The Lost Book of Enki

by Zecharia Sitchin

  In the heights of the Above, the celestial gods had not yet been created;

  In the waters of the Below, the celestial gods had not yet appeared.

  Above and Below, the gods had not yet been formed, destinies were not yet decreed.

  No reed had yet been formed, no marshland had appeared;

  Alone did Apsu reign in the void.

  Then by his winds the primordial waters were mingled,

  A divine and artful spell Apsu upon the waters cast.

  On the void’s deep he poured a sound sleep;

  Tiamat, the Mother of All, as a spouse for himself he fashioned.

  A celestial mother, a watery beauty she was indeed!

  Beside him Apsu little Mummu then brought forth,

  As his messenger he him appointed, a gift for Tiamat to present.

  A gift resplendent to his spouse Apsu granted:

  A shining metal, the everlasting gold, for her alone to possess!

  Then it was that the two their waters mingled, divine children between them to bring forth.

  Male and female were the celestials created; Lahmu and Lahamu by names they were called.

  In the Below did Apsu and Tiamat make them an abode.

  Before they had grown in age and in stature,

  In the waters of the Above Anshar and Kishar were formed;

  Surpassing their brothers in size they were.

  As a celestial couple the two were fashioned;

  A son, An, in the distant heavens was their heir.

  Then Antu, to be his spouse, as An’s equal was brought forth;

  As a boundary of the Upper Waters their abode was made.

  Thus were three heavenly couples, Below and Above, in the depths created;

  By names they were called, the family of Apsu with Mummu and Tiamat they formed.

  At that time, Nibiru had not yet been seen,

  The Earth was not yet called into being.

  Mingled were the heavenly waters; by a Hammered Bracelet they were not yet separated.

  At that time, circuits were not yet fully fashioned;

  The destinies of the gods were not yet firmly decreed;

  The celestial kinfolk banded together; erratic were their ways.

  Their ways to Apsu were verily loathsome;

  Tiamat, getting no rest, was aggrieved and raged.

  A throng to march by her side she formed,

  A growling, raging host against the sons of Apsu she brought forth.

  Withal eleven of this kind she brought forth;

  She made the firstborn, Kingu, chief among them.

  When the celestial gods of this did hear, for council they rallied.

  Kingu she has elevated, to rank as An command to him she gave! to each other they said.

  A Tablet of Destiny to his chest she has attached, his own circuit to acquire,

  To battle against the gods her offspring Kingu she instructed.

  Who shall stand up to Tiamat? the gods asked each other.

  None in their circuits stepped forward, none a weapon for battle would bear.

  At that time, in the heart of the Deep a god was engendered,

  In a Chamber of Fates, a place of destinies, was he born.

  By an artful Creator was he fashioned, the son of his own Sun he was.

  From the Deep where he was engendered, the god from his family in a rushing departed;

  A gift of his Creator, the Seed of Life, with him away he carried.

  To the void he set his course; a new destiny he was seeking.

  The first to glimpse the wandering celestial was the ever-watchful Antu.

  Alluring was his figure, a radiance he was beaming,

  Lordly was his gait, exceedingly great was his course.

  Of all the gods he was the loftiest, surpassing theirs his circuit was.

  The first to glimpse him was Antu, her breast by child never sucked.

  Come, be my son! she called to him. Let me your mother become!

  She cast her net and made him welcome, made his course for the purpose suited.

  Her words filled the newcomer’s heart with pride; the one who would nurse him made him haughty.

  His head to doubled size grew larger, four members at his sides he sprouted.

  He moved his lips in acceptance, a godly fire from them blazed forth.

  Toward Antu his course he turned, his face to An soon to show. When An saw him, My son! My son! with exaltation he shouted. To leadership you shall be consigned, a host by your side will be your servants!

  Let Nibiru be your name, as Crossing forever known!

  He bowed to Nibiru, turning his face at Nibiru’s passage;

  He spread his net, for Nibiru four servants he brought forth,

  His host by his side to be: the South Wind, the North Wind, the East Wind, the West Wind.

