Chapter1— The Deluge as told by Hasisadra
In Tablet XI of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the dying king Utnapishtim recounts the cataclysmic flood sent by the divine assembly, offering a profound meditation on human fragility and divine caprice. This narrative serves as the ancient Near Eastern counterpart to biblical deluge traditions, exploring themes of cosmic justice and the precariousness of civilization against the will of the gods. Situated at the climax of the epic, this account transforms Gilgamesh's futile quest for immortality into a solemn testimony of survival and the enduring mystery of fate.
Translation:
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King James Version (1611)
The most influential English translation ever made. Sometimes archaic, but the standard PD English text.
Translators commissioned by King James I of England, 1604–1611
Izdubar after this manner also said to Hasisadra afar off:The Doxology 2and the judgment of the gods be related to thee, 3The city Surippak the city where thou standest not . . . . placed,The Great Flood 4that city is ancient . . . . the gods within it 5. . . . . . their servant, the great gods 6. . . . . . the god Anu, 7. . . . . . the god Bel, 8. . . . . . the god Ninip, 9and the god . . . . lord of Hades; 10their will he revealed in the midst . . . . and 11I his will was hearing and he spake to me: 12Surippakite son of Ubaratutu 13. . . . make a ship after this . . . . 14. . . . I destroy? the sinner and life . . . . 15. . . . cause to go in? the seed of life all of it to the midst of the ship. 16The ship which thou shalt make, 17600? cubits shall be the measure of its length, and 1860? cubits the amount of its breadth and its height. 19. . . into the deep launch it. 20I perceived and said to Hea my lord: 21The ship making which thou commandest me, 22when I shall have made, 23young and old will deride me. 24Hea opened his mouth and spake and said to me his servant: 25. . . . . . thou shalt say unto them, 26. . . . . . he has turned from me and 27. . . . . . fixed over me 28. . . . like caves . . . . 29. . . above and below 30. . . closed the ship . . . 31. . . the flood which I will send to you, 32into it enter and the door of the ship turn. 33Into the midst of it thy grain, thy furniture, and thy goods, 34thy wealth, thy woman servants, thy female slaves, and the young men, 35the beasts of the field, the animals of the field all, I will gather and 36I will send to thee, and they shall be enclosed in thy door. 37Adrahasis his mouth opened and spake, and 38said to Hea his lord: 39Any one the ship will not make . . . 40on the earth fixed . . . . 41. . . . I may see also the ship . . . . 42. . . . on the ground the ship . . . . 43the ship making which thou commandest me . . 44which in . . . . 453 measures of bitumen I poured over the outside. 463 measures of bitumen I poured over the inside. 473 . . . men carrying its baskets, they constructed boxes 48I placed in the boxes the offering they sacrificed. 49Two measures of boxes I had distributed to the boatmen. 50To . . . . were sacrificed oxen 51. . . . . . . . dust and 52. . . . . . . . wine in receptacle of goats 53I collected like the waters of a river, also 54food like the dust of the earth also 55I collected in boxes with my hand I placed. 56. . . . Shamas . . . . material of the ship completed. 57. . . . . . . . strong and 58the reed oars of the ship I caused to bring above and below. 59. . . . . . . . they went in two-thirds of it. 60All I possessed the strength of it, all I possessed the strength of it silver, 61all I possessed the strength of it gold, 62all I possessed the strength of it the seed of life, the whole 63I caused to go up into the ship; all my male servants and my female servants, 64the beast of the field, the animal of the field, the sons of the people all of them, I caused to go up. 65A flood Shamas made and 66he spake saying in the night: I will cause it to rain heavily, 67enter to the midst of the ship and shut thy door. 68that flood happened, of which 69he spake saying in the night: I will cause it to rain { or it will rain) from heaven heavily. 70In the day I celebrated his festival 71the day of watching fear I had. 72I entered to the midst of the ship and shut my door. 73To close the ship to Buzur-sadirabi the boatman 74the palace I gave with its goods. 75Ragmu-seri-ina-namari 76arose, from the horizon of heaven extending and wide. 77Vul in the midst of it thundered, and 78Nebo and Saru went in front, 79the throne bearers went over mountains and plains, 80the destroyer Nergal overturned, 81Ninip went in front and cast down, 82the spirits carried destruction, 83in their glory they swept the earth; 84of Vul the flood reached to heaven. 