the people and the old men (alike will laugh
at me).' Ea opened his mouth and said, he speaks to me his servant: '(If
they laugh at thee) thou shalt say unto them, (Every one) who has turned
against me and (dis-believes the oracle that) has been given me, ... I
will judge above and below. (But as for thee) shut (not) the door (until)
the time comes of which I will send thee word. (Then) enter the door of
the ship, and bring into the midst of it thy corn, thy property, and thy
goods, thy (family), thy household, thy concubines, and the sons of the
people. The cattle of the field, the wild beasts of the field, as many as
I would preserve, I will send unto thee, and they shall keep thy door.'
Sisuthros opened his mouth and speaks; he says to Ea, his lord: '(O my
lord) no one yet has built a ship (in this fashion) on land to contain the
beasts (of the field). (The plan?) let me see and the ship (I will build).
On the land the ship (I will build) as thou hast commanded me.'...

(Col. II) "... On the fifth day (after it was begun) in its circuit(?)
fourteen measures its hull (measured); fourteen measures measured (the
roof) above it. I made it a dwelling-house(?).... I enclosed it. I
compacted it six times, I divided (its passages) seven times, I divided
its interior (seven) times. Leaks for the waters in the midst of it I cut
off. I saw the rents, and what was wanting I added. Three _sari_ of
bitumen I poured over the outside. Three _sari_ of bitumen I poured over
the inside. Three _sari_ of men, carrying baskets, who carried on their
heads food, I provided, even a _saros_ of food for the people to eat,
while two _sari_ of food the boatmen shared. To (the gods) I caused oxen
to be sacrificed; I (established offerings) each day. In (the ship) beer,
food, and wine (I collected) like the waters of a river, and (I heaped
them up) like the dust(?) of the earth, and (in the ship) the food with my
hand I placed. (With the help) of Samas [the Sun-God] the compacting of
the ship was finished; (all parts of the ship) were made strong, and I
caused the tackling to be carried above and below. (Then of my household)
went two-thirds: all that I had I heaped together; all that I had of
silver I heaped together; all that I had of gold I heaped together; all
that I had of the seed of life I heaped together. I brought the whole up
into the ship; all my slaves and concubines, the cattle of the field, the
beasts of the field, the sons of the peo