Position in chronology
A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna C)
Written in modern English
The text calls on Samsu-iluna to take his seat on the high throne and confirm his kingship. By grasping the shepherd's crook of lordship, he is to strengthen the foundations of his rule, and by inspiring awe in the holy, pure place, he is to bring the princely divine powers to their fullest expression. When he rises on the royal dais, he is to hold his head high, shining like the sun in the terrifying splendour of kingship. The passage then breaks off mid-sentence before the thought is completed.
A modern paraphrase of the literal translation — same content, contemporary voice.
Translation — scholar edition
ETCSLLord, may you confirm your royal position by taking your seat on the throne, the lofty dais! Samsu-iluna, may you confirm your royal position by taking your seat on the throne, the lofty dais! May you strengthen the foundations of your throne by grasping the shepherd's crook of lordship! May you bring to perfect completion the princely divine powers by inspiring awe in the holy place, the pure place! When you ...... on the holy royal dais, may you lift your head high in a lordly manner! When you are embued with the terrifying splendour of royalty, ...... shining like the sun! When you…
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature — scholar edition (Oxford, Black/Cunningham/Robson/Zólyomi).
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Scholarly note
Composition c.2.8.3.3 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.2.8.3.3: A prayer for Samsu-iluna (Samsu-iluna C). 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.2.8.3.3.
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