A poem by Torsten Schwanke
CANTO I
Before high heavens bore an earthly name,
Or soil below was known by any claim,
Primeval Apsû, source of all their line,
And Tiamat, chaos of the first design,
Commingled fluid realms in boundless space,
Where meadow none was formed, nor marshy place.
No god had yet been summoned into sight,
Unnamed, unshaped, without a destined right;
Then in the cosmic depth the gods were made:
First Lahmu and Lahamu were displayed.
As ages grew, long epochs rolled away,
Came Anshar, Kishar, born to sovereign sway.
Slow passed the days till Anu rose to grace,
A noble heir of Anshar’s ancient race;
Then Nudimmud (great Ea) took his birth,
Exceeding strong, unsurpassed in worth,
Wise, powerful, beyond all rivals grand,
To guide the gods and rule the primal land.
Yet Tiamat and Apsû raged in plight,
Their turbulent offspring troubling day and night.
Disorder reigned; wild Tiamat roared aloud,
While Apsû’s mighty strength remained unbowed.
Though evil proved the younger spirits' way,
Apsû summoned Mummu to join the fray:
"Arise, my page, who gladdens all my heart,
To Tiamat let us go and plan our part."
Before the dragon queen they sat in state,
To doom their divine children to their fate.
Apsû declared: "By day I find no rest,
By night no slumber settles in my breast.
Their restless paths I surely shall destroy,
That silence may return, and quiet joy."
At this, fierce Tiamat cried in bitter rage,
Disturbed to wage a war against her age.
Yet spoke she: "Shall we ruin what we made?
Though hard their path, let peace again be laid."
But evil Mummu urged the elder sire:
"Destroy their rebellious ways with burning ire!
So shall thy days be calm, thy nights restored."
And Apsû smiled to hear his page’s word,
Delighting in the scheme against his line,
Though dread foreboding shook his own design.
Great Ea, all-perceiving, saw their plot,
And cast a holy spell upon the spot.
He lulled old Apsû to a helpless sleep,
And bound his minister in fetters deep.
Yet Tiamat, stirred to wrath by Apsû's fall,
Awoke to answer vengeance at the call.
With rebellious gods who rallied to her side,
She plotted battle against the rising tide.
Night had no rest, nor day brought any peace,
As furious legions swore war should not cease.
Mother Hubur, who fashioned all anew,
Forged dreadful weapons for her loyal crew:
She spawned giant serpents with fangs of dread,
Filling their veins with poison, cold and red.
Draped in grim terror, crowned with blinding light,
They reared so fierce that none could bear the sight.
Vipers and dragons, monster-men of scale,
Mad hounds, fish-hybrids, storm-demons in mail—
Eleven monstrosities of mighty height
She brought to life to lead the dreadful fight.
Over this horde she elevated one:
Kingu, her spouse, preferred above each son.
She gave him supreme command to lead the host,
To signal war and guard the outer coast.
Arrayed in regal splendor, Kingu sat,
Exalted high above the divine debate.
Upon his breast the Destiny Sheets were laid,
To make eternal every law he made:
"Thy word is fate, thy decree supreme and high,
To quench the Fire-god underneath the sky.
Let every ally demonstrate his might,
And prove his valor in the coming fight!"
CANTO II
Tiamat prepared her weighty work of dread,
And evil wrought against the gods she bred.
To avenge slain Apsû, Tiamat designed
Deep-hatched revenge within her raging mind.
Yet how she gathered troops in dark array,
Did Ea learn, and brought her plans to day.
When Ea heard these tidings, he was grieved,
And sat in sorrow, deeply sore aggrieved.
The days went by; his anger turned to peace,
And toward his father's house he sought release.
To noble Anshar's throne he took his tread,
And stood before the sire who him had bred.
All Tiamat had plotted he made known,
And brought her wicked counsels to the throne:
"Mother Tiamat conceives for us pure hate,
And rages with a fury fierce and great.
The gods have turned to her in wrathful bands,
Even those created by thy holy hands.
Allied with her, they march at her command,
And against us in fierce defiance stand.
Day has no rest, nor night a quiet hour,
For mischief they devise with relentless power.
They fume, they rage, they arm for coming war,
And join their mighty forces from afar.
Old Ummu-Hubur, shaper of the all,
Has forged sharp weapons that shall never fall.
Unchecked monster-serpents has she bred,
With merciless fangs and sharp teeth full of dread.
