17. I will strike the door, the bolts I will shatter, 18. I will strike the threshold and will pass through the doors; 19. I will raise up the dead to devour the living, 20. above the living the dead shall exceed in numbers. 21. The keeper opened his mouth and speaks, 22. he says to the princess Istar: 23. Stay, lady, thou dost not glorify her, 24. let me go and thy name repeat to the queen Allat. 25. The keeper descended and says to Allat: 26. This water (of life) thy sister Istar (comes to seek). 27. The queen of the great vaults (of heaven) .... 28. Allat on hearing this says: 29. Like the cutting off of the herb has (Istar) descended (into Hades), 30. like the lip of a deadly insect (?) she has ... 31. What will her heart bring me (_i.e._ matter to me), what will her anger (bring me)? 32: (Istar replies:) This water with (my husband) 33. like food would I eat, like beer would I drink. 34. Let me weep over the strong who have left their wives. 35. Let me weep over the handmaids who (have lost) the embraces of their husbands. 36. Over the only son let me mourn, who ere his days are come is taken away. 37. (Allat says:) Go keeper open thy gate to her, 38. bewitch her also according to the ancient rules. 39. The keeper went and opened his gate: 40. Enter, O lady, let the city of Cutha[22] receive thee; 41. let the palace of Hades rejoice at thy presence. 42. The first gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw down the great crown of her head. 43. Why, O keeper, hast thou thrown down the great crown of my head? 44. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order. 45. The second gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the earrings of her ears. 46. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the earrings of my ears? 47. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order. 48. The third gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the necklace[23] of her neck. 49. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the necklace of my neck? 50. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order. 51. The fourth gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the ornaments of her breast. 52. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the ornaments of my breast? 53. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order. 54. The fifth gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the gemmed girdle of her waist. 55. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the gemmed girdle of my waist? 56. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order. 57. The sixth gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the bracelets of her hands and her feet. 58. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the bracelets of my hands and my feet? 59. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order. 60. The seventh gate he caused her to enter and touched her, he threw away the covering robe of her body. 61. Why, keeper, hast thou thrown away the covering robe of my body? 62. Enter, O lady, of Allat thus is the order.