Anonymous (Akkadian) · a new plain-English translation from the Akkadian
As soon as dawn's first light appeared, Gilgamesh wept for his friend: "Enkidu, whose mother was a gazelle and whose father a wild donkey bore you, whom the wild asses reared with their milk and the beasts of the steppe showed you all the pastures — may the roads to the cedar forest weep for you, Enkidu, and not fall silent, night or day. May the elders of broad-marketed Uruk weep for you. May the people who blessed us in our tracks weep for you. May the […] of the high mountains and hills weep for you. […] pure […]
May the meadows cry out like your mother. May the boxwood, cypress, and cedar weep for you, those among which we forced our way in our fury. May the bear, hyena, panther, tiger, stag, jackal, lion, wild bull, deer, ibex, all the beasts and creatures of the steppe weep for you. May the holy Ulay river weep for you, along whose banks we once proudly walked. May the pure Euphrates weep for you, whose water we poured out in libation from our waterskins. May the young men of broad-marketed Uruk weep for you, who watched us kill the Bull of Heaven in battle. May the farmer weep for you, over […], who exalted your name with the sweet alala-song.
May […] of the broad city, of Uruk, weep for you […] who first exalted your name. May the herdsman weep for you, [who churned the milk, beer,] and curds […] May the shepherd weep for you, who set out butter for your lips. May the […] weep for you, who set out fine beer for your mouth. May the harlot weep for you […] who anointed you with sweet oil. May […] weep for you [in the house of] the father-in-law, who […] a wife […]
[…] may […] weep for you. May they weep for you like your brothers; let their hair hang loose over them like your sisters'. [May they weep] for Enkidu, your mother and your father, […] From that day on, I myself will weep for you. Listen to me, young men, listen to me! Listen to me, elders of broad-marketed Uruk, listen to me! I weep for Enkidu, my friend; like a hired mourning-woman I wail bitterly. My axe at my side, my strength of arm, my sword at my belt, the shield before my face, ... my […]
my festival garment, the sash of my delight — an evil wind rose up and robbed me of them. My friend, swift mule, wild donkey of the mountain, panther of the steppe — Enkidu, my friend, swift mule, wild donkey of the mountain, panther of the steppe — we who joined together and climbed the mountain, seized the Bull of Heaven and killed it, and struck down Humbaba who dwelt in the cedar forest — now what is this sleep that has seized you? You have grown dark and cannot hear me." But he did not lift his head. He touched his heart, but it did not beat at all. He covered his friend's face like a bride's.
Like an eagle he circled around him; like a lioness deprived of her cubs he paced back and forth before him and behind him. He tore out and cast away the locks of his curled hair; he stripped off and threw down his fine ornaments as if unclean. As soon as dawn's first light appeared, Gilgamesh sent out a cry throughout the land. The smith, the lapidary, the coppersmith, the goldsmith, the engraver: "Make my friend […]" […] they fashioned a statue of his friend. Your limbs, my friend, [shall be] … your eyes of lapis lazuli, your breast of gold, your body […]
[…] a statue of his friend. […] his breast of lapis lazuli, his body of gold […] […] a statue of his friend […] […] his heart moved him […] He tore out and cast away his curled locks of hair; he stripped off and threw down his fine ornaments as if unclean. […] […] [He laid you out on a great couch;] on a fine couch he laid you out. He set you in a peaceful dwelling, the seat at the left, and the princes of the earth kissed your feet.
He made the people of Uruk mourn and lament for you; he filled joyful people with grief over you. And I, after you, will let my body go filthy — I will clothe myself in a lion skin and roam the open country. As soon as dawn's first light appeared, […] he loosened his ties and looked upon the ornament … obsidian, carnelian, […], alabaster, […] he had made […] he set out for his friend. […] he set out for his friend. […] minas of gold he set out for his friend.
[…] of gold he set for his friend. […] of gold he set for his friend. […] of gold he set for his friend. […] […] between them thirty minas of gold were mounted/fitted. […] he set for his friend. […] he set for his friend. […] their thickness. […] he set for his friend. […] the great one. […] he set for his friend. […] of his waist.
