Toast
A Toast to the Landlady
A 5,000 year old toast to a woman tavern keeper in ancient Mesopotamia.
Translated by Miguel Civil of the Oriental Institute of the University of
Chicago.
Let the heart of the
gakko vat be our heart!
What makes your heart feel wonderful,
Makes also our heart feel wonderful.
Our liver is happy, our heart is joyful.
You poured a libation over the brick of destiny,
You placed the foundations in peace and prosperity.
May Ninkasi live together with you!
Let her pour for you beer and wine,
Let the pouring of the sweet liquor resound pleasantly for you!
In the...reed buckets there is sweet beer,
I will make cupbearers, boys, and brewers stand by,
While I turn around the abundance of beer,
While I feel wonderful, I feel wonderful,
Drinking beer, in a blissful mood,
Drinking liquor, feeling exhilarated,
With joy in the heart and a happy liver --
While my heart full of joy,
And my happy liver I covered with a garment fit for a queen!