The piece is thought to have been inspired by the tension between Sumerian farmers and herdsmen who both required land. Sheepherders needed extensive land for grazing, but this was often occupied by fields of grain, and where it was not, irrigation ditches and canals presented obstacles for moving a flock. The shepherds would appeal to their goddess, Lahar, for help against the farmers while the latter appealed to their own goddess of grains, Ashnan, to protect their fields from the shepherds. The Debate Between Sheep and Grain is often interpreted as an argument between these two goddesses in the great banquet hall after they have become drunk.

? ? ? ? ? 人們認(rèn)為這篇文章的靈感來(lái)自蘇美爾農(nóng)民和牧民之間的緊張關(guān)系，他們都需要土地。牧羊人需要大量的土地來(lái)放牧，但這些土地往往被糧田占據(jù)，而在沒(méi)有糧田的地方，灌溉溝渠和運(yùn)河成為羊群移動(dòng)的障礙。牧羊人會(huì)向他們的女神拉哈爾（Lahar）求助，以對(duì)抗農(nóng)民，而農(nóng)民則向他們自己的谷物女神阿什南 (Ashnan)求助，以保護(hù)他們的田地免受牧羊人的侵害。綿羊和谷物之間的辯論通常被解釋為這兩位女神在大宴會(huì)廳中喝醉后的爭(zhēng)論。

The piece was popular entertainment, based on the number of copies found at the Temple Library of Nippur and elsewhere in the mid-19th through the mid-20th centuries. Debate pieces were presented in ancient Mesopotamia as dramatic performances at courts by professional actors taking the parts of the narrator and the contestants.

? ? ? ? ? 根據(jù)19世紀(jì)中葉至20世紀(jì)中葉在尼普爾神廟圖書(shū)館和其他地方發(fā)現(xiàn)的副本數(shù)量，該作品很受歡迎。辯論作品在古代美索不達(dá)米亞以戲劇表演的形式出現(xiàn)在法庭上，由專業(yè)演員扮演敘述者和參賽者的角色。

The Debate Between Sheep and Grain – and the other debates like it – would be comparable to a Broadway play in the modern era whose first run is exclusionary owing to the high price for tickets but, in time, moves to more modest venues accessible for lower prices. A debate piece might have begun its run in the court of a king but later be performed elsewhere for those of the lower classes, as suggested by the number of copies found in various locations.

? ? ? ? ? 綿羊和谷物之間的辯論，以及其他類似的辯論，可以與現(xiàn)代的百老匯戲劇相提并論，由于票價(jià)高昂，它的首次演出帶有階級(jí)排斥性，但隨著時(shí)間的推移，它轉(zhuǎn)移到可以以較低價(jià)格進(jìn)入的更溫和的場(chǎng)所。正如在不同地點(diǎn)發(fā)現(xiàn)的副本數(shù)量所表明，一部辯論作品可能一開(kāi)始在國(guó)王的宮廷中上演，但后來(lái)在其他地方為下層階級(jí)的人演出。

背景介紹

The origin of the debate genre is unclear, but once established, it became a standard part of the curriculum of the edubba ("House of Tablets"), the Sumerian scribal schools. The Debate Between Sheep and Grain was included as one of the more difficult pieces a student needed to master after passing through the Tetrad and Decad phases of instruction. How they might have been used in schools is unclear – they may have been performed by more than one student or recited only by the one who had copied it – but by the Ur III Period (2047-1750 BCE) they were performed regularly at court. Scholar Jeremy Black comments:

? ? ? ? ? Formal debates were a popular entertainment at the court of the kings of the Third Dynasty of Ur. Records survive indicating that payments were made to the performers who took part. Typically, the contest is between two natural phenomena, animals, or materials that are significant to human life: Winter and Summer, Bird and Fish, Sheep and Grain, Tree and Reed, Date Palm and Tamarisk, Hoe and Plough, Silver and Copper. The debate progresses as each contestant, personified, speaks alternately, often with considerable acrimony. Each tries to persuade the audience that it is more beneficial to mankind than the other. (225)

