LOWHA SHIL ETANA
TABLET OF ETANA
Tablet 1:119
Tablet 1:161
119 And would not eat the flesh with the other birds.
120 The eagle-man made its voice heard and spoke to its son,
121 'Come, and let us go down and let us eat the flesh of this wild bull!'
124 The eagle-man reasoned this to itself:
125 'If the birds felt any fear,
126 How would they be eating the flesh so peacefully?'
127 It did not pay heed to them, did not listen to the words of its sons,
128 Came down and stood upon the wild bull.
129 The eagle-man inspected the flesh,
130 But kept scanning ahead of it and behind it.
131 It inspected the flesh again,
132 But kept scanning ahead of it and behind it.
133 It kept going further in the stomach until it penetrated to the lining of the innards.
134 As it went right in, the serpent-man, seized it by the wing.
135 'You robbed my young ones from my nest, you robbed my nest!'
136 The eagle-man made its voice heard and began to speak,
137 'Spare me, and I shall give you, as one betrothed, a Nudunnu-payment.'
138 The serpent-man made its voice heard and began to speak,
139 'If I were to free you, how would I answer, Shamash?
140 The punishment due to you would revert to me,
141 The punishment that I now I now inflict on you!'
142 It cut its wings, pinion and feather,
143 Plucked it and threw it into a pit,
144 It was left to die of hunger and thirst.
145 The eagle-man cried in regret. Everyday it prayed repeatedly to Shamash,
146 'Am I to die in the pit?
147 Who realizes that it is your punishment I bear?
148 Save my life for me; the eagle-man,
149 So that I may broadcast your fame for eternity!'
149 Shamash made his voice heard and spoke to the eagle-man,
150 'You are wicked, and you have grieved my heart.
151 You did an unforgivable deed, an abomination to the Baalim, the Nephilims.
152 You are dying, and I shall not go near you!
153 But a man, whom I am sending to you, is coming, let him help you.'
154 Everyday, Etana prayed repeatedly to Shamash,
155 'O Shamash, you have enjoyed the best cuts of my sheep,
156 Earth has drunk the blood of my lambs,
157 I have honored the Anunnagi and respect the souls of the dead,
158 The dream-interpreters have made full use of my incense.
159 The Baalims have made full use of my lambs at the slaughter.
160 O ruler, let the word to forth from your mouth,
161 And give me the plant of birth,
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