Ninurta and the Turtle
This myth documents how the god Enki transformed Ninurta from an Igigi god — controlled by the Tablet of Destinies — into a god of heaven. After Ninurta captured the bird-demon Anzu and returned the stolen Tablet to the Abzu, Enki decoupled Ninurta from his existing power source, deliberately induced a psychotic episode to restructure his mind, and created a conscious being called Balgu (probably Šarur, not a turtle) to serve as Ninurta’s independent judge and supervisor.
The text was translated by: R. Wellmann
Last revision: 8.2.2026
Background Information
This text is known as “Ninurta and the Turtle” (ETCSL 1.6.3). It survived on a clay tablet denoted as P346087 from the Old Babylonian period (ca. 1900–1600 BCE), but the content of the myth appears to date much further back in time — possibly before 3500 BCE, based on the setting described in the text. Only the second tablet (Segment B) is readable. Segment A, which presumably contained the beginning of the story including the actual theft of the Tablet of Destinies by the bird-demon Anzu, is too damaged to be translated.
The content of this text is unusual for a myth. There is little narrative action in the conventional sense — no battles, no journeys, no dramatic dialogue between characters. Instead, the text reads more like a possibly fictive technical report documenting a process of consciousness transformation. It describes in precise detail the steps involved in restructuring Ninurta’s mind: the decoupling from his existing power source, the induced psychotic episode that stronhly resembles an episode of schizophrenia, the reconstruction of his self, the creation of a supervisory entity, and the assignment of a new destiny. Each step is stated matter-of-factly, with attention to the mechanisms and prerequisites involved rather than to dramatic tension. This suggests that the text may not have been intended primarily as entertainment or moral instruction, but as a record of how a specific divine process was carried out.
The standard scholarly interpretation treats this text as a humorous or didactic myth in which Enki punishes the arrogant Ninurta by trapping him in a pit with a turtle. The present translation, which is based on a logographic reading of the cuneiform signs rather than the conventional phonetic approach, arrives at a fundamentally different understanding of the text. Most notably, there is no turtle in this story. The entity called “Balgu” (written BA.AL.KA×GAR), which is conventionally read as a turtle, is identified here as a conscious being created by Enki to serve as an independent supervisor and judge of Ninurta. The name “Balgu” is probably another name for Šarur, the weapon that in later Sumerian mythology speaks to Ninurta with its own voice and gives him independent counsel.
The myth is told from the perspective of the god Enki, the cultural leader of the Earth and lord of the Abzu. The main characters are:
- Enki: God of heaven and cultural leader of the Earth. He orchestrates the entire process of transforming Ninurta from an Igigi god controlled by the Tablet of Destinies into an independent god of heaven.
- Ninurta: The hero who captured the bird-demon Anzu and brought back the stolen Tablet of Destinies. He undergoes a painful restructuring of his mind as part of his transformation.
- Ninmena (Ninhursag): Goddess responsible for the strengthening of divine authority by manufacturing divine forces. She is the one who originally created the Tablet of Destinies. She examines and evaluates the new arrangement at the end.
- Isimud: Enki’s personal diplomatic envoy and messenger god. He intervenes when Ninurta cannot complete a step in the transformation on his own.
- Balgu (Šarur): A conscious being created by Enki to serve as Ninurta’s independent judge and supervisor.
- Anzu: A juvenile bird-demon who stole the Tablet of Destinies. His capture by Ninurta is the event that triggers the entire plot.
The overall plot can be summarized as follows: After Ninurta captures Anzu and returns the stolen Tablet of Destinies to the Abzu, Enki decides to make Ninurta independent of the Tablet. This requires a fundamental restructuring of Ninurta’s mind, which involves a deliberate decoupling from his existing power source, a psychotic episode resembling schizophrenia, and the reconstruction of his self. Because Ninurta can no longer be controlled by the Tablet of Destinies after this process, Enki creates Balgu/Šarur as an independent conscious entity that monitors and judges Ninurta’s behavior. The text ends with reflections on the cosmological significance of this arrangement.
The text contains 60 surviving lines in Segment B. An unknown number of lines is missing both at the beginning (Segment A) and at the end.
Translation
Ninurta Brings Anzu Back
Content
The story opens in the middle of a crisis. The juvenile bird-demon Anzu has stolen the Tablet of Destinies, a divine artifact that can control the fates of the Igigi gods and possibly other cultural leaders. The hero Ninurta brought Anzu and the Tablet back to the Abzu, the cosmic underground domain of the god Enki. The bird demon Anzu is described as juvenile and malleable, suggesting that the plot of the myth dates far back in time (before 3500 BCE), even though the myth was written down much later. The myth is written from the perspective of Enki, the god of heaven who is the cultural leader of the Earth.
The myth starts with a summary of Anzu’s theft (line 1-5): Enki points out that Anzu stole a divine force, the Tablet of Destinies and used it to make Ninurta foolish and to compromise the loyalty of his weapons.
