Nebuchadnezzar II 023

Obverse
Column i
i 1i 1

dna-bi-um-ku-du-úr-ri-ú-ṣu-úr LUGAL .DINGIR.RA.KI

(i 1) Nebuchadnezzar (II), king of Babylon, pious prince, favorite of the god Marduk, the exalted ruler who is the beloved of the god Nabû, the one who deliberates (and) acquires wisdom, the one who constantly seeks out the ways of their divinity (and) reveres their dominion, the indefatigable governor who is every day mindful of provisioning Esagil and Ezida and (who) constantly seeks out good things for Babylon and Borsippa, the wise (and) pious one who provides for Esagil and Ezida, the foremost heir of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, am I.

i 22

ru-ba-a na-a-dam mi-gi-ir dAMAR.UTU

i 33

-ša-ak-ku ṣi-i-ri na-ra-am dna-bi-um

i 44

mu--ta-lam a-ḫi-iz ne-me-

i 55

ša a-la-ak-ti i-lu-ti-šu-nu -te---ú

i 66

pi-it-lu-ḫu -e-lu-ut-su-un

i 77

ša-ak-ka-na-ak-ku la a-ne-ḫa

i 88

ša a-na zi-in-na-a-ti é-sag-íl ù é-zi-da

i 99

u₄-mi-ša-am ti-iṣ-mu-ru-ú-ma

i 1010

da-am--a-ti .DINGIR.RA.KI ù bár-sipa.KI -te---ú ka-a-a-nam

i 1111

e-em- mu-ut--en-nu-ú za-ni-in é-sag-íl ù é-zi-da

i 1212

IBILA a-ša-re-du ša dna-bi-um-IBILA-ú-ṣu-úr LUGAL TIN.TIR.KI a-na-ku

i 1313

ì-nu-um dAMAR.UTU EN ra--ù re-e-ša šar-ru-ti-ia ú-ul-lu-ma

(i 13) When the god Marduk, the great lord, elevated me to be king and entrusted me with the lordship of all of the people, the god Nabû, overseer of the totality of heaven and earth, allowed my hands to grasp a just scepter to lead all of the settlements in the right was and to make (their) people flourish.

i 1414

be-lu-ti ki--ša-at ni-šim i--pa-an-ni

i 1515

dna-bi-um pa--id ki--ša-at ša--e ù er-ṣe-tim

i 1616

a-na šu-te-šu-úr ka-al da-ad-mu ù šu-um-mu-ḫu te--še-e-ti

i 1717

GIŠ.NÍG.GIDRU i-ša-ar-tim ú-ša-at-mi-ḫu -tu-ú-a

i 1818

ia-ti ša-a-šu-nu ba-la-ak -te---a i-lu-ut-su-un

(i 18) As for me, I pray to them (Marduk and Nabû), I constantly seek out their divinity. At the mention of their important name(s), I revere god and goddess (alike).

i 1919

a-na zi-ki-ir šu-mi-šu-nu ka-ab-tu pi-it-lu-ḫa-ak DINGIR ù d.TAR

i 2020

i-na tu-ku-ul-ti-šu-nu ṣi-ir-ti MA.DA.MA.DA ru--a-tim ša-di-i -su-tim

(i 20) Through their exalted support, I repeatedly travelled (through) far-off lands, remote mountains, from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, difficult paths, obstructed roads, where access was blocked (and) approach was not possible, difficult road(s), (and) arid (lit. “thirsty”) path(s), and I killed the insubmissive, bound enemies, put the land in order, and made the people prosper. I drove away the criminals and villains from the people.

i 2121

-tu ti-a-am-tim e-li-tim a-di ti-a-am-tim ša-ap-li-tim

i 2222

ur-ḫu áš-ṭu-tim pa-da-nim pe-ḫu-tim

i 2323

a-ša-ar ki-ib-su šu-up-ru-su še-e-pi la i-ba-áš-šu-ú

i 2424

ḫa-ra-ni₇ na-am-ra-ṣi ú-ru-uḫ ṣu-ma-mu er-te-ed-de-e-ma

i 2525

la ma-gi-ri a-na-ar ak-mi za-ʾi-i-ri

i 2626

MA.DA -te-ši-ir-ma ni-šim -ta-am-mi-iḫ

i 2727

ra-ag-gu ù ṣe-e-num i-na ni-šim ú-še-es-su

i 2828

.BABBAR .GI ni--iq-ti NA₄ mi-im-ma šu-um-šu šu--ru šu-un-du-lu

(i 28) I had silver, gold, precious stones, an abundance of anything that is valuable, red-gold produce, the yield of the mountains, the wealth of the seas, substantial tribute, lavish gift(s) brought into my city, Babylon, into their (the gods’) presence, and I constantly provisioned Esagil, the palace loved by his lordly majesty.

