Reading akkadian PRayeRs & Hymns An Introduction

234
14. ul-li re-ši-ia i-bi šu-mu
READING AKKADIAN PRAYERS AND HYMNS: AN INTRODUCTION
15. qí-b[i-t]uk-ka liš-še-mu-ú zi-ik-ru-ú-a
16. ina q[í]-bi-ka ana SIG 5-tì lu-uk-šu-ud
17. šur-kám-ma TI.LA lu-bur a-na [d]a-a-ri
Line 14: The prayer turns now to petition, as the two imperatives indicate. Ullû (D of
elû), “to raise up.” Rēšu, “head.” When a social superior raised a person’s head, it meant
taking notice of the person’s lowly condition and restoring them to their former status or
position. Nabû, “to name, to call,” with šumu, “name,” as its object (the nominative case
ending often occurs where the accusative is expected in SB Akkadian) means “to summon,
to call a person (to exercise a function), to appoint a person to an office” (see CAD N/1,
35–37). The supplicant is asking Ea to change their lowly situation, whatever it was.
Mayer’s MS E inserts a two line self-presentation formula, naming a certain Balāṭa-ēreš, and
a standardized lament at this point in the prayer (see Mayer, UFBG, 50–52, 102–3, and
444, n.6[1]).
ulli rēšīya ibi šumu
Line 15: Qibītu, “speech, command.” The ending of the first word bears the locativeadverbial
–um, which is the equivalent of ina (see line 16), and a 2ms pronominal suffix.
(The m of the locative assimilates into the k of the suffix; –mk– becomes –kk–.) Nešmû (N
of šemû), “to be heard.” Zikru, see line 11. Whether the supplicant is asking that the words
of the prayer specifically or their words in broader society generally be heard, the line
demonstrates how effective human speech is founded on divine decree (divine effective
speech). As if to underline this point, the verbs in this and the next line have changed from
imperatives (as in lines 14 and 16) to precatives.
qibītukka liššemû zikrūya
Line 16: Qību, “command, pronouncement.” SIG5 = damqu (m), damiqtu (f), “favorable,
good.” Kašādu, “to accomplish, to reach, to achieve.” Ana often accompanies kašādu,
indicating what or where one is reaching or achieving. The results of effective speech are
also requested: favorable things.
ina qībīka ana damiqti lukšud
Line 17: Šarāku, “to give, to grant, to bestow.” TI.LA, see line 13. Bâru, “to stay firm,
to remain in good health.” A variant, lul-bur, in MS E may derive the verb from labāru, “to
be(come) old.” But we would expect lul-bir, if that were the case. Perhaps we should read
MS E as lu ! ? -bur or lu5 -bur here (see Seux, 277, n.20). Ana dāri, “forever and ever,” should
not be taken too literally. The supplicant is not asking for immortality; rather, they want to
live a very, very long time. With this petition, the supplicant reaches the very root of their
desire: life.
šurkam-ma balāṭa lubūr ana dāri