Johnson 2004 - CDLI - UCLA

Though the translation I offer in (23) is, in my view, roughly correct, a rather subtle pun
may also be at work in the passage: if the contrast in (23) is in fact between pa-√e 3 “to
appear” and a 2-√e 3 “to take care of,” then a literal translation, taking the bird imagery into
consideration might be something like “it is not YOUR WINGS, pa, that you should
show your brothers, but rather YOUR ARMS, a 2. In itself the contrast is rather
innocuous, but since pa “wing” and a 2 “arm” as body-part nouns are emblematic of the
contrast between bird and man and by extension, in the language of the epic, the contrast
between the divine realm of the bird-man and that of an ordinary mortal, what Anzu
seems to be telling Lugalbanda is that the time of his rite of passage is over (cf.
Michalowski 1980b) and that it is time to return to human company.
(24) The Instructions of Shuruppak [5.6.1], ll. 9-12
[ Topic na.ri.ga.œu 10] [ Focus ßu nam [ Presupposition bi 2.bar.re]]
As for my instructions, you should not LOSE TRACK of them, (but rather follow
them closely [cf. igi-√bar “to keep an eye on something”], lit. it is not THE HAND
that you should open [so as to release], but rather THE EYE that you should (keep)
open [so as to keep an eye on something])
9. dumu.œu 10 na ga.ri na ri.œu 10
he 2.dab 5
287
My son, let me instruct you, remember my
advice,
10. zi.u 4.su 3.ra 2 inim ga.ra.ab.≠du 11± Zi’usudra, let me speak a word to you, you
œizzal ˙e 2.em.ßi.ak should pay attention!