Ziudsura tablets

The **Ziudsura tablets** gives an account of the epic *Flood story* (See Epic of Ziudsura for English translation).

## Fragment A

1. [...] im-ja2-/ja2\ [...]
2. nam-lu2-ulu3-ju10 ha-lam-ma-bi-a ga-ba-/ni-ib\-[...]
3. dnin-tu-ra nij2-dim2-dim2-ma-ju10 sig10-[sig10]-/bi\-[a] ga-ba-ni-ib-gi4-gi4
4. uj3 ki-ur3-bi-ta ga-ba-ni-ib-gur-ru-ne
5. iriki-me-a-bi he2-em-mi-in-du3 jissu-bi ni2 ga-ba-ab-dub2-bu
6. iri-me-a sig4-bi ki kug-ga he2-em-mi-in-cub
7. ki-ec-<bar>-me-a ki kug-ga he2-em-mi-ni-ib-ri
8. KUG? A nij2 izi te-na si mi-ni-in-si-sa2
9. jarza me mah cu mi-ni-ib-cu-du7
10. ki a im-ma-ab-dug4 silim ga-mu-ni-in-jar
11. an den-lil2 den-ki dnin-hur-saj-ja2-ke4
12. saj gig2-ga mu-un-dim2-ec-a-ba
13. nij2-gilim ki-ta ki-ta mu-lu-lu
14. mac2-ance nij2-ur2-4 edin-na me-te-a-ac bi2-ib2-jal2

*approximately 32 lines missing* | [1-10]...... sets up ....... "I will ...... the perishing of my mankind; for Nintud, I will stop the annihilation of my creatures, and I will return the people from their dwelling grounds. Let them build many cities so that I can refresh myself in their shade. Let them lay the bricks of many cities in pure places, let them establish places of divination in pure places, and when the the fire-quenching ...... is arranged, the divine rites and exalted powers
are perfected and the earth is irrigated, I will establish well-being there."
[10-14] After An, Enlil, Enki and Ninhursaja had fashioned the black-headed people, they also made animals multiply everywhere, and made herds of four-legged animals exist on the plains, as is befitting.

## Fragment B

2. [...] AM3 [...]
3. [...] X ri-/ga\ ga-ba-ni-in-[...]
4. [du]-/lum\-bi igi ga-ba-ni-ib-du8-/du8\-[X]
5. X citim kalam-ma-ke4 uc gi /ha\-ba-ab-ba-[al]
6. [ud X] X nam-lugal-la an-ta ed3-de3-a-ba
7. men mah jicgu-za nam-lugal-la an-ta ed3-a-ba
8. [jarza me] /mah\ cu mi-ni-ib-cu-du7
9. [iri-bi-e]-/ne\ [sig4-bi ki kug-ga im]-/ma\-an-da-cub
10. mu-bi ba-an-sa4 kab dug4-/ga\ [ba-hal]-/hal\-la
11. nesaj iri-bi-e-ne eridugki mac2-saj dnu-dim2-mud mi-ni-in-cum2

122-kam-ma-ce3 nu-gig-ra bad3-tibiraki mi-ni-in-cum2
123-kam-ma la-ra-ag dpa-bil2-{hur}-saj mi-ni-in-cum2
144-kam-ma zimbirki cul dutu mi-ni-in-cum2
155-kam-ma curuppag dsud3ki-ra mi-ni-in-cum2
16iri-bi-e-ne mu-bi ba-an-sa4-a kab dug4-ga ba-hal-hal-la
17id2 IM GUN2? ma-an-cu4-am3 im ma-al-la a im-ma-an-de6
18id2 tur-tur-re cu luh-bi JAR HUR HUR mi-ni-ib2-jar-jar
*approximately 34 lines missing* | [1-3] *too fragmentary for translation*
[4-5] " I will oversee their labour. Let &X;&X; the builder of the Land, dig a solid foundation."

## Fragment C

2. e-[...]
3. a-ma-ru [...]
4. nam-lu2-[ulu3 ...]
5. /ur5-gin7\ bi2-in-ak [...]
6. ud-bi-a dnin-/tud\ [...] DIM2 A [...]
7. kug dinana-ke4 uj3-bi-ce3 a-nir mu-[un-ja2-ja2]
8. den-ki cag4 ni2-te-na-ke4 ad i-ni-/in\-[gi4-gi4]
9. an den-lil2 den-ki dnin-hur-saj-ja2-[ke4]
10. dijir an ki-ke4 mu an den-lil2 mu-X-[pad3]
11. ud-ba zi-ud-su3-ra2 lugal-am3 gudu4 X [...]
12. an saj NIJIN mu-un-dim2-dim2 EN [...]
13. nam-dun5-na inim sig10-sig10-ge ni2 te-ja2 [...]
14. ud-cu2-uc-e saj-uc gub-ba [...]
15. ma-mu2 nu-me-a ed2-de3 inim /bal\ [...]
16. mu an ki-bi-ta pad3-pad3-de3 [...]
17. /ki\?-ur3-ce3 dijir-re-e-ne e2-gar8 [...]
18. zi-ud-su3-ra2 da-bi gub-ba jic mu-[un-tuku]
19. iz-zi-da a2 gub3-bu-gu10 gub-ba [...]
20. iz-zi-da inim ga-ra-ab-dug4 inim-[ju10 he2-dab5]
21. na ri-ga-ju10 jizzal [he2-em-ci-ak]
22. DAG-me-a a-ma-ru ugu kab /dug4\-[ga ...] ba-/ur3\ [...]
23. numun nam-lu2-ulu3 ha-lam-e-/de3\ [nam-bi ba-tar]
24. di-til-la inim pu-uh2-ru-[um-ma-ka cu gi4-gi4 nu-jal2]
25. inim dug4-ga an den-[lil2-la2-ka] [cu bal-e nu-zu]
26. nam-lugal-bi bal-bi /ba\-[bu e-ne cag4 kuc2-u3-de3]
27. /e\-ne-ce3 [...]
28. /a\-na MU /MU\ [...]

