Reading akkadian PRayeRs & Hymns An Introduction

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READING AKKADIAN PRAYERS AND HYMNS: AN INTRODUCTION
41. iš-ši-ir la i-šá-ru a-mi-ru pa-ni-ki
42. ana-ku al-si-ki an-ḫu šu-nu-ḫu šum-ru-ṣu ÌR-ki
43. A.MUR-in-ni-ma d GAŠAN.MU le-qe-e un-ni-ni-ia
44. ki-niš nap-li-sin-ni-ma ši-mé-e tés-li-ti
person who receives help as marṣu is interesting, as the supplicant uses šumruṣu, derived
from the same root and intensified in meaning, as a self-description only two lines later
(line 42; see also lines 47 and 66). In the complaint, they describe themselves as being
already in the sphere of death (line 74).
ašar tappallasī iballuṭ mītu itebbi marṣu
Line 41: Ešēru, “to be well, to thrive, to prosper.” Lā išaru is a substantive here, meaning
“the one who is not right.” Amāru, “to see, to look at.” The form of āmiru is a ms participle,
bound to pānū, “face.” An “overhanging” u on a participle in construct is not uncommon
in SB Akkadian (see Brigitte R. M. Groneberg, Syntax, Morphologie und Stil der
jungbabylonischen „hymnischen“ Literatur, 2 Vols. [Freiburger Altorientalische Studien
14/1–2; Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1987], 2.41 for numerous examples). In lines 40–
41, at the end of the first invocation, Ishtar’s help for the afflicted is presented as eye contact.
The goddess’ gaze gives life (line 40); a look at the goddess puts one in order (line
41). The motif of eye contact between Ishtar and the supplicant is central throughout the
whole prayer.
iššir lā išaru āmiru pānīki
Line 42: Anāku, “I.” Šasû, “to call out.” Alsīki is a 1cs preterite and is to be interpreted
as performative (see line 1). Anḫu, “tired.” Šūnuḫu, “wearied.” Both adjs. come from
anāḫu. Šumruṣu, “suffering” (adj.). ÌR = (w)ardu, “slave, servant.” Referring back to line 1,
the supplicant mentions their act of praying at the beginning of the first petition (lines 42–
55; see the introduction to the prayer). There is no self-introduction in Ishtar 2, where the
supplicant has to mention their or their father’s name (see Mayer, UFBG, 46–58). Instead,
they introduce themselves in line 42 with their relation to Ishtar as her servant (aradki)
and as an afflicted person, therefore already identifying themselves as the afflicted who
receives the help of the goddess (lines 25–26, 40–41).
anāku alsīki anḫu šūnuḫu šumruṣu aradki
Line 43: A.MUR-in-ni-ma: Zgoll interprets this as an alternative (CVC for CC) writing
for amrīnnī-ma, which is a G fs impv. with a 1cs suffix and enclitic –ma. This is not unique
in the shuilla-prayers addressed to Ishtar (see Zgoll, 64, 189). d GAŠAN.MU = bēltī, see note
to line 8. Leqû, “to receive, to accept.” Unnīnu, “supplication, petition.” In correspondence
to the end of the invocation, the very first petition resumes the subject of eye contact: the
supplicant asks the goddess to look at them. The second petition mentions the actual
prayer. It is a typical stock-phrase, repeated in line 82 (see Mayer, UFBG, 217).
amrīnnī-ma bēltī leqê unnīnīya
Line 44: Kīniš, “faithfully, truly.” Both petitions are typical (see Mayer, UFBG, 214,
216); both deal with the central motifs of the prayer: the eye contact (again: palāsu in the
N stem, here as an impv.; see the note to line 26) and the praying (teslītu, “prayer,” which