Nanshe and the birds

Possibly one of the most important Religious texts ever wrote.A bed time story I have started telling to my Lilith. It all came from this.....

SEGMENT A
1-7The pelican (?) came forth from the holy reed-beds. It came forth from the holy reed-beds. The wise pelican (?) spent the day high in the skies. The pelican (?) cried out in the sky: its singing was sweet and its voice was pleasing. My lady ...... her pelican (?) with beauty. The mistress mother Nance ...... her pelican (?) with beauty.

8-9"I am the mistress! How can my pelican (?) ......? How can I ......? I am Nance! How can my pelican (?) ...... holy? How can ......?"

10-22She herself ...... upon the water like a large pelican (?). Stepping onto earth from heaven, she ...... in the water like a holy cow. A holy pelican (?), a white cow, she drank by the water's side. With the towering flood ....... Nance, shining ...... of the Anuna, the great gods! Mistress mother Nance, good woman, ......! Nance, sister praised by the Anuna! Mother, beautiful matriarch of Enlil! Nance (1 ms. has instead: My lady), delighting in her pelican (?), erected a lapis lazuli shrine, and set the holy pelican (?) by her feet.

23-27"I am the mistress, so let my birds assemble for me where the sheaves are gathered! I am Nance, so let my birds assemble for me where the sheaves are gathered! Let the birds of heaven and earth stand at my service! Let every bird without a name bring offerings! Let every bird not caught in nets ......!"

28-30The voiceless bat ......, a bird that darts by in the heavens. The Anzud bird decides the fates with (?) the Anuna gods.

31-42The ...... bird in (?) the water sends forth ...... wisdom: "My mistress, ....... I am the ...... bird! All by myself ....... My Nance, ......! I am the ...... bird! All by myself ......."
3 lines fragmentary
The bearded vulture ....... ...... the bearded vulture ....... It kills wild bulls in the foothills, and it kills the stags in the high mountains.

43-45Raven, raven, your eggs are shining bright! Raven bird, your eggs are shining bright! Where do people carry off your holy eggs, your ...... eggs to?

46-48The ostrich ...... her eggs on the hillside. She receives those eggs as something to carry: the bird knows how to keep watch at night.

49-53The peacock spends the day keeping watch. The holy bird, the peacock, spends the day calling "haya!". A bird red from cornelian, blue from lapis lazuli, white (?) from chalcedony (?), with all kinds of gold, and leather inlaid with gold -- may the coppersmith fashion the peacock for you thus.

54-63O bird in the sky! O vulture, weaver, vulture, weaver! O uz vulture in the sky! O vulture, weaver, vulture, weaver! Its wings together, its feet together,
1 line fragmentary
Its call ...... to the ear (?) ....... ...... its call .......
4 lines fragmentary
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT B
1-143 lines fragmentary
The misaz bird ...... cries out .......
1 line fragmentary
The snake-eater bird is green ....... Its wings ...... a barge ....... The ...... bird ....... The gubi bird .......
5 lines fragmentary
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT C
1-61 line fragmentary
...... of Ninhursaja (?) he brings as his property to the mountains. Since it was searching for its property, the bird is called nijgurmudum ('He brings his property'). The nijgurmudum bird calls out and laments in the desert of Kec.

7-17The twittering birds flocking in the palace ....... The salsal bird cries in lament over itself. The cegbar bird, seemly in a ...... linen garment, is present at the quayside. The cegbar-gurug bird is brown, and clad in ...... in the reed-beds. The ...... bird catches azagur fish. The giri-ilu bird, dread of the people, ...... its "giri-ilu!". The stork ...... picks up (?) ...... like grass. The sa bird names ...... its young ....... The dubdubu bird ....... The cegceg bird turns green (?) like a crying baby. The gubiguzaga bird ...... like an angry man.
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT D
(It is possible that Segment D belongs to a different version.)

