STT 1, 003 [Enuma Eliš 4]

[...] of rulership,

[...] he (Marduk) took up residence [...] sovereignty.

(The gods said to Marduk:) '[...] the great gods,

'[...], your speech is Anu.

'[...] among the great gods,

'[...] is [...] rivalled, your speech is Anu.

'[...] your command may not be changed,

'raising high and bringing low, may that be your power.

'[...] the utterance of your mouth be steadfast, may your speech be unrivalled,

'[...] among the gods may cross your boundary.

'Provisioning ... the sanctuary of the gods,

'[...] their cellas are, may your place [...].

'O Marduk, you are our avenger,

'may we give you kingship over [...] all totality.

'Sit down in the assembly, may your word be elevated,

'May your weapons not miss, may they crush your enemies.

'O lord, as for [...], spare his life,

and as for the gods [...], pour out their life!'

They set up a single constellation between them,

they said to Marduk, their son:

'May your destiny, o lord, be equal to the gods,

'command destruction or creation, so that it can be realised.

'At the opening of [...], may the constellation be destroyed,

'command it again, so that the constellation can become intact.'

He commanded and at his utterance the constellation was destroyed,

He commanded it again and the constellation was created.

When the gods his fathers saw (the effect of) the utterance of his mouth,

they became joyful, they hailed: 'Marduk is king'.

They added for him a sceptre, throne, and palû-symbol of kingship,

they gave him a weapon that cannot be faced, one that repels enemies, (saying):

'Go and slit the throat of Tiamat,

'may the winds bring her blood for news.'

The gods his fathers determined the destiny of the lord,

they set him off on the way of well-being and obedience.

He fashioned the bow, he appointed it his weapon,

he nocked the arrow, he fixed the bowstring for it.

He raised the miṭṭu-weapon, he made his right hand grasp it,

he hung the bow and the quiver at his side.

He put lightning in front of him,

he filled his body with blazing flame.

He made a net to encircle the innards of Tiamat,

he mustered the four winds so that none of her might escape.

South wind, north wind, east wind, west wind,

the gift of his father Anu, at his side, he put near the net.

[...] the destructive wind, the evil wind, the storm wind, the dust storm,

the 4 [...], the 7 winds, the whirlwind, the irresistible wind.

He sent out the winds that he had created, the seven of them,

to disturb the innards of Tiamat, they had arisen behind him.

The lord raised the flood, his great weapon,

he rode [...] of the storm, that cannot be faced, terrible.

He hitched to it the team of four, he harnessed them at its side:

'Murderer', 'Merciless One', ' Destroyer', 'Flyer'.

Their lips were open, their teeth bore poison,

they did not know getting tired, they knew overwhelming.

He set up on his right terrifying battle and combat,

on the left war that repels all allies.

He was clad in a garment of a battle-array of terrors,

he was wearing on his head an aura of terrifying appearance.

The lord started out, he advanced on his way,

he set his face towards Tiamat who was furious.

He was holding an incantation on his lips,

while gripping in his hand a plant, an antidote to poison.

At that time the gods were running round him, they were running round him,

the gods his fathers were running round him, the gods were running round him.

The lord approached, to look at the battle of Tiamat,

to look for the plan of Qingu her consort.

As he looked, his advance was confused,

his reason was scattered, his actions were disordered.

And the gods his helpers, the ones who went at his side,

saw the foremost hero, he confused their sight.

[...] she cast her incantation, while [...] turning her neck,

while holding on her lips falsehood, lies:

'[...] ... [...] the lord, the gods are risen up against him,

'in their place [...] in his place?'

The lord raised [...] his great weapon,

to Tiamat who became angry thus he sent word:

'Why are you haughty (and) lifted up on high,

'and (why) is your heart plotting raising war?

'The sons shouted, treating their fathers with disrespect,

'but you, their parent, spurned compassion.

'You nominated Qingu to your consortship,

'inappropriately for him, you appointed him to the office of lordship.

'Against Anšar king of the gods you sought evil deeds,

'and against the gods his fathers you established your evil.

'May your main force be equipped, may those your weapons be attached,

'Make contact, so that you and I can have a single combat.'

When Tiamat heard this,

she became like a female ecstatic, she deranged her reason.

Tiamat shouted wildly against him,

to the roots as one her foundations shook.

She was reciting the spell, she was keeping on casting her incantation,

and the gods of battle were sharpening those their weapons.

Tiamat and the sage of the gods, Marduk, came together,

they were interlocked in combat, they were at close quarters in battle.

The lord spread out his net (and) encircled her,

he released in her face the destructive wind, the one occupying the rear.

Tiamat opened her mouth to swallow,

he made the destructive wind go in so that she could not close her lips.

The violent winds bloated her stomach,

her insides were paralysed, she opened her mouth wide.

He shot an arrow, he broke open her stomach,

he cut through her innards, he split (her) insides.

He defeated her and extinguished her life,

he threw down her corpse, he stood on it.

After he had killed Tiamat the leader,

he dispersed her troops, he scattered [...].

And the gods, her helpers, the ones who went at her side,

began to tremble, they became afraid, they turned their course.

They escaped, so that they could save their lives,8

[...] ..., so that they could [...] flee.

He confined them, he smashed their weapons,

Thrown into the net, they sat down in the hunting trap.

[...] the corners, they were full of moaning,

they were bearing her punishment, they were held in captivity.

[...] her eleven creatures, who were adorned with terrors,

[...] demons, the ones who went as grooms on her right,

[...] nose-ropes, he bound their arms,

[...] their battle he trampled beneath him.

[...] Qingu, who had kept becoming greater among them,

he (Marduk) defeated him and counted him with the Dead Gods.

He took away from him [...] of destinies inappropriately his,

he sealed [...] and attached (it) on his chest.

[...] he had defeated (and) smote [...],

he had silenced [...] ...,

he had established totally [...] over the enemies,

[...] the hero had achieved [...] of Nudimmud,

[...] his captivity [...] bound [...],

[...] Tiamat whom he had defeated.

The lord [...] Tiamat's [...],

[...] merciless [...] he shattered the skull.

He slit the veins of her blood,

he made [...] the north wind carry (it) for news.

His fathers [...], they became joyful, they rejoiced,

they had delivered [...], a greeting-gift, they to him.

The lord rested, looking at her corpse,

intending to divide [...] to create artful things.

Like a dried fish he broke her open into her two parts,

He set up half of her and made the sky into a roof.

He stretched the skin, he posted a guard,

he ordered them not to let [...] escape.

He crossed [...], he examined the firmament,

[...] equal to the Apsu, dwelling of Nudimmud.

The lord [...] the form of the Apsu,

he established Ešara as the likeness of [...].

[...] Ešara that he created, the sky,

he made [...] Ea occupy their shrines.

[...] positions for the great gods.

[...] Nabû-ahhe-šallim

[...] scribe.