HYMNS AND PRAYERS THERE are no greater treasures in all the literature of Babylonia and Assyria than the hymns and prayers. They have, indeed, sometimes been valued too highly, chiefly because they have so frequently been appraised solely by means of extracts, sometimes indeed by very short passages, and even when judged by longer excerpts, these have been so chosen as to leave out essential contexts. The passages here given are complete, even the incantation rituals being carefully set down. with the lyrical or supplicative contents. The parallels to the Hebrew psalter need to be very cautiously drawn. Superficial resemblances are misleading, and the deeper analogies are sometimes not easily discerned. There is no general agreement yet secured among scholars upon these delicate points. It is, however, quite clear that in spite of much that is beautiful in these hymns, they are as a whole deficient in individual character, having much sameness of phrase and, so far as we are able to judge, of metre, and in these qualities, as well as in pure religious character, stand far below the book of Psalms. 1. HYMN TO SIN, THE MOON GOD O Lord, chief of the gods, who alone is exalted on earth and in heaven. 1 Published in IV R., 9. Translated by Zimmern, Hymnen, p. 11f.; by E. G. Perry, Hymnen und Gebete an Sin (Leipzig, 1907), pp. 1ff.; and by Ungnad in Gressmann, Altorientalische Texte und Bilder, i, pp. 80, 81. Compare also Zimmern in Schrader's Keilinschriften und das Alte Testament, 3te Auf., pp. 608, 609; Jastrow, Die Religion Babyloniens und Assyriens, i, pp. 436ff.; Combe, Culte de Sin, pp. 94ff. The hymn is a bilingual, being handed down in Sumerian, in the eme-sal dialect, and in Assyrian. ù-mu-un nir-gál dím-me-ir-e-ne an-ki-a áš-ni mah-a-an be-lum e-tel-li ilâni ša ina šamê(e) u irșitim(tim) e-diš-ši-šu și-i-ru Father Nannar, Lord, Anshar, chief of the gods, Father Nannar, Lord, great Anu, chief of the gods, Father Nannar, Lord, Sin, chief of the gods, 5 Father Nannar, Lord of Ur, chief of the gods, Father Nannar, Lord of Egisshirgal, chief of the gods, Father Nannar, Lord of the tiara, brilliant one, chief of the gods, Father Nannar, whose rule is perfect, chief of the gods, Father Nannar, who dost go forth in the robe of majesty, chief of the gods, 10 O strong, young bull, with huge horns, perfect in limbs, with beards of lapis-lazuli color, full of glory and perfection. 1 The temple of Sin in Ur. ? The moon from the 11th to the 15th day was seen as a great glowing tiara. The moon in art is represented with a long beard. See plate at the end of the book. a-a (dimmer) Uru (ki) umun An-šár nir-yál dím-me-ir-e-ne a-a (dimmer) Uru (ki) umun An gal-e nir-gál dím-me-ir-e-ne a-bu (ilu) Na-an-nar be-lum (ilu) Sin e-tel-li ilâni a-a (dimmer) Uru (ki) umun Uru (unu) (ki)-ma nir-gál dimme-ir-e-ne 5 a-bu (ilu) Na-an-nar be-el Ú-ri e-tel-li ilâni a-a (dimmer) Uru (ki) umun é-giš-šir-gal nir-gál dím-me-ir-e-ne a-a (dimmer) Uru (ki) umun mèn ZUBU-na nir-gál dím-me-ir-e-ne me-ir-e-ne a-bu (ilu) Na-an-nar ša šar-ru-tú ra-biš šuk-lu-lum e-tel-li ilâni a-a (dimmer) Uru (ki) tug-tug na-ám-duru-na šud-šud nir-gál dim-me-ir-e-ne a-bu (ilu) Na-an-nar ša ina ti-di-iķ ru-bu-tú i-šad-di-hu e-tel-li ilâni amar banda si gur-gr-ra à-ür su dù sù (sà?) za-gìn-na sud-sud šár-gub la-la ma-al-la-ta 10 bu-ru ik-du ša kar-ni kab-ba-ru ša meš-re-ti šuk-lu-lum zik-ni uk-ni-i zak-nu ku-uz-bu u la-la-a ma-lu-ú Fruit which hath created itself, of lofty form beautiful to look upon, in whose being one cannot sufficiently sate himself; Mother womb, begetter of all things, who hast taken up his exalted habitation among living creatures; O merciful, gracious Father, who hath taken into his care the life of the whole world. O Lord, thy divinity is full of awe, like the far-off heaven and the broad ocean. 