The Lost Book of Enki

by Zecharia Sitchin

  To the priest-scribes a long book he dictated, the Afterlife journey in detail in it was described.

  How to reach the Duat, the Place of the Celestial Boats, in the book was told,

  How to there, by a Stairway to Heaven, to the Imperishable Planet journey,

  Of the Plant of Life partake, the Waters of Youth to satiation drink.

  Of the coming of the gods to Earth by Ra were the priests taught,

  Gold is the splendor of Life, to them he said. The flesh of the gods it is! to the kings Ra said.

  To make expeditions to the Abzu and the Lower Domain, gold to obtain, the kings he instructed.

  When by the force of weapons the kings of Ra lands not theirs conquer,

  His brothers’ realms he invaded, their ire he caused to arise and grow:

  What is Marduk up to, the brothers each other asked, that over us he tramples?

  To their father Enki they appealed; to Ptah his father Ra did not listen.

  To capture all adjoining lands the kings of Magan and Meluhha Ra directed,

  To be the master of the Four Regions was his heart’s plan.

  The Earth is mine to rule! So adamantly to his father he said.

  Now this is the account of how Marduk supreme himself declared and Babili built,

  And how Inanna, warrior kings commanding, blood made flow and sacrileges allowed.

  After kingship to Urim from Unug-ki was transferred, Nannar and Ningal on the people smiled.

  As his Rank of Thirty befitting, as the god of the Moon Nannar was worshiped;

  As the count of the Moon months in a year, twelve festivals each year he decreed,

  To each of the twelve great Anunnaki a month and its festival were dedicated.

  Throughout the First Region to the Anunnaki gods, great and lesser ones,

  Shrines and sanctuaries were built, the people to their gods could directly pray.

  In the First Region, civilization from Ki-Engi to other neighboring lands spread,

  In Cities of Man local rulers as Righteous Shepherds were designated;

  Artisans and farmers, shepherds and weavers their products far and wide exchanged,

  Laws of justice were decreed, contracts of trade, of espousal and divorce were honored.

  In schools the young ones studied, scribes hymns and proverbs and wisdom recorded.

  Abundance and happiness were in the lands; quarrels and encroachments there also were.

  All the while Inanna in her skyship from land to land roamed; near the Upper Sea with Utu she frolicked.

  To the domain of her uncle Ishkur she went, Dudu, Beloved, she called him.

  To the people who in the upper plain of the two rivers dwelt Inanna took a liking;

  The sound of their tongue she found pleasant, to speak their language she learned.

  By the name of the planet Lahamu in their tongue Ishtar they called her,

  Uruk her city Unug-ki they called, Dudu as Adad in their language they pronounced.

  Sin, Lord of Oracles, her father Nannar they named; Urim-city by them Ur was called.

  Shamash, Bright Sun, in their tongue Utu they called, him too they worshiped.

  Enlil by them Father Elil was called, Nippur by them was Nibru-ki;

  Ki-Engi, Land of the Lofty Watchers, Shumer in their language was named.

  In Shumer, the First Region, kingship between the cities was rotated;

  In the Second Region, diversity by Ra was not permitted, alone to reign he wished.

  The eldest of Heaven, firstborn who is on Earth! Thus by the priests to be known he wanted.

  The foremost from the earliest times! So he decreed in the hymns to be called;

  Lord of eternity, he who everlastingness has made, over all the gods presiding,

  The one who is without equal, the great solitary and sole one!

  So did Marduk, as Ra, above all other gods himself emplace,

  Their powers and attributes to himself he by himself assigned:

  As Enlil I am for lordship and decrees, as Ninurta for the hoe and combat;

  As Adad for lightning and thunder, as Nannar for illuminating the night;

  As Utu I am Shamash, as Nergal over the Lower World I reign;

  As Gibil the golden depths I know, whence copper and silver come I have found;

  As Ningishzidda numbers and their count I command, the heavens my glory bespeak!

  By these proclamations the Anunnaki leaders were greatly alarmed,

  To their father Enki the brothers of Marduk spoke, Nergal to Ninurta their concerns conveyed.