i 2929

ḪÉ.GAL-lam ru--ša-a bi-ši-ti ša-di-i ḫi-iṣ-bi ta-ma-a-tim

i 3030

ip-ti ka-bi-it-ti i-gi-sa-a šu-um-mu-ḫu

i 3131

a-na URU-ia ba-bi-lam.KI a-na ma-aḫ-ri-šu-un ú-še-ri-im-ma

i 3232

i-na é-sag-íl É.GAL na-ra-am be-lu-ti-šu -ta-ak-ka-an zi-in-na-a-ti

i 3333

é-umuš-a pa-pa-ḫa dEN.LÍL DINGIR.DINGIR dAMAR.UTU

(i 33) I put bright gold (on the walls of) Eumuša, the cella of the Enlil of the gods, the god Marduk, as if (it was) šallaru-plaster.

i 3434

.GI na-am-ru ša-al-la-ri- -ta-ak-ka-an

i 3535

é-zi-da e-- ú-ša-ak-li-il-ma

(i 35) I (re)built and completed Ezida, and (then) I decorated (it) with gold, silver, and precious stones.

i 3636

i-na .BABBAR .GI ù ni--iq-ti NA₄ ú-za-ʾi-in

i 3737

e--re-e-ti .DINGIR.RA.KI ù bár-sipa.KI ú-še-- az-nu-un

(i 37) I had the sanctuaries of Babylon and Borsippa built (and) I provided (for them).

i 3838

é-temen-an-ki zi--ra-at .DINGIR.RA.KI

(i 38) (With regard to) Etemenanki, the ziggurat of Babylon, (and) Eurmeiminanki, the ziggurat of Borsippa, I built and completed their entire structure(s) using bitumen and baked brick, and (then), on their summits, I resplendently built a holy shrine, a well-adorned bedroom, using baked bricks (colored with) shining blue glaze.

i 3939

é-ur₄-me-imin-an-ki zi--ra-at bár-sipa.KI

i 4040

-ti-iq-ši-na ka-la-mu i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri

i 4141

e-- ú-ša-ak-li-il-ma

i 4242

ki-iṣ-ṣi el-lu ma--ta-ku ta-ak--e

i 4343

i-na a-gur-ri NA₄.ZA.GÌN el-le-tim i-na re-e-ša-a-ši-na na-am-ri- e--

i 4444

pa-na-ma ul-tu u₄-um ul-lu-tim a-di pa-le-e dna-bi-um-IBILA-ú-ṣu-úr LUGAL .DINGIR.RA.KI a-bi a-li-di-ia1

(i 44) In the past, from distant days until the reign of Nabopolassar, the king of Babylon, my father who engendered me, the kings who came before me built palaces in cities of their choice, (in) place(s) that they loved, (and) established their residences (in them). They accumulated their possessions inside (them and) heaped up their property. During the festival of the New Year, (during) the setting out of the Enlil of the gods, the god Marduk, they entered Šuanna (Babylon). Since the god Marduk created me for kingship (and) the god Nabû, his true heir, entrusted his subjects (to me), I have loved their beautiful bod(ies) as my (own) precious life. I have made no city more resplendent than Babylon and Borsippa.