? ? ? ? ? 辯論體裁的起源尚不清楚，但一旦確立，它就成為蘇美爾文士學(xué)校抄寫(xiě)員（Edubba）課程的一個(gè)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)部分?！毒d羊和谷物之間的辯論》被列為學(xué)生在通過(guò)四分法和十分法教學(xué)階段后需要掌握的較難的內(nèi)容之一。這些作品如何在學(xué)校中使用尚不清楚，它們可能由多個(gè)學(xué)生表演，或者只由抄寫(xiě)它的人背誦，但到了烏爾第三王朝（公元前2047-1750年），它們?cè)趯m廷中經(jīng)常被表演。學(xué)者杰里米·布萊克評(píng)論說(shuō)：

? ? ? ? ? 正式辯論是烏爾第三王朝國(guó)王的宮廷中流行的一種娛樂(lè)?，F(xiàn)存的記錄表明，人們向參加的表演者支付了報(bào)酬。通常情況下，比賽是在兩種自然現(xiàn)象、動(dòng)物或?qū)θ祟惿钣幸饬x的材料之間進(jìn)行。冬天和夏天，鳥(niǎo)和魚(yú)，綿羊和谷物，樹(shù)和蘆葦，棗樹(shù)和檉柳，鋤頭和犁，銀和銅。辯論的過(guò)程中，每個(gè)參賽者化身為物，交替發(fā)言，往往相當(dāng)激烈。每個(gè)人都試圖說(shuō)服觀眾，它比另一個(gè)事物更有利于人類。(225)

The debate is usually concluded by a king or god declaring the winner. In the case of The Debate Between Sheep and Grain, Enki, the god of wisdom, decides in favor of Grain, and Enlil, the Father God, decrees it so.

? ? ? ? ? 辯論通常由國(guó)王或神明宣布獲勝者而結(jié)束。在《綿羊和谷物之間的辯論》中，智慧之神恩基決定支持谷物，父神恩利爾也下令如此。

摘? ? ?要

The poem begins as a creation myth in the time of the ancient Anunna gods, before grain or sheep existed and so prior to the time of the younger gods such as Uttu (goddess of weaving, not to be confused with Utu-Shamash, the sun god) or Ningiszida (an underworld, vegetative god associated with agriculture, here possibly given as Nigir-sig in line 16) or Sakkan (the lord of herds and wild animals, sometimes given as Cakkan). The reference to Ezina-Kusu in line 11 is to the other names for (or aspects of) the goddess Ashnan who became more prominent after the earlier agricultural goddess, Nisaba, became the deity of writing.

? ? ? ? ? 這場(chǎng)辯論開(kāi)始于古代阿努納奇（Anunna）諸神時(shí)代的創(chuàng)世神話，當(dāng)時(shí)還沒(méi)有谷物或綿羊，因此也早于年輕的神靈如烏特圖（Uttu，編織女神，不能與太陽(yáng)神烏圖-沙馬什混淆）或Ningiszida（與農(nóng)業(yè)有關(guān)的冥界植物神，這里可能在第16行被稱為尼吉爾-西格）或Sakkan（牧群和野生動(dòng)物的主宰，有時(shí)被稱為Cakkan）。第11行中提到的Ezina-Kusu是指阿什南女神的其他名字（或方面），在早期的農(nóng)業(yè)女神尼薩巴（Nisaba）成為寫(xiě)作之神后，她變得更加突出。

In lines 26-36, the gods create Grain and Sheep but find they do not make satisfying meals and so decide to send them down from their Holy Mountain to the humans. Lines 43-53 depict humanity's interaction with Sheep and Grain, fencing in the one and cultivating the other, a reference to what is now known as animal husbandry and the Agricultural Revolution. Whether domestication of animals or plants was more important to the development of civilization is a debate ongoing in the present day and this piece is understood as the earliest expression of that argument.

