1-8 Royal courier, start the journey! I want to send you to Nibru— deliver this message! You are going on a long journey. My mother is worried, she cannot sleep°. Although the way to her° woman’s domain is blocked, deliver my letter of greeting into her hands, as she
Keeps asking° the travellers° about my well-being. Then my mother will be delighted, and will treat you most kindly (?) for it.
9-20 In case you should not recognize my mother, let me describe her to you. Her name is Sat-Estar°, . . . by her words. . . . Her body, face and limbs, and outer appearance are. . . . She is the fair goddess of her city-quarter. Her fate has been decided since the days of her youth. Single-handed she keeps in order the house of her father-in-law. She serves humbly before her divine mistress. She knows how to look after Inana’s place. She never disobeys the orders° of the king. She is energetic and causes possessions to multiply. She is loving, gentle, and lively. By nature she is a lamb, sweet butter, honey, flowing ghee.
21-31 Let me give you another description of my mother: My mother is like the bright light in the sky°, a doe on the hillsides. She is the morning star, shining even at noon-time°. She is precious cornelian, a topaz from Marhasi. She is the jewellery of a king’s brother, full of beauty. She is a cylinder seal of nir stone, an ornament like the sun°. She is a bracelet of tin, a ring of antasura stone. She is a nugget of shining gold and silver, but which is living and draws breath. . .°. She is an alabaster statuette of a protective goddess standing on a pedestal of lapis lazuli. She is a polished rod of ivory°, with limbs full of beauty°.
32-9 Let me give you a third description of my mother: My mother is rain from heaven°, water for the finest seeds. She is a bountiful harvest of fully-grown fine barley°. She is a garden of. . .°, full of laughter°. She is a well-irrigated pine tree, an adorned juniper°. She is early fruit, the products° of the first month. She is an irrigation ditch bringing fertilizing water to the garden plots. She is a sweet Dilmun date, a prime date much sought after.
40-6 Let me give you a fourth description of my mother: My mother fills the festivals and offerings with joy. She is an akitum offering°, awesome (?) to look upon. She is. . . child° of the king, a song of abundance. She is a place of entertainment set up for delights.° She is a lover, a loving heart who never becomes sated with pleasure. She is the good news that the captive will return to his mother°.
47-52 Let me give you a fifth description of my mother: My mother is a palm tree, with the sweetest fragrance. She is a chariot of juniper wood, a waggon of boxwood. She is a fine cloth° perfumed with refined oil. She is a bunch of grapes, a garland (?) growing
Luxuriantly”. She° is a phial made from an ostrich egg, overflowing” with finest” oil.”
53-4 When, thanks to the descriptions I have given you, you stand in her (?) radiant presence, tell her: ‘Your beloved son Lu-digira is in good health.’”