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The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer (Ludlul bēl nēmeqi), Tablet II, entire
tablet, read by Karl Hecker

By kind permission of Professor B. R. Foster, the translation below is taken from his work
Before the Muses: an Anthology of Akkadian Literature (Bethesda, 2005), with minor
modifications (most of which follow the translation of W. G. Lambert).

The transcription is based on the transliteration provided in the editio princeps by W. G.

Lambert, Babylonian Wisdom Literature (Oxford, 1960 repr. Winona Lake, 1996), with
minor modifications.

Owing to differences in Babylonian and English word order, it is not always easy for the
English translation to mirror the two half lines of the Babylonian original. When the match is
not exact, the translation begins with an asterisk (as e.g. in line 07).

Original Transcript English Translation

1 akšudma ana balāṭ | adanna 1 I survived to the next year, | the appointed time passed.
ītiq
2 asaḫḫurma | lemun lemunma 2 As I turned around, | it was more and more terrible;
3 zapurtī ūtaṣṣapa | išartī ul uttu 3 My ill luck was on the increase, | I could find no good
fortune.
4 ila alsīm | ul iddina pānīšu 4 I called to my god, | but he did not show me his face,
5 usalli ištarī | ul ušaqqâ rēšīša 5 I prayed to my goddess, | but she did not raise her head.
6 bārû ina bīr | arkat ul iprus 6 The diviner with his inspection | did not get to the bottom
7 ina maššakka šāˀilu | ul ušāpi of it,
dīnī 7 *Nor did the dream priest with his incense | clear up my
case
8 zaqīqu abālma | ul upatti uznī 8 I beseeched a dream spirit, | but it did not enlighten me;
9 mašmaššu ina kikiṭṭê | kimiltī 9 And the incantation priest with his ritual | did not appease
ul ipṭur the divine wrath against me.
10 ayyīte epšēti | šanāti mātitān 10 What bizarre actions | there were everywhere!
11 āmurma arkat | ridâti ippīru 11 I looked behind, | there was persecution, trouble.
12 kī ša tamqītum ana ili lā 12 *Like one who has not | made libations to his god,
uktinnu 13 *nor with a food offering | invoked his goddess,
13 u ina mākalê ištari lā zakru
14 appi lā enû | šukînni lā amru 14 who is not wont to prostrate himself, | nor has been seen
15 ina pîšu ipparkû | suppû to bow down,
teslītu 15 from whose mouth there has been no issue | of prayer or
16 ibṭilu ūmu ili | išēṭu eššēšī supplication
17 iddû ahšuma | mēšunu imēšu 16 who has skipped holy days | and despised festivals,
18 palāhu u itˀudu | lā ušalmidu 17 who has been neglectful | and scorned the god's rites,
nišīšu 18 who has not taught his people | reverence and worship,
19 ilšu lā izkur | īkul akalšu 19 who has not invoked his god | but eaten his food offering,
20 īzib ištartašu | mashatu lā 20 who has snubbed his goddess | by not bringing a flour
ubla offering,
21 ana ša imhû | bēlšu imšû 21 like one possessed | who has forgotten his lord,
22 nīš ilīšu kabti | qalliš izkur 22 who has casually sworn | a solemn oath by his god,
22a anāku amšal 22a (like such a one) did I seem!
23 aḫsusma raman | suppû teslīti 23 I, for my part, was mindful | of supplication and prayer:
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24 teslītī tašīmat | niqû sakkûˀa 24 to me prayer was the natural recourse, | sacrifice my rule.
25 ūmu palāh ilī |ṭūb libbīya 25 The day for reverencing the gods | was a joy to my heart;
26 ūmu ridûti ištar | nēmeli 26 The day of the goddess's procession | was my profit and
tatturu return.
27 ikribi šarri | šī hidûtī 27 Praying for the king, | that was my joy,
28 u nēgûtašu | ana damiqti 28 His fanfare | was as if for (my own) good omen.
šumma
29 uššar ana māti | mê ili naṣāri 29 I instructed my land | to observe the god's rites,
30 šumi ištar šūqur | nišīya 30 the goddess's precious name | did I teach my people to
uštāhiz value.
31 tanādāti šarri | iliš umaššil 31 Praise for the king | I made like a god's
32 u puluhti ekalli | ummān 32 And reverence for the palace | I taught the populace.
ušalmid
33 lū idi kī itti ili | itamgur 33 *I wish I knew that these things | were pleasing to a god!
annâti
34 ša damqat ramānuš | ana 34 What seems good to oneself | could be an offence to a
ili gullultu[m] god,
35 ša ina libbīšu mussukat | eli 35 What in one's own heart seems abominable | could be
ilīš damqat good to a god!
36 ayyu ṭēm ilī | qirib šamê 36 *Who can learn the reasoning | of the gods in heaven?
ilammad 37 *Who understands the plans | of the underworld gods?
37 milik ša zanunzê | ihakkim 38 *Where might humans | have learned the way of a god?
mannu
38 ēkamma ilmadā | alakti ilī
apâti
39 ša ina amšat ibluṭu | imūt 39 He who was alive yesterday | is dead today.
uddiš 40 For a minute someone is downcast, | then suddenly full of
40 surriš uštādir | zamar cheer.
uḫtabbar
41 ina ṣibit appi | izammur elīla 41 One moment | he sings in exaltation,
42 ina pīt purīdi | uṣarrap lallāriš 42 Another | he groans like a professional mourner.
43 kī pitê u katāmi | ṭēnšina šitni 43 *The people's condition changes | like opening and
shutting (the legs) (i.e. in a twinkling).
44 immuṣāma | immâ | šalamtiš 44 *When starving they become like corpses,
45 išebbâma | išannâ | ilšin 45 *When sated they rival their gods.
46 ina ṭâbi itammâ | ili šamāˀī 46 In good times they speak | of scaling heaven
47 ūtaššašāma idabbubā | arād 47 When it goes badly, they complain | of going down to
irkalla hell.
48 [The line is fragmentary; not 48 [The line is fragmentary; not read]
read]
49 [u] yâti šūnu[hu] | ireddi 49 As for me, the exhausted one, | a whirlind is driving me!
mehû 50 Debilitating Disease | is let loose upon me;
50 murṣu munnišu | elīya 51 *An evil wind has blown | [from the ends] of the sky,
innešra 52 *Headache has surged upon me | from the breast of the
51 imhullu [ištu išid] | šamê underworld,
izīqa 53 An malignant spectre | has come forth from its hidden
52 [u]ltu irat erṣētim | išīha ṭīˀi depth.
53 šūlu lemnu | ittaṣâ apsuššu 54-59 [These lines are fragmentary; not read]
54-59 [These lines are
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fragmentary; not read]

