Here's the oldest known lullaby...
Usa ŋanu usa ŋanu
usa ŋanu ki dumuŋaše
usa kulu ki dumuŋaše
igi badbadani u kunib
igi gunani šuzu ŋarbi
u eme za malilikani
za mallilil u nagule.
Sleep come, sleep come,
Sleep come to my son,
Sleep hasten * to my son!
Put to sleep his open eyes,
Settle your hand upon his sparkling eyes –
As for his murmuring tongue,
Let the murmuring not spoil his sleep.
Notes
*Uncertain of the word that is here.
Transliteration
Lullaby for a Son of Shulgi
Oossa nganoo oossa nganoo
Oossa nganoo kee doomoongashe
Oossa kooloo kee doomoongashe
Eegee badbadanee oo kooneeb
Eegee goonanee shoozoo ngarbee
Oo eme za maleeleekanee
Za malleeleel oo nagoole.
ng as in "ring", "bang", "song"
"e" as in "red"
Many specialists deny the validity of giving transliterations with plain words as there are still too many uncertainties left concerning Sumerian phonetics.
Comments
We didn't post the whole lullaby, as part of it's fragmented. But you can read the full version of the lullaby here. There's an English translation of the full version of the lullaby here.
Copyright © J.A. Black, G. Cunningham, E. Robson, and G. Zólyomi 1998, 1999, 2000; J.A. Black, G. Cunningham, E. Flückiger-hawker, E. Robson, J. Taylor, and G. Zólyomi 2001. The authors have asserted their moral rights.