  What has you overpowered? Enki to his son Marduk said. Unheard of are your pretensions!

  The heavens, the heavens my supremacy bespeak! Marduk his father Enki answered.

  The Bull of Heaven, Enlil’s constellation sign, by his own offspring was slain,

  In the heavens the Age of the Ram, my age, is coming, unmistakable the omens are!

  In his abode, in Eridu, the circle of the twelve constellations Enki examined,

  On the first day of spring, the beginning of a year, sunrise was carefully observed;

  In the constellation stars of the Bull was the sun that day rising.

  In Nibru-ki and Urim Enlil and Nannar the observations made,

  In the Lower World, where the Instruments Station had been, Nergal the results attested:

  Still remote was the time of the Ram, the Age of the Bull of Enlil it still was!

  In his domains, Marduk in his assertions did not relent. By Nabu he was assisted,

  To domains not his emissaries he sent, to the people that his time has come to announce.

  To Ningishzidda the Anunnaki leaders appealed, how to the people the skies to observe to teach.

  In his wisdom stone structures Ningishzidda devised, Ninurta and Ishkur to erect them helped.

  In the settled lands, near and far, the people how the skies to observe they taught,

  That the sun in the Constellation of the Bull was still rising to the people they showed.

  With sorrow did Enki these ongoings watch, how Fate the rightful order twisted he pondered:

  After the Anunnaki as gods themselves declared, on Mankind’s support they instead are dependent!

  In the First Region to unify the lands under one leader the Anunnaki decided, a warrior king they desired.

  To Inanna, of Marduk the adversary, the task of the right man to find they entrusted.

  A strong man whom on her journeys she had met and loved, Inanna to Enlil indicated,

  Arbakad, of four garrisons the commander, was his father, a high priestess his mother was.

  Scepter and crown Enlil him gave, Sharru-kin, Righteous Regent, Enlil him appointed.

  As on Nibiru once was done, a new crown city, the lands to unify, was established,

  Agade, the Unified City, they named it, not far from Kishi it was located.

  By Enlil was Sharru-kin empowered; Inanna with her weapons of brilliance his warriors accompanied.

  All the lands from the Lower Sea to the Upper Sea to his throne obedience gave,

  At the borders of the Fourth Region, to protect it, his troops were stationed.

  With a cautious eye Ra on Inanna and Sharru-kin constantly gazed, then as a falcon on his prey he pounced:

  From the place where Marduk the tower to heaven reaching to build had attempted,

  Sacred soil from there to Agade did Sharru-kin move, therein the Heavenly Bright Object to implant.

  Enraged did Marduk to the First Region rush, with Nabu and followers to the tower’s place they came.

  Of the sacred soil, I alone the possessor am, by me shall a gateway of the gods be established!

  So did Marduk vehemently announce, instructions the river to divert to his followers he gave.

  Dikes and walls in the Place of the Tower they raised, the Esagil, House for the Utmost God, for Marduk they built;

  Babili, the Gateway of the Gods, Nabu in his father’s honor named it, />
  In the heart of the Edin, in the midst of the First Region, Marduk himself established!

  Inanna’s fury no boundary knew; with her weapons on Marduk’s followers death she inflicted.

  The blood of people, as never before on Earth, like rivers flowed.

  To his brother Marduk Nergal to Babili came, for the sake of the people Babili to leave him he persuaded:

  Let us peacefully wait for the true signs of heaven! Nergal to his brother said.

  To depart Marduk agreed, from land to land the skies to watch he traveled,

  Amun, the Unseen One, in the Second Region was Ra henceforth called.

  For a while was Inanna appeased, two sons of Sharru-kin his peaceful successors were.

  Then on the throne of Agade Sharru-kin’s grandson ascended; Naram-Sin, by Sin Loved, he was called.

  In the First Region Enlil and Ninurta absent were, to the lands beyond the oceans they went;

  In the Second Region Ra was away, as Marduk in other lands he traveled;

  Her chance in her hands to seize all powers Inanna envisioned, Naram-Sin to seize all lands she commanded.

  To march against Magan and Meluhha, Marduk domains, Naram-Sin she instructed.

  The sacrilege of an Earthlings’ army through the Fourth Region passing Naram-Sin committed,

  Magan he invaded, the sealed Ekur, House Which Like a Mountain Is, to enter he attempted.

  By the sacrileges and transgressions Enlil was infuriated; upon Naram-Sin and Agade a curse he put:

  By a bite of a scorpion did Naram-Sin die, by the command of Enlil was Agade wiped out.

  At the count of a thousand and five hundred Earth years did this happen.

  Now this is the account of the prophecy by Galzu to Enlil in a vision given;

  About Marduk’s supremacy it was, how a calamity to survive a man to choose.

  After Marduk Amun became, kingship in the Second Region disintegrated, disorder and confusion reigned;

  After Agade was wiped out, in the First Region there was disorder, confusion reigned.

  In the First Region kingship was in disarray, from Cities of Gods to Cities of Man it moved about,

  Unug-ki, Lagash, Urim and Kish, Isin and to faraway places kingship was shifting.

  Then Enlil, with Anu consulting, kingship in the hands of Nannar deposited;

  To Urim, in whose soil the divine Heavenly Bright Object remained implanted, kingship for the third time was granted.

  In Urim a Righteous Shepherd of men Nannar as king appointed, Ur-Nammu was his name.

  Equity in the lands Ur-Nammu established, to violence and strife an end he made, in all the lands prosperity was abundant.

  It was at that time that in the nighttime Enlil a dream-vision had:

  The image of a man to him appeared, bright and shining like the heavens he was;

  As he approached and by Enlil’s bed stood, Enlil the white-haired Galzu recognized!

  In his left hand a tablet of lapis lazuli he was holding, the starry heavens on it were designed;

  By the twelve constellation signs were the heavens divided, to them with his left hand Galzu pointed.

  From the Bull to the Ram Galzu his pointing shifted; three times the pointing he repeated.

  Then in the dream-vision Galzu spoke up and to Enlil thus said:

  The righteous time of benevolence and peace by evildoing and bloodshed will be followed.

  In three celestial portions the Ram of Marduk the Bull of Enlil will replace,

  One who himself as Supreme God has declared supremacy on Earth will seize.

  A calamity as has never before occurred, by Fate decreed, will happen!

  As at the time of the Deluge, a righteous and worthy man must be chosen,

  By him and his seed will Civilized Mankind, as by the Creator of All intended, be preserved!

  So did Galzu, the divine emissary, to Enlil in the dream-vision say.

  When Enlil from the nighttime dream-vision awakened, there was no tablet beside his bed.

  Was it an oracle from heaven or did I it all in my heart imagine? Enlil to himself wondered.

  To none of his sons, Nannar among them, nor to Ninlil did he of the dream-vision tell.

  Among the priests in the Nibru-ki temple Enlil of celestial savants inquired,

  Tirhu, an oracle priest, to him the high priest indicated.

  Of Ibru, of Arbakad the grandson, he was descended, sixth generation of Nibru-ki priests he was,

  With the royal daughters of Urim’s kings they were intermarried.

  Get yourself to Nannar’s temple in Urim, the heavens for celestial time observe:

  Seventy-two Earth years is the count of a Celestial Portion, the passage of three thereof carefully record!

  So did Enlil to Tirhu the priest say, the prophesied time he made him count.

  While Enlil the dream-vision and its portents pondered, Marduk from land to land went.

  Of his supremacy the people he was telling, to followers gain was his purpose.

  In the lands of the Upper Sea and the lands on Ki-Engi bordering,

  Nabu, Marduk’s son, was the people inciting; to seize the Fourth Region was his plan.

  Between the dwellers of the west and the dwellers of the east clashes were occurring,

  Kings hosts of warriors formed, caravans ceased going, the walls of cities were raised.

  What Galzu had foretold indeed is happening! Enlil to himself said.

  Upon Tirhu and his sons, of worthy lineage descended, Enlil set his gaze:

  This is the man to choose, by Galzu indicated! Enlil to himself said.

  To Nannar, without the dream-vision revealing, Enlil to his son thus said:

  In the land between the rivers whence Arbakad had come, a city like Urim establish,

  A home-abode away from Urim let it for you and Ningal be.

