The Great Hymn to Shamash

1Illuminator of all, the whole of heaven,

2Who makes light the d[arkness for humankind]

3above and below,

4Shamash, illuminator of all, the whole of heaven,

52. Remarks on this topic are offered by J. Nakata, "Mesopotamian Merchants and Their

6Who makes light the dark[ness for humankind a|bove and below,’

7Your radiance [spre]ads out like a net [over the world],

8You brighten the g[loo]m of the distant mountains.

9Gods and netherworld gods rejoiced when you appeared,

10All the Igigi-gods rejoice in you.

11Your beams are ever-mastering secrets,

12At the brightness of your light, humankind's footprints become vis[ible].

13Your dazzle is always seeking out | |,

14The four world regions [you set alight] like fire.

15You open” wide the gate of all [sanctuaries],

16You [| ] the food offerings of the Igigi-gods.

17O Shamash, humankind kneels to your rising,

18Illuminator of darkness, opener of heaven’s bosom,

19Hastener? of the morning breeze* (for?) the grain field, life of the land,

20Your splendor envelops the distant mountains,

21Your glare has filled all the lands.

22Leaning over the mountains, you inspect the earth,

23You balance the disk of the world in the midst of heaven

24(for) the circle of the lands.

25You make the people of all lands your charge,

26All those king Ea, the counsellor, has created are entrusted to you.

27You shepherd all living creatures together,

28You are their herdsman, above and below.

29You cross regularly through the heavens,

30Every day you traverse the vast earth.

31High seas, mountains, earth, and sky,

32Either "in every direction," or a reference to Shamash’s position in both heaven and

33netherworld, as in line 31.

343. Or, “who heats,” in which case the meaning would be that the rising sun heats the breezes of morn from their night coolness.

35You traverse them regularly, every day, like a ...

36In the lower regions you take charge of the netherworld gods, the demons, the (netherworld) Anunna-gods,

37In the upper regions you administer all the inhabited world.

38Shepherd of the lower regions, herdsman of the upper regions,

39You, Shamash, are regulator of the light for all.

40You cross time and again the vast expanse of the seas,

41[Whose] depths not even the Igigi-gods know.

42[O Sham]ash, your radiance has gone down to the deep,

43[The hairy hero-m]an of the ocean can see your light.

44[O Shamash], you tighten like a noose, you shroud like a mist,

45Your [bro]ad protection 1s cast over the lands.

46: Though you darken each day, your face 1s not eclipsed,*

47For by night you traverse* [the below?].?

48To far-off regions unknown and for uncoun[ted] leagues

49You have persevered, O Shamash, what you went by day you returned by night.

50Among all the Igigi-gods there is none who does such wearisome toil but you, among the sum total of the gods who does so much as you!

51At your rising the gods of the land assembled,

52Your fierce glare covered the land.

53Of all the lands of different tongues,

54[You] know their intentions, you see their footprints.

55All humankind kneels before you,

56[O Sha|mash, everyone* longs for your light,

57[From] the diviner’s bowl to the knots of cedar,?

58[You are] the most reflective of dream interpreters, explicators of night visions.*

59I. Word broken, perhaps "cultivated field" or the like, in which case the sun is like a conscientious farmer going over his domain.

60as The meaning may be that even though the sun sets, his brightness remains undimmed as he

61^ passes the other side of heaven, so he is not to be considered in unfavorable eclipse.

62[The parties to] contracts* kneel before you,

63[Be]fore you both wicked and just kneel down.

64[No one] goes down to the depths without you.”

65You clear up the case of the wicked and criminal,

66He pours out sleep [ ]

67You send back (to court?) the rogue surrounded by [false witnesses],

68You rescue from the brink of hell the [innocent] one tied up in a lawsuit,’

69What you pronounced in just verdict, O Shamash, [ |,

70Your utterances are manifest, they cannot be changed,

71[you show] no favoritism.*

72You give support to the traveler whose j[ourney] is trying,

73To the seafarer in dread of the waves you lend [aid],

74You are wont to g[uide] the roamer(?) on unexplored routes,

75You always guide [on the ro]ad any who turn toward [Shamash].

76You rescued from the flashflood the [mer]chant bearing his purse,

77You bring up* the one gone down to the deep, you set wings upon him.

