qx-0093 · 美索不达米亚
伊什塔尔下冥界
过七道门，一件一件交出去
原文影录
原文已校照录公版文本，不改一字。异体字与阙文一仍其旧。
出 伊什塔尔下冥界（泥板 K 162） · 《迦勒底创世记》第十四章「伊什塔尔历险」所收泥板 K 162（冥界下行泥板；史密斯判为可能是伊兹杜巴尔即吉尔伽美什史诗第六块泥板的插曲，但该泥板为独立作品） · 译者 乔治·史密斯（George Smith, 1876，《迦勒底创世记》英译） · 核校出处
照录乔治·史密斯（George Smith）1876 年《迦勒底创世记》第十四章的英译，篇目为泥板 K 162。
行首数字为原书行号，圆括号内为原书所加的补字与存疑标记，「……」标示删节的行。
1. To Hades the land whence none return, the land (of darkness),
2. Istar daughter of Sin (the moon) her ear (inclined);
3. inclined also the daughter of Sin her ear,
4. to the house of darkness the dwelling of the god Irkalla,
5. to the house out of which there is no exit,
6. to the road from which there is no return,
7. to the house from whose entrance the light is taken,
8. the place where dust is their nourishment and their food mud.
9. Light is never seen, in darkness they dwell.
10. Its chiefs also are like birds covered with feathers,
11. over the door and bolts is scattered dust.
12. Istar on her arrival at the gate of Hades,
13. to the keeper of the gate a command she addresses:
14. Keeper of the waters, open thy gate,
15. open thy gate that I may enter.
16. If thou openest not the gate that I may enter,
17. I will strike the door, the bolts I will shatter,
18. I will strike the threshold and will pass through the doors;
19. I will raise up the dead to devour the living,
20. above the living the dead shall exceed in numbers.
……
25. The keeper descended and says to Allat:
26. This water (of life) thy sister Istar (comes to seek).
27. The queen of the great vaults (of heaven) ....
28. Allat on hearing this says:
29. Like the cutting off of the herb has (Istar) descended (into Hades),
30. like the lip of a deadly insect (?) she has ...
31. What will her heart bring me (_i.e._ matter to me), what will her anger (bring me)?
32: (Istar replies:) This water with (my husband)
33. like food would I eat, like beer would I drink.
34. Let me weep over the strong who have left their wives.
35. Let me weep over the handmaids who (have lost) the embraces of their husbands.
36. Over the only son let me mourn, who ere his days are come is taken away.
37. (Allat says:) Go keeper open thy gate to her,
38. bewitch her also according to the ancient rules.
39. The keeper went and opened his gate:
40. Enter, O lady, let the city of Cutha[22] receive thee;
41. let the palace of Hades rejoice at thy presence.
42. The first gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw down the great crown of her head.
43. Why, O keeper, hast thou thrown down the great crown of my head?
44. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order.
45. The second gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the earrings of her ears.
46. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the earrings of my ears?
47. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order.
48. The third gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the necklace[23] of her neck.
49. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the necklace of my neck?
50. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order.
51. The fourth gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the ornaments of her breast.
52. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the ornaments of my breast?
53. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order.
54. The fifth gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the gemmed girdle of her waist.
55. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the gemmed girdle of my waist?
56. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order.
57. The sixth gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the bracelets of her hands and her feet.
58. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the bracelets of my hands and my feet?
59. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order.
60. The seventh gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the covering robe of her body.
61. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the covering robe of my body?
62. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order.
63. When for a long time Istar into Hades had descended,
64. Allat saw her and at her presence was arrogant;
65. Istar did not take counsel, at her she swore.
66. Allat her mouth opened and speaks,
67. to Namtar (the plague-demon) her messenger a command she addresses:
68. Go Namtar [take Istar from] me and
69. take her out to .... even Istar
70. diseased eyes (strike) her with,
71. diseased side (strike) her with,
72. diseased feet (strike) her with,
73. diseased heart (strike) her with,
74. diseased head (strike) her with,
75. strike her, the whole of her [strike with disease].
