in this story, Inanna is making war with the personified mountain, kur, a euphemism for the underworld, which has refused to accept her as Queen.
“I, also, would like to celebrate
the good wishes of the queen of battle,
the eldest daughter of Sin”
“Since it [Ebih] didn’t kiss the ground in front of me,
Nor did it sweep the dust before me with it’s beard,
I will lay my hand on this instigating country:
I will teach it to fear me!”
“I’ll bring war [to Ebih], I’ll instigate combat,
I’ll draw arrows from my quiver,
I’ll unleash the rocks from my sling in a long salute,
I’ll impale it [Ebih] with my sword”
“Also, I erected a temple,
Where I inaugurated important events:
I set up an unshakeable throne!
I gave out dagger and sword to...(?),
Tambourine and drum to homosexuals (?),
I changed men into women!”
“I am yours! It will always be so!
May your heart cool off for me,
May your understanding... compassion…
I have experienced your great punishment”
“My Lady, I will proclaim your
greatness in all lands and your glory!
Your ‘way’ and great deeds I will always praise!”
“...her wrath makes (people) tremble,
“her wrath (is) ..., a devastating flood
which no one can withstand”
“the queen (performing) great deeds,
who gathers (for herself) the me’s of heaven and earth,
she rivals the great An”
“ To build a house,
to build a woman’s chamber, to have implements,
to kiss the lips of a small child are yours, Inanna,
To give the crown, the chair
and the scepter of kingship is yours, Inanna”
“An and Enlil have in
the entire universe determined for you a great destiny,
They have bestowed upon you the Lady-ship over the gu’enna,
You determine the destiny for the princely Ladies”
“Mistress, you are
great, you are important,
Inanna you are great, you are important,
My Lady, your greatness is manifest,
May your heart for my sake ‘return to its place’!
“Into my
fate-determining Gipar, I had entered for you.
I, the en-priestess, I, En-hedu-Ana,
While I carried the basket, I struck up the song of jubilation.
as though I had not lived there,
they offered me the death sacrifice.”
“My fate with Suen and Lugal-Ane,
report it to An! May An resolve it for me.
Report it to An immediately.
An will resolve it for us!”
“I-- my Nanna has
cared not for me.
In the rebellious land,
they completely and utterly destroyed me
Has he spoken it- does it mean anything?
Has he not spoken it- does it mean anything?
After he stood there in triumph,
he expelled me from the temple.
He made me fly like a swallow from the window-
my life was consumed—“
“It shall be known, it shall be known:
Nanna has proclaimed no decree,
“It is yours” is what he has said!
That you are as high as heaven, shall be known!
That you are as wide as the earth, shall be known!”
That you annihilate rebelling territories, shall be known!”
“That Nanna has not proclaimed (the decree),
that he has said, “It is yours”,
my Queen- it has made you greater,
you have become the greatest!
My Queen, beloved of An,
I will announce all of your wrath!
“Because of your
captive spouse, because of your captive protégés (child),
Your anger has grown large,
your heart has not calmed down.”
“Woman, most driven,
clothed in frightening radiance,
loved by An and Uras,
An’s nugig, you are above all the great SUHkese-breastplates,
You, who love the right aga-crown,
who is suited for the en-priesthood.”
“He tore the rightful
aga-crown of en-ship from me.”
“My sweet mouth became venomous.
That with which I gave delight, turned to dust.”
“The light was sweet for her, delight was spread over her,
full of abundanct beauty was she.
As the light of the rising moon (NANNA),
she too was clothed in enchantment.”
In the rebellious land,
they completely and utterly destroyed me
...
he expelled me from the temple.
He made me fly like a swallow from the window-
my life was consumed--”
“My driven, divine wild cow, drive out this ‘someone’, capture this someone!”
“Into my fate-determining Gipar, I had entered for you.
I, the en-priestess, I, En-hedu-Ana,
While I carried the basket, I struck up the song of jubilation.
“My own trial is not yet over,
but a stranger sentence surrounds me
as though it were my sentence.(complaint)
To the radiant bed, I did not stretch out my hand.
Nor did I reveal the words of Ningal to that ‘someone’
The radiant en-priestess of Nanna am I,(protest)
My Queen, beloved of An, may your heart be calmed for me. (petition)
“you are even greater than your own mother,
full of wisdom, foresight, queen over all lands,
who allows existence to many,
I now strike up your fate-determining song!
All powerful divinity, suitable for the ME,
that which you have said magnificently is the most powerful!
Of unfathomable heart, oh highly driven woman,
of radiant heart, your ME I will list for you now!”
“En-hedu-Ana am I, I will now say a prayer to you.
My tears, like sweet beer
I now shed them freely for you, fate-determining Inanna,
“Your judgment!” I will say to you.”
“I have heaped the coals, prepared the purification rites,
The Esdam-ku stands ready for you-
will not your heart calm down for me?
“Since the heart was full, too full,
great Queen, I birthed it for you.
What was said to you st midnight,
the cult singer shall repeat it to you at midday”
“ The Queen, the strong one,
the ruler over the gathering of the ‘en’,
she did accept her prayer and sacrifice.
The heart of fate-determining Inanna has turned to its place”