A balbale to Inana as Nanaya (Inana H): translation

(Sigla follow Sjöberg's 1977 edition: version A = mss. a, b and c (using the line numbering of b, the only non-fragmentary ms.), version B = ms. d (ll. 11-13, 27-29 and 31 of version A have some similarities to the surviving lines of version B).)

Version A

^1-6"Worthy of An, ......, ...... unsurpassed in ladyship, a throne ...... a man in the house, a throne ...... a woman in the shrine, a gold ornament ...... on the dress, a ...... pin ...... the nijlam garment.

^7-15A "Let me ...... on your ...... -- Nanaya, its ...... is good. Let me (?) ...... on your breast -- Nanaya, its ...... flour is sweet. Let me put ...... on your navel -- Nanaya, ....... Come with me, my lady, come with me, come with me from the entrance to the shrine. May ...... for you. (ms. c adds 1 line: Come my beloved sister, let my heart rejoice.)

^16-20"Your hand is womanly, your foot is womanly. Your conversing with a man is womanly. Your looking at a man is womanly. (ms. c adds 4 lines: Your ...... a hand towards a man is womanly. Your ...... a foot is womanly. Your ...... forearm makes my heart rejoice. Your ...... a foot brings me pleasure.) As you rest against the wall, your patient heart pleases. As you bend over, your hips are particularly pleasing."

^20A-29" (mss. a and c add 2 lines: My resting against the wall is one lamb. My bending over is one and a half gij.) Do not dig a canal, let me be your canal. Do not plough a field, let me be your field. Farmer, do not search for a wet place, my precious sweet, let this be your wet place. ......, let this be your furrow. ......, let this be your desire! Caring for ......, I come ....... I come ...... with bread and wine."

^30-32"You come to me with bread and wine. Come, my beloved sister, let me ...... this heart. Nanaya, let me kiss you."

³³A balbale of Nanaya (ms. a has instead: Inana).

Version B

SEGMENT A

unknown no. of lines missing

^1-9"...... on your navel. My sweet sister, ....... On your back ....... My sister, ...... hand. In your vagina ...... the gardens. Nanaya, ....... In your anus ...... the fields. My sister, ...... the acres. Come to me, my sister, ......."
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT B

^1-71 line fragmentary
"Come, my beloved sister, ......."
4 lines fragmentary
"Sister, ......."
unknown no. of lines missing

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Revision history

12.iv.2000-27.iv.2000 : GC : adapting translation
25.vii.2000 : JAB : proofreading
27.vii.2000 : GC : tagging
29.ix.2000 : ER : proofreading SGML
29.ix.2000 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0
7.ix.2001 : ER : header and footer reformatted; substantive content of file not changed