Iraq 67/1 268
Transliteration
U. e. [in]a a-mat bēl(den) u [bēl]ti([dgaš]an)-iá liš-lim
Obv.
1 a-na maššur(an.šar)-bā[ni(d[ù)-apli(a) š]arri(lugal) rabû(gal-ú) šarri(lugal) dan-nu šàr kiš-šat šàr māt(kur) aš-šurki šarri(lugal) ma-ṣi ma-la lib-bu-uš š[á dmarduk(amar.utu)? a-šib é-sag-gíl?]
2 ú-ma-ʾ-ir-šu-ma šarrūt(lugal-ut) māt(kur) aš-šurki i-qip-pu-uš-šú ú-šat-lim-šú šarrūt(lugal-ut) māti(kur) kalāma(dù.a.bi) ḫaṭṭ[u](gišníg.p[a]) ⌈i⌉-[šar-tú mu-kan-ni-šat?]
3 la ma-gi-ri qa-tuš-šú it-muḫ-ḫi uš-pa-ri mu-šam-qit za-a-a-ri imnuš(15)-šú na-ši šá dnabû(ag) ⌈a⌉-[šib é-zi-da]
4 uznī(geštuII) rapšāti(dagal-tì) iš-⌈ruk⌉-ku-šu-ma ku-un-nu-šú a-na ṭupšarrūtu(dub.sar-tu) kīma(gim) ia-a-ti ni-i[l]-t[ap-ra? um-ma]
5 bēlu(en) rabû(gal-ú) dmarduk(amar.utu) a-šib é-sag-gíl mu-šim šīmāti(nammeš) ḫaṭṭu(gišníg.pa) i-šar-tú uš-pa-ri ki-⌈i-ni⌉
6 agû(aga) šar-ḫu ana ši-⌈rik⌉-tú liš-ruk-ku dnabû(ag) a-šib é-zi-da ina ma-ḫar dmarduk(amar.utu) a-bi a-li-di-⌈šu⌉
7 li-iṣ-bat a-bu-ut-ka dna-na-a be-let é-ur5-šà-ba li!(text: TU)-šam-{šam}-qit a-a-bi-ka <liḫ>-tal-liq x [x] x-ku
8 um-ma barsipayyū(bar.sìpki.meš) sa-an-⌈qu-tú⌉ a-na šarri(lugal) bēli(en)-šu-nu ú-ta-ru-[š]ú na-áš-par-tu4 šá ⌈iš-ṭu-ru⌉
9 um-ma kul-lat ṭupsarrūtu(lúdub.sar-tu) š[á lib]bi(š]à) makkūr(níg.ga) dnabû(ag) bēli(en)-iá šu-ṭu-ra-ʾ šu-bil-la-ni
10 šul-li-ʾ-a [na-áš]-par-t[u4 min-d]e-e-ma šarru(lugal) ina lib-bi-šú i-ta-me šá kīma(gim) mārī(lúdumumeš) ⌈bābili(eki) ni⌉-i[g-g]u
11 ina lišāni(eme) daliḫti(lù) e-nin-ni ina pî(ka) [šarr]i([luga]l) bēli(en)-ni ul ni-ig-gu ni-na-ḫu ni-dal-li-pu ana šarri(lugal) bēli(en)-ni nu-šal-lam n[a-áš]-par-tu4 {ni}
12 ni-šaṭ-ṭár ina muḫḫi(ugu) lēʾi(gišda) šá musukkanni(gišmes.má.gan.nu) nu-pal-š[ú?] šur-qí-iš ù ana muḫḫi(ugu) lēʾi(gišda) šá šumerî(eme.gi7) ṣâti(<ud>.ul.dù.a)
13 šá taš-pu-ru al-la šá ina é-sag-gíl ia-a-nu en-ni ina maḫar(igi) šarri(lugal) bēli(en)-ni lim-šal
14 [lū] ⌈ta⌉-[š]ap-pa-ra-am-ma a-na mārī(lúdumumeš) bābili(eki) ši-im-ti-ni u ši-mat-su-un
15 [x x a]m-ma ki-⌈ma⌉ x [(x)] x ki-i di-i-ni u purussê(eš.bar) ra-šu-ú ki-ni
16 [x x] x ka ina bābil[i(ek[i) ] x ni itti(ki)-šú-nu bēl(en)-ni šarru(lugal) ni-ša[ṭ-ṭ]ár
17 [x x x] x ⌈ni⌉ [x (x) g]ab?-bu nu-šal-⌈lam⌉ na-aš-par-tu4
Rev.
18 [dmarduk u dnabû mar-k]a-su ilāni(dingirmeš) rabûti(galmeš) bēlī(enmeš) šamê(an-e) u erṣet[i(ki-t[ì š]im-tì damiqt[i(sig5-t[ì])
19 [l]a-ba-ri ⌈palû(bal-ú)⌉ ṭūb(dùg-ub) šīri(uzu) ṭūb(dùg-ub) lìb-bi e-še-er eṣemti(gìr.pad.da) ina napišti(zi) šarri(lugal)
20 ⌈bēli(en)⌉-ni li-ši-mu-ú
----
21 šá-ṭár an-na-a ina muḫ-ḫi nar[ê(na.r[ú.a]) šá gišnugalli(na4giš.nu11.gal) ⌈šu⌉-ú-li ana kan-n[a]-⌈a⌉-tú gab-bi šá-pi-ir
----
22 kīma(gim) <labiri(libir)>-šú? šaṭir(sar)-ma uppuš(igi.tab) u bari(igi.kár) [ṭ]uppi([i]mdub) mbêl(den)-uballiṭ(tin)-su māri(a) šá ⌈m⌉nabû(dag)-mušētiq(dib)-uddi(ud.da) mār(a) mmu-še-zib
23 qāt(šuII) mnabû(dag)-mušētiq(dib)-uddi(ud.da) māri(a)-šú pa-[li]ḫ šamaš(20) qātī(šuII) là ì-pašx(GÍN)-⌈šiṭ⌉
Translation
U. e. By command of Bēl and Bēltiya, let it be a success!
Obv.
1–4 To Ashurbanipal, great king, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king who can do as he pleases, [to whom Marduk, who dwells in Esagil,] gave charge and delegated the kingship of Assyria and (on whom) he conferred the kingship of the entire country, (who) grasps a fair scepter [that subdues] the insubmissive in his hand, (who) bears in his right hand the staff that lays low the aggressor, on whom Nabû, who dwells [in Ezida,] bestowed broad understanding and who like me is bowed to the scribal art, we send [word, thus:]
5–7 May the great lord Marduk, who dwells in Esagil and determines destinies, bestow on you as a gift a fair sceptre, a true staff and a magnificent crown! May Nabû, who dwells in Ezida, intercede for you before Marduk, the father who sired him! May Nanaya, the lady of Euršaba, lay low your enemy and destroy your [foe]!
8–17 Further: The dutiful Borsippans will send back to the king their lord the instruction that he wrote as follows, "Write out all the scribal learning in the property of Nabû and send it to me. Complete the instruction!" Maybe the king says to himself, we (are ones) who, like the citizens of Babylon, will shirk (it) by (using) confusing language. Now, we will not shirk the king's command. We will strain and keep awake to complete the instruction for our lord the king. We will write on boards of sissoo-wood, we will respond immediately. And regarding the board in Sumerian, the glossary about which you sent word, there is none but that in Esagil. Let enquiries now be made before our lord the king. [You should] send word to the citizens of Babylon. Our destiny and their destiny are [. . .] like [. . .] that they possess judgements and decisions, (is) true [. . .] your [. . .] in Babylon [. . .] . . . with them, our lord the king. We shall write [. . .] . . . [. . .] all, we shall complete the instruction.
Rev.
18–20 [May Marduk and Nabû, the] bonds of the great gods, the lords of heaven and underworld, decree in the life of our lord the king a favourable destiny, [long] duration of reign, soundness of body, soundness of mind and straightness of bone.
----
21 This inscription was copied onto a tablet (or: tablets) of alabaster and sent to all the colleagues.
----
22–23 Written according to its original, checked and collated. Tablet of Bēl-uballissu, son of Nabû-mušētiq-uddi, descendant of Mušēzib. Handiwork of Nabû-mušētiq-uddi, his son. He who fears Šamaš must not erase my handiwork.
Michael P. Streck and Nathan Wasserman, Sources of Early Akkadian Literature (SEAL), seal.huji.ac.il. No commercial use is allowed. Published under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives). Reproduced unmodified. Cite as SEAL no. 36414; view on seal.huji.ac.il.