Lord, perfect in august wisdom and recognised for his mighty counsel, Ḫaia , who holds the great tablets, who enriches the deep wisdom! Accountant of Ḫal-an-kug, having the final overview of the arts of Nisaba's house of wisdom; palace archivist of heaven and earth, who keeps count of every single assignment, who holds a holy reed-stylus and covers the great tablets of destiny with writing! Wise one, who prompts holy An with words and attention at the appropriate times; seal-holder of Father Enlil ! He who brings forth the holy objects from the treasure-house of E-kur ; ornament of the abzu shrine, wearing his hair loose for Lord Nudimmud !
A hymn to Ḫaia for Rīm-Sîn (Rīm-Sîn B) (c.2.6.9.2)
·c.2.6.9.2
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He ( Enki (?) ) approaches the maiden Nisaba in prayer. He has organised pure food-offerings; he has opened up Nisaba's house of learning, and has placed the lapis-lazuli tablet on her knees, for her to consult the holy tablet of the heavenly stars. In Aratta he has placed E-zagin at her disposal. You have built up Ereš in abundance, founded from little …… bricks, you who are granted the most complex wisdom!
A hymn to Nisaba (Nisaba A) (c.4.16.1)
·c.4.16.1
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She revealed counsel and response to you, granted vision to you. As your destiny she gave E-zagin , her house of wisdom, to provide counsel. In the Land you have caused order to be resplendent. Your virtue is broadcast in all lands.
A praise poem of Enlil-bāni (Enlil-bāni A) (c.2.5.8.1)
·c.2.5.8.1
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After …… had instructed ……, …… and Nuska took his seat on it. 1 line missing Nanibgal called …… and gave her advice: "My little one, asleep indoors (?) …… your pure ……, the pleasant private quarters ……. …… leave the House of Nisaba's Wisdom. ……, Nuska is knowing and wise. …… to his presence and pour him beer." According to the instructions of her mother, she washed his hands and placed a tankard in his hands. The minister opened his left hand and gave her the jewellery, …… everything …… and set it before her. She received the gifts ……. He …… directed his steps to Nibru . …… kissed the ground before Enlil . …… the great Lady had said ……, as she had instructed him, he repeated (?) ……: "(She said:) "Adviser, fit for his (?) king, ever observant (?)! Who like you could give counsel daily to the Great Mountain? How could I contest the king's message which his slave has received? If there is truth in what you have told me -- and may there be no falsehood -- who could reject one who bestows such exceedingly great favours? …… makes our mood and hearts happy. Let us consider that amends have been made. By bringing the marriage gifts and the presents in his name the insult is wiped away. Tell him: "You shall become my son-in-law; do as you wish!" Tell Enlil , the Great Mountain: "Do as you wish!" Let his sister come from her side, and she shall accompany Sud from here. Aruru shall become Sud's sister-in-law: let her be shown the household. Inform your lord thus in his august Ki-ur . Repeat this to Enlil in the privacy of his holy bedchamber.""
Enlil and Sud (c.1.2.2)
·c.1.2.2
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…… distressed and anxious …… like a pigeon ……. 1 line fragmentary The birds of the destroyed city …… a nest. The ukuku bird, bird of heart's sorrow, …… the place. Pain ……. The area became entangled in wild thornbushes. It …… wild thornbushes. The Šimaškians and Elamites , the destroyers, looked at the holy kettles which no one may look at. In the House of Nisaba's Wisdom, the house of understanding, …… covered over ……. The divine powers which embellish the Abzu ……. When the holy treasures stored in the treasury were put ……, when, like a mist lying heavily on the earth, ……, they went like small birds shooed from their hiding places. 7 lines fragmentary unknown no. of lines missing
The lament for Eridug (c.2.2.6)
·c.2.2.6
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May my hymns be in everyone's mouth; let the songs about me not pass from memory. So that the fame of my praise, the words which Enki composed about me, and which Ĝeštin-ana joyously speaks from the heart and broadcasts far and wide, shall never be forgotten, I have had them written down line by line in the House of the Wisdom of Nisaba in holy heavenly writing, as great works of scholarship. No one shall ever let any of it pass from memory ……. It shall not be forgotten, since indestructible heavenly writing has a lasting renown. The scribe should bring it to the singer, and can let him look at it, and with the wisdom and intelligence of Nisaba , let him read it to him as if from a lapis-lazuli tablet. Let my songs sparkle like silver in the lode! Let them be performed in all the cult-places, and let no one neglect them in the Shrine of the New Moon. In the music-rooms of Enlil and Ninlil and at the morning and evening meals of Nanna , let the sweet praise of me, Šulgi , be never-ending.
A praise poem of Šulgi (Šulgi E) (c.2.4.2.05)
·c.2.4.2.05
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In the south, in Urim , I caused a House of the Wisdom of Nisaba to spring up in sacrosanct ground for the writing of my hymns; up country in Nibru I established another. May the scribe be on duty there and transcribe with his hand the prayers which I instituted in the E-kur ; and may the singer perform, reciting from the text. The academies are never to be altered; the places of learning shall never cease to exist. This and this only is now my accumulated knowledge! The collected words of all the hymns that are in my honour supersede all other formulations. By An , Enlil , Utu and Inana , it is no lie -- it is true!
A praise poem of Šulgi (Šulgi B) (c.2.4.2.02)
·c.2.4.2.02
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After day had broken and Utu had risen, the sun god of the Land lifted his head high. The king combined the Tigris with the Euphrates . He combined the Euphrates with the Tigris . Large vessels were placed in the open air, and he stood small vessels beside them, like lambs lying on the grass. …… vessels were placed in the open air adjacent to them. Then the king, Enmerkar , the son of Utu , placed wide apart the ešda vessels, which were of gold. Thereupon, the …… clay tablet, the pointed stylus of the assembly, the golden statue fashioned on a propitious day, beautiful Nanibgal , grown with a fair luxuriance, Nisaba , the lady of broad wisdom, opened for him her holy house of wisdom. He entered the palace of heaven, and became attentive. Then the lord opened his mighty storehouse, and firmly set his great lidga measure on the ground. The king removed his old barley from the other barley; he soaked the greenmalt all through with water; its lip …… the ḫirin plant. He narrowed the meshes of the carrying nets. He measured out in full (?) the barley for the granary, adding for the teeth of locusts. He had it loaded on the packasses at whose sides reserve donkeys were placed. The king, the lord of broad wisdom, the lord of Unug , the lord of Kulaba , despatched them directly to Aratta . He made the people go on to Aratta on their own, like ants out of crevices. Again the lord added instructions for the messenger going to the mountains, to Aratta :
Enmerkar and the lord of Aratta (c.1.8.2.3)
·c.1.8.2.3
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