Sennacherib 223

(1) Deities Aššur, Anu, Enlil, Ea, Sîn, Šamaš, Adad, Marduk, Nabû, [Nerg]al, Ištar, (and) the Sebetti, the great gods, who install the lord (and) name the ruler to lead the black-headed (people) all over the inhabited world:

(3) Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), the prince who provides for them, by your firm ‘yes’ I marched about safely from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, and (then) I made rulers of the (four) quarters (of the world) bow down at my feet and they (now) pull my yoke:

(5b) At that time, I greatly enlarged the site of Nineveh. I had its (inner) wall and its outer wall, which had never been constructed before, built anew and I raised (them) as high as mountain(s). Its fields, which had been turned into wastelands due to lack of water, were woven over with spider webs. Moreover, its people did not know artificial irrigation, but had their eyes turned for rain (and) showers from the sky.

(8) I climbed high and I had eighteen canals dug from the cities Masiti, Banbarina, Šapparišu, Kār-Šamaš-nāṣir, Kār-nūri, Talmusu, Ḫatâ, Dalāyin, Rēš-ēni, Sulu, Dūr-Ištar, Šibaniba, Isparirra, Gingiliniš, Nampagāte, Tillu, Alum-riksi, (and) the water that is above the city Ḫadabiti and I directed their courses into the Ḫusur River.

(11b) I had a canal dug from the border of the city Kisiri to Nineveh (and) I caused those waters to flow inside it. I named it Patti-Sennacherib. [I directed] the mass of those waters from Mount Tas, a rugged mountain near the land Urarṭu, to my land. Previously, that canal was called the [...] canal.

(13b) Now, I, by the command of the god Aššur, the great lord, my lord, added to it the waters on the right and left of the mountain, which are beside it, and [the waters] of the cities Mēsu, Kukkinu, (and) Piturra, cities in its environs.

(15b) I d[u]g [that] canal with (only) seventy men and I named it Nār-Sennacherib. I added (its water) to the water from the wells and the canals that I had previously d[ug], and (then) I directed their courses to Nineveh, the exalted cult center, my royal residence, whose site [the king]s, my [ancestor]s, since time imme[morial] had not made large (enough), nor had they expertly carried out its artful execution.

(18b) Now I, Sennacherib — king of Assyria, foremost of [all] rulers, who [march]ed about [freely] from east to we[st] — thanks to the waters of the canals that I caused to be dug, [I could pl]ant around Nineveh gardens, vines, every type of fruit, [...] ..., products of every mountain, fruit trees from all over the world, (including) spi[ces] and [olive trees]. Where water could not reach, I left waterless and [...] a game preserve called [...] all of the orchards, for entering the fields, above the city (and) below (the city), <from> the city Tarbiṣu to the (city) Ālu-ša-Libbālāyu (Aššur), I provided irrigation annually for the cultivation of grain and sesame.

(23b) (To) a later ruler, one of the kings, my descendants, who deliberates (the matter) in (his) heart but is not able to believe (it), (and) s[ays] “How did he have this canal dug out wi[th] (only) these few men?”: [I swear] by the god Aššur, my great god, that I dug out this canal with (only) these [men]. Moreover, I completed the work on it within one year (and) three months; [...] was completed (and) I finished digging its excavation.

(27) In order to open that canal, I sent an exorcist (and) a lamentation singer and ... [...] Carnelian, lapis lazuli, muššāru-stone, ḫulālu-stone, pappardilû-stones, precious stones, turtles (and) tortoises whose likeness(es) are ca[st] in silver (and) gold, aromatics, (and) fine oil, I gave as gifts to the god Ea, the lord of underground waters, cisterns, and ..., (and to) the god Enbilulu, the inspector of canals, (and) to the god Enʾeʾimdu, the lord of [dike(s) and canal(s)]. I prayed to the great gods; they heeded my supplications and made my handiwork prosper.