Ninmena (Ninhursag), the goddess responsible for the strengthening of divine authority by manufacturing divine forces such as the Tablet of Destinies, continues the narrative with a lament (line 6-8). She complains about the theft, but more importantly, she states what the Tablet of Destinies is used for: The Tablet is described as a divine force that was manufactured by her. It has life-supplementing potential and creates bindings that sustain existence itself by altering who benefits from the raw material of a mind. It should have been used to create destinies of cultural leaders by making the transformative powers of the gods of heaven more effective.
Enki, the husband of Ninmena, intervenes (line 9-12). He speaks for the benefit of the community, and his speech act, drawing on the transformative power of the Abzu, allows Ninurta to overpower Anzu. Ninurta then uses Anzu as a resource and returns him to the Abzu. Ninurta was then called by a name that reflects what he was doing: “God of the light, whose sphere of influence is exerting influence on already supervised ones” — clarifying that Ninurta brings justice by taking control over those who did not adhere to divine decrees.
Enki was delighted when Anzu and the Tablet were brought back to the Abzu (line 13-17). He calls him the hero of his divine brothers, who are the Igigi gods. Then Enki addresses the problem: The gods of heaven have not yet manufactured divine forces that can control earthly beings such as Anzu. This makes Ninurta’s control over Anzu a valuable asset for the gods.
Translation
1) 𒅗 𒂵𒉌𒋫 (𒄑𒆪)𒍪 𒅆𒌨. 𒀀 𒈬𒉌𒅔 𒋳
The speech act, whose resource for sustaining life is the sphere of influence of the self, compromised the loyalty of your weapons. The transformative power established contact with the name of the self, which is of high quality.
2) 𒈨 (𒋗)𒂷 𒋗 𒁀 𒁀𒈬𒉈. 𒈨𒁉 (𒍪𒀊)𒂠 𒁀𒀭𒄄
The divine force in my possession was purposefully used as a resource by the appropriator of the allotment. That divine force was brought back to the Abzu.
3) 𒄑𒄯 (𒋗)𒂷 𒋗𒁀 𒁀𒈬𒉈. 𒄑𒄯𒁉 (𒍪𒀊)𒂠 𒁀𒀭𒄄
The manufactured divine binding to that which sustains existence, which is in my possession, was purposefully used as a resource by the appropriator of the allotment. That manufactured raw material of the binding to that which sustains existence was brought back to the Abzu.
4) (𒁾(𒉆𒋻)𒊏𒁉) (𒍪𒀊)𒂠 𒁀𒀭𒄄. 𒈨𒀊 𒇲𒂊𒂗
The tablet for the process of assigning a destiny that cut that what utilized the raw material was brought back by the divine one to the Abzu. The divine force with life-supplementing potential is being secured by my intervention.
5) 𒅗 𒀫 𒀭𒅎 𒂂𒄷 𒂠 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁 𒈜𒀸 𒁀𒀭𒋛
The speech act towards Anzu, the immature divine influential malleable one, who is in a transitional state, has put into order by a divine one Ninurta’s unique foolishness.
6) (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒃞𒈾)𒆤 𒀀𒉪 𒅎𒂷𒂷
Ninmena, the sapient goddess that is bound to strengthening the symbols of authority, started crying.
7) 𒂷𒂊 𒈨𒁉𒋗 𒈬𒍑. 𒇷𒉈 𒆭 (𒉆𒂗)𒁉 𒉡𒀝𒂊
I purposefully terminated the raw material of the divine force in my ownership. The energy unfolding that is used as a resource did not bring forth by the work of great ones its entry into the process of assigning destinies to cultural leaders.
8) 𒈨𒂊𒉈 𒁶𒀊𒂊 𒋢𒀊𒀀 𒉡𒈬𒌧𒌀
The divine forces for the creation of supplemental potential did not finish, for the benefit of the community, the prerequisites for the growth process of the supplemental potential of transformative power
9) [𒀀𒀀] (𒀭𒂗𒆠) 𒅗 𒈬𒌧𒅗. 𒅗𒂵𒀀 𒍪𒀊𒀀 𒁀𒁕𒀭𒋢
The one with transformative power, Enki, spoke his words for the benefit of the community. The speech act, whose resource for sustaining life is the transformative power of the Abzu, replaced/protected the allotment that supports the gods of heaven.
10) (𒌨𒊕) (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁) 𒀫 (𒀭𒅎𒂂)𒄷 𒉈. 𒋗𒉌 𒉈𒅔 𒋾
The hero Ninurta used the immature Anzu bird as a resource. His hand keeps the precious resource alive.
11) 𒆠 (𒀭𒂗𒆠) 𒂵𒂠 𒋢𒀊 𒂠. 𒅎𒈠𒁕𒋼
The place of Enki, whose resource for sustaining life is recruitment, recruits the prerequisites for the growth process of supplemental potential. The malleable being approaches the associated container.
