TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS OF ASSYRIAN HYMNS

Hymns to Shamash

1. Rawlinson, Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia, IV: 2, 28 No. 1; translated by Jastrow, Die Religion Babyloniens und Assyriens, I, 426; and by Fossey, La Magie Assyrienne, No. 30. It is a hymn of fourteen lines, introducing a petition to Shamash for the healing of the king. The first two lines of the obverse and reverse sides of the tablet are missing.

2. R. IV: 2, 20 No. 2, translated by Jastrow, I, 427. There remain only the first five lines of a hymn, introducing a prayer to Shamash at the rising of the sun.

3. R. V, 50; translated by Jastrow, I, 428; by Zimmern, Babylonische Hymnen und Gebete in Auswahl, Der Alte Orient, 1905, page 15; and by Fossey, La Magie Assyrienne, No. 42. It is a hymn of eleven lines, introducing a petition to Shamash for the freeing of the king from the ban resting upon him, the prayer being offered at sunrise.

4. Abel-Winckler, Keilschrifttexte, pages 59 to 60; translated by Jastrow, I, 429. It is a hymn of twelve lines addressed to Shamash at sunset, wishing the God a safe return and glad welcome to his home from Ea his wife.

5. R. IV: 2, 19 No. 2; translated by Jastrow, I, 429; and by Zimmern, Der Alte Orient, 1905, page 15. It is a hymn of ten lines addressed to Shamash at sunrise. After this hymnal section the poem goes on to describe how the gods inhale the odor of the sacrifice and refresh themselves with the “food of heaven.” This suggests that the rising of the sun was the signal for the offering of sacrifice and the praise of Shamash, even as it was also the favorable moment for the banning of the powers of darkness which troubled men. (See Jastrow, I, 430.)

6. Craig, Assyrian and Babylonian Religious Texts, II, 3; also Gray, The Shamash Religious Texts, IV; translated by Jastrow II, 72; by Zimmern, Der Alte Orient, 1905, page 15; by Martin, Textes religieux Assyriens et Babyloniens, pages 14-26. It is a hymn of six lines, followed by a prayer, in which an individual petitions for release from the ban occasioning his sickness.

7. Gray, The Shamash Religious Texts, pages 9-23; translated by Gray; also by Jastrow, I, 432. It is a hymn, complete in four columns of four hundred and twenty lines, and is entirely free from any reference to incantation.

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Hymns to Sin

1. Published and translated by Perry, Hymnen und Gebete an Sin (Leipz. Sem. Studien, 1907); by King, Babylonian Magic and Sorcery (London 1896); by Combe, Histoire du Culte de Sin (Paris 1908). It is a hymn of eleven lines introducing a petition of sixteen lines, in which the king, on an occasion of an eclipse of the moon, requests an oracle promising deliverance from the evil which has befallen his palace and land. It is addressed to Sin in the second person.

2. Published and translated by Perry and Combe. It gives the first fourteen lines of a hymnal introduction to prayer, and then breaks off. It is addressed to Sin in the second person.

3. Published and translated by Perry. It is a hymn of twenty-one lines with many repetitions. The last three lines of Perry No. 3, form the first four lines of Perry No. 4, the two apparently forming one hymn. Of No. 4 some nineteen lines are preserved, the last lines of the obverse and reverse being missing and other lines damaged. It is addressed to Sin in the second person.

4. Published and translated by Perry, King, and Combe. It is a hymn of eleven lines, introducing a prayer of fourteen lines seeking the favor of Sin. It is in the second person. The prayer contains the lament and petition of an individual who feels that his god is angry with him and afflicting him.

5. Published by Rawlinson IV, 5; also by Perry; and Combe: translated by Jastrow, I, 436; by Zimmern, Der Alte Orient, page II, 1905; by Perry; by Combe; by Ungnad in Gressmann, Altorientalische Texte und Bilder, page 80; by Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament, page 141. It is a hymn of thirty-nine lines, introducing a petition nine lines in length for a temple of the god Sin. It is addressed in the second person to Sin, and was probably recited or sung at the full moon festival.

Hymns to Nebo

1. Published and translated by King, Babylonian Magic, No. 22; also translated by Jastrow, I, 445. It contains eight lines of invocation, followed by the petition at much greater length of an individual, requesting healing of his disease, favorable dreams, and the support of his god.

2. R. IV: 2, 20 No. 3; translated by Jastrow, I, 447. It is a fragment, giving ten lines of a hymn in couplets, of which the second line largely repeats the preceding line.

