44. it did eat, it swam, and turned away, it did not come back.
45. I sent (the animals) forth to the four winds, I sacrificed a sacrifice,
46. I built an altar on the peak[31] of the mountain,
48. at the bottom of them I spread reeds, pines, and juniper.
49. The gods smelt the savour, the gods smelt the good savour;
50. the gods like flies over the sacrificer gathered.
51. From afar also the great goddess at her approach
52. lifted up the mighty arches (_i.e._ the rainbow) which Anu had created as his glory.
53. The crystal of those gods before me (_i.e._ the rainbow) never may I forget;
1. those days I devised with longing that I might never forget.
4. for he did not consider and had made a whirlwind,
5. and my people he consigned to the abyss.’
7. saw, the ship he stopped; Bel was filled with anger against the gods and the spirits of heaven:
8. ‘Let no one come out alive, never may a man live in the abyss.’
9. Ninip his mouth opened, and spake; he says to the warrior Bel:
10. ‘Who is it except Hea that forms a resolution?
12. Hea his mouth opened and spake, he says to the warrior Bel:
13. ‘Thou messenger of the gods, warrior,
14. as thou didst not consider a deluge thou madest.
15. The doer of sin bore his sin, the blasphemer bore his blasphemy.
16. Never may the just prince be cut off, never may the faithful (be destroyed).
17. Instead of thy making a deluge, may lions come and men be diminished;
18. instead of thy making a deluge, may hyænas come and men be diminished;
19. instead of thy making a deluge, may a famine happen and the country be (destroyed);
20. instead of thy making a deluge, may pestilence come and men be destroyed.
21. I did not reveal the judgment of the gods.
22. To Adrakhasis (Xisuthrus) a dream I sent, and the judgment of the gods he heard.’
23. Again also Bel considers, (_literally_, again consideration was considered); he approaches the midst of the ship.
24. He took my hand and caused me to ascend up,
25. he caused (me) to ascend; he united my wife to my side;
26. he turned unto us and fixes himself in covenant with us; he approaches us:
27. ‘Formerly Adrakhasis (was) mortal, but
28. again also Adrakhasis and his wife to live as gods are taken away, and
29. Adrakhasis also dwells in a remote place at the mouth of the rivers.’