“Enki and the World Order” is a Sumerian myth of 472 lines, catalogued in the Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature under the number c.1.1.3 (Black et al. 1998–2006). The surviving manuscripts come predominantly from Nippur in present-day Iraq and belong to the Old Babylonian period, that is, around 1800 BCE. The date of composition of the text itself is unclear. The use of cuneiform signs as meaning-bearing units by the author of the text suggests a substantially earlier date, namely the EB IIIa period, around 2600 BCE. This great uncertainty regarding the date of composition partly explains the difficulties scholarship has had in translating the text.

In scholarship the text is traditionally read as a mythological composition in which the god Enki — one of the three most powerful deities of the Mesopotamian pantheon alongside An and Enlil — reorders the Sumerian world after an unspecified catastrophe (Cooper 2025). The myth ends with a confrontation between Enki and the goddess Inana, who is dissatisfied with Enki’s assignment of functions to the other goddesses. The text is frequently understood as a hymn of praise to Enki’s establishment and distribution of cosmic and cultural order.

The present article deals with the beginning of the text, which according to the traditional view belongs to the opening hymn of praise to Enki.

The modern reconstruction of “Enki and the World Order” rests on the joining of fragments from the Hilprecht Collection of the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena and from the University Museum of Pennsylvania. One tablet (manuscript A), which originally contained the entire text, made it possible for the first time to determine the extent and structure of the composition. The results were published in a first complete edition by Bernhardt and Kramer (1959/60), followed by Falkenstein’s treatment (1964).

In the following decades several revised editions and translations appeared: Benito (1969) presented a revised edition with newly identified manuscripts from Nippur; Kramer and Maier (1989) provided a translation with philological notes; and in the early 2000s an online edition appeared as part of the ETCSL project of the University of Oxford. The most recent and most comprehensive critical edition is by Cooper (2025), who, on the basis of 25 published and unpublished manuscripts, has presented a new edition.

Despite this decades-long history of research, the meaning of the text is considered to be insufficiently understood. In his edition, Cooper himself explicitly refrains from a discussion of the “meaning” of “Enki and the World Order” and leaves this question to other scholars. He refers to Limet (1983), who aptly describes the situation: “on cultive alors le sentiment de ne pas avoir compris de façon correcte le récit” — one cultivates the feeling of not having understood the narrative correctly. Cooper likewise notes that in particular the poetics, the figurative language and the grammar of the text require further investigation.

Attempts to follow the translations sign by sign raise a fundamental question: could it be that the existing translations render the text not only incompletely, but also wrongly in essential respects?

This article presents a new translation of the beginning of “Enki and the World Order” that is based on a fundamentally different methodological approach from all previous translations. The translation was produced with the help of the R package “sumer” (Wellmann 2026), which implements a formal type system for the analysis and translation of Sumerian cuneiform texts.

The essential differences from the conventional procedure are:

Sign-based translation. Every cuneiform sign is treated as an independent meaning-bearing unit. By contrast, historical translations frequently assume that many signs are used purely phonetically — as syllables that contribute to the sound of a word but carry no meaning of their own.

Abstract base meanings. Instead of the concrete meanings from multilingual dictionaries (in particular Sumerian–Akkadian lists), which reflect how a later audience understood the signs, abstract base meanings are used. These are derived from the generalization of dictionary entries and from the compositional analysis of the signs themselves.

Formal composition rules. The composition of individual signs into words and sentences follows fixed rules of a type system (with the basic types for nouns (S), verbs (V) and attributes (A) and a set of operators) that unambiguously determines the grammatical structure. The type system is described in detail in the vignette of the R package sumer.

The result deviates fundamentally from all previous translations. According to this reading, the opening section of the text describes not a hymn of praise to the god Enki, but the emergence of human civilization as a project of the gods — from the introduction of basic cultural techniques by incarnated gods, through the delegation of leadership to human authorities and the establishment of administrative and legal systems, to the introduction of labor service. Particularly notable is the introduction of a tiered system of divine guidance — from direct instruction, through supervision by lesser gods, to the restructuring of the human mind.

The following chapter presents the new translation of the beginning of EWO. Chapter 3 then discusses the methodological differences from the historical translations and the substantive consequences of the new translation. The conclusion summarizes the most important findings and offers an outlook for further research.

In this chapter the translation of lines 1 to 31 is presented line by line and contrasted with the historical translations of Kramer and Maier (1989) and ETCSL (Black et al. 1998–2006). The ETCSL translation is cited by the year of publication of the translation within the database. The translation by Cooper (2025) differs only insignificantly from the ETCSL translation in these lines and has therefore not been included. Brackets and punctuation have been added to the cuneiform text and serve to improve readability.

1)         (𒂗𒈤)(𒁲𒀭𒆠)𒉪𒅅. 𒅎𒋼𒈾.

The powerful and productive cultural leader, who binds heaven and Earth together, establishes humanity's existence as exalted beings. The malleable people are bound to grasping for the assignment of tasks.

Interpretation: This line introduces the central figure of the text: a powerful and productive cultural leader who binds the Earth to the heavenly realm of the gods. To establish this bridge between the heavenly and the earthly is his essential task. His goal is to establish the existence of humanity as “exalted beings” — humans are not to remain mere creatures, but are to receive an elevated status. The second clause, however, makes it clear that humans have not yet attained this status. They are “malleable” — still unfinished — and dependent on having tasks assigned to them by the gods. The line therefore describes a current state and a goal: humans are to become exalted beings, but are still in a state of disorientation.

