Witches, curses, and the vigil of the seventh day
Obverse | ||
CMAwR vol. 2, text 7.11, 1.: A // B // C obv. 1′–15′ // D obv. 1′–6′ // E obv. II 1′–6′ // F rev. 1′–10′ // J rev. // K rev. III? 20–27 // L rev. IV? 2–10 // M: 3′–10′ // n obv. 9–17 | CMAwR vol. 2, text 7.11, 1.: A // B // C obv. 1′–15′ // D obv. 1′–6′ // E obv. II 1′–6′ // F rev. 1′–10′ // J rev. // K rev. III? 20–27 // L rev. IV? 2–10 // M: 3′–10′ // n obv. 9–17 | |
K 20776 and K 20845 have been joined to ms. C. For an edition of these new manuscripts, see CMAwR, vol. 3, text A.9 | | |
7.11.1:07.11.1:0 | ||
7.11.1:17.11.1:1 | [én] ⸢munus-uš₁₁⸣-zu an-ta lá-šè alan bí-in-dím ; [ka]ššāptu ana tappê ubburi ṣalam ibni | (7.11.1:1) [Incantation: “The wi]tch formed a figurine to bind the companion. |
7.11.1:27.11.1:2 | [eme]-⸢ni⸣ ḫamanzerₓ(SÍK.SAG.ŠAB) in-ŋar-ra á-šu-ŋìri-bi in-kéš-kéš-re ; [l]išānšu mušāṭu ukarrik mešrêtūšu uktessi | (7.11.1:2) Having put combed-out hair on [h]is [tongue], she was tying his limbs, |
7.11.1:37.11.1:3 | [ka]-bi ba-an-dab ka-bi nu-bad-da ; [p]īšu iṣbat-ma pīšu ul ipetti | (7.11.1:3) she seized his [mouth] so that he was not able to open it, |
7.11.1:47.11.1:4 | [eme]-⸢bi⸣ ba-an-kéš du₁₁-du₁₁ nu-mu-un-da-gi₄-gi₄ ; [li]šānšu ikṣur-ma atmâ ul utarra | (7.11.1:4) she tied his [tongue] so that he was not able to respond. |
7.11.1:57.11.1:5 | [lú]-u₁₈-lu-bi u₈-a ù-a a-nir-ra ab-ŋá-ŋá ; amēlu šū ina ūʾa u ayya tānēḫu ištanakkan | (7.11.1:5) That [m]an kept letting out ‘Alas!’ and ‘Woe!’ in (his) wailing. |
7.11.1:67.11.1:6 | (7.11.1:6) [As]alluḫi saw (him). | |
7.11.1:77.11.1:7 | (7.11.1:7) Having cast (text: “After you have cast”) his pure spell, | |
7.11.1:87.11.1:8 | á-šu-ŋìri-bi ba-an-du₈ ba-ni-íb-du-du ; mešrêtīšu ipṭur-ma ittanallak | (7.11.1:8) he released his limbs so that he could walk about, |
7.11.1:97.11.1:9 | ⸢ka⸣-bi ba-an-bad du₁₁-du₁₁ ba-ni-íb-gi₄-gi₄ (var.: mu-un-ab-gi₄-gi₄) ; [p]īšu iptē-ma atmâ utarra | (7.11.1:9) he opened his [mo]uth so that he could respond, |
7.11.1:107.11.1:10 | eme-ni ba-an-du₈ (var.: [í]b-ba-an-búr) inim mu-un-na-ni-íb-du₁₁-ga (var.: ba-ni-íb-du₁₁-ga) ; lišānšu ipṭur-ma (var.: ipšur-ma) amātu iqabbi | (7.11.1:10) he loosened (var.: released) his tongue so that he could say a word, |
7.11.1:117.11.1:11 | níŋ-ak-a su-a-ni ŋál-la su-ni-ta (var.: šu-ni-ta) ba-an-zi (var.: zi-zi) ; upšāšê ((ša)) ina zumrīšu bašû ina zumrīšu (var.: ina qātīšu) issuḫ | (7.11.1:11) he removed (var.: removing) from his body (var.: with his hand) the magic machinations that were present in his body. |
7.11.1:127.11.1:12 | (7.11.1:12) May Enki’s word release him, | |
7.11.1:137.11.1:13 | dasar-alim-nun-na dumu-saŋ abzu-ke₄ sa₆-ga (var.: sa₁₃-ga) zíl-zíl-bi za-a-kam ; Marduk māru rēštû ša apsî bunnû dummuqu kûm-ma TU₆ ÉN | (7.11.1:13) Asaralimnunna, foremost son of the subterranean ocean: treating kindly and causing to feel better are yours!” |
7.11.1:147.11.1:14 | šiptu annītu ana muḫḫi šammī ušburrudê šalāšīšu tamannū-ma išallim | (7.11.1:14) You recite this incantation three times over drugs for undoing witchcraft, then he will be well. |
7.11.1:157.11.1:15 | (7.11.1:15) Incantation: “I am the Vigil, the sister of Marduk, | |
7.11.1:167.11.1:16 | (7.11.1:16) Zappu conceived me, Bālu sired me, | |
7.11.1:177.11.1:17 | (7.11.1:17) Luḫušû took me as his adoptive child (var.: his daughter-in-law), | |
