Ninshubur
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Ninshubur (𒀭𒊩𒌆𒋚, also known as Ninshubar, Nincubura or Ninšubur) was the sukkal or second-in-command of the goddess Inanna in Sumerian mythology. Her name means "Queen of the East" in ancient Sumerian. Ninshubur served as a messenger to the other gods.
Quotes[edit]
- I will soothe hearts, I will soothe spirits. I will appease the Anuna gods. [...] I, who am to serve -- I, the tutelary deity, who am to serve. [...] I will make the young lady, Inana, born in the shining mountains, rejoice.
- In A hymn to Ninshubur (Ninshubur A), late 3rd millennium BCE, at The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.
Quotes about Ninshubur[edit]
- The god who distributes the divine powers, who utters pleasing words, [...] the linen-clad god of the abzu, the chief administrator, who makes the oracular responses favourable, whose words are pre-eminent; the powerful one at the bow of the boat "Stag of the Abzu", the lord of wide and complete wisdom, the minister who knows An's secrets, with whom no god can compare; the lord of the protective goddesses; him whose great sweet eyes inspire confidence, who provides the Anuna gods, the great gods, with food offerings; the adviser who comes forth from the skies, who is worthy of holy Inana; without whom no lord or king could receive the lofty sceptre -- to Nincubur, the merciful god who listens to prayers and supplications.
- Letter from Kug-Nanna to Ninshubur, 3rd millennium BCE, at The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.
- Note: the gender of a sukkal always matches the gender of the deity they serves, in this case the god An.
- Lady, good seed of the Land, minister of An! Minister of An, mother Nincubur! From the interior of heaven, An bestowed upon you, and Enlil destined as your fate, that you should take a lapis-lazuli sceptre in your hand and proceed in front of An. As if you were a fecund ewe caring for its lambs, a fecund goat caring for its kids, or a fertile bearing mother caring for her children, through your powers folds are erected and pens are fenced off. In the folds erected through your powers and in the pens fenced off through your powers.
- A hymn to Ninshubur (Ninshubur A), late 3rd millennium BCE, at The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.
- The servant (ubur), the wise suppliant, [...] has taken her seat in her city Akkil.
- A hymn to Ninshubur (Ninshubur B), late 3rd millennium BCE, at The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.
- Servant, as you took your seat on the lofty dais, Nincubur, as you took your seat, as you took your seat on the dais like father Enlil, as you took your seat like Enlil and Ninlil, (you said:) "I, like my mother, I, Kaka, will ride high in joy like my mother! I, Nincubur I, Kaka, will ride high in joy like my mother."
- A hymn to Ninshubur (Ninshubur B), late 3rd millennium BCE, at The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.
- My faithful minister of the E-ana, my Nincubur of the E-ana, (you said:) "I, the august minister of the universe, I, Nincubur of the universe, the faithful minister of the Anuna gods, Nincubur of the Anuna gods, the faithful minister, the personal god of the Land, Nincubur, the personal god of the Land, the faithful minister, the mother of the Land, Nincubur, the mother of the Land, [...] I will ride high in joy!".
- A hymn to Ninshubur (Ninshubur B), late 3rd millennium BCE, at The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature.
- If it pleases you, my god, allow me to soothe your angry heart, so that your spirit will be assuaged. May the mackim demon that perpetrates evil be ripped apart, so that he will flee my body. May the asag demon be extirpated from my limbs, so that my dark days will become bright. I cannot bear your heavy punishment any longer; declare that "It is over"! May I, the humble servant, not be destroyed; declare that "It is over"!
