Tablet XI, Section 1a

THE ELEVENTH TABLET. THE FLOOD. . Gilgamish unto him spake, to Uta-Napishtim the Distant: "Uta-Napishtim, upon thee I gaze, (yet) in no wise thy presence Strange is, (for) thou art like me, and in no wise different art thou; 5. Thou art like me; (yea) a stomach for fighting doth make thee consummate, [Aye, and to rest (?)] on thy back thou dost lie. [O tell me (?)], how couldst thou Stand in th’ Assemblage of Gods to petition for life (everlasting)?" Uta-Napishtim (addressing him thus) unto Gilgamish answer'd: "Gilgamish, I unto thee will discover the (whole) hidden story, 10. Aye, and the rede of the Gods will I tell thee. The City Shurippak — (O ’tis) a city thou knowest!—is set [on the marge] of Euphrates, Old is this city, with gods in its midst. (Now), the great gods a deluge Purposed to bring: . . . . . . there was Anu, their sire; their adviser Warrior Enlil; Ninurta , their herald; their leader(?) Ennugi; Nin-igi-azag—’tis Ea—, (albeit) conspirator with them, 20. Unto a reed-hut their counsel betray’d he: "O Reed-hut, O Reed-hut! Wall, wall! Hearken, O Reed-hut, consider, O Wall! O thou Mortal, Thou of Shurippak, thou scion of Ubara-Tutu, a dwelling 25. Pull down, (and) fashion a vessel (therewith); abandon possessions, Life do thou seek, (and) thy hoard disregard, and save life; every creature Make to embark in the vessel. The vessel, which thou art to fashion, 30. Apt be its measure; its beam and its length be in due correspondence, (Then) [on] the deep do thou launch it." And I—sooth, I apprehending, (This wise) to Ea, my lord, did I speak: '[See], Lord, what thou sayest 35. Thus, do I honour, I'll do—(but) to city, to people, and elders Am I, forsooth, to explain?' (Then) Ea made answer in speaking, Saying to me—me, his henchman!—'Thou mortal, shalt speak to them this wise: "’Tis me alone (?) whom Enlil so hateth that I in your city 40. No (more) may dwell, nor turn my face unto the land which is Enlil's. [I will go] down to the Deep, (there) dwelling with Ea, my [liege] lord, (Wherefore) [on] you will he shower down plenty, yea, fowl [in great number(?)], 45. Booty of fish . . . . [and big] the harvest. . . . . . . . . causing a plentiful rainfall (?) to come down upon you."' ________________________________ [(Then) when something] of morning had dawn’d . . . . . 55. Pitch did the children provide, (while) the strong brought [all] that was needful. (Then) on the fifth day (after) I laid out the shape (of my vessel), Ten gar each was the height of her sides, in accord with her planning(?), Ten gar to match was the size of her deck (?), and the shape of the forepart (?) 60.