[…] he set for his friend. […] he set for his friend. […] he set for his friend. […] he set for his] friend. […] he set for his friend. […] of his feet he set for his friend. […] a talent of ivory […]. […] minas] of gold its mounting he set for his friend. […] mighty, of its sides he set for his friend. […] his quiver, one talent of gold its mounting he set for his friend. […] the hutpalû-ornament of its sides, of ivory. […] four minas of gold its mounting he set for his friend.
[…] a cut, its length. […] its thickness he set for his friend. […] a ring of gold. […] fitted with an iron staff. […] a grip/handle (in the form of) a wild bull. […] he withheld? for his friend. [Fattened ox]en and fat sheep he slaughtered, he poured out for his friend. […] the sun of my friend. […] to the princes of the earth all the flesh they brought. […] Ishtar the great queen. [The struck-do]wn kallirû-bird, of pure wood — to Ishtar the great queen, [Shamash] showed it.
May [Ishtar] the great [que]en accept it. Before my friend [may she rejoice and] may her arm go forth. […] a garment. To the lady of the god[s, the great] queen, [Shamash] showed it. May the lady of the gods, the great queen, accept it. Before my friend [may she rejoice and] may her arm go forth. A sabbatu-bead of lapis? […]. […]. To Ereshkigal, [queen of the earth, Shamash showed it]. May Ereshkigal, queen of the vast earth, accept it. Before my friend [may she rejoice and] may her arm go forth. A pipe fitted with […].
To Dumuzi the shepherd, the beloved of [Ishtar, Shamash showed it]. May Dumuzi the shepherd, beloved of [Ishtar], accept it. Before my friend may he rejoice and may [his] arm [go forth]. A throne of lapis lazuli […]. A staff of lapis lazuli […]. To [Namtar, vizier of the earth, Shamash showed it]. May [Namtar, vizier of the vast earth,] accept it. [Before my friend may he rejoice and may his arm go forth.] […]. […]. To [Hushbisha, housekeeper of the earth, Shamash showed it]. May [Hushbisha, housekeeper of the vast earth,] accept it.
[Before my friend may she rejoice and may her arm go forth.] He had made […] […]. A holder of silver, rings of copper […]. To Qassa-tabat, the doorkeeper of [Ereshkigal, Shamash showed it]. May [Qassa-tabat, doorkeeper of Ereshkigal,] accept it. Before my friend may he rejoice and may [his] arm [go forth]. My friend — may his heart not be sore. […] gray stone, of his heart, set with lapis lazuli, worked. […] of cedar wood. […] set with lapis lazuli, worked. To Ninshuluhhatumma, who sets the house in order, Shamash showed it. May Ninshuluhhatumma, who sets the house in order, accept it.
Before my friend may she rejoice and may her arm go forth. […] before my friend. To my friend […] he spoke, and may his heart not be sore. A dagger of katappû-wood, of lapis lazuli its hilt, a pure whetstone of Euphrates(-stone). To Bibbu, the slaughterer of the vast earth, Shamash showed it. [May Bibbu, the slaughter]er of the vast earth, [accept it]. [Before my friend may] he [rejoice] and may his arm go forth. […] a pin of gray stone. [To Dumuzi-abzu,] the shears of the earth, Shamash showed it. [May Dumuzi-a]bzu, the shears of the vast earth, [accept it]. [Before my] friend may he rejoice and may his arm go forth.
[…] of its top, lapis lazuli. […] set with lapis lazuli, worked. […] may his] arm go forth. […] of cedar. [To … the great, Shamash] showed it. […] the great. [Before my friend may he rejoice and may his arm] go forth. […]. […]. […] of cedar. […] […]. […] of the […].
[...] their [...] name [...] judge of the Anunnaki [...] Gilgamesh, when he heard this, fashioned a dam of the river [in his heart]. As soon as morning's light appeared, Gilgamesh opened his door. He brought out a great table of elammaku-wood; he filled a bowl of carnelian with honey, he filled a bowl of lapis lazuli with ghee. [...] he adorned it and displayed it to Shamash [...] displayed [...] a glow [...].
He [...] [...].