Mythology & Folklore

Charm for Averting the Seven Evil Spirits

by Anonymous Babylonian Poets c. 1800–1000 BC

Translated by A. H. Sayce (Records of the Past, 1870s; repr. 1901) · From Babylonian and Assyrian Literature (1901)

Mythology & Folklore

Seven (are) they, seven (are) they!
In the channel of the deep seven (are) they!
(In) the radiance of heaven seven (are) they!
In the channel of the deep in a palace grew they up.
Male they (are) not, female they (are) not.
(In) the midst of the deep (are) their paths.
Wife they have not, son they have not.
Order (and) kindness know they not.
Prayer (and) supplication hear they not.
The cavern in the mountain they enter.
Unto Hea (are) they hostile.
The throne-bearers of the gods (are) they.
Disturbing the lily in the torrents are they set.
Baleful (are) they, baleful (are) they.
Seven (are) they, seven (are) they, seven twice again (are) they.
May the spirits of heaven remember, may the spirits of earth remember.

MLA

Anonymous Babylonian Poets. “Charm for Averting the Seven Evil Spirits.” Translated by A. H. Sayce. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-babylonian/20/.

Chicago

Anonymous Babylonian Poets. “Charm for Averting the Seven Evil Spirits.” Translated by A. H. Sayce. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-babylonian/20/.

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