====== The Faithful Lover ====== (return to [[Old Babylonian literature (Akkadian)]]) __NOTOC__ == Introduction == The text entitled The Faithful Lover was first published by Wolfram von Soden in 1950 as “Ein Zwiegespräch Hammurabis mit einer Frau,” (von Soden 1950). In 1961 it was then re-edited and published in English translation by Moshe Held in a paper entitled “A Faithful Lover in an Old Babylonian Dialogue,” (Held 1961) from which Foster drew the title used here. Von Soden had originally thought that it represented a dialogue between Hammurabi, the famous king of the First Dynasty of Babylon, and “a young woman whom he seeks to influence to marry his son” (Held 1961, 1), but as Held notes, “[i]t has nothing to do with Hammurabi . . . the great king is mentioned in an oath formula invoking Nanâ, patroness of love, together with the king” (Held 1961, 2). == Transliteration and translation == === Strophe 1 === Obv. Col. I 1. ''qu2-ur2-bi tu-ur-ki ez-bi'' :: Draw near! Leave behind your hesitation! ([[#Notes|Notes]]) 2. ''la ma-ga-al da-ba-bu-um'' :: Without much idle talk, ([[#Notes|Notes]]) 3. ''qa2-be2-e qa2-bu-u2-um-ma'' :: my word is a word. ([[#Notes|Notes]]) 4. ''u2-ul e-ni-a-ak-ki-im'' :: I wasn't shedding tears for you (fem.). 5. ''at-wa-a-am ma-li s,a-ab-ta#-a-ku'' :: I make one statement (about) 6. ''sza a-na si2-in-ni-isz-tim ip-pa-ra-qa2-du'' :: who was lying on one's back for a woman 7. ''sa3-x-x x-ri-im'' :: ? 8. ''szum-ma la it-x-x u2-ul a-wi-lum mi-h,i-ir-szu'' :: if he didn't X, the man is not worthy of his rank. === Strophe 2 === 9. ''li-iz-zi-iz ki-it-ti'' :: May my truth stand 10. ''i-na ma-h,a-ar isz8-tar2 szar-ra-tim'' :: before Ishtar of the queens. 11. ''li-ih,-pi2-it ra-mi li-ba-asz'' :: May my love triumph, 12. ''ka-ar-ri-isz-ti'' :: may my slanderer (fem.) be shamed. 13. ''ka-a-am pa-la-h,a-am ku-uz-zu-ba-am'' :: ? 14. ''i-ta-as2-h,u-ur ma-ri-im'' :: I turned towards ? 15. ''i-na qa2-be2-e {d}Na-na-a-a x x da-ri-isz'' :: with a word of Nana...forever 16. ''a-li me-h,i-ir-ti'' :: Where is my opponent/equal? === Strophe 3 === 17. ''e-li-ki h,a-as-sa3-a-ku'' :: I am remembering more than you, 18. ''a-na szi-ib-qi3-ki sza pa-na-nu-um'' :: to your schemes of before. 19. ''mu-ug-ri a-ta-al-ki'' :: Relent! Go! 20. ''a-na ma-li-ik-ti-ki szu-un-ni-i'' :: Be equal to your advisor! 21. ''ki-ma e-re-nu'' :: like X === Strophe 4 === 22. ''u2-s,a-ab-ba-at-ka-ma UD-ma-am'' :: I will take hold of you, and today ([[#Lines 21-30|Notes]]) 23. ''ra-am-ka u3 ra-mi uš-ta-ma-ga-ar'' :: I will reconcile your love and my love. ([[#Lines 21-30|Notes]]) 24. ''us-se2-ne-el-li-ma a-na dna-na-a-a'' :: X to Nana ([[#Lines 21-30|Notes]]) 25. ''sa-li-im-ka be-li2 da-ri-a-am e-le-eq-qe2'' :: your favor, my lord, I will take eternally ([[#Lines 21-30|Notes]]) 26. :: ''na-ad-nam'' :: a gift. ([[#Lines