Reading akkadian PRayeRs & Hymns An Introduction

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READING AKKADIAN PRAYERS AND HYMNS: AN INTRODUCTION
17. ak-ṣa-at a-na sur-ri en-nit-ta-šú ka-bit-ti
18. ik-ka-riṭ-ma za-mar-ma i-tar a-lit-tuš
19. id-du-ud-ma ri-ma-šu ú-kan-ni
[2002], 245), which is grammatically possible. If, however, one reads the previous line in
parallel with line 16, then a pattern emerges in which Marduk’s action is followed by the
divine protectors’ reaction. In this case, ilšu, “his god,” is the most likely subject of
isaḫḫuršu (thus the personal god is the subject of both verbs after the –ma). The pronominal
suffix on the verb is therefore 3ms dative (–šum, with the loss of the final m) and refers
to the same person as the ana ša phrase in the middle of the line (see likewise George and
Al-Rawi, 197 and others listed there).
ippallas-ma ana ša iskipūšu ilšu isaḫḫuršu
Line 17: Akṣu, “dangerous, overbearing, terrible.” The adjective is a 3fs predicative.
Ana surri, “immediately, soon.” Ennettu (ennittu), “punishment.” Kabtu (m), kabittu (f),
“heavy, important, grave, grievous.” Marduk’s terrible wrath is quick to strike.
akṣat ana surri ennittašu kabitti
Line 18: Nakruṭu (N of karāṭu), “to be merciful, to show pity.” (This part of the hymn
was not known to CAD K [1971], 215 or N/1 [1980], 196. One may wish to add this reference.)
Zamar, “quickly, immediately.” Târu, “to turn, to return, to turn into, to become.”
Several NB MSS read a final vowel on the verb here. As George and Al-Rawi explain on the
basis of a study in NB grammar (198), NB has a tendency to add such final vowels to duratives
of middle weak roots (sometimes in II-y roots and very often in II-w roots, like târu).
Ālittu, “mother, one who gives birth.” The š on the noun may be an apocopated 3ms suffix.
Or, as George and Al-Rawi believe, the –uš ending is a late form of the adverbial –iš and
ālittuš should be translated “like a mother” (see likewise Foster, 395). In either case, line
18 shows that Marduk in a merciful mood can quickly turn “motherly” toward humans.
The semantic contrast in the couplet of lines 17–18 is complemented by the phonological
similarities between them. Compare the k and t sounds in akṣat and ikkarriṭ, the sibiliant
(s, z) and r sounds in surri and zamar, and the t and š sounds in ennittašu kabitti and ālittuš.
ikkariṭ-ma zamar itâr alittuš
Line 19: Lines 19–20, as presently understood, break the pattern of alternating negative
and positive images. Edēdu is difficult. All extant MSS read the verb as iddud, a G durative.
Normally, the verb in the G stem means “to be(come) pointed.” But this makes no
sense in context. The D stem’s meaning, on the other hand, when in hendiadys (as our verb
seems to be with kunnû), is quite suitable to our context, “to do something quickly, to
hasten to” (see CAD E, 24; note the adverbs ana surri and zamar in lines 17 and 18). But
our verb is clearly a G stem. If, however, the alternative restoration of Ludlul II 81 is correct
([i]-du-ud), there may be another attestation of the G stem with the meaning “to hasten”
(see Annus and Lenzi, xxvii, n.50, correcting the Akkadian there to [i]-du-ud, and
Moran, 260). Given this possibility and the propensity for our author to use rare verbs or
verbs in otherwise rarely attested stems (see Annus and Lenzi, xxvii), translating the G
with the D stem’s meaning “to hasten to” is the only reasonable and viable alternative at
present. Rîmu (reʾmu, CAD R, 259), “beloved.” Though it is a rarely attested word, it makes