What seems bad in one’s own heart is proper to one’s god.
Who knows the will of the gods in the heavens?
Who understands the plans of the underworld gods?
Where have people learnt the way of a god?
(II 33 – 38 )A similar concept is also attested in a prayer to Marduk of Old Babylonian period
origin^32 which was recited for the sake of an individual who was also suffering from
deadly diseases, just like Shubshi-meshre-Shakkan:
Who was not negligent? Who has not bo[rn any guilt]?
Who was so on his guard so as not to make a mistake?
Where is the one who was so careful has not born any guilt?
They did not know their invisible [sin(?)],
The god is the one who reveals what is Good and what is [B]ad.
The one who has his god, his sins are [se]nt away,
The one who does not have his god, his crimes are many.
When you, his god, are at his side,
His speech is well chosen, his word is honest.
(Prayer to Marduk, no. 1 , lines 104 – 112 )These passages clearly suggest that no man can be ‘righteous’ without the guidance
of gods, since only divine beings understand what is ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’, i.e., no one
mortal can comprehend absolute ethics.
If the righteousness of a man is not the issue, what is the main subject of Ludlul
Bel Nemeqi? The hint to this question is found in the hymnic introduction of this
work – the first 40 lines of Ludlul Bel Nemeqi. Each couplet of this section repeatedly
offers praises to Marduk as the one whose anger is devastating although he is merciful
enough to save all. In fact, this is what happened to Shubshi-meshre-Shakkan. It is
Marduk who punishes Shubshi-meshre-Shakkan, but it also Marduk who saves Shubshi-
meshre-Shakkan after he is appeased by repentance and prayer. In other words, the
main theme of this story is that, although one may experience severe hardship due
to crimes committed, Marduk is merciful enough to absolve the sins and deliver the
repentant from any misery. Hence, the above discussed prayer to Marduk from the
Old Babylonian period compares his compassion with that of a father: ‘Your benevolent
attention is pleasant, your mercy is like that of a father’ (Prayer to Marduk no. 1 ,
lines 10 / 12 ).
The ancient Babylonians sought Marduk’s mercy as they knew that his forgiveness
was unfailing and unconditional, like a father’s to his son. Ludlul Bel Nemeqiis a
testimony to this ultimate forgiveness and compassion of Marduk.
Marduk kept this aspect of the saviour of people, even after his rise to the supremacy
in the Mesopotamian pantheon. There are a large number of so-called Shuila-prayers
to Marduk attested.^33 These prayers were used in the rituals for absolution of sins
and salvation from hardship and in the anti-witchcraft rituals. Some of the prayers
to Marduk offer praises to him as the king of the gods or the creator of the universe
but at the same time they also seek Marduk’s mercy and forgiveness in order to escape
hardship or to be redeemed. Enlil, the traditional Mesopotamian supreme deity, on
— Takayoshi Oshima —