The present text was compiled from two sources. Incomprehensible parts were retranslated directly from the Sumerian. Although both sources deal with the same plot, the land of Dilmun is described differently in the two sources. The source that appears to be the older one initially describes Dilmun as a land without life, which could lie in a dried-up oasis on the edge of a desert, but eventually flourishes and becomes important as a trading center for Sumer. The second source describes Dilmun as a land that is not part of the middle world but could be a part of Enki's Abzu, where the gods temporarily reside. According to the second source, Dilmun feeds the rivers of Sumer. In order to obtain a consistent text, Dilmun is described here as in the first source.
City [of Dilmun], you perfectly pure city.
The gods have given you Dilmun very pure.
Sumer, you pure land.
The gods have given you Dilmun very pure.
Dilmun is pure, Dilmun has attained purity.
Dilmun has attained purity, Dilmun has been delivered pure.
Virgin (without life) is the land of Dilmun.
Untouched is the land of Dilmun.
In Dilmun the raven has not yet cawed, the partridge has not clucked. The lion did not kill, the wolf did not tear lambs, the dog had not been taught how to frighten children, and the pig had not learned that grain must be eaten. If a widow has scattered malt on the roof, the birds have not yet eaten the malt up there. The pigeon did not put its head under its wing.
No eye disease said there: "I am the eye disease." No headache said there: "I am the headache." No old woman belonging there said, "I am an old woman." No old man belonging there said, "I am an old man." No man who dug a canal said there, "It's getting dark already." No herald made the rounds in his borderlands. No singer sang an elulam there. No lamentations were heard in the outskirts of the city.
And it was at that time in Dilmun that Enki, the wise god of magic and fresh water, the patron of crafts and skills, met the woman of the stony wasteland, Ninhursag. He fell in love with her and lay down with her. They settled down all alone in Dilmun. The place where Enki had laid down with his wife Ninhursag, this place was still virgin (without life), this place was still untouched.
The Earth Mother's kiss had changed the carefree god of fresh water: Ninhursag had completely captivated him through the deepest of bonds, the thread of enchantment and passion called love. The feeling was so deep that the god of fresh water, magic and craft proposed to Ninhursag with the enthusiasm of a young lover's heart.
But Ninhursag said to Enki:
"You have given me a city. You have given me the city of Dilmun. What use is your giving to me?
You have given me a city that has no river quay. You have given me a city. What use is your giving to me?
You have given me a city that has no fields, neither meadow nor furrow. What use is your giving to me?"
Surprised, Enki realized that although he had given his entire being to his beloved, he had forgotten to take care of her earthly body, the land. He then set himself the challenge of providing the land with water. Enki replied to Ninhursag:
"For Dilmun, the land of my mistress's heart, I will create long waterways, rivers and canals through which water will flow to quench the thirst of all beings and bring abundance to all that lives.
When the sun rises in the sky, its progress will determine the course of the festive event. Finally, when the sacred place is bathed in moonlight, the waters flowing underground will gush from the springs. May the water from them rise into your great pools. May your city drink abundant water from them. May Dilmun drink plenty of water from them. May your pools of salt water become pools of fresh water. May your city become a trading center with quays for the land. May Dilmun become a trading center with quays for the land."
On that day when Utu rose in the sky and his progress determined the course of the festive event, and finally the sacred place was bathed in moonlight by Nanna, the underground flowing waters began to gush from the springs. The water rose from there into the large pools. Their city drank plenty of water from them. Dilmun drank plenty of water from them. Its pools of salt water became pools of fresh water. The fields, ditches and furrows actually brought grain. The city actually became a trading center with wharves for the land. Dilmun indeed became a trading center with quays for the land. At that moment, on that day and under that sun, it actually happened.
Enki, the wise man, made the barren land tremble with his phallus for Ninhursag, the mother of the land. With his phallus he made the land new and great, continuously alive. With his phallus he fathered the swamp without anyone having to hold it. Enki exclaimed:
"By the breath of life from heaven I adjure you. Put yourself in the swamp for me, put yourself in the swamp for me, that would be joyful."
Enki distributed his seed, which was intended for Ninhursag. He poured his seed into Ninhursag's womb and she received the seed in her womb, Enki's seed. Ninhursag rejoiced at Enki's mighty deeds and said to him:
"Beloved, the powerful touch of your phallus, the essence of mother Nammu that lies deep within you, has transformed the land, my stone body. I feel the power of life pulsating within me and manifesting on my surface as I joyfully birth and nourish the marshes and reeds that will henceforth harbor fish, plants, animals and all that breathes. So I call myself Nintur, the birthing one, the womb of the wet lands on the riverbanks."