With burning poison in the place of blood,
She filled their veins to swell the deadly flood.
Fierce vipers has she clothed in terror bright,
And decked with splendor in the public sight;
She raised their stature high above the plain,
That whoever looks on them is pierced with pain.
They rear their heavy trunks, and none may stand
Against the deadly sweep of their command.
She set up vipers, dragons, and the hound,
And raging storm-beasts on the bloody ground,
And scorpion-men, with fish-men and the ram,
Brave tempests roaring through the broken dam.
Cruel arms they bear, untamed by any fear;
Her mighty word no god can fail to hear.
Eleven such monsters has she brought to light,
Huge of stature, terrible in might.
"Among the gods, her sons, who gave her aid,
She exalted Kingu, and his throne she made.
To lead the host and march before the vanguard,
To give the signal and to press forward,
To rule the fight and guide the dreadful fray—
To him she gave the sceptre and the way.
In costly robes she seated him on high,
And spake her spell beneath the open sky:
'Into the gods' assembly thee I raise,
And crown thy head with everlasting praise;
Dominion over all I give to thee,
My chosen spouse, exalted eternally.
O let them praise thy name above the rest,
And hold thy royal power forever blest.'
"Upon his breast the Destiny Sheets she laid,
And bound them fast, while solemnly she said:
'Thy clear command shall never prove in vain,
The word thou speakest ever shall remain.'
Thus Kingu rose, endowed with Anu's power,
And fixed the fates of gods in that same hour:
'Let now your opening mouths the Fire-god tame,
And he who shines in battle prove his name!'"
When Anshar heard how Tiamat rebelled,
He bit his lips, by heavy grief compelled.
His mind was tossed, his heart knew no delight,
He raised a bitter groan against her might:
"Thou smotest Apsû and his Mummu slain,
Yet Tiamat exalts Kingu to reign!
Who now can stand against her rising tide,
Or match the fierce battalions at her side?"
Deep in his thoughts he weighed the heavy case,
And sought Nudimmud, leader of his race.
Then Anshar to his noble son addressed
The urgent counsel of his troubled breast:
"O mighty hero, champion of our line,
Whose strength is great, whose power is divine,
Go stand before great Tiamat today,
That her fierce spirit may be turned away.
Yet if she will not listen to thy speech,
Our royal word to her thy mouth shall preach."
The hero heard the order of his sire,
And took the path to quench the dragon's fire.
Anu drew near, and saw her muttering rage,
Yet could not stand, nor dare the war to wage;
In sudden fear he turned his steps behind,
And brought these heavy tidings to his mind.
"My son," cried Anshar, "thou whose heart is brave,
Arise, and all our frightened realm save!
Thou art my son, who calms the troubled breast;
When thou art seen, the world shall be at rest."
The noble lord rejoiced to hear the word,
And stood before his sire, by courage stirred.
When Anshar saw him, joy replaced his fear;
He kissed his lips, and drove away the tear.
"My father," cried the youth, "be not dismayed!
I go to do the thing thy heart hath prayed.
No word of thine shall ever fall or fail;
Against thy foes my power shall prevail."
"What mortal man," asked Anshar, "brings this fight?
'Tis Tiamat, a woman, arms her might!
Rejoice, my son, and let thy heart be bold;
Soon on her neck thy heavy foot shall hold.
Go, wise in lore, and chant thy spell so pure,
To calm her rage and make our peace secure.
Set swiftly forth; no blood of thine shall flow,
And crowned with victory home thou shalt go."
The young lord cheered to hear his father's voice;
His heart leaped up, and made his soul rejoice:
"O Lord of gods, who rules the fates on high,
If I, your champion, cause your foe to die—
If I slay Tiamat and save your breath,
And rescue all the noble gods from death,
Convene the council! Set my throne above,
And let my fate be declared in love!
In Upshukkinaku seat yourselves with glee,
And let my word decree all fate to be!
May what I do forever firmly stand,
Unchanged, unmarred, by any god's command!"
CANTO III
Anshar opened his mouth and spoke the word
To Gaga, his chief envoy, thus conferred:
"O minister whose presence cheers my soul,
To Lahmu and Lahamu take control.
Go reach the far domain where they reside,
And bring the ancient gods unto my side.
Let all the deities assemble near,
To sit in banquet and to taste our cheer.
Let them consume the bread and mix the wine,
That they for Marduk may a fate assign.
