Tablet XI, Section 1d

Then Enlil, on his arrival, Spied out the vessel, and (straightway) did Enlil burst into anger, Swollen with wrath ’gainst the gods, the Igigi : 'Hath any of mortals ’Scaped? Sooth, never a man could have lived through (the welter of) ruin.' (Then) did Ninurta make answer and speak unto warrior Enlil, 175. Saying: 'O, who can there be to devise such a plan, except Ea? Surely, ’tis Ea is privy to ev’ry design.' Whereat Ea Answer’d and spake unto Enlil, the warrior, saying: 'O chieftain Thou of the gods, thou warrior! How, forsooth, how (all) uncounsell’d 150. Couldst thou a deluge bring on? (Aye,) visit his sin on the sinner Visit his guilt on the guilty, (but) O, have mercy, that (thereby) He shall not be cut off; be clement, that he may not [perish]. O, instead of thy making a flood, let a lion come, man to diminish; O, instead of thy making a flood, let a jackal come, man to diminish; O, instead of thy making a flood, let a famine occur, that the country 185. May be [devour’d(?)]; instead of thy making a flood, let the Plague-god Come and the people [o’erwhelm]; Sooth, indeed ’twas not I of the Great Gods the secret revealéd, (But) to th’ Abounding in Wisdom vouchsafed I a dream, and (in this wise) He of the gods heard the secret. Deliberate, now, on his counsel'. 190. (Then) to the Ark came up Enlil; my hand did he grasp, and uplifted Me, even me, and my wife, too, he raised, and, bent-kneed beside me, Made her to kneel; our foreheads he touch’d as he stood there between us, Blessing us; 'Uta-Napishtim hath hitherto only been mortal, Now, indeed, Uta-Napishtim and (also) his wife shall be equal 195. Like to us gods; in the distance afar at the mouth of the rivers Uta-Napishtim shall dwell'. (So) they took me and (there) in the distance Caused me to dwell at the mouth of the rivers. But thee, as for thee, pray, Who will assemble the gods for thy (need), that the life which thou seekest Thou mayst discover? Come, fall not asleep for six days, aye, a se’nnight!" . 200. (Then), while he sat on his haunches a sleep like a breeze breathed upon him. Spake to her, Uta-Napishtim, yea, unto his wife: "O, behold him, E’en the strong fellow who asketh for life, (how) hath breathéd upon him 205. Sleep like a breeze!" (Then) his wife unto Uta-Napishtim the Distant Answer 'd: "O, touch him, and let the man wake, that the road he hath traversed He may betake himself homeward in peace, that he by the portal Whence he fared forth may return to his land." Spake Uta-Napishtim, 210. (Yea), to his wife: "(How) the troubles of mortals do trouble thee also! Bake then his flour (and) put at his head, but the time he is sleeping On the house-wall do thou mark it.