? ? ? ? ? 在第26-36行中，眾神創(chuàng)造了谷物和綿羊，但發(fā)現(xiàn)它們不能提供令人滿意的食物，因此決定將它們從圣山上送到人類手中。第43-53行描述了人類與綿羊和谷物的互動(dòng)，他們將羊圍起來(lái)，耕種谷物，這是指現(xiàn)在已知的畜牧業(yè)和農(nóng)業(yè)革命。馴化動(dòng)物還是植物對(duì)文明的發(fā)展誰(shuí)更重要，這是當(dāng)今正在進(jìn)行的一場(chǎng)辯論，而這篇文章被理解為這種爭(zhēng)論的最早表達(dá)。

Sheep and Grain – Lahar and Ashnan – make the world beautiful and the gods An (Anu) and Enlil are satisfied with their decision. Trouble begins when Sheep and Grain become drunk in the dining hall, and Grain claims it is superior to Sheep (lines 65-91). The rest of the poem gives the back-and-forth of the two contestants until lines 180-191 when Enki convinces Enlil to proclaim Grain the winner because it does not need Sheep, but Sheep cannot live without Grain. The last lines end with praise to Enki for his wisdom in recognizing that agriculture is more important than animal husbandry.

? ? ? ? ? 綿羊和谷物——拉哈爾和阿什南——使世界變得美麗，眾神之父An（Anu）和恩利爾（Enlil）對(duì)他們的決定感到滿意。當(dāng)綿羊和谷物在食堂喝醉后，麻煩就開(kāi)始了，谷物聲稱它比綿羊優(yōu)越（第65-91行）。文章其余部分介紹了兩位辯論者的來(lái)回情況，直到第180-191行，恩基說(shuō)服恩利爾宣布谷物獲勝，因?yàn)楣任锊恍枰d羊，但綿羊沒(méi)有谷物就無(wú)法生存。最后幾行以贊美恩基的智慧結(jié)束，他認(rèn)識(shí)到農(nóng)業(yè)比畜牧業(yè)更重要。

原? ? ?文

The following passage is taken from The Literature of Ancient Sumer, translated by Jeremy Black et al. Ellipses indicate missing words or lines, and question marks suggest an alternate translation for a word or phrase.

? ? ? ? ? 以下段落摘自《古蘇美爾文學(xué)》，由杰里米·布萊克等人翻譯。省略號(hào)表示缺少的單詞或行，問(wèn)號(hào)表示某個(gè)單詞或短語(yǔ)的另一種翻譯。

1-11: When, upon the hill of heaven and earth, An spawned the Anuna gods, since he neither spawned nor created Grain with them, and since in the Land he neither fashioned the yarn of Uttu (the goddess of weaving) nor pegged out the loom for Uttu – with no Sheep appearing, there were no numerous lambs, and with no goats, there were no numerous kids, the sheep did not give birth to her twin lambs, and the goat did not give birth to her triplet kids; the Anuna, the great gods, did not even know the names Ezina-Kusu (Grain) or Sheep.

1-11: 在天地之丘上，眾神之父An（Anu）創(chuàng)造了阿努納奇（Anunna）諸神，因?yàn)樗葲](méi)有生產(chǎn)也沒(méi)有和他們一起創(chuàng)造谷物，且在土地上他既沒(méi)有為烏特圖（織布女神）的紗線做造型，也沒(méi)有釘住烏特圖的織布機(jī)——沒(méi)有綿羊出現(xiàn)，就沒(méi)有眾多的羔羊，沒(méi)有山羊，就沒(méi)有眾多的孩子；綿羊沒(méi)有生下她的雙胞胎羔羊，山羊沒(méi)有生下她的三胞胎孩子。阿努納奇，偉大的神靈，甚至不知道Ezina-Kusu（谷物）或綿羊的名字。

12-25: There was no muc grain of thirty days; there was no muc grain of forty days; there was no muc grain of fifty days; there was no small grain, grain from the mountains or grain from the holy habitations. There was no cloth to wear; Uttu had not been born – no royal turban was worn; lord Nigir-sig, the precious lord, had not been born; Sakkan (the god of wild animals) had not gone out into the barren lands. The people of those days did not know about eating bread. They did not know about wearing clothes; they went about with naked limbs in the Land. Like sheep they ate grass with their mouths and drank water from the ditches.