Go, Gaga, stand before their holy sight,
And recite all I tell thee with thy might:
'Your son Anshar has sent me to your floor,
To lay his secret heart before your door.
He saith that Tiamat, who gave us birth,
Now holds us in contempt upon the earth.
In raging fury she prepares her blow;
The gods ye made now seek our overthrow.
They band together, marshaled at her side,
And day and night in fierce ambition ride.
Unresting in their wrath, they plan the fight,
Fuming and raging through the day and night.
Mother Hubur, who formed all things of old,
Has forged invincible new arms, untold.
She spawned giant serpents, merciless and stern,
Whose fangs and sharpest teeth with venom burn.
With poison in their veins instead of blood,
She filled their giant bodies like a flood.
With dreadful terror she arrayed their grace,
And crowned their lofty stature in this place.
Whoever views them faints within his mind;
No force can check their advance from behind.
She set up dragons, vipers, monster-breeds,
Raging hounds, scorpion-men to do her deeds,
With tempest-winds, fish-men, and rams arrayed,
Who bear unsparing arms and aren't dismayed.
Mighty are her commands, beyond recall;
Eleven monsters stand, immensely tall.
Among her sons, she chose her favorite one:
Kingu she raised, to lead what she'd begun.
To march before the host and give command,
To direct the battle and to lead the band.
In rich apparel seated, him she praised:
"I cast thy spell, in council thee I've raised!
The power over all the gods is thine;
Be thou exalted, chosen spouse divine!
May all the Anunnaki praise thy name!"
She gave the Fate-Tablets to seal his fame;
Upon his breast she laid them, and declared:
"Thy word shall stand, thy counsel be prepared!"
Thus Kingu, raised, with Anu's power blessed,
Decreed the fate for all the rest:
"Let your speech quench the Fire-god's raging light;
Who rises in the fray, show forth his might!"
I dispatched Anu, but he fled the space;
Nudimmud feared and turned away his face.
Yet Marduk, wise director of the gods,
Steps forth to challenge these appalling odds.
His heart impels him Tiamat to defy,
And opening his mouth, he made reply:
"If I, your champion, conquer in this strife,
And vanquish Tiamat to save your life,
Convene the council, make my fate supreme;
In Upshukkinaku fulfill my dream.
Let my sole word decree what shall remain,
Unchanged and steadfast in my future reign."
Hasten, therefore, and swiftly grant his power,
That he may slay our foe in this grim hour!' "
Then Gaga went upon his appointed track,
To Lahmu and Lahamu, looking not back.
He bowed in full submission to the floor,
And kissed the dust before them to adore.
Then standing up, he spoke his lord's command,
Reiterating all across the land:
"Your son Anshar has sent me to your floor,
To lay his secret heart before your door.
He saith that Tiamat, who gave us birth,
Now holds us in contempt upon the earth.
In raging fury she prepares her blow;
The gods ye made now seek our overthrow.
They band together, marshaled at her side,
And day and night in fierce ambition ride.
Unresting in their wrath, they plan the fight,
Fuming and raging through the day and night.
Mother Hubur, who formed all things of old,
Has forged invincible new arms, untold.
She spawned giant serpents, merciless and stern,
Whose fangs and sharpest teeth with venom burn.
With poison in their veins instead of blood,
She filled their giant bodies like a flood.
With dreadful terror she arrayed their grace,
And crowned their lofty stature in this place.
Whoever views them faints within his mind;
No force can check their advance from behind.
She set up dragons, vipers, monster-breeds,
Raging hounds, scorpion-men to do her deeds,
With tempest-winds, fish-men, and rams arrayed,
Who bear unsparing arms and aren't dismayed.
Mighty are her commands, beyond recall;
Eleven monsters stand, immensely tall.
Among her sons, she chose her favorite one:
Kingu she raised, to lead what she'd begun.
To march before the host and give command,
To direct the battle and to lead the band.
In rich apparel seated, him she praised:
'I cast thy spell, in council thee I've raised!
The power over all the gods is thine;
Be thou exalted, chosen spouse divine!
May all the Anunnaki praise thy name!'
She gave the Fate-Tablets to seal his fame;
Upon his breast she laid them, and declared:
'Thy word shall stand, thy counsel be prepared!'
Thus Kingu, raised, with Anu's power blessed,
Decreed the fate for all the rest:
'Let your speech quench the Fire-god's raging light;
Who rises in the fray, show forth his might!'
I dispatched Anu, but he fled the space;
Nudimmud feared and turned away his face.
Yet Marduk, wise director of the gods,
Steps forth to challenge these appalling odds.
His heart impels him Tiamat to defy,
And opening his mouth, he made reply:
'If I, your champion, conquer in this strife,
And vanquish Tiamat to save your life,
Convene the council, make my fate supreme;
In Upshukkinaku fulfill my dream.
Let my sole word decree what shall remain,
Unchanged and steadfast in my future reign.'
Hasten, therefore, and swiftly grant his power,
That he may slay our foe in this grim hour!"
When Lahmu and Lahamu heard this word,
They wailed aloud, by deepest anguish stirred.
The Igigi all lamented in their plight:
"What change has brought this terror to our sight?
We cannot comprehend what she has done,
Nor why this monstrous darkness has begun!"
Then all the ancient deities drew near,
The mighty gods who shape each passing year.
Before Anshar they gathered in the hall,
And kissed each other at the sacred call.
They prepared the feast, and sat in rows to dine,
Consuming bread and mixing sesame-wine.
The sweet, intoxicating mead they poured
Confused their senses at the heavy board.
Drunk with the drink, their spirits soared on high,
Their bodies filled, their fears were laid reply.
At ease within their exalted minds at last,
They fixed for Marduk his decree full fast.
CANTO IV
They built for him a chamber grand and bright,
Where before his fathers he assumed his right.
"Among the gods, O Lord, thou art the first;
By Anu's word thy fortune is rehearsed.
Thy stern command shall never fall in vain;
To lift or lower rests within thy reign.
Irresistible thy spoken word shall stand,
And none shall cross the borders of thy land.
In thy high shrine abundance shall endure,
Though offerings fail, thy worship remains sure.
Avenger of our cause, O Marduk, rise!
We give thee rule over the earth and skies.
Exalted sit, let night thy decree attend;
Thy weapon shall not fail, thy foes shall bend.
Spare him who trusts in thee with humble heart,
But bid the rebel's fleeting life depart."
They placed a garment in their midst to view,
And spake to Marduk, first-born, bold and true:
"Thy fate, O Lord, let supreme power grace,
To make or to destroy in every place.
Command the cloth to vanish from our eyes,
Then speak again and bid it re-arise."
He spake the word: the garment vanished clean;
He spake once more: restored, the cloth was seen.
When all the gods beheld his power proved,
They bowed in joy, by mighty reverence moved:
"Lord Marduk reigns!" they cried with one accord,
And gave the ring, the sceptre, and the sword—
A weapon fierce to strike the dark array:
"Go, sever Tiamat's life, and speed away!
Let swirling winds her scattered blood convey."
When thus the gods decreed his glorious fate,
They set him on the path of high estate.
He strung his bow, he chose his arms with care,
He bound his spear and made his body bare
To grasp the club within his lifted hand;
Upon his side the quiver took its stand.
Before his face he set the lightning's flash,
With burning flame he filled his frame to clash.
He fashioned wide a net of woven strand
To catch old Tiamat in her ancient land;
The four strong winds he stationed to enclose
Her outer realm, that none might mock his blows.
The North, the South, the East, the West drew near,
Gifts from great Anu, filling her with fear.
He made the storm, the hurricane, the blast,
The sevenfold wind, the tempest fierce and fast;
He sent them forth, a dark and rushing train,
To churn her deeps and drive her wild with pain.
The Lord then raised his thunderbolt on high,
And mounted on his chariot to the sky—
A terror-bringing storm with harnessed steeds,
Four fierce and rapid beasts for bloody deeds.
Their sharp teeth foamed, well-schooled to trample down,
Clothed in terror, crowned with bright renown.
He rode in state toward the raging foe,
With magic charms held fast to ward her blow.
The gods looked on; his fathers watched the sight
As Marduk drew near Tiamat in his might.
He scanned her deeps, and Kingu's muttered word;
Distracted Kingu faltered when he heard.
His strength dissolved, his helpers stood dismayed,
Their leader lost, their hearts and eyes afraid.
Yet Tiamat turned not, but raised her voice,
With defiant lips she made her desperate choice.
The Lord then raised his weapon, roaring loud,
And hailed the monster through the smoky cloud:
"Exalted in thy pride, thou seek'st the fight,
Against the gods thou turn'st thy wicked might!
