The Lost Book of Enki

by Zecharia Sitchin

Around Earth’s companion, the Moon, make slowing circles! Ea to him suggested.

  They circled the Moon; by the vanquishing Nibiru in the Celestial Battle it prostrate and scarred was lying.

  Having the chariot thus slowed down, toward the seventh planet Anzu the chariot directed.

  Once, twice the Earth’s globe he made the chariot circle, ever closer to the Firm Land he lowered it.

  Snow hued was two thirds of the planet, dark hued was its middle.

  They could see the oceans, they could see the Firm Lands; for the signal beacon from Alalu they were searching.

  Where an ocean touched dry land, where four rivers were swallowed by marshes, Alalu’s signal was beaconed.

  Too heavy and large the chariot is for the marshes! Anzu was declaring.

  The Earth’s pulling net, too powerful for on dry land to descend it is! Anzu to Ea announced.

  Splash down! Splash down in the ocean’s waters! Ea to Anzu shouted.

  Around the planet Anzu made one more circuit, the chariot with much care toward the ocean’s edge he lowered.

  The chariot’s lungs he filled with air; into the waters down it splashed, into the depths it was not sinking.

  From the Speaker a voice was heard: To Earth be welcomed! Alalu was saying.

  By his beamed words the direction of his whereabouts was determined.

  Toward the place Anzu the chariot directed, floating as a boat it was upon the waters moving.

  Soon the wide-ranging ocean narrowed, dry land on both sides as guardian appeared.

  On the left side brown-hued hills were rising, on the right mountains to heaven their heads raised.

  Toward the place of Alalu was the chariot moving, floating like a boat upon the waters it was.

  Ahead the dry land was covered with flooding, marshes the ocean were replacing.

  Anzu to heroes commands uttered, their Fishes’ suits to put on he ordered.

  A hatch of the chariot was then opened, into the marshes the heroes descended.

  Strong ropes to the chariot they attached, with the ropes the chariot they were pulling.

  Alalu’s beamed words more powerful were becoming. Hurry! Hurry! he was saying.

  At the edge of the marshes, a sight there was to behold:

  Gleaming in the sunrays was a chariot from Nibiru; Alalu’s celestial boat it was!

  The heroes their paces quickened, toward Alalu’s chariot they hurried.

  Impatient, Ea donned his Fish’s suit; within his chest his heart was like a drum beating.

  Into the marsh he jumped, toward its edge hurried steps he directed.

  High were the marshes flooding, deeper was the bottom than he expected.

  He changed his gait to swimming, with bold strokes forward he advanced.

  As dry land he was approaching, green meadows he could see.

  Then his feet touched firm ground; he stood up and by walking he continued.

  Ahead he could see Alalu standing, with his hands with vigor waving.

  Coming out of the waters, ashore Ea stepped: On dark-hued Earth he was standing!

  Alalu toward him came running; his son by marriage he powerfully embraced.

  Welcome to a different planet! Alalu to Ea said.

  Now this is the account of how Eridu on Earth was established, how the count of seven days was begun.

  In silence did Alalu Ea embrace, with tears of joy his eyes were filled.

  Before him Ea bowed his head, respect for his father by marriage he was showing.

  In the marshes the heroes were advancing; more donned Fishes’ suits, more toward the dry land were rushing.

  Keep the chariot afloat! Anzu was commanding. In the waters anchor it, the mud ahead avoiding!

  Ashore stepped the heroes, before Alalu they were bowing.

  Ashore came Anzu, the last the chariot to depart.

  Before Alalu he bowed; with him Alalu in welcome locked arms.

  To all who had arrived Alalu words of welcome spoke.

  To all who were assembled, Ea words of command spoke. Here on Earth I am the commander! he was saying.

  On a life or death mission we have come; in our hands is Nibiru’s fate!

  He looked about, for a place for encampment he was searching.

  Heap up soil, mounds fashion there! Ea gave command, an encampment to set up.

  To a place not afar he was pointing, a reed-hut abode by Alalu erected.

