Enūma eliš

Enūma eliš, Lines 1: When on high

The opening of the poem. Its first two words, enūma eliš, “when on high”, became its name.

How it opens, word by word

e-nu-maenūmaWhene-lišelišon highlalānotna-bu-unabûnamedša-ma-mušamāmūthe heavensšap-liššaplišbelowam-ma-tumammatumthe earthšu-mašumaby namelalānotzak-ratzakratcalled

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Lines 1, passage by passage

1.1-2 When on high. When on high the heavens had not yet been named, and below, the earth…
1.3-4 Apsû and Tiamat. there was Apsû, the first, their begetter, and Mummu-Tiamat, who bore them all.
1.5-6 Their waters mingled. their waters mingled together; no reed hut had been knotted, no marsh had been…
1.7-8 Before the gods had names. when not one of the gods had appeared, none had been called by name,…
1.9-10 The first gods are born. then the gods were created within them. Lahmu and Lahamu were brought forth and…

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