Ur-Nammu

Ur-Nammu enthroned.

Who will dig the canal?
Wealthy Ur-Namma will dig it.
The trustworthy, prosperous youth will dig it.

E-temen-ni-guru, a delightful residence.

Ur-Nammu (or Ur-Namma, Ur-Engur, Ur-Gur, Sumerian: 𒌨𒀭𒇉, ca. 2047-2030 BCE short chronology) founded the Sumerian Third Dynasty of Ur, in southern Mesopotamia, following several centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule. His main achievement was state-building, and Ur-Nammu is chiefly remembered today for his legal code, the Code of Ur-Nammu, the oldest known surviving example in the world.

Quotes

Ur-Namma the canal-digger

Ur-Namma the canal-digger, at The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.

• Who will dig it?
  Who will dig it?
  Who will dig the canal?
  Who will dig the Kec-kug canal?
  Who will dig the canal?
  Who will dig the Pabi-luh canal?
  Who will dig the canal?
  Wealthy Ur-Namma will dig it.
  The trustworthy, prosperous youth will dig it.
  • Variant from Ur: Who will dig the canal?
    Who will dig the Jisala-jara canal?
    Who will dig the canal?
    Wealthy Ur-Namma will dig it.
    Who will dig the canal?
    Prosperous Culgi will dig it.
    Who will dig the canal?

• My king, lord Acimbabbar, you are on your throne because of Enlil. Youthful Suen, lord Acimbabbar, you are on your throne because of Enlil. I, the king, whose fate was already decreed in the true womb, who raises his head in authority, Ur-Namma, the youth who caught the eyes of the Great Mountain, Enlil, was chosen by Nunamnir in Sumer and Akkad. He decreed my fate in Nibru, in the mountain of life. He beamed at me approvingly and bestowed the kingship on me. In Urim, in the E-mud-kura, he made the foundation of my throne firm.
  • Variant from Ur: I, the king, whose fate was already decreed in the true womb, who raises his head in authority, Ur-Namma, the youth who caught the eyes of the Great Mountain, Enlil, was chosen by Nunamnir in Sumer and Akkad. He decreed my fate in Nibru, in the mountain of life. In Urim, in the E-mud-kura, he made the foundation of my throne firm. He placed the awesome crown, the adornment of kingship, on my head. He put the holy staff to guide the numerous people in my hand. [...] The shepherd's crook into my hand, and the nose-rope to lead the living.

• Enki presented me with my broad wisdom.

• ln my city I dug a canal of abundance and named it the Kec-kug canal;
  in Urim, I dug a canal of abundance and named it the Kec-kug canal.
  I named it the Pabi-luh canal, a lasting name worthy to be praised.
  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.
  In my city honey-plants are planted, and the carp grow fat.
  In Urim honey-plants are planted, and the carp grow fat.
  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.
  • Variant from Ur: I named it the Kec-kug canal. I named it the Pabi-luh canal, a lasting name worthy to be praised. The watercourse of my city is full of fish, and the air above it is full of birds. The city of the Kec-kug canal is full of fish, and the air above it is full of birds. The watercourse of the Pabi-luh canal is full of fish, and the air above it is full of birds. Its abundance brings fish and birds for me to the E-kic-nu-jal. Its banks are lush with licorice, a honey-sweet plant to eat. Its arable tracts grow fine grain sprouting abundantly like a forest.

• May the watercourse bring them (the fish) into my canal, may they be carried in baskets to him.
  May the watercourse bring them into Urim, into my canal, may they be carried in baskets to him.

• Its king is the master of Eridug -- your provider (Ur-Namma) is exultant. Nudimmud, the master of Eridug -- your provider is exultant. King of the four quarters, you who make Enlil content, Ur-Namma, provider of Nibru, supporter of Urim, with you the people pass the time joyously at moonlight over the Land of Urim. Ur-Namma, king of Urim, sweet is your praise!
  • Variant from Ur: King of the four quarters, favourite of Enlil, shepherd Ur-Namma, the provider of Sumer and Akkad, beloved of Enlil. [...] Ur-Namma, king of eternal fame, sweet is your praise!

• E-temen-ni-guru, a delightful residence.

External links

• Site drawings of the temple built by Ur-Nammu at Ur to the moon god Nanna.
• Nabonidus dedication to the Ziggurat
• The Code of Ur-Nammu at Britannica
• Foundation Figurine of King Ur-Nammu at the Oriental Institute of Chicago
• The "Ur-Nammu" Stela. Penn Museum. 2006. ISBN 978-1-931707-89-3. 
• The face of Ur-Namma. A realistic statue of Ur-Namma shows us how he may have looked.
• A brief description of the reign of Ur-Namma.
• I am Ur-Namma. The life and death of Ur-Namma, as told in Babylonian literature.

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