CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) composite (P473732)

Literary letter and letter-prayer artifact dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period

Info

Museum Collection(s)

-

Museum Number

-

Period

Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)

Provenience

-

Artifact Type

-

Material(s)

-

Genre / Subgenre(s)

Literary > Literary letter and letter-prayer (ETCSL 3.01.21 Letter from Abaindasa to Šulgi (composite))

Language(s)

Sumerian

Measurements

-

Composite

Text

object composite text
surface a
1. lugal-gu10-ra u3-na-du11
 en: After you speak to my king
2. masz2 hur-sag-ga2 a2 sa6-sa6-gu10
 en: To my ram of the mountain range with beautiful horns
3. sisix(|ANSZE.KUR|) hur-sag-ga2 umbin hu-ri2-in{muszen}-na
 en: Horse of the mountain range with claws of an eagle
4. {gesz}geszimmar ki sikil-e mu2-a zu2-lum {na4}za-gin3 la2-gu10-ur2
 en: Date palm grown in a pure place from which shining dates hang down.
5. u3-ne-de3-tah
 en: After you repeat to him
6. {disz}a-ba-in-da-sa2 ugula erin2 zu2 kesz2
 en: For(!?) Abaindasa, the overseer of the arrayed troops,
7. szudux(|KA.SZU|){+u4} lugal-la-na-ta sza3 lugal-la-na du10-du10-ge-ra
 en: he who by delighting his king pleases the heart of his king,
8. ARAD2-zu na-ab-be2-a
 en: Your servant, thus says
9. kal-ga-me-en lugal-gu10 ga-ab-us2
 en: I am powerful, the soldier of my king,
10. inim-ma-zu ra-gaba-zu he2-me-en
 en: (By/of) your word I shall be your rider.
11. {gesz}ma2 gub-ba {gesz}gisal mu-un-se3-ge
 en: (When) the boat is idle, (I) prepare the oars
12. a gub-ba a mu-un-da-ak-e
 en: When the water is standing still, (I) can make it flow;
12a. dumu gub?-ba sze mu-un-se3-ge
 en: (When) the wind is still, (I) prepare(?) the grain
12b. [...] x x mu-un-zalag-ge
 en: (When) ..., (I) illuminate ...
13. tu15 gub-ba sze mu-un-da-la2-e
 en: (When) the water is still, I make it flow
14. dub-sar-me-en na-ru2-a ab-sar-re-en
 en: As a scribe, I incise a stele,
14a. inim ugnim-ma mu-[...]
 en: the words of the army I ...,
15. inim pu-uh2-ru-um-ma szub-ba e11?-de3-bi mu-un-da-se3-ge
 en: I am able to reproduce the dropped and excised(?) words of the assembly
15a. inim sa6-ge gaba-ri x [...]
 en: the sweet words, copies ...,
16. gesz-gin7 {gesz}tir-ga2 mu-un-du3-nam mu-dur7-re im-gurumx(BUR3)-e
 en: (But now, as if) I was planted like a tree in my forest, (I) bend over as one who is dirty(?)
17. {gesz}gu-za-ga2 lu2 mu-un-da-la2-a szu-gu10 esz2 im-ma-an-la2
 en: The one who is near to(?) the royal throne has bound my hands with rope
18. iri-ga2 tug2 dan6-na-a mu-ni-mur10-ra tug2-mu-dur7-ra ba-an-mur10
 en: In my city, I, the one who wore a clean garment, (now) wears a dirty garment
19. lag-e a mi-ni-in-tu5-a sahar igi gun3? ba-e-gub
 en: As one who has washed with mud clods, I caked(?) dirt to serve as facial makeup(?)
20. ur-e ad6 ib2-gu7 gaba-bi ib2-zi-zi
 en: A dog that has eaten carrion has (also) retreated
21. uszumgal-e sag gesz ib2-ra-ra ka-ta ab-tak4 i3-ib2-tak4
 en: An ušumgal (creature) that kills has (also) left behind scraps(?)
22. gesz-gi izi ib2-gu7 a!-nigin2 i3-da13-da13
 en: After the reedbed is consumed by fire, the ponds remain
23. {d}utu i3 un-gu7 ga un-gu7 {gesz}szakir-ra-sze3 szu-ni ib2-szi-tum3
 en: After Utu has consumed ghee has consumed cheese, he touches(?) the churn (to make it more productive?)
23a. zi-gu10 ba-e-i szu-gu10 ha-za-a-ab
 en: I have “brought out” my life/breath(?), take hold of my hand;
23b. dumu nu-mu-un-su-me-en lu2 en3 tar-re la-ba-an-tuku
 en: I am the child of a widow, one who has not had anyone to inquire after him;
24. ga2-a me-na-am3 sza3 {d}szul-gi lugal-ga2 ki-be2 ha-ma-gi4-gi4
 en: as for me, when will the heart of Šulgi, my king, be returned to its place on my behalf?
24a. lugal-gu10 en3-gu10 he2-tar-re ki ama-gu10-sze3 he2-em-mi-ib-gi4-gi4
 en: May my king inquire after me and restore me(!) to the “place of my mother.”