76. After Istar the lady [into Hades had descended],
77. with the cow the bull would not unite, and the ass the female ass would not approach;
78. the female slave in the streets would not let herself be touched.
79. The freeman ceased to give his command,
80. the female slave ceased to give her gift.
……
COLUMN II.
1. Papsukul, the messenger of the great gods bowed his face before (Samas);
2. ..............
3. Samas (the sun-god) went and in the presence of his father the moon-god he stood,
4. into the presence of Hea the king he went in tears:
5. Istar into the lower regions has descended, she has not ascended back;
6. for a long time Istar into Hades has descended,
7. with the cow the bull will not unite, the ass the female ass will not approach;
8. the female slave in the street will not let herself be touched;
9. the freeman has ceased to give his command,
10. the female slave has ceased to give her gift.
11. Hea in the wisdom of his heart formed a resolution,
12. and made Atsu-sunamir[24] the sphinx:[25]
13. Go Atsu-sunamir towards the gates of Hades set thy face;
14. may the seven gates of Hades be opened at thy presence;
15. may Allat see thee and rejoice at thy presence;
16. when she shall be at rest in her heart, and her liver be appeased.
17. Conjure her by the name of the great gods.
18. Raise thy heads, to the roaring stream set thy ear;
19. may the lady (Istar) overmaster the roaring stream, the waters in the midst of it may she drink.
……
29. Allat her mouth opened and speaks,
30. to Namtar her messenger a command she addresses:
31. Go, Namtar, strike the firmly-fixed palace,
32. the _ashêrim_[26] adorn with stones of the dawn,
33. bid the spirits of earth come forth, on a throne of gold seat (them),
34. unto Istar give the waters of life and bring her before me.
35. Namtar went, he struck the firmly-fixed palace,
36. the _ashêrim_ he adorned with stones of the dawn,
37. he brought forth the spirits of earth, on a throne of gold he seated (them).
38. To Istar he gave the waters of life and took her.
39. The first gate he passed her out of, and he restored to her the covering robe of her body.
40. The second gate he passed her out of, and he restored to her the bracelets of her hands and her feet.
41. The third gate he passed her out of, and he restored to her the gemmed girdle of her waist.
42. The fourth gate he passed her out of, and he restored to her the ornaments of her breast.
43. The fifth gate he passed her out of, and he restored to her the necklace of her neck.
44. The sixth gate he passed her out of, and he restored to her the earrings of her ears.
45. The seventh gate he passed her out of, and he restored to her the great crown of her head.
46. Since thou hast not paid, (he says) a ransom for thy deliverance to her (_i.e._ Allat), so to her again turn back
47. for Tammuz the husband of (thy) youth;
48. the glistening waters pour over (him), the drops (sprinkle upon him);
49. in splendid clothing dress him, with a ring of crystal adorn (him).
50. May Samkhat appease the grief (of Istar),
51. and, Kharimat,[27] give to her comfort.
52. The precious eye-stones also she destroyed not,
53. the wound of her brother (Tammuz) she heard, she smote (her breast), she, even Kharimat, gave her comfort;
54. the precious eye-stones, her amulets, she commanded not,
55. (saying): O my only brother, thou dost not lament for me.
56. In the day that Tammuz adorned me, with a ring of crystal, with a bracelet of emeralds, together with himself he adorned me,
57. with himself he adorned me; may men mourners and women mourners
58. on a bier place (him), and assemble the wake.
