Nebuchadnezzar II 011

(ii 1') I brought [to Bor]sippa [(beams of) cedars that (had grown tall) in Le]banon, the holy [for]est, [(and) that] I had cut down [with my pu]re [hands]. I had (them) clad [with brig]ht [gold] and decorated with [precio]us [stones] and (then) I had (them) stretched (over it) [for its roof]. I secured [their foundation(s) with] hard [ced]ar and (then) [reinforced] their structures [with] reddish [bronze].

(iii 1') [I decorated its structure with gold, silver, precio]us [stones, copper, musukkannu-wood (and) ce]dar.

(iii 3'b) [During a joyous celebrat]ion, [I made the god Nabû and the goddess Na]nāya, [(my lords)], reside [inside it, (on) the seat of (their) happiness. Every day: one fattened prize bull, (one) uncastr]ated [bull, sixteen prime qual]ity [pasillu-sheep, along with (everything) that (pertains to) the gods of Borsi]ppa: [string(s) of fish, bird(s), u]šummu-rodent(s), [egg(s) — the best thing(s) from the ma]rshes — [honey, ghee, milk], the finest oil, “[mounta]in [beer],” (and) the pure(st) wine — [I] provided (all of this) [more] lavishly [than in the past for the table of the god Nabû and] the goddess Nanāya, [my lords].

(iii 15') [Every day], I confirmed [eight sheep as ginû-offering(s) for] the god Nergal [and the goddess Laṣ, (as well as) the (other) gods of E]meslam <and Cutha>.

(iii 17') I abundantly provided for [the sattukku-offering(s) of the gr]eat [gods and] made ginû-offering(s) surpass [the origi]nal [ginû-offering(s)].

(iii 19') (With regard to) E[babbar of] Sippar, which [for the god Šamaš, the one who loves] my royal majesty (and) who makes [(his) light wide, I] built (it) [anew].

(iii 22') For the god [Šamaš, my lord], I built Ebabbar, his temple i[n L]arsa.

(iii 24') (With regard to) Ekišnugal [of] Ur, I built (it) for the god Sîn, my lord, the one who loves my royal majesty.

(iii 26') For the god Bēl-ṣarbi, the one who says good things about me, I built E[durgi]na, his temple in Bāṣ.

(iii 28') [...] the one(s) who amass massive piles of grain,

(iv 1') in abundance and prosperity, I passed in fr[on]t of them [ever]y year [... uš]ummu-rodent(s), [egg(s), fish, bird(s)] — the best thing(s) from [the marshes] — beer [libations] without number, [(and) wine as if] (it were) water.

(iv 6') (With regard to) the widespread people whom the god Marduk, my lord, had entrusted to me, through the understanding that the god Ea had bestowed upon me, with good intentions, I constantly sought them out (and) directed them to the proper way of life (and) good behavior.

(iv 13') They prospered under my šēdu (and) were happy (lit. “bright”) under my lamassu. I spread a roof over them in the wind (and) a canopy in the storm and (then) I made all of them submit to Babylon.

(iv 18') Inside it (the palace), I received the produce of the lands, the yield of the mountains, (and) the produce of all of the lands. I gladly gathered all of the people under its eternal protection. I heaped up for it countless, massive piles of grain. In my land, I made a reign of abundance (and) years of prosperity manifest.

(iv 25') During my seventh year, I amassed in[si]de Esagil 1,000,000 (measures of) grain, 120,000 (measures of) dates, (and) 20,000 sappatu-vessels of wine.

(iv 28') I stored [in]side my palace, [(...)], 2,000,000 (measures of) grain, 100,000 (measures of) dates, (and) 70,... sappatu-vessels of wine.

(iv 32') ... [...], the god who created me, and the gods [...], the lords of destiny who reside [...], whose cult centers I provided for with all of my faithful heart,

(v 1') [I raised it] as high as a mountain [using bitumen and ba]ked bri[ck]. I had (beams of) hard [cedar] stretched [(over it) for] its [roof]. I surrounded (it) with [a fortified wall] using bitumen [and ba]ked brick.