12) 𒀭𒌓𒋫𒍇𒇻 𒀫 (𒀭𒅎𒂂)𒄷 [𒉈] (𒍪𒀊)𒂠 𒁀𒀭?𒄄
Ninurta, the god of the light, whose sphere of influence is exerting influence on supervised ones, returns the immature Anzu bird, for usage as a resource, to the Abzu.
13) 𒂗𒂊 (𒌨𒊕)𒊏 𒁀𒅆𒄾
The cultural leader was delighted with that what was utilized by the hero.
14) [𒀀𒀀] (𒀭𒂗𒆠) ((𒌨𒊕) (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁))𒊏 𒁀𒅆𒄾
The one with transformative power, the god Enki, was delighted with that what was utilized by the hero Ninurta.
15) 𒂗 𒀭𒉡𒁶𒄷𒄭𒂊 𒊩𒍣 𒈬𒌧𒄿𒄿𒉈
The cultural leaders and Enki, the god of heaven for absent creations that bind to those who are in a transitional state, proclaim and confirm in a coordinated manner for the benefit of the community the just and reliable minor one (Ninurta):
16) (𒌨𒊕)𒂊 (((𒀭𒋀)𒍪)𒉈): 𒀀 𒀭𒈾 𒈨𒄯𒁶 𒉡𒈬𒌧𒀝𒂊
Hero of your divine brothers: the transformative power that is bound to the gods of heaven did not (yet) bring forth by the work of great ones for the benefit of the community a manufactured divine force that binds to what sustains existence (of earthly beings such as Anzu).
17) 𒄷𒄑𒆪𒆗. 𒂵𒍪𒉈 𒆪𒁀 𒂠
The invasive act targeting the bird is a precious thing. Those whose resource for sustaining life is knowledge recruit the allotted valuable thing.
Ninurta’s Destiny is Decided Anew
Content
Enki now reveals the consequence of bringing Anzu back to the Abzu: the reassignment of Ninurta’s destiny. This is not only a reward for heroism but also a fundamental restructuring of Ninurta’s being, intended to make him independent of the Tablet of Destinies.
The chapter opens with a preview (line 18): A divine force will recruit Ninurta’s self. A burden will enter and grasp for the raw material of his self — meaning his mind will be invaded and reshaped by an external entity.
The gods promise Ninurta great things (lines 19–20): a destiny as a hero, and having a role in bringing into existence the divine power of loyalty. Ninurta will get his own transformative power that brings forth the decrees of his speech. Ninurta’s power draws upon the transformative power of his supervisor, the god Enlil. Ninmena is assigned the task of bringing forth growth processes that are linked to those powers (line 21). In particular, a new divine force will be created that has the task of supervising Ninurta’s decisions, which are the prerequisites for those growth processes. The divine force will do that by judging his alignment to the legally established order (line 22).
The chapter then describes what will happen concretely (lines 23–24): Within a month, the supplemental potential will terminate the flow of mental energy from its source (which is under the control of the Tablet) to the principal parts of his being — a decoupling of Ninurta from his existing power source. This decoupling is necessary because Ninurta, as an Igigi god, is currently controlled by the Tablet of Destinies. To become independent, the connection must be severed. In addition, this is required by the gods of heaven in order to assess the weaknesses of Ninurta’s own mind and utilize them to establish Ninurta’s new name.
The hero is not delighted about the process (line 25). Ninurta does not agree with the method of how his new destiny is being assigned, even though he certainly accepts the destiny itself.
Translation
18) ((𒌓 𒈨)𒁕(𒌓𒌋𒄞)) 𒉌 𒂠. 𒄘𒁉𒄊. 𒋢 𒁀𒁺 𒁉𒂗
The divine force that has been brought to light, that supports the existing strength that has been brought to light, recruits the self (of Ninurta). A burden will enter and then grasp for the raw material (of the self). This prerequisite for the growth process will exercise control over the raw material of the delivered allotment.
19) 𒀭 𒃲. 𒃲𒂊𒉈 𒀉 (𒉆(𒌨𒊕)), 𒂷𒋢𒈨𒌨 𒃶 𒄿𒄿𒉈
The gods of heaven are great. The great ones with power may proclaim and confirm in a coordinated manner the destiny as a hero (and) the starter of life for the prerequisites for the growth process of the divine power of loyalty.
20) 𒀀𒀀𒍪 (𒀭𒂗𒆤) 𒇷 (𒃻𒅗𒋢?) 𒃶 𒀝
Your transformative power, whose energy is unfold by the god Enlil, may bring forth by the work of the great one the decrees of your speech.
21) ((𒀭𒊩𒌆𒃞𒈾)𒆤) 𒆥𒋧[𒂵𒋢𒈾] 𒀭𒁶𒂊
Ninmena will create the assigned task that sustains existence, whose resource for sustaining life are prerequisites for growth process that are bound to invisible forces.
