Sacred Texts Ancient Near East Index Previous Next
1. When the gods Ana, Enlil, and Enki
2. Through their sure counsel and by their great commands
3. Ordained the renewal of the Moon-god,
4. The reappearance of the moon, and the creation of the month,
5. And ordained the oracle of heaven and earth,
6. The New Moon did Ana cause to appear,
7. In the midst of heaven he beheld it come forth.
8. [Version]. When Anu, Bêl and Ea,
9. The great gods, through their sure counsel
10. Fixed the bounds of heaven and earth,
11. (And) to the hands of the great gods entrusted
12. The creation of the day and the renewal of the month which they might behold,
13. (And) mankind beheld the Sun-god 1 in the gate of his going forth,
14. In the midst of heaven and earth they duly created (him).
127:1 I is interesting to note that in the Semitic version the creation of the sun is substituted for that of the moon, although in the preceding line the renewal of the month is referred to.