The text was first published by S. Kramer, who collected it from numerous fragments of tablets, mainly found in Nippur. In the 60s of the last century, the so-called Leiden version of this myth was published, which preserved its ending and apparently originated from Larsa. Kramer settled on translating the destination of Gilgamesh's campaign as “the country of the living (living)” or “the country of life,” while V.K. Afanasyeva, whose translation is given below, prefers the term “mountain of the immortal.”
The Lord of Uruk, Gilgamesh, is in a gloomy mood, tormented by thoughts of death. Then he decides that if he is destined to perish like all mortals, then he will at least glorify his name before leaving for the “land of no return.” He intends to go to the distant mountains, cut down cedars there and deliver them to his homeland. Gilgamesh reveals his plans to his faithful servant Enkidu, but he advises his master to first notify the sun god Utu, who owns that country.
Gilgamesh listened to Enkidu, took the sacrificial goat and made prayers to the Sun God. At first, God did not understand why this was necessary, but the young ruler told him about his mortal melancholy and Utu agreed. He even decided to help the hero, and either tamed seven demons, or, on the contrary, gave them to Gilgamesh to help.
The delighted Gilgamesh returns to the city and recruits fifty volunteers, young men who are not burdened with either family or mother. Together with them he sets off on the road. Having crossed seven mountains, he finally finds the “cedar of his heart.” Gilgamesh cuts it down, cuts off all the branches with an ax and his men carry them to the top of the hill.
This greatly angered the monster guarding the Land of Life, Huwawa. The text is corrupted at this point, but it appears that Huwawa puts Gilgamesh into a deep sleep. Faithful Enkidu still managed to wake up his owner. Gilgamesh swears in the name of his mother, the goddess Ninsun, and in the name of his father, the hero Lugalbanda, that he will not leave this place until he destroys Huwawa. The servant, in horror, asks him to leave this idea, he saw this monster with his own eyes and it is impossible to resist him, but Gilgamesh is adamant.
Gilgamesh and his companions overtake Huwawa in his home. The monster cast withering glances at the enemies, but the heroes were not afraid. They knocked down seven cedars, blocking Huwava's path. Gilgamesh struck the monster in the face and tied him up with ropes.
Huwawa begins to humbly ask Gilgamesh to let him go. He generously agreed, but Enkidu undertook to dissuade the owner from such a careless step. He convinced him that as soon as the monster was free, it would certainly kill them all. Huwawa became angry with the servant for speaking like that and tried to attack him. Then Enkidu cut off his head.
Gilgamesh brings Huwawa's severed head to the king of the gods, Enlil, expecting to receive a reward, but Enlil, on the contrary, is angry. He attacks Gilgamesh with reproaches and condemns the hero to wandering through the mountains. The end of the poem is somewhat vague - either Enlil still gives Gilgamesh seven divine rays (melams), or, on the contrary, takes them away.
The priest turned his thoughts to the “Mountain of the Immortal,”
Priest Gilgamesh turned his thoughts to the “Mountain of the Immortal.”
To his slave Enkidu says a word:
"Enkidu, fortune telling on a brick does not promise life!
I'll go to the mountains and get glory!
I will glorify myself among the glorious names!
Where names are not glorified, I will glorify the gods!"
His slave Enkidu answers him:
“Sir, if you go to the mountains, tell Uta!
Alert God Utu, hero Utu!
Mountains! They are the creation of Utu, Utu's message!
The mountains where cedars are cut are the creation of the hero Utu,
Let me know!"
Here Utu crowned himself in the sky with an azure diadem,
With his head raised he walked across the sky.
Gilgamesh took a clean, bright kid,
He pressed the red sacrificial goat to his chest,
He raised his hand to his lips in prayer,
God Utu shouts to heaven:
“Utu, I’m heading towards the mountains, so be my helper!”
I’m heading towards the mountains of cedars, so be my helper!”
Utu from heaven answers him:
“You are mighty and revered, why are you striving for the mountains?”
Gilgamesh answers him;
“Utu, I’ll tell you my word, incline your ear to my word!
I’ll tell you about my plans, turn your ears to my hopes!
People are dying in my city, my heart is grieving!
People leave, my heart aches!
I hung over the city wall,
I saw corpses in the river
Isn't that how I'll leave too? Truly so, truly so!
The highest will not reach the sky,
The largest one will not cover the earth,
Fortune telling on a brick does not promise life!
I'll go to the mountains and get glory!
I will glorify myself among the glorious names!
Where names are not glorified, I will glorify the gods!"
Utu listened to his pleas favorably,
How the benefactor showed him mercy:
Seven wondrous heroes, the product of a single mother;
The first is the elder brother, he has the paws of a lion and the claws of an eagle,
The second is a venomous snake with a gaping mouth...
