Queen of Babylon

​Great and sacred city, the seat of life, the seat of plenty, city called into being by the gods, Tintir, which is the gate of the gods, which is the cord that binds the heavens to the Earth, city fit for kingship and authority, where the people rejoice in the prosperity granted to them by the great gods;

City favoured by holy Inana, may the people ever turn out to rejoice in your countless festivals, and may the people ever pour out libations to all the great gods. May your divine decrees endure forever, and may your wisdom thunder through all the lands. May your preeminence stand forever in the hearts of your people, and may your name sound in all lands like thunder rolling down the sides of the holy mound.

Holy Inana, mighty and fearsome mistress of the heavens, shining in your fearsome radiance, lady who wields the sacred divine powers, favoured by An and Enlil, fit for the great throne of lapis lazuli, fit to wield the mantle of authority, queen above the Anuna gods - who may question your authority? Maiden Inana - who may compare to you?

My lady, when your presence is known on the Earth, when your presence thunders on the sides of the mountains, when your presence, like the ferocious storm winds, causes the grass to lie down low in submission before you, may your people ever chant your hymns. When you speak your commands, you do so with the authority of An, the truth of Utu, the wisdom of Enki. Your people know that your word is just, and righteous, and will rush to obey your commands.

Lady who rightly carries the scepter of kingship, exalted are you even among all the gods. When your command is given, none may oppose it, and when your word is spoken, ever shall it endure. Your words, sweet and nourishing to your people, are recorded by wise Nisaba on the gleaming tablet of flawless lapis lazuli. From the sparkling throne dais of the heavens, you determine destinies, you grant favour, you cut off the unworthy, you raise up and you tear down again.

When a city is detestable in your sight, when your gaze is turned against it, its fate has already been determined. You tear down the walls of that city and grind them into dust. You overturn its decrees; its authority is forfeit. You call up the fierce tempest to level the mightiest buildings to the ground, the people scatter before you, and wailing and lament are heard throughout the land. Queen of Heaven, when you turn your fury against that city, the trees and bushes bear no fruit, they wither like a useless alala stick. The earth is scorched with your wrath, and neither wheat nor barley may ever sprout in its fields, nor may sheep or cattle graze on its hills.

Warrior of the heavens, your magnificence is unparalleled. Draped in beads of lapis lazuli, wearing the sparkling crown of heaven, armed with the seven-headed mace, the enemy trembles in your sight. The insolent, the unrepentant, will know your fury! Lady Inana, radiant and terrible storm who grasps the most terrifying divine powers, your teeth shall grind the enemy to dust! You alone are ever victorious!

Sacred child of Nanna, in the face of your wrath the Anuna gods tremble like reeds in the storm. Before your terrible countenance, the great gods abandon their dwelling in the E-kur, and the dwelling place of the gods stands empty. Father An dare not confront your anger, and until you find satisfaction, your wrathful heart may not be tempered. Holy Inana, may the offerings of your people ever satisfy your desires and soothe your heart.

For Dumuzi, your husband, may you be pleased to prepare the throne dais. You have seated Dumuzi upon your holy throne dais; may he be pleased to know you, and may you rejoice with him in your sacred chamber. May Dumuzi, who is fit for your holy embrace, never cease to delight you. As it pleases you, lady Inana, may you decorate your eyes with kohl, may you comb up your hair, may you place the beads of lapis lazuli around your neck, may you place a golden bracelet on your wrist, and may the one your heart has chosen long enjoy your holy embrace.

Mistress of the E-ana shrine, yours are the rites of purification and transformation. The pilipili stands before you, righteous fear in their heart; may you be glad to break their curse, may you be glad to renew them in your eyes. Those who you have transformed, may they exhaust themselves in ecstasy and song. May your galatura ever beat the balaĝ drums in your honour; may your kurgarra ever lament before you. May their sweet voices be pleasing in your ear; may their radiant beauty soothe your tempestuous heart.

Lady who wields fire in the throes of passion, whose mouth is sweet like ghee, you cause the lands to be fertile and abundant, you stir passion in the hearts of your people. Those who have known shame, you cause them to hold their heads high. Mistress resplendent in your beauty, may your people ever be comforted by your embrace.

Inana, with your heart full of wisdom, you bring renewal and life. To go to the underworld, to return from the underworld, belong to you. As you rise in the skies like Utu the king, all the nations bow down low and press their faces to the dust for you. When you return from the underworld, you split open the Earth, and all who but glance at your fearsome countenance must tremble with fear.

Mistress who sits upon the throne of lapis lazuli, your word is superior above all the gods, and even the underworld may not hold you. My lady, even when the shrine E-ana was reduced to rubble, even when your ĝipar shrines were defiled by the enemy, even when those cities that had once held your favour were buried beneath the desert sands - none could hold you. Calling the great storm of Iškur, you declared your presence upon the Earth, you spoke your most holy command, and your people were pleased to obey. Your words, sweet like honey, soothed the hearts of those who wailed and lamented in strange lands.

Your words, written in the hearts of your people just as indelibly as they are written on the great tablet of lapis lazuli, endure for a myriad years, a myriad myriad years. Your voice, sharp as a dagger, hastens your people to your service. Once imposed, your authority can never fail, and when you say 'it is so' - it is so. As you returned from the underworld, as you split open the Earth, as your rage rushed forth like a torrent, lady Inana, the fire and fury pouring forth from your heart cloaked all the lands in its heat and intensity, and any person who witnessed that terrible conflagration was afflicted with a fearsome trembling of the flesh.

Adornment of the heavens - how may your heart be soothed? Queen of the E-ana shrine - how may your heart be soothed? Lady Inana - how may your people soothe your heart?

Radiant jewel who is morning and evening, who is a virile warrior and a beautiful queen, who descends to the underworld and comes up from the underworld, upon witnessing your great and beautiful fury, your people are moved to lamentation. Your people shall ever recite your hymns. Your people, with your words written indelibly in their hearts, shall ever pour out libations for you. My lady, you are fit to rule in heaven and on Earth, to wield the scepter of kingship, to sit upon the throne of the gods for as long as the heavens and the Earth may endure.

Lustrous Queen of Heaven and Earth, the world is afflicted by terror and calamity, and the people, their hearts heavy, cry out in the depths of their anguish. May you dwell in the hearts of your people, that they may perform great works for you, that they may compose laments and sing praises, that they may know of your holiness.

Lady whose praise is so sweet, may your heart be moved by the devotion and passion of your people. May your furious heart be soothed, as in cool water, by the praise and lamentation of your people. May your tempestuous heart be cooled, and may you draw near to take charge of righteous life in all the lands, to lift off the heavy burdens of your people, to fill the Earth with abundance, passion, joy and righteous celebration.

Lady whose fury devastates rebellious lands, lady whose radiance delights the heart, may you be pleased with the choicest offerings of those fortunate to know your holiness. May you hear the tearful laments and the joyful praises of your people. May you dwell in the shrines built for you, given over in your name, until the water of life be brought up from the underworld.

May these things be done in your name, O daughter of Nanna, O Queen of Heaven, O lady of the countless divine powers.

On the occasion of the Moon entering into the 15th house, the month of the Labours of Inana;
Inana be praised!
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​𒀭𒉀𒍠𒊩

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