22) 𒍝𒂊 𒁶𒅎𒈾𒀊 𒌇. 𒀭𒈾 𒈨 𒅆 𒋢 𒂠. 𒋗 𒋛 𒁲𒈾 𒀭𒁲𒂊
You possess creations with supplemental potential that are bound to the malleable substance (of your brain). That what is bound to the gods of heaven recruits the divine force of supervising the prerequisites for the growth process. The executor judges that what is bound to the legally established alignment of the order.
23) 𒌗𒁕 𒀊𒂊, 𒋢𒀊𒀀 (𒅆𒃮𒀀 𒂍𒍪? 𒊕) 𒃶 𒍑
Within a month, the supplemental potential, the prerequisite for the growth process of the supplemental potential of transformative power, may terminate the detected supplementation of transformative power by your supplier of mental energy to the principal parts.
24) (𒀭 𒍠 𒃲) 𒆷, 𒈬 𒋢 𒃶 𒅆. 𒊒 𒉈
Without the great divine limitations, the process of establishing a name may examine the prerequisite for the growth process. The weakness is used as a resource.
25) (𒌨𒊕) 𒉆 [𒋻𒊏𒁉] 𒊮𒁉 𒉡𒄾
The hero is not delighted about the process of assigning a new destiny to the raw material of the place of thought that cuts that what (currently) utilizes the raw material.
Ninurta’s Schizophrenia
Content
This chapter describes the most dramatic phase of the transformation. The title “Schizophrenia” is chosen deliberately: what Ninurta experiences resembles what modern psychiatry would call a psychotic episode, but in the context of this story it is not a disease — it is an intentionally induced state, engineered by Enki as a necessary step in the restructuring of Ninurta’s mind.
The process begins with disorientation (line 26): After the decoupling from his supplier of mental energy, Ninurta’s self examines the transformative power being applied to it. His life force darkens. The darkness becomes permanent. His life force becomes disoriented. The disorientation becomes permanent. The text describes this as a cascade of progressively worsening states, each one locking into place.
Then comes the restructuring (line 27): The raw material of Ninurta’s “place of thought” — his mind — is reassembled in a new way. This restructuring transforms his life force. The transformation brings his alienated self into a strange state. The text uses the word “alienated” (PAP), indicating that Ninurta is becoming alien to himself.
Finally, the text describes what it calls the “Delusion” of external control (line 28): Ninurta hears speech acts that support the restructuring of the raw material of his mind but have no binding to his own malleable substance — they come from outside, not from within. These external transformative powers act invasively upon the life force of his affected mind. The quotation marks around “Delusion” are significant: Ninurta is not delusional. He is actually being externally controlled. The voices he hears are real — they come from Enki, who deliberately engineered this crisis.
Translation
26) 𒆠𒁺𒁀. 𒉌 𒀀 𒅆?. 𒄿 𒅎 𒈪. 𒈪 𒄀. 𒄿𒅊. 𒅊𒄀
The place allots the delivery. The self examines the transformative power. The life force of the malleable substance darkens. The darkness becomes permanent. The life force becomes disoriented. The disorientation becomes permanent.
27) 𒊮𒁉 𒃻 𒃲. 𒃲𒄿 𒅎 𒁄. 𒁄 𒊮𒁉 𒉌𒉽 𒉽
The raw material of the place of thought, that is reassembled in a new way, is great. The great thing transforms the life force of the malleable substance. The transformation of the raw material of the place of thought brings the alienated self into a strange state.
28) 𒅗 𒁕𒁉 𒉡𒌒𒌇. 𒀀 𒁇𒁉 𒄿𒅎𒅗𒅗
The speech act that supports the raw material does not possess a binding to the malleable substance. Its external transformative power acts invasively upon the life force of the affected malleable substance.
Shaping Ninurta’s Mind
Content
After the crisis, reconstruction begins. A supervisor of Ninurta, who might be Ninmena, utilizes the divine bindings to his mind that already exist (line 29). By reassembling the pieces in a new way, a self is created that is of high value. This is the central act: Ninurta’s self is being rebuilt from the fragments of his restructured mind.
Line 30 seems to indicate a problem: That what is bound to humans by divine forces, the people’s own inner voice, does not speak, so an allotment is missing that associates Ninurta’s brain with a just and reliable soul.
Enki contributes directly and brings the allotment into place (line 31). The raw material of Ninurta’s place of thought recognizes the allotment — meaning his restructured mind begins to accept the new divine assignment.
The chapter concludes with noting that the dark transformative power of the transitional state terminates invading Ninurta’s brain and that the supplemental potential of transformative power can now be utilized by Ninurta (line 32). The unstable condition of Ninurta’s mind is being cleared in preparation for the next phase.
Translation
29) (𒌨𒊕) (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁) 𒅆 𒁉𒆠𒄭 𒊏. 𒁀 𒉌 𒅔 𒃻
The supervisor of the hero Ninurta utilizes a binding to the place of the raw material. The allotment founds, by reassembling the pieces in a new way, a self that is of high value.