7.11.1:187.11.1:18 | anašši ubānātīya ina birīt Zappi u Bāli ašakkan (var.: ušeššeb) | (7.11.1:18) I raise my fingers, I place (them) (var.: I let (them) rest) between Zappu and Bālu, |
7.11.1:197.11.1:19 | ultēšib (var.: ušeššeb) ina pānīya Ištar bēltu ((rabītu)) āpilat kūmūʾa (var.: kīmūʾa) | (7.11.1:19) I have had Ištar, the ((great)) lady, who answers for me, sit before me. |
7.11.1:207.11.1:20 | (7.11.1:20) My brother is Marduk, my mother is the fifteenth day, my father is the first day of the month (var.: day). | |
7.11.1:217.11.1:21 | (7.11.1:21) May all the seas undo (the evil) together with me! | |
7.11.1:227.11.1:22 | māmīt atmû (var.: ša attemmû) lā tuqarraba (var.: uqarrab) rēmēnû Marduk ((TU₆ ÉN)) | (7.11.1:22) Merciful Marduk, do not (var.: May merciful Marduk not) allow the (broken) oath that I have sworn to come near me!” ((Incantation formula)). |
Ritual instructions in A: | ||
A_rev_12A_rev_12 | (A_rev_12) You recite [the]se [incantations] three times over drugs for undoing witchcraft. You have (him) drink (it) [either in water o]r in wine or in beer or in milk; you have (him) eat (it) with bread; you [rub] (him with it) in o[il], then [witchcraft will] be undone. The diʾu- and the diliptu-disease will be released from the body of the man. | |
A_rev_13A_rev_13 | [lū ina mê? l]ū ina karāni lū ina šikari lū ina šizbi tašaqqi ina akalī tušakkal ina ša[mni tapaššaš]-ma | |
A_u_e_1A_u_e_1 | ||
Rubric, ritual instructions, and colophon in h: | ||
h_rev_2h_rev_2 | (h_rev_2) Wording (of an incantation) for undoing curse. | |
h_rev_3h_rev_3 | (h_rev_3) Its ritual: You recite the incantation three times either over water or over beer, and have him drink (it). | |
h_rev_4h_rev_4 | ||
h_rev_5h_rev_5 | (h_rev_5) Colophon: Copy of the original. Naʾid-Marduk, son of GA.ḪÚL-Tutu, the exorcist, wrote (it). | |
h_rev_6h_rev_6 | ||
Rubric in J: | ||
J_rev_8J_rev_8 | (J_rev_8) Wording (of an incantation) for the left kidney. | |
Ritual instructions in L: | ||
L_rev_IV?_10L_rev_IV?_10 | (L_rev_IV?_10) You re[cite this incantation] over the left kidney. | |
Ritual instructions in n: | ||
n_obv_15n_obv_15 | (n_obv_15) Its ritual: At night-time you recite this incantation over drugs for undoing witchcraft and for undoing curse. He drinks (it) on the third day, seventh day, (and) sixteenth day, then wi[tchcraft] and curse will be undone. | |
n_obv_16n_obv_16 | u namerimburrudê tamannū-ma U₄ 3.KAM U₄ 7.KAM U₄ 16.KAM išattī-ma | |
n_obv_17n_obv_17 | ||
K 20776 and K 20845 have been joined to ms. C. For an edition of these new manuscripts, see CMAwR, vol. 3, text A.9 | | |
The Late Babylonian school text BM 55309 contains an excerpt from the incantation Īpuša kaššāptu kišpīša lemnūti. It is included here as ms. q. For an edition of this manuscript, see CMAwR, vol. 3, text A.10 | | |
7.11.2:07.11.2:0 |
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7.11.2:17.11.2:1 | (7.11.2:1) Incantation: “The witch performed her evil witchcraft against me, | |
7.11.2:27.11.2:2 | ušākilanni ruḫêša lā ṭābūti | (7.11.2:2) she had me eat her wicked sorceries, |
7.11.2:37.11.2:3 | (7.11.2:3) she gave me to drink ((her)) deadly potion, | |
7.11.2:47.11.2:4 | urammikanni rimka (var.: rimkīšu) luʾʾâ ša mītūtīya | (7.11.2:4) she bathed me with ((her)) dirty wash water that is killing me, |
7.11.2:57.11.2:5 | (7.11.2:5) she anointed me with her evil oil that is harming me, | |
7.11.2:67.11.2:6 | (7.11.2:6) she had ((her)) bad illness, which is the seizure of curse, take hold of me, | |
