Dialogue between a Man and His God

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Tablet AO 4462 of the "Dialogue between a Man and His God", Louvre Museum Lens - Inauguration du Louvre-Lens le 4 decembre 2012, la Galerie du Temps, ndeg 018.JPG
Tablet AO 4462 of the “Dialogue between a Man and His God”, Louvre Museum

The Dialogue between a Man and His God is the earliest known text to address the answer to the question of why a god permits evil, or theodicy, a reflection on human suffering. It is a piece of Wisdom Literature extant on a single clay cuneiform tablet written in Akkadian and attributed to Kalbanum, on the last line, an individual otherwise unknown. It is dated to the latter part of the Old Babylonian period, around about the reign of Ammi-Ditana (reigned 1683–1640s BC) according to Lambert, and is currently housed in the Louvre Museum, accession number AO 4462. It is of unknown provenance as it was purchased from an antiquities dealer by the Museum in 1906. [1] It shares much of its style with an earlier Sumerian work, “Man and His God”, a penitential prayer of the Ur III period. [2]

Contents

The text

With sixty-nine lines arranged in ten strophes, each separated by a horizontal line, the work is structured around a dialogue between two people, one of whom has lost favor with both his lord and his personal god, resulting in his intense suffering from an undisclosed illness. The text is difficult and fragmentary, especially in the middle leading to debate among scholars about its meaning and purpose. [3] [4] The opening line has been rendered as “a man weeps for a friend to his god” or, alternatively, “a young man was imploring his god as a friend”. [2] : 77 

He protests his innocence, “the wrong I did I do not know!”, and holds his god responsible for his condition. He continues his lament and cries for deliverance in a sufferer's prayer. [5] At the end, the text switches to a third-person narrator who relates the man's pleas did not go unheeded and that his god responded to his entreaties with his deliverance from his afflictions, with the proviso “you must never till the end of time forget [your] god”, a “happy ending” framing device which also appears in other works of this genre. [6]

