Position in chronology
A praise poem of Enlil-bani (Enlil-bani A)
Written in modern English
Enlil-bani is hailed as a wondrous king among princes — created by An, raised up by Enlil, and shining over every land like the sun-god Utu. Born to rule and invested with all the divine powers, he is watched over by Enlil and heeded by Ninlil because of the vast multitudes living at the edge of heaven and earth. With his shepherd's crook he has settled countless people across the lands, spreading wide shade over them all. He is called the great son of Enki, a shepherd and counsellor who guides all living things — one manuscript reads 'sage' instead of 'shepherd' at that point — and the great mother Ninlil places her trust in him. One phrase describing his appearance is too damaged to read.
A modern paraphrase of the literal translation — same content, contemporary voice.
Translation — scholar edition
ETCSLEnlil-bani, wondrous king among the princes! Created by An, elevated by Enlil, like Utu the light of all lands, born to princedom, girded with all the divine powers, watched over by Enlil and listened to by Ninlil on account of the widespread people living at the boundary of heaven and earth! Fair of ......, lordly of limb! With the shepherd's crook you have settled innumerable people. Enlil-bani, great son of Enki, shepherd (1 ms. has instead: sage) and counsellor who guides living things, who spreads broad shade over all lands, grandiloquent prince whom great An has summoned, great mother Ninlil trusts in you.
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature — scholar edition (Oxford, Black/Cunningham/Robson/Zólyomi).
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Scholarly note
Composition c.2.5.8.1 in the ETCSL catalogue. Sumerian literary text reconstructed from multiple cuneiform manuscripts, the great majority Old Babylonian (c. 1900–1600 BCE). Translation reproduced from the ETCSL edition.
Attribution
Image: .
Translation excerpted from ETCSL c.2.5.8.1: A praise poem of Enlil-bani (Enlil-bani A). Black, J.A., Cunningham, G., Robson, E. & Zólyomi, G. (eds.), The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.2.5.8.1.
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