60 [būnēya] ikkilū | inaˀˀilū 60 [My face] was gloomy, | my eyes were in flood.
īnāya 61 They wrenched my neck muscles | made my neck limp.
61 labânī ētiqū | urammû kišādu 62 They thwacked my chest, | pounded my breast.
62 irtī imhaṣū | tūlê iṭṭirû 63 They affected my flesh | and caused convulsions,
63 šīrī ilputū | raˀība iddû 64 [In] my epigastrium | they kindled a fire.
64 [ina r]ēš libbīya | ippuhū 65 They churned up my bowels, | they tw[isted] my fingers
išāt[u] 66 With coughing and hacking | they infected [my lungs].
65 qerbīya idluhū | u<bā>nātīya 67 They wasted my limbs | and made my fat quake.
utti[kū]
66 šūlu u hahhu | ulaˀˀibū
ha[šêya]
67 mešrêtīya ulaˀˀibā| uniššū
pitrī
68 lāna zaqru | ībutū igāriš 68 My lofty stature | they toppled like a wall,
69 gattī rapšat | urubāˀiš ušnīla 69 My robust figure | they laid down like a bulrush,
70 kī ulilte annābik | buppāniš 70 I was throw down like a dried fig, | I was tossed onto my
annadi face.
71 alû zumrī | ītediq ṣubātī 71 *The alû-demon had clothed himself | in my body for a
72 kīma šuškalli | ukattimanni garment.
šittu 72 *Drowsiness covered me | like a net.
73 palṣāma | ul inaṭṭal | īnāya 73 *My eyes stared, but did not see,
74 petâ | ul išemmâ | uznāya 74 *My ears were open, but did not hear.
75 kal pagrīya | ītahaz | remûtu 75 *Numbness had grasped my whole body,
76 mišittu | imtaqut | eli šīrīya 76 Paralysis | had fallen | upon my flesh
77 mangu | iṣbat | idīya 77 Stiffness | had seized | my arms,
78 luˀtu| imtaqut | eli birkīya 78 Impotence | had fallen | on my loins,
79 mašâma | nammuššīša | 79 *My feel had forgotten their motion.
šēpāya 80-83 [These lines are fragmentary; not read]
80-83 [These lines are
fragmentary; not read]
84 ina pîya | nahbal | nadīma 84 *A snare was laid on my mouth,
85 u napraku | sekir | šaptīya 85 And a bolt | barred | my lips,
86 [b]ābī edil | pehi mašqûˀa 86 My way in was barred, | my 'drinking place' blocked,
87 arkat bubūtī | katim urˀudī 87 My hunger was chronic, | my gullet constricted.
88 ašnan šumma | daddāriš 88 When grain is served, | I choke it down like stinkweed.
alaˀˀut 89 Beer, the sustenance of mankind, | is sickening to me.
89 siriš napšat nišī | elīya
imtarṣu
90 appūnāma | ēterik silītu 90 Truly, | the malady drags on.
91 ina lā mākalê | zīmūˀa 91 Through lack of food | my features changed,
itta[krū] 92 My flesh was wasted, | my blood had run dry.
92 šīrī ištahha | dāmī izzū[ba] 93 My bones were loose, | they were covered (only) with my
93 eṣettum ussuqat | arimat skin.
maš[kī] 94 My tissues were inflamed, | they had caught the uriqtum-
94 šerˀānūˀa nuppuhū| disease.
uriqtum mah[rū]
95 āhuz erši mēsiri | mūṣê 95 I took to a bed of bondage; | going out was exhausting;
tānīh[u] 96 *My house turned into a prison
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96 ana kisukkīya | itūra bītum

