Praise of King Ur-Nammu

21.

Enlil has given me the task of keeping the Land secure, with unscathed troops.

22.

I am clad in linen in the [holy place of the] jipar [shrine].

I lie down on the splendid bed in its delightful bedchamber.

23.

I cause the people to eat splendid food;

I am their Enkimdu, (the god of irrigation and cultivation)

24.

I am the good shepherd whose sheep multiply greatly.

25.

Since I have been adorned with their rulership,

no one imposes taxes on my abundant crops which grow tall.

My commands bring about joy in the great fortresses of the mountains.

26.

The joy of my city and the territory of Sumer delights me.

I release water into the watercourse of Sumer,

making the trees grow tall on their banks.

27.

In my city I dug a watercourse of abundance, and named it the Kec-kug watercourse;

In Urim, I dug an watercourse of abundance, and named it the Kec-kug watercourse.

28.

I named it the Pabi-luh watercourse, a lasting name worthy to be praised.

29.

The watercourse of my city is full of fish, and the air above it is full of birds.

The watercourse of Urim is full of fish, and the air above it is full of birds.

30.

In my city honey-plants are planted, and the carp grow fat.

In Urim honey-plants are planted, and the carp grow fat.

31.

The gizi reed of my city is so sweet that the cows eat them.

The gizi reed of Urim is so sweet that the cows eat them.

32.

Since my [city is [delightful ], it is teeming with fish and birds.

In Urim [it is delightful, is teeming with fish and birds.]

33.

May the watercourse bring them (the fish [and birds]) into my watercourse,

may they be carried in baskets to him [(the city)].

May the watercourse bring them into Urim, into my canal,

may they be carried in baskets to him.

34.

I freed the land from thieves, robbers, and rebels.

An excerpt from the Ur-Nammu Law Code

35.

Then did Ur-Nammu, the mighty warior, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad,

by the might of Nanna, lord of the city,

and in accordance with the true word of Utu,

establish the equity of the land, banish abuse, violence and strife.

36.

He fashioned the bronze sila-measure,

standardized the one-mina weight,

and standardized the stone weight of a shekel of silver in relation to one mina.

37.

The orphan was not delivered up to the rich man,

the widow was not delivered up to the powerful man,

the man of one shekel was not delivered up to the man of one mina.

38.

If a man [return] to a man his [beast of burden] and the foot has [cut off] [been injured],

he shall pay 10 silver shekels.

39.

If a man [return] to a man [his beast of burden,

and] with a [weapon] [burden the] [his] bones of [its body have been] severed,

he shall pay one silver mina.

40.

If a man [return] to a man [a beast of burden]

[that] with a geshpu instrument has cut off the nose (?)

he shall pay two-thirds of a silver mina.

Praises of the Beneficient Kings CHAPTER THREE

Divisions 41-60