30) 𒇽𒈾 𒈨 <𒉡𒌒𒅗>. 𒊮𒁉 𒍣 <𒉡XX>
That (speech act) whose existence is bound to humans by divine forces does not talk (to Ninurta) in the form of a binding. The raw material of the place of thought did not [instruct?] the soul.
31) (𒂗 𒃲) ( 𒀭𒂗𒆠) 𒆠 ((𒅎𒋼)𒈾)𒆤 𒅗. (𒊮𒁉) 𒁀X <𒍪>
The great cultural leader Enki acts invasively upon the place that is defined by that what is bound to the malleable substance that is brought into shape. The raw material of the place of thought recognizes the allotment.
32) 𒀊𒂊 𒋢 𒀊𒀀, 𒀀𒈪 𒄷𒄭. 𒄿𒅎𒇧𒇧𒂊
The supplemental potential binds to the prerequisites for the growth process of supplemental potential of transformative power, the dark transformative power of the transitional state. The life force blows away the malleable state.
The Intervention of Isimud
Content
Isimud is Enki’s personal diplomatic envoy and messenger god. Now it was his turn to intervene in the process. He announces Ninurta’s growth trajectory (line 33) — the path along which Ninurta’s new being will develop. But Ninurta wasn’t able to follow. He was unable to appropriate the light that he was supposed to use as a resource, probably because his depression lasted (line 34). Finally, Isimud succeeded, by utilizing his divine force of joy, in rousing that what Ninurta’s self could recruit (line 35). This ended Ninurta’s depression and finished the transformation of Ninurta’s mind.
Translation
33) ((𒈛 𒀭𒉽 𒉣𒈨𒂡𒉈) 𒂍 𒂊) 𒄊 <𒈬𒌧𒊒𒄘>
The diplomatic envoy Isimud from the temple, the divine messenger, the wise man with the divine force of joy that is used as a resource, announces, for the benefit of the community, the growth trajectory.
34) (𒌨𒊕) (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁) 𒌓𒁺𒉈 𒉡𒈬𒌧𒊺𒊺
The hero Ninurta did not nourish, for the benefit of the community, the light that was delivered for usage as a resource.
35) (𒈛 𒀭𒉽𒉣𒈨𒂡𒉈) 𒂠𒋗𒉌 𒁀𒀭𒍣
The diplomatic envoy Isimud, the divine messenger, the wise man with the divine force of joy that is used as a resource, roused the possessed recruitments of the self.
Creation of Balgu (Šarur)
Content
While the transformation of Ninurta’s mind is finished, Enki faces the problem that he may lose control over Ninurta because Ninurta can no longer be controlled by the Tablet of Destinies. This chapter describes Enki’s response to the problem. Enki creates a new conscious being called Balgu. In the standard scholarly interpretation, this entity is identified as a “turtle,” but the logographic reading of the signs BA.AL.KA×GAR yields a different meaning: an allotment (BA) that is a tool for the creation of transitional states (AL) by acting invasively upon what has been founded (KA×GAR), so it is some kind of weapon. Balgu is a manufactured conscious entity with a specific purpose, not an animal. The name “Balgu” is probably another name for Šarur, the being that will later become Ninurta’s most powerful weapon.
Enki creates Balgu from some malleable substance (line 36). A place bound to submission delivers Balgu’s mental energy (line 37), which makes Balgu a conscious being. Enki takes care that the mind of Balgu is a place without foolishness (line 38). Enki does it so that he can rely on Balgu. The community of spirit beings acts invasively upon the supplemental potential (line 38). This seems to indicate that the gods of heaven are actively shaping Balgu’s supplemental potential — its capacity for independent judgment. Ninurta’s future allotment Balgu is then put into operation (lines 39–40). Upon completion, Balgu completes its supply with mental energy by divine intervention. Balgu becomes a conscious being, supplied with its own mental energy, operating under divine authority.
Translation
36) ((𒀭𒂗𒆠)𒆤) 𒅎( 𒍪𒀊 𒀀, 𒁀𒀠𒅥, 𒁀𒁕𒀭) 𒁶
Enki creates the malleable substance of Balgu, a prerequisite for the growth process of the supplemental potential of transformative power, an allotment for the creation of transitional states by acting invasively upon that what has been founded, an allotment that supports the gods of heaven.
37) 𒆠 𒁔𒈾 𒆍 (𒍪𒀊𒀀, 𒁀𒀠𒅥, 𒁀𒁕𒀭) 𒁺
The place that is bound to submission delivers the mental energy of Balgu, the prerequisite for a growth process of the supplemental potential of transformative power, the allotment for the creation of transitional states by acting invasively upon that what has been founded, an allotment that supports the gods of heaven.