Thou hast made Kingu spouse to share thy throne,
And claimed for him decrees that Anu's own.
Equip thy host, gird on thy weapons well;
Stand face to face, and let our battle swell!"
When Tiamat heard, her reason fled in dread;
She screamed aloud, her foundation shook with dread.
She cast her spells, she wove her magic chain,
While warrior gods called out for arms in vain.
Then forward stepped the Lord and Tiamat grim;
They joined in fight, she faced the power of him.
He spread his net, he caught her in its fold,
And loosed the evil wind, severe and cold.
She gasped to speak—he drove the tempest deep;
Her belly swelled, her courage could not keep.
He raised the spear, he ripped her inner part,
Severed her frame, and pierced her beating heart.
He cast her lifeless body to the ground,
And stood triumphant as the dark sank down.
Her leader slain, her mighty army broke;
Her monster helpers fled the bitter stroke.
They turned to fly, but caught within the snare,
He broke their arms and left them in despair.
He bound her creatures, eleven beastly form,
And crushed their power in the blinding storm.
And Kingu too he bound in heavy chains,
And took the Fate-bound Tablets from his reins;
He sealed the scrolls and placed them on his breast,
His triumph won, his mighty soul at rest.
Then turned the Lord back to the fallen foe;
He split her skull with one unyielding blow.
He severed all her veins, and bade the wind
To bear her blood where none the trace could find.
His fathers saw, and raised a joyful cry,
And brought him gifts beneath the open sky.
He rested then, and surveyed her carcass dead,
And divided her frame with clever skill instead.
He split her like a fish in portions two,
And hung one half to form the heaven's blue.
He set a bar, he placed a watchman there,
Lest all her surging waters flood the air.
He spanned the sky, he paced the dark domain,
Over the Deep he set Nudimmud's reign.
He measured out the waters deep and grand,
And built E-shara by his powerful hand—
A heavenly home where Anu, Bêl, and Ea stand.
CANTO V
For the great gods he shaped their heavenly place,
And set the stars of Zodiac through space.
He carved the year and split its fleeting days;
To twelve bright months three stars he gave to blaze.
When all the days were ordered by his hand,
Nibiru's station ruled the bounden land.
Lest any wander or perform amiss,
Bêl and Ea he set alongside this.
Then spacious gates he opened either side,
With sturdy bolts on left and right applied.
Between them both he fixed the zenith height,
And made the Moon-god shine to rule the night.
He made him lord of dark to count the days,
With gleaming crown adorned in ceaseless rays:
“At month’s first dawn, when shining on the land,
With horns six days thou shalt the time command;
Upon the seventh, divide thy crown of light,
And on the fourteenth stand in full-faced sight.
When Sol upon heaven's floor draws near thy trace,
Adjust thy beam and yield him rightful place;
Unto the sun’s broad path shalt thou draw near,
Stand face to face until his rays appear.
Pursue the track, and let thy course be bright;
Draw close in peace, and render what is right.
Destroy the dark, and guard my sacred sign,
While all the heavens praise this path of thine.”
In E-sagil the high decrees were laid,
To bind the stations which his hand had made.
The ancient gods beheld the net he wove,
And marveled at the bow that spanned above.
They praised the craft that rendered chaos still,
And exalted Marduk’s unrelenting will.
Then Anu raised the weapon in the ring,
Kissed it with awe, and blessed the mighty King:
“'Long-wood' shall be its name upon the earth,
And 'Bow-star' in the heavens mark its worth!”
He set its station in the skies on high,
And placed his throne above the vaulted sky.
The gods proclaimed, “Our son hath conquered all;
He brought us life and saved us from the fall.
In glorious splendour shall his domain endure,
Unmatched in strength, forever firm and sure!”
CANTO VI
When high-born Marduk heard the gods decree,
A wondrous plan he shaped in secrecy.
To wisdom's father, Ea, then he spake,
Unfolding all the thoughts his heart did make:
"My blood I take, and bone shall form his frame;
I fashion man, that man may bear the name.
Upon the earth mankind shall dwell in peace,
To serve the gods, that sacred rites increase,
That holy shrines may rise to grace the land.
Yet I shall alter what the gods planned;
Their ancient paths and ways I turn askew,
Ensnared in grief, their troubles to renew."
Then Ea spake, and answered him in turn:
"The ways of heaven I changed, that all may learn;
One soul shall fall, and man shall be restored,
While all the gods obey the sovereign Lord.
