Shulgi Quotes

Utu, assign a sweet destiny to the king.

Like a mace with three lion-heads, he makes the mountains tremble and then destroys the rebel lands.

Lord of all the great divine powers, borne by ! Youthful Utu, lord of all the great divine powers, borne by Ningal.

[O]ver all the foreign lands and the widespread people, each of their towns and all their provinces, and the people of the widespread Land lay in green meadows. I made them rest in spacious habitations, in peaceful dwelling places. As for their men and women: the man among them goes wherever he pleases, and the woman with spindle and hair clasp goes wherever she pleases. After they had set up stock-pens in the vastness of the desert, and established their tents and camps, the workmen and the labourers spend the days in the fields.

When the master-builder has taken up the work concerned, he is to re-establish securely any place where the fortification has fallen into ruins. Let him reinforce and also rebuild it.

Let my roar be emitted over all the lands.
Let my powerful arm, my heroic arm, fall upon all the lands.
Let my storm cover the Land.

In order that the ruler and the general manager can build everything for you concerning the fortress, carry out this work on the fortress now. The reputation of this fortress shall not be diminished.

As I myself ordered, you were to secure the provinces, and to correctly guide the people and make them obedient. [...] That was how I had instructed you. Why have you not acted as I ordered you?

Let deserved praise be sung for me, that in every mouth I have put prudence, an attractive quality. [...] Let praise be sung, that I have shown strength in grappling and wrestling. [...] That I have made a return visit to the shrine Nibru and back along the road to Urim, and have marched a distance of 30 dana.

You have made me so happy with the news and everything. Who could give me a house-born slave such as you are? Who has such a capable man, so beneficial to his lord? [...] From today, you are my son who makes me happy. The cities of the province, the land of the Martu, Elam -- all of them I have placed before you: you are just as important as I am. So sit before them on a throne on a golden dais! [...] Let their messengers prostrate themselves in front of you! [...] Remove a governor -- appoint a governor! Appoint a commander! Designate a captain-general! Certainly you should put a man to death, a man who has killed: blind the man who has killed! Build your house of manhood for an attendant who has been favourably looked upon! Make sure your recompense is great! Now, you should not suddenly alter your word about all that I have been sending to you.

Youthful Utu, [...] brilliant light, great lion, [...] hero emerging from the holy interior of heaven, storm whose splendour covers the Land and is laden with great awesomeness; Utu, king of justice that befits the true offspring, made Culgi, the trustworthy shepherd, glorious in the battle. The great wild bull, youthful Utu, who like a torch illuminates the Land from the holy heavens; the wise one of all the countries, the fearsome radiance of Urac, the just god among the , the long, holy dragon, the first-born son cherished by Suen, the lord born to command -- Utu bestowed the kingship of the Land on Culgi.

Youthful Utu chose the shepherd in his heart. Years of plenty are assigned to Culgi, the trustworthy shepherd, the king, as his fate. From the shrine in Nibru, Enlil bestowed this on the trustworthy shepherd, whose fate is determined by Utu.

Because of your purity, youthful Utu has made everything abundant for you; may a sweet life be your lot, son of Ninsumun.

You are important, but you do not even know your own soldiers. Your eyes have learnt something about these men, and about Apillaca's heroism. If you, Aradju, are indeed my servant, you should both pay attention to my written communications. Come to an understanding, you two! Secure the foundations of the provinces! It is urgent!

The man to whom I have sent you is not your subordinate -- he will not accept orders from your hand! [...] If I do not make my 'Sage of the Assembly' feel just as important as I am, if he does not sit on a throne on a dais, furnished with a high-quality cloth cover, if his feet do not rest on a golden footstool, if he is not allowed by his own highest authority both to appoint and then to remove a governor from his function as governor, an official from his charge, if he does not kill or blind anyone, if he does not elevate his favourite over others -- how else can he secure the provinces? If you truly love me, you will not bear him a grudge!