12-25: 三十天沒(méi)有米糧；四十天沒(méi)有米糧；五十天沒(méi)有米糧；沒(méi)有小米、山里的糧食和圣地的糧食。沒(méi)有衣服可以穿；烏特圖還沒(méi)有出生——沒(méi)有戴王室頭巾；尊貴的Nigir-sig 大人也沒(méi)有出生；Cakkan（四足動(dòng)物之神）并沒(méi)有走到貧瘠的土地。那時(shí)候的人不知道吃面包。他們不知道穿衣服；他們光著四肢在土地上走動(dòng)。他們像羊一樣用嘴吃草，喝溝里的水。

26-36: At that time, at the place of the gods' formation, in their own home, on the Holy Mound, they created Sheep and Grain. Having gathered them in the divine banqueting chamber, the Anuna gods of the Holy Mound partook of the bounty of Sheep and Grain but were not sated; the Anuna gods of the Holy Mound partook of the sweet milk of their holy sheepfold but were not sated. For their own well-being in the holy sheepfold, they gave them to mankind as sustenance.

26-36: 當(dāng)時(shí)，在眾神形成的地方，在他們自己的家里，在圣丘上，眾神創(chuàng)造了綿羊和谷物。圣丘的阿努納奇諸神把它們聚集在神圣的宴會(huì)廳里，諸神分享了綿羊和谷物的恩惠，但沒(méi)有得到滿足；圣丘的阿努納奇諸神還喝了圣羊圈的甜奶，也沒(méi)有得到滿足。為了他們自己在神圣羊圈中的幸福，他們把綿羊和谷物送給人類作為食物。

37-42: At that time Enki spoke to Enlil: "Father Enlil, now Sheep and Grain have been created on the Holy Mound, let us send them down from the Holy Mound." Enki and Enlil, having spoken their holy word, sent Sheep and Grain down from the Holy Mound.

37-42: 當(dāng)時(shí)恩基對(duì)恩利爾說(shuō)：“父親，現(xiàn)在綿羊和谷子已經(jīng)在圣丘上創(chuàng)造出來(lái)了，讓我們把它們從圣丘上送下來(lái)?！?恩基和恩利爾在說(shuō)出他們的圣言后，將綿羊和谷子從圣丘上送了下來(lái)。

43-53: Sheep being fenced in by her sheepfold, they gave her grass and herbs generously. For Grain they made her field and gave her the plough, yoke and team. Sheep standing in her sheepfold was a shepherd of the sheepfolds brimming with charm. Grain standing in her furrow was a beautiful girl radiating charm; lifting her raised head up from the field she was suffused with the bounty of heaven. Sheep and Grain had a radiant appearance.

43-53: 羊被圍在羊圈里，他們慷慨地給她草和藥材。他們?yōu)樗鎏?，給她犁、軛和團(tuán)隊(duì)。綿羊站在她的羊圈里，是一個(gè)充滿魅力的羊圈牧人。莊稼站在她的犁溝里，是一個(gè)散發(fā)著魅力的美麗姑娘；她從田里抬起頭來(lái)，充滿了天堂的恩惠。綿羊和谷子都有一個(gè)光芒四射的外表。

54-64: They brought wealth to the assembly. They brought sustenance to the Land. They fulfilled the ordinances of the gods. They filled the storerooms of the Land with stock. The barns of the Land were heavy with them. When they entered the homes of the poor who crouch in the dust, they brought wealth. Both of them, wherever they directed their steps, added to the riches of the household with their weight. Where they stood, they were satisfying; where they settled, they were seemly. They gladdened the heart of An and the heart of Enlil.

54-64: 他們給集會(huì)帶來(lái)財(cái)富。他們給土地帶來(lái)了養(yǎng)料。他們履行了諸神的條例。他們用存貨填滿倉(cāng)房。谷倉(cāng)都被裝滿了。當(dāng)他們進(jìn)入那些蹲在塵土中的窮人家里時(shí)，他們帶來(lái)了財(cái)富。他們兩個(gè)人，無(wú)論腳步走到哪里，都以他們的重量增加了家庭的財(cái)富。他們?cè)谀睦镎玖ⅲ驮谀睦餄M足；他們?cè)谀睦锒ň樱驮谀睦矬w面。他們使眾神之父和恩利爾的心歡欣鼓舞。

65-70: They drank sweet wine, they enjoyed sweet beer. When they had drunk sweet wine and enjoyed sweet beer, they started a quarrel concerning the arable fields, they began a debate in the dining hall.

65-70: 他們喝了甜酒，他們喜歡甜啤酒。喝完甜酒，喝完甜啤酒，就開(kāi)始為耕地的事?tīng)?zhēng)吵，就開(kāi)始在食堂辯論。

71-82: Grain called out to Sheep: "Sister, I am your better; I take precedence over you. I am the glory of the lights of the Land. I grant my power to the sajursaj (a member of the cultic personnel of Inanna) – he fills the palace with awe and people spread his fame to the borders of the Land. I am the gift of the Anuna gods. I am central to all princes. After I have conferred my power on the warrior, when he goes to war he knows no fear, he knows no faltering (?) – I make him leave ... as if to the playing field."

71-82: 谷物對(duì)綿羊叫道：“姐妹，我比你更好；我比你優(yōu)先。我是這片土地之光的榮耀。我把我的力量授予sajursaj（伊南娜的崇拜人員）--他使宮殿充滿敬畏，人們把他的名聲傳到大地的邊疆。我是阿努納奇諸神的禮物。我是所有王子的核心。在我把我的力量賦予戰(zhàn)士之后，當(dāng)他去打仗時(shí)，他不知道恐懼，不知道動(dòng)搖（？）--我讓他離開(kāi)......就像去比賽場(chǎng)一樣?！?/p>

83-91: "I foster neighbourliness and friendliness. I sort out quarrels started between neighbours. When I come upon a captive youth and give him his destiny, he forgets his despondent heart and I release his fetters and shackles. I am Ezina-Kusu (Grain); I am Enlil's daughter. In sheep shacks and milking pens scattered on the high plain, what can you put against me? Answer me what you can reply!"

83-91:“我促進(jìn)鄰里關(guān)系和友好。我解決了鄰里之間的爭(zhēng)吵。當(dāng)我遇到一個(gè)被俘虜?shù)那嗄瓴①x予他命運(yùn)時(shí)，他會(huì)忘記絕望，我會(huì)釋放他的束縛和枷鎖。我是Ezina-Kusu（谷子）；我是恩利爾的女兒。在散落在高原上的羊棚和擠奶場(chǎng)，你能用什么來(lái)反對(duì)我？請(qǐng)回答我，你能回答什么！"

92-101: Thereupon Sheep answered Grain: "My sister, whatever are you saying? An, king of the gods, made me descend from the holy place, my most precious place. All the yarns of Uttu, the splendour of kingship, belong to me. Sakkan, king of the mountain, embosses the king's emblems and puts his implements in order. He twists a giant rope against the great peaks of the rebel land. He ... the sling, the quiver and the longbows."

92-101：于是綿羊回答谷物：“我的妹妹，你在說(shuō)什么？An，眾神之王，使我從圣地降臨，我最珍貴的地方。烏特圖的所有紗線，王權(quán)的光輝，都屬于我。山中之王Sakkan為國(guó)王的徽記壓印，并將他的器具擺放整齊。他在反叛之地的高聳山峰上扭動(dòng)著一根巨大的繩索。他...... 投石器、箭袋和長(zhǎng)弓。"

102-106: "The watch over the elite troops is mine. Sustenance of the workers in the field is mine: the waterskin of cool water and the sandals are mine. Sweet oil, the fragrance of the gods, mixed (?) oil, pressed oil, aromatic oil, cedar oil for offerings are mine."

102-106：“看守精銳部隊(duì)是我。田間工人的食物是我：涼水水袋和涼鞋是我。甜油，神的香氣，混合（？）油，供奉的壓榨油、芳香油、香柏油都是用我制成的?！?/p>

107-115: "In the gown, my cloth of white wool, the king rejoices on his throne. My body glistens on the flesh of the great gods. After the purification priests, the incantation priests and the bathed priests have dressed themselves in me for my holy lustration, I walk with them to my holy meal. But your harrow, ploughshare, binding and strap are tools that can be utterly destroyed. What can you put against me? Answer me what you can reply!"

107-115："穿著用我制成的白羊毛長(zhǎng)袍，國(guó)王在他的寶座上歡欣鼓舞。我的身體在偉大神靈的肉體上熠熠生輝。在凈化祭司、咒語(yǔ)祭司和沐浴祭司為我穿上圣潔的光澤后，我與他們一起共享圣餐。但你的耙子、犁鏵、捆綁器和皮帶都是可以徹底摧毀的工具。你能用什么來(lái)反對(duì)我呢？你能回答什么就回答我吧！"

116-122: Again, Grain addressed Sheep: "When the beer dough has been carefully prepared in the oven, and the mash tended in the oven, Ninkasi (the goddess of beer) mixes them for me while your big billy-goats and rams are dispatched for my banquets. On their thick legs they are made to stand separate from my produce."

116-122：谷物再次對(duì)綿羊說(shuō)：“當(dāng)啤酒面團(tuán)在爐子里精心烘烤，醪液在爐子里調(diào)好后，Ninkasi（啤酒女神）為我攪拌它們，而你的大山羊和公羊被派去參加我的宴會(huì)。他們用粗大的腿，與我的產(chǎn)品分開(kāi)站立?！?/p>

123-129: "Your shepherd on the high plain eyes my produce enviously; when I am standing in the furrow in the field, my farmer chases away your herdsman with his cudgel. Even when they look out for you, from the open country to the hidden places, your fears are not removed from you: fanged (?) snakes and bandits, the creatures of the desert, want your life on the high plain."

123-129：“你在高地上的牧人羨慕地看著我的產(chǎn)品；當(dāng)我站在田里的溝里時(shí)，我的農(nóng)夫用他的鋤頭趕走了你的牧人。即使他們?yōu)槟惆扬L(fēng)，從空曠的地方到隱蔽的地方，你的恐懼也沒(méi)有從你身上消除：毒牙（？）蛇和強(qiáng)盜，沙漠中的生物，想要你在高平原上的生命?！?/p>

130-142: "Every night your count is made, and your tally-stick put into the ground, so your herdsman can tell people how many ewes there are and how many young lambs, and how many goats and how many young kids. When gentle winds blow through the city and strong winds scatter, they build a milking pen for you; but when gentle winds blow through the city and strong winds scatter, I stand up as an equal to Iskur (the god of storms). I am Grain, I am born for the warrior – I do not give up. The churn, the vat on legs (?), the adornments of shepherding, make up your properties. What can you put against me? Answer me what you can reply!"

130-142：“每天晚上都要清點(diǎn)你的數(shù)目，把你的帳桿插在地上，這樣你的牧人就可以告訴人們有多少只母羊和多少只羔羊，有多少只山羊和多少只小羊。當(dāng)輕風(fēng)吹過(guò)城市，強(qiáng)風(fēng)吹散時(shí)，他們會(huì)為你建一個(gè)擠奶欄；但當(dāng)輕風(fēng)吹過(guò)城市，強(qiáng)風(fēng)吹散時(shí)，我就會(huì)站起來(lái)，與伊斯庫(kù)爾（風(fēng)暴之神）平等。我是谷物，我為戰(zhàn)士而生——我不放棄。攪拌器、有腿的大桶（？）、牧羊人的裝飾品，構(gòu)成了你的財(cái)產(chǎn)。你能用什么來(lái)反對(duì)我？回答我，你能回答什么！"

