(translation by Nikolai Gumilyov)
Gilgamesh by Eabani, his friend,
He cries bitterly and runs into the desert:
“I'm going to die! Am I not the same as Eabani?
My chest is filled with sorrow,
I'm afraid of death, and to God, I'm running away!
To the power of Ut-napishtim, son of Ubar-Tutu,
I have taken the path, I am walking hastily.
At night I came to the mountain gorges,
I saw Lviv, and now I’m scared!
I will raise my head and call upon the great Sin,
And my prayers will ascend to the assembly of the gods:
“Gods, I pray you, save me, save me!”
He lay down on the ground and was frightened by a terrible dream.
He raised his head and again called out to the great Sin,
And to Ishtar, the heavenly harlot, his prayers were raised.
The mountain was called Mashu,
And when he approached Mash,
Those who watched the sunny exit and return every day -
The vault of heaven touched their heads,
And below their chests reached hell, -
Scorpio people kept the doors,
Their appearance was death, and their gazes were horror,
Their terrible brilliance overturned mountains!
When they left and when they returned, they glared at the sun.
He saw them, Gilgamesh, and out of fear
And his face darkened with anxiety.
He gathered his thoughts and bowed before them.
The scorpion man shouted to his wife:
“The one who comes to us, his body is like the body of a god.”
The Scorpio woman answers her husband:
“He is two-thirds God, only one-third man.”
Gilgamesh says to the scorpion man:
“Do you know where Ut-napishtim, my father, lives,
He who grew up in the assembly of the gods and gained eternal life?
The scorpion man opens his mouth and says to Gilgamesh:
“There is no one, Gilgamesh, who would pass such a road,
There is no one who could pass through this mountain.
The darkness there is deep and there is no light there
Neither when the sun goes out, nor when it returns.
But go, Gilgamesh, do not tarry at the mountain gates,
May the gods keep you healthy and safe!”
The scorpion man finished, Gilgamesh entered the cave,
On the night road of the sun he passes a double hour,
The darkness is deep there, and there is no light there. He sees nothing behind him.
It's eight o'clock and the north wind is blowing,
Ten o'clock goes by, goes out towards the sun,
At the twelfth hour the radiance spread.
He saw the trees of the gods and directed the path towards them,
The apple tree bends under the fruits,
The grapes hang, which are gratifying to see,
The tree of paradise grew on the azure stone,
And on it the fruits are perfect to look at.
Among them are emeralds, rubies, yachts,
And a cat's eye and a moonstone.
Gilgamesh entered the blessed grove,
He looked up at the tree of paradise.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru