Dirge by the wife of Yibbatlt, the son of Takles, for her husband.

Yibbatit died of a disease. He was a clever and brave man. And she sang of him in this way.

Master of Raka and his fellows, master of Bakita and her mate.(1)
The word is thine own, nobility is from the father. (2)
Even if thou sayest "well", they do not believe thee ; (3)
When they leave thee, O themselves they return to Kafal, thee. (4)
5 Lion, son of lions, son of the roaring sea: (5)
No weakling is he, no wretch ; having sworn he breaks not his word.
Lion, son of lions, elephant, son of the torrent:
He does not betray his friend, he does not disown his brother.



(1) Raka and others were his slaves, Bakita and her mate his slave girls.(2) thou keepest thy word, and this is the merit of thy own character; the noble rank thou hast inherited from thy father. (3) the thoughts and plans are deep and hidden. The meaning of 2 and 3 is "he does not betray" : he keeps his word, but he keeps also silence about his plans. (4) Kafal is the seqrat of Yibbatlt. Even if they leave him after a quarrel, they return on their own account because they are helpless without him. (5) The "roaring sea," the "rapid torrent" is his father, i. e. he was a strong, violent man.