Babylonian and Assyrian Literature Part 55

CHALDEAN HYMNS TO THE SUN

TRANSLATED BY FRANcOIS LENORMANT

The sun-G.o.d, called in the Accadian _Utu_ and _Parra_ (the latter is of less frequent occurrence), and in the Semitic a.s.syrian _Samas_, held a less important rank in the divine hierarchy of the Chaldaic-Babylonian pantheon, afterward adopted by the a.s.syrians, than the moon-G.o.d (in the Accadian _Aku, Enizuna_, and _Huru-ki;_ in the a.s.syrian _Sin_), who was even sometimes said to be his father. His princ.i.p.al and most common t.i.tle was "Judge of Heaven and Earth," in the Accadian _dikud ana kia_, in the a.s.syrian _dainu sa same u irtsiti_. The most important sanctuaries of the deity were at Larsam, in southern Chaldsea, and Sippara, in the north of Babylonia.

Some few fragments of liturgical or magical hymns addressed to Shamas have come down to us. These are five in number, and I give a translation of them here. They have all been studied previously by other a.s.syriologists, but I think the present interpretation of them is superior to any which has as yet been furnished.

The following are the chief bibliographical data concerning them:

I. The primitive Accadian text, accompanied by an interlinear a.s.syrian version published in the "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," Vol.

IV, pl. 20, No. 2. I put forth a first attempt at a translation in my "_Magie chez les Chaldeens"_ (p. 165), and since then M. Friedrich Delitzsch has given a much better explanation of it ("_G. Smith's Chaldaische Genesis,"_ p. 284). Of this hymn we possess only the first five lines.

II. The primitive Accadian text, with an interlinear a.s.syrian version, is published in the "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," Vol. IV, pl.

19, No. 2. M. Delitzsch has given a German translation of it in "_G.

Smith's Chaldaische Genesis_" p. 284, and a revised one in English has just appeared in Prof. Sayce's "Lectures upon Babylonian Literature," p.

43.

III. A similar sacred text, published in the "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," Vol. IV, pl. 28, No. I, in which the indications as to the obverse and reverse of the tablet are incorrect and ought to be altered.

The two fragments left to us, separated by a gap, the extent of which it is at present impossible to estimate, belong to an incantatory hymn destined to effect the cure of the king's disease. Interpretations have been attempted in my "Premieres Civilisations" (Vol. II, p. 165 _et seq_.), and in the appendices added by M. Friedrich Delitzsch to his German translation of G. Smith's work, already cited.

IV. The primitive Accadian text with an interlinear a.s.syrian version, published in the "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," Vol. IV, pi.

17, col. I. This hymn, like the preceding one, is intended to be recited by the priest of magic in order to cure the invalid king. I gave a very imperfect translation of it in my "_Magie chez les Chaldeens_" (p. 166).

V. We possess only the Semitic a.s.syrian version of this text; it was published in the "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," Vol. IV, pl.

17, col. 2. As yet, no one has produced a complete translation of this hymn; but a few pa.s.sages have been quoted by M. Friedrich Delitzsch ("_G.

Smith's Chaldaische Genesis_" p. 284) and myself ("_La Magie chez les Chaldeens_" p. 164, and pp. 179, 180, of the English edition, 1877).

I refer the reader to the various publications above mentioned for a convincing proof of the entirely revised character of the translations here submitted to him, and I think he will grant that I have made some progress in this branch of knowledge, since my first attempts many years ago.

CHALDEAN HYMNS TO THE SUN

FIRST HYMN

1 Magical incantation.

2 Sun, from the foundations of heaven thou art risen; 3 thou hast unfastened the bolts of the s.h.i.+ning skies; 4 thou hast opened the door of heaven.

5 Sun, above the countries thou hast raised thy head.

6 Sun, thou hast covered the immensity of the heavens and the terrestrial countries.

(The fragments of the four following lines are too mutilated to furnish any connected sense; all the rest of the hymn is entirely wanting.)

SECOND HYMN [Footnote: See also Lenormant, "Chaldean Magic," p. 180.]

1 Lord, illuminator of the darkness, who piercest the face of darkness, 2 merciful G.o.d, who settest up those that are bowed down, who sustainest the weak, 3 toward the light the great G.o.ds direct their glances, 4 the archangels of the abyss,[1] every one of them, contemplate eagerly thy face.

5 The language of praise,[2] as one word, thou directest it.

6 The host of their heads seeks the light of the Sun in the South.[3]

7 Like a bridegroom thou restest joyful and gracious.[4]

8 In thy illumination thou dost reach afar to the boundaries of heaven.[5]

9 Thou art the banner of the vast earth.

10 O G.o.d! the men who dwell afar off contemplate thee and rejoice.

11 The great G.o.ds fix ...[6]

12 Nourisher of the luminous heavens, who favorest ...[7]

13 He who has not turned his hands (toward thee ...[7]

14 ....[7]

[Footnote 1: In the a.s.syrian version, "The archangels of the earth." ]

[Footnote 2: In the a.s.syrian version, "The eager language."]

[Footnote 3: The a.s.syrian version has simply, "of the sun." ]

[Footnote 4: "Like a wife thou submittest thyself, cheerful and kindly."-- Sayce.]

[Footnote 5: In the a.s.syrian version, "Thou art the illuminator of the limits of the distant heavens."]

[Footnote 6: Here occurs a word which I cannot yet make out.]

[Footnote 7: Lacunae.]

THIRD HYMN

1 Thou who marchest before ...[1]

2 With Anu and Bel ...[1]

3 The support of crowds of men, direct them!

4 He who rules in heaven, he who arranges, is thyself.

5 He who establishes truth in the thoughts of the nations, is thyself.

6 Thou knowest the truth, thou knowest what is false.

7 Sun, justice has raised its head; 8 Sun, falsehood, like envy, has spoken calumny.

9 Sun, the servant of Anu and Bel [2] is thyself; 10 Sun, the supreme judge of heaven and earth is thyself.

11 Sun, ...

(In this place occurs the gap between the two fragments on the obverse and on the reverse of the tablet.)

12 Sun, the supreme judge of the countries, is thyself.

13 The Lord of living beings, the one merciful to the countries, is thyself.