i 4545

LUGAL.LUGAL a-li-ku ma-aḫ-ri-ia i-na URU.URU ni- i-ni-šu-nu a-ša-ar ir-ta-mu

i 4646

É.GAL.É.GAL i-te-ep-pu-šu ir-mu-ú šu-ba-at-su-un

i 4747

bu-ša-a-šu-nu i-na -er-bi ú-na-ak-ki-mu ú--ri-nu ma-ak-ku-ur-šu-un

i 4848

i-na i-si-in-ni za-am-mu-ku ta--e dEN.LÍL DINGIR.DINGIR dAMAR.UTU2

i 4949

i-ru-bu a-na -re-eb šu-an-na.KI

i 5050

-tu ib-na-an-ni dAMAR.UTU a-na šar-ru-tim

i 5151

dna-bi-um a--il-šu ki-i-nim ip--du ba-ʾu-ú-la-a-tu-šu

i 5252

ki-ma na-ap-ša-ti a--ar-ti a-ra-mu ba-na-a la-an-šu-un

i 5353

e-li .DINGIR.RA.KI ù bár-sipa.KI ul ú-ša-pa URU

Column ii
ii 1ii 1

i-na .DINGIR.RA.KI URU ni- i-ni-ia ša a-ra-am-mu3

(ii 1) In Babylon, the city that I chose, which I love, (with regard to) the palace, a building (that is) an object of wonder for the people, the bond of the land, a holy kummu-building, (and) the abode of my royal majesty, in the Ka-dingirra district which is in Babylon (and extends) from Imgur-Enlil to Lībil-ḫegalla, the eastern canal, from the bank of the Euphrates River to Ay-ibūr-šabû, the street of Babylon which Nabopolassar, the king of Babylon, my father who engendered me, had created with (sundried) brick(s) and taken up residence inside, its foundation(s) had become weak on account of flood water (and) the gates of that palace had become too low as a result of the raising (of the level) of the street(s) of Babylon.

ii 22

É.GAL É ta-ab-ra-a-ti ni-šim ma-ar-ka-su MA.DA

ii 33

ku-um-mu el-lu at-ma-ni₇ šar-ru-ti-ia

ii 44

i-na er-ṣe-tim -dingir-ra.KI ša -re-eb ba-bi-lam.KI

ii 55

-tu im-gu-úr-dEN.LÍL a-di li-bi-il-ḪÉ.GÁL PA₅ dUTU.È

ii 66

-tu ki-ša-ad ÍD.BURANUN.KI a-di a-a-i-bu-úr-ša-bu-um su-le-e .DINGIR.RA.KI

ii 77

ša dna-bi-um-IBILA-ú-ṣu-úr LUGAL .DINGIR.RA.KI a-bi ba-nu-ú-a

ii 88

i-na SIG₄ ib-ši-mu-ma ir-mu-ú -re-eb-ša

ii 99

i-na -e mi-li i-ši-id-sa i-ni-šu-ma

ii 1010

i-na ta-am-le-e su-le-e .DINGIR.RA.KI

ii 1111

ša É ša-a-tim -ta-ap-pi-la .-ša

ii 1212

i-ga-ru-ša bi-ši-ti SIG₄ ad-ke-e-ma

(ii 12) I removed its wall, (merely) a molding of (sundried) brick(s), and (then) opened up its foundation and reached the water table. I secured its foundation at the level of the water table and raised it as high as a mountain using bitumen and baked brick.

ii 1313

te-me-en-ša ap-te-e-ma šu--ul -e ak-šu-ud

ii 1414

-ḫe-ra-at -e i-ši-id-sa ú-ša-ar-ši-id-ma

ii 1515

i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri ú-za-aq--ir-ša ḫu-úr-sa-ni-

ii 1616

GIŠ.EREN da-nu₄-tim a-na ṣú-lu-li-ša ú-ša-at-ri-iṣ

(ii 16) I had (beams of) hard cedar stretched (over it) for its roof. At each of its gates, I fixed doors (made) of cedar with a facing of bronze (and) threshold(s) and nukuššû-fittings of cast copper.

ii 1717

GIŠ.IG.GIŠ.IG GIŠ.EREN ta-aḫ-lu-up-ti ZABAR às-ku-up-pu

ii 1818

ù nu-ku-še-e -ti-iq e-ri-i e-ma .-ša er-te-et-ti

ii 1919

.BABBAR .GI ni--iq-ti NA₄ mi-im-ma šu-um-šu šu--ru šu-un-du-lu

(ii 19) I heaped up inside it silver, gold, precious stone(s), an abundance of anything that is valuable, (and) possessions (and) property worthy of praise. I accumulated inside it (objects) of valor (and) glory, (as well as) royal treasure(s).

ii 2020

bu-ša-a ma-ak-ku-ru -ma-at ta-na-da-a-ti ú--ri-in -er-bu--ša

ii 2121

qu-ur-du ta--ri-iḫ-ti ni-ṣi-ir-ti šar-ru-ti ú-na-ak-ki-mu li-ib-bu--ša

ii 2222

-šum -me-di šar-ru-ti-ia i-na URU ša-ni-im-ma la i-ra-am-mu li-ib-ba4

(ii 22) Because (my) heart did not desire the seat of my royal majesty to be in (any) other city (than Babylon), I did not build myself a lordly abode in all settlements, nor did I store property befitting a king in all lands.