97 illurtu šīrīya | nadâ idāya 97 My flesh was a shackle, | my arms being useless;
98 maškan ramnīya | muqqutā 98 My self was a fetter, | my feet being limp.
šēpāya
99 niṭâtūˀašumruṣā | mihiṣtu 99 My afflictions were grievous, | the blow was severe.
danna[t] 100 A scourge has whipped me, | one full of barbs.
100 qinnazu iṭṭânni | malâti 101 A crop pierced me, | one covered in stings.
ṣillātum
101 paruššu usahhilanni |
ziqata labšat
102 kāl ūmu | ridû ireddâ[nni] 102 All day long | the tormentor tormented [me],
103 ina šāt mūši | ul 103 (Even) in the middle of the night | he would not let me
unappašanni surriš breathe freely for an instant.
104 ina ittablakkuti | puṭṭurū 104 From writhing, | my joints were separated
riksūˀa 105 My limbs were splayed | and knocked about.
105 mešrētūˀa suppuhā | ittaddâ
ahītum
106 ina rubṣīya | abīt | kī alpi 106 *I spent the night in my dung like an ox,
107 ubtallil | kī immeri | ina 107 *Like a sheep I wallowed in my excrement.
tabaštāniya
108 sakīkīya | išhuṭū | mašmaššu 108 *The exorcist recoiled from my symptoms,
109 u têrētīya | bārû | ūtešši 109 *And the diviner has been perplexed by my omens.
110 ul ušāpi āšipu | šikin 110 The exorcist could not diagnose | the nature of my
murṣiya illness,
111 u adanna siliˀtīya | bārû ul 111 *Nor could the diviner | put a time limit on my illness.
iddin
112 ul irūṣa ilī | qātī ul iṣbat 112 My god has not come to the rescue | nor taken me by the
113 ul irēmanni ištarī | idāya ul hand,
illik 113 My goddess has not shown me pity | nor gone at my
side.
114 piti kimahhu | ersû 114 My grave was open, | my funerary goods were ready,
šukānūˀa 115 (Even) before I was dead, | laments for me were over.
115 adi lā mītūtīya | bikītī
gamrat
116 kāl mātīya | kī habil iqbûni 116 All of my country | said "How he was crushed!".
117 išmēma hādûˀa | immerū 117 When anyone who gloated at me heard, | his features lit
pānūšu up,
118 hādītī ubassirū | kabattašu 118 *The tidings reached her who gloated at me, and her
ipperdu heart rejoiced.
119 īdi ūmu | ša gimir kimtīya 119 But I know the day | for my whole family,
120 ša qirib mūdê | šamassun 120 When, among my friends, | their Sun-god will have
irêm mercy.