白话直译
逐句对应的现代汉语直译，力求不增益、不修饰。
第 1—3 行：到冥界去，那是无人回返的土地，是（黑暗）的土地；月神辛的女儿伊什塔尔把耳朵（侧过去听）。辛的女儿也侧耳倾听。
第 4—11 行：到黑暗的居所去，那是神伊尔卡拉住的屋子；是有进无出的屋子；是有去无回的路；是入口处光被夺走的屋子；那里尘埃是养料，泥土是食物；光从来见不到，他们在黑暗里住着；那里的头领也像长满羽毛的鸟；门上和门闩上撒着尘土。
第 12—20 行：伊什塔尔到了冥界门口，对守门人下命令：守水的人，开门，开门让我进去。你若不打开门让我进去，我就打门，打碎门闩，打门槛，穿门而过；我要让死人上来吃活人，让死人比活人多。
第 25—33 行：守门人下去对阿拉特说：你的妹妹伊什塔尔（来寻）这水（生命之水）。那（天上）大拱顶的女王……阿拉特听见这话说：伊什塔尔下（到冥界）来，像割断的草；像毒虫的嘴唇（？）她……她的心能给我带来什么，她的怒气（能给我带来什么）？（伊什塔尔回答：）这水同（我丈夫一起），我当食物吃，当啤酒喝。
第 34—36 行：让我为那些离弃了妻子的强者哭；让我为那些（失去了）丈夫拥抱的女仆哭；为那独子哭，他日子未到就被带走。
第 37—41 行：阿拉特说：去，守门的，给她开门，也照古来的规矩把她迷住。守门人去开了门：进来吧，女主人，让库塔城接待你，让冥界的宫殿因你的到来而欢喜。
第 42—62 行：他让她进第一道门，碰了她一下，把她头上的大王冠扔了下去。她说：守门的，你为什么把我头上的大王冠扔下去？他说：进来吧，女主人，阿拉特就是这样吩咐的。第二道门，他扔掉了她耳朵上的耳环；第三道门，扔掉她颈上的项链；第四道门，扔掉她胸前的饰物；第五道门，扔掉她腰上的宝石腰带；第六道门，扔掉她手腕和脚上的镯子；第七道门，扔掉她遮身的袍子。每一次她都问为什么，每一次得到的回答都是：进来吧，女主人，阿拉特就是这样吩咐的。
第 63—75 行：伊什塔尔下到冥界很久之后，阿拉特看见她，在她面前骄横起来；伊什塔尔没有商量（一作「没有拿定主意」），对着她起了誓。阿拉特开口，对使者纳姆塔尔（瘟疫之魔）下令：去，纳姆塔尔，[把伊什塔尔从我这里带走]，把她带出去……让她眼睛生病，让她腰生病，让她脚生病，让她心生病，让她头生病，打她，打她全身[都打上病]。
第 76—80 行：伊什塔尔这位女主人[下到冥界]之后，公牛不再与母牛交配，公驴不再靠近母驴；街上的女奴不让人碰她；自由民不再下命令，女奴不再送礼。
第二栏第 1—10 行：众大神的使者帕普苏库尔把脸伏在（沙马什）面前；沙马什去站在他父亲月神面前，流着泪到国王埃阿面前：伊什塔尔下到下层去了，她没有再上来；伊什塔尔下到冥界很久了，公牛不再与母牛交配，公驴不再靠近母驴；街上的女奴不让人碰她；自由民不再下命令，女奴不再送礼。
第二栏第 11—19 行：埃阿凭心里的智慧定下一个主意，造出阿特苏·苏纳米尔，即「斯芬克斯」：去，阿特苏·苏纳米尔，把脸转向冥界的大门；愿冥界的七道门在你面前打开；愿阿拉特看见你，因你的到来而欢喜；愿她心里安定，肝火平息。你以众大神的名字向她请求。抬起你的头，把耳朵凑向那咆哮的急流；愿这位女主人（伊什塔尔）胜过那急流，喝到急流中间的水。
