A lovesong

  • Bed of Clay

A four-thousand-year-old love song as used in the worship of Ishtar goes like this:

Husband of my heart, my beloved! Your allure is sweet, sweet as nectar. Lover of my heart, my beloved, your allure is sweet, sweet as nectar.

You want me with you, I will come to you myself. Husband, let me run with you to the bedroom! You want me with you, I will come to you myself. Lover, let me run with you to the bedroom!

Husband, I will do sweet things to you! My great sweet, let me bring nectar to you. In the bedroom, dripping with nectar, let us enjoy your sweet allure! Husband, I will do sweet things to you! My great sweet, let me bring nectar to you.

Husband, you fell for me. Speak to my mother, and I will give myself to you. Speak to my father, and he will make presents. I know how to arouse your feelings! Husband, sleep in our house until dawn. I know the longing in your heart! Husband, sleep in our house until dawn.

Because you love me, lover, may you do your sweet thing to me!

My lord and god, my lord and guardian, my Šu-Suen, who gladdens the heart of Enlil, let us tread your sweet place! Let me tread your place, sweet as nectar! Touch me like an ešban. Feel me like an ešban šekin.

This is a balbale-song of Inana (Ishtar). The ETCSL Project, ”A balbale to Inana for Šu-Suen (Šu-Suen B),” University of Oxford, 2006, accessed September 29, 2021.