38) ((𒀭𒂗𒆠)𒆤) 𒆠(𒈜𒆷)𒆤 𒈬. 𒌧𒈾𒀊𒅗𒅗
Enki let grow the place that is defined as being without foolishness. The community of spirit-bound entities acts invasively upon the supplemental potential.
39) 𒆠𒁺𒁀. 𒁀𒀠𒄄. 𒂠𒁀𒁕𒀭 𒉐
The place allots the delivery. The allotment of the tool for the creation of transitional states returns?. The recruitment puts into operation the allotment that supports the gods of heaven.
40) (𒁀𒀠𒅥) 𒂕𒊏𒉌 𒊓𒁉, 𒁀𒁕𒀭 𒆪
Balgu, upon completion of that what is utilized by the self, completes by divine intervention its supply with mental energy, an allotment that supports the gods of heaven.
Ninurta’s Rejection
Content
Ninurta tried handing back Balgu, the being that should take control over him (line 41). Enki faces a dilemma: he does not know how to create agreement (line 42). The transformative powers of spirit beings continue to exert divine forces upon the malleable substance of Ninurta’s brain — the process continues to create Ninurta’s consent.
Meanwhile, Balgu gains dominance (line 43). He establishes control by using the resources available to him. Balgu is growing and developing his capacity to supervise Ninurta. Finally, Ninurta submits to Balgu (line 44).
Balgu, the loyal one, became placed where he was needed (line 45). Importantly, he is without any process of seeking recognition by the community, which is essential for his role as an independent judge of Ninurta and for Enki being able to rely on him.
Translation
41) (𒌨𒊕) (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁) 𒄊𒁉, 𒁀𒁕𒀭 𒄄
The hero Ninurta handed back of the raw material of the (anticipated) growth trajectory, an allotment that supports the gods of heaven.
42) 𒀭𒂗𒆠 𒉡𒍪𒁶. 𒀀𒈾𒀀𒀭𒉈𒂊 𒅎𒈨
Enki does not know how to create (agreement). The transformative powers of spirit-bound entities, by means of the gods of heaven, exert divine forces upon the malleable substance.
43) 𒃰𒋺𒌫. 𒄊𒁉 𒆠 𒉈. 𒅔𒄯 𒆢 𒅆𒌨, 𒁀𒁕𒀭 𒂄 𒌓
The released manufactured object gains dominance. Its growth trajectory uses the resources of the place. The seed of the binding to what sustains existence brings to light a place that is to be filled with supervising loyalty (by a “loyal thing”), an allotment that supports the gods of heaven.
44) (𒌨𒊕) (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁) 𒊮𒁉 𒁀𒁕𒀭 𒊒
The hero Ninurta submits the allotted raw material of the place of thought that supports the gods of heaven.
45) ((𒌨𒊕)𒂊) 𒂵[X] X 𒇯. 𒁺𒉈 𒉡𒈬𒌧𒍪 𒀀𒀭
The loyal thing of the principal part, whose resource for sustaining life is ?, is placed at the unfinished place. The delivery for usage as a resource is, by means of the gods of heaven, without a process of striving for recognition by the community of people for protection.
Founding Ninurta’s Growth Trajectory
Content
Balgu now founds Ninurta’s growth trajectory, establishing Ninurta as a newly founded god of heaven (line 46). This is the moment of transformation: Ninurta transitions from being an Igigi god — controlled by the Tablet of Destinies — to being a god of heaven – who is self-determined but controlled by Balgu. Balgu, who is probably Šarur, is the instrument that made this transition permissible.
Enki forges the act of striving actively for recognition by the community of spirit beings (line 47) rather than the community of humans or Igigis. Ninurta gets a flawless name and starts utilizing the weakness that was found in the country (line 48). Balgu, who ensures that Ninurta follows his expected growth trajectory, utilizes that what has been founded (line 49).
Translation
46) (𒁀𒀠𒅥) 𒄊 XX 𒊮?𒁉𒁀 𒀭𒋩 𒋩
Balgu founded as a new institution the growth trajectory …. of the allotted raw material of the place of thought of the newly founded god of heaven.
47) (((𒂗 𒃲) (𒀭𒂗𒆠))𒆤) 𒅗 𒈬𒌧𒈾 𒌤𒂊
The great cultural leader Enki illuminates light on a speech act that forges the process of striving for recognition by the community of spirit-bound entities.
48) 𒈨 X 𒆳?𒋫 𒈬𒉌𒅔 𒆸𒆸. 𒈬𒅆𒊒 𒉈
The divine force of X, which is in the sphere of influence of the country, makes flawless the name of the self, which is of high quality. The process of establishing a name uses as a resource the weakness that is found.
49) 𒂷 𒊏𒊕 𒄑 𒊏𒈬 𒍑. 𒅆𒋢 𒈬𒂊 𒃻 𒊏𒀀𒀭
The starter of life acts invasively upon that what utilizes the principal part of the head. The utilization of the name terminates. The supervisor of the prerequisite for the growth process of the name utilizes, by means of the gods of heaven, that what has been founded.