The mighty Anunnaki bow their head,
And follow where the grand design has led."
Though ancient lines lie broken in the dust,
The final song fulfills the sacred trust:
The gods rejoiced to see the darkness end,
And sought Upshukkinaku to ascend.
To praise their champion, who set them free,
They cried: "Our savior, hailed eternally!"
Within the council hall they took their place,
To name the hero of their noble race;
With joyous voice they raised his exalted name,
And sang forever of his boundless fame.
CANTO VII
To Asari, founder of the fertile field,
Who bids the earth its greenest harvest yield,
And Asaru-alim, in council revered,
The gods paid homage, struck with awe and feared.
As Asaru-alim-nuna, bright and grand,
He rules the laws of heaven’s triune band.
Their guardian patron, rich in every store,
He steps in bountiful parade once more.
As Tutu, who creates the host anew,
He grants pure hearts their satisfaction due.
His gentle spells the angry gods appease;
Against their wrath he guards the world with ease.
Exalt his name within the sacred ring,
For none among the gods match him as king.
As Zi-ukkina, life of all that live,
He set the bright star-paths the heavens give.
As Zi-azag, third, the cleanser of the soul,
He brings sweet winds to make the weary whole.
Merciful lord, who hears the whispered prayer,
He lifts the small and multiplies their share.
“In dire distress we felt his cooling breath!”—
So let men bow and worship him in death.
Fourth, Aga-azag let all mankind praise,
Who quickens souls and brightens ancient days,
Who broke the captive gods’ despairing chain,
And freed his foes from bondage and from pain.
For their forgiveness he created man;
Life-giver, guardian of the mortal span!
Fifth, as Mu-azag, speak his holy spell,
Which casts out evil where the wicked dwell.
As Shag-zu, reader of the hidden mind,
He leaves no sinner in his track behind.
He grounds the council, tames the rebel pride,
And breaks the forces that against him stride.
As Zi-si, he puts end to wrath and strife,
And as Suh-kur, destroys the enemies’ life.
He spans four quarters, forms mankind below,
And bids deep wisdom in their spirits flow.
Above high Tiamat his power rose,
To crush the chaos of his ancient foes.
Supreme in might, as King of Heaven’s line,
Lugal-durmah takes up his throne divine.
As Adu-nuna, councillor of worth,
No god can reach his royal path on earth.
High in Dul-azag shines his holy seat,
Where light and pristine majesty complete.
Upon the star that gleams in heaven's height,
He holds the future and the ancient light:
“Through Tiamat’s deep core he cut his way,
Untired and swift, to bring the golden day!
Let Nibiru his cosmic title be,
The Seizer of the Center, bold and free!
He set the paths where stars of heaven keep,
And led the gods as shepherds lead their sheep.
He conquered Tiamat and ended strife;
He broke her fury and dissolved her life.”
Let distant ages hear this song of praise,
Unending through the turn of endless days!
For making heavens and the world below,
Great Father Bêl bade "Lord of Earth" to grow.
This title, shouted by the heavenly host,
Delighted Ea on the primordial coast:
“He bears my name! As Ea he shall reign,
To bind my laws and clear my word's domain!”
By "Fifty" did the mighty gods proclaim
His noble titles and his exalted fame.
Remember these, let men the words recite;
Let wise and understanding find delight!
Let fathers teach their sons this sacred lore,
And shepherds learn the legend evermore.
In Lord Marduk let every heart rejoice,
To bring rich harvest to the human voice!
Unchanged his word, his decree stands secure,
No god unshapes what he has made endure.
Though fiercely angered by the wicked deed,
His heart is wide to help the soul in need.
They learned his wisdom, spoke before his throne,
And blessed the holy name that he alone
Sustains in glory through the cosmic span—
The Lord of gods, the champion of man.
APPENDIX
FROM THE BIBLE; BOOK OF GENESIS
CANTO I
In the beginning, God created all:
The cosmic heavens and this earthly ball.
The void earth lay in formless, shadowed sleep,
While darkness brooded on the boundless deep.
Across the face of waters dim and vast,
The Holy Spirit hovering motion cast.
Then Almighty spake: “Let there be Light!”
And sudden radiance chased away the night.
The Lord beheld the glorious light was good,
And parted dark where shining beauty stood.
The Light he named the "Day," the Dark the "Night";
The evening fell, the morning brought new light.
