The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

^1-3 Speak to my lord: this is what Nanna-kiaj the general, your servant, says:

4-6 E-danna has turned against my lord.

Atta-mannum has made six hundred troops of Gungunum enter into E-danna.

7-11 I would not allow these troops to enter old Iri-saj-ana.

They camped instead in Iri-gibil.

These troops (1 ms. has instead:) The troops of Gungunum

have come from the banks of the Id-Amar-Suena watercourse,

in order to build ……, to make Dunnum ready (?) and to …….

12-17 If my lord does not …… crews of highlanders, bows, arrows, small boats,

fishermen ……, their tied-up leather sacks, weapons, …… and implements,

the armaments of battle, then the troops will construct brick structures

by the bank of the Id-Amar-Suena watercourse, …… and dig a …… canal.

18-19 They should not be neglectful, my lord! It is urgent!

Letter from Lipit-Eshtar to Nanna-kiang about driving away the enemy: translation

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

(mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

^1-3 Say to Nanna-kiaj, the general: this is what Lipit-Ectar, your lord, says:

4-7 Because of enemy troops (1 ms. has instead: the enemy),

I, the king, have sent you a letter (1 ms. has instead:I have sent a letter).

Atta-mannum, who pleases his lord, is (?) a better servant to his lord (1 ms. has instead: man) than you!

Why is it that you have not been avenging your lord, and not keeping me informed

(1 ms. has instead: while I (?) have kept the soldiers loyal (?),

you have not stationed them among those people)?

(1 ms. adds: So now you are to station the troops there.)

8-10 Now, I have sent to you in haste (1 ms. has instead: they have pursued (?))

2000 (1 ms. has instead: 4000) (1 other ms. has instead: 3000) soldiers

who are spear-throwers (1 ms. has instead: who are …… spear-throwers),

2000 (1 ms. has instead: 4000) soldiers who are archers (1 ms. has instead: who are …… archers),

and 2000 (1 ms. has instead:1000) soldiers who are double-axe wielders

(1 ms. has instead:who are …… double-axe wielders) .

11-17 The enemy has camped down in Iri-gibil.

Chase them away from those settlements; do not ……. Guard (?) each city …….

Do not let these cities out of your grasp.

Station your people — it is urgent!