Kramer 1989: Lord who walks nobly on heaven and earth, self-reliant

ETCSL 1999: Grandiloquent lord of heaven and earth, self-reliant

2)         (𒀀𒀀𒀭𒂗𒆠)(𒄞𒁮)(𒀀𒊑)𒀀. 𒄠(𒃲𒂊𒌅)𒁕.

The transformative powers of the catalysts for change, used by the gods of heaven who are the cultural leaders of the Earth (such as Enki), transform the strong ones (i.e., the uncivilized people), who are available as partners, by the added catalysts for change. The uncivilized people from the untouched areas with the potential to cause harm support the launch of that what is entailed by the great ones.

Interpretation: Now Enki is introduced as one of the “gods of heaven” who act as cultural leaders of the Earth. Their tool consists of “catalysts for change” — transformative means by which the uncivilized people are transformed. These catalysts are likely to be agriculture and animal husbandry first and foremost: the basic cultural techniques that turn hunters and gatherers into settled communities. Important is the distinction between two groups of “strong ones” (i.e., uncivilized people): one stands available as partners — they accept the change and are transformed by the catalysts. The others continue to live in the “untouched areas”, that is, beyond the reach of the civilizing process. That this second group “supports” the process sounds contradictory at first. The background is presumably that the uncivilized people from the untouched areas can raid and exploit the partners who have become settled.

Kramer 1989: Father Enki, engendered by a bull, begotten by a wild bull

ETCSL 1999: Father Enki, engendered by a bull, begotten by a wild bull

3)         (𒊩𒅗𒂵). ((𒆳𒃲𒀭𒂗𒆤)𒇷 (𒆠𒉘)). (𒀭𒆬𒂵).

Those who come from outside use invasive acts upon the unfinished places for sustenance. The energy unfolding of the great distant ones from heaven, who are cultural leaders defined by invisible forces (such as Enlil), assesses the suitability of the Earth for usage as a resource. The gods of heaven use incarnation as a way of life.

Interpretation: The first clause continues the thought from line 2: those who come from outside are the uncivilized people in the untouched areas, who exploit the “unfinished places” — that is, the not yet fully fortified settlements — by raids in order to secure their own livelihood. The expression “invasive acts” here exceptionally does not refer to divine interventions, but to violent exploitation by outsiders. With the second clause a second major figure is introduced: Enlil, who is defined by “invisible forces” — in contrast to Enki, who appears as an actively acting cultural leader. Enlil’s role consists in assessing the suitability of the Earth as a resource. It is therefore an evaluation phase: before the civilizing process is taken further, it must be determined whether and how the Earth can be used for the purposes of the gods. The third clause is particularly significant: the gods of heaven use incarnation as a way of life. They therefore do not come to the Earth merely as distant powers, but take physical form in order to act there. This clearly distinguishes the text from notions of a purely transcendent divinity.

Kramer 1989: prized by Enlil, the Great Kur, loved by holy An

ETCSL 1999: cherished by Enlil, the Great Mountain, beloved by holy An

4)         (𒃲𒇽 𒄑). (𒈩(𒍪𒀊𒀀)𒆕). (𒀀𒆳  𒆳𒋫𒅍𒆷).

Great ones act invasively upon humanity. Those who rely on their own strength establish knowledge about the supplemental potential of transformative power. The transformative power of the distant ones equips those who are affected by the distant ones with the ability to make a living as carriers (of mental supplements).

Interpretation: The “great ones” actively intervene in humanity — the text uses the term “invasive act”, which suggests that the civilizing process is to be understood not only as a gift but as a profound intervention. By those “who rely on their own strength” the gods themselves are presumably meant, who in line 3 were described as incarnated. In their physical form on Earth they are dependent on their own strength and in doing so enlighten people about the supplemental potential of transformative powers by showing this potential through their own example. The result of this intervention: the people affected are enabled to make a living as “carriers of mental supplements”. They thus do not receive material goods, but a mental equipment that goes beyond their own natural capacity.

Kramer 1989: king, who turned out the mes-tree in the Abzu, raised it up over all the lands

ETCSL 1999: king, meš tree planted in the Abzu, rising over all lands

5)         ((𒃲𒁔𒈤) (𒉣𒆠(𒂵𒁺)) 𒁀).

The great ones of the powerful and productive people with strengthened life-fire allot the exalted ones on Earth (such as those living in Eridu), whose livelihood depends on deliveries.

Interpretation: The “powerful and productive people with strengthened life-fire” are most likely the people from line 4 — those who have become “carriers of mental supplements”. Through the divine equipment they possess a strengthened life-fire that distinguishes them from the still uncivilized people. Through this strengthened life-fire some of them become exalted ones who stand above the other people. A class formation of society thus takes place. However, the line also reveals a structural weakness of this early civilization: the exalted ones on Earth are dependent on deliveries. These are likely to consist less of divine gifts than of material resources — food, raw materials, goods of daily use. The new cultural elites, who have specialized in mental and administrative activities, evidently cannot supply themselves and depend on deliveries from others. This recalls the basic problem of every early urban civilization: the dependence of cities on their agricultural hinterland.

Kramer 1989: great usumgal, who planted it in Eridu

ETCSL 1999: great dragon who stands in Eridug

6)         (𒄑𒈪𒁉). (𒀭(𒆠)(𒀀𒌋𒌆)𒆷).

An assembly of unilluminated ones is the raw material. The gods of heaven equip the Earth with catalysts for change that are brought about by controlled sapience.

