Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 26

Thy city we will bless, O Sar!

With joy, with joy!

And prosper thee in peace and war With joy, with joy!

And bless thee every day and night, Thy kingly robes keep pure and bright; Give thee bright dreams, O glorious king of war!

_Chorus_

Give thee bright dreams, O glorious king of war!

And if thy hand would slay thy foes In war, in war!

With thee returning victory goes In war, in war!

We grant thee victory, my King; Like marshes swept by storms, we bring Our power to thee With victory in war!

_Chorus_

Our power to thee With victory in war!

And if thou wouldst the waters pa.s.s, The sea, the sea!

We'll go with thee in every place, With thee, with thee!

To Hea's halls and glorious throne, Where he unrivalled reigns alone, To Hea go Upon his throne of snow.

_Chorus_

To Hea go Upon his throne of snow.

And if thine anger rules thy heart As fire, as fire!

And thou against thy foes would start With ire, with ire!

Against thy foes thy heart be hard, And all their land with fire be scarred, Destroy thy foes!

Destroy them in thine ire!

_Chorus_

Destroy thy foes!

Destroy them in thine ire!

And lo! young Siduri hath disappeared, And with the Zisi crowned she now appeared; The corn-G.o.ds in a crescent round their queen, She waves before the king her Nusku[3] green, And sings with her sweet voice a joyful lay, And all the Zisi join the chorus gay:

[4]A heifer of the corn am I, Kara! Kara![5]

Yoked with the kine we gayly fly, Kara! Kara!

The ploughman's hand is strong and drives The glowing soil, the meadow thrives!

Before the oxen Sa-lum-mat-u na-si.[6]

_Chorus_

Before the oxen Sa-lum-mat-u na-si.

The harvesters are in the corn!

Kara! Kara!

Our feet are flying with the morn, Kara! Kara!

We bring thee wealth! it is thine own!

The grain is ripe! oh, cut it down!

The yellow grain Sa-lum-mat-u na-si.

_Chorus_

The yellow grain Sa-lum-mat-u na-si.

The fruit of death, oh, King, taste it not!

Taste not! taste not!

With fruit of Life the land is fraught Around! around!

The fruit of Life we give to thee And happiness, oh, ever see.

All joy is thine Through Earth and Heaven's bound.

_Chorus_

All joy is thine Through Earth and Heaven's bound.

Our corn immortal there is high And ripe! and ripe!

And ever ripens 'neath that sky As gold! as gold!

Our corn is bearded,[7] thus 'tis known, And ripens quickly when 'tis grown.

Be joy with thee, Our love around thee fold!

_Chorus_

Be joy with thee, Our love around thee fold!

Our King from us now goes, now goes!

Away! away!

His royal robe behind him glows Afar! afar!

Across the waves where Hea reigns The waters swollen he soon gains!

To our great seer, He sails to him afar!

_Chorus_

To our great seer, He sails to him afar!

And he will reach that glorious land Away! away!

Amid our fruit-trees he will stand That day! that day!

Our fruit so sweet the King will eat, Nor bitter mingle with the sweet.

In our seer's land That glows afar away!