Translation

LineAkkadian (romanized)English translation [7]
First strophe
1et,-lu-um ru-i-isz a-na i-li-szu i-ba-ak-ki u2-te-ne-en-ne-en iq-[bi? …] szuA young man was weeping to his god like a friend, constantly praying, he [...] his [...]
2ha-mi-it, li-ib-bu-usz du-ul-la-szu ma-ru-is,!?-maHis heart was aflame, his toil grim.
3i-ta-a'-da-ar ka-ba-at-ta-szu i-ni-in-hiHis liver was grieving from its suffering.
4i-ni-isz-ma ik-ta-mi-us i-pa-al-si20-ihHe is bent over in suffering; he is prostrate.
5ik-pi2-us,!?-ma um-ma du-ul-la-szu ba-ka-i-isz iq-ra-abHis toil has become too heavy for him, he has drawn near to weep.
6ki-ma bu-ri-im pa-ar-si-im ša i-me-ri i-na-ag-ga-agHe brays like the weaned foal of a donkey,
7iš-ta-pu ma-ha-ar i-li-[im] reši-[…]-šuHe has got loud in the god's presence, his chief,
8ri-mu-um pu-šu-u2 la-al-la-ra-ma ri-gi-im-[š]A bull is his speech, [his] voice two lamenters,
9be-li-iš-šu qu2-ba-am ub-ba-la ša-ap-ta-aš-[šu]His lips bear a lament to his lord.
Second strophe
10be-li-iš-šu du-ul-li ih-bu-tu i-ma-an-nuHe recounts to his lord the toil he has gone through,
11in-hu i-na-hu-u2 i-pa-aš-ša-ar et,-lu-umThe man explains the suffering he is enduring:
12be-li-am-ta-al-ka-am-ma i-na ka-ba-at-ti-ia"My lord, I have reflected within my reins,
13[…] i li-ib-bim še-et, i-pu-šu la i-di[...] in [my] heart. I do not know what sin I have committed.
14[…] an-zi-il-la-ka a-na-ku ik-ki-ba-am le-em-na-ma am-ma-[…] arHave I [eaten] a very evil forbidden fruit?
15u2-ul da-[a]-gi-il a-hu [a]-hi-iš-šu ka-ar-s,i2 ib-ri-im ib-ra-šu la a-ki-ilDoes brother look down on brother?
16u2-ul […] an-ni […] na šu ša-ap-li-ka be-lu bi-it ri-a-ši-im[...] has not [...] me, [...] beneath you, the lord of the house of rejoicing [...]
Third strophe
17ši-mi-[…] pi […] ra-na-ba-iz-za be-lu mi-ša-ri mu-[ši?-im?][...] there is present for me the lord of justice who decrees [...]
18[…] i […] am-ma li-ib-ba-šu na-as-qu2-um li[...] may his choice intelligence [...]
19[…] i […] ra-ma-an-šu us,-s,u2-ra a-na[...] to guard himself for [...]
20[…] tu […]-ni-tu-a ti-ib-ta[...] my [...]
21[…]-še ša ku-[… tu]-ul-li-da-an-ni u3 be-[…][...] [you] begot me and [...]
Fourth strophe
22[...] x-ar a-ta-szu-x [...][...] I got distressed [...]
23[...] ki-ma sza x pa?-[...] ri-sze-pi2 x...[...] like/when [...]
24UR? x iq-ta-ti ka-ba-at-ti szi? ma x […] da?-ar U4-mi-iamy spirit came to an end, [...] of my days.
25[isz-tu s,]e-eh,2-re-ku a-di ra-bi-ya-ku ur-ri im-ma-ti mu-[…][From] my childhood to my maturity, the days have lengthened
26[im-ma]-ti ma-la tu-da-mi-qa2-an-ni-ma ma-la tur-tab-ba […] la am-szi?
Fifth strophe
27i-na x du-um-qi2 tu-ka-al-li-ma lu-um-na be-li-ma x tu-sza-an-me-er iq-[qi2]-ib-biIn [...] of grace you have shown me evil, my lord, you have caused [...] it will be said.
28ru-ub-bu mu-usz-qi2 sze-pi2-isz wa-ta-ti-ma me-eh,2-s,e-tim […] ma-h,i-iaMy misfortune has increased, it attaches itself to [my] feet, [it has inflicted] blows upon me.
29pi2ya-am-ma at-ta tu-ma-ar-ri-ra-am da-an-ni-isz […] x-tu-szu i-wi da-da-ar-szuYou are making the mouth (filled with food) bitter to me, its [...] ha become like stinkwort.
30[…] tu-ur2-ri-x ta-ad-lu-uh,-ma-mi pi2-isz-ri […]-wi-ir isz-tu s,e2-eh,-re-kuYou have [...], you have muddied the water, [...] since my childhood.
31[…] x-le-et sza-di-i asz-x-mu lu-u2 mu-ri-da la i-szu-ni[...] the side of the mountain, [...] the ascent has no descent.
Sixth strophe
32[…] x ta-ka-qa2-ar-szu tu-szu-mi-da sze-pi2-ia[...] You have set my feet on the earth.
33[…] x-asz-szi-sza-e-li tu-sza-az-ni-in a-ta[...] you have made to bear, you have made my [...] care for me.
34[…] tu-sza-am-li[...] you have filled up.
35[…] pi2-sza-tim ta-ag-ru-un[...] you have heaped up.
36[…] bi-ti-ia a-bi mu-ti ki-im-ti-ia[...] of my house, my father, the man of my clan.
37[… wa?]-ar-di-szu[...] of his slave.
38[…] x-szu[...] his [...]"
Seventh strophe
39[…][...]
40[…] x-ar-ki-isz?
41[…] x-ra-ah,-ku?
42[…] x-ar-szu tu-ma-i-szu[...] him [...] his [...]
43[…] x-szu-li-wa-szu ka-qa2-ar-szu[...], he raised him to the earth.
44[…] ta-x […] sza-ma-an a-si-im[...] with a physician's oil.
45[…] a-ak-la u3 li-bi-us-su2 ik-tu-um[...], he [gave] food and his garments.
46[…] x-s,u2-um-ma li-ib-ba-su2 u2-sza/ta?-an-me-er[...], he cheered his spirit.
47i-ta-u2-szu ta-ap-sze-h,a-at t,u2-ub szi-ri-szuand spoke to him of the relief his good health (would bring)."
Eighth strophe
48ši-ib-bu-uk e-de-el li-ib-bu-uk la i-le-em-mi-in"Gird your loins, do not be dispirited,
49ga-am-ra ša-na-tu u4-mu ša am-la-u2-ni du-ul-lathe years are finished, the days I filled with toil.
50šu-um-ma-ma-an la qa2-bi-ya-at a-na ba-la-t,i-imIf you had not been ordained to life,
51ki-ma-ma-an te-le-'i di-ya-am ka-ab-ta ku-ul-la-ti-iš-šu ta-aš-du-udhow possibly could you have suffered the severe malady to its end?
52ta-mu-ur pu-usz-qa2-am i-s,a-bi ka-li-maYou experienced distress, but my [...] is withdrawn:
53tu-usz-ta-ag-me-er-ma bi-il-ta-szu ka-bi-it-ta ta-asz-sziYou have borne its heavy load to its completion.
54isz-ti-i-qu2-uk pa-da-nu-um pe2-ti-i-kuPeople have [...]ed you, but [now] the way is open for you,
55isz-ra-at-ku t,u2-du-um u3 sza-ki-in-ku re-mu-umYour path is straight and compassion is bestowed on you,
56ah,-re-ti-isz u4-mi la ta-ma-asz-szu-u2 il-kaYou who in future days will not forget [your] god,
57ba-ni-ka ki ta-da-am-mi-qu2-nim a-at-taYour creator, and that you are well favored.
Ninth strophe
58a-na il-ka ba-nu-uk tu-ku-ul-tu-ukI am your god, your creator, your help.
59e-ru-kum ma-as,-s,a-ru-ia u3 da-an-nu-ku-[um]My guards are watching over you with power for your [protection].
60a-sza3 ma-ar-qi2-us-su2 i-pe2-et-ti-[ku-um]I will open for you a place of refuge,
61a-pa-al-la-asz-ku-um-ma da-ri-isz ba-la-t,a-[am]eternal life I will provide for you.
62u3 a-at-ta e-te-ep-s,i ub-bu-la-am pu-szu-uszAs for you, unblenchingly anoint the parched,
63em-s,a szu-ki-il szi-qi2 s,a-mi-ia ma-mifeed the hungry, give water to the thirsty to drink.
64u3 sza usz-pu-ma isz-ta-ab-bu-ba i-[…]But he who has cast sorceries, [whose] [...] have [...],
65li-it,-t,u2-ul ak-li-isz-ka li-zu-ub li-h,u-ur u3 li-ih,-[h,a-ra-mi-it,]May he stare at your food as he melts, flows down and dis[solves].
66pa-ti-ye-et-ku a-bu-ul szu-ul-mi-im u3 ba-la-t,i-imFor you the gate of prosperity and life is open,
67mu-um-ma qe2-er-bu-usz e-ru-ub s,i-i lu sza-al-ma-a-at[...] go in and out of it and prosper."
Tenth strophe
68szu-sze-er pa-da-nu-usz pe2-te t,u2-du-usz un-ne-en a-ar-di-ka li-ri-id a-na li-bi-kaMake straight his way, open his path, may the prayer of your servant sink into your mind.
69ka-al-ba-nu-umKalbanum

