Anonymous (Akkadian) · a new plain-English translation from the Akkadian
[…] to the quay of Uruk, draw near in peace. Do not trust, Gilgamesh, in your strength alone; let your eyes be sated with looking, and be sure of your blow. Let the one who goes before guard his companion, let the one who knows the road watch over his friend. Let Enkidu go before you; he knows the way to the Cedar Forest. He has seen battle and looked upon combat. Enkidu, guard the friend, keep the companion safe; bring his body back to his wives. In our assembly we entrust the king to you — bring him back and return the king to us.
Gilgamesh opened his mouth to speak, saying to Enkidu: Come, my friend, let us go to the Egalmah, before Ninsun the great queen. Ninsun is wise, she knows all things; she will set a course of counsel beneath our feet. They took each other by the hand; Gilgamesh and Enkidu went to the Egalmah, before Ninsun the great queen. Gilgamesh arose and entered before the goddess his mother. Gilgamesh spoke to her, saying to Ninsun: Ninsun, I have resolved — I will go.
On a distant road, to the place of Humbaba, I will face a combat I do not know, I will ride a road I do not know. Grant me your blessing until I go and return; let me see your face again in peace, let me enter the gate of Uruk in joy of heart. Let me establish anew the festival, celebrate the New Year's rite twice in the year. Let the New Year's rite be held twice in the year, let the festival be set, let there be rejoicing; let the drums resound before you. Rimat-Ninsun heard the words of Gilgamesh her son, and Enkidu, with grief, listened along.
She went into her bathing-house seven times; she purified her body with water of tamarisk and soapwort, and was made clean. […] fine linen, fitting for her body, […] a fitting ornament for her breast, […] she put on and was crowned with her tiara. […] she sprinkled the ground with pure water. She sprang up the stairway, went up onto the roof; she went up onto the roof and set incense before Shamash, offered the offering before Shamash and raised her hands. Why have you burdened my son Gilgamesh with a restless heart — for now you have touched him, and he goes, on a distant road, to the place of Humbaba,
to face a combat he does not know, to ride a road he does not know, for the days that he goes until he returns, until he reaches the Cedar Forest, until he slays fierce Humbaba, and destroys from the land every evil thing that you hate. On the day that you [cross the border, / stand watch], may she not fear for you — may the bride remember you. Entrust him to the watches of the night, […] in the twilight watch […]
[…] of the light. You opened, O Shamash, […] the going-forth of the wild beasts, to […] you went forth to the land, the mountains […] the sky, the beasts of the steppe […] your radiance, they wait for […] them; the roaming creatures […] you, […] I have lifted up, the dead […] life, to […] your head, to the rising of […] the peoples are gathered,
the Anunnaki watch for your light. May she not fear for him, may the bride remember him. Entrust him to the watches of the night. Set for him a road of well-being, that Enkidu may go before him to lead the way, for he knows the road to the Cedar Forest. May he turn the path toward himself, may he make the mountain yield to him; and may he carry in his hand your torch, the sign of the road. Until Gilgamesh reaches the Cedar Forest, whether the days be long or the nights be short, let his loins be girded, let his […] stride be set; at night let him make camp for the night's watch.
At the night's rest […] they shall lie down. May she not fear for him, may the great bride remember him. On the day that Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and Humbaba join together in combat, rouse against Humbaba, O Shamash, the great winds: the south wind, the north wind, the east wind, the west wind, the whirlwind, the hurricane-wind, the storm-wind, the evil wind, the demon-wind, the destructive wind, the frost-wind, the tempest, and the parching wind — let thirteen winds rise up against him, so that Humbaba's face grows dark, and so that Gilgamesh's weapon may reach him. Then, once your fury against him has calmed, on that day, O Shamash, set your face toward your mules; let your swift mules hasten you onward.
"May a peaceful dwelling be granted you, a bed for the night. Let there be a resting place [...]. May the gods your kinsmen give you offerings of ... . May the great bride wipe your face clean with the hem of her garment." Then Rimat-Ninsun turned and repeated the charge before Shamash: "Shamash, is not Gilgamesh a god ...? He does not stand with you in the heavens; he does not stand with Sin holding the scepter; he does not have the wisdom of Ea in the Apsu; he does not rule the black-headed people together with Irnina; he will not dwell with Ningishzida in the Netherworld." ... Let them make bricks for him, Shamash ...
"...may not... may not... the timber of the cedar [forest]... may not... may not attain... your [great] godhead... ... like ... ... like the people indeed ... like you have spoken ... into Humbaba you shall bring him." After Rimat-Ninsun had given her charge to Shamash, [Rimat-Ni]nsun, wi[se, knowing all things,] ... Gilgamesh ... She heaped up incense and ...
She summoned Enkidu and gave her instruction: "Enkidu, mighty one, you are not of my own body's issue — yet now I speak to you among the oblates, the votaries of Gilgamesh." ... The high priestesses, the consecrated women, and the temple votaries — she cast a token, she cast it upon the neck of Enkidu: "The high priestesses shall take him as their charge, and the daughters of the gods shall raise him as a foster child. I, Enkidu, whom I loved, have taken as a son." Let Enkidu, in [brotherhood] with Gilgamesh, be treated kindly by him. "Now ..." and "..."
"Until I go ... to the Cedar Forest, whether the days be long or the nights be short, [let your loins be girded, let your] feet [be shod]. [At night make your camp,] let ... keep watch. [...] ... [...] Gilgamesh to [...] ... to the gate of the cedar [forest ...]. Enkidu in the house of ... [...], and Gilgamesh in the house of ... [...].
[Juniper], burnt offering [...], the sons dwelling ... [...], the place where ... [...] — the rest of the lines are lost.
[The lines here are entirely lost, save for scattered fragments:] "... the road," "... Gilgamesh," "... Gilgamesh," and "[and may the] weapons [of Gilgamesh overtake] Humbaba."
[On that] day may Shamash [set his face toward the ambush]. By the word of Shamash you shall attain [your heart's desire]. At the gate of Marduk [...], toward the breast of the waters he [goes ...], the rear-guard of the people ... [...]. At the gate of the cedar forest [...] not [...]. Gilgamesh ... [...], and Enkidu [...]. "For a march of twenty double-hours we shall break bread, [until] the day [we go and] return, until we reach the Cedar Forest, until we slay the fierce Humbaba,
and every evil thing that Shamash hates we destroy from the land!" ... Do not gather the young men in the street ... . The case of the weak, the case of the ... . Until, like a small child, we attain our heart's desire, until at the gate of Humbaba we plant our [weapons] — the officials stood and blessed him, the assembled young men of Uruk kept running behind him, and his officials kissed his feet: "Approach the quay of Uruk safely. Do not put your trust, Gilgamesh, in your strength alone — let your eyes be watchful, make your blow sure.
'Let the one who goes in front save his companion' — one who knows the way shall guard his friend. Let Enkidu go before you; he knows the road to the Cedar Forest, he has seen battle and witnessed combat. At the mountain passes [...]. Let Enkidu, the friend, guard and keep safe the companion; may he bring his body back to the embrace of wives. In our assembly we [entrust to you the king]; when you return you shall [give the king back to us]." Enkidu opened [his mouth and spoke], saying [to Gilgamesh]:
[230] 'My friend, turn back—[...]' [231] The road, it is not [...] [232] […] [233] […] [244] […]