Literature:Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:52, 17 March 2024

The complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir (UET V 81) is a clay tablet that was sent to the ancient city-state Ur, written c. 1750 BCE. It is a complaint to a merchant named Ea-nāṣir from a customer named Nanni. Written in Akkadian cuneiform, it may be the oldest known written customer complaint. It is currently kept in the British Museum. In 2015, the tablet's content and Ea-nāṣir in particular gained popularity as an online meme.

The tablet is 11.6 centimetres (4+9⁄16 in) high, 5 cm (1+15⁄16 in) wide, 2.6 cm (1 in) thick, and slightly damaged.

Translations

Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir

Akkadian^[1]

A transcription of the text on the obverse, reverse, and left edge of the tablet

Obverse

1. 𒀀𒈾 𒂍𒀀𒈾𒍢𒅕
1. a-na e₂-a-na-ṣi-ir

2. 𒆠𒉈𒈠
2. qi₂-bi₂-ma

3. 𒌝𒈠 𒈾𒀭𒉌𒈠
3. um-ma na-an-ni-ma

4. 𒀀𒉡𒌑𒈠 𒋫𒀠𒇷𒆪
4. a-nu-u₂-ma ta-al-li-ku

5. 𒆠𒀀𒄠 𒋫𒀝𒁉𒄠
5. ki-a-am ta-aq-bi-am

6. 𒌝𒈠 𒀜𒋫𒀀𒈠
6. um-ma at-ta-a-ma

7. 𒄖𒁀𒊑 𒁕𒄠𒆪𒁴
7. gu-ba-ri da-am-qu₂-tim

8. 𒀀𒈾 𒄀𒅖𒀭𒍪𒂗 𒀀𒈾𒀜𒁲𒅔
8. a-na gi-mil-ᴰsu₂-en a-na-ad-di-in

9. ta-al-li-ik-ma ta#-aq-bi-a-am

10. u2-la te-pu#-usz

11. gu-ba-ri la da-am#-qu2-tim

12. a-na ma-ar szi-ip-ri-ia

13. ta-asz-ku-un#-ma um-ma at-ta-ma

14. szum-ma te-le-qe2-a le-qe2-a

15. szum-ma [la] te#-le-qe2-a at-la-ka

16. ia-ti a-na ki-ma ma-an-ni-im

17. tu-szi-im-ma ni-x-(x)-x-x-ma

18. ki-a-am te-me-sza#-an#-ni

19. ma-ri a-wi-li a-na ki-ma ka-ti

20. a-na ki-si-ia ma-ha-ri-im

21. asz-pu-ra-am-ma

22. tu-me-i-sza-am-ma

23. i-na qa2-qa2-ar na-ak-ri-im

Reverse

1. isz-ti-isz-szu u3 szi-ni-szu

2. ri-qu2-su-nu tu-te-er-ra-am

3. i-na a-li-ik te-el-mu-un

4. ma-an-nu-um sza ki-a-am

5. i-pu-sza-an-ni-i-ma

6. at-ta ma-ar szi-ip-ri-ia tu-me-e-isz

7. a-na ma-<la> ka-as-pi-im

8. sza i-na qa2-ti-ia tu-sze-s,u2-u2

9. ki-a-am ta-da-bu-ub

10. u3 asz-szum-i-ka

11. a-na _e2-gal_-li

12. _1(u) 8(disz) gu2 uruda_ a-na-ku ad-di-in

13. u3 szu-mi-a-bu-um

14. _1(u) 8(disz) gu2 uruda_ i-di-in

15. e-zi-ib sza a-na _e2_ {d}utu

16. ku-nu-uk-ka-am ni-zi-bu

17. a-na wa-ri-im sza-a-ti

18. ki-i te-pu-sza-an-ni

19. ki-si i-na qa2-qa2-ar na-ak-ri

20. tu-uk-ti-il

21. ki-si a-na qa2-ti-ia

22. szu-lu-ma-am e-li-ka i-szu

23. ki-ma an-ni-ki-a-am

24. we-ri-a-am la du-mu-qa2-am

25. la a-ma-ha-ru-ka ta-la-ma-ad

26. i#-na# ki-sa-li-ia

50. isz-ti-na-a u2-na-sa3-aq-ma

51. e#-le-qe2

Left

1. u3 a-na sza tu-me-i-sza-an-ni

2. na-si-ih-ta-am e-pu-usz-ka

English^[2]

Tell Ea-nasir: Nanni sends the following message:

When you came, you said to me as follows: "I will give Gimil-Sin (when he comes) fine quality copper ingots." You left then but you did not do what you promised me. You put ingots which were not good before my messenger (Sit-Sin) and said: "If you want to take them, take them; if you do not want to take them, go away!"

What do you take me for, that you treat somebody like me with such contempt? I have sent as messengers gentlemen like ourselves to collect the bag with my money (deposited with you) but you have treated me with contempt by sending them back to me empty-handed several times, and that through enemy territory. Is there anyone among the merchants who trade with Telmun who has treated me in this way? You alone treat my messenger with contempt! On account of that one (trifling) mina of silver which I owe you, you feel free to speak in such a way, while I have given to the palace on your behalf 1,080 pounds of copper, and Umi-abum has likewise given 1,080 pounds of copper, apart from what we both have had written on a sealed tablet to be kept in the temple of Samas.

How have you treated me for that copper? You have withheld my money bag from me in enemy territory; it is now up to you to restore (my money) to me in full.

Take cognizance that (from now on) I will not accept here any copper from you that is not of fine quality. I shall (from now on) select and take the ingots individually in my own yard, and I shall exercise against you my right of rejection because you have treated me with contempt.

Soc'ul'

Cohxauc Ea-nasir: hanr'úzax Nanni jál sutxiux:

Xil eý āhcozr'úz, corxauc jál: "Uc' sehxec Gimil-Sin (xil eý āhr'úz) eylziax xedbet c'an." Cozñéi xil eý í corseñerai. Coxmiuji eylziax āl sutxih en eý xen āhiycualjí (Sit-Sin) cuxauc: "Ih coxxeý coxey, āhcoxey; ih xen coxxeý coxey, āhcozñéi!"

Xen corteirí, āhcují hez'i curiuc' curiuc' xad āhcoren? Sehr'úzax ratspfer' āhxeyjí coil sutxié je āhhandi yail cüa en ne (socnejíl) í corjí hez'i curiuc' āhñéiejax cuder hun' xen' syen je, āhziñuz jen'ire. Xen hazen jux xauauñ'an ne āhxec' Telmun āhharjí hez'i jál? Cozen jál jál āhcorjí hez'i curiuc' sutxih! Un' mina tatniv (réum) je āhcorñuyt'eují, āhcozc'ua c'e c'e cozxauc hez'i jál, xil ne miu setnxec xedbet iamanad cú xeuayan nu āhsuén je, miu hanxec hez'i xey Umi-abum xedbet iamanad cú, hez'i hianjí ez'e syen ej āhcuxañ'iýax xad zíuxañ' mayai eý āhjiyan'iý xíc'eu Samas eý je.

Xen r'úiad āhcorjí jál xebdet je? Corjemyai yail cüa jen'ire eý āhsyen xenuz; uc' un' ez'e jí nuj āhcorlauax hez'i jutxux (cüa) en.

Cozāziý xen (jir' jir') āhsetnyaual hej jál eý xebdet jux xen āhc'anjí. Uc' (jir' jir') setnhiandoc' setnídui setney eylziax eñjar en eý, āhsocjí hez'i yanux az' en āhun' je āhcorjí hez'i curiuc'.

Coh-xauc

2>CL2-tell

Ea-nasir:

Ea-nasir

han-r'úz-ax

CL2>CL4-come-CAUS

Nanni

jál

DEM

sutxiux:

message

Xil eý

when

āh-coz-r'úz,

REL-2>2-come

cor-xauc

2>1-say

jál:

DEM

"Uc'

SUBJ

sehxec

1>CL2-give

Gimil-Sin

(xil eý

when

āhr'úz)

REL-come

eylziax

ingot.PL

xedbet

copper

c'an."

high-quality

{{interlinear |Coz-ñéi {xil eý} í cor-señerai. |2>2-leave then but 2>1-{break promise} ||display-messages=no|italics1=yes|italics2=no|italics3=no}}

Cox-miuji

2>CL3-put

eylziax

ingot.PL

āl

face

sutxih

messenger

en

1.POSS

eý

at

xen

NEG

āh-iy-cual-jí

REL-CL3>CL3-good-ADJ.VBZ

({Sit-Sin})

Sit-Sin

cu-xauc:

2>CL5-say

"Ih

if

cox-xeý

2>CL3-want

cox-ey,

2>CL3-take

āh-cox-ey;

REL-2>CL3-take

ih

if

xen

NEG

cox-xeý

2>CL3-want

cox-ey,

2>CL3-take

āh-coz-ñéi!"

