Anonymous (Akkadian) · a new plain-English translation from the Akkadian
At twenty leagues they broke off a piece of bread; at thirty leagues they set camp for the night; fifty leagues they walked in a single day, a distance of a month and a half in three days' time, until they drew near to the mountain of Lebanon. They dug a well facing Shamash, and […] water they set in […]. Gilgamesh climbed up onto the mountain, poured out his offering of flour to the mountain, saying, "Mountain, bring me a dream, let me see a favorable word from Shamash." Enkidu made for him — for Gilgamesh — the house of a dream-spirit; he fixed a door of storm-wind fast in its doorway, and he laid him down within a circle […] a design.
And Enkidu himself lay down like a net across the doorway. Gilgamesh rested his chin upon his knees, and sleep, which pours out over mankind, fell upon him. In the middle watch of the night his sleep came to an end; he rose up and spoke to his friend: "My friend, did you not call out to me? Why am I awake? Did you not touch me? Why am I startled? Did not some god pass by? Why is my flesh numb with dread? My friend, I saw a first dream, and the dream that I saw was entirely terrifying. On the flank of the mountain […] the mountain collapsed upon [us…]
"And we, like […] […] one who is born can give counsel out in the wild." Enkidu spoke to his friend, interpreting his — Gilgamesh's — dream for him: "My friend, your dream is favorable, the dream is precious […]. My friend, the mountain that you saw […]; we shall seize Humbaba, we shall kill him, and we shall cast his corpse out onto the open plain, and in the morning we shall see a favorable word from Shamash." At twenty leagues they broke off a piece of bread, at thirty leagues they set camp for the night, fifty leagues they walked in a single day.
A distance of a month and a half in three days' time, until they drew near to the mountain of Lebanon. They dug a well facing Shamash, and […] water they set in […]. Gilgamesh climbed up onto the mountain, poured out his offering of flour to the mountain, saying, "Mountain, bring me a dream, let me see a favorable word from Shamash." Enkidu made for him — for Gilgamesh — the house of a dream-spirit; he fixed a door of storm-wind fast in its doorway, and he laid him down within a circle […] a design. And Enkidu himself lay down like a net across the doorway. Gilgamesh rested his chin upon his knees, and sleep, which pours out over mankind, fell upon him.
In the middle watch of the night his sleep came to an end; he rose up and spoke to his friend: "My friend, did you not call out to me? Why am I awake? Did you not touch me? Why am I startled? Did not some god pass by? Why is my flesh numb with dread? My friend, I saw yet another dream, and the dream that I saw was entirely terrifying. […] […] Humbaba […] whose shortness is its length, […] wide is narrow […] Humbaba like a young […] sun/heat […]
[…] upon him […] and in the morning we shall see a favorable word from Shamash. At twenty leagues they broke off a piece of bread, at thirty leagues they set camp for the night, fifty leagues they walked in a single day, a distance of a month and a half in three days' time, until they drew near to the mountain of Lebanon. They dug a well facing Shamash, and water […] they set in […]. Gilgamesh climbed up onto the mountain, poured out his offering of flour to the mountain, saying, "Mountain, bring me a dream, let me see a favorable word from Shamash."
Enkidu made for him — for Gilgamesh — the house of a dream-spirit; he fixed a door of storm-wind fast in its doorway, and he laid him down within a circle […] a design. And Enkidu himself lay down like a net across the doorway. Gilgamesh rested his chin upon his knees, and sleep, which pours out over mankind, fell upon him. In the middle watch of the night his sleep came to an end; he rose up and spoke to his friend: "My friend, did you not call out to me? Why am I awake? Did you not touch me? Why am I startled? Did not some god pass by? Why is my flesh numb with dread? My friend, I saw a third dream.
"And the dream that I saw was entirely terrifying. The heavens cried out, the earth rumbled; daylight ceased, darkness came forth; lightning flashed, fire broke out; the flames flared up, death rained down; then the glow dimmed, the fire went out, and what had fallen turned to ash. Let us go back down into the plain, let us take counsel together." Enkidu heard the words of his friend; he interpreted the dream for him and spoke to Gilgamesh: "My friend, your dream is favorable, the dream is good […] […] […] […]"
[…] at twenty leagues [they broke bread]; at thirty leagues [they made camp for] the night; fifty leagues [they went in a single] day. […] where […] […] […] […] [at twenty] leagues [they broke] bread; [at thirty] leagues they made [camp for the night]; [fi]fty leagues they [went in a whole day]; [the journey] of a month and a half [on the third] day [they drew near] to the mountain of Leb[anon].
[Facing] the sun they dug [a well]. [… water?] they poured out i[n …]. [Gilgamesh climbed] up o[n the mountain] [and poured out his flour] as an offering to the h[ills, saying: 'Mountain, bring] a d[ream; let me see a favorable word from Shamash.'] [Then Enkidu made for him the house of a dream vision.] [He fastened the door against the wind, in its doorway.] [He laid him down in a circle, drawing a figure of …] [and he himself, like a … , lay stretched out in the doorway.] [Gilgamesh rested his chin upon his knees,] [and sleep, which spills over all mankind, fell upon him.] [In the middle of the night his sleep came to an end.]
[He arose and spoke to his friend:] ['My friend, did you not call me? Why have I awakened?] [Did you not touch me? Why am I startled?] [Did a god not pass by? Why is my flesh numb?] [My friend, I saw a fourth dream,] [and the dream that I saw was altogether frightening.] […] '[My friend, your] dream [is favorable, it is a good omen …] […] … this […] […] Humbaba like […] […] they will kindle […] against him […] […] we shall set bonds upon his arms […] […] […]
[…] let us stand together against [his] bod[y]. [And] in the morning we [shall see] a favorable word from Shamash. [At] twenty leagues they broke bread; [at] thirty leagues they made camp for the night; [fifty leagues] they went [the whole day]. [Facing the s]un they dug a w[ell]. [… water?] they poured out i[n …]. [Gilgamesh climbed] up on[to the mountain]. [He poured out his flour] as an offering to the [hills: 'Mountain, bring] a dream; let me [see a favorable word from Shamash.'] [Then Enkid]u made for [him the house of a dream vision.] [He fastened the door against the wind,] [in its doorway.]
[He laid him down] in a circle, [drawing a fig]ure of […]. [And he himself, like a …,] lay str[etched out in the doorway.] [Gilgamesh rested] his chin [upon his knees,] [and sleep, which spills over all peo]ple, [fell upon him.] [In the middle of the night his sleep came to an end.] [He arose and spoke to his friend:] ['My friend, did you not call me? Why have I awakened?] [Did you not touch me? Why am I startled?] [Did a god not pass by? Why is my flesh numb?] [My friend, I saw a fifth dream,] [and the dream that I saw was altogether frightening.] […] …[…]
Of his mouth […] the young man whom you saw […] on that very day […] he shall seize his h[ands …] they will kiss […] I […] [they were] born […] Gilgamesh op[ened his mouth and spoke, saying to Enkidu:] 'My friend, [is it not …] […] Were they not born as brothers, born [together …]?' Enkidu opened his mouth an[d spoke, saying to Gilgamesh:] 'My friend, as for the one against whom we go, [he is strange, nothing like us.]
As for Humbaba, against whom [we go, he is strange, nothing like us.] Gilgamesh op[ened his mouth and spoke, saying to Enkidu:] 'My friend, let us sl[ay him …] […] to […] […] […] […]