Work Text:
ištīššu, ammāmin, ḫarrān iltānim abâ’- One time, if only, the northwest road I could follow,
ana amārim šammi nikittim, ina mātim Utnapištim- To find the plant of the heartbeat, in the land of Utnapištim,
ištēn kibsam šaḫnam- One warm line,
ina bāṣim ašaṭṭar, ammāmin- In the sand I would draw, if only,
ḫarrān iltānim ina tāntim abâ’ši- I could follow the northwest road to the sea.
aḫullâ šad erēnim, ammîša uššab īwâ- Beyond the cedar mountain, there it lay they said,
gerri dārutim, mādūtum uḫtattipūšum- The island of immortality, for which so many were sacrificed,
niṣirtum tuba’â, eṣemātim tabrumā- Treasures ye sought, bones ye left behind,
u ṭuppam ina igārim uptazzar- And a letter hidden in the walls of a city…
ištīššu, ammāmin, ḫarrān iltānim abâ’- One time, if only, the northwest road I could follow,
ana amārim šammi nikittim, ina mātim Utnapištim- To find the plant of the heartbeat, in the land of Utnapištim,
ištēn kibsam šaḫnam- One warm line,
ina bāṣim ašaṭṭar, ammāmin- In the sand I would draw, if only,
ḫarrān iltānim ina tāntim abâ’ši- I could follow the northwest road to the sea.
līmīšu dārī arkīnišu- A thousand lifetimes afterwards,
ša itaggušim uṣabbāši- Of travelling I dream,
bēt abamāt inbī iptēši- Where he unveiled the sea of flowers,
maḫriš šalām šamšim- Before the western sunset.
amur ṭupšinnam ša erēnim, puṭur ḫargall siparrim- Open the box of cedarwood, release the clasps of bronze,
u ḫarrān iltānim nubbiṭānim- And illuminate the northwest path for me
ištīššu, ammāmin, ḫarrān iltānim abâ’- One time, if only, the northwest road I could follow,
ana amārim šammi nikittim, ina mātim Utnapištim- To find the plant of the heartbeat, in the land of Utnapištim,
ištēn kibsam šaḫnam- One warm line,
ina bāṣim ašaṭṭar, ammāmin- In the sand I would draw, if only,
ḫarrān iltānim ina tāntim abâ’ši- I could follow the northwest road to the sea.
itti bukrī ātaḫḫa- Could I be brothers with the firstborns,
ana harranī šunūti- On these roads,
kīma šunūti, dadmam ēzibšu- Like them, I left behind the settled world,
Kala bīšī aṣli’- All things I threw away,
ḫarrān iltānim uba’’i- I sought a northwest passage,
ana qibīt šarrim- At the command of a king,
u āmur, ēdāniš ḫarrān tūrtim- And I found, only the road of return
ištīššu, ammāmin, ḫarrān iltānim abâ’- One time, if only, the northwest road I could follow,
ana amārim šammi nikittim, ina mātim Utnapištim- To find the plant of the heartbeat, in the land of Utnapištim,
ištēn kibsam šaḫnam- One warm line,
ina bāṣim ašaṭṭar, ammāmin- In the sand I would draw, if only,
ḫarrān iltānim ina tāntim abâ’ši- I could follow the northwest road to the sea.