The Oldest Surviving Literature in the World

The Kesh Temple Hymn or Liturgy to Nintud on the Creation of Man and Woman is a Sumerian tablet, written in the form of a hymn on clay tablets dated to as early as 2600 BCE.

[The-Kesh-Temple-Hymn]

1-9 The princely one, the princely one came forth from the house. Enlil, the princely one, came forth from the house. The princely one came forth royally from the house. Enlil lifted his glance over all the lands, and the lands raised themselves to Enlil. The four corners of heaven became green for Enlil like a garden. Kec was positioned there for him with head uplifted, and as Kec lifted its head among all the lands, Enlil spoke the praises of Kec.

10-20 Nisaba was its decision-maker (?); with its words she wove it intricately like a net. Written on tablets it was held in her hands: House, platform of the Land, important fierce bull! House Kec, platform of the Land, important fierce bull! Growing as high as the hills, embracing the heavens, growing as high as E-kur, lifting its head among the mountains! Rooted in the abzu, verdant like the mountains! Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Kec? Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Acgi? Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintud?

21 The first house.

22-30 Good house, built in a good location, house Kec, built in a good location, floating in the heavens like a princely barge, like a holy barge furnished with a ….. gate, like the boat of heaven, the platform of all the lands! ….. from the riverbank like a ….. boat cabin! House roaring like an ox, bellowing loudly like a breed-bull! House in whose interior is the power of the Land, and behind which is the life of Sumer!

31-43 House, great enclosure, reaching to the heavens, great, true house, reaching to the heavens! House, great crown reaching to the heavens, house, rainbow reaching to the heavens! House whose platform extends into the midst of the heavens, whose foundations are fixed in the abzu, whose shade covers all lands! House founded by An, praised by Enlil, given an oracle by mother Nintud! House Kec, green in its fruit! Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Kec? Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Acgi? Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintud?

44 The second house.

45-57 House, 10 car at its upper end, 5 car at its lower end; house, 10 bur at its upper end, 5 bur at its lower end! House, at its upper end a bison, at its lower end a stag; house, at its upper end a wild sheep, at its lower end a deer; house, at its upper end a dappled wild sheep, at its lower end a beautiful deer! House, at its upper end green like a viper, at its lower end floating on the water like a pelican! House, at its upper end rising like the sun, at its lower end spreading like the moonlight; house, at its upper end a warrior mace, at its lower end a battle-axe; house, at its upper end a mountain, at its lower end a spring! House, at its upper end threefold indeed: Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Kec? Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Acgi? Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintud?

58 The third house.

59-73 It is indeed a city, it is indeed a city! Who knows its interior? The house Kec is indeed a city! Who knows its interior? The heroes make their way straight into its interior and perform its oracle rites perfectly. Frisking cattle are gathered at the house in herds. The house consumes many cattle; the house consumes many sheep.

Those who sit on daises bow their necks before it. It wears a crown to vie with the boxwood tree, it spreads out to vie with the poplar ….. ; it is as green as the hills! Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Kec? Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Acgi? Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintud?

74 The fourth house.

75-86 House given birth by a lion, whose interior the hero has embellished (?)! House Kec, given birth by a lion, whose interior the hero has embellished (?)! The heroes make their way straight into its interior. Ninhursaja sits within like a great dragon. Nintud the great mother assists at births there. Cul-pa-ed the ruler acts as lord. Acgi the hero consumes the contents of the vessels (?). Urumac, the great herald of the plains, dwells there too. Stags are gathered at the house in herds. Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Kec? Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Acgi? Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintud?

87 The fifth house.

88-102 House positioned over its foundations like a storm, like white bulls standing about on the plain; house founded by the prince, in praise on the tigi instrument! House in whose interior is the power of the Land, and behind which is the life of Sumer (some mss. have instead: it is filled with life); at whose gate is a lion reclining on its paws, at whose gate is the ruler who decides cases (?)! House at whose door is the Great Mountain without adversary; at whose bolt; is a great frisking wild bull; whose terrace is supported by lahama deities; whose princely wall ….. the shrine of Urim! Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Kec? Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Acgi? Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintud?

103 The sixth house.

104-115 The holy house whose ….. is the shrine, the holy house Kec, whose ….. is the shrine; the house whose lords are the Anuna gods, whose nuec priests are the sacrificers of E-ana! In the house the king places stone bowls in position; the good en priest ….. holds the lead-rope dangling. The a-tu priests holds the staff; the ….. brings the ….. waters. The ….. takes his seat in the holy place; the enkum priests bow down ….. The pacec priests beat the drumskins; they recite powerfully, powerfully.

116-126 The bull's horn is made to growl; the drumsticks are made to thud. The singer cries out to the ala drum; the grand sweet tigi is played for him. The house is built; its nobility is good! The house Kec is built; its nobility is good! Its lady has taken a seat in its ….. Ninhursaja, its lady, has taken her seat in its ….. Will anyone else bring forth something as great as Kec? Will any other mother ever give birth to someone as great as its hero Acgi? Who has ever seen anyone as great as its lady Nintud?

127 The seventh house.

128-133 Draw near, man, to the city, to the city - but do not draw near! Draw near, man, to the house Kec, to the city - but do not draw near! Draw near, man, to its hero Acgi - but do not draw near! Draw near, man, to its lady Nintud - but do not draw near! Praise be to well-built Kec, O Acgi! Praise be to cherished Kec and Nintud!

134 The eighth house.

The Kesh Temple Hymn

Yamanu Rei

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