ii 2323

i-na ka-al da-ad-mu ul ab-na-a at-ma-ni₇ be-lu-ti

ii 2424

ma-ak-ku-ru -ma-at šar-ru-ti ul -ta-ak-ka-an -re-eb ma-ti-ta-an

ii 2525

i-na .DINGIR.RA.KI ku-um-mu be-lu-ti-ia a-na -ma-at šar-ru-ti-ia la šu-um-ṣa

(ii 25) In Babylon, the kummu-building of my lordly majesty was not decorous enough for my status as king. Because reverence of the god Marduk, my lord, was present in my heart, when I widened (lit. “in order to widen”) the residence of my royal majesty in Babylon, the city (under) my protection, which I love, I did not change its street(s), displace its dais(es), nor block up its canal(s).

ii 2626

-šum pu-lu-uḫ-ti dAMAR.UTU EN-ia ba-šu-ú li-ib-bu-ú-a5

ii 2727

i-na .DINGIR.RA.KI URU ni-ṣi-ir-ti-ia ša a-ra-am-mu

ii 2828

a-na šu-un-du-lu šu-ba-at šar-ru-ti-ia

ii 2929

su-uq-šu la e-ni BÁRA-šu la ú-ni- PA₅-šu la es-ki-ir

ii 3030

ku-um-mu ra-ap-ši- -te--e-ma

(ii 30) I searched far and wide for (the site of a new) kummu-building and (at) a distance of 490 cubits outside Nēmetti-Enlil, the outer wall of Babylon, I built two strong embankments using bitumen and baked brick, wall(s that were) as (solid as) a mountain.

ii 3131

4 ME 90 am-ma-at --ri i-ta-a-ti --et-ti-dEN.LÍL6

ii 3232

ša-al-ḫe-e .DINGIR.RA.KI a-na ki-da₄-a-nim

ii 3333

2 ka-a-ri da-nu₄-tim i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri

ii 3434

BÀD ša-da-ni- e---ma

ii 3535

i-na -e-ri-šu-nu -ti-iq a-gur-ri e-ep-ti-iq-ma

(ii 35) I fashioned a baked brick structure between them and, on top of it, I built to a great height a large kummu-building as the residence of my royal majesty using bitumen and baked brick. I added (it) to the palace of (my) father and (thereby) made the seat of my lordly majesty resplendent.

ii 3636

i-na re-e-ši-šu ku-um-mu ra-ba-a

ii 3737

a-na šu-ba-at šar-ru-ti-ia

ii 3838

i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri ša-- e---ma

ii 3939

it-ti É.GAL a-bi ú-ra-ad-di-ma ú-ša-pa-a šu-ba-at be-lu-ti

ii 4040

GIŠ.EREN da-nu₄-tim ṣi-i-ti ša-di-i e-lu-ti

(ii 40) I had (beams of) hard cedar originating from the high mountains (Lebanon), thick pines, and the best selection of cypress stretched (over it) for its roof. At each of its gates, I fixed doors (made) of musukkannu-wood, cedar, cypress, ebony, and ivory mounted with silver (and) gold and faced with bronze, (and) threshold(s) of silver and nukuššû-fittings of cast copper. I surrounded its summit with parapets (colored with) blue glaze.

ii 4141

GIŠ.a-šu-ḫu pa-ag-lu-tim ù GIŠ.šur-i-ni ni-is-qu -e-ru-tim

ii 4242

a-na ṣú-lu-li-ša ú-ša-at-ri-iṣ

ii 4343

GIŠ.IG.GIŠ.IG GIŠ.MES..KAN.NA GIŠ.EREN GIŠ.šur-i-ni ú-ša-a ù ši-in-nu

ii 4444

i-ḫi-iz .BABBAR .GI ta-aḫ-lu-up-ti ZABAR às-ku-up-pi .BABBAR

ii 4545

ù nu-ku-še-e e-ri-i e-ma .-ša er-te-et-ti-ma

ii 4646

ki-li-li NA₄.ZA.GÌN re-e-ša-a-ša ú-ša-al-mu

ii 4747

BÀD da-an-num i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gu-úr-ri

(ii 47) I surrounded it like a mountain with a fortified wall using bitumen and baked brick. Alongside the wall of baked brick, I built a great wall using strong stone(s) (and) large (slabs) quarried from the mountain(s) and (then) I raised its superstructure like a mountain.