REL-2>2-leave

Xen

Q

cor-teirí,

2>1-deem

āh-cu-jí

REL-2>CL5-do

hez'i

ADVZ

curiuc'

contempt

curiuc'

REDUP

xad

PFRM

āh-coren?

REL-COP.2>1

{{interlinear |Seh-r'úz-ax ratspfer' āh-xey-jí coil sutxié je āh-han-di yail cüa en ne (soc-nejíl) í cor-jí hez'i curiuc' āh-ñéiej-ax cuder hun' xen' syen je, āh-ziñuz jen'ire. |1>CL2-come-CAUS gentleman REL-{in common}-ADJ.VBZ REFL messenger.PL for REL-CL2>CL3-collect bag money with 1.POSS 1>2-{entrust with} but 2>1-do ADVZ contempt REL-return-CAUS many COP.CL2>CL5 nothing COP.1>1 to REL-{go through} {enemy territory} ||display-messages=no|italics1=yes|italics2=no|italics3=no}}

Xen

Q

hazen

COP.CL2>CL2

jux

any

xauauñ'an

merchant.PL

ne

among

āh-xec'

REL-trade

Telmun

āh-har-jí

REL-CL2>1-do

hez'i

ADVZ

jál?

DEM

Cozen

COP.2>2

jál jál

only

āh-cor-jí

REL-2>1-do

hez'i

ADVZ

curiuc'

contempt

sutxih!

messenger

Un'

COP.CL5>CL5

mina

tatniv

silver

(réum)

pitiful

je

for

āh-cor-ñuyt'eu-jí,

REL-2>1-debt-ADJ.VBZ

āh-coz-c'ua

REL-2>2-think

c'e

ABIL

c'e

REDUP

coz-xauc

2>2-say

hez'i

ADVZ

jál,

DEM

xil

short time

ne

with

miu

PROG

setn-xec

1>CL3-give

xedbet

copper

iamanad

cú

six

xeuayan

nu

CL1.POSS

āh-suén

REL-COP.1>2

je,

for

miu

PROG

han-xec

CL2>CL3-give

hez'i

ADVZ

xey

share

Umi-abum

xedbet

copper

iamanad

cú,

six

hez'i

ADVZ

hian-jí

split-ADJ.VBZ

ez'e

NZ

syen

COP.1>1

ej

two

āh-cu-xañ'-(i)ý-ax

REL-1>CL5-write-PASS-CAUS

xad

PFRM

zíuxañ'

tablet

mayai

covered

eý

at

āh-jiyan'-(i)ý

REL-keep-PASS

xíc'eu

temple

Samas

eý

at

je.

for

Xen

Q

r'úiad

way

āh-cor-jí

REL-2>1-do

jál

DEM

xebdet

copper

je?

for

Cor-jemyai

2>1-withhold

yail

bag

cüa

money

jen'ire

enemy territory

eý

at

āh-syen

REL-COP.1>1

xenuz;

from

uc'

SUBJ

un'

COP.CL5>CL5

ez'e

NZ

jí

do

nuj

2.POSS

āh-cor-lauax

REL-2>1-restore

hez'i

ADVZ

jutxux

all

(cüa)

money

en.

1.DAT

Coz-āz-(i)ý

2>2-show-PASS

xen

NEG

(jir'

INCH.CONT

jir')

REDUP

āh-setn-yaual

REL-1>CL3-accept

hej

2.INAL

jál eý

here

xebdet

copper

jux

any

xen

NEG

āh-c'an-jí.