第二栏第 29—38 行：阿拉特开口，对使者纳姆塔尔下令：去，纳姆塔尔，敲击那座坚固的宫殿，用晨光之石装饰祭柱（_ashêrim_），叫地下的精灵出来，让他们坐在金座上；把生命之水给伊什塔尔，把她带到我面前。纳姆塔尔去了，敲击那座坚固的宫殿，用晨光之石装饰祭柱，叫地下的精灵出来，让他们坐在金座上。他把生命之水给了伊什塔尔，把她带了出来。
第二栏第 39—45 行：出第一道门，他把遮身的袍子还给她；出第二道门，还她手腕和脚上的镯子；出第三道门，还她腰上的宝石腰带；出第四道门，还她胸前的饰物；出第五道门，还她颈上的项链；出第六道门，还她耳朵上的耳环；出第七道门，还她头上的大王冠。
第二栏第 46—58 行：（他对她）说：既然你没有为获释向（阿拉特）付出赎金，那就再回到她那里去——为你年轻时的丈夫塔穆兹；把发亮的水浇在（他）身上，把水滴（洒在他身上）；给他穿上华美的衣服，用水晶的环装饰（他）。愿萨姆哈特平息（伊什塔尔的）悲伤，愿哈里马特给她安慰。她也不曾毁掉那些珍贵的眼石；她听见她兄弟（塔穆兹）的伤，她（捶自己的胸），她，就是哈里马特，给了她安慰；那些珍贵的眼石、她的护符，她没有下令（处置），（只说）：我的独兄弟啊，你不为我哀哭。在塔穆兹装饰我的那一天，他用水晶的环、用翡翠的镯子，连他自己一起把我装饰起来；连他自己一起把我装饰起来；愿男哭丧人和女哭丧人把他放上尸床，聚起守夜的人群。
AI 重述
以原文为骨架的文学重述。情节与结局依原典，仅语言与叙事视角重写。
月神辛的女儿伊什塔尔决定去一个地方。那是冥界，有去无回的土地，黑暗的居所：尘埃是那里的食粮，泥土是那里的食物，光从来没有进去过，门和门闩上落着尘土。她走到门口，对守门人说的第一句话是命令：开门，让我进去；你若不开，我就打碎门闩，让死人上来吃活人，让死人比活人多。
守门人不敢做主，下去禀报冥界女王阿拉特。阿拉特听见妹妹的名字就恼了，说她像被割断的草一样下来，问她到底想拿走什么。但她还是下令开门，并且加上一句：照古来的规矩办。
门开了。第一道门，守门人碰了她一下，把她头上的大王冠扔下去。她问为什么，回答是：进来吧，女主人，阿拉特就是这样吩咐的。第二道门是耳环，第三道是颈上的项链，第四道是胸前的饰物，第五道是腰上的宝石腰带，第六道是手腕和脚上的镯子，第七道是遮身的袍子。七道门走完，她身上再没有一件可交的东西。她站在阿拉特面前，阿拉特看着她骄横起来，伊什塔尔对着她起了誓。阿拉特叫来瘟疫之魔纳姆塔尔，吩咐他把病打在她眼睛上、腰上、脚上、心上、头上，打她全身。
她留在下面的时候，地上的一切停住了。公牛不再与母牛交配，公驴不再靠近母驴；街上的女奴不让人碰她；自由民不再下命令，女奴不再送礼。
众大神的使者帕普苏库尔把脸伏在太阳神沙马什面前。沙马什流着泪去见国王埃阿，说伊什塔尔下去了，没有再上来。埃阿凭心里的智慧定下一个主意，造出阿特苏·苏纳米尔，命他面向冥界的大门：七道门会在你面前打开，你以众大神的名字向阿拉特请求，把生命之水给伊什塔尔。
阿拉特看见这个发光的使者，捶胸咬牙，威胁要把他关进地牢，让他吃城基的垃圾、喝城里的污水。可她终究还是吩咐纳姆塔尔：敲击那座坚固的宫殿，用晨光之石装饰祭柱，叫地下的精灵出来坐在金座上；把生命之水给伊什塔尔，带她到我面前。
