infinitive “to shepherd”; see also Poebel, PBS. V 106 I, ri-i̭a-ú, ri-te-i̭a-ú.
* ↑ The text has clearly AD-RI.
* ↑ patāḳu has apparently the same sense originally as batāḳu, although the one forms its preterite iptiḳ, and the other ibtuḳ. Cf. also maḫāṣu break, hammer and construct.
* ↑ Or azzammim? The word is probably an adverb; hardly a word for cup, mug (??).
* ↑ it is uncertain and ta more likely than uš. One expects ittabriru. Cf. muttabrirru, CT. 17, 15, 2; littatabrar, Ebeling, KTA. 69, 4.
* ↑ The passage is obscure. Here šuḫuru is taken as a loan-word from suģur = ḳimmatu, hair of the head. The infinitive II¹ of saḫāru is philologically possible.
* ↑ For šapparu. Text and interpretation uncertain. uttappiš II² from tapāšu, Hebrew tāpaś, seize.
* ↑ Text ta!
* ↑ On ekēšu, drive away, see Zimmern, Shurpu, p. 56. Cf. uk-kiš, Myhrman, PBS. I 14, 17; uk-ki-ši, King, Cr. App. V 55; etc., etc.
* ↑ The Hebrew cognate of mašû, to forget, is našâ, Arabic nasijia, and occurs here in Babylonian for the first time. See also Brockelman, Vergleichende Grammatik 160 a.
* ↑ Probably phonetic variant of edir. The preterite of edēru, to be in misery, has not been found. If this interpretation be correct the preterite edir is established. For the change r > l note also attalaḫ < attaraḫ, Harper, Letters 88, 10, bilku < birku, RA. 9, 77 II 13; uttakkalu < uttakkaru, Ebeling, KTA. 49 IV 10.
* ↑ Also na-’-[-]ma is possible.
* ↑ The text cannot be correct since it has no intelligible sign. My reading is uncertain.
* ↑ Text uncertain, kal-lu-tim is possible.
* ↑ KAK-ši.
* ↑ KAK-ši.
* ↑ Literally nostrils. pitik apunnati-šu, work done in his presence(?). The meaning of the idiom is uncertain.
* ↑ Text ZU!
* ↑ Text has erroneous form.
* ↑ Omitted by the scribe.
* ↑ Sic! The plural of kakku, kakkîtu(?).
* ↑ Cf. e-pi-ša-an-šu-nu libâru, “May they see their doings,” Maḳlu VII 17.
* ↑ For šakin-šum.
* ↑ On the verb nâku see the Babylonian Book of Proverbs § 27.
* ↑ The verb la’āṭu, to pierce, devour, forms its preterite iluṭ; see VAB. IV 216, 1. The present tense which occurs here as iluṭ also.
* ↑ Note BUL(tu-ku) = ratātu (falsely entered in Meissner, SAI. 7993), and irattutu in Zimmern, Shurpu, Index.
* ↑ “For ipšaḫ.”
* ↑ Sic! ḫu reduced to the breathing ’u; read i-ni-’u.
* ↑ I.e., an ordinary man.
* ↑ The tablet is reckoned at forty lines in each column.