85The bright earth to a waste was turned, 86All to corruption are turned and 87then I in the presence of the gods prophesied evil. 88As I prophesied in the presence of the gods evil, 89to evil were devoted all my people and I prophesied 90thus: I have begotten my people and 91like the young of the fishes they fill the sea. 92The gods concerning the spirits were weeping with her, 93the gods in seats seated in lamentation, 94covered were their lips for the coming evil. 95Six days and nights 96passed, the wind, deluge, and storm, overwhelmed. 97On the seventh day in its course was calmed the storm, and all the deluge 98which had destroyed like an earthquake, 99quieted. The sea he caused to dry, and the wind and deluge ended. 100I perceived the sea making a tossing; 101and the whole of mankind turned to corruption, 102like reeds the corpses floated. 103I opened the window, and the light broke over my face, 104it passed. I sat down and wept, 105over my face flowed my tears. 106I perceived the shore at the boundary of the sea, 107for twelve measures the land rose. 108To the country of Nizir went the ship; 109the mountain of Nizir stopped the ship, and to pass over it it was not able. 110The first day, and the second day, the mountain of Nizir the same. 111The third day, and the fourth day, the mountain of Nizir the same. 112The fifth, and sixth, the mountain of Nizir the same. 113On the seventh day in the course of it 114I sent forth a dove and it left. The dove went and turned, and 115a resting-place it did not find, and it returned. 116I sent forth a swallow and it left. The swallow went and turned, and 117a resting-place it did not find, and it returned. 118I sent forth a raven and it left. 119The raven went, and the decrease of the water it saw, and 120it did eat, it swam, and wandered away, and did not return. 121I sent the animals forth to the four winds, I poured out a libation, 122I built an altar on the peak of the mountain, 123by sevens herbs I cut, 124at the bottom of them I placed reeds, pines, and simgar. 125The gods collected at its savour, the gods collected at its good savour; 126the gods like flies over the sacrifice gathered. 127From of old also Rubat in her course 128The great brightness of Anu had created. When the glory 129of those gods on the charm round my neck I would not leave; 130Who then will ask Hea, the matter he has done? 131and Hea knew all things. 132Hea his mouth opened and spake, and said to the warrior Bel: 133"Thou prince of the gods warrior, 134when thou art angry a deluge thou makest; 135the doer of sin did his sin, the doer of evil did his evil. 136the just prince let him not be cut off, the faithful let him not be destroyed. 137Instead of thee making a deluge, may lions increase and men be reduced; 138instead of thee making a deluge, may leopards increase and men be reduced; 139instead of thee making a deluge, may a famine happen and the country be destroyed; 140instead of thee making a deluge, may pestilence increase and men be destroyed." 141I did not peer into the judgment of the gods. 142Adrahasis a dream they sent, and the judgment of the gods he heard. 143When his judgment was accomplished, Bel went up to the midst of the ship. 144He took my hand and raised me up, 145he caused to raise and to bring my wife to my side; 146he made a bond, he established in a covenant, and gave this blessing, 147in the presence of Hasisadra and the people thus: 148When Hasisadra, and his wife, and the people, to be like the gods are carried away; 149then shall dwell Hasisadra in a remote place at the mouth of the rivers. 150They took me, and in a remote place at the mouth of the rivers they seated me. 151When to thee whom the gods have chosen also, 152for the health which thou seekest and askest, 153this be done six days and seven nights, 154like sitting on the edge of his seat, 155the way like a storm shall be laid upon him. 156Hasisadra to her also said to his wife 157I announce that the chief who grasps at health 158the way like a storm shall be laid upon him. 159His wife to him also said to Hasisadra afar off: 160clothe him, and let the man be sent away; 161the road that he came may he return in peace, 162the great gate open and may he return to his country. 163Hasisadra to her also said to his wife : 164The cry of a man alarms thee, 165this do his kurummat place on his head. 166And the day when he ascended the side of the ship, 167she did, his kurummat she placed on his head. 168And the day when he ascended the side of the ship, 169first the sabusat of his kurummat , 170second the mussukat , third the radbat , fourth she opened his zikaman, 171fifth the cloak she placed, sixth the bassat , 172fourth she opened the zikaman , 173fifth the cloak she placed, sixth the bassat , 174seventh in a cloak I have clothed thee and let thee go free. 175Izdubar to him also said to Hasisadra afar off: 176. . . . . . Hasisadra to thee may we not come, 177. . . . . . collected 178. . . . . . dwelling in death, 179. . . . . . his back? dies also. 180Hasisadra to him also said to Urhamsi the boatman: 181Urhamsi . . . . . to thee we cross to preserve thee. 182Who is beside the . . . . . of support; 183the man whom thou comest before, disease has filled his body; 184illness has destroyed the strength of his limbs. 