Text content

Genre(s) Literary > Literary letter and letter-prayer (ETCSL 3.01.21 Letter from Abaindasa to Šulgi (composite))
Composite Number Q000561
Language(s) Sumerian

Chronology

Period Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
Accounting Period

Witnesses

This artifact is a composite text. View the score of CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) composite. See below for a list of its witness(es):

Witness Period Provenience
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 001 (P370085) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Susa (mod. Shush)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 002 (P262943) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 003 (P369950) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Susa (mod. Shush)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 004 (P356598) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 005 (P346263) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 006 (P346264) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 007 (P345683) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 008 (P256294) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 009 (P265336) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 010 (P276684) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 011 (P357300) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) uncertain (mod. uncertain)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 012 (P388362) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) uncertain (mod. uncertain)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 013 (P464212) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 014 (P356667) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 015 (P251518) Early Old Babylonian (ca. 2000-1900 BC) uncertain (mod. uncertain)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 016 & 000562, ex. 008 & 000760, ex. 065 (P356633) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Nippur (mod. Nuffar)
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 017 & 000564, ex. 009 & 000575, ex. 013 & 000582, ex. 013 & 000599, ex. 001 (P346258) Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar)

Record

LOD URI https://cdli.network/entity/P473732

Physical information

composite text

Artifact type
composite text
Dimensions
Weight
Material(s)
Preservation

Provenance

Provenience
Written In
Archive
Excavation Number
Findspot
Stratigraphic Level
Elevation

Collections

Collection(s)
Museum Number
Accession Number

References

  • history: Attinger, Pascal (s. PDF version at ‟View commentary”)

    [AttingerViewCommentary] Attinger, Pascal. n.d.

  • history: ETCSL, 3.01.21 Letter from Abaindasa to Šulgi

    [BlackETCSL] Black, Jeremy A. 1998-2006. “Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.” https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk. 1998-2006.

Revisions and credits

Created Creator Type Authors Project Reviewer Status Action
2024-07-15 at 13:33:04 Firth, Richard Artifact metadata, Other metadata Firth, Richard Firth, Richard Approved View
2024-06-07 at 13:32:34 Firth, Richard Artifact metadata Firth, Richard Firth, Richard Approved View
2024-06-07 at 13:24:18 Firth, Richard Artifact metadata, Other metadata Firth, Richard Firth, Richard Approved View
2020-01-25 at 16:00:18 Englund, Robert K. Transliteration Englund, Robert K. CDLI Approved View
2018-05-17 at 15:36:43 Englund, Robert K. Transliteration Foxvog, Daniel A. CDLI Approved View
2016-01-03 at 09:09:12 Dahl, Jacob L. Transliteration Dahl, Jacob L. CDLI Approved View
2015-01-24 at 00:00:00 CDLI Artifact metadata Peterson, Jeremiah CDLI Approved View

Cite this Artifact

“CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) Composite Artifact Entry.” (2015) 2024. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). July 15, 2024. https://cdli.earth/P473732.
CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) composite artifact entry (No. P473732). (2024, July 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P473732 (Original work published 2015)
CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) composite artifact entry (2024) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P473732 (Accessed: June 15, 2026).
@misc{2024CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-06-15]},
	year = {2024},
	month = {jul 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000561 ({Letter} from {Abaindasa} to {Shulgi}) composite artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P473732},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P473732},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2024/7/15/
PY  - 2024
ID  - P473732
LB  - CDLI:P473732
M1  - 2026/6/15/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) composite artif
act entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P473732
ER  -

Cite this Artifact

“CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) Composite Artifact Entry.” (2015) 2024. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). July 15, 2024. https://cdli.earth/P473732.
CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) composite artifact entry (No. P473732). (2024, July 15). Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). https://cdli.earth/P473732 (Original work published 2015)
CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) composite artifact entry (2024) Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). Available at: https://cdli.earth/P473732 (Accessed: June 15, 2026).
@misc{2024CDLI,
	note = {[Online; accessed 2026-06-15]},
	year = {2024},
	month = {jul 15},
	title = {CDLI {Literary} 000561 ({Letter} from {Abaindasa} to {Shulgi}) composite artifact entry},
	url = {https://cdli.earth/P473732},
	howpublished = {https://cdli.earth/P473732},
}


TY  - ELEC
DA  - 2024/7/15/
PY  - 2024
ID  - P473732
LB  - CDLI:P473732
M1  - 2026/6/15/
TI  - CDLI Literary 000561 (Letter from Abaindasa to Shulgi) composite artif
act entry
UR  - https://cdli.earth/P473732
ER  -
This website uses essential cookies that are necessary for it to work properly. These cookies are enabled by default.