Chapter 3: Lady

Supplicant: O Lady of Myriad Offices,
Your supplicant draws near
And stands before you as Enḫeduanna, whose heart longs after you;
Ára, Nin-me-šara!

O Holy Torch Who Fills the Heavens,
Your supplicant draws near
And stands before you as Enḫeduanna, whose hands are raised in supplication;
Ára, Nin-diĝir-si-an-na!

O Queen of Heaven and Earth,
Your supplicant draws near
And stands before you as Enḫeduanna, whose tears are as prayers;
Ára, Nin-ĝeš-ḫur-an-na!

Speak, O holy one, that I may know your majesty!

The Goddess: I dress in power and majesty,
Like the sun and moon, each in their turn;
My head is crowned with the light of salvation.

I dress in virtue and splendor like a holy priestess;
My hands and feet are jeweled with mercy, grace, favor, and peace
And the radiance of my heart is without limitation.

I dress in gold, and carnelian, and the lapis garments of a queen;
My shadow is a rainbow stretching forth over the face of the earth.

Supplicant: Speak, O holy one, that I may know your majesty!

The Goddess: Rising up as the radiant star of the East
I take that which is mine to drive out of my most holy place.
The people concede and relinquish their despair into my hands;
I lift up that which has been cast down, and restore the broken.

Rising up as the eternal star of Heaven
I lay hold of that which is due to me.
The people offer up their holy sacrifices;
I am moved by their devotion and draw them to my side.

Rising up as the shining star of the West
I seize that which would be given to another.
The kings of the earth concede and lead their subjects to my holy temple;
There I make them my priests and priestesses, my reed-men and reed-women,
My lamentation singers and sword-wielding dancers.

Supplicant: Speak, O holy one, that I may know your majesty!