Literature:Complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir
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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
Akkadian[1]
Front
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 𒄀𒅖𒀭𒋢𒂗 𒀀𒈾𒀜𒁲𒅔
8. a-na gi-mil-ᴰsu-en a-na-ad-di-in
9. 𒋫𒀠𒇷𒅅𒈠 𒋫𒀝𒁉𒀀𒄠
9. ta-al-li-ik-ma ta-aq-bi-a-am
10. 𒌑𒆷 𒋼𒁍𒍑
10. u₂-la te-pu-uš
11. 𒄖𒁀𒊑 𒆷 𒁕𒄠𒆪𒁴
11. gu-ba-ri la da-am-qu₂-tim
12. 𒀀𒈾 𒈠𒅈 𒅆𒅁𒊑𒅀
12. a-na ma-ar ši-ip-ri-ia
13. 𒋫𒀸𒆪𒌦𒈠 𒌝𒈠 𒀜𒋫𒈠
13. ta-aš-ku-un-ma um-ma at-ta-ma
14. 𒋳𒈠 𒋼𒇷𒆠𒀀 𒇷𒆠𒀀
14. šum-ma te-le-qe₂-a le-qe₂-a
15. 𒋳𒈠 [𒆷] 𒋼𒇷𒆠𒀀 𒀜𒆷𒅗
15. šum-ma [la] te-le-qe₂-a at-la-ka
16. 𒅀𒋾 𒀀𒈾 𒆠𒈠 𒈠𒀭𒉌𒅎
16. ia-ti a-na ki-ma ma-an-ni-im
17. 𒌅𒅆𒅎𒈠 𒉌[...]𒈠
17. tu-ši-im-ma ni-x-(x)-x-x-ma
18. 𒆠𒀀𒄠 𒋼𒈨𒊭𒀭𒉌
18. ki-a-am te-me-ša-an-ni
19. 𒈠𒊑 𒀀𒉿𒇷 𒀀𒈾 𒆠𒈠 𒅗𒋾
19. ma-ri a-wi-li a-na ki-ma ka-ti
20. 𒀀𒈾 𒆠𒋛𒅀 𒈠𒄩𒊑𒅎
20. a-na ki-si-ia ma-ḫa-ri-im
21. 𒀸𒁍𒊏𒄠𒈠
21. aš-pu-ra-am-ma
22. 𒌅𒈨𒄿𒊭𒄠𒈠
22. tu-me-i-ša-am-ma
23. 𒄿𒈾 𒂵𒂵𒅈 𒈾𒀝𒊑𒅎
23. i-na qa₂-qa₂-ar na-ak-ri-im
Reverse
1. 𒅖𒋾𒅖𒋗 𒅇 𒅆𒉌𒋗
1. iš-ti-iš-šu u₃ ši-ni-šu
2. 𒊑𒆪𒋢𒉡 𒌅𒋼𒅕𒊏𒄠
2. ri-qu₂-su-nu tu-te-er-ra-am
3. 𒄿𒈾 𒀀𒇷𒅅 𒋼𒂖𒈬𒌦
3. i-na a-li-ik te-el-mu-un
4. 𒈠𒀭𒉡𒌝 𒊭 𒆠𒀀𒄠
4. ma-an-nu-um ša ki-a-am
5. 𒄿𒁍𒊭𒀭𒉌𒄿𒈠
5. i-pu-ša-an-ni-i-ma
6. 𒀜𒋫 𒈠𒅈 𒅆𒅁𒊑𒅀 𒌅𒈨𒂊𒅖
6. at-ta ma-ar ši-ip-ri-ia tu-me-e-iš
7. 𒀀𒈾 𒈠<𒆷> 𒅗𒊍𒉿𒅎
7. a-na ma-<la> ka-as-pi-im
8. 𒊭 𒄿𒈾 𒂵𒋾𒅀 𒌅 𒊺𒍪𒌑
8. ša i-na qa₂-ti-ia tu-še-ṣu₂-u₂
9. 𒆠𒀀𒄠 𒋫𒁕𒁍𒌒
9. ki-a-am ta-da-bu-ub
10. 𒅇 𒀸𒋳𒄿𒅗
10. u₃ aš-šum-i-ka
11. 𒀀𒈾 𒂍𒃲𒇷
11. a-na _e₂-gal_-li
12. 𒌋 𒐍 𒄘 𒍏 𒀀𒈾𒆪 𒀜𒁲𒅔
12. _1(u)8 (diš)gu₂ ᵘʳᵘᵈᵃ_ a-na-ku ad-di-in
13. 𒅇 𒋗𒈪𒀀𒁍𒌝
13. u₃ šu-mi-a-bu-um
14. 𒌋 𒐍 𒄘 𒍏 𒄿𒁲𒅔
14. _1(u)8 (diš)gu₂ ᵘʳᵘᵈᵃ_ i-di-in
15. 𒂊𒍣𒅁 𒊭 𒀀𒈾 𒂍 𒀭𒌓
15. e-zi-ib ša a-na _e₂_ ᴰutu
16. 𒆪𒉡𒊌𒅗𒄠 𒉌𒍣𒁍
16. ku-nu-uk-ka-am ni-zi-bu
17. 𒀀𒈾 𒉿𒊑𒅎 𒊭𒀀𒋾
17. a-na wa-ri-im ša-a-ti
18. 𒆠𒄿 𒋼𒁍𒊭𒀭𒉌
18. ki-i te-pu-ša-an-ni
19. 𒆠𒋛 𒄿𒈾 𒂵𒂵𒅈 𒈾𒀝𒊑
19. ki-si i-na qa₂-qa₂-ar na-ak-ri
20. 𒌅𒊌𒋾𒅋
20. tu-uk-ti-il
21. 𒆠𒋛 𒀀𒈾 𒂵𒋾𒅀
21. ki-si a-na qa₂-ti-ia
22. 𒋗𒇻𒈠𒄠 𒂊𒇷𒅗𒄿𒋗
22. šu-lu-ma-am e-li-ka i-šu
23. 𒆠 𒈠𒀭 𒉌𒆠𒀀𒄠
23. ki-ma an-ni-ki-a-am
24. 𒉿𒊑𒀀𒄠 𒆷 𒁺𒈬𒂵𒄠
24. we-ri-a-am la du-mu-qa₂-am
25. 𒆷 𒀀𒈠𒄩𒊒𒅗 𒋫𒆷𒈠𒀜
25. la a-ma-ḫa-ru-ka ta-la-ma-ad
26. 𒄿𒈾 𒆠𒊓𒇷𒅀
26. i-na ki-sa-li-ia
50. 𒅖𒋾𒈾𒀀 𒌑𒈾𒍝𒀝𒈠
50. iš-ti-na-a u₂-na-sa₃-aq-ma
51. 𒂊𒇷𒆠
51. e-le-qe₂