Interpretation: The mass of still “unilluminated” people — that is, those who have not yet been reached by the mental supplements from line 4 — forms the raw material for the further undertaking. There is already a small elite with strengthened life-fire (line 5), but the broad population is still unformed and remains so for the time being. The second clause describes the gods’ response to this state: they equip the Earth with catalysts that are brought about by controlled transmission of knowledge and that are intended to bring about social change. Knowledge is not distributed indiscriminately, but in a targeted and measured manner. This points to a planned procedure: the knowledge that the gods pass on serves to transform society.

Kramer 1989: its shade spreading over heaven and earth

ETCSL 1999: whose shadow covers heaven and earth

7)         (𒄑𒌁𒄑𒃾𒈾). (𒌧𒈠𒇲𒀀).

The assembly of minor exalted ones who deliver resources is bound to an assembly of professions. The community transforms the deficient country.

Interpretation: Here the emergence of a labor-divided society is described for the first time. The “minor exalted ones who deliver resources” are a new social stratum below the great exalted ones from line 5. They form the supply class that meets the need for deliveries described in line 5. Their existence is bound to a series of professions — that is, specialized activities and crafts emerge. The division of labor is therefore no longer merely a bipartition between elite and mass, but differentiates further. The second clause shows the result: the community thus organized begins to transform the deficient land into productive land.

Kramer 1989: a grove of fruit trees stretching over the land

ETCSL 1999: a grove of vines extending over the Land

8)         ((𒀭𒂗𒆠)𒂗(𒃶𒅅𒆷)). (𒀭(𒀀𒉣𒈾𒆤)𒉈).

The gods of heaven who are the cultural leaders of the Earth are going to equip human cultural leaders with the task of establishing sustenance of human existence. The gods of heaven use transformative power as a resource that is bound to exalted ones and is defined by invisible forces.

Interpretation: This line marks a decisive turning point: the gods begin to delegate their leadership tasks to human cultural leaders. It is no longer a matter of the gods themselves incarnating as humans (line 3) in order to intervene, but of empowering certain people to provide for the livelihood of humanity. This is the beginning of human self-administration — still under divine guidance, however. The second clause clarifies the framework: the transformative power that is used acts only on the exalted ones and is defined by “invisible forces”. The mention of invisible forces recalls Enlil from line 3. Gods of heaven such as Enlil therefore exert invisible forces on the exalted ones and so steer their decisions.

Kramer 1989: Enki, lord of the hegal the Anunna-gods possesses

ETCSL 1999: Enki, lord of plenty of the Anuna gods

 

9)         ((𒀭{𒉡𒁶𒄷𒄭})𒆠𒀀). (𒅅(𒂍𒆳)𒊏). (𒃮𒅅𒀭𒆠𒀀).

The gods of heaven with the task of binding missing divine creations to non-functional ones transform the bindings of the people. The process of establishing sustenance of human existence utilizes suppliers of energy from distant ones (such as the Ekur temple). Breastfeeding the process of establishing sustenance of human existence by the gods of heaven transforms the Earth.

Interpretation: Line 9 summarizes the previous course of lines 1–8. The task of the gods consisted in binding “missing divine creations” to “non-functional” elements — that is, in equipping the still unformed, uncivilized people with the divine gifts they lacked. This is exactly what was described in the preceding lines: the introduction of catalysts for change (line 2), the transmission of mental supplements (line 4), the emergence of professions and the division of labor (line 7) and the delegation to human leaders (line 8). All this has transformed the “bindings of the people” — that is, it has changed the way in which people are bound to one another and to the divine order. The second clause names the infrastructure that makes this process possible: “supply of energy by the distant ones”, with the Ekur temple cited as an example. Temples thus appear here not primarily as places of worship, but as supply stations — nodes through which divine energy flows into the human world and which materially and spiritually sustain the civilizing process. The metaphor of “breastfeeding” in the third clause sums up the overall picture: the civilizing process is nourished by the gods like an infant by its mother, and through this the Earth is transformed. The dependence is still complete — just as an infant cannot survive without its mother. The delegation to human leaders announced in line 8 is therefore still in its early stages.

Kramer 1989: Nudimmud, the mighty one of the Ekur, strong one of An and Uras

ETCSL 1999: Nudimmud, mighty one of the E-kur, strong one of heaven and earth

10)       (𒂍𒍪𒈤)(𒍪𒀊𒋫)𒋛𒂵(𒁴(𒃲𒀭)𒆠)𒀀.

A divine supply of powerful and productive knowledge towards those who have supplemental potential for knowledge transforms the alignment of the order, whose sustenance is the life-fire that binds the great ones of heaven to Earth.

Interpretation: Line 10 closes the first major section of the text and directs attention to a fundamental problem. The gods supply powerful and productive knowledge — but only to those who have the potential to absorb knowledge. A distinction is thereby implicitly drawn: there are people who are capable of absorbing and applying this knowledge, and there are those who are not, or only insufficiently, capable of doing so. Not every human being is suited as a “carrier of mental supplements” (line 4). This transmission of knowledge changes the “alignment of the order” — it is not merely a matter of individual improvements, but of a fundamental restructuring of society. Yet a bottleneck is hinted at here: the transmission of knowledge requires the direct work of the “great ones of heaven”, whose available time and capacity are likely to be limited. The number of people who can actually absorb and apply knowledge could therefore be insufficient to push the civilizing project forward to the necessary breadth. The order is sustained by the “life-fire” that binds the great ones of heaven to the Earth — but this bond depends precisely on the limited presence and capacity of the gods. This calls into question the sustainability of the entire enterprise and prepares the following lines, in which solutions to this problem are sought.

Kramer 1989: whose noble house set up in the Abzu is the mast of heaven and earth

ETCSL 1999: your great house is founded in the Abzu, the great mooring-post of heaven and earth.