出来的时候，一件一件还回来：第一道门还袍子，第二道还镯子，第三道还腰带，第四道还胸饰，第五道还项链，第六道还耳环，第七道还那顶大王冠。七件都回到了她身上，她却不能空手走。使者对她说：你没有为获释付过赎金，所以你要再回到这里——为你年轻时的丈夫塔穆兹。把发亮的水浇在他身上，给他穿华美的衣服，用水晶的环装饰他。于是萨姆哈特来平息她的悲伤，哈里马特来给她安慰。最后留下的话是哭丧：我的独兄弟啊，你不为我哀哭；在那一天他用水晶的环、翡翠的镯子，连他自己一起把我装饰起来——如今要把他也放上尸床，聚起守夜的人群。
按语
编纂者就该条所见母题、异文与流传所作的说明。
E01 至今的五种「下冥」。希腊的俄耳甫斯（qx-0040）是生者下去要回一个人，条款只有一条：不许回头。日本的伊邪那岐（qx-0041）是生者下去追妻，看见真相之后决裂。中国的胡母班（qx-0044）是受人之托送一封信，带回来的是一个位置。埃及的称心仪式（qx-0091）下冥界的不是生者，是死者自己去受审。美索不达米亚这一条又不一样：下行本身要按门收费，代价是自动扣除的。七道门就是七次结算，每过一道交出一件——王冠、耳环、项链、胸饰、宝石腰带、手镯、遮身的袍子——到最深处她一无所有。俄耳甫斯的代价来自他做了什么（回头）；称心仪式的代价来自他会不会说（答辩词）；伊什塔尔的代价与她的行为无关，只与她走到第几道门有关。这是 E01 里唯一一个把下行的深度直接换算成价格的版本：冥界不是不许你来，是每往里一步都要剥掉一层。
冥界不允许空手而归。她被放出来，七件饰物按逆序一件件还了回去，但账并没有清：「既然你没有为获释向（阿拉特）付出赎金，那就再回到她那里去——为你年轻时的丈夫塔穆兹。」她走的时候得带一个替身。这与阿尔刻提斯（qx-0053）正好互为镜像：那里是生者替死者，阿德墨托斯该下冥界，妻子自愿替他去；这里是死者找替身，女神被放回人间，她的丈夫被留下。前者是一份写进条款的自愿契约，后者是一笔当场划账的欠款。和伊邪那岐对比，差别更清楚：伊邪那岐那趟交易根本没谈成——伊邪那美已经吃了黄泉的饭食，回不来了，代价被摊给世上所有人（一天死一千人）；伊什塔尔那趟交易谈成了，代价精确地落在某一个人头上，有名有姓。
七件饰物与季节。水里来、水里去的光，被剥光又还回来，这种结构使后世读者很自然把它读成一个循环：女神下去时大地停止生育（公牛不与母牛交配，公驴不靠近母驴，女奴不让人碰，奴隶不再送礼），她回来时生育随之恢复，替身塔穆兹则按年受哭——于是有塔穆兹/阿多尼斯的死而复生，有耶利米书里为塔穆兹哀哭的记载。这是后世的解读。这段文本本身只写下行、剥衣、病、停育、放回、替身，没有一句话说它讲的是四季。史密斯 1876 年就在同一章的解说里把它读成「太阳的冬眠与春天的复活」，那已经是他那一代人的解释框架，而不是泥板上的字。
文本问题。史密斯这一版是 1870 年代的早期释读，泥板残损，行文中大量圆括号补字与「(?)」「....」的空缺标记；结尾「她兄弟的伤」「珍贵的眼石」几行，史密斯自己都说「泥板后段相当晦涩」，今天的读者读到的仍是残句。此外，同一部书里伊什塔尔的出身前后不一：史诗部分称她是阿努的女儿，这块泥板开头却称她是月神辛的女儿——史密斯本人也指出了这处分歧。至于冥界女王，史密斯一律写作 Allat（阿拉特），即通常所谓埃列什基伽尔；他的译文还在正文里把伊什塔尔说成「月神」，那是 19 世纪释读的偏差，她的星是金星。人名与神名的这些写法属于史密斯的系统，引用时不可与他书混用。