ADAPA AND THE FOOD OF LIFE

[from "Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament " by R.W. Rogers, 1912].

[Summary: Adapa, or perhaps Adamu, son of Ea, had recieved from his father, the god Ea, wisdom, but not eternal life. He was a semi-divine being and was the wise man and priest of the temple of Ea at Eridu, which he provided with the ritual bread and water. In the exercise of this duty he carried on fishing upon the Persian Gulf. When Adapa was fishing one day on a smooth sea, the south wind rose suddenly and overturned his boat, so that the was thrown into the sea. Angered by the mishap, he broke the wings of the south wind so that for seven days it could not blow the sea's coolness over the hot land. Anu calls Adapa to account for this misdeed, and his father Ea warns him as to what should befall him. He tells him how to fool Tammuz and Gishzida, who will meet him at the gate of heaven. Ea cautions him not to eat or drink anything in heaven, as Ea fears that the food and drink of death will be set before Adapa. However, the food and drink of eternal life are set before him instead, and Adapa's over-caution deprives him of immortality. He has to return to Earth instead.]



TABLET NO.1



He possessed intelligence . . . ,

His command like the command of Anu ...

He (Ea) granted him a wide ear to reveal the destiny of the land,

He granted him wisdom, but he did not grant him eternal life.

In those davs, in those years the wise man of Eridu,

Ea had created him as chief among men,

A wise man whose command none should oppose,

The prudent, the most wise among the Anunnaki was he,

Blameless, of clean hands, anointed, observer of the divine statutes,

With the bakers he made bread

With the bakers of Eridu, he made bread,

The food and the water for Eridu he made daily,

With his clean hands he prepared the table,

And without him the table was not cleared.

The ship he steered, fishing and hunting for Eridu he did.

Then Adapa of Eridu

While Ea, ... in the chamber, upon the bed.

Daily the closing of Eridu he attended to.

Upon the pure dam, the new moon dam) he embarked upon the ship,

The wind blew and his ship departed, With the oar, be steered his ship Upon the broad sea . . .



TABLET NO. 2

.................

The south wind .... when

He had driven me to the house of my lord, I said,

O South wind, on the way I shall to thee ... everything that,

Thy wing, will I break." As be spoke with his mouth,

The wing of the South wind was broken, seven davs

The South wind blew not upon the land. Anu

Called to his messenger Ilabrat:

Why has the South wind not blown upon the land for seven davs?

His messenger Ilabrat answered him: "My lord,

Adapa, the son of Ea, the wing of the South wind

Has broken."

When Anu heard these words

He cried, Help!" He ascended his throne,

"Let some one bring him,"

Likewise Ea, who knows the heaven. He roused him

... he caused him to wear. With a mourning garment

He garbed him, and gave him counsel

Saying: " Adapa, before the face of Anu the King thou art to go

... to heaven

When thou comest up, and when thou approachest the door of Anu,

At the door of Anu, Tammuz and Gishzida are standing,

"they will see thee, they will ask thee; 'Sir,'

For whose sake dost thou so appear, Adapa? For whom

Art thou clad in a mourning garment?' 'In our country two gods have vanished, therefore

Am I so.' 'Who are the two gods, who in the land

Have vanished?' 'Tammuz and Gishzida.' They will look at one another and

Be astonished. Good words

They will speak to Anu. A good countenance of Anu

They will show thee. When thou standest before Anu

Food of death they will set before thee,

Eat not. Water of death they will set before thee,

Drink not. Garments they will set before thee,

Put them on. Oil they will set before thee, anoint thyself.

The counsel that I have given thee, forget not. The words

Which I have spoken, hold fast." The messenger

Of Anu came: "Adapa has broken

The wing of the South wind. Bring him before me."

The road to Heaven he made him take, and to Heaven he ascended.

When he came to Heaven, when he approached the door of Anu,

At the door of Ann, Tammuz and Gisbzida are standing.

When they saw him, Adapa, they cried: " Help,

Sir, for whom dost thou so appear? Adapa,

For whom art thou clad in a mourning garment?"

In the country two gods have vanished; therefore am I clad

In mourning garments." "Who are the two gods, who

have vanished from the land?"

"Tammuz and Gishzida." They looked at one another and

Were astonished. When Adapa before Anu, the King,

Drew near, and Anu saw him, he cried:

" Come hither, Adapa. Why hast thou broken the wings

Of the South wind? " Adapa answered Ann: " My lord,

For the house of my lord in the midst of the sea,

I was catching fish. The sea was like a mirror,

The South wind blew, and capsized me.

To the house of my lord was I driven. In the anger of my heart,

I took heed." Tammuz and Gishzida

Answered ... "art thou." To Anu

They speak. He calmed himself, his heart was . . .

"Why has Ea revealed to impure mankind

The heart of heaven and earth? A heart

... has created within him, has made him a name?

What can we do with him? Food of life

Bring him, that be man, eat."Food of life

They brought him, but he ate not. Water of life

They brought him, but he drank not. Garments

They brought him. He clothed himself. Oil

They brought him. He anointed himself.

Anu looked at him; he wondered at him.

" Come, Adapa, why hast thou not eaten, not drunken?

Now thou shalt not live." ... men ...Ea, my lord

Said: "Eat not, drink not."

Take him and bring him back to his earth.

... looked upon him.



TABLET NO. 3

"When heard that

In the anger of his heart

His messenger he sent.

He who knows the heart of the great gods

............

To King Ea to come,

To him, he caused words to be borne.

... to him, to King Ea.

He sent a messenger

With a wide ear, knowing the heart of the great gods,

... of the heavens be fixed.

A soiled garment he made him wear,

With a mourning garment he clad him,

A word he spoke to him.

"Adapa, before the King Anu thou shalt go

Fail not the order, keep my word

When thou comest up to heaven, and approachest the door of Anu,

Tammuz and Gishzida at the door of Anu are standing.