  To Anzu then words he directed: To Nibiru words by beaming deliver,

  To the king my father, Anu, successful arrival announce!

  Soon the hue of the skies was changing, from brightness to reddish it was turning.

  A sight never seen before their eyes was unfolding: The Sun, as a red ball, on the horizon was disappearing!

  Fear seized the heroes, of a Great Calamity afraid they were!

  Alalu with laughter words of comfort was saying: A setting of the Sun it is,

  The ending of one day on Earth it is marking.

  For a quick rest lie down; a night on Earth is beyond imagining short.

  Before you expect the Sun will an appearance make; on Earth it will be morning!

  Before expecting, darkness came, the heavens from the Earth it separated.

  Lightnings the darkness pierced, rains the thunders followed.

  By winds were the waters blown, storms of an alien god they were.

  In the chariot the heroes hunkered down, in the chariot the heroes huddled.

  Resting to them did not come; they were greatly agitated.

  With quickened hearts the Sun’s return they awaited.

  Smiling when its rays appeared they were, joyful and backslapping.

  And it was evening and it was morning, their first day on Earth it was.

  By daybreak Ea the ongoings considered; to separate waters from waters heed he was giving.

  Engur he made of the sweet waters the master, drinking waters to provide.

  To the snake pond with Alalu he went, its sweet waters to consider;

  Evil serpents in the pond were swarming! so did Engur to Ea say.

  The marshlands Ea then contemplated, the abundance of rainwaters he weighed.

  Enbilulu he placed in charge of the marshlands, to mark out the thicket of reeds him he directed.

  Enkimdu in charge of ditch and dike he placed, a boundary for the marshes to fashion,

  For the waters that from heaven rain a gathering place to make.

  Thus were the waters below from the waters above separated, marshwaters from sweet waters asunder were set.

  And it was evening and it was morning, the second day on Earth it was.

  When the Sun morning announced, the heroes their assigned tasks were performing.

  With Alalu Ea to the place of grass and trees his steps directed,

  All that in the orchard grows, herbs and fruits after their kind to examine.

  To Isimud, his vizier, Ea questions was addressing:

  What is this plant? What is that plant? him he was asking.

  Isimud, one of much learning, food that grows well he could distinguish;

  He tore a fruit for Ea, a honey plant it is! to Ea he was saying:

  One fruit he himself ate, one fruit Ea was eating!

  Of food that grows, by its good distinguished, Ea the hero Guru put in charge.

  Thus were the heroes water and food provided; satiated they were not.

  And it was evening and it was morning, the third day on Earth it was.

  On the fourth day the winds ceased blowing, the chariot by waves was not disturbed.

  Let tools from the chariot be brought, let abodes in the encampment be built! Ea thus commanded.

  Kulla in charge of mold and brick Ea appointed, from the clay bricks to fashion;

  Mushdammu to lay foundations he directed, dwelling abodes to erect.

  All day the Sun was shining, the great light by day it was.

  By evetime Kingu, Earth’s moon, in fullness a pale ligh
t on Earth it cast,

  A lesser light to rule the night, among the celestial gods accounted to be.

  And it was evening and it was morning, the fourth day on Earth it was.

  On the fifth day Ea Ningirsig a boat of reeds to fashion commanded,

  The measure of the marshes to take, the stretch of the swamplands to consider.

  Ulmash, he who what in the waters swarms knows, who of fowl that fly has understanding,

  Ulmash as a companion Ea took, between good and bad to distinguish.

  Kinds that in the waters swarm, kinds that in the skies give wing, to Ulmash many were unknown;

  Bewildering was their number. Good were the carp, among the bad they were swimming.

  Enbilulu, the marshlands master, Ea summoned; Enkimdu, in charge of ditch and dike, Ea summoned;

  To them he gave words, in the marshlands to make a barrier;

  With canebrakes and green reeds an enclosure to fashion, fish from fish there separate,

  A trap for carp that from a net could not escape,

  A place whose snare no bird that is good for food could escape.

  Thus were fish and fowl, by their good kinds separated, for the heroes provided.