obv. i 21-32|Notes]]) === Strophe 5 === 27. ''a-la-wi-ki ni-tam i-na s,e-ri-ki'' :: I will enfold you in my grasp. ([[#Lines obv. i 21-32|Notes]]) 28. ''taš-bi-a a-ka-as,-s,a-ar'' :: I will organized your silence. ([[#Lines obv. i 21-32|Notes]]) 29. ''mu-ta-ak-ki-il-ta-ki li-il-qe2-e'' :: Your supporter should accept, ([[#Lines obv. i 21-32|Notes]]) 30. ru-HA-am ti-qi2-a-ti-ki hu-ul-li-''[''ma''] :: your bewitching blasphemies; dissolve! and, ([[#Lines obv. i 21-32|Notes]]) 31. ''li-qe2-e ki-na-tim'' :: learn the truth! ([[#Lines obv. i 21-32|Notes]]) 32. (traces followed by a 14 line gap) === Strophe 6 === Col. II 1. [. . .] ''i-ig-gi-''[x x] :: ? ([[#Lines obv. ii 1-10|Notes]]) 2. ''u2-ul i-ba-aš-ši-i-[ma]'' :: There isn't ([[#Lines obv. ii 1-10|Notes]]) 3. ''mi-im-ma u2-ul i-na li-ib-bi-ia'' [x] :: anything in my heart... ([[#Lines obv. ii 1-10|Notes]]) 4. ''iš-ša-aq-qa2-al-ši-im'' [x]-y-el-[z] :: (that) will be paid out for her... ([[#Lines obv. ii 1-10|Notes]]) 5. ''u2-s,a-am-ma [x]-me'' :: I will make thirsty... ([[#Lines obv. ii 1-10|Notes]]) === Strophe 7 === 6. e-li la ra-im-ti-ka mi-szi-tam li-[it-bu-uk] 7. szar-ra-tum Isztar 8. ki-ma ja-ti la s,a-la-lum [lu e-mi-is-si] 9. ka-li mu-szi-im li-ku-ur2 [li-id-li-ip] === Strophe 8 === 10. e-ze-er la mu-se-ep-pi2#-[ti x x x] 11. u2-ul a-h,a-asz-sze-eh, la-[la-a-sza] 12. u2-ul a-na-ad-di-isz-szi-im [x x x] 13. da-ba-bu-um a-na la [x x x] 14. mi-nam i-[x x] 15. u2-sza-ak-la da#-bi-ba-[ti-sza] 16. u2-ul e-sze-em-me sza [...] 17. a-sza-ar zi-[...] 18. ra-mi [x] at-ta-di 19. mi-nam tu-sa-an-na-qa2-ni-in#-ni === Strophe 9 === 20. it-ta#-tu-ia u2-la-ap--ta-ni-[in-ni] 21. sza-ap#-ti e-li-tum i-la-[ab-bi-ik] 22. lu sza-ap-li-tum-ma i-ru-ub-[ba-am] 23. e-di-ir-szu a-na-asz-szi-iq-[szu] 24. at-ta-na-ap-la-as2 el-[szu] 25. a-ka-asz-sza-ad ir-ni-it-ti [x x] 26. e-li da-[bi-ba-ti-ia] 27. u3 dam-qi2-isz ar-ra#-[i-mi-ia x x x] 28. i-nu-ma szi-it-an-ni# [x x x x x] 29. ni-ka-asz-sza-ad# === Strophe 10 === Col. III 1. [...] 2. i-na [...] 3. ar-wi-[tum x x x x x] 4. a-la-sum2 u2-ul e-li-i ka#-sza-sa3 5. a-na-Isztar id-di-na-asz-szu a-na qi2#-[isz-tim] === Strophe 11 === 6. a-na sza iq-ta-na-ab-bi-a-ni-ik-[ki-im] 7. u2-la-mi et-tum at#-[ti] 8. ki-le-e at-ba-al ra-mi u2-ul [x x] 9. ut-te-es-si2 i-na zu-um-ri-ki# 10. ki-ma sza-ar bi-ri in-bi-ia ur-ti-iq === Strophe 12 === 11. a-sa-ah,-h,u-ur in-bi-[ka] 12. be-li2 s,u2-um-ma-a-ku ra-am-[ka] 13. iq-qa2-at s,i2-h,a-tu-ka szu-[pi2-a] 14. lu pa-as!