Enki replied:
"Ninhursag, beloved, how can anyone compare to you? I cannot resist your wild, sweet nature, so lie with me once more and fill my body, my heart, my soul and my mind with endless delights! For me, you will forever be my wild, great consort, passionate and much loved!"
Ninhursag laughed and welcomed Enki's eagerness. For Ninhursag, the nine months of pregnancy were only nine days. The ninth month was the month of birth. Dilmun's water became plentiful. The water became truly abundant. Ninhursag, the goddess of birth, is the mother of the land. She gave birth to Ninsar (Ninnisig), the lady of life force, the mistress of vegetation, the green carpet of grass, leaves and flowerbeds that covers the surface of the earth.
Enki was overjoyed at the birth of his and Ninhursag's child:
"How perfect, how beautiful is our Ninsar! I already love the woman in the girl child, the young Anunnaki goddess and mistress of the velvety meadows and green fields. The ties that bind me to Ninsar are strong and inspired by an even greater love, for in her face I also see that of Ninhursag, the only one for my wandering heart."
The great lady held Ninsar in her arms, kissed Enki on the mouth and said:
"Soon my time will come to leave Dilmun, but to this sacred land I will surely return when the earth in Sumer comes to rest. I must go, for without my loving touch, spring cannot return, the winds to drive away winter will not blow, and all that is there will not sing or mate until I invite them to return. But before I go, I give Ninsar the strength to grow in record time, and in sacred Dilmun I leave my little daughter safe and sound from any illness, hatred or harm."
As the great lady had proclaimed, nine days later Ninsar was fully grown, enchanting and graceful, a sight to behold. Then Ninhursag set off for Sumer. Enki knew he would miss his beloved terribly, but while she was busy in Sumer giving her essence so that the land could grow happy and joyful, Enki was equally busy in sacred Dilmun. It was his sacred duty to oversee the rise and fall of all fertilizing waters. As much as he missed Ninhursag, Enki knew that he could not leave Dilmun until all the waterways were filled to ensure that the people had enough water for their crops.
It was at the end of a day when he was completely absorbed in the mighty task of controlling the flow of water that Enki saw Ninsar walking alone through the swamps. She had indeed become a beautiful goddess, and Enki's eyes fell on those of the maiden. Deep inside him, the lord of freshwater felt a longing that he could not yet define. He only knew that since Ninhursag's departure, no other maiden had touched his heart like this one. In fact, wandering alone through the swamps, she was the closest thing to Ninhursag that he thought he had seen. Enki wasted no time and immediately began to woo the young woman, encouraging her to make wild love to him on the riverbank.
Curious and eager to experience the power of love in her body, mind, soul and heart, she, the young goddess of green fields and lush meadows, gave in to the Lord of Freshwater and together they made wild love.
But as dawn broke, Enki looked into Ninsar's eyes and found in them a loving but pale image of Ninhursag. What is it about her that was so alluring last night, but now seems to have lost substance in the bright light of day? As beautiful as she is, she's not the one he misses, Enki thought. Despite the doubts he felt deep inside, Enki stayed with Ninsar for a while longer, knowing that his seed was in her womb. So he stayed with her until the ninth day, when Ninsar gave birth to Ninkurra, another girl, the future goddess of the mountain pastures.
As before, Enki was delighted by Ninkurra's beauty, her cheerful smile and her sweet face. Once again, Enki saw in Ninkurra the sign of his beloved Ninhursag. Sadly, Ninsar realized that although she had been passionately loved by Enki for a while, there was a longing in his eyes, body, soul and mind that she could not satisfy.
Ninsar thought:
"I was bound to him for a while, but he doesn't want me for himself, I can say that. I don't have the mind, body, soul and heart to hold his for the minute that means eternity, so I let him go, now and forever. I need to be loved for who I am, not as a mere substitute for someone I don't know loves me."
When Enki left her for the young Ninkurra, Ninsar grieved deeply, but found hope, purpose and support by drawing on her all-connectedness, her inner and outer resources to heal and grow from the experience. She also kept a watchful eye on Ninkurra, who, like herself, grew in record time.
The lovable, resourceful Ninkurra demonstrated tremendous energy by scaling the highest heights, all the way up to the mountain tops, but also keeping her essence connected to the ground. In this way, Ninkurra, the goddess of the mountain pastures, grew safe from any hatred or harm.