  And it was evening and it was morning, the fifth day on Earth it was.

  On the sixth day Ea of the orchard’s creatures took account.

  Enursag to the task he assigned, that which creeps and that which on feet walks to distinguish;

  Their kinds Enursag astounded, of the ferocity of their wildness to Ea an account he gave.

  Ea Kulla summoned, to Mushdammu urgent commands he gave:

  By evetime the abodes to be completed, by a fence for protection to be surrounded!

  The heroes to the task put their shoulders, bricks on the foundations were quickly laid.

  With reeds were the roofings made, of cut-down trees was the fencing put up.

  Anzu a Beam-That-Kills from the chariot brought over, a Speaker-That-Words-Beams at Ea’s abode he set up;

  By evetime, complete was the encampment! For the night therein the heroes gathered.

  Ea and Alalu and Anzu the doings considered; all that was done indeed was good!

  And it was evening and it was morning, the sixth day.

  On the seventh day the heroes in the encampment were assembled,

  To them Ea spoke these words:

  A hazardous journey we have undertaken, from Nibiru to the seventh planet a dangerous way we traversed.

  At Earth we with success arrived, much good we attained, an encampment we established.

  Let this day be a day of rest; the seventh day hereafter a day of resting always to be!

  Let this place henceforth by the name Eridu be called, Home in the Faraway the meaning thereof will be!

  Let a promise be kept, let Alalu of Eridu the commander be declared!

  The heroes thus assembled, in unison agreements shouted.

  Words of consent Alalu uttered, then homage to Ea he greatly paid:

  Let Ea a second name be given, Nudimmud, the Artful Fashioner, let him be called!

  In unison the heroes agreement announced.

  And it was evening and it was morning, the seventh day.

  Now this is the account of how the searching for gold was begun,

  And how the plans on Nibiru made to Nibiru salvation did not provide.

  After the encampment of Eridu was established and the heroes with food were satiated,

  Ea the task of gold from the waters obtaining started.

  In the chariot the Fire Stones were stirred up, its Great Cracker was enlivened;

  That Which Water Sucks from the chariot was extended, into the marsh waters it was inserted.

  Into a vessel of crystals the waters were directed,

  From the waters the crystals all that is metal in the vessel extracted.

  Then from the vessel That Which Spits Out the waters to the fishpond spat out;

  Thus were the metals that were in the waters in the vessel collected.

  Ingenious was Ea’s handiwork, an Artful Fashioner indeed he was!

  For six Earth days marsh waters were sucked in, marsh waters were spat out;

  In the vessel metals indeed were collected!

  The metals on the seventh day by Ea and Alalu were examined; of many kinds were the metals in the vessel.

  Iron there was, much copper there was; of gold there was no abundance.

  In the chariot another vessel, the artful handiwork of Nudimmud,

  The metals after their kinds were separated, ashore kind by kind they were carried.

  For six days thus did the heroes toil; on the seventh day they rested.

  For six days were the crystal vessels filled and emptied,

  On the seventh day were the metals accounted.

  There was iron and there was copper, and other metals too;

  Of the gold, the smallest pile was accumulated.

  In the nighttimes the Moon waxed and waned; by the name Month did Ea its circuit call.

  At Month’s very start, its luminous horns six days signified,

  By its half crown the seventh day it announced; a day to rest it was.

  At midway by a fullness was the Moon distinguished; then it paused to become diminished.

  With the Sun’s course was the Moon’s circuit appearing, with Earth’s circuit it was its face revealing.

  Fascinated by the Moon’s motions was Ea, its attachment as Kingu to Ki he contemplated:

  What purpose did the attachment serve, what heavenly sign was it giving?

  A Month did Ea the Moon’s circuit call, Month to its circuit he gave the name.

  For one Month, for two Months, in the chariot were the waters separated;

  The Sun, every six Months, to Earth another season gave; Winter and Summer did Ea by names them call.

  There was Winter and there was Summer; by Year of Earth did Ea the full circuit call.

  By Year’s end of the accumulated gold account was taken;

  Much to dispatch to Nibiru there was not.