11)       ((𒀭𒂗𒆠)(𒅆𒁹)𒅍𒆷). (𒉌𒆳(𒊮𒄀𒁲)𒁲).

Enki, the god of heaven who is the cultural leader of the Earth, equips some people who are found with the ability to make a living as carriers (of mental supplements). The selves bind to distant ones who themselves act justly in the name of the permanent administrative center.

Interpretation: Line 11 takes up the problem raised in line 10 directly: if the great gods cannot reach enough people, the transmission of knowledge must be organized differently. Enki now selectively equips individual people whom he recognizes as suitable with the ability to earn their livelihood as carriers of mental supplements. The word “some” is decisive here: not the broad mass is reached, but only selected individuals. This confirms the bottleneck hinted at in line 10. The second clause explains how this equipping concretely works: the self of a human being is bound to one of the “distant ones” — to a being from the heavenly realm that is not a great god and that also does not incarnate as a human (in contrast to the gods from line 3). These beings could be some of the Igigi — lesser gods who supervise and influence people from afar without themselves taking on physical form. They act “justly in the name of the permanent administrative center”, and so are integrated into an institutional order. This solution is elegant: since the great gods do not have enough time to instruct all suitable people personally, the task is delegated to a larger number of lesser heavenly beings, each of whom looks after individual people.

Kramer 1989: Enki who, lifting but a single eye, convulses the kur

ETCSL 1999: Enki, from whom a single glance is enough to unsettle the heart of the mountains

12)       (𒄋(𒅆𒁳)𒌅). ((𒇻𒅆)((𒅆𒁳)𒌅)𒁕).

Those who gained authority and now grasp for the transformative power of supervision, initiate supervision of actors who need supervision. The supervised people support initiating supervision of actors who need supervision.

Interpretation: Lines 12 and 13 describe how the people are selected to whom the process described in line 11 is applied. Those who have gained authority and now grasp for the “transformative power of supervision” are likely to be the Igigi mentioned in line 11 — lesser gods who themselves choose the people they want to supervise and influence. The Igigi therefore take the initiative: they identify suitable candidates on their own and begin to supervise them. The second clause shows that this process is not perceived as compulsion by those affected: the supervised people are grateful for the supervision by their Igigi. The supervisory system thus grows not only from top to bottom, but is also supported and recommended further by the supervised themselves.

Kramer 1989: where the bison is born, the stag is born

ETCSL 1999: wherever bison are born, where stags are born

13)       (𒊾(𒅆𒁳)𒌅). (𒊾((𒁇𒅆)𒁳)𒌅𒁕).

Those who gained authority and now gather actors as resources of the primary one (i.e., the city god) initiate supervision of actors who need supervision. Those who gained authority and now gather actors as resources of the primary one, support initiating identification of actors who need supervision.

Interpretation: Line 13 supplements the selection process by a further dimension. Alongside the Igigi, who in line 12 select their proteges themselves, there are also those who are tasked with recruiting workers — that is, human authorities or agents who gather labor for the central administration. They too can propose candidates for supervision by Igigi. The selection process is therefore not one-sided, but has two channels: the initiative of the Igigi and the proposals of the recruiters on Earth. The second clause goes still further: the recruiters favor the introduction of formal procedures for identifying people who need supervision. Selection is thus not made only ad hoc, but systematic methods are to be developed for finding suitable candidates. This points to an increasing institutionalization: what began as an individual act of the Igigi is to be channeled into orderly tracks and supplemented by standardized processes.

Kramer 1989: where the wild sheep is born, the stag is born

ETCSL 1999: where ibex are born, where wild goats are born

 

14)       ((X𒊮𒁺)  𒈠  𒋛).  (𒅗  (𒂵(𒊮(𒄯𒇬𒄑)))  (𒂷𒇯)  𒄑).

[Employees] of the center of delivery put the country in order. The actors upon the unfinished ones, whose sustenance is the administrative center for invasive acts upon divine bindings to primitive modes of existence that are invoked for improvement, act invasively upon the unfinished carriers (of divine bindings).

Interpretation: Line 14 introduces the practical implementation of the structures described in lines 11–13 and at the same time reveals the long-term goal of the entire undertaking. The “delivery center” is the institution of the gods that delivers the “mental supplements” to humans — those mental capacities that humans have been receiving as “carriers” since line 4. The employees of this center are the “actors who act upon the unfinished” — they act directly on those people whose mental development is not yet satisfactory. That these employees “put the country in order” shows that their work is already bearing fruit. The second clause contains the decisive message: the interventions aim to improve the “divine bindings to primitive modes of existence” themselves — that is, not only to have humans supervised by Igigi, but to develop the mental abilities of humans so far that they can eventually do without the supervision by Igigi. The system of supervision by lesser gods described in lines 11–13 is therefore not intended as a permanent solution, but as a transitional stage. The end goal is the mental self-sufficiency of humans.

Kramer 1989: in the … meadows, and the pits in the heart of the hursag

ETCSL 1999: in meadows …… in hollows in the heart of the hills

 

15)       <XX>𒅊  (𒂵(𒁀𒇽𒉡𒆭))   𒆭  𒁕.

[Developing methods for improving bindings to primitive modes of existence] through the attainment of enlightenment and the overcoming of disorientation, whose sustenance are allotments of people who failed entering (into cultural life), supports the entry.