(v 7') [Insi]de of it (the palace), I proclaimed royal [decrees] and lordly purification rites. I raised up (my) hand(s and) prayed to the lord of lords; my prayers went to the god Marduk, the merciful one:

(v 11') “O lord of the lands, Marduk, listen to the utterances of my mouth. May I be sated with the luxuriousness of the house that I have built. Inside it, may I reach the prime of (my) life (and) attain very old age in Babylon. May I receive inside it the [sub]stantial tribute of kings of the (four) quarters (of the world and) of al[l] people. Inside it, may my descendants rule over the black-headed (people) forever.”

(v 21') From the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, I had all of the lands that the god Marduk, my lord, had granted me by his exalted command bring in their substantial tribute into his presence.

(v 28') To build a palace, a house (to be) an object of wonder for the people (and) the residence of my royal majesty, I gave them hoe(s) and had them undertaken the assignment of building walls. ... I had my personal officials undertake the implementation of th(at) work:

(v 35') (PN), treasurer; Nabû-zēru-iddin, chief cook; Nabû-zēru-ibni, chief treasurer; [...]-(mu)kīn-aḫi, palace superintendent; Sîn-abu-[u]ṣur, major domo; Atkal-ana-mār-Esagil, chief of the royal guard;

(vi 1') ..., [...]; Ina-qibīt-Bēl-akšud, [...]; Bēl-ēreš, chief [of accounts]; Ardia, treasurer of the house of the palace women; Bēl-uballiṭ, scribe of the house of the palace women; Ṣillāya, chief tracker; Nabû-aḫu-uṣur, chief of the cavalry;

(vi 9') Mušallim-Marduk, son of Nabû-ušebši; Erīb­šu, supervisor of the female (domestic staff); Nabû-bēlu-uṣur, (also) supervisor of the female (domestic staff); Nabû-zēru-ibni, cupbearer; Nergal-rēṣûʾa, chief singer; Arad-Nabû, alphabet scribe of the heir designate; Ea-ilūni, supervisor of the (royal) flocks; Rēmūtu, (also) supervisor of the (royal) flocks; Nabû-mār-šarri-uṣur, chief boatman; (and) Ḫanūnu, chief of royal merchants.

(vi 19') The magnates of the land of Akkad: Ea-dayyān, governor of the Sealand; Nergal-šarru-uṣur, simmagir-official; Nādin-aḫi, (governor) of the the land Tupliyaš; Bēl-šumu-iškun, (governor) of the land (of the) Puqūdu (tribe); Bibēa, descendant (= governor) of (the) Dakkūru (tribe);

(vi 25') Nādin-aḫi, priest of Dēr; Marduk-šarru-uṣur, (governor) of the land (of the) Gambulu (tribe); Marduk-šarrāni, povincial governor of Sumandar; Bēl-lēʾi, descendant (= governor) of (the) Amuk(k)ānu (tribe); Rēmūtu, governor of the land Zamê; Nabû-ēṭir-napšāti, governor of [the land Yap]tīru,

(vii 1') Erīb-Sîn, the pri[est of (the city) ...]; Mušēzib-Bēl, pries[t of (the city) ...]; (PN), priest of the city [...]; Šumu-ukīn, priest of the city Dūr-Y[akīn]; Bānīya, priest of the city Limītu; Marduk-zēru-ibni, priest of the city Madakalšu; Šulāya, priest of the city Nēmed-Laguda; Šumāya, priest of the city Kullaba;

(vii 9') Nergal-zēru-ibni, priest of the city Udannu; Marduk-ēreš, priest of the city Larsa; Nabû-(mu)kīn-apli, priest of the city Kissik; (and) Bēl-upaḫḫir, priest of the city Bakuššu.

(vii 13') (PN), official in charge of the city ... [...]; Ibā, provincial governor of Dūr-[...]; Šalām-bēli, provincial governor of [...]; Zērīya, provincial governor of [...]; Zabinaʾ, official in charge of [...]; Šumāya, official in charge of [...]; Adad-aḫu-iddin, provincial governor of [...]; Nabû-zēru-ukīn (official) in charge of the land A[...]; Anu-īpuš, official in charge of the city [...]; (and) Bēl-šumu-iškun, official in charge of the city [...].

(vii 23') The king of Ty[re]; the king of Gaz[a]; the king of Sido[n]; the king of Arwa[d]; the king of Ashd[od]; the king of Mir[...]; (and) the king of [...].