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Hymns to Ninib

1. Published and translated by King, Babylonian Magic, No. 2; translated by Jastrow, I, 448. The first fourteen lines are addressed to the god in epithets of praise. In the lines which follow an individual reminds the god of his sacrifice, and pleads for forgiveness of his sin and the favor of the god.

2. Transliterated and translated by Jensen, Kosmologie der Babylonier, pages 470-472; also translated by Jastrow, I, 449. It is an hymnal introduction to prayer, twelve lines in length.

3. Kouyunjik Collection, 2864, 1-22; published and translated by Hrozny, Sumerisch-babylonische Mythen von dem Gotte Ninrag in Mitteilungen der vorderasiatischen Gesellschaft, 1903. It is a hymn addressed in the second person to Ninib, of which unfortunately only twelve lines are preserved, and of these no single line is complete. The hymn is composed in couplets the second line being a response to the first.

4. K 8531 and Rm 126; published and translated by Hrozny; translated by Jastrow, I, 455. Here we have an address of the God Nusku to the God Ninib, of which the first seven lines are epithets of praise, which are then followed by a petition that the anger of the God may abate, and that he be honored by the great God.

5. K 4829; published and translated by Hrozny; translated by Jastrow, I, 459. It is a hymn of fourteen lines, in which Ninib praises his own power.

6. R. II, 19 No. 2; published and translated by Hrozny; translated by Jastrow, I, 460. This is a hymn of thirteen lines in which the God Ninib sings his own praise.

7. Published and translated by Hrozny; translated by Jastrow, I, 463. This is a hymnal composition of thirty lines in the course of which the god Sharur addresses Ninib with hymnal praises.

Hymns to Nergal

1. Published and translated by King, Babylonian Magic, No. 27; translated by Jastrow, I, 467; also by Böllenrücher, Gebete und Hymnen an Nergal, No. 1. The first ten lines constitute a hymnal introduction to the prayer that follows. Lines 11-13 are a lament, lines 14-23 a petition, and line 24 a vow.

2. Published and translated by Böllenrücher, Gebete und Hymnen an Nergal No. 2; also by King, Babylonian Magic, No. 46; translated by Jastrow, I, 471. Nine lines of praise are addressed to the god, when the tablet breaks off.

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3. Published and translated by Böllenrücher, Gebete und Hymnen an Nergal No. 3. The beginning and end of the hymn are missing. Of the twelve lines remaining no single line is complete.

4. R. IV: 2, 26 No. 1; published and translated by Böllenrücher, No. 4; translated by Jastrow, I, 470. Only the first ten lines of this hymn are preserved. For the first eight lines, the second half line is a refrain.

5. R. IV: 2, 24 No. 1; published and translated by Böllenrücher, No. 5; translated by Jastrow, I, 469. Of this hymn thirty-eight lines are preserved and are so arranged in couplets that the first line gives a title or attribute of the deity, while the second lines begin with the words: “God Nergal” and repeat the first words of the preceding line. It is thus a hymn with responses, made probably by priest and choir.

6. Published by Craig, Zeitschrift für Assyriologie, X, 276; Published and translated by Böllenrücher, No. 6. The hymn is divided into two parts. The first part of some forty lines is addressed directly to the god. Of these forty lines there are eleven couplets, of which the first half lines make a double refrain. The second half of the hymn is in praise of the word of the god. Thirteen lines begin with, “His word.” The entire hymn is antiphonal in character.

7. R. IV: 2, 30 No. 1; Haupt, Akkadisch-Sumerische Keilschrifttexte, No. 20; published and translated by Böllenrücher, No. 7; translated by Jastrow, I, 478. The first fourteen lines of the hymn are in narrative style, praising the attack of Nergal upon the hostile land. After a gap, where some lines are missing, there are twenty-one lines of praise addressed directly to the god in the second person.

8. K 9880; published and translated by Böllenrücher, No. 8; translated by Jastrow, I, 477. It is an individual hymn, addressed directly to Nergal, of which after the twelfth line the tablet breaks off.

Hymns to Adad

1. R. IV: 2, 28 No. 2; transliterated and translated by Strong, Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, XX, 161; translated by Jastrow, I, 482. It is a fragment of nine lines of a hymn praising in the third person of the verb the power of Adad.

2. Transliterated and translated by Langdon, Sumerian and Babylonian Hymns, pages 280-283; also by Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels, page 147; also by Ungnad in Gressmann, Altorientalische Texte, pages 83f. It is characterized by Langdon, Rogers, and 165 Ungnad as a hymn. It includes an invocation to the god of ten lines, a hymn proper of four lines, an address of Enlil to Ramman of ten lines and a narrative section of four lines.

3. Transliterated and translated by King, Babylonian Magic, No. 21. It is a fragment of a hymn, containing nine broken lines.