Interpretation: Line 15 describes a continuous optimization process. As long as there are people who do not manage the entry into cultural life, the “delivery center” described in line 14 is needed — and continuously developed further. The methods for improving “bindings to primitive modes of existence” are not fixed once and then applied rigidly, but are constantly refined. The data basis for this optimization is provided by the failures themselves: those who have not managed the entry into cultural life are fed back into the system and re-adjusted — through “attainment of enlightenment” and “overcoming of disorientation”. Their cases show where the previous methods still have weaknesses, and so make their improvement possible. At the same time, the failed ones receive a further chance through the re-adjustment to manage the entry after all. The end of the line — “supports the entry” — confirms that this procedure works: the re-adjusted people ultimately do manage to enter cultural life. The picture that emerges is that of a self-improving system: the failures are not an end point, but provide the insights that make the system ever more effective — until ideally all humans manage the transition into civilization and the supervision by Igigi is no longer needed.

Kramer 1989: in the verdant … the place where no one dares to enter

ETCSL 1999: in green …… unvisited by man

 

16)       ((𒊮𒌧) (𒈠𒄀) 𒄬). (𒄬𒆷 𒁶). ((𒅆𒍪) (𒅎𒅆) 𒅅).

The central administration of the community splits the country of Sumer into separate parts. The separated parts create abundance. Knowledgeable supervisors establish sustenance of human existence with the help of the malleable ones who are found.

Interpretation: A new section begins with line 16. Alongside the “delivery center for mental supplements” described in line 14, a second divine institution becomes visible here: the “central administration of the community”. This now takes a decisive step — it divides the land of Sumer into separate areas. The line thus describes the emergence of the Sumerian city-states: from an undifferentiated territory, demarcated administrative units with their own jurisdictions are formed. The second clause provides the rationale: the division creates abundance. Smaller, clearly demarcated units can evidently be managed more efficiently than an undivided whole. The third clause shows who leads these new units: “knowledgeable supervisors” — people who possess both knowledge and supervisory authority. They are the result of the process described in the preceding lines: people who have been trained into competent leaders through the mental supplements (line 4) and the supervision by Igigi (line 11). In their work, they fall back on the “malleable people” — that broad mass from line 6 that forms the raw material of the civilizing project and is now deployed as labor.

Kramer 1989: there you have fixed your eyes like a halhal-reed.

ETCSL 1999: you have fixed your gaze on the heart of the Land as on split reeds

 

17)       (𒌓𒋃 𒂊 (𒌗𒂍𒁀)  𒆭).   (𒆭  ((𒈬𒋗(𒌋𒄞)) 𒌋 𒄞)  𒁕).

Settled days entail the entry into months of supply with divine allotments. Their entry supports joyful and satisfactory executed years that are brought about by strong ones.

Interpretation: Line 17 shows that a time system of days, months, and years already exists. The “settled days” lead to the entry into months of supply with new divine allotments — that is, with continually improving mental supplements for humans. The continual improvement of the mental supplements brings about that the months join together into “joyful and satisfactory executed years” that are “brought about by the strong ones”. The “strong ones” are those who have received these mental supplements.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: counting the days and putting the months in their houses, so as to complete the years

 

18)       ((𒈬𒋗𒌋𒄞)  𒌺   𒂊).   (((𒌋𒌋𒌋)𒁇)   (𒋧𒈬)   𒁕).

Executed years arranged by strong ones entail meetings of the advisory council. The facts under investigation support the accumulated 'brickwork' of the year.

Interpretation: Line 18 introduces the next institutional innovation: the assembly council. After the conclusion of a year — that is, after a complete economic cycle — an advisory assembly convenes in order to evaluate the results. The achievements of the community are therefore not simply accepted, but systematically reviewed. The second clause specifies: the “facts under investigation” — that is, the results of the evaluation — support the “accumulated brickwork of the year”. Each year builds on the previous one, and the investigation by the assembly council ensures that this foundation remains solid. But the annual evaluation also brings problems to light — as the next line shows.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: and to submit the completed years to the assembly for a decision

 

19)       ((𒌋𒌋𒌋𒁇)  (𒆥𒌓)  𒁕).   ((𒋛𒁲)  (𒁲𒂊)  𒁕).

The facts under investigation support shedding light onto existential matters. The legally established alignment of the order supports bringing lawsuits.

Interpretation: The evaluation by the assembly council (line 18) reveals that some existential questions need to be clarified — problems that touch the foundation of the social order. To facilitate this clarification, a legal instrument is created: the possibility of bringing lawsuits. The “legally established alignment of the order” forms the framework for this. With this, a fundamental step in civilization is taken — conflicts and grievances are no longer treated through violence or arbitrary decisions, but through a formal procedure. The lawsuits are likely to show in particular where the structures introduced in the preceding lines do not function as intended — they thus clarify the problems named in the following line.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: taking decisions to regularise the days

 

20)       ((𒀀𒀀 (𒀭𒂗𒆠))  (𒌧𒇬)  𒄑).   ((𒋛 𒀀𒁀)  𒈗  𒁉).  (𒍝  (𒂊𒈨𒂗)).

The transformative power of the catalysts for change of Enki act invasively on the community, which is designated for improvement. The proper alignment of the allotted catalysts of change with the order is the raw material for kingship. The energy unfolding (of the catalysts) entails exercising control with divine forces (in order to achieve proper alignment).