-ma an-su2-ur-ri u2-ul 15. ur-ri u3 mu-szi a-da-ab-bu-ub [it-ti-ka] === Strophe 13 === 16. lu-tu-ur2 u3 lu-tu-ur-ma lu-usz-[lu-usz] 17. a-na pi2-ia h,i-ba-am la u2-sze-x-x-[ki x x] 18. a-na u2-pa a-ap-tim ti-is,-ba-ti x x 19. ku-usz-di ga-na ra-mi === Strophe 14 === 20. an-h,a! i-na-ia da-an-ni-isz-[isz] 21. da-al-pa-a-ku i-na i-ta-ap-lu-si-szu 22. tu-sza i-ba-a ba-ab-ti# 23. UD-mu-um it-ta-la-ak a-li [ma-ru-um] === Strophe 15 === Col. IV 1. [a]-na# ka-[x x x x x x] 2. isz-ti-nam# [x x x x x] 3. mi-nam [x x x x] 4. ga-na lu-us,-ba-at bi-[x x x x] 5. lu-szi-ib lu-te-eq-qi2 szum-ma sza gir-ri-ia 6. at-ma-ki-im {d}na-na-a-a u3 h,a-am-mu-ra-pi2 szarram 7. sza ki-na-ti-ia lu a-qa2-ab-bi-ki-im 8. ra-am-ki e-li di-li-ip-tim 9. u3 a-szu-usz-tim la wa-at-ru i-na s,e-ri-ia === Strophe 16 === 10. e-ra-da-ni-im! asz-szum qi2-pa-a-ku ra-i-mi 11. da-bi-ba-tu-ia 12. e-li ka-ka-ab sza-me-e ma-da 13. li-ir-qi2-a li-ta-aq-ra 14. sza-ar i-na-an-na-ma li-it-ta--qi2-a 15. a-na-ku usz-ba-am-ma 16. pi2#-i be-li2-ia esz-te-ne-em-me === Strophe 17 === 17. et-ti la ma-as2-ku 18. sza pa-na zi-mu-ki 19. [az]-zi-iz-ki-im-ma 20. [qa2-qa2]-ad#-ki te-te-en-di-[di] 21. [ma]-gi#-ir-tum szum-ki 22. [be]-le#-et mi-il-ki-i na-ba-ki 23. sza-ni-tum-ma! lu li-mu-ut-ta-ni 24. [ma]-h,a-ar Isztar == Notes == === I Lines 1-31 === Obv. 1. taka:lum [a/u]=beat, thump; be dark (G-Imp.) 4. naqu:m [i/i]= pour (water) 6. naparqudum= to lie on one's back, lie flat against (N Dur.) 14. saha:rum=to turn towards, favor (N Pret.) 19. 'atalki:' for the expected 'atlaki:' for the Gt Imperative form of ala:kum. (Held 1981 13). 20. szana:num [a/u]=to be equal/level (G Imp.) 21. 'e-re-nu' is an ambiguous form read as 're:num' (to wish) by von Soden (ZA 49, 177), and as e:rum (to awaken) by Held (CAD 4, 326b; von Soden, AHw, 247). There is also a nominal form 'ere:num' meaning "root". 27. ni:tam lawu:m as an idiomatic expression meaning, "surround completely" (Black 2000 256). 28. taszbia as the verbal noun of szubbu:m (Held 1961 14). 30. te:qi:tum interpreted as "utterances, especially of women who lose their temper and who, as a result, voice impudent and even mendacious words" (Held 1961 15). 30. h,a:lum=(D) dissolve (D Imp.) === II Lines 1-29 === Obv. 5. s,amu:m [u/u]=(D) to make thirsty. (Tentative reading) (von Soden ZA 49 165) == Bibliography == *Groneberg, 2002. In S. Parpola, R. Whiting, eds., ''Sex and Gender in the Ancient Near East, Proceedings of the 47th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Helsinki, July 2-6, 2001'', pp. 175-182. RAI 47. Helsinki. *Hecker. In O. Kaiser, ed., ''Texte aus der Umwelt des Alten Testaments'' II/5, 743-747. Gütersloh. *Held, Moshe. 1961. A Faithful Lover in an Old Babylonian Dialogue. ''Journal of Cuneiform Studies'' 15(1): 1-26. *Held, Moshe. 1962. A Faithful Lover in an Old Babylonian Dialogue (JCS XV, pp. 1-26): Addenda et Corrigenda. ''Journal of Cuneiform Studies'' 16(2): 37-39. *Ponchia, S. 1990. ''La palma e il tamarisco e altri dialoghi mesopotamici''. Venice. [see pp. 89-93, 115-119, 150-154] *von Soden, Wolfram. 1950. Ein Zwiegespräch Hammurabis mit einer Frau. ''Zeitschrift für Assyriologie'' 49: 159-194 (return to [[Old Babylonian literature (Akkadian)]])