ii 4848

ša-da-ni- ú-ša-às-ḫi-ir-ša

ii 4949

i-ta-a-ti BÀD a-gur-ri BÀD ra-ba-a i-na NA₄ da-nu₄-tim

ii 5050

ši-ti-iq ša-di-i ra--ù-tim e---ma

ii 5151

ki-ma ša-di-i ul-la-a re-e-ša-a-ša

ii 5252

É ša-a-tim a-na ta-ab-ra-a-ti ú-še---ma7

(ii 52) I had that building built to be an object of wonder and I filled it with splendor for all of the people to see. Dignity, fury, reverence, (and) brilliance of kingship surround it so that criminals (and) the unrighteous cannot enter inside it.

ii 5353

a-na da-ga-lam ki--ša-at ni-šì lu-le-e -ma-al-li-ša8

ii 5454

ba-al-ti uz-zu pu-lu-uḫ-ti me-lam-mi šar-ru-tim

ii 5555

i-ta-a-ti-ša sa-aḫ-ra-a-ma9

ii 5656

ra-ag-ga la i-ša-ri ul i-ba- -re-eb-ša

ii 5757

-šum ma-aṣ-ṣa-ar-ti é-sag-íl du-un-nu-nim

(ii 57) In order to strengthen the protection of Esagil (so that) no evil-doer or murderer can come near Babylon, (I did something) that no king of the past had done: 4,000 cubits distance outside the city of Babylon, far away, (too far away) to approach (lit. “not to approach”), I surrounded the eastern bank of Babylon with a fortified wall.

Column iii
iii 1iii 1

le-em-num ù ša-ag-gi-šu a-na ba-bi-lam.KI la sa-na-

iii 22

ša ma-na-a-ma LUGAL ma-aḫ-ri la i--šu

iii 33

4 LIM am-ma-at --ri i-ta-a-ti URU ba-bi-lam.KI

iii 44

-si- la ṭa-ḫe-e

iii 55

BÀD da-núm BAL.RI dUTU.È ba-bi-lam.KI ú-ša-às-ḫi-ir

(iii 5) I dug out its moat and constructed its embankment(s) using bitumen (and) baked brick and (then), on its embankment, I built a fortified wall like a mountain. I constructed its broad gates (and) I fitted each of them with doors (made) of cedar with a facing of bronze.

iii 66

ḫi-ri-su aḫ-re-e-ma ki-bi-ir-šu i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri ak-ṣú-úr-ma

iii 77

BÀD da-núm i-na ki-ša-di-šu ša-da-ni- ab-nim

iii 88

.GAL..GAL-šu ša-ad-la-a-ti ú-ra-ak-ki-is-ma

iii 99

GIŠ.IG.GIŠ.IG GIŠ.EREN ta-aḫ-lu-up-ti ZABAR

iii 1010

e-er-te-et-ti-ši-na-a-ti

iii 1111

i-na ṭe-ḫi BÀD a-gur-ri a-na ti-ib IM.SI.10

(iii 11) In the immediate vicinity of the wall of baked bricks (that) faces north, (my) heart prompted me to build a palace for the protection of Babylon and I had a palace, a replica of the palace inside Ka-dingirra, built inside it (Babylon) using bitumen and baked brick. I constructed a strong sixty-cubit (artificially-made) spur of land along the Euphrates River and (thereby) created dry land. Using bitumen and baked brick, I secured its foundation on the surface (lit. “breast”) of the netherworld, at the level of the water table, and raised its superstructure. I added to the palace and raised it as high as a mountain using bitumen and baked brick.