Interpretation: Line 20 brings Enki back into play and names the problem made visible by the lawsuits in line 19. Enki’s “catalysts for change” — introduced in line 2 as transformative means — continue to act on the community designated for improvement. By these catalysts, however, only agriculture and animal husbandry are no longer to be understood, but also the administrative structures created in lines 16–19. These created administrative structures are no longer aligned with the intended order, but are presumably misused by corrupt officials. The second clause formulates a decisive insight: the proper alignment of the catalysts with the order is the “raw material for kingship”. This means: only when the administrative structures function properly again and are not corrupted is the foundation laid on which kingship can arise. A functioning administrative system is therefore the prerequisite for kingship — not the other way around. Kingship is not introduced in order to combat corruption, but can take shape only when the order is restored. The third clause describes how this restoration is achieved: through the “exercise of control with divine forces”. Only after this divine intervention — when the administration is cleansed and functions properly — can kingship arise as an institution that then maintains this order on the human level.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: Father Enki, you are the king of the assembled people.

 

21)       (𒅗  (𒁀𒀀𒍪)  𒃻).  (𒅎𒇻  (𒇻𒃶𒅅)).   ((𒆠𒉈)  𒅁  𒍑).

An invasive act introduces the allotment of the transformative power of knowledge as a novelty. Shaping of subordinate people is going to enter supervised entities into the process of establishing sustenance of human existence. The created bindings to a person's existence, which are used as a resource, terminate obligations.

Interpretation: Line 21 describes a new procedure that differs fundamentally from the Igigi system introduced in line 11. There the Igigi functioned as advisors: they supervised and influenced people, who nevertheless continued to lead a self-determined life. Here something different is introduced — the allotment of the “transformative power of knowledge” as a novelty. Knowledge is now also passed on to people who in fact do not have sufficient potential for its acquisition (cf. the bottleneck from line 10). The second clause shows the consequence: people are “reshaped”, and “supervised entities” are integrated into the process of creating human culture. These supervised entities are presumably information-processing systems that are developed by the gods and that are intended to help people process information in the sense of the gods. The sign “𒄶” means that the creation of these entities is not a brief undertaking on the part of the gods, but a lengthy process with an uncertain outcome that can lead to either success or failure. The beginning of this process, described in this line, is presumably what religion calls the actual “creation of humanity”. The third clause reveals the advantages those affected derive from this: the created bindings to the existence of a person “terminate obligations”. Those affected are thus released from their usual social duties and given the opportunity to perform something important for society. But this release has its price: they partly lose the possibility of leading a self-determined life, for from then on the “supervised entities” try to steer them.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: You have only to open your mouth for everything to multiply and for plenty to be established

22)       (𒉺  (𒍪𒄖𒄧)  𒁀).   (𒅊 (𒂵(𒃰𒄩𒀜)) 𒂊  𒌋𒄞  𒀀).

Supervisors allott knowledge about becoming assigned to processes that promise tempting results. The process of disorientation, whose sustenance is weaving together that what gives birth to the life-germs, entails transforming that what is brought about by the strong ones.

Interpretation: Line 22 describes the actual transformation process to which those affected are subjected. Supervisors pass on to them knowledge about the processes to which they will later be assigned and which promise tempting results. Those affected are therefore moved by the prospect of significant results to undergo the procedure. The second clause then describes what happens during the procedure: a “process of disorientation”. This is not a malfunction, but an intended event — a necessary phase of the transformation. During this phase the consciousness of the affected people is “woven together” anew with “supervised entities” — into something that results in a new “life-germ”. The disorientation is therefore the moment in which the old structures of consciousness are joined together into something fundamentally new. At the end of the process those affected are no longer entirely themselves — their identity has been reshaped to make room for the “supervised entities” from line 21, which from then on act within them. The “new life-germs” suggest that from this fusion a new being emerges that possesses the ability to absorb and apply the previously inaccessible knowledge.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: Your branches …… green with their fruit ……

23)       (X  (𒀭𒊑)  𒂊𒉈).   (𒅗  ((𒈨𒋼) 𒀸 (𒅎𒈪𒌈))   𒅅).

[The community] uses as a resource that what is entailed by the added ones from heaven. This invasive act establishes sustenance of human existence by applying the divine force of shaping malleable ones to the unilluminated malleable ones that were brought.

Interpretation: Line 23 reveals what the “supervised entities” from line 21 are: “added beings from heaven”. They are therefore heavenly entities that are “added” to humans — entities that are merged with their transformed consciousness (line 22). These beings could be a so-called oversoul, as known from spiritualism — a higher spiritual being that is synchronized with a human consciousness and tries to steer it from the so-called spiritual sphere. The oversoul is not an independent living being, but something that has been created by the gods for this purpose. This explains why the phase of disorientation (line 22) is necessary: the old consciousness must first be reshaped so that the heavenly being can successfully exert influence. The second clause describes this process as the application of the “divine force of shaping malleable ones” to the “unilluminated malleable ones who were brought”. It is a profound shaping process that goes far beyond the counseling by Igigi (line 11) — it changes the very being of the human. The process is the concrete implementation of what was hinted at in the discussion of line 21 as the actual “creation of humanity”: from the fusion of human consciousness and oversoul, a new creature emerges that possesses abilities not given to the original human.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: …… do honour to the gods

24)       ((XX𒄑) (𒄑𒌁𒁀)  𒆕).   ((𒀀𒌆)  (𒋠𒋤𒂊)  (𒈾𒉆)).

The invasive act upon [malleable ones] establishes an assembly of allotted minor exalted ones who deliver resources. The transformative power of sapience imposes a destiny that is bound to that what is entailed by the repayment of loan from the inevitable return on investment.

