Anabasis

But for every return, there is always a price . . .

aklī epinnēt āli lū akalka
habanat āli lū maltītka
silli dūri lū manzazuka
askuppatu lū mūšabuka
šakru u samû limhasū lētka
^dEreškiugal pāša īpušma iqabbi
ana ^dNamtar sukkalīša amata izzakar
alik ^dNamtar mahas É.GAL GI.NA
askuppāti za'īna ša yarāti
^dAnunnakī šūsa ina kussî hurāsi šūšib
^dIštar mê balāti suluhšima leqašši ina mahrīya
illik ^dNamtar imhas É.GAL GI.NA
askuppāti uza'īna ša yarāti
^dAnunnakī ušesa ina kussî hurāsi ušēšib
^dIštar mê balāti islhšima ilqašši
ištēn bābu ušēsišima uttērši subāt balti ša zumrīša
2-a bābu ušēsišima uttērši šemer qātīša u šēpīša
3-ša bābu ušēsišima uttērši šibbu aban alādi ša qablīša
4-u bābu ušēsišima uttērši dudinatê ša irtīša
5-šu bābu ušēsišima uttērši erimmātī ša kišādīša
6-šu bābu ušēsišima uttērši insabatê ša uznīša
7-šu bābu ušēsišima uttērši agâ rabâ ša qaqqadīša

"May your bread be the bread of the city's plow,
may your ration of drink be the city's sewage pipe,
may your station be the shadow of the wall,
may your dwelling be the doorsill,
may drunk and dry strike your cheek!"
Ereškigal spoke up and said,
she said a word to Namtar her minister,
"Go, Namtar, knock at the Egalgina,
decorate the thresholds with cowrie-shells,
bring out the Anunnaki and seat them on golden thrones,
sprinkle Ištar with the water of life and take her from my presence."
Namtar went, he knocked at the Egalgina,
he decorated the thresholds with cowrie-shells,
be brought out the Anunnaki and seated them on golden thrones,
he sprinkled Ištar with the water of life and took her away.
He brought her out the first gate and returned to her the garment of dignity of her body.
He brought her out the second gate and returned to her the bracelets of her hands and feet.
He brought her out the third gate and returned to her the belt of birthing-stone of her waist.
He brought her out the fourth gate and returned to her the fibula-pin of her breast.
He brought her out the fifth gate and returned to her the beads of her neck.
He brought her out the sixth gate and returned to her the earrings of her ears.
He brought her out the seventh gate and returned to her the great crown of her head.

(Lines 104—125 of Ištar's Descent to the Underworld, manuscript from Nineveh)