(Three lines missing.)

L.E.

.............. nam-ma-la ............... il-li-ku it-ti-ia ............... ba-ku-nu-si-im ......... [ul]-la(?)-nu i-na hu-ud li-ib-bi [i-na se-me-e] an-ni-a ga-ba-su e-dis harrana(?) us-te-[zi-ik]

a-lik dGis lu-[ul-lik a-na pa-ni-ka]

li-lik il-ka ..........

li-sa-ak-lim-[ka harrana] ......

dGis u[dEn-ki-du] .......

mu-di-es ..........

bi-ri-[su-nu] ........

TRANSLATION.

(About ten lines missing.)

Col. I.

.................. (my friend?) [Something] that is exceedingly difficult, [Why] dost thou desire [to do this?]

.... something (?) that is very [difficult (?)], [Why dost thou] desire [to go down to the forest]?

A message [they carried] among [men]

They carried about.

They made a ....

.............. they brought ..............................

(About 17 lines missing.)

................... my friend ................ they raised .....

answer [they returned.]

[To] the woman They proceeded to the overthrowing

Col. II.

(About eleven lines missing.)

.......... name(?) .............

[The one who is] a rival [to him]

subdue and ................

Wailing ................

The mother [of Gish, who knows everything]

Before [Shamash raised her hand]

Who Now(?) [why]

hast thou stirred up the heart for my son, [Restlessness imposed upon him (?)]

(About four lines missing.)

The eyes [of Enkidu filled with tears].

[He clutched] his heart; [Sadly(?)] he sighed.

[The eyes of En]kidu filled with tears.

[He clutched] his heart; [Sadly(?)] he sighed.

The face [of Gish was grieved].

[He spoke] to Enkidu: ["My friend, why are] thy eyes [Filled with tears]?

Thy [heart clutched]

Dost thou sigh [sadly(?)]?"

[Enkidu opened his mouth] and spoke to Gish: "Attacks, my friend, have exhausted my strength(?).

My arms are lame, my strength has become weak."

Gish opened his mouth and spoke to Enkidu:

(About four lines missing.)

Col. III.

..... [until] Huwawa, [the terrible], ........................

............ [I destroyed].

[I will go down to the] cedar forest, ................... the jungle ............... tambourine (?) ................ I will open it.

Enkidu opened his mouth and spoke to Gish: "Know, my friend, in the mountain, when I moved about with the cattle to a distance of one double hour into the heart of the forest, [Alone?] I penetrated within it, [To] Huwawa, whose roar is a flood, whose mouth is fire, whose breath is death.

Why dost thou desire To do this?

To advance towards the dwelling(?) of Huwawa?"

Gish opened his mouth and [spoke to Enkidu: "... [the covering(?)] I will destroy.

....[in the forest]

To .................

The dwelling [of Huwawa]

The axe ..........

Thou ..........

I will [go down to the forest]."

Enkidu opened his mouth and spoke to [Gish:]

"When [together(?)] we go down To the [cedar] forest, whose guardian, O warrior Gish, a power(?) without [rest(?)], Huwawa, an offspring(?) of ....

Adad ......................

He ........................