The third is a fighting snake, a furious snake,
The fourth is a consuming fire...
The fifth is a wild snake, strangling...
The sixth is a destructive stream,
Breaking mountains and rocks,
The seventh is a stinging scorpion, knowing no way back.
Seven of them, seven of them, those whom the warrior, the hero Utu
Gave it to Gilgamesh.
They are the stars of heaven,
Knowing the ways on earth,
Among the stars shining in the sky,
Pointing the way to Aratta,
Guides for merchants on the road.
Observing enemy countries,
Doves fluttering above the ground,
Mountain countries who know...
They will be installed on poles in front of the mountain.
He who cuts down cedars takes them joyfully,
Priest Gilgamesh takes them joyfully.
He calls out to every single citizen.
Like twins, people responded.
"He who has a family - to his family!
He who has a mother - to his mother!
Well done lonely people - come to me! Fifty of them
Let them stand behind me!"
He who has a family - to his family!
He who has a mother - to his mother!
Well done lonely people - come to him, fifty of them
It stood behind him.
He is on his way to the blacksmith's house.
A copper ax was cast for him according to the hero’s hand.
He heads into a dark garden in the middle of a field.
A strong tree - an apple tree, a boxwood - was cut down for him.
His fellow citizens, his companions, take them into their hands.
And here is the first, older brother,
He has the paws of a lion and the claws of an eagle,
They truly bring him on a pole to the mountain.
We crossed the first mountain, but didn’t see any cedars in the mountains.
Seven mountains crossed.
The mountains where the cedars are cut have not been reached.
Priest Gilgamesh, cutting down cedars -
Cedars! Gilgamesh chops them down,
The priest Gilgamesh arranged a halt.
Sleep engulfed him like the darkness of the desert.
Man's destiny is that he is overcome by sleep.
His fellow citizens, his companions,
At the foot of the mountain they are beating drums!
This is a dream, and in a dream there is a vision!
Ask him - silence in response!
Touch him and he won't get up
Call him - he will not answer.
"O you who sleep, oh you who sleep!
Gilgamesh! Priest! Son of Kulab! How long will you sleep?
The mountains frowned, cast shadows,
The dawn cast the evening light,
Utu went home to his mother Ningal, raising his head.
O Gilgamesh, how long will you sleep?
Your fellow citizens, your companions,
At the foot of the mountain they crowded around you.
Let your mother-parent not complain about you
on the streets of your city!"
His mind became bright, he woke up.
He covered himself with his heroic Word like a cloak.
Takes a light travel robe,
He covers his chest with it.
Like a bull of the “Great Land” stood up.
He bowed his face to the ground and gnashed his teeth.
"The life of my mother-parent Ninsun, my father
I swear to the bright Lugalbanda!
Didn't I grow up, surprising everyone, on the lap of Ninsun, my
mother-parents? Let me do this!"
And for the second time truly he said:
"The life of my mother-parent Ninsun, my father
I swear to the bright Lugalbanda!
How long is that husband - is he a man, is he a god -
Until he is captured,
I will head my way to the mountains, from the city -
Get out of my way!"
A faithful servant pronounces a word, a life-preserving word.
He says a word to his master:
"Sir, you haven't seen that husband -
My heart didn't flutter!
I saw that husband - my heart fluttered!
Bogatyr! His teeth are dragon teeth!
His face is the face of a lion!
His throat. - a roaring stream!
His forehead is a burning flame! There is no escape from him!
My lord, you go to the mountains, and I go to the city!
I’ll tell your dear mother about the sunset of your light, she will cry out,
Then I’ll tell you about your death, she’ll scream!”
"No one else will die for me!
A boat with a load does not sink in the water!
The knife does not cut triple thread!
One can't handle two!
The fire never goes out in the reed hut.
You become my help, I will help you,
What can destroy us?
When it's flooded, when it's flooded,
When Magan's boat was flooded,
When Magaluma's boat was sunk,
Then all living things were loaded into the boat “Life Giver”!
Let's stand firmly here, we'll look at him here!
If we stand here
You see the shine, you see the shine - then come back!
If you hear a scream, if you hear a scream, then come back!”
"I will truly stand up for you! I won’t leave you alone!”
He didn't take sixty steps -
In front of him is Huvava in the middle of a cedar forest.
Looked at them - there was death in their gaze!
The forehead turned - death in the forehead!
He let out a scream - a scream of curses!
Hero-hero! His cry is a storm!
Gilgamesh moves closer to him carefully
He addresses him with cunning words,
About 6-8 lines are broken.
"The life of my mother-parent Ninsun, my father
I swear to the bright Lugalbanda!
Truly the mountains are your dwelling, the mountains are your lair!”
"Truly he knows!"