Enki’s Concluding Remarks
Content
Enki summarizes that Balgu now judges the great hero Ninurta, and that he himself recognized Ninurta’s suitability for the process, which was due to Ninurta being just and reliable (line 50). Ninurta’s new energy unfolding used Enki as a starter of life. The transformative power of Balgu, who judges Ninurta, utilizes the knowledge that is available about his reputation (line 51). This confirms that Balgu was deliberately brought into operation by Enki as a reliable instrument of control.
The relationship is paradoxical: Balgu depends on Ninurta for his sustenance, yet he sits in judgment over him. This is by design — it ensures that Balgu has a vested interest in Ninurta’s well-being while maintaining the authority to overrule him.
Translation
50) 𒉽𒉋𒂵𒃲𒃲 𒁲. (𒂷𒂊) 𒉈𒌈 𒂷𒂷. (𒂷𒂊) 𒉈𒌈𒍣 𒉈
A strange new thing that supervises impacts on resources, (the “messenger”), whose resource for sustaining life is the great one, judges the great one. I started the usage of the resource that was brought. I used as the resource the just and reliable one that was brought as a resource.
51) (𒍝𒂊) 𒂷𒊏. 𒀀 𒁶 𒅆𒍪 𒈬𒃻 𒊏
Your energy unfolding utilizes a starter of life: The transformative power of the creation utilizes the knowledge that is available about the name/reputation that has been founded.
The Essence of Ninurta’s Destiny
Content
This chapter clarifies the nature of Ninurta’s new destiny and explicitly distinguishes it from the old system of control by the Tablet of Destinies. Although Ninurta is no longer controlled by the Tablet of Destinies, Enki ensured that Ninurta’s name can still be utilized by the gods of heaven. Ninurta’s destiny is imposed not by the Tablet, but by the raw material of his own mind in conjunction with the transformative power of the spirit beings that intervene in the process (line 52). Balgu is just the one who ensures that Ninurta adheres to the anticipated growth trajectory. This gives Ninurta the status as a god of heaven (line 53), although he is technically bound to the gods above him.
Ninurta’s destiny as a hero draws on the prerequisites for growth of divine forces by means of transformative power. In plain terms: Ninurta is now a full god of heaven with a destiny as a hero, operating through a mechanism that does not rely on the Tablet of Destinies but on the independent judgment of Balgu/Šarur and the transformative powers of the spirit beings.
Translation
52) 𒆠𒁺 𒁀 𒍪, 𒀀𒈾𒀀𒀭 𒈬𒊏𒀭 𒆪. 𒀀𒁺𒁉, 𒀀𒈾 𒁶𒉆
The delivered place for the allotment of knowledge (and) the transformative powers of spirit-bound entities, by means of the gods of heaven, complete the process of establishing a name that can be utilized by the gods of heaven. The transformative power of the raw material of the delivery (and) the transformative power of spirit-bound entities impose a destiny on the creation.
53) 𒉆 𒆗 𒂵𒋢𒈨 𒂠. 𒁀𒀭𒁺. 𒉆 (𒌨𒊕) 𒋢𒈨 𒀀
The process of assigning the destiny of superiority recruits resources for sustaining life, which are the prerequisites for the growth process of divine forces. The allotment delivers the status as a god of heaven. The process of assigning the destiny of being a hero allots by means of transformative power the prerequisites for the growth process of divine forces.
Critical Assessment of the Method
Content
The text recapitulates the strategy of the gods: The binding to the principal part — the connection between Balgu and Ninurta — that became essential for existence, is declared to be great (line 54). The great thing could demolish the name of Ninurta’s self in preparation for reconstruction, should it be necessary. The process of assigning a destiny to Ninurta’s name uses as a resource the raw material of Ninurta’s thought processes (line 54).
Ninmena then examines the weaknesses of this approach (line 55). As the goddess responsible for manufacturing divine forces such as the Tablet of Destinies, she is the appropriate authority to assess whether the new arrangement meets divine standards.
Her assessment reveals a limitation (line 56): The sapience of Balgu/Šarur utilizes only the outer appearance of what Ninurta is doing, not his thoughts. Spirit beings set Balgu, a tool for creation of transitional states, into place. This tool is the foundation of the innovation regarding exaltedness that is described in the myth. However, Balgu gets information only from the places from which it can be obtained. In other words: Balgu, despite his divine origin and his role as Ninurta’s judge, has a fundamental limitation. He can observe Ninurta from the outside but cannot fully access his inner state. This is a remarkable admission — even this divinely manufactured supervisor has epistemological limits. Ninmena identifies this as the weakness of the approach.
Translation
54) 𒄯𒊕 𒃲. 𒃲𒂊 𒈬𒉌𒅔𒄢. 𒄢𒂊𒉈 𒂠. 𒉆𒈬 𒇯𒁺 𒉈
The binding to the principal part that became essential for existence, is great. The great thing can demolish in preparation for reconstruction the name of the self, which is of high quality. The process of demolishment in preparation for reconstruction recruits resources for usage. The process of assigning a destiny to the name uses as a resource that what was placed as a delivery at the unfinished place.
