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Enuma Elish

Other Accounts: Marduk Creation
Mesopotamian trans. Leonard William King • c. 12th-7th century BCE
OBV.1
The holy house, the house of the gods, in the holy place had not yet been made
OBV.2
No reed had sprung up, no tree had been created
OBV.3
No brick had been laid, no building had been set up
OBV.4
No house had been erected, no city had been built
OBV.5
No city had been made, .no creature had been created
OBV.6
Nippur had not been made, E-kur had not been built
OBV.7
Erech had not been created, E-ana had not been built
OBV.8
The Deep had not been created, Eridu had not been built
OBV.9
Of the holy house, the house of the gods, the habitation had not been made
OBV.10
All lands were sea
OBV.11
At that time there was a movement in the sea
OBV.12
Then was Eridu made, and E-sagil was built
OBV.13
E-sagil, where in the midst of the Deep the god Lugal-dul-azaga 1 dwelleth
OBV.14
The city of Babylon was built, and E-sagil was finished
OBV.15
The gods, the Anunnaki, he 2 created at one time
OBV.16
The holy city, the dwelling, of their hearts' desire, they proclaimed supreme
OBV.17
Marduk laid a reed upon the face of the waters
OBV.18
He formed dust and poured it out beside the reed
OBV.19
That he might cause the gods to dwell in the habitation of their hearts' desire
OBV.20
He formed mankind
OBV.21
The goddess Aruru together with him 1 created the seed of mankind
OBV.22
The beasts of the field and living creatures in the field he formed
OBV.23
H e created the Tigris and the Euphrates, and he set them in their place
OBV.24
Their names he declared in goodly fashion
OBV.25
The grass, the rush of the marsh, the reed, and the forest he created
OBV.26
The green herb of the field he created
OBV.27
The lands, the marshes, and the swamps
OBV.28
The wild cow and her young, the wild calf; the ewe and her young, the lamb of the fold
OBV.29
Plantations and forests
OBV.30
The he-goat and the mountain-goat ... him
OBV.31
The Lord Marduk laid in a dam by the side of the sea
OBV.32
He ...] a swamp, he made a marsh
OBV.33
he brought into existence
OBV.34
Reeds he form]ed, trees he created
OBV.35
he made in their place
OBV.36
Bricks he laid], buildings he set up
OBV.37
Houses he made], cities he built
OBV.38
Cities he made], creatures he created
OBV.39
Nippur he made], E-kur he built
OBV.40
Erech he made, E-an]a he built. [The rest of the Obverse and the beginning of the Reverse of the tablet are wanting
REV.1
the decree
REV.3
Thy exalted minister is Papsukal, the wise counsellor of the gods
REV.4
May Nin-aha-kudû, the daughter of Ea
REV.5
Purify thee with the pure censer
REV.6
And may she cleanse thee with cleansing fire!
REV.7
With a cup of pure water from the Deep shalt thou purify thy way!
REV.8
By the incantation of Marduk, the king of the hosts of heaven and earth
REV.9
May the abundance of the land enter into thee
REV.10
And may thy decree be accomplished for ever!
REV.11
O E-zida, thou glorious dwelling, thou art dear unto the hearts of Anu and Ishtar!
REV.12
May (Ezida) shine like the heavens, may it be bright like the earth, may it [be glorious] like the heart of heaven
REV.13
And may ...] be firmly established!