143-155: Again, Sheep answered Grain: "You, like holy Inanna of heaven, love horses. When a banished enemy, a slave from the mountains or a labourer with a poor wife and small children comes, bound with his rope of one cubit, to the threshing-floor or is taken away from (?) the threshing-floor, when his cudgel pounds your face, pounds your mouth, as a pestle (?) ... your ears (?) ... and you are ... around by the south wind and the north wind. The mortar ... As if it were pumice (?) it makes your body into flour."

143-155: 綿羊再次回答谷物：“你，就像天上圣潔的伊南娜，喜歡馬。當(dāng)一個(gè)被放逐的敵人，一個(gè)來(lái)自山區(qū)的奴隸，或者一個(gè)帶著貧窮的妻子和幼小的孩子的勞工，用他一立方的繩子捆綁著來(lái)到打谷場(chǎng)，或者被從（？）打谷場(chǎng)帶走，當(dāng)他的木槌敲打你的臉，敲打你的嘴，像杵（？臼......。猶如浮石（？），它使你的身體變成面粉?！?/p>

156-168: "When you fill the trough the baker's assistant mixes you and throws you on the floor, and the baker's girl flattens you out broadly. You are put into the oven and you are taken out of the oven. When you are put on the table I am before you – you are behind me. Grain, heed yourself! You too, just like me, are meant to be eaten. At the inspection of your essence, why should it be I who come second? Is the miller not evil? What can you put against me? Answer me what you can reply!"

156-168: “當(dāng)你填滿食槽時(shí)，面包師的助手把你混在一起，然后把你扔在地上，面包師的女孩把你大致壓平。你被放進(jìn)烤箱，你被從烤箱里拿出來(lái)。當(dāng)你被放在桌子上時(shí)，我在你面前，你在我后面。谷子，注意你自己！你也和我一樣，是一個(gè)人。你也和我一樣，是要被吃掉的。在對(duì)你的本質(zhì)進(jìn)行檢查時(shí)，為什么是我排在第二位？磨坊主不邪惡?jiǎn)幔磕隳苡檬裁磥?lái)反對(duì)我？請(qǐng)回答我，你能回答什么！"

169-179: Then Grain was hurt in her pride and hastened for the verdict. Grain answered Sheep: "As for you, Iskur is your master, Sakkan your herdsman, and the dry land your bed. Like fire beaten down (?) in houses and in fields, like small flying birds chased from the door of a house, you are turned into the lame and the weak of the Land. Should I really bow my neck before you? You are distributed into various measuring-containers. When your innards are taken away by the people in the marketplace, and when your neck is wrapped with your very own loincloth, one man says to another: 'Fill the measuring-container with grain for my ewe!'"

169-179：谷物自尊心受到傷害，急忙作出判決。谷物回答羊說(shuō)：“至于你，伊斯庫(kù)爾（Iskur）是你的主人，Sakkan是你的牧人，旱地是你的床。就像火被撲滅（？）在房屋和田野里，就像小飛鳥(niǎo)被趕出家門，你變成了地上的瘸子和弱者。我真的應(yīng)該在你們面前低頭嗎？你被分配到各種量器中。當(dāng)你的內(nèi)臟被市場(chǎng)上的人拿走，當(dāng)你的脖子被你自己的腰布包住時(shí)，一個(gè)人對(duì)另一個(gè)人說(shuō)：‘給我的母羊在量筒里裝滿糧食！’”

180-191: Then Enki spoke to Enlil: "Father Enlil, Sheep and Grain should be sisters! They should stand together! Of their threefold metal ... shall not cease. But of the two, Grain shall be the greater. Let Sheep fall on her knees before Grain. Let her kiss the feet of ... From sunrise till sunset, may the name of Grain be praised. People should submit to the yoke of Grain. Whoever has silver, whoever has jewels, whoever has cattle, whoever has sheep shall take a seat at the gate of whoever has grain, and pass his time there."