Hymns to Nusku

1. R. IV: 2, No. 3; translated by Jastrow, I, 487. It is a short hymnal introduction of eight lines, little more than an invocation to the god.

2. Craig, Assyrian and Babylonian Religious Texts, I, plate 35; translated by Jastrow, I, 487. After nineteen lines the text breaks off. The nineteen lines are of the nature of an invocation.

3. Tallquist, Die assyrische Beschworungsserie, Maklu II, pages 1-17; translated by Jastrow, I, 297. It is a hymnal introduction of eleven lines, addressed directly to the god, and followed by an individual’s petition in seven lines for the destruction of those whose witchcraft was afflicting him.

Hymns to Bel

1. R. IV: 2, 27 No. 2; translated by Jastrow, I, 489. Only five lines of the hymn are preserved. They seem to praise the great tower of Bel’s temple at Ekur.

2. R. IV: 2, 27 No. 4; Haupt, Akkadische und sumerische Keilinschrifttexte, page 183; translated by Jastrow, I, 490. Eleven lines constitute an invocation to Bel. The text then breaks off.

3. King, Babylonian Magic, No. 19; Jastrow, I, 492. Sixteen broken hymnal lines introduce the petition of a king.

Hymns to Marduk

1. Craig, Religious Texts, I, plates 29-31; published and translated by Brünnow, Assyrian Hymns, in Zeitschrift für Assyriologie, IV, 246-248 and V, 58-66, 77-78; translated by Martin, Textes religieux Assyriens et Babyloniens, and by Jastrow, I, 513. The hymn consists of thirty-eight lines, and is followed by the petition that the anger of the god may abate and favor be shown the suppliant.

2. K 3459; Hehn, Hymnen und Gebete an Marduk, in Beitrage zur Assyriologie, V, 278-400. The poem is in three columns. Of column I, seven lines out of twenty are preserved entire. Of the twenty-one lines of column II, twelve are missing, and no single line is complete. Columns I and III are in praise of Marduk, while column II seeks forgiveness of sin and deliverance of a sufferer from trouble.

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3. K 3505; The first seventeen lines of a hymn are addressed directly to Marduk. The text then breaks off.

4. King, Tablets of Creation, I, 204 ff; Craig, Religious Texts, I, Plate 43; Hehn, No. 5; Jastrow, I, 496ff. The first twenty-one lines of a hymn are in praise of Marduk. The text then breaks off. In the hymnal portion the third person of the verb is used.

5. R. IV: 2, 26 No. 4; translated by Jastrow, I, 496; also by Jeremias in Roscher’s Lexicon, II, col. 2367; also by Hehn, No. 6. Nine lines of a hymn in praise of Marduk, the God of War, are preserved. The text then breaks off.

6. R. IV: 2, 29, No. 1; translated by Jastrow, I, 501; also by Fossey, La Magie assyrienne, pages 364-369; also by Jeremias in Roscher’s Lexicon, II, col. 2355; also by Hehn, No. 7. It is a hymn twenty-nine lines in length, of definite strophic arrangement, addressed directly to Marduk, and followed by exorcisms of various demons.

7. R. IV: 2, 18, No. 1; translated by Hehn, No. 12. It is a fragment of eight lines, referring to the founding of Babylon and the temple of Marduk.

8. R. IV: 2, 21, No. 1; also King, Babylonian Magic, No. 9; translated by King; by Hehn, No. 13; also by Jastrow, I, 500f. Though characterized by King and Jastrow as a prayer, yet the first nine lines, constituting the invocation to the god may be regarded as hymnal material. The body of the prayer consists of seventeen lines, and may well be from a king, seeking health and the favor and support of his god.

9. R. IV: 2, 57; translated by King No. 12; by Hehn No. 14; by Jastrow, I, 499; by Lenormant, La Divination, page 212ff; by Sayce, Hibbert Lectures, pages 536ff. This tablet is concerned with the curing by Marduk’s help of a sick man. The first sixteen lines give directions for the ceremonies to be performed. The priest is instructed to hold the hand of the sick man, and repeat the prayer, lines 17-94. Of these lines 17-44 are hymnal, serving as an invocation to the prayer. Following the prayer there are directions for further ceremonies. The hymn is in the second person addressed directly to the god.

10. K 8961; Craig, Assyrian and Babylonian Religious Texts, I, Pl. 59; translated by Hehn, No. 17; also by Jastrow, I, 497. An incantation hymn, of which only twelve lines remain, is addressed directly to Marduk as an invocation to prayer.

