The Atrahasis Epic
R. W. Rogers, *Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament* (New York: Eaton & Mains, 1912), pp. 113-120 ("Ea and Atrakhasis"). Editor's connecting synopsis and footnotes have been removed; only the translated lines are retained. Public domain. · Public domain (pre-1929 English translation). Reproduced for educational and religious commentary.
1The mother opens not the door to her daughter;
2The balances of the mother the daughter watches,
3The balances of the daughter the mother watches.
4When the sixth year came, they prepared the [daughter] for a repast,
5They prepared the child for food (?); full was [...]
6One house devoured another.
7Like (?) their faces were veiled;
8The people lived with bated breath,
9They took a message [...]
10They entered [...]
11Column II:
12Above Adad diminished his rain,
13Below it was restrained [so that the stream rose not in the sources.]
14The field diminished its produce The bosom of Nisaba^ changed; by night the fields were white:
15The wide plain bore salt;^ The plant came not forth, the lambs fattened not,
16Column II:
17Calamity was placed upon men,
18The womb was closed, no child came forth [ ]
19[When the second year came, there] began When the third year came,
20The people revolted against their [...]
21[When the fourth year came], their cities were re- duced to straits.
22[Their broad...]... became narrow?
23[The people wandered] in the street [down- cast]
24[When the fifth year came], the daughter looked for the entering of the mother.
25The mother opens not the door to her daughter,
26[The balances of the mother] the daughter watches,
27[The balances of the daughter] the mother watches,
28[When the sixth year came, they prepared] the daughter for a repast,
29[They prepared] the child [for food]
30[Full was...] one house devoured another.
31[As... were their faces veiled;
32[The people] lived [with bated] breath.
33[The wise] Atrakhasis, the man, —
34To Ea, [his lord,] is his thought turned;
35[He speaks] with his god;
36[But his lord Ea] speaks not (?) with him.
37[Then went he out] to the door of his god,
38By the river he set up his couch.
39[After this a passage is lost]
40Column III:
41By their clamor he (EM) was [troubled?]
42On account of their...
43[Ellil] held his assembly
44And said to the gods, his children, "The clamor of men [disturbs me?] "Because of their clamor I am troubled."
45On account of their... gives me no heed,
46[...] let chill come!
47[Quickly] (?) let pestilence make an end (?) to their clamor.
48Like a tempest shall rise against them.
49Illness, headache, chill, calamity!"
50Then [...] and chill began.
51[Quickly?] did the pestilence make an end to their clamor.
52Like a tempest rose against them,
53Illness, headache, chill, calamity.
54The wise Atrakhasis, the man, — To Ea, his lord, is his thought turned,
55[He] speaks with his god,
56His [lord] Ea speaks with him.
57Atrakhasis opened his mouth,
58[He spoke to] Ea, his lord; "O lord, [Ea] men are in trouble,
59Thy anger consumes the land.
60Oh my lord, men lament [...] thy... con- sumes the land,
61[The anger?] of the gods consumes the land.
62[O, Lord?] thou who hast created us.
63Let the illness, headache, chills, calamity [cease?]."
64[Ea opened his mouth and] spake, he said to Atrak- hasis,
65[...] confusion has ceased in the land.
66[ pray to your goddess [Several lines badly broken]
67[Ellil] held his assembly, he spoke to the gods his children,
68[ do nothing for them.
69[Their sins (?)] have not been diminished, they are more numerous than before.
70[By] their clamor I am troubled,
71On account of their... I give no heed (?) They shall be cut off for the people the [...]
72In their belly vegetables shall be wanting,
73Above Adad shall diminish his rain,
74Below shall be obstructed the flood that it rise not in the source,^ The field shall diminish its produce (?) The bosom of Nisaba shall be changed, by night the fields shall be white:
75The wide field shall bear salt.
76Her bosom shall disappear (?) the plant shall not come forth, lambs shall not fatten,
77Calamity shall be placed upon men.
78Let [the womb] be closed, let it bring forth no little one.
79Then there was cut off for the people the [...]
80In their belly vegetables were wanting.
81Above Adad diminished his rain
82Below obstructed was the flood, that it rose not in the source.
83The field diminished its produce.
84The bosom of Nisaba changed; by night the fields became white.
85The wide field bore salt; its bosom disappeared;
86Plants came not forth; lambs fattened not,
87Calamity was placed upon men,
88The womb was closed, it suffered not a child to come forth.
89[A passage is here missing.]
90Column IV:
91[ ] says Ea,* [... an incantation] he shall cause her to recite [She recited] an incantation; after she had recited the incantation,
92She spat upon the clay,
93Fourteen pieces she pinched off; seven pieces she placed on the right;
94[A passage is here missing.]
95Column IV:
96Seven pieces she placed on the left, between them she placed a brick.
97[ ] the nostrils, she opened for it.
98Then she called the wise (?) the instructed (?) Seven and seven mothers; seven formed males,
99Seven formed females.
100The mother creator of destiny,
101Finished them,
102She finished them before her.
103The figures of men Mami formed.