(30b) This (sluice) gate of the watercourse opened by itself [without (the help)] of spade or shovel and let an abundance of water flow through. Its (sluice) gate was not ope[ned] through the work of human hands. According to the heart’s desire of the gods, I made (it) gurgle with water. After I inspected the canal and made sure its construction was performed correctly, I offered pure sacrifices of fattened oxen (and) an abundance of sheep to the great gods, who march at my side (and) who make my reign secure. I clothed those men who dug out this canal with linen garments (and) garments with multi-colored trim, (and) I placed gold rings (and) gold pectorals on them.

(34b) In this year with the flowing (lit. “going”) of this canal which I had dug, I drew up a battleline with Umman-menanu (Ḫumban-menanu), the king of the land Elam, and the king of Babylon, together with the numerous kings of the mountains and Sealand who were their allies, in the plain of the city Ḫalulê. By the command of the god Aššur, the great lord, my lord, I charged into their midst like a fierce arrow, and I repelled their troops. I dispersed their assembled host and scattered their forces.

(37b) I captured alive in the midst of battle the magnates of the king of the land Elam, including Nabû-šuma-iškun, a son of Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), king of the land Karduniaš (Babylonia).

(38b) Terror of doing serious battle with me overwhelmed the king of the land Elam and the king of Babylon and they released their excrement inside their chariots. In order to save their lives, they fled to their (own) land(s) and did not return ever again (saying): “Perhaps Sennacherib, king of Assyria, is so angry that he will return to the land Elam.”

(41) Fear (and) terror fell upon all of the Elamites and they abandoned their land, and (then), in order to save their lives, they betook themselves to a rugged mountain like eagle(s) and their hearts throbbed like (those of) pursued birds. Until they died, they did not make their way (back) (lit. “they did not open a path”) and they no longer made war.

(43b) On my second campaign, I marched quickly to Babylon, which I planned to conquer, and (then) I blew like [the onset] of a storm and enveloped it like a (dense) fog. I besieged the city; then, by means of sapping and ladders, I [captured (it)] (and) plundered [the city]. Its people, young and old, I did not spare, and I filled the city squares with their corpses. I carried off alive to my land Šūzubu (Mušēzib-Marduk), the king of Babylon, together with his family (and) his [...]s.

(47) I handed the property of that city — silver, gold, choice stones, possessions (and) property — over to my [people] and they kept it for themselves. My people seized and smashed the gods living inside it, and (then) they took their [possessions] (and) property. The god Adad (and) the goddess Šala, gods of the city Ekallātum whom Marduk-nādin-aḫḫē, king of Akkad, had taken and brought to Babylon during the reign of Tiglath-pileser (I), king of Assyria — I had (them) brought out of Babylon after 418 years and I returned them to the city E[kallātum], their (proper) place.

(50b) I destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire the city, and (its) buildings, from its foundations to its crenellations. I removed the brick(s) and earth, as much as there was, from the (inner) wall and outer wall, the temples, (and) the ziggurrat, (and) I threw (it) into the Araḫtu river. I dug canals into the center of that city and (thus) leveled their site with water. I destroyed the outline of its foundations and (thereby) made its destruction surpass that of the Deluge. So that in the future, the site of that city and (its) temples will be unrecognizable, I dissolved it (Babylon) in water and annihilated (it), (making it) like a meadow.

(54b) At the “mouth” of the canal that I caused to be dug into the mountain, [I ma]de six stele[s] (and) I fashioned image(s) of the great gods, my lords, upon them. Moreover, I had a royal image of myself expressing humility (lit. “one who strokes the nose”) placed before them. I had all of my handiwork that I had undertaken in Nineveh inscribed upon them and I left (them) for ever after for the kings, my descendants.

(57b) At any time (in the future), a future ruler, one of the kings, my descendants, who desecrates the work that I have done, dismantles the (canal) system that I have constructed, (or) div[e]rts the flow of the waters of these canals from the plain of Nineveh: May the