Thus passed the first creation of the Lord,
Accomplished by his all-commanding word.
Again God spake: “Let a great vault extend
To part the waters that above ascend
From those below.” The firmament was raised;
Above, below, the separated waters blazed.
The sky he named the vault; the shadows fell,
And morning broke to mark the second spell.
Then spake the Lord: “Let lower waters sweep
To gather in one basin of the deep,
And let dry ground appear.” And so it came:
The dry ground "Land," the waters "Seas" by name.
God saw 'twas good, and bade the soil bring forth
Herb, seed, and fruited tree across the earth,
Each after its own kind to bloom and seed.
'Twas done; the evening and the morning agreed—
The third day closed upon the newborn mead.
The Lord declared: “Let radiant lights arise
Within the vaulted heavens of the skies,
To part the day from night, and serve as signs
For seasons, days, and years in grand designs.”
He framed two mighty lights to rule the sphere:
The sun to rule the day in luster clear,
The lesser moon to govern through the night;
He set the stars to shed their silver light.
God saw the goodness of the cosmic ray;
The evening fell, the morning made fourth day.
God said: “Let waters swarm with living grace,
And winged fowl fly through the vaulted space.”
Great whales he formed, and every swimming breed,
And feathered birds that through the air proceed.
He blessed them all: “Increase and multiply,
Fill every sea, and multiply on high.”
The evening closed, the morning sun arose,
And thus the fifth day brought its grand repose.
Then God commanded: “Let the earth produce
All living beasts according to their use:
The cattle, creeping things, and wild beasts tall.”
And as he spake, the earth brought forth them all.
God saw 'twas good, then said: “Let us now make
A creature in our image, for whose sake
All things exist; let mankind hold command
O'er fish, and fowl, and beasts across the land.”
So God made man in his own image bright,
Male, female, formed to walk within his light.
He blessed the pair: “Be fruitful, fill the earth,
Subdue the soil, bring noble life to birth;
Rule o'er the deep, the air, and all that moves.”
Then God bestowed the harvest of his loves:
“Behold, I give every seed-bearing grain,
And fruited tree across the hill and plain,
To be your food; and every green herb sweet
I give the beasts and birds for them to eat.”
And it was so. God looked on all his hand
Had wrought across the ocean, sky, and land,
And saw that it was very good indeed.
The evening fell, the morning sun was freed,
And closed the sixth day's wondrous work and deed.
CANTO II
Thus were the heavens and the earth arrayed,
In all their vast and wondrous splendor made.
And on the seventh day the Almighty ceased
From all his labor, and his work released.
God blessed the seventh day and made it blest,
Hallowed forever as a holy rest.
This is the record of the earth and skies,
When first the Lord bade creation rise.
No field-shrub yet had sprouted from the soil,
No rain had fallen, and no man to toil;
But mist arose to water all the plain,
And drenched the ground in place of falling rain.
Then God formed Man from dust of common earth,
And breathed in him the breath of life and worth;
The dust revived beneath the divine control,
And man became a living, conscious soul.
Eastward in Eden, God a garden laid,
And placed the man whom he had newly made.
There pleasant trees grew tall above the mead,
Good for the eye and rich with fruit for need;
Midway the Tree of Life arose in grace,
Beside the Tree where Good and Ill embrace.
A river flowed from Eden, bright and clear,
To drench the garden through the rolling year;
Thence divided, four great rivers ran:
The first is Pishon, where the gold began
In Havilah, where bdellium is found,
And onyx glimmers in the rich, deep ground.
The second, Gihon, winds through Cush’s land;
The third is Tigris, east of Ashur’s strand;
The fourth, Euphrates, rolls its mighty tide.
God took the man and placed him to reside
In Eden’s grove, to till the fertile soil,
To keep the garden and direct his toil.
Then gave the Lord his sovereign, sole decree:
“Eat freely of all fruit from every tree,
Save one alone: touch not the sacred root
Of Good and Evil's knowledge-bearing fruit;
For in the day thou eatest of the same,
Death shall devour thy mortal frame.”
The Lord declared: “It is not good or right
That man should dwell alone in single sight;
I shall provide a helpmate for his side,
A fit companion to remain allied.”
From out the ground the Lord had formed each beast,
The birds of air, the greatest and the least;
He brought them to the man to name each kind,
To see what titles rose within his mind.
Whatever name the man bestowed on each,
Became its title in human speech.