55) ((𒀭𒊩𒌆𒃞𒈾)𒆤) 𒇯,𒄑𒁉𒁀 𒁕𒀭 𒅆𒊒
Ninmena examined the weaknesses of that what was placed at the unfinished place, the raw material of the invasive act, an allotment that supports the gods of heaven.
56) 𒌆𒁇𒊏. 𒈾,𒀠𒃡 𒊑. 𒁽 𒅎 𒊬. 𒊬 𒊑
The sapience (of the messenger) utilizes (only) the outer appearance (of what Ninurta is doing). Spirit-bound entities set into place the tool for creation of transitional states (Balgu), which is the root of the innovation regarding exaltedness. (However) the messenger for the malleable substance gets information (only) from the places from which it can be obtained. A place from which information can be obtained is established.
Ninurta’s Energy Unfolding Starts
Content
With the new arrangement in place, Ninurta’s own energy unfolding begins. The growth process of what brings power, light and protection acts invasively upon what had been founded (line 57). The invasive act terminates the old process of establishing a name — Ninurta’s old identity is finally being overwritten. Ninurta’s energy unfolding allots transformative power, and this transformative power delivers a new process of getting a reputation that utilizes supplemental potential.
This marks the turning point: Ninurta is no longer being passively transformed by Enki or Balgu. His own energy is now driving the process, using the resources that have been put in place. The refrain “your energy unfolding allots transformative power, the transformative power delivers a process of establishing a name that utilizes supplemental potential” appears here for the first time and will be repeated in the following lines, suggesting it functions as a formula that describes Ninurta’s new mode of operation.
Translation
57) 𒌑𒊌 𒅥. 𒅥 𒈬 𒍑. 𒍝𒂊 𒀀 𒁀. 𒀀 𒈬𒊏𒀊 𒁺.
The growth process of that what brings power, light and protection of stockpile acts invasively upon that what has been founded at the unfinished place. The invasive act upon that what has been founded terminates the process of establishing a name. Your energy unfolding allots transformative power. The transformative power delivers a process of establishing a name that utilizes supplemental potential
Some Supplemental Information
Content
The text concludes with three lines that place Ninurta’s transformation in a broader cosmological context. Two of the lines end with the same refrain about Ninurta’s energy unfolding, reinforcing that the new mechanism is now active.
First, a comparison with humans (line 58): People regard as important the raw material of the principal part of the head and the name of the community — in other words, humans value their brains and their social recognition. But what truly matters is the divine allotment, which is disregarded by the community of fools. This suggests that the process Ninurta underwent represents a model that humans fail to understand or appreciate.
Second, a clarification of the distribution of cosmic tasks (line 59): The invincible gods of heaven on earth do not exert divine forces upon the raw material of a name. The transformative power of illumination acts invasively upon what has been founded at unfinished places. The text implies that the god Utu — the sun god who later becomes the god of justice — did not yet exist at this time. The function of judgment by light exists before the god who will embody it. Balgu’s role as a judge anticipates the later role of Utu.
Third, the destiny of death (line 60): The destiny of death does not yet possess a nominated executor. The cosmic order is still under construction. The creation of Balgu/Šarur — a conscious supervisor that judges Ninurta — is part of the larger process of building this order, one divine function at a time.
Translation
58) 𒇽 𒊕𒁉,𒈬𒌧 𒇧. 𒇧 𒁀XX 𒌧 𒄃 V. 𒍝𒂊 𒀀 𒁀. 𒀀 𒈬𒊏𒀊 𒁺.
People make important the raw material of the principal part of the head (and) the name of the community. (However) that what is important is the allotment of [supplemental potential?], which is [disregarded?] by the community of fools. Your energy unfolding allots transformative power. The transformative power delivers a process of establishing a name that utilizes supplemental potential.
59) (𒀭𒄠𒀭𒆠) 𒈬𒁉 𒉡𒈨. 𒀀𒌓 𒅥. 𒅥 𒉡𒌤. 𒌤 𒁷
The invincible gods of heaven on earth do not exert divine forces upon the raw material of a name. The transformative power of illumination acts invasively upon that what has been founded at unfinished places. Invasive acts upon that what has been founded do not illuminate light in order to bring forth something. That what illuminates light in order to bring forth something judges (note: the god Utu did not yet exist at this time).
60) 𒉆𒍗 𒋗 𒃻 𒉡𒌇𒀀. 𒍝𒂊 𒀀 𒁀. 𒀀 𒈬𒊏𒀊 𒁺.
The destiny of death does not possess (in terms of execution) the executor who becomes nominated. Your energy unfolding allots transformative power. The transformative power delivers a process of establishing a name that utilizes supplemental potential.