*approximately 38 lines missing* | [1-27]......seat in heaven. ...... flood. ...... mankind. So he made ....... Then Nintud ....... Holy Inana made a lament for its people. Enki took counsel with himself. An, Enlil, Enki and Ninhursaja made all the gods of heaven and earth take an oath by invoking An and Enlil. In those days Zi-ud-sura the king, the gudu priest, ....... He fashioned ....... The humble, committed, reverent ....... Day by day, standing constantly at ....... Something that was not a dream appeared, conversation ......, ...... taking an oath by invoking heaven and earth. In the Ki-ur, the gods ...... a wall. Zi-ud-sura, standing at its side, heard: "Side-wall standing at my left side, ....... Side-wall, I will speak words to you; take heed of my words, pay attention to my instructions. A flood will sweep over the ...... in all the ....... A decision that the seed of mankind is to be destroyed has been made. The verdict, the word of the divine assembly, cannot be revoked. The order announced by An and Enlil cannot be overturned. Their kingship, their term has been cut off; their heart should be rested about this. Now ....... What ......."

## Fragment D

2. a-ma-ru ugu kab dug4-ga ba-an-da-ab-ur3-e
3. ud 7-am3 ji6 7-am3
4. a-ma-ru kalam-ma ba-ur3-ra-ta
5. jicma2 gur4-gur4 a gal-la im-hul tuk4-tuk4-a-ta
6. dutu i-im-ma-ra-ed2 an ki-a ud ja2-ja2
7. zi-ud-su3-ra2 jicma2 gur4-gur4 ab-bur2 mu-un-da-buru3
8. cul dutu jic-nu11-ni-da jicma2 gur4-gur4-ce3 ba-an-kur9-re-en
9. zi-ud-su3-ra2 lugal-am3
10. igi dutu-ce3 kiri3 ki su-ub ba-gub
11. lugal-e gu4 im-ma-ab-gaz-e udu im-ma-ab-car2-re
12. [...] X si gal [³...] sikil-la-da
13. [...] X mu-un-na-X-X-ba
14. [...]
15. [...] bi2-in-si
16. [...] X tab-ba
17. [...] A X

*approximately 33 lines missing* | [1-11] All the windstorms and gales arose together, and the flood swept over the ....... After the flood had swept over the land, and waves and windstorms had rocked the huge boat for seven days and seven nights, Utu the sun-god came out, illuminating heaven and earth. Zi-ud-sura could drill an opening in the huge boat and hero Utu entered the huge boat with his rays. Zi-ud-sura the king prostrated himself before Utu. The king sacrificed oxen and offered innumerable sheep.
[12-17] *too fragmentary for translation*

## Fragment E

2. an den-lil2 zi an-na zi ki-a i3-pad3-de3-ze2-en za-da-ne-ne im-da-la2
3. nij2-gilim-ma ki-ta ed3-de3 im-ma-ra-ed3-de3
4. zi-ud-su3-ra2 lugal-am3
5. igi an den-lil2-la2-ce3 kiri3 ki su-ub ba-gub3
6. an den-lil2 zi-ud-su3-ra2 mi2-e-/ec3\? [... dug4 ...]
7. til3 dijir-gin7 mu-un-na-cum2-mu
8. zi da-ri2 dijir-gin7 mu-un-<na>-ab-ed3-de3
9. ud-ba zi-ud-su3-ra2 lugal-am3
10. mu nij2-gilim-ma numun nam-lu2-ulu3 uri3-ak
11. kur-bal kur dilmun-na ki dutu ed2-ce3 mu-un-til3-ec
12. za-e? X [...] /ba\ X-bi til3-ec X

*approximately 38 lines missing* | [1-2] "They have made you swear by heaven and earth, ....... An and Enlil have made you swear by heaven and earth, ......."
[3-11] More and more animals disembarked onto the earth. Zi-ud-sura the king prostrated himself before An and Enlil. An and Enlil treated Zi-ud-sura kindly ......, they granted him life like a god, they brought down to him eternal life. At that time, because of preserving the animals and the seed of mankind, they settled Zi-ud-sura the king in an overseas country, in the land Dilmun, where the sun rises.
[12-99] "You ......."

## Resource

* Sumerian transcription: http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section1/c174.htm
* English translation: http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section1/tr174.htm