Interpretation: Line 24 describes the social consequences of the procedure depicted in lines 21–23. The divine intervention on the malleable people brings forth a multitude of minor exalted ones who deliver resources. The transformed people — whose consciousness was reshaped during the disorientation (line 22) and merged with oversouls (line 23) — now form a new productive stratum. Through the “supervised entities” acting within them, they can absorb and apply knowledge that was previously inaccessible to them, and so make a valuable contribution to society. The second clause introduces an economic concept: the “transformative power of wisdom” imposes on those affected a destiny bound to the “repayment of a loan from the inevitable return”. The divine shaping and the merging with oversouls are not free of charge — they are regarded as a loan that those affected must repay through their productive work. This makes clear the ambivalence of the entire procedure: those affected are released from their previous duties (line 21) and enabled to greater performance, but at the same time they are bound to economic repayment obligations. Their freedom is exchanged for ability and productivity.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: …… in its forests is like a fleecy garment

25)       ((𒇇𒍣)  (𒃢𒍣)  𒈾).   (𒁻  𒂊((𒈨𒋼)𒀸(𒅎𒈪𒌈))  𒅅).

The just and reliable supervised strong ones (from heaven) are bound to just and reliable people who have them as their supervisors. The combined delivery of actors entails establishing sustenance of human existence by applying the divine force of shaping malleable ones to the unilluminated malleable ones who were brought.

Interpretation: Line 25 summarizes the process described in lines 21–24. The “just and reliable supervised strong ones” are the oversouls — those heavenly beings introduced in line 23 as “added beings from heaven”. They are referred to here as “strong ones”, which emphasizes their power and effectiveness, and as “supervised”, which confirms that they themselves are subject to higher control (cf. the “supervised entities” from line 21). These oversouls are bound to “just and reliable people” who have them as their supervisors. The emphasis on justice and reliability on both sides shows that the process now runs in an orderly manner: the oversouls are assigned to the right people. The second clause sums it up again: the “combined delivery of actors” — that is, the cooperation of the oversouls with their human carriers — serves to apply the divine shaping force to still unilluminated malleable ones.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: Good sheep and good lambs do honour to …….

 

26)       (XX  (𒃷𒍣)  𒁕).  (X𒌝  (𒈪𒅔)  𒊏).

[The community] supports just and reliable ones who accumulated assets with guidance. Strengthening [weak people] utilizes unilluminated ones, whose selves are of high quality.

Interpretation: Line 26 describes the effects of the oversoul system depicted in lines 21–25 on society. The community supports those who are just and reliable and have nevertheless accumulated assets — that is, those transformed people who, through the merging with oversouls, have become productive members of society (line 24) and have remained upright in the process. The community thus stands behind the new system and its successful results. The second clause shows how the system is further expanded: the strengthening of weak people — those who have not yet been sufficiently integrated into civilization — makes use of “unilluminated ones whose self is of high quality”. Here an important selection criterion becomes visible: not all unilluminated ones are alike. Some possess a self of high quality even though they are not yet “illuminated” — they lack not the inner substance, but only the shaping. Precisely these people are particularly well suited for the oversoul process: their high inner quality makes them ideal candidates for the merging described in lines 21–23.

Kramer 1989: (translation missing)

ETCSL 1999: When …… the prepared fields

 

27)       ((…𒄦𒇯)  (𒄦𒈦)  𒂊). (𒄘 𒅎 𒁕). (𒄥 𒊑).

The accumulated earning that is obtained at the unfinished place entails taxes charged by the second party on the accumulated earning. This burden supports malleable people. Measuring vessels (for the taxes accrued on the income) are placed.

Interpretation: Line 27 introduces a moral principle: mercy as a social virtue. The “accumulated earnings obtained at the unfinished place” — that is, the income generated within the still unfinished Sumerian society — entail taxes that are levied by the second party, the gods. Humans are expected to give up part of their income. The second clause makes the purpose of these taxes clear: the burden supports needy, malleable people — those who are still in the process of being shaped and depend on help. The tax is therefore not a pure tax mechanism, but the expression of a social duty of care for the weaker. A remarkable parallel to the Bible can be drawn here: the principle of giving up a portion of one’s own income for the needy recalls the tithe and the biblical commandment of mercy toward the poor and the weak. The third clause shows that this principle is not only formulated as a moral appeal, but is institutionally anchored: “Measuring vessels are placed”. The taxes are recorded with standardized measures — there is therefore a regulated system that ensures that mercy is not left to the discretion of the individual, but is practiced in a binding and verifiable manner.

Kramer 1989: [A word from you] – and heaps and piles stack high with grain

ETCSL 1999: …… will accumulate stockpiles and stacks

 

28)       (XXX 𒉌 𒈾).  (𒉆  (𒂵𒈾)  (𒉆𒉣)  𒇬).  (𒁦 𒂊 𒉆 𒁺).

[Oversouls] are bound to the self. The process of assigning destinies, whose sustenance is bound to those with invisible forces, designates the destiny of exalted ones for improvement. The (poor) living conditions of the supervised ones who are bound to generating interest earnings entail the assignment of destinies (to those responsible).

Interpretation: Line 28 directly links the oversoul system introduced in lines 21–25 with the concept of destiny assignment. “Oversouls are bound to the self” — this confirms once more what was described in line 22: the oversoul is merged with the self of a human and from then on tries to steer that human from the spiritual sphere. The second clause describes the process of destiny assignment: it is nourished by “invisible forces” — a reference to Enlil and to the divine guidance described in line 8. The destiny of the exalted ones is “designated for improvement”. Precisely those who have already attained an elevated status evidently do not behave in the sense of the gods. Their behavior must therefore be steered more strongly than the behavior of ordinary people through the assignment of an appropriate destiny. The third clause provides the reason for this intervention: those “bound to the generation of interest earnings” — that is, the people who have to repay their debts through productive labor — live under poor conditions. The exalted ones, who are responsible for the well-being of these people, evidently do not look after them sufficiently. This criticism of the leaders recalls biblical prophetic words, for example in Ezekiel 34, where God accuses the shepherds of Israel, who feed themselves instead of caring for their flock. But the system reacts: those responsible for these grievances are assigned destinies — they are assigned an oversoul that steers their behavior. The assignment of destinies through oversouls thus proves to be an instrument of divine justice that ensures that the leaders do not neglect their responsibility toward the weaker.