185carry him Urhamsi, to cleanse take him, 186his disease in the water to beauty may it turn, 187may he cast off his illness, and the sea carry it away, may health cover his skin, 188may it restore the hair of his head, 189hanging to cover the cloak of his body. 190That he may go to his country, that he may take his road, 191the hanging cloak may he not cast off, but alone may he leave. 192Urhamsi carried him, to cleanse he took him, 193his disease in the water to beauty turned, 194he cast off his illness, and the sea carried it away, and health covered his skin, 195he restored the hair of his head, hanging down to cover the cloak of his body. 196That he might go to his country, that he might take his road, 197the hanging cloak he did not cast off, but alone he left. 198Izdubar and Urhamsi rode in the ship, 199where they placed them they rode. 200His wife to him also said to Hasisadra afar off: 201Izdubar goes away, he is satisfied, he performs 202that which thou hast given him, and returns to his country. 203And he carried the spear? of Izdubar, 204and the ship touched the shore. 205Hasisadra to him also said to Izdubar: 206Izdubar thou goest away, thou art satisfied, thou performest 207that which I have given thee, and thou returnest to thy country. 208Be revealed to thee Izdubar the concealed story; 209and the judgment of the gods be related to thee. 210This account like bitumen . . . . 211its renown like the Amurdin tree . . . . 212when the account a hand shall take . . . . 213Izdubar, this in his hearing heard, and . . . . 214he collected great stones . . . . 215I will give an account and turn to. . . . 216For 10 kaspu (70 miles) they journeyed the stage, for 20 kapsu (140 miles) they journeyed the stage 217and Izdubar saw the hole . . . 218they returned to the midst of Erech Suburi. 219noble of men . . . . 220in his return . . . . 221Izdubar approached . . . . 222and over his face coursed his tears, and he said to Urhamsi: 223At my misfortune Urhamsi in my turning, 224at my misfortune is my heart troubled. 225I have not done good to my own self; 226and the lion of the earth does good. 227Then for 20 kaspu (140 miles) . . . . 228. . . . then I opened . . . . the instrument 229the sea not to its wall then could I get, 230And they left the ship by the shore, 20 kaspu (140 miles) they journeyed the stage. 231For 30 kaspu (210 miles) they made the ascent, they came to the midst of Erech Suburi. 232Izdubar to her also said to Urhamsi the boatman: 233Ascend Urhamsi over where the wall of Erech will go; 234the cylinders are scattered, the bricks of its casing are not made, 235and its foundation is not laid to thy height; 2361 measure the circuit of the city, 1 measure of plantations, 1 measure the boundary of the temple of Nantur the house of Ishtar, 2373 measures together the divisions of Erech . . . 238The mace in thy hand thou dost not grasp, 239the spoil defies thee: 240Shoes on thy feet thou dost not wear, 241the slain on the ground thou dost not stretch. 242Thy wife whom thou lovest thou dost not kiss, 243thy wife whom thou hatest thou dost not strike; 244Thy child whom thou lovest thou dost not kiss, 245thy child whom thou hatest thou dost not strike; 246The arms of the earth have taken thee. 247O darkness, O darkness, mother Ninazu, O darkness. 248Her noble stature as his mantle covers him 249her feet like a deep well enclose him. 250The resting place of Nergal the unconquered did not take him, the earth took him. 251In the place of the battle of heroes they did not strike him, the earth took him. 252Then . . . . ni son of Ninsun for his servant Heabani wept; 253to the house of Bel alone he went. 254"Father Bel, a sting to the earth has struck me, 255a deadly wound to the earth has struck me, 256the resting-place of Nergal . . . . 257Simtar . . . . 258the resting place of Nergal the unconquered . . . . . . 259in the place of the battle of heroes they did not . . . . 260Father Hea . . . . 261To the noble warrior Merodach . . . . 262Noble warrior Merodach . . . . 263the divider . . . . 264the spirit . . . . 265To his father . . . . 266the noble warrior Merodach son of Hea 267the divider the earth opened, and 268the spirit (or ghost) of Heabani like glass (or transparent) from the earth arose: 269. . . . . and thou explainest, 270he pondered and repeated this: 271. . . . . . full of dust 272. . . . . . he passed over 273. . . . I see 274thou seest and I see. 275The captives conquered come after; the food 276which in the tents is placed is eaten. 277The twelfth tablet of the legends of Izdubar. 278Like the ancient copy written and made clear.
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