The Epic of Gilgamesh: Lines 664–894

O, but there’s woe in your belly! Like one who has gone on a far journey
Is your face—O, with cold and with heat is your face weathered,
Like a man who has ranged over the desert.

For the gods, in their creation of mortals,
Allotted Death to man, but Life they retained in their keeping.

Gilgamesh answered:
“Gilgamesh is my name, come hither from Uruk,
One who has traversed the Mountains, a wearisome journey of Sunrise,
Now that I have looked on your face, Urshanabi—let me see Utnapishtim,
The Distant one!”

Gilgamesh answered:
“Gilgamesh is my name, come hither from Uruk,
One who has traversed the Mountains, a wearisome journey of Sunrise,
Now that I have looked on your face, Urshanabi—let me see Utnapishtim,
The Distant one!”

Urshanabi spoke to Gilgamesh, saying:
“Gilgamesh, your own hand has hindered your crossing of the Ocean,
You have destroyed the sails and destroyed the urnu.
Gilgamesh, take your axe in your hand; descend to the forest,
Fashion one hundred twenty poles each of five gar in length; make knobs of bitumen,
Sockets, too, add those to the poles: bring them to me.”

Utnapishtim looked into the distance and, inwardly musing,
Said to himself: “Why are the sails of the vessel destroyed,
And why does one who is not of my service ride on the vessel?
This is no mortal who comes, but he is no god either.”

But Ea, the lord of unfathomable wisdom, argued with them.

He will grant fowls in plenty and fish in abundance,
Herds of cattle and an abundant harvest.

Jugs of cider, of oil, and of sweet wine,
Large bowls, like river water flowing freely, I poured out as libations.

I entrusted the guidance of the ship to the boat-man,
Entrusted the great house, and the contents therein.

The destroyers passed across mountain and dale.

They caused the banks to overflow;
The Anunnaki lifted up their torches,
And with their brightness they illuminated the universe.

There the gods crouched down like dogs, in heaven they sat cowering.

The world of old has been turned back into clay,
Because I assented to this evil in the assembly of the gods.

Alas, that I was for the destruction of my own people.
Where is all that I have created, where is it?
Like the spawn of fish it fills the sea.