78You reveal havens to refugees and runaways.*

79You show the exile roads he did not know.*

80[You set free] the one in a hid[den dungeon],

81You save the displaced cast 1n prison.*

82[You reconcile promptly] the god

83[who is angry] with someone,*

84Upon seeing ... | ]

85You stand by(?) the si[ck man ]

86You investigate the cause [ ]

87above, III. 1).

88Sworn documents, such as treaties and contracts, were Shamash's area of concern (see

89Reiner, Poetry, 72 suggests that this refers to a water ordeal; compare III.14 Tablet IV,

90Lines 61—62 may refer to the comfortable(?), scot-free evildoer being packed off for legal

91action, while the just man is rescued from the machinations of the law. For different views, compare W. G. Lambert, BWL, 129 and Seux, Hymnes, 56.

924. The bag used by commercial agents to carry their means and, by extension, "capital."

93From the Land of No Return you [ |

94The angry(?) goddesses [ ]

95You are exalted | ]

96O Shamash, with [your] battle net [you ]

97From your meshes no [ can escape ]

98He who, in taking an oath | ]

99For the one who does not fear [ ]

100Your wilde] net is spread [ ]

101The man who co[vets] his neighbor's wife,

102He will make to [ | before his appointed day.

103A snare is set for him, the wicked man will[ ],

104Your weapon makes straight for him,

105there [will be no|ne to save him.

106[His] own father will not be present at his trial, will his own brothers reply to the judge's queries.

107He is caught unawares in a metal trap!

108You blunt the horns of a scheming villain,

109The perpetrator of a cunning deal 1s undermined.*

110You show the roguish judge the (inside of) a jail,

111He who takes the fee but does not carry through,

112you make him bear the punishment.

113The one who receives no fee

114but takes up the case of the weak,

115Is pleasing to Shamash, he will make long his life.

116The careful judge who gives just verdicts,

117Controls the government, lives like a prince.

118What return is there for the investor in dishonest dealings?

119His profits are illusory, and he loses his capital.

120He who invests in long-range enterprises(?),

121who returns (even?) one shekel to the... [ ],

122Is pleasing to Shamash, he will make long his life.

123He who [commits] fra[ud as he holds the ba]|lances,

124Who switches weights," who lowers the [ J,

125(His) profits are illusory, and he lo[ses the capital].

126varying local standards of weight.

127The one who 1s honest in holding the balance,

128Whatever (he weighs) will be given to him in plenty [ |.

129He who commits fra[ud] as he holds the dry measure,

130Who pays loans by the smaller standard, demands repayment by the extra standard,

131Before his time, the people's curse will take effect on him,

132Before his due, he will be called to account,* he will bear the consequence(?).

133No heir will (there be) to take over his property, will (there be) kin to succeed to his estate.

134The honest merchant who pays loans by the [ex]tra(?) standard, thereby to make extra virtue,

135Is pleasing to Shamash, he will grant him extra life,

136He will make (his) family numerous, he will acquire wealth,

137[His] seed will be perpetual as the waters of a perpetual spring.

138For the man who does virtuous deeds, who knows not fraud,

139The man who always says what he really means,* there willbe[ |],

140The seed of evildoers wi[ll not be perpetual].

141The nay-sayers' speeches are before you,

142You quickly analyze what they say.

143You hear and examine them, you see through the trumped-up lawsuit.

144Each and every one is entrusted to your hands,

145You make their omens the right ones for them, you resolve what perplexes.

146You heed, O Shamash, prayer, supplication, and blessing,

147Obeisance, kneeling, whispered prayer, and prostration.

148The feeble one calls you as much as his speech allows him,’

149The meek, the weak, the oppressed, the submissive,

150Daily, ever, and always come before you.

151He whose family is far off, whose city is distant,

152. Literally: “according to the hollow of his mouth.”

153The shepherd [in] the afflictions of the wilderness,

154The herdsman in trouble, the keeper of sheep among the enemy, come before you.

155O Shamash, there comes before you the caravan in anxious progress,

156The travelling merchant, the agent carrying capital.

157O Shamash, there comes before you the fisherman with his net,

158The hunter, the archer, the driver of the game,

159The fowler among his snares comes before you,

160The skulking thief who hates the daylight,

161The bandit on the wilderness paths come before you,

162The wandering dead, the vagrant spirit come before you,

163O Shamash, you have listened to them all.