Kramer 1989: [In the land] – be it fat, be it milk, the stalls and sheepfolds produce it.

ETCSL 1999: …… there is oil, there is milk, produced by the sheepfold and cow-pen.

 

29)       (𒉺 𒇻 𒉈).  (𒄿𒇻  𒇴𒈠  𒈾).  (𒄭  𒄀  (𒌋𒌋𒌋)).  (𒅎𒈪  𒅁  𒁉).

Supervisor use the subordinate people as a resource. The life force of subordinate people is bound to the abundance of the country. A permanent binding is prioritized. Unshaped malleable people are (therefore) the raw material for obligations.

Interpretation: Line 29 describes the everyday reality of the labor relations that have emerged from the previous civilizing process. Supervisors use the subordinate people as a resource — a sober statement that exposes the instrumental character of the system. The life force of the subordinates is bound to the abundance of the land: only when sufficient food is produced can the subordinates work productively. The third clause therefore sets a clear priority: care must be taken that the abundance of Sumer remains permanent — a “permanent binding” is sought. This requires long-term infrastructure projects, such as the construction of canal systems for irrigation. Such large-scale projects cannot be accomplished by voluntary labor alone — they make labor service obligatory. The fourth clause draws the consequence: “Unshaped malleable people are the raw material for obligations.” The not yet transformed people — those who have neither been counseled by the great gods or the Igigi nor merged with oversouls — are conscripted for labor service. They are the reservoir from which society draws for its large-scale projects. The line makes clear that securing permanent abundance has its price: the unshaped ones bear the burden of the physical labor that forms the foundation of Sumerian civilization.

Kramer 1989: [The shepherd] sweetly sounds his ilulamma-song

ETCSL 1999: The shepherd sweetly sings his rustic song

30)       ((𒀖𒆪𒉈)𒁔). (𒁔𒂁). (𒍀𒊏𒅗𒈾). (𒌓  (𒅎𒁲𒉌)  (𒅁𒉌)  𒂊).

People who are designated for temporary labor service complain. Those with strengthened life-fire negotiate. Giving birth to second party interests is bound to the utilization of invasive acts. The light that is shed on the malleable substance that is bound to those who talk entails obligations for those who talk.

Interpretation: Line 30 describes the tensions that arise from the labor service depicted in line 29. People who are designated for temporary labor service complain. The duty of labor service — for example in the construction of canal systems — is evidently perceived as unreasonable. Although their life force is strong, that is, although they are entirely suited for the work, they negotiate. The third clause shows, however, that the interests of the gods and of the community — the interests of the second party — cannot simply be ignored: the implementation of the infrastructure projects is bound to “invasive acts”, that is, to interventions that are necessary in order to enforce the projects. The complaints of those obligated to labor service do not change the fact that the canals must be built if the abundance of Sumer is to be permanently secured (line 29). The fourth clause provides the rationale: the light that is shed on the thought processes of people leads to the obligation of labor service being maintained and not, for example, converted into voluntary work.

Kramer 1989: [The cowherd] spends the day rocking the churn next to him.

ETCSL 1999: the cowherd spends the day rocking his churns

31)       (𒆥𒋝).  ((𒋼𒀕𒃲) (𒀭𒊑𒂊)𒉈). (𒅗(𒈨𒋼𒀸𒅎𒈪)𒅁𒅅).

Existential matters suffered from incomplete divine bindings. Grasping for great things that match supplemental potential uses that what is entailed by the added ones from heaven as a resource. The invasive act of applying the divine force of shaping malleable ones to the unilluminated malleable ones establishes sustenance of human existence by obligations.

Interpretation: Line 31 forms the conclusion of the section and draws a balance. The first clause looks back: “Existential matters suffered from incomplete divine bindings.” The fundamental problem that runs through the entire text is named here once more — from the disoriented humans in line 1, through the bottleneck in line 10, to the complaints in line 30: the divine bindings that are supposed to connect humans with the heavenly order have for a long time been incomplete and partly still are. The second clause describes the solution: those who strive for great things use what is provided by the “added beings from heaven” — that is, the oversouls — as a resource. The oversoul system described in lines 21–25 is the answer to the problem of incomplete bindings: where the natural abilities of humans do not suffice, the oversoul supplements what is missing and thus makes the striving for greater things possible. The third clause formulates the final result of the entire text: the “invasive act of applying the divine force of shaping malleable ones to the unilluminated malleable ones” — that is, the entire civilizing process in its full breadth — “establishes the livelihood of humanity through obligations”. This is the concluding verdict: the civilization that emerges from the divine intervention rests on obligations. The existence of humanity as exalted beings (line 1) is realized not through freedom, but through a system of mutual duties — between workers and leaders, between the earthly and the heavenly. The ambivalence already laid down in line 1 runs through the entire text to its end: civilizing means elevation and obligation at the same time. The construction of canals, the repayment of debts, labor service and the control by oversouls — all these are the obligations on which Sumerian civilization rests.

Kramer 1989: You set out meals – as it should be – in the dining hall of the gods

ETCSL 1999: Their products would do honour to the late lunches in the gods' great dining hall.