Position in chronology
A prayer for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin E)
Written in modern English
Rim-Sîn, purification priest of An, was called from the sacred womb and raised to lordship over the Land, installed as shepherd of the black-headed people. The staff that strengthens the Land was placed in his hand; the shepherd's crook that guides the living was fixed at his side. When he steps forward before the deity, everything he offers with his pure hands is provided in abundance. The opening lines are too damaged to read, and the composition breaks off as it names him 'your attentive youth, your beloved king, the good shepherd.'
A modern paraphrase of the literal translation — same content, contemporary voice.
Translation — scholar edition
ETCSL......, who is fitted for holy lustration rites, Rim-Sîn, purification priest of An, who is fitted for pure prayers rites, whom you summoned from the holy womb ......, has been elevated to lordship over the Land; he has been installed as shepherd over the black-headed. The staff which strengthens the Land has been placed in his hand. The shepherd's crook which guides the living people has been attached at his side. As he steps forward before you, he is lavishly supplied with everything that he offers with his pure hands. Your attentive youth, your beloved king, the good shepherd…
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature — scholar edition (Oxford, Black/Cunningham/Robson/Zólyomi).
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Scholarly note
Composition c.2.6.9.5 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.2.6.9.5: A prayer for Rim-Sin (Rim-Sin E). 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.2.6.9.5.
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