REL-{high-quality}-ADJ.VBZ

{{interlinear |Uc' (jir' jir') setn-hiandoc' setn-ídui setn-ey eylziax eñjar en eý, āh-soc-jí hez'i yanux az' en āh-un' je āh-cor-jí hez'i curiuc'. |SUBJ INCH.CONT REDUP 1>CL3-choose 1>CL3-{do individually} 1>CL3-take ingot.PL yard 1.POSS at REL-1>2-do ADVZ freedom reject 1.POSS REL-COP.CL5>CL5 ADVZ contempt ||display-messages=no|italics1=yes|italics2=no|italics3=no}}

^ "UET 5, 0081 Artifact Entry." (2010) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). February 1, 2023. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P414985.
^ Oppenheim, Adolf. Letters from Mesopotamia: Official Business, and Private Letters on Clay Tablets from Two Millennia. United Kingdom: University of Chicago Press, 1967.

[1] "UET 5, 0081 Artifact Entry." (2010) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). February 1, 2023. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P414985.

[2] Oppenheim, Adolf. Letters from Mesopotamia: Official Business, and Private Letters on Clay Tablets from Two Millennia. United Kingdom: University of Chicago Press, 1967.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Library translation sidebar}}
-The '''[[w:Complaint tablet to Ea-nasir|Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir]]''' (UET V 81) is a clay tablet written in Akkadian cuneiform that was sent to Ur circa 1750 BCE. It is the oldest known written complaint, written to a merchant named Ea-nāṣir from a customer named Nanni.
+The [[w:Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir|'''complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir''']] (''UET V 81'') is a [[w:clay tablet|clay tablet]] that was sent to the ancient city-state [[w:Ur|Ur]], written ''c.'' 1750 BCE. It is a complaint to a merchant named ''Ea-nāṣir'' from a customer named ''Nanni''. Written in [[w:Akkadian language|Akkadian]] [[w:cuneiform|cuneiform]], it may be the oldest known written [[w:Consumer complaint|customer complaint]]. It is currently kept in the [[w:British Museum|British Museum]]. In 2015, the tablet's content and Ea-nāṣir in particular gained popularity as an [[w:internet meme|online meme]].
+The tablet is 11.6 centimetres (4+9⁄16 in) high, 5 cm (1+15⁄16 in) wide, 2.6 cm (1 in) thick, and slightly damaged.
 {{List translations}}
@@ Line 6: / Line 8: @@
 ==Akkadian<ref>"UET 5, 0081 Artifact Entry." (2010) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). February 1, 2023. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P414985.</ref>==
+[[File:Ea Nasir tablet transcription.jpg|thumb|A transcription of the text on the obverse, reverse, and left edge of the tablet]]
 '''Obverse'''
+<poem>
+. 𒀀𒈾 𒂍𒀀𒈾𒍢𒅕
+''1. a-na e₂-a-na-ṣi-ir''
-. a-na e2-a-na-s,i-ir
+. 𒆠𒉈𒈠
+''2. qi₂-bi₂-ma''
-. qi2-bi2-ma
-. um-ma na-an-ni-ma
+. 𒌝𒈠 𒈾𒀭𒉌𒈠
+''3. um-ma na-an-ni-ma''
-. a-nu-u2-ma ta-al-li-ku
+. 𒀀𒉡𒌑𒈠 𒋫𒀠𒇷𒆪
+''4. a-nu-u₂-ma ta-al-li-ku''
-. ki-a-am ta-aq#-bi#-am#
+. 𒆠𒀀𒄠 𒋫𒀝𒁉𒄠
+''5. ki-a-am ta-aq-bi-am''
-. um-ma at-ta-a-ma
+. 𒌝𒈠 𒀜𒋫𒀀𒈠
+''6. um-ma at-ta-a-ma''
-. gu-ba-ri da-am-qu2-tim
+. 𒄖𒁀𒊑 𒁕𒄠𒆪𒁴
+''7. gu-ba-ri da-am-qu₂-tim''
-. a-na gi-mil-{d}suen a-na-ad#-di-in
+. 𒀀𒈾 𒄀𒅖𒀭𒍪𒂗 𒀀𒈾𒀜𒁲𒅔
+''8. a-na gi-mil-ᴰsu₂-en a-na-ad-di-in''
+</poem>
 . ta-al-li-ik-ma ta#-aq-bi-a-am

Literature:Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:52, 17 March 2024

Contents

Translations

Akkadian^[1]

English^[2]

Soc'ul'

Navigation menu

Literature:Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:52, 17 March 2024

Translations

Akkadian[1]

English[2]

Soc'ul'

Navigation menu

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Akkadian^[1]

English^[2]