Thus Adam named the cattle, wild beasts, birds,
And gave all living things their ruling words;
Yet amidst them all, no helper could be found,
No equal partner on the blessed ground.
So God brought down a deep and heavy sleep;
While Adam slumbered in a trance so deep,
The Lord removed a rib from out his side,
And closed the flesh where open wounds might bide.
From that same rib he fashioned Woman fair,
And brought her to the man who waited there.
Then Adam cried: “At last, my bone of bone,
And flesh of flesh, to stand beside my own!
She shall be 'Woman' called, for she was ta'en
From Man, to share his joy and bear his pain.”
Therefore a man shall leave his mother's hand,
And father's house, to join his wedded band;
In sacred bond two lives as one unite,
One flesh bound fast in harmony and light.
Unclothed they walked, the husband and his bride,
Unshamed in innocence, side by side.
CANTO III
Now of all beasts the Lord had formed on earth,
The subtle serpent had the craftiest birth.
He sought the woman, whispering sly deceit:
“Did God forbid that you of trees should eat?”
The woman answered: “Fruit of every tree
We freely take, in joyful liberty;
Save one alone, which in the midst does rise—
God said, ‘Touch not that fruit, lest mortal dies.’”
“Ye shall not die,” the subtle beast replied;
“For God well knows, if once that fruit be tried,
Your eyes shall open, and yourselves shall grow
Like gods above, both Good and Ill to know.”
The woman saw the forbidden fruit was good,
Delight to eyes, and rich for mental food;
Desiring wisdom, from the bough she took,
And ate the fruit, and gave with tempted look
To Adam at her side, who also ate.
Then flashed swift vision on their fallen state:
Their eyes were opened, and their shame revealed,
Where innocence no longer stood concealed.
They sewed fig leaves together, branch by branch,
To clothe their limbs and hide their fallen stance.
And in the gentle cool breeze of the day,
They heard God walking on his garden way;
In fear they fled, and sought a shaded place
Among the trees to hide them from his face.
The Lord God called to Adam through the grove:
“Where art thou, man, whom I have shaped in love?”
He answered: “In the shade I heard thy sound;
I was afraid, for naked I was found,
And so I hid.” Then spake the Voice Divine:
“Who told thee of that nakedness of thine?
Hast thou partaken of the forbidden tree,
Which I commanded should be closed to thee?”
The man replied: “The woman given to me
To be my partner, gave me of the tree,
And so I ate.” God turned unto the bride:
“What hast thou done?” “The serpent,” she replied,
“Deceived my heart with cunning words and sly,
And so I ate.” Then God addressed the lie:
Unto the serpent spake the Lord on high:
“Cursed above all beasts that walk or lie!
Upon thy belly shalt thou henceforth crawl,
And eat the dust until thy final fall.
Dark enmity I place 'twixt her and thee,
And 'twixt thy offspring and her seed to be;
Her seed shall crush thy head with deadly blow,
While at his heel thy venom strikes below.”
Unto the woman then the Almighty said:
“Great pain in childbearing shall attend thy bed;
In sorrow shalt thou bring thy children forth,
To yield unto thy husband's rule on earth,
And thy desire unto his heart shall tend.”
To Adam next: “Because thou didst attend
Thy wife's persuasive voice, and ate the food
Forbidden by my sovereign word for good,
Accursed is the ground for thy offense!
Through bitter toil shalt thou draw bread from thence
Through all thy days; the soil shall bear to thee
Thorns, thistles, weeds, and sharp calamity.
Thou shalt eat field-herbs, and by dripping sweat
Earn daily bread, until thy sun be set—
Till thou returnest to the earth again,
From whence thy frame was shaped for joy and pain;
For dust thou art, by my divine decree,
And unto dust again shalt return to be.”
The man named Eve his partner and his bride,
Mother of all that live on every side.
The Lord God fashioned coats of skin to wear,
And clothed the fallen, now-repentant pair.
Then spake the Lord: “Behold, the man is grown
Like one of us, with good and evil known.
Now lest he stretch his hand once more to take
The Tree of Life, and eat for living's sake,
And so endure forever in his plight—”
God banished him from Eden's holy sight,
To till the ground from which his dust was drawn.
Out from the garden gate he drove them on,
And at the east of Eden placed in light
The glowing Cherubim with radiance bright,
And turned a flashing, fiery sword around,
To guard the Tree of Life on sacred ground.