Primary publications

Dialogue between a Man and His God at CDLI

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References

  1. ↑ Clyde E. Fant, Mitchell G. Reddish (2008). Lost Treasures of the Bible: Understanding the Bible through Archaeological Artifacts in World Museums. Wm. B. Eerdmans. p. 256.
  2. 1 2 Carol A. Newsom (2003). The Book of Job: A Contest of Moral Imaginations . Oxford University Press. pp.  77–78. ISBN   978-0-19-515015-5.
  3. ↑ Nathan Wasserman (1991). "109) Two New Readings in Old-Babylonian Literary Texts". NABU: 78–79.
  4. ↑ W. G. Lambert (1987). "A Further Attempt at the Babylonian "Man and his God"". In Francesca Rochberg-Halton (ed.). Language, Literature, and History: Philological and Historical Studies Presented to Erica Reiner. American Oriental Society. p. 187.
  5. ↑ Takayoshi Oshima (2015). Babylonian Poems of Pious Sufferers: Ludlul Bel Nemeqi and the Babylonian Theodicy. Mohr Siebeck. pp. 22–24.
  6. ↑ Bruce Zuckerman (1991). Job the Silent: A Study in Historical Counterpoint. Oxford University Press. p. 276. note 483.
  7. ↑ "A Dialogue Between a Man and His God [CDLI Wiki]". cdli.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-07-06.
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