Table of Contents
[a1] Enki said to the gods, his brothers:
What calumny do we lay to their charge? Their forced labor was heavy, their misery too much!
[a5] Every day … the outcry was loud, we could hear the clamor.
There is … Belet-ili, the midwife, is present. Let her create, then, a human, a man,
[a10] Let him bear the yoke! Let man assume the drudgery of the god.
Belet-ili, the midwife, is present.
[190] Let the midwife create a human being! Let man assume the drudgery of the god."
They summoned and asked the goddess the midwife of the gods, wise Mami:
“Will you be the birth goddess, creatress of mankind?
[195] Create a human being, that he bear the yoke, let him bear the yoke, the task of Enlil, let man assume the drudgery of the god.”
Nintu replied to the great gods:
[205] “On the first, seventh, and fifteenth days of the month, let me establish a purification, a bath. Let one god be slaughtered, then let the gods be cleansed by immersion.
[210] Let Nintu mix clay with his flesh and blood.
Let that same god and man be thoroughly mixed in the clay. Let us hear the drum for the rest of the time.
[215] From the flesh of the god let a spirit remain, let it make the living know its sign, lest he be allowed to be forgotten, let the spirit remain.”
The great Anunna-gods, who administer destinies, [220] answered “yes!” in the assembly.
The Creation of Man
On the first, seventh, and fifteenth days of the month,note he established a purification, a bath.
They slaughtered Aw-ilu, who had the inspiration, in their assembly.
[225] Nintu mixed clay with his flesh and blood. That same god and man were thoroughly mixed in the clay.
For the rest of the time they would hear the drum. From the flesh of the god the spirit remained. It would make the living know its sign.
[230] Lest he be allowed to be forgotten, the spirit remained.
After she had mixed the clay, she summoned the Anunna, the great gods. The Igigi, the great gods, spat upon the clay.
[235] Mami said to the great gods:
They heard this speech of hers, [245] they ran, free of care, and kissed her feet, saying:
[The human population increases and their noise disturbs the gods, who decide to wipe out mankind. The god Enki, however, sends a dream to Atrahasis. When the text resumes, Enki is still speaking.]
Enki explains Atraḥasis’ dream
[i.c15] You might say ‘Am I to be looking out while in the bedroom?’
Do you pay attention to message that I speak for you.
[i.c20] ‘Wall, listen to me! Reed wall, pay attention to all my words!
Flee the house, build a boat, forsake possessions, and save life.
[i.c25] The boat which you build … be equal … Roof her over like the depth..
[i.c30] so that the sun shall not see inside her.
Let her be roofed over fore and aft.
The gear should be very strong, the pitch should be firm, and so give the boat strength.
I will shower down on you later
[i.c35] a windfall of birds, a spate of fishes.’"
He opened the water clock and filled it, and told it of the coming of the seven-day deluge.
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