  With joyful heart An to Anshar his forebear the arrival of Nibiru announced.

  Anshar upon this hearing, Gaga, who was by his side, as an emissary sent forth—

  Words of wisdom to An deliver, a task to Nibiru to assign.

  He charged Gaga to give voice to what was in his heart, to An thus say:

  Tiamat, she who bore us, now detests us;

  She has set up a warring host, she is furious with rage.

  Against the gods, her children, eleven warriors march by her side;

  Kingu among them she elevated, a destiny to his chest she attached without right.

  No god among us against her venom can stand up, her host in us all has fear established.

  Let Nibiru become our Avenger!

  Let him vanquish Tiamat, let him save our lives!

  For him decree a fate, let him go forth and face our mighty foe!

  To An Gaga departed; he bowed before him, the words of Anshar he repeated.

  An to Nibiru his forebear’s words repeated, Gaga’s message to him he revealed.

  To the words Nibiru with wonder listened; of the mother who would her children devour with fascination he heard.

  His heart, without saying, to set out against Tiamat him already prompted.

  He opened his mouth, to An and Gaga he thus said:

  If indeed I am to vanquish Tiamat your lives to save,

  Convene the gods to assembly, my destiny proclaim supreme!

  Let all the gods agree in council to make me the leader, bow to my command!

  When Lahmu and Lahamu heard this, they cried out with anguish:

  Strange was the demand, its meaning cannot be fathomed! Thus they said.

  The gods who decree the fates with each other consulted;

  To make Nibiru their Avenger they all agreed, to him an exalted fate decreed.

  From this day on, unchallengeable shall be your commandments! to him they said.

  No one among us gods shall transgress your bounds!

  Go, Nibiru, be our Avenger!

  They fashioned for him a princely circuit toward Tiamat to proceed;

  They gave Nibiru blessings, they gave Nibiru awesome weapons.

  Anshar three more winds of Nibiru brought forth: the Evil Wind, the Whirlwind, the Matchless Wind.

  Kishar with a blazing flame filled his body, a net to enfold Tiamat therewith.

  Thus ready for battle, Nibiru toward Tiamat directly set his course.

  Now this is the account of the Celestial Battle,

  And how the Earth had come to be, and of Nibiru’s destiny.

  The lord went forth, his fated course he followed,

  Toward the raging Tiamat he set his face, a spell with his lips he uttered.

  As a cloak for protection he the Pulser and the Emitter put on;

  With a fearsome radiance his head was crowned.

  On his right he posted the Smiter, on his left the Repeller he placed.

  The seven winds, his host of helpers, like a storm he sent forth;

  Toward the raging Tiamat he was rushing, clamoring for battle.

  The gods thronged about him, then from
his path they departed,

  To scan Tiamat and her helpers alone he was advancing,

  The scheme of Kingu, her host’s commander, to conceive.

  When he saw valiant Kingu, blurred became his vision;

  As he gazed upon the monsters his direction was distracted,

  His course became upset, his doings were confused.

  Tiamat’s band tightly her encircled, with terror they trembled.

  Tiamat to her roots gave a shudder, a mighty roar she emitted;

  On Nibiru she cast a spell, engulfed him with her charms.

  The issue between them was joined, the battle was unavoided!

  Face to face they came, Tiamat and Nibiru; against each other they were advancing.

  They for battle approached, they pressed on for single combat.

  The Lord spread his net, to encompass her he cast it;

  With fury Tiamat cried out, like one possessed she lost her senses.

  The Evil Wind, which had been behind him, Nibiru drove forward, in her face he let it loose;

  She opened her mouth the Evil Wind to swallow, but could not close her lips.

  The Evil Wind charged her belly, into her innards it made its way.

  Her innards were howling, her body was distended, her mouth was open wide.

  Through the opening Nibiru shot a brilliant arrow, a lightning most divine.

