2 Aug: "Bridegroom, dear to my heart..." by Shu-Sin

The World's Oldest Love Poem
The following translation of The Love Song of Shu-Sin is from Samuel Noah Kramer's work History Begins at Sumer, pp 246-247:
Bridegroom, dear to my heart,
Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet,
Lion, dear to my heart,
Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet.
You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you.
Bridegroom, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber,
You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you.
Lion, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber.
Bridegroom, let me caress you,
My precious caress is more savory than honey,
In the bedchamber, honey-filled,
Let me enjoy your goodly beauty,
Lion, let me caress you,
My precious caress is more savory than honey.
Bridegroom, you have taken your pleasure of me,
Tell my mother, she will give you delicacies,
My father, he will give you gifts.
Your spirit, I know where to cheer your spirit,
Bridegroom, sleep in our house until dawn,
Your heart, I know where to gladden your heart,
Lion, sleep in our house until dawn.
You, because you love me,
Give me pray of your caresses,
My lord god, my lord protector,
My Shu-Sin, who gladdens Enlil’s heart,
Give my pray of your caresses.
Your place goodly as honey, pray lay your hand on it,
Bring your hand over like a gishban-garment,
Cup your hand over it like a gishban-sikin-garment
It is a balbale-song of Inanna.

Reference:
https://www.ancient.eu/article/750/the-worlds-oldest-love-poem/

1 comment:

  1. This reminds me of the love poem in Song of Solomon...one that I used to read a lot when I was high school- dreaming about the day when I, too, would "fall in love"...and be able to do all of those forbidden things! Oh, my...

    Shu-Sin paints imagery of the physical, beauty of the body...and its sweetness, honey-like, pleasure ridden ecstasies waiting to be unfolded and experienced...the anticipation of one night, one bedchamber, acting both in love and in lust...within the bribery as well as comfort of the arranged marriage to occur...he paints a promise into the heart. I wonder what the after poem would feel like from her mind?

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