"For the sake of my descendants I will enter your mountains,
Let me enter into your flesh! I will enter your domain!
For your feet, little feet,
I'll make small sandals!
For your feet, big feet,
I'll make big sandals!"
Huwava threw down a ray of horror, a ray of radiance, his first.
Fellow citizens of Gilgamesh, companions of Gilgamesh,
They cut down its branches, they bound its branches,
They laid it at the foot of the mountain.
Huwava threw down a ray of horror, a ray of radiance, his second.
Fellow citizens of Gilgamesh, companions of Gilgamesh,
They cut down its branches, they bound its branches,
They laid it at the foot of the mountain,
And for the third time he said:
"The life of my mother Ninsun
And I swear by my father Lugalbanda!
The mountains - your place of residence - are unknown,
Let him know the mountains—the place of your dwelling!
The finest flour is the food of the great gods,
The freshest water in leather fur
May I bring you to the mountains!
I cannot approach your flesh!
Give me your rays of radiance, your terrifying rays,
And let me enter into your flesh!"
Huwava threw down a ray of horror, a ray of radiance, his third.
Fellow citizens of Gilgamesh, companions of Gilgamesh,
They cut down its branches, they bound its branches,
They laid it at the foot of the mountain.
A ray of horror, a ray of radiance, its fourth,
Huwava threw it to them.
Fellow citizens of Gilgamesh, companions of Gilgamesh,
They cut down its branches, they bound its branches,
They laid it at the foot of the mountain.
Huwava threw down a ray of horror, a ray of radiance, his fifth.
Fellow citizens of Gilgamesh, companions of Gilgamesh,
They cut down its branches, they bound its branches,
They laid it at the foot of the mountain.
Huwava threw down a ray of horror, a ray of radiance, his sixth.
Fellow citizens of Gilgamesh, companions of Gilgamesh,
They cut down its branches, they bound its branches,
They laid it at the foot of the mountain.
When the last one, the seventh, threw them
Gilgamesh entered Huwawa's chambers.
Huwawa's face is like a snake,
What's curled up in the vineyard!
Gilgamesh burned him like a scorching fire with a slap in the face!
Huwava is chattering his teeth!
Like a caught bull, their legs were tied,
Like a captured warrior, they twisted his elbows!
Huwava is crying and turning green!
"Gilgamesh, allow me to speak to you!
My lord, let me say my word!
I don’t know my birth mother, I don’t know my father-parent!
I was born in the mountains, truly you are my parent!
Gilgamesh conjured the heavens with his soul,
I conjured with the soul of the earth,
I conjured with the soul of the depths!
He grabbed his hand: “I bow before you!”
Then Gilgamesh, son of Ninsun, softened his heart,
Slave Enkidu says a word:
"Let Enkidu, the captive bird
Will he return to his nest?
A warrior captured will return to his mother’s womb!”
Enkidu answers Gilgamesh:
"If the highest is not aware of the deeds,
If the biggest one is not aware of his deeds,
If the wisest is not aware of his deeds,
Fate devours him, fate that knows no difference!
If a captive bird returns to its nest,
If a captured warrior returns to his mother's womb,
Then you will not return to the mother who gave birth to you!
The hero of the captive freed, the hero of the captive,
In the hypar of the returned one,
A captive priest, full of joy, -
Since ancient times, who has seen something like this?
He will block your mountain paths,
He will destroy your paths."
Huwawa hears Enkidu's word,
Huwawa says a word to Enkidu:
"Enkidu said evil things about me!
He will hire someone who sells himself for food,
Walks behind the opponent
He said bad things about me!"
As soon as he said this,
They decided his fate.
Enkidu himself in his anger
He cut off his head and wrapped it in cloth.
They came to the god Enlil, to the goddess Ninlil.
When Enlil and Ninlil turned to them,
When they kissed the ground before Enlil,
The cover was unrolled, the head was taken out,
They laid it in front of Enlil.
Enlil saw the head of Huwawa,
He became angry with Gilgamesh.
"Why did you do this?
Let him sit in front of you!
Let him eat your bread!
Let him drink your pure water!"
And Enlil removed the rays of radiance from where Huwawa lived.
Its first ray gave to the great river.
Its second beam sent to the fields.
He gave the third ray to the streams.
He gave the fourth ray to the mighty lion.
He gave the fifth ray to the “curse stone”.
He gave the sixth ray to the Great Mountain.
He gave the seventh ray to the goddess Nungal (?).
To the Lord of Rays, Gilgamesh, the wild bull,
who reached the mountains,
To the sea that came down,
Glory to the mighty god Enlil! Glory to God Enki!
Gilgamesh, High Priest of Kulab!
A good song of praise for you!
Translation by V. K. Afanasyeva
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru