Letter from Aradĝu to Šulgi about Apillaša

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 3 - Literary letters and letter-prayers · 34 sections

1
lugal-ĝu10-ra u3-na-a-dug4
Say to my lord: this is what Aradĝu, your servant, says:
2
{m}arad2-ĝu10 arad2-zu na-ab-be2-a
3
kur su-bir4{ki}-še3 ḫar-ra-an kaskal-la si sa2-sa2-e-ra
You instructed me, as I was taking the direct route to Subir, to secure your provincial taxes, to inform myself precisely as to the state of the territory, and to ensure its obedience by taking counsel with (?) Apillaša, the 'Sage of the Assembly', so that he could thus return the people of Subir to their customary way of speaking (?).
4
gun2 ma-da ge-en-gen6-ne2-de3
5
a-ra2 ma-da zu-zu-de3
6
ugu a-pi-il-la-ša gal-zu unken-na-še3
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ad gi4-gi4-de3 gu3 teš2-a sig10-ge5-de3
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KA ud-da-ka-ne-ne-a ḫe2-em-tum3 a2-še3 mu-e-da-a-aĝ2
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kan4 e2-gal-la-še3 ĝen-a-ĝu10-ne
But when I arrived at the palace gate, no one enquired after the well-being of my lord. No one rose from their seat before me, or bowed down. They intimidated me.
10
silim-ma lugal-ĝa2-ke4 en3 li-bi2-in-tar
11
dur2 na-ma-ta-an-zig3 ki-a nu-ub-za ba-an-da-mud-de3-en
12
teĝ3-ĝe26-e-da-ĝu10-ne ba-an-tum2-mu-de3 IM X […]
When I came nearer …… carries …… -- well, your wayside hostel where carding-combs (?) and lances inlaid with gold, silver, cornelian and lapis lazuli have been set up, covers an area of one hectare! Apillaša himself is decked out in gold and lapis lazuli lapis lazuli, gold, silver and cornelian , and he sits on a raised throne furnished with a rich raiment. His feet rest upon a golden footstool. He would not remove his feet in my presence!
13
e2 kaskal-la-zu ga-rig2-ak {urud}šukur kug-sig17 kug-babbar
14
{na4}gug {na4}za-gin3 ĝar-ra-ta a-ab-du3-du3-a 30 sar-am3 i-ib2-KU
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kug-sig17 {na4}za-gin3-na [{na4}]⌈za-?⌉ kug-sig17 kug-babbar ⌈{na4}gug⌉ […] mi2 zid-de3-eš im-me
16
{ĝiš}gu-za barag {tug2}šutur-e ri-a i-ib2-tuš
17
{ĝiš}ĝiri3-gub kug-sig17-ka ĝiri3-ni i-ib2-ĝar
18
ĝiri3-ni na-ma-ta-an-kur2
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aga-us2 saĝ-ĝa2-na 5 li-mu-um-ta-am3 zid-da gab2-bu-na ib2-ta-an-gub-bu-uš
To his right and left he had …… soldiers (?) stationed, five thousand at each side. He placed at their disposal six fattened oxen and 60 20 fattened sheep rams for a meal. He assumed the right to perform my lord's lustration rites.
20
6 gud niga 60 20 udu udu-nitaḫ2 niga niĝ2-zu2-gub-še3 in-⌈?⌉
21
šu-luḫ lugal-ĝa2-ke4 sa2 bi2-in-dug4
22
kan4-na en3 tar-tar-ra-a-ba lu2 na-ma-ši-in-kur9-re-en
After a close interrogation at the gate, nobody even bade me enter. When I finally entered, someone brought me a throne with studs plated with red gold and told me: Sit down! I replied: I am here to present the instructions of my king. Therefore I will not sit down!"
23
ku4-ku4-da-ĝu10-ne
24
{ĝiš}gu-za ?-ba kug-sig17 ḫuš-a ĝar-ra lu2 ma-an-de6 tuš-a ma-an-dug4
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a2 aĝ2-ĝa2 lugal-ĝa2-ke4 i3-gub-be2-en nu-tuš-u3-de3-en bi2-dug4
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2 1 gud niga 20 6 udu niga {ĝiš}banšur-ĝu10 lu2 ma-an-sa2
They brought (?) me two fattened oxen one fattened ox and 20 6 fattened sheep to my table. Then because, without ……, my lord's soldiers overturned my table, I became frightened and my flesh crept.
27
nu-kar2-kar2-de3 aga-us2 lugal-ĝa2-ke4 {ĝiš}banšur-ĝu10 in-bal-a-še3
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ni2 ba-da-te su ba-da-zig3
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itid ezen-{d}nin-a-zu ud 15-kam-⌈ma-ta⌉ 5-am3 zal-la-am3
In the month Ezen-Ninazu, after the 15th day five days had passed , my lord gave me his instructions. By the first day after one day had passed of the month U-bigu, I sent to you I sent to my lord …… a messenger. Now it is midday mid-month the day did not …… , …… approached. May my lord know!
30
lugal-ĝu10 a2-še mu-e-da-a-a-aĝ2
31
itid u5-bi2-gu7 ud 1-kam-ma-[…] 1-am3 zal-la-am3
32
lu2-kaš4-e mu-ši-gi4-in lugal-ĝu10 lu2 […] X X [X (X)]-⌈?⌉-ši-⌈?-gi4⌉-gi4
33
ud MAŠ-am3 itid MAŠ-⌈am3⌉ ⌈ud⌉ nu-mu-un-X X X X-e ba-te
34
lugal-ĝu10 ḫe2-en-zu

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. Copyright holders: Jeremy Black, Graham Cunningham, Jarle Ebeling, Esther Flückiger-Hawker, Eleanor Robson, Jon Taylor and Gábor Zólyomi. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. Source.