11. Craig, Assyrian and Babylonian Religious Texts, I, Pl. 1; translated by Martin, Textes religieux; also by Jastrow, I, 509. Of this 167 text the opening lines are missing. Ten lines are preserved, being a prayer in the mouth of the priest, of which the first five lines supply the element of adoration.

12. R. IV: 2, 40, No. 1 transliterated and translated by Ball, Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, XV, 51-54; translated also by Hehn, No. 25; by Sayce, Hibbert Lectures, pages 80f; by Jastrow, I, 509. The text comprises thirty-two lines. Lines 1 to 6 state that the priest is to rise in the first hour of the night on the second day of Nisan, wash in river water, put on a linen garment and repeat his prayer. Of the prayer, lines 7 to 28 are hymnal; lines 29 to 32 petition the favor of the god for the city, Babylon and the temple, Esagila.

13. R. IV: 2, 18 No. 2; Also published and translated by Weissbach, Babylonische Miscellen, pages 36-41; translated also by Ungnad, page 85; by Rogers, page 130; by Jastrow, I, 503. This is a text of thirty-seven lines. A colophon at the end directs that the hymn should be used on the eleventh day of Nisan, when Marduk enters his own sanctuary in the temple Esagila. It is a processional hymn apparently sung antiphonally, a priest or choir chanting the first half of the line, and a choir responding with the refrain. The first thirty-three lines welcome the god to his temple; the last four lines petition his favor for the city and its temple.

14. Hehn No. 16; King No. 18; Jastrow, I, 513. This is a fragment of which the first lines are missing. A petition for relief from sickness is preceded by hymnal lines praising Marduk, and expressing confidence in him.

Hymn to Asshur

1. Craig, Religious Texts, I, plates 32-34; translated by Jastrow, I, 520. This is called by Jastrow a Litany to Asshur. It begins with a hymn, twenty-two lines of which are preserved. Then in six lines Anu, Bel, Ea, and the great gods proclaim Asshurbanapal ruler of Assyria, and in the last four lines the god Asshur himself calls Asshurbanapal to lordship.

Hymns to Ishtar

1. King No. 1; duplicate, No. 5; translated by Jastrow, I, 529. It is only a fragment of five lines of praise addressed directly to Ishtar.

2. King No. 32; translated by Jastrow, I, 529. It is a fragment of ten lines of praise, addressed directly to Ishtar.

3. Craig, Religious Texts, I, plates 15-17; translated by Jastrow, I, 535. Eighteen lines of praise are followed by an enumeration of the 168 sacrifices, foods for the temple servants, and of gifts of gold, as well as by directions for the purification of the sick, who wish to be healed by Ishtar.

4. Reisner, Sumerisch-babylonische Hymnen, No. 56; transliterated and translated by Hussey, No. 1. The tablet was according to the colophon ninety-five lines in length, but only fifteen strophes of four lines each are in good preservation. It is a hymn sung by Ishtar in praise of herself.

5. Reisner No. 53; translated by Hussey, No. 5; by Langdon, Sumerian and Babylonian Psalms, page 192; by Jastrow, I, 530. This hymn opens with three strophes of four, three, and four lines respectively in praise of the goddess. Then in strophes of five, four, and seven lines Ishtar appears singing her own praise. There follows the prayer of thirteen lines petitioning the removal of her anger.

Hymn to Sarpanitum

1. Craig, I, plate 1; translated by Jastrow, I, 536. This is a hymn of eleven lines addressed directly to the goddess, followed by a brief petition for the suppliant, the king, and the people of Babylon.

Hymn to Damkina

1. King No. 4; translated by Jastrow, I, 537. The hymn consists of seven lines of invocation to Damkina, and is followed by a petition for the averting of evil threatened by an eclipse of the moon.

Hymns to Belit

1. Haupt, Assyrisch-sumerische Keilinschrifttexte, pages 126-131; Prince, The Hymn to Belit K 357, in the Journal of the American Oriental Society, XXIV, 103-128; translated by Jastrow, I, 538f. This is a hymn of some fifty lines sung entirely by Belit in her own praise.

2. Text and transliteration by Scheil, Zeitschrift für Assyriologie, X, 291-298; also Scheil, Une saison de fouilles a Sippar, page 98 and Tablet II; translated by Jastrow, I, 541. The first twelve lines of the hymn are addressed to Nippur the city of Bel. The following thirty-eight lines are in praise of Belit, and are for the most part addressed directly to her.

Hymn to Enlil

1. Transliterated and translated by Langdon, Sumerian and Babylonian Hymns, page 277. It is a psalm of twenty-five lines. The singers are the bearers of sacrificial gifts to Enlil. The hymn is addressed directly to the god.

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