Another nine days passed, and as Ninkurra played on a mountain top, out of curiosity she explored a fountain that appeared out of nowhere to water the greenery and wildflower beds she was growing. To her great surprise and delight, the fountain took the form of a handsome god who introduced himself to her as Enki, the lord of freshwater.
Again Enki looked into Ninkurra's young and cheerful face and wished to dive into the girl's embrace, for she reminded him of Ninhursag, the only one in Enki's wandering heart. The maiden on the mountaintop, however, had attracted the lord of freshwater. Had he fallen in love again?
Ninkurra, who had led such a sheltered life in the heights of the mountains, was completely enchanted by the easy charm of the older, more experienced god. She happily gave herself to him and they made love for nine days and nights. But Enki soon realized that Ninkurra, as beautiful as she was, could not be compared to Ninhursag.
As before, the lord of freshwater left Ninsar after nine days, when Ninkurra gave birth to another lovely girl named Uttu, the spinner, the weaver of patterns and life's desires.
Ninhursag, who had kissed the earth to awaken for the coming spring, had returned to sacred Dilmun. The great mistress, who saw and judged all life forms wisely, frowned at the sadness reflected in Ninsar and Ninkurra's eyes, and she frowned at Enki's unbridled lust. Ninhursag knew how charming Enki could be, but no matter what, young Uttu the weaver was to be advised to avoid the riverbanks, or the places where Enki and she might be found alone or unattended. Ninhursag's stern advice to Uttu was:
"Uttu, my daughter, beware of the swamps and the riverbanks where Enki, the god of fresh water, reigns as ruler. There he will see you, there he will desire you and want to make you his own, only to leave you all alone later."
*Some lines with unclear meaning are missing.*
For a while, the young Uttu followed the great lady's advice and kept away from Enki's lustful gaze. But one day, Enki's desire won the young goddess's heart when he brought her delicacies: apples, cucumbers and grapes. Enki knocked demandingly on Uttu's house:
"Open up please, open up."
She asked:
"Who are you?"
He replied:
"I'm a gardener. I would like to give you cucumbers, apples and grapes, if you agree."
Uttu happily opened the house. Enki gave Uttu, the exalted woman, cucumbers, apples and grapes. He also poured beer into the large measure for her. Enki excited Uttu. Full of joy, Uttu opened up to receive Enki, the cunning god, and he embraced her with heartfelt joy. He clasped her by the breast, lay in her crotch, caressed her thighs, stroked her with his hand. He clutched her breasts, lay in her crotch, made love to the virgin and kissed her. Enki poured his seed into Uttu's womb and she received the seed in her womb, the seed of Enki.
Later, as he still lay in Enki's powerful arms, doubts entered Uttu's mind, body and heart. She thought:
"Tonight you loved me so much, tonight I was your wife, the only one, your beloved. But will you still love me in the morning, O most lustful of all gods? Will you stay in my arms and never let me go? And will you love longer than one holy night and share happy and difficult times with me?"
But when morning broke and Uttu looked into Enki's eyes, she knew that she was still not the one who could hold the lord of freshwater captive. With a tender kiss, Enki said goodbye, but didn't say when he would be back, or if he would ever come back to stay. Uttu swallowed back stubborn tears, but she decided not to give in to the loss and grief and more.
She promised herself with a deep-rooted determination:
"I swear that from this moment on, I will no longer be bound to Enki. If he does not want me for myself, for what we can be together, I will not carry any of his seed inside me!"
Uttu immediately turned to Ninhursag for help. The great mother goddess, beloved by all, would know what to do, she would see to the best course of action.
Ninhursag, the great woman and womb of creation, said:
"Kill Enki's seed from your body and bury in the depths of the earth the promise of life you shared with him. Let the earth absorb and transform your seed and Enki's. And after you have done all this, take time for your body, your heart, your mind and your soul to heal. And I, who have known love, pain, suffering and immeasurable joy, give you, daughter, a very special blessing: May the wisdom of experience that such pain brings re-enter your being, and may you learn to ask of your future lovers as much as you give while you live. Reciprocity is the key to eternal relationships!"
Nine days later, where Ninhursag had buried Enki's seeds, eight plants began to grow, lush and strong. Ninhursag laughed and happily proclaimed to each of them:
"From the depths of the earth, from my stony womb, eight plants came forth to bring more blessings to the world! Eight they are, and from now on each of them will be both father and mother, the very first seed of a new group of beings who will nourish, heal and live in the glory of Dilmun and Sumer."