15 O creator of the land, founder of sanctuaries, proclaimer of their names. O Father, begetter of gods and men, who dost build dwellings and establish offerings, Who dost call to lordship, dost bestow the sceptre, determinest destinies for far-off days. O mighty leader, whose deep inner being no god understands. gi-rin im-ba mu-un-dìm-ma é-mar ë-a i-de-bar GAN-UL la-la-bi nu-ge-ge en-bu ša ina ra-ma-ni-šu ib-ba-nu-u ši-ha kat-ta ša ana naplu-si as-mu la-la-šu la eš-še-bu-u ama gam nigin-na mu-lu ši da-ma-al-la ki-dúr maḥ ne-in-ri ri-i-mu a-lid nap-ha-ri ša it-ti šik-na-at na-piš-ti šub-tam ellitim (tim) ra-mu-u a-a šà-lá-šud mar-ra-na mu-lu na-ám-ti-la gú ka-nag-gá šu-šú mu-un-dib-ba a-bu rim-nu-u ta-a-a-ru ša ba-lat nap-har ma-a-ti ga-tuššu tam-bu umun na-ám-dím-me-ir-zu an-šud-dam a-ab-ba da-ma-al-la ni mu-un-gùr-ru-e be-lum i-lut-ka ki-ma šamê(e) ru-ku-ti tam-tim ra-pa-aš-tú pu-lub-tú ma-lat ù-[tu]-ud-da ka-nag-gá zag mu-un-šub-ba mu-un-da-ab-sá-e-me 15 b[a-nu]-u ma-a-ta mu-šar-ši-du eš-ri-e-ti na-bu-ú šu-me-šu-un ad MUн-na dím-me-ir-e-ne na-ám-galu-[găl-lu] [gàl-(mùl)-lu] bara ri-a-an sUK-dimmer NINNI mu-un-gi-eš-a-an a-bu a-lid ilâni u a-me-li mu-šar-mu-u šub-tum mu-kin ninda-bi-e na-ám-bara-e-ne mu-sá-a mudum(PA?) şi-ém-mu-a ud-šú (ud)da-šú [nam] mu-ni-íb(?)-tar-e-ne na-bu-ú šar-ru-ti na-din hat-ți ša šim-ti ana umê(me) ru-ķu-ti i-šim-mu i-de-eš-gin(dim) gìr (mir)-ra šă-ab-sú-ud dimmer na-me nu-muun-pa(d)-da-e-ne a-ša-ri-du ga-aš-ru ša lìb-ba-šu ru-ú-ķu ilu man-man la ut-tu-u O hastening steed, sturdy one, whose knees do not grow weary, who dost open the road for the gods, thy brothers, 20 Thou that from the base of heaven to the height of heaven dost march in glory, opening the door of heaven, and granting light to all men. O Father, begetter of all things, who lookest upon all living beings, seeker of O Lord, who determinest the decisions of heaven Who holdest fire and water, and leadest all souls. Who is exalted in heaven? Thou alone art ex- 25 Who is exalted on earth? Thou alone art exalted. Thy word is proclaimed in heaven, and the Igigi prostrate themselves; dura kaş-dúg-ga-ra şi-ib-ba nam-kuš-šá kaskal mu-un-ri-r[id] im-me-ir šeš-e-ne agalu la-as-mu ša bir-ka-šu la in-na-ha mu-pat-tu-u [ur-bil ilâni at-hi-šu [an-ú]r-ta an-PA-šú lag-ga mu-un-làh-làh giš-šir u[ku-cdū-šú] mar-ra an-na-da-ma]-al-la 20 ša iš-tu i-šid šamê(e) ana e-lat [samê(e) it-ta-na-al-la-kļu(?) pi-tu-u da-lat šamê(e) ša-kin n[u-u-ra ana kull-lat niš[ê] [ad] MUH-mu nigin-na ši-mà-al igi-duḥ [ ̧ l-a(?)-an kinkin[] a-bu a-lid nap-b[a-ri mu-up-pa-li-is šik-nat na-piš-ti mušte-'-u] umun dúg-áš-bar bar-ra an-ki-a m[u]-l[u dúg-ga-b]i nu-m[u-unkúr-ri-e-ne] be-lum pa-ri-is purussê šamê(e) u irṣitim (tim) ša ķi-bit-su man-m[a-an la ú-na-ak-ka-ru] a (dimmer) Mu-bar-ra šú-mu-un-da-ab-ha-za túm-túm ši maall-la] dim-me-ir na-me a-ba-zu mu-un-dim-ma ta-me-ih (ilu) Gír-ri ù me-e mut-tar-ru-ú šik-na-at na-piš-tim a-a-ú ilu ma-la-ka im-și an-na a-ba mah-me-en za-e ušu-zu mah-a-an ina šamê(e) man-nu și-i-ru at-ta e-diš-ši-ka şi-rat ki-a a-ba mah-me-en za-e ušu-zu mah-a-an 25 ina irṣitim (tim) man-nu și-i-ru at-ta e-diš-ši-ka ṣ[i-ra]t za-e e-ne-ém-zu an-na mu-un-pa(d)-da (dimmer) Nun-gal-e-ne ka šú-ma-ra-an-gál (mal)-li-eš ka-a-tú a-mat-ka ina šamê(e) i-zak-kar-ma ilâni Igigi ap-pa i-lab-bi-nu |