1-152 lines fragmentary
...... green ....... ...... birds, like ants in crevices ....... ...... Bau takes a bath ....... The tigilu bird ...... the split roots ....... The dove ...... gently in the broad fields. The pigeon ...... bitterly in the vacant lot of the king. The ubi bird and the udar bird ...... ants ....... The bird ....... ...... in the gutter like beasts.
1 line unclear
...... humbly like an orphaned child ....... The hamun bird ...... in harmony ...... is dressed in linen. ...... wine, like wine ......
unknown no. of lines missing

SEGMENT E
1-16The heron (?) ....... The girgid bird ....... The dur bird .......
1 line fragmentary
The dar bird ...... guard ....... The dar bird ...... "tikutikumae!". The ulbad bird ...... in the marshes. The adardara bird ...... the swallow ....... The ...... bird, when the net is suspended ....... The ...... bird ...... marshes ....... The cu-ur bird ...... its extended wings and its head. The sleep bird spends its time crying "dilibipila!". The shepherd bird cries "uludig uludig!". The shepherd bird is brightly coloured like the durdar bird, and has a crest on its head. The nu-erimla bird does not live in windows or reed huts. The tirida bird calls the name "tirida!" in the reed-beds.

17-20......, you are she who loves the fishes and birds! You are she who does not scatter my ......! You are she who does not belittle ......! Mistress mother Nance, it is sweet to praise you!

The Pelican it's singing was sweet and voice pleasing
Guess someone hasn't heard a pelican singing then

originally posted by: Raggedyman
The Pelican it's singing was sweet and voice pleasing
Guess someone hasn't heard a pelican singing then

Thats made me smile!

a reply to: DpatC

It should also make you question the translation, and why there is a question mark after Pelican. The sign translated thus is U5. example of usage';

he placed the holy pelican (?), the standard of Nanše

u5 kug šu-nir dnanše-kam

Possible interpretations of U5;

U5: n., male bird, cock; totality; earth pile or levee; raised area v., to mount (in intercourse); to be on top of; to ride; to board (a boat); to steer, conduct. adj., (raised) high, especially land or ground

Early cuneiform signs

The U5 bird also related to Enki father of Nanse in the context of a constellation.

The lord established a shrine, a holy shrine, whose interior is elaborately constructed. He established a shrine in the sea, a holy shrine, whose interior is elaborately constructed. The shrine, whose interior is a tangled thread, is beyond understanding. The shrine's emplacement is situated by the constellation the Field, the holy upper shrine's emplacement faces towards the Chariot constellation. Its terrifying sea is a rising wave, its splendour is fearsome. The Anuna gods dare not approach it. …… to refresh their hearts, the palace rejoices. The Anuna stand by with prayers and supplications. They set up a great altar for Enki in the E-engura, for the lord ……. The great prince ……. …… the pelican of the sea..

originally posted by: Madrusa
a reply to: DpatC

The lord established a shrine, a holy shrine, whose interior is elaborately constructed. He established a shrine in the sea, a holy shrine, whose interior is elaborately constructed. The shrine, whose interior is a tangled thread, is beyond understanding. The shrine's emplacement is situated by the constellation the Field, the holy upper shrine's emplacement faces towards the Chariot constellation. Its terrifying sea is a rising wave, its splendour is fearsome. The Anuna gods dare not approach it. …… to refresh their hearts, the palace rejoices. The Anuna stand by with prayers and supplications. They set up a great altar for Enki in the E-engura, for the lord ……. The great prince ……. …… the pelican of the sea..

Thank you for sheding some additional Light one of my favourite Texts!
Also for providing that link to nature pagan there are some very interesting texts on that site

a reply to: DpatC
You tell a bed time story with a lot of missing words and lines?

Don't you think Lilith is a bit too old for bed time stories?



Anyway, you seem to have deep interest in ancient Babylonian/Sumerian text. Do you mind if I ask you why?

originally posted by: EasternShadow
a reply to: DpatC
You tell a bed time story with a lot of missing words and lines?

Don't you think Lilith is a bit too old for bed time stories?

Anyway, you seem to have deep interest in ancient Babylonian/Sumerian text. Do you mind if I ask you why?

Lilith is only a baby, My baby and Im not God.Im just a pilgrim with a family interest in ancient texts if I told you that they are back would you believe me?
It's a rocky road --
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