After some time, Enki returned, happy and carefree, as was his custom. He was not alone, but in the company of the two-faced god Isimud, Enki's vizier and friend. They both took long walks along the riverbanks, enjoying the pleasures of the marshes. Both saw the lush plants.
"What kind of creatures are these, Isimud, my loyal servant and friend? I have not determined the fate of these plants. What is it about them that is so new and yet so old that fills my heart with longing and my mind with deep-rooted curiosity? I want to taste them, get to know their heart, explore their insides. What, please, is this plant?"
Enki asked Isimud and pointed to the nearest plant. Isimud replied:
"My king, that is a tree plant."
As he had sworn to serve the lord of fresh water, Isimud cut off a piece of the tree plant and handed it to Enki, who immediately ate it with greed.
The taste of the tree plant fueled Enki's desire to learn about the nature of the other seven plants. He asked Isimud about the nature of the seven plants, their essence and their contents. Isimud answered all his father's questions, cut off a sample of each plant and gave it to Enki, who immediately devoured it with relish. Enki determined the fates of the plants. He let Ninhursag know this in hear heart. Ninhursag was annoyed beyond measure:
"Enough is enough!"
This shouted the great mother, mistress and supreme queen of the earth, outraged and angry at Enki's contempt for all beings, whether human or plant. She said:
"Enki, you have gone too far by not only taking on the heart essence of young goddesses, but also absorbing eight primordial patterns of the plant world. It is good to feel desire and the need to become one with the beloved. But it is a deep responsibility to fall in love and to conquer the mind, body, heart and soul of a person.
You, Enki, came out of the blue into the lives of many virgins, settling into their hearts like a squatter, only to leave them and never come back. But even then, your greed to know and experience everything was not yet satisfied, and so you turned to the newly created plant world. You, Enki, tasted each of the eight sacred plants and devoured them with greed. You never asked, but always took without giving anything back, a token of appreciation, a simple caress.
How many have you brought a little death to their spirit, to their hope for a future with you? For all this, you deserve a mighty lesson, for it is high time that you, Enki, learn in suffering what you did not learn in happiness: I will never look at you with a life-giving eye from this moment on. May the suffering you have caused me return to you threefold!"
With these words, the great Ninhursag disappeared, and Enki was torn between the joy of seeing the only one of his heart and the growing worry over her parting words.
In fact, Enki's health began to decline. It was a strange illness: eight organs in his body were gradually becoming diseased. In fact, they began to die in Enki's living body. The Anunnaki, the great gods, were heartbroken by Enki's suffering. Father An, the prince of heaven, Enlil, the lord of air and Enki's beloved elder brother, all the healing gods and goddesses of the land tried everything they could, to no avail. Only Ninhursag was nowhere to be found, while Enki's health deteriorated day by day.
Soon the time came for Enlil to leave Enki to sit in the dust, so immersed was he in despair and concern for the health of his younger and most beloved brother. The Lord of the Skies mourned the loss of Enki. A world without the lord of freshwater, magic and craft, how sad that would be! Enlil simply could not imagine life without Enki's cunning, his humor and his sheer energy.
At that moment, a fox, a wild creature sacred to Ninhursag, came to comfort the lord of the air:
"I have seen the suffering of the lord of freshwaters, I have witnessed the lament of the greatest Anunnaki over Enki, her beloved brother. Only Ninhursag can heal him, only the lady of all creation can make him whole again. I will do my best to find the greatest mistress of earth, the holy Ninhursag, whom I will worship and serve until the end of my days. I will find the great goddess and bring her here to complete the healing of the sick god. But if I bring Ninhursag to you, what will my reward be?"
Enlil answered the fox:
"If you bring Ninhursag to me, I will make you famous."
The vixen disappeared, but kept her promise, because Ninhursag gave in and rushed to Enki's aid.
Ninhursag went straight to the chamber where Enki lay in agony, and with a wave of her mighty hand, Ninhursag dismissed the healers, nurses and well-wishers. Their work was done. Ninhursag's had only just begun.
With great tenderness, the mistress of creation made herself comfortable on the bed and carefully placed Enki's head on her vagina. Then she leaned forward and wrapped her arms, legs and breasts around the body of the lord of sweetwaters. Enki was thus lovingly embraced by the great lady, safe and protected by her warmth and her arms, which felt strong and yet very sweet. Like a nurturing womb, the great lady wrapped herself around the god of sweetwaters. Ninhursag whispered softly in Enki's ear:
"Dearest, what hurts you?"
