1-4 Man of my heart, my beloved man, your allure is a sweet thing, as sweet as honey. Lad of my heart, my beloved man, your allure is a sweet thing, as sweet as honey.
5-8 You have captivated me (?), of my own free will I shall come to you. Man, let me flee with you—into the bedroom. You have captivated me (?); of my own free will I shall come to you. Lad, let me flee with you—into the bedroom.
9-14 Man, let me do the sweetest things to you. My precious sweet, let me bring you honey. In the bedchamber dripping with honey let us enjoy over and over your allure, the sweet thing. Lad, let me do the sweetest things to you. My precious sweet, let me bring you honey.
15-21 Man, you have become attracted to me. Speak to my mother and I will give myself to you; speak to my father and he will make a gift of me. I know where to give physical pleasure to your body—sleep, man, in our house till morning. I know how to bring heart’s delight to your heart—sleep, lad, in our house till morning.
22-3 Since you have fallen in love with me, lad, if only you would do your sweet thing to me.
24-7 My lord and god, my lord and guardian angel, my Su-Suen who cheers Enlil’s heart, if only you would handle your sweet place, if only you would grasp your place that is sweet as honey.
28-9 Put your hand there for me like the cover (?) on a measuring cup. Spread (?) your hand there for me like the cover (?) on a cup ofwood shavings.
30 A balbale of Inana.
Fig. 14. ‘Man, let me do the sweetest things to you’— a love scene on an Old Babylonian terracotta model of a bed
World History