iii 1212

É.GAL a-na ni-ṣi-ir-ti ba-bi-lam.KI e--šu

iii 1313

li-ib-ba ub-la-am-ma

iii 1414

É.GAL GABA.RI É.GAL -dingir-ra.KI

iii 1515

i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri -er-ba-šu ú-še--11

iii 1616

60-šu am-ma-at ap-pa da-núm a-na ÍD.BURANUN.KI ak-ṣú-úr-ma

iii 1717

na-ba-lam ab-ši-im-ma12

iii 1818

i-ši-id-sa i-na i-ra-at ki-gal-lam

iii 1919

-ḫe-ra-at -e

iii 2020

i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri ú-ša-ar-ši-id-ma

iii 2121

re-e-ši-šu ul-la-am-ma it-ti É.GAL ú-ra-ad-di-ma

iii 2222

i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri

iii 2323

ú-za-aq--ir-ša ḫu-úr-sa-ni-

iii 2424

GIŠ.EREN da-nu₄-tim a-na ṣú-lu-li-ša ú-ša-at-ri-iṣ

(iii 24) I had (beams of) hard cedar stretched (over it) as its roof. At each of its gates, I fixed doors (made) of cedar with a facing of bronze, (and) threshold(s) and nukuššû-fittings of cast copper. I named that building “May Nebuchadnezzar (II) Stay in Good Health (and) Grow Old as The Provider of the Esagil.” With regard to the merciless evil-doer in the outskirts of the wall of Babylon, I drove away his arrows by reinforcing the wall of Babylon like a mountain. I strengthened the protection of Esagil and established the city of Babylon as a fortress.

iii 2525

GIŠ.IG.GIŠ.IG GIŠ.EREN ta-aḫ-lu-up-ti ZABAR

iii 2626

às-ku-up-pi ù nu-ku-še-e -ti-iq e-ri-i

iii 2727

e-ma .-ša e-er-te-et-ti

iii 2828

É ša-a-tim dna-bi-um-ku-du-úr-ri-ú-ṣu-úr li-ib-lu-uṭ

iii 2929

lu-la-ab-bi-ir za-ni-in é-sag-íl a-na šu-mi-šu am-bi

iii 3030

ša le-em-num la ba-bi-il pa-ni₇ i-ta-a-ti BÀD .DINGIR.RA.KI

iii 3131

-an ta-ḫa-zi-šu ú-ša-as-si-ma

iii 3232

URU ba-bi-lam.KI ú-da-an-ni-in ḫu-úr-sa-ni-

iii 3333

ma-aṣ-ṣa-ar-ti é-sag-íl ú-da-an-ni-in-ma

iii 3434

URU ba-bi-lam.KI a-na ni-ṣi-ir-ti -ku-un

iii 3535

a-na dAMAR.UTU EN-ia ut--en-ma -ta áš-ši

(iii 35) I prayed to the god Marduk, my lord, and raised up my hand(s): “O Marduk, (my) lord, wisest of the gods, proud prince, you are the one who created me and entrusted me with kingship over all of the people.

iii 3636

dAMAR.UTU EN IGI.GÁL DINGIR ru-bu-ú mu--ta-ar-ḫa

iii 3737

at-ta ta-ab-na-an-ni-ma

iii 3838

šar-ru-ti ki--ša-at ni-šim ta--pa-an-ni

iii 3939

ki-ma ša a-ra-mu pu-lu-uḫ-ti i-lu-ti-ka

(iii 39) Because I love revering your divinity (and) constantly seeking out your lordly majesty, accept my supplications (and) listen to my prayers so that I may be the king who provides (for you and) pleases your heart, the true shepherd who preserves the well-being of your people, the one who makes your subjects flourish, (and) the capable governor who provides for all of your cult centers.

iii 4040

-te---ú be-lu-ut-ka

iii 4141

mu-gu-úr ni- -ti-ia ši-ma-a su-pu-ú-a

iii 4242

a-na-ku lu LUGAL za-ni-nu mu-ṭi-ib li-ib-bi-ka

iii 4343

lu RE.É.UM-ka ki-i-nim mu-ša-al-li-im ni-ši-ka

iii 4444

mu-ša-am-mi-ḫu ba-ʾu-ú-la-a-ti-ka

iii 4545

lu ša-ak-ka-na-ka-ku it-pe-šu

iii 4646

za-ni-nu ka-al ma-ḫa-zi-ka

iii 4747

-bi-tu-uk-ka re--nu-ú dAMAR.UTU É e--šu

(iii 47) By your command, O merciful Marduk, may the house that I built stay in good repair forever (and) I may be sated with its luxuriousness. May I reach the prime of (my) life (and) attain very old age inside it. May I receive inside it the substantial tribute of kings of the (four) quarters (of the world and) all of the people.

iii 4848

ga-du ú-ul-lu li-bu-úr-ma la-la-a-šu lu--ba

iii 4949

i-na -er-bi-ša ši-bu-tu lu-uk-šu-ud lu--ba-a li-it-tu-tu

iii 5050

ša LUGAL.LUGAL ki-ib-ra-a-ti ša ka-al te--še-e-ti

iii 5151

bi-la-at-su-nu ka-bi-it-ti lu-um-ḫu-úr -er-bu--ša

iii 5252

-tu AN.ÚR a-di AN.PA e-ma dUTU a-ṣu-ú

(iii 52) From the horizon to the zenith, wherever the sun rises, may I not have (any) enemies nor acquire (any) troublemaker(s). Inside it, may my descendants rule over the black-headed (people) forever.”

iii 5353

a-a i-ši na-ki-ri mu-ga-al-li-ti a-a ar-ši

iii 5454

li-i-pu-ú-a i-na -er-bi-ša a-na da--a-tim

iii 5555

ṣa-al-ma-at --dam li--e-lu

1On exs. 4–5, col. ii begins with this line.

2On exs. 2–3, col. ii begins with this line.

3This passage records the rebuilding of the (old) South Palace. For further information on this royal residence, see the on-page note to Nbk. 2 (East India House) vii 34–viii 18.

4This passage describes the construction of the (new) North Palace. For more details on this newly-constructed royal residence, see the on-page note to Nbk. 2 (East India House) viii 19–ix 44.

5-šum pu-lu-uḫ-ti dAMAR.UTU “Because reverence of the god Marduk”: ex. 3 has -šum be-lu-ú-ti dAMAR.UTU, “Because of the dominion of the god Marduk.”

64 ME 90 am-ma-at “490 cubits”: This is the measurement given by ex. 1. Exs. 2–4, which are possibly written slightly earlier than ex. 1, have 4 ME 80 am-ma-at, “480 cubits.”

7On ex. 3, col. iii begins with this line.

8On ex. 4, col. iii begins with this line.

9On exs. 2 and 5, col. iii begins with this line.

10This passage describes the construction of the (new) Summer Palace, a second palace at Babylon constructed completely anew by Nebuchadnezzar II at Babylon. The ruins of this royal residence were visited by Pietro della Valle in 1616 and excavated by R. Koldewey in 1914–15 and by Iraqi archaeologists around 1980. This 26,000-m2 building, which was built atop of a 22-m-high brick terrace, was located inside the northernmost stretch of the newly-built outer city wall, approximately 2.5 km north of the (old) South Palace; this is at Tell Babil, the highest ruin mound of the modern site, where local tradition has preserved Babylon’s name until modern times. The palace, which went by the Akkadian ceremonial name Nabiʾum-kudurrī-uṣur-libluṭ-lulabbir-zānin-Esagil (“May Nebuchadnezzar Stay in Good Health (and) Grow Old as the Provider of Esagil”) according to this inscription (iii 28–29), was modelled on the newly-constructed North Palace, as well as the western extension of the South Palace, and constructed as a fortress to protect Babylon and its principal temple Esagil. Like the North Palace, the Summer Palace had two large central courtyards, with the building’s most important rooms constructed to the south of them. Recessed vertical open channels were discovered in a few rooms and these were thought to have been ventilation shafts for cooling, which is why it was dubbed the “Summer Palace” (German Sommerpalast). This royal residence was used until the Parthian Period, at which point it fell into disuse. Sometime during the late Parthian Period or in the Sassanian Period, a large fortress was constructed on top of the Summer Palace’s ruins, thus continuing the location’s function as a defensive outpost. For more details, especially on the archaeological remains, see Koldewey, Königsburgen 2 pp. 41–62; Koldewey, WEB5 pp. 19–25; and Pedersén, Babylon pp. 104–106.

11Exs. 4–5 omit i-na ku-up-ri ù a-gur-ri, “using bitumen and baked brick.”

12ab-ši-im-ma “I created”: Exs. 2 and 4 have ib-ši-im-ma, “he created.”


Created by Frauke Weiershäuser and Jamie Novotny, 2015-24, for the Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), a corpus-building initiative funded by LMU Munich, the Henkel Foundation, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (through the establishment of the Alexander von Humboldt Chair for Ancient History of the Near and Middle East), and and based at the Historisches Seminar - Abteilung Alte Geschichte of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. The annotated edition is released under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license 3.0. Please cite this page as http://oracc.org/ribo/Q005494/.