164You did not hold back(?) those who came before you,

165For my sake, O Shamash, do not despise them!

166You grant wisdom, O Shamash, to humankind,

167You grant those seeking you your raging, fierce light.

168[You make] their omens [the rig|ht ones for them, you preside over sacrifices.

169You probe their future in every way.

170You grant wisdom to the limits of the inhabited world.

171The heavens are too puny to be the glass of your gazing,

172The world is too puny to be (your) seer’s bowl.

173On the twentieth of the month you rejoice with mirth and joy,’

174You dine, you drink fine brew, the tavernkeep’s beer at wharfside.^

175They pour barkeep’s beer for you, you accept it.

176You are the one who saved them, surrounded by mighty waves,

177You accept from them in return their fine, clear libations.

178You drink their sweet beer and brew,

179You are the one who makes them achieve the goals they strive for.

180You release the ranks* of those who kneel to you,

181You accept prayers from those who are wont to pray to you. | |

182They revere you, they extol your name,

183They(?) praise your greatness(?) forever. m

184Imposters, those whose tongues urge sedition,” | |

185Who, like clouds, have neither face nor ap[pro]ach(?),

186Those who go all over the wide earth, |]

187Those who tread the lofty? mountains, (170) | |

188The hairy hero-men [of the oce]an, filled with fearsomeness, igh

189The yield of the ocean, which goes all over the deep, 2

190The catch of the rivers, (are?) what pass,

191O Shamash, before you.

192Which are the mountains that are not arrayed in your beams? fign

193Which are the corners of the earth that are not warmed 2 by the brightness of your rising? (175) ss

194Brightener of gloom, illuminator of shadow, xm

195Penetrator of darkness, illuminator of the wide world, a

196Who makes daylight shine, who sends down the heatglare Hh of midday to the earth, tm

197Who makes the wide world glow like flame, i

198Who can shorten the days and lengthen the nights, (180) int

199[Who can cau]se cold, frost, ice, (and) snow, m

200[Who shuts ... the ga]te,* the bolt of heaven, Ja opens wide the doors of the inhabited world, zl

201[Who is master of] socket and pin, latchkey, and bolt,^ e

202[Who ...] 1s relentless, (but) bestows life, X

203[Who ...] the captive in a fight to the death. (185) Bs

204[ | rea]son, counsel, deliberation, advice, yie

205[ ] ... of morning(?) to the wi[despread] people iD

206(gap of three lines)

207[To Ebabbar], shining house, your splendid abode,

208[ ] will bring you a banquet from(?) the four world regions.

209[ gover]nor, high priest, and prince,

210[ ] may they bring you their tribute.

211[ ] in a libation the yield of the lands,

212[ ] may your throne dais be renewed,

213[ ] whose utterance cannot be changed,

214[May Aya, the bride, your sp]ouse, say to you in the bedchamber, [Be appeased!"]

215* Notes to Text: (18) Seux, Hymnes, 53; Lambert, BWL, 318—319 (41-42) Reading with CAD A/r1, could be parallel to sunna lisanu of 49, rather than “totality” or the like. See Lambert, BWL, 128;

216Seux, Hymnes, 55 with note 30. (54) mu-si -mi and restoration uncertain; WGL suggests Summi.

217(64) ul t[u-ub-bal], von Soden, ZA 67 (1977), 281. (70) Restored from Rm IV 177, unpublished duplicate quoted CAD A/1, 53b. (71) Lambert, JSS 27 (1982), 285 (unpublished duplicate).

218Soden, ZA 67 (1977), 281. (74) Restored from BM 35077, unpublished duplicate quoted

219A/2, 153a. (75) Seux, Hymnes, 56 note 47. (96) For opinions on this line, see Seux, Hymnes,

22057 note 54; AHw, 1221b. (115) Literally: "asked about,” see Lambert, BWL, 321; reading here issal; see also Seux, Hymnes, 58 notes 61, 62; Moran, Studies Tadmor, 329—330. (123) Seux, Hymnes,

22159 note 64. (147) For a suggestion to this line, see CAD K, 97a (ta-sal ta-ti). (182) [KA].GAL, see