180-191: 然后恩基對(duì)恩利爾說(shuō)：“恩利爾，綿羊和谷物應(yīng)該是姐妹! 他們應(yīng)該站在一起! 它們的三倍金屬......將不會(huì)停止。但在這兩者中，谷物應(yīng)是更大的。讓綿羊跪倒在谷物面前。讓她親吻谷物的腳... 從日出到日落，愿谷物的名被贊美。人們應(yīng)順?lè)诠任锏募湘i。誰(shuí)擁有銀子，誰(shuí)擁有珠寶，誰(shuí)擁有牛，有羊的就坐在有糧的門口消磨時(shí)光。"

192-193: Dispute spoken between Sheep and Grain: Sheep is left behind and Grain comes forward – praise be to Father Enki!

192-193: 綿羊和谷物之間的爭(zhēng)執(zhí)。綿羊被拋在后面，谷物走了出來(lái)——贊美父親恩基!

總? ? ?結(jié)

The Debate Between Sheep and Grain would have been performed in rotation with other debate pieces including The Debate Between Plough and Hoe, The Debate Between Bird and Fish, The Debate Between Winter and Summer, and other similar titles, all of which seem to have been popular entertainment for all the Mesopotamian social classes. As noted, The Debate Between Sheep and Grain appears to have been especially popular but multiple copies of others have also come to light.

? ? ? ? ? 《綿羊與谷物之間的辯論》會(huì)與其他辯論作品輪流演出，包括《犁與鋤的辯論》、《鳥(niǎo)與魚(yú)的辯論》、《冬與夏的辯論》以及其他類似的作品，這些作品似乎都是美索不達(dá)米亞所有社會(huì)階層的流行娛樂(lè)。如前所述，《綿羊與谷物之間的辯論》特別受歡迎，但也有多份其他作品被發(fā)現(xiàn)了。

It is unclear how long the debate genre pieces were performed, but they were still in use by scribal schools during the Neo-Assyrian Period (c. 912-612 BCE) and included in the collection of the Library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh. When the Assyrian Empire fell in 612 BCE, and Nineveh was sacked and burned, the fires baked the clay tablets of the library and the fallen walls covered them, preserving them for over 2,000 years until they were discovered in 1849 by Sir Austen Henry Layard. First translated in 1918, The Debate Between Sheep and Grain has since delighted readers as much as it once did its ancient audiences.

? ? ? ? ? 目前還不清楚辯論體裁的作品表演持續(xù)了多久，但在新亞述時(shí)期（約公元前912-612年），它們?nèi)匀槐晃氖繉W(xué)校采用，并被列入尼尼微的亞述巴尼拔圖書(shū)館的收藏。公元前612年亞述帝國(guó)滅亡，尼尼微被洗劫一空，大火烘烤了圖書(shū)館的泥板，倒塌的墻壁覆蓋了它們，將它們保存了2000多年，直到1849年被奧斯丁·亨利·萊亞德爵士發(fā)現(xiàn)。自 1918 年首次翻譯以來(lái)，《綿羊與谷物之間的爭(zhēng)論》就像它曾經(jīng)取悅古代讀者一樣取悅現(xiàn)代讀者。

參考書(shū)目：

Bertman, S. Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia. Oxford University Press, 2005.

Black, J. et al. The Literature of Ancient Sumer. Oxford University Press, 2006.

Kramer, S. N. History Begins at Sumer. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1988.

Kramer, S. N. The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. University of Chicago Press, 1971.

Kriwaczek, P. Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization. St. Martin's Griffin, 2012.

Leick, G. The A to Z of Mesopotamia. Scarecrow Press, 2010.

原文作者：Joshua J. Mark

原文網(wǎng)址：https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2122/the-debate-between-sheep-and-grain/