Left
1. 𒅇 𒀀𒈾 𒊭 𒌅𒈨𒄿𒊭𒀭𒉌
1. u₃ a-na ša tu-me-i-ša-an-ni
2. 𒈾𒋛𒄴𒋫𒄠 𒂊𒁍𒍑𒅗
2. na-si-iḫ-ta-am e-pu-uš-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
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
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
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
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
iamanad
cú
six
xeuayan
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
Umi-abum
xedbet
copper
iamanad
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
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}}
Luthic
Rogia du Ea-nāṣir: Nanni sangiat lȯ segguente messagġiȯ:
Can qemasti, rodisti mis sva: “Gevarô du Gimil-Sîn (can qemat) liggottos coprom gôdanȧ calitati.” Eis lasciati, ac non tavisti ce faerarodisti mis. Mostrasti liggottos carge non eranno gôdonos messagġerȧ meinȧ (Sit-Sîn) e rodisti: “Si veġlas eis nemare, þû nemâ eis, si non veġlas eis nemare, galeiþâ!”
Faur ci mic hais preso, faur trattare aena persona svasve mic miþ tali disprezzȧ? Sangiai messagġeros herres svasve unse faur riccoġlere la busta lȧ meinȧ scattȧ (depositata miþ·þus), ac trattasti mic disprezzȧ, rispedindo eis inermi mis managae veci, e þata attraverse landȯ fegiandȯ. Hâþ giumano mercantivo ei, caufonno in Telmun ci mic trattaut svasve? Solamente þû trattasti lȯ meinȯ messagġerȯ disprezzȧ! Faurcê giaena aena mina di selovri carge debbȯ þuc, sentis fre faur rogiare destȧ maniera, þande gevai palazzȧ ad ata namnȯ þeinȯ 1.080 libbras coprom, ed Umi-abum analeice gevaut 1.080 libbras coprom, separatamente du ce screvemmos ana aena tavola sigillata faur bihaldada nal·lȯ templȯ di Šamaš.
Come trattasti mic faur gianȯ coprȯ? Gahavesti lȯ meinȯ scattȯ mis in landȯ fegiandȯ; nu ist miþ·þus faur ritornare (il meino scatto) mis follamente.
Capi ei (di horȧ in avante), non andanemarô her nissaenȯ coprȯ þus ei, non ist gôdanȧ calitati. Scolȯ (di horȧ in avante) sceġlere e nemare los liggotos individualmente nal·lȯ meinȯ propriȯ gardȯ, ed usarô þus il meino raetto di rifiutȧ, faurcê mic trattasti disprezzȧ.
References
- ^ "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.