7.11.2:77.11.2:7 | (7.11.2:7) she entrusted me to a strange, roaming ghost that does not have a family. | |
7.11.2:87.11.2:8 | īmurši-ma Asalluḫi ((apkal ilī mār Ea Marduk)) ana Ea abīšu amāta izakkar | (7.11.2:8) Asalluḫi, ((the sage of the gods, son of Ea, Marduk)), saw her and he began to speak to Ea, his father: |
7.11.2:97.11.2:9 | (7.11.2:9) ‘My father, a man, created by our (own) hands — | |
7.11.2:107.11.2:10 | (7.11.2:10) a witch has ensnared him in order to kill him, | |
7.11.2:117.11.2:11 | (7.11.2:11) she has performed her evil witchcraft against him, | |
7.11.2:127.11.2:12 | ušākilšu-ma ruḫêša ((u rusêša)) lā ṭābūti | (7.11.2:12) she has had him eat her wicked sorceries ((and magic)), |
7.11.2:137.11.2:13 | (7.11.2:13) she has given him to drink ((her)) deadly potion, | |
7.11.2:147.11.2:14 | urammikšu-ma rimka (var.: rimikšu) luʾʾâ ša mītūtīšu | (7.11.2:14) she has bathed him with ((her)) dirty wash water that is killing him, |
7.11.2:157.11.2:15 | ipšussu-ma šamanšu lemnu ana ḫabālīšu | (7.11.2:15) she has anointed him with her evil oil that is harming him, |
7.11.2:167.11.2:16 | (7.11.2:16) she has had the bad [ill]ness, the seizure of curse, take hold of him, | |
7.11.2:177.11.2:17 | ipqissu-ma ana eṭemmi aḫî murtappidi ša lā īšû nisūtu | (7.11.2:17) she has entrusted him to a strange, roaming ghost that does not have a family.’ |
7.11.2:187.11.2:18 | (7.11.2:18) Ea replied to his son, Marduk: ‘Go, ((my son,)) Marduk, | |
7.11.2:197.11.2:19 | (7.11.2:19) give him your pure potion that [brings life]. | |
7.11.2:207.11.2:20 | (7.11.2:20) Let him eat (and) drink drugs, let him anoint himself and take a bath. | |
7.11.2:217.11.2:21 | (7.11.2:21) [Ca]st on him your incantation that brings life. | |
7.11.2:227.11.2:22 | ||
7.11.2:237.11.2:23 | (7.11.2:23) Overwhelm the witch with the spittle of your mouth, ((may the spittle of [your] mo[uth] overwhelm her)). | |
7.11.2:247.11.2:24 | (7.11.2:24) May witchcraft, magic (and) sorcery depart from him through your incantation that brings life! | |
7.11.2:257.11.2:25 | līṣī-((ma)) māmītu ana ṣēri liḫliq | (7.11.2:25) May the curse depart to the steppe (and) disappear, |
7.11.2:267.11.2:26 | eṭemmu aḫû līmur-ma lištappidū namê | (7.11.2:26) may it meet the strange ghost so that they may roam the wilderness (together)! |
7.11.2:277.11.2:27 | (7.11.2:27) May the man live, may the man recover, may the man be well before you forever! | |
7.11.2:287.11.2:28 | ša īpušu kaššāptu ana dâkīšu lipšur (var.: ipšur) Marduk ana bulluṭ nišīšu tê ÉN (thus the end of the incantation in ms. g) | (7.11.2:28) May Marduk undo (the witchcraft) that the witch performed to murder him in order to keep his people alive!’” Incantation formula. |
ms. o did not have the second part of line 28; instead, it added a standard formula: | | |
7.11.2:28a7.11.2:28a | (7.11.2:28a) [The incantation is not mi]ne. It is the incantation of Ea, [the incantation of Ninurta] and Gula, [the incantation of Kaḫegal, the incantation of Ig]iḫegal, the incantation of Ningirima. [They spoke (it), and] I cast (it). Incantation formula. | |
7.11.2:28b7.11.2:28b | ||
7.11.2:28c7.11.2:28c | ||
7.11.2:28d7.11.2:28d | ||
7.11.2:297.11.2:29 | tuppi Anum-ušallam šamallû ṣeḫru | (7.11.2:29) Colophon: Tablet of Anum-ušallam, the young apprentice, 30son of Anum-rabi, of Der. 31He wrote it quickly for his well-being. |
7.11.2:307.11.2:30 | ||
7.11.2:317.11.2:31 |