  The swamplands’ waters are deficient, let the chariot to the deeper ocean be moved! So was Ea saying.

  From its moorings was the chariot untied, back whence it came it was shifted.

  With great care were the crystal vessels stirred up, the saltwaters through them passing.

  Metals by their kinds were separated; gold among them was sparkling!

  From the chariot of the happenings Ea to Nibiru word did beam; Anu to hear it was pleased indeed.

  In its destined circuit Nibiru to the Sun’s abode was returning,

  A closeness to Earth on its Shar circuit was Nibiru attaining.

  With eagerness did Anu about the gold inquire. Is there enough for sending to Nibiru? he was asking.

  Alas, not enough was of the gold from the waters collected;

  Let another Shar pass, let the quantity be doubled! Ea to Anu counseled.

  From the ocean’s waters the obtaining of gold continued;

  In his heart Ea with apprehension was filling.

  From the chariot parts were hauled out, a sky chamber from them was assembled.

  Abgal, he who knows piloting, of the sky chamber to take charge he appointed;

  Daily in the sky chamber with Abgal did Ea upward soar, the Earth and its secrets to learn.

  For the sky chamber an enclosure was constructed, by Alalu’s chariot was it placed:

  Daily the crystals in Alalu’s chariot did Ea study, what by their beams was discovered to understand;

  Whence does the gold come? he asked Alalu. Where on Earth are Tiamat’s golden veins?

  In the sky chamber with Abgal did Ea upward soar, the Earth and its secrets to learn.

  Over great mountains they roamed, in the valleys great rivers they saw;

  Steppes and forests below were stretched, thousands of leagues was their reach.

  Vast lands separated by oceans they recorded, with the Beam That Scans the soils they
penetrated.

  On Nibiru impatience was growing. Can gold protection provide? was the outcry increasing.

  Assemble the gold, on Nibiru’s nearing gold you must deliver! So did Anu Ea command.

  Repair Alalu’s chariot, for returning to Nibiru make it fit, for the Shar’s completion make it ready! So was Anu saying.

  Ea his father’s, the king, words was heeding; the repairing of Alalu’s chariot he was contemplating.

  As the sky chamber one eve by the side of the chariot they landed,

  With Abgal the chariot they entered, a secret deed in the darkness to perform.

  The Weapons of Terror, the seven of them, from the chariot they removed;

  To the sky chamber they took them, inside the sky chamber them to give hiding.

  By sunrise Ea with Abgal in the sky chamber soared, to another land was their direction.

  There, in a secret place, did Ea the weapons hide; in a cave, a place unknown, he stored them.

  Then to Anzu Ea words of command gave, to repair Alalu’s chariot he him directed,

  For returning to Nibiru to make it fit, by the Shar’s completion to make it ready.

  Anzu, in the ways of chariots greatly skilled, to the task his labors set;

  He made its thrusters hum again, its tablets he carefully considered;

  The absence of the Weapons of Terror he soon discovered!

  With anger Anzu cried out; Ea of their hiding away gave the explanation:

  Foresworn is the weapons’ use! Ea was saying.

  Neither in the heavens nor on Firm Lands shall they ever be harnessed!

  Without them no passage through the Hammered Bracelet is safe! Anzu was saying.

  Without them, without Water Thrusters, the danger is endurance surpassing!

  Alalu, of Eridu the commander, the words of Ea considered, to the words of Anzu heed he gave:

  The words of Ea by the Council of Nibiru are attested! Alalu was saying;

  But without the chariot’s return, Nibiru shall be doomed!

  Abgal, he who knows piloting, boldly toward the leaders stepped forward.

  I shall be the pilot, the dangers I shall valiantly face! he was saying.

  Thus was the decision made: Abgal shall be the pilot, Anzu on Earth shall be staying!

  On Nibiru, the stargazers the destinies of the celestial gods contemplated, an opportune day they were selecting.

  Into Alalu’s chariot basketfuls of gold were carried;

  The forepart of the chariot Abgal entered, the commander’s seat he occupied.