Position in chronology
A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna B)
Written in modern English
An unknown number of lines are missing at the start, and what survives is heavily damaged — fragmentary phrases about life, a holy name, and the god Enki appear before the text becomes legible. From there, the prayer addresses Samsu-iluna directly: Enki shall confirm his throne, bestow on him a sceptre of long years, and make his crown shine like the sun-god Utu. His kingship shall stand as firm as heaven and earth. He is king over many lands and peoples, the good shepherd of his people, the herdsman of the settled folk. When he delivers just verdicts as Utu does, he will be the king who speaks with Utu's own authoritative voice — foremost among all kings.
A modern paraphrase of the literal translation — same content, contemporary voice.
Translation — scholar edition
ETCSLunknown no. of lines missing Life ....... Life ....... Life ....... ...... of your name ....... ...... holy life ....... Enki ....... Prince Samsu-iluna, ....... ...... terrifying splendour which spreads far and wide. Enki ...... your throne, and ...... bestow on you a sceptre of long years and days; may he ...... your crown ...... like Utu. May your kingship be as stable as heaven and earth! You are king of numerous lands and peoples! You are the people's good shepherd! You are the herdsman of the settled people! When like Utu you impart just verdicts, ...... justice, ...... you call by name ......, then you, Samsu-iluna, shall be the king of the eloquent words of Utu, and you shall be the foremost of kings.
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature — scholar edition (Oxford, Black/Cunningham/Robson/Zólyomi).
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Scholarly note
Composition c.2.8.3.2 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.2.8.3.2: A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna B). 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.2.8.3.2.
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