1 | Far sighted Enki and wise Mami |
2 | Went into the room of fate. |
3 | The womb-goddesses were assembled. |
4 | He trod the clay in her presence; |
5 | She kept reciting an incantation, |
6 | For Enki, staying in her presence, made her recite it |
7 | When she had finished her incantation, |
8 | She pinched off fourteen pieces of clay, |
9 | And set seven pieces on the right, |
10 | Seven on the left. |
11 | Between them she put down a mud brick. |
12 | She made use of a reed, opened it to cut the umbilical cord, |
13 | Called up the wise and knowledgeable |
14 | Womb goddesses, seven and seven. |
15 | Seven created males, |
16 | Seven created females, |
17 | For the womb goddess is creator of fate. |
18 | He...them two by two, |
19 | ...them two by two in her presence. |
20 | Mami made these rules for people: |
21 | In the house of a woman who is giving birth |
22 | The mud brick shall be put down for seven days. |
23 | Belet-ili, wise Mami shall be honored. |
24 | The midwife shall rejoice in the house of the woman who gives birth |
25 | And when the woman gives birth to the baby, |
26 | The mother of the baby shall sever herself. |
27 | A man to a girl... |
28 | ...her bosom |
29 | A beard can be seen |
30 | On a young man's cheek. |
31 | In gardens and waysides |
32 | A wife and her husband choose each other. |
33 | The womb goddesses were assembled |
34 | And Nintu was present. They counted the months, |
35 | Called up the Tenth month as the term of fates. |
36 | When the Tenth month came, |
37 | She slipped in a staff and opened the womb. |
38 | Her face was glad and joyful. |
39 | She covered her head, |
40 | Performed the midwifery, |
41 | Put on her belt, said a blessing. |
42 | She made a drawing in flour and put down a mud brick: |
43 | I myself created it, my hands made it. |
44 | The midwife shall rejoice in the house of the qadistu-priestess. |
45 | Whenever a woman gives birth |
46 | And the baby's mother severs herself, |
47 | The mud brick shall be put down for nine days. |
48 | Nintu the womb goddess shall be honored. |
49 | She shall call their ...Mami |
50 | She shall ... the womb goddess, |
51 | Lay down the linen cloth. |
52 | When the bed is laid out in their house, |
53 | A wife and her husband shall choose each other. |
54 | Inanna shall rejoice in the wife-husband relationship |
55 | In the father-in-law's house. |
56 | Celebration shall last for nine days, |
57 | And they shall call Inanna Ishhara. |
58 | On the fifteenth day, the fixed time of fate |
59 | She shall call... |