"Joy is but the sign that creative emotion is fulfilling its purpose."
-Charles Du Bos
Hymn to Inanna 2
These are roughly 4000 years old. The hymns were small enough to put a couple on one page.
THE LADY OF THE EVENING
At the end of the day, the Radiant STAR, the Great Light that fills the sky,
The Lady of the Evening appears in the heavens.
The people in all the lands lift their eyes to her.
The men purify themselves; the women cleanse themselves.
The ox in his yoke lows to her.
The sheep stir up the dust in their field.
All the living creatures of the steppe,
The four-footed creatures of the high steppe,
the lush gardens and orchards, the green reeds and trees,
The fish of the deep and the birds in the heavens –
My Lady makes them all hurry to their sleeping places.
The living creatures and the numerous people of Sumer kneel before her.
Those chosen by the old women prepare great platters of food and drink for her.
The Lady refreshes herself in the land.
The is great joy in Sumer.
The young man makes love with his beloved.
My Lady looks in sweet wonder from heaven.
The people of Sumer parade before the holy Inanna.
Inanna, the Lady of the Evening, is radiant.
I sing your praises, holy Inanna.
The Lady of the Evening is radiant on the horizon.
FROM A HYMN TO INANNA
My father gave me the heavens, gave me the earth,
I am Inanna!
Kingship he gave me,
queenship he gave me,
waging of battle he gave me, the attack he gave me,
the floodstorm he gave me, the hurricane he gave me!
The heavens he set as a crown on my head,
the earth he set as sandals on my feet,
a holy robe he wrapped around my body,
a holy sceptre he placed in my hand.
The gods are sparrows -- I am a falcon;
the Anunnaki trundle along -- I am a splendid wild cow;
I am father Enlil's splendid wild cow,
his splendid wild cow leading the way!
To flip through the pages of my BOS faster...
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Brightest of Blessings