  In its midst a temple-shrine establish, the Priest-Prince Tirhu in charge thereof appoint!

  By his father’s word abiding, Nannar in the land of Arbakad the city of Harran established.

  To be high priest in its temple-shrine Tirhu he sent, his family with him;

  When two Celestial Portions out of the prophesied three were completed did Tirhu to Harran go.

  At that time Ur-Nammu, the Joy of Urim, in the western lands from his chariot fell and died.

  On the throne of Urim his son Shulgi him succeeded; full of vile and eager for battles Shulgi was.

  In Nibru-ki himself high priest he anointed, in Unug-ki the joys of Inanna’s vulva he sought;

  Warriors from the mountainlands, to Nannar not beholden, in his army he enlisted,

  With their help the western lands he overran, the sanctity of Mission Control Center he ignored.

  In the sacred Fourth Region his foot he set, King of the Four Regions himself he declared.

  About the defilements Enlil was angered, about the invadings Enki to Enlil spoke:

  The rulers of your region all bounds have exceeded! Enki to Enlil bitterly said.

  Of all the troubles Marduk is the fountainhead! Enlil to Enki retorted.

  Still the dream-vision to himself keeping, Enlil to Tirhu his attention turned.

  Upon Ibru-Um, the eldest son of Tirhu, Enlil cast the choosing gaze.

  A princely offspring, valiant and with priestly secrets acquainted Ibruum was;

  To protect the sacred places, the chariots’ ascents and descents enable, Enlil Ibruum to go commanded.

  No sooner did Ibruum from Harran depart than in that city Marduk arrived;

  The defilements he too had observed, as birth pangs of a New Order he them deemed.

  From Harran, on the threshold of Shumer, his final thrust he planned,

  From Harran, at the edge of Ishkur’s domains situated, the raising of armies he directed.

  When twenty-and-four Earth years of his sojourn in Harran had passed,

  Marduk to the other gods, of whomever descended, tearfully an appeal made;

&n
bsp; Confessing his transgressions but insisting on his lordship, to them he thus said:

  Oh gods of Harran, oh great gods who judge, learn my secrets!

  As I girdle my belt, my memories I remember:

  I am the divine Marduk, a great god, in my domains as Ra am I known.

  For my sins to exile I went, to the mountains have I gone, in many lands I wandered,

  From where the sun rises to where the sun sets I went, to the land of Ishkur I came.

  Twenty-four years in the midst of Harran I nested, an omen in its temple I sought;

  Until when? about my lordship an omen in the temple I asked.

  Your days of exile are completed! to me the oracle in the temple said.

  Oh great gods who the fates determine, let me to my city set my course,

  My temple Esagil as an everlasting abode establish, a king in Babili install;

  In my temple house let all the Anunnaki gods assemble, my covenant accept!

  So did Marduk, confessing and appealing, to the other gods his coming announce.

  By his appeal for their submission the Anunnaki gods were disturbed and alarmed.

  To a great assembly, counsel to take, Enlil them all summoned.

  All the Anunnaki leaders in Nibru-ki gathered; Enki and Marduk’s brothers also came.

  About the happenings all of them were agitated, opposed to Marduk and Nabu they all were.

  In the council of the great gods, accusations were rampant, recriminations filled the chamber.

  What is coming no one can prevent; let us Marduk’s supremacy accept! Enki alone counseled.

  If the time of the Ram is coming, let us Marduk of the Bond Heaven–Earth deprive! Enlil in anger proposed.

  To obliterate the Place of the Celestial Chariots all except Enki agreed;

  To use therefore the Weapons of Terror Nergal suggested; only Enki was opposed:

  Of the decision, Earth to Anu the words pronounced; Anu to Earth the words repeated.

  What was destined to be, by your decision to undo will fail! So did Enki say as he departed.

  The evil thing to carry out Ninurta and Nergal were selected.

  Now this is the account of how Fate to Destiny did lead,

  How step by step, some in long forgotten times taken, the Great Calamity made happen!

  Now let it for all time be recorded and remembered: