As I duly unpacked and explained the different layers of meaning in A praise-poem to Shulgi, the astute reader will have noticed the Sumerian penchant for being economical with vowels – a practice later adopted by Egyptian writing (hieroglyphics), which then influenced Hebrew writing likewise. In the case of Sumerian, it was, evidently, specifically to enable one to insert vowel ‘fillers’ that could lead one to several different – but intended – layers of meaning.
The ‘filling’ process, nevertheless, operated according to certain precise rules I now understand …but these are well beyond the intended scope of these articles. Instead, before even unveiling the text-corpus of Enki’s journey to N’ibiru, let us start with the conventional translation for the epic’s Line 9 to 14, which I extracted as best capturing the scribe’s initial excitement at preparing to accompany Enki, his ‘god’ and master, on the long journey to the planet N’ibiru. It reads: (9) “An artfully made bright crenellation rising out from the Abzu… (10) … was erected for lord Nudimmud. (11) He built the temple from precious metal…(12) …decorated it with lapis lazuli, and covered it abundantly with gold. (13) In Eridug, he built the house on the bank. (14) Its brickwork makes utterances and gives advice.”
