(1) Ashurnasirpal (II), great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Tukultī-Ninurta (II), great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Adad-nārārī (II), (who was) also great king, strong king, king of the world and king of Assyria; the valiant man who acts with the support of (the god) Aššur, his lord, and who has no rival among the rulers of the four quarters (of the world); the king who made (the territory stretching) from the opposite bank of the Tigris River to Mount Lebanon and the Great Sea, the land Lāqê in its entirety, (and) the land Sūḫu, including the city Rapiqu, bow down at his feet; he conquered from the source of the Subnat River to the interior of the land Nirbu.

(4b) I brought within the boundaries of my land (the territory stretching) from the passes of the land Ḫabruri to the land Gilzānu, from the opposite bank of the Lower Zab to the city Tīl-bāri, which is upstream from the land Zabban, from the city Tīl-ša-Abtāni to the city Tīl-ša-Zabdāni, the cities Ḫirimmu (and) Ḫarutu, (which are) fortresses of Karduniaš (Babylonia). Moreover, I gained dominion over the wide Naʾiri lands, to their (text: its) full extent.

(7b) (As for) the ancient city Kalḫu which Shalmaneser (I), king of Assyria, a ruler who came before me, had built, that city had become dilapidated, it laid dormant, (and) a long time ago had turned into a ruin hill. With the cunning that the god Ea, king of the apsû (and who has) wide understanding, gave to me, I reorganized that city. I removed the old ruin hill (and) dug down to water level. I sank (the foundation pit) down to a depth of 120 layers of brick. I founded the temples of the deities Ninurta, Šarrat-[nipḫi], Gula, (and) Sîn inside it. I reinforced that temple (i.e. the Šarrat-nipḫi temple) all around (and) established therein the abodes of the great gods. I built that temple for the eternal admiration of rulers and rulers.

(11b) With the wisdom, understanding, (and) desire(s) of the great gods who love me, I created an icon of the goddess Ištar, my lady, which had never before exist[ed]. (I created it) from the finest stones, fine gold, and reddish gold, (thus) making her great divinity resplendent. I set up in (the temple) her dais (with the icon) for eternity. I splendidly decorated this temple. I positioned over it great beams of cedar. I installed magnificent cedar doors in its gates. I made (statues of) fier[ce] lions of white limestone (and) stationed (them) in its gate(s).

(14b) When the goddess Šarrat-nipḫi, the great lady, takes up residence on her holy dais in her alluring shrine, may she be steadfastly radiant. May she make my days good (and) [long] (and) command my years to be numerous. May she love my priesthood. May she be pleased with my offerings. May she allow me to achieve success wherever (I strive) in war and battle.

(15b) O future ruler, one of the kings, my sons, whom (the god) Aššur will name for the shepherdship of Assyria, may you not remove these lions from her gates. May you not erase my inscribed name. (Instead), restore their dilapidated section(s) (and) return my inscribed name to its place. (The god) Aššur, the great lord, the god Ninurta, (and) the goddess Ištar, the one who dwells in this temple, will (then) establish copious abundance in your (lit. “his”) land. You will march victoriously (among) [your] people and achieve success in all lands in battle with kings on the battlefield.

(18b) As for the one who erases my inscribed name, removes these lions, throws (them) in the water, burns (them) with fire, puts (them) in a prison where they cannot be seen, (or) commits atrocities against this temple, may the god Ninurta, lord of storm and destruction, (and) the goddess Ištar, lady of battle and strife, overthrow his kingship, take away from him his throne, make him sit in bondage before his enemies, establish in his land distress, famine, (and) hunger, (and) make his name (and) his seed disappear from the land.