Enki replied with obvious effort:
"O beloved, my whole body hurts."
Ninhursag gently rocked the ailing god back and forth with great care:
"I know your body hurts, dear heart, but soon you will be well again. For I will take into my womb of abundance, the nest of creation, the seeds that you have eaten so greedily and that have made you so ill. I will take them all into my body so that they can bring healing and not harm to all beings. Let the work begin!"
Enki felt that he could no longer move a single fingertip. At the same time, warmth began to spread throughout his body, bringing with it new vitality and life force. Enki heard Ninhursag's voice echoing throughout his being:
"The first seed you ate that made you sick, I take its power into myself and transform it into a newborn god, a younger brother and son for you, dearest. So I have given birth to the god Abu to free your body."
The great lady continued her powerful healing ritual and asked Enki the names of the other seven affected organs. Enki replied that his jaw, teeth, mouth, throat, arms, legs and ribs were hurting. Nihursag created a god or goddess for each of these organs in order to heal them. She created Nintulla, Ninsutu (Ningiriutud), Ninkasi, Nazi, Azimua, Enshag and Ninti. She said:
"The little ones I have born shall not lack rewards. Abu shall become king of the grasses, Nintulla shall become lord of Magan, Ningiriutud shall marry Ninazu, Ninkasi shall be that which satisfies the heart, Nazi shall marry Nindara, Azimua shall marry Ningiszida, Ninti shall become lady of the month, and Enshag shall become lord of Dilmun."
As soon as Ninhursag had uttered the last sentence, Enki felt neither pain nor ache, he was revitalized and stronger than ever.
It was as if he himself had been reborn in Ninhursag's tight embrace. Gone were the pain, the fever and the trembling. He said in a voice full of wonder:
"I am alive, and yet it feels so different from the moment I came out of the sea of mother Nammu or when I met Ereshkigal in the netherworld."
He pulled Ninhursag into his arms because he wanted to see her face too. The great lady's eyes were closed, but there was a smile on her lips. She leaned against the pillows of Enki's bed, still holding him in a loose embrace.
Now it was his turn to act with immense tenderness as he changed position to lay her on his chest. Deeply moved by the gift of life he had been given, he said:
"You healed me by sending your soul into my body. That is the reason why you are so exhausted. And the reason why I feel so much more a part of you as a result. How could I have been so stupid not to understand you and myself until now? I have longed for you, for your embrace, your touch. But before, I only wanted you for myself and desired all the maids, because I didn't know the extent of my longing for you and only you. How foolish of me to think that I would find your likeness in every girl I met, only to abandon them when I realized they weren't you!"
They kissed passionately. Ninhursag said afterward:
"I would never bind you to me against your true will, beloved."
She continued:
"And because you have understood this great mystery, because you and I are indeed two, all worlds shall know what I now proclaim: From this moment on, let it be known that I, Ninhursag, the earth mother, the wisest of all beings in the ways of nature, have built a house for my beloved and myself on a rock, unshakable and firm..."
Enki interrupted Ninhursag with a kiss:
"Let me finish this for you.... for us, my love. I, Enki, the lord of freshwaters, say that from this strong and solid rock, which to me means life, love and fertility, the waters of life will forever flow into all the worlds we venture into."
They kissed and embraced passionately, sealing their fate together forever, for as long as they wanted to be together. Enki continued.
"For you, I have stayed here in Dilmun, the place of delights, where we are safe from hate and harm. Now I know that you made me sick to show me that the bond I feel for you is stronger than friendship or love. I know now that even if we can't always be together, we will never be apart. But tell me, my love, did you really have to be so radical and give me the eye of death?"
Enki had indeed returned to his normal, inquiring nature. Ninhursag could burst with joy, and her laughter was pure joy and mischief:
"That, Enki, you'll never find out!"
Enki chuckled, half disappointed, half amused. Life with Ninhursag would never be boring, he knew that for sure. She would certainly drive him mad many more times with her assertiveness, her intellect, her passionate nature and her courage. But she was and would be in his future forever, he loved her and wanted her like no other. Ninhursag was his soulmate, his rock, the inspiring divine woman who lit up his life. And if he couldn't have the last word with her, Enki at least knew very well how to soothe Ninhursag in the sweetest and wildest way for very long moments. With perfect skill and determination, he began to kiss her sacred body. Everywhere.
Praise be to Father Enki.
Still missing.
