Once upon a time, there was no snake, there was no scorpion, There was no hyena, there was no lion, There was no wild dog, no wolf, There was no fear, no terror: Man had no rival!

In those days the lands Shubur and Hamazi, Harmony-tongued (?) Sumer, the great land of the decrees of princeship, Uri, the land having all that is needful, The land Martu, resting in security — The whole universe, the people in unison, To Enlil in one tongue gave praise.
Then did the father, the lord, the father Enki, The leader, the wise one of the gods, Who knows the (decrees) of fate, Who knows the (decrees) of the land, Change the speech in their mouths, [As many as] he had placed there, And (thus) the speech of man is diversified!
(Endowed with wisdom, the lord of Eridug Changed the speech in their mouths, [Brought] contention into it, into the speech of man.)