  It pierced her innards, her belly it tore apart;

  It tore into her womb, it split apart her heart.

  Having thus subdued her, her life-breath he extinguished.

  The lifeless body Nibiru surveyed, like a slaughtered carcass Tiamat now was.

  Beside their lifeless mistress, her eleven helpers trembled with terror;

  In Nibiru’s net they were captured, unable they were to flee.

  Kingu, who by Tiamat was made the host’s chief, was among them.

  The Lord put him in fetters, to his lifeless mistress he bound him.

  He wrested from Kingu the Tablets of Destinies, unrightly to him given,

  Stamped it with his own seal, fastened the Destiny to his own chest.

  The others of Tiamat’s band as captives he bound, in his circuit he them ensnared.

  He trampled them underfoot, cut them up to pieces.

  He bound them all to his circuit; to turn around he made them, backward to course.

  From the Place of the Battle Nibiru then departed,

  To the gods who had him appointed the victory to announce.

  He made a circuit about Apsu, to Kishar and Anshar he journeyed.

  Gaga came out to greet him, as a herald to the others he then journeyed.

  Beyond An and Antu, Nibiru to the Abode in the Deep proceeded.

  The fate of lifeless Tiamat and of Kingu he then considered,

  To Tiamat, whom he had subdued, the Lord Nibiru then returned.

  He made his way to her, paused to view her lifeless body;

  To artfully divide the monster in his heart he was planning.

  Then, as a mussel, into two parts he split her, her chest from her lower parts he separated.

  Her inner channels he cut apart, her golden veins he beheld with wonder.

  Trodding upon her hinder part, the Lord her upper part completely severed.

  The North Wind, his helper, from his side he summoned,

  To thrust away the severed head the Wind he commanded, in the void to place it.

  Nibiru’s Wind upon Tiamat then hovered, sweeping upon her gushing waters.

  Nibiru shot a lightning, to North Wind he gave a signal;

  In a brilliance was Tiamat’s upper part to a region unknown carried.

  With her the bound Kingu was also exiled, of the severed part a companion to be.

  The hinder part’s fate Nibiru then considered:

  As an everlasting trophy of the battle he wished it to be,

  A constant reminder in the heavens, the Place of the Battle to enshrine.

  With his mace the hinder part he smashed to bits and pieces,

  Then strung them together as a band to form a Hammered Bracelet.

  Locking them together, as watchmen he stationed them,

  A Firmament to divide the waters from the waters.

  The Upper Waters above the Firmament from the Waters Below it he separated;

  Artful works Nibiru thus fashioned.

  The Lord then crossed the heavens to survey the regions;

  From Apsu’s quarter to the abode of Gaga he measured the dimensions.

  The edge of the Deep Nibiru then examined, toward his birthplace he cast his gaze.

  He paused and hesitated; then to the Firmament, the Place of the Battle, slowly he returned.

  Passing again in Apsu’s region, of the Sun’s missing spouse he thought with remorse.

  He gazed upon Tiamat’s wounded half, to her Upper Part he gave attention;

  The waters of life, her bounty, from the wounds were still pouring,

  Her golden veins Apsu’s rays were reflecting.

  The Seed of Life, his Creator’s legacy, Nibiru then remembered.

  When he trod on Tiamat, when he split her asunder, to her the seed he surely imparted!

  He addressed words to Apsu, to him thus saying:

  With your warming rays, to the wounds give healing!

  Let the broken part new life be given, in your family as a daughter to be,

  Let the waters to one place be gathered, let firm land appear!

  By Firm Land let her be called, Ki henceforth her name to be!

  Apsu to the words of Nibiru gave heed: Let the Earth join my family,

  Ki, Firm Land of the Below, let Earth her name henceforth be!

  By her turning let there day and night be; in the days my healing rays to her I shall provide.

  Let Kingu be a creature of the night, to shine at night I shall appoint him

  Earth’s companion, the Moon forever to be!

  Nibiru the words of Apsu with satisfaction heard.

  He crossed the heavens and surveyed the regions,

  To the gods who had him elevated he granted permanent stations,

  Their circuits he destined that none shall transgress nor fall short of each other.

  He strengthened the heavenly locks, gates on both sides he established.

  An outermost abode he chose for himself, beyond Gaga were its dimensions.

  The great circuit to be his destiny he beseeched Apsu for him to decree.

  All the gods spoke up from their stations: Let Nibiru’s sovereignty be surpassing!

  Most radiant of the gods he is, let him truly the Son of the Sun be!

  From his quarter Apsu gave his blessing:

  Nibiru shall hold the crossing of Heaven and Earth; Crossing shall be his name!

  The gods shall cross over neither above nor below;

  He shall hold the central position, the shepherd of the gods he shall be.

  A Shar shall be his circuit; that his Destiny will forever be!

  Now this is the account of how the Olden Times began,

  And of the era that in the Annals the Golden Era by name was known,

  And how from Nibiru to Earth the missions went the gold to obtain.

  The escape of Alalu from Nibiru was its beginning.

  With great understanding was Alalu endowed, much knowledge he by learning acquired.

  By his forefather Anshargal of the heavens and the circuits much knowledge was amassed,

  By Enshar was knowledge greatly augmented;

  Of that Alalu made much learning; with the sages he discoursed, savants and commanders he consulted.

  Thus was knowledge of the Beginning ascertained, thus did Alalu this knowledge possess.

  The gold in the Hammered Bracelet was the confirmation,

  The gold in the Hammered Bracelet of gold in Tiamat’s Upper Half was the indication.

  At the planet of gold Alalu victoriously arrived, his chariot with a thunder crashing.

  With a b
eam he scanned the place, his whereabouts to discover;

  His chariot on dry land descended, at the edge of extended marshes it landed.

  He put on an Eagle’s helmet, he put on a Fish’s suit.

  The chariot’s hatch he opened; at the open hatch he stopped to wonder.

  Dark hued was the ground, blue-white were the skies;

  No sound there was, there was no one to bid him welcome.

  Alone on an alien planet he stood, perchance from Nibiru forever exiled!

  To the ground himself he lowered, on the dark-hued soil he stepped;

  There were hills in the distance; nearby much vegetation there was.

  Ahead of him there were marshes, into the marsh he stepped; by the waters’ coolness he shuddered.

  Back to the dry ground he stepped; alone on an alien planet he stood!

  With thoughts he was possessed, of spouse and offspring with longing he remembered;

  Was he forever from Nibiru exiled? Of that again and again he wondered.

  To the chariot he soon returned, with food and drink to be sustained.

  Then deep sleep him overcame, a powerful slumber.

  How long he slept he could not remember; what awakened him he could not tell.

  A brightness there was outside, a brilliance on Nibiru unseen.

  A pole from the chariot he extended; with a Tester it was equipped.

  It breathed the planet’s air; compatibility it indicated!

  The chariot’s hatch he opened, at the open hatch he took a breath.

  Another breath he took, then another and another; the air of Ki indeed compatible was!

  Alalu clapped his hands, a song of joy he was singing.

  Without an Eagle’s helmet, without a Fish’s suit, to the ground himself he lowered.

  The brightness outside was blinding; the rays of the Sun were overpowering!

  Into the chariot he returned, a mask for the eyes he donned.

  He picked up the carried weapon, he picked up the handy Sampler.

  To the ground himself he lowered, on the dark-hued soil he stepped.

  He made his way toward the marshes; dark greenish were the waters.

  By the marsh’s edge there were pebbles; Alalu picked a pebble, into the marsh he thrust it.

  In the marsh a moving his eyes glimpsed: The waters with fishes were filled!

  Into the marsh the Sampler he lowered, the murky waters to consider;

  For drinking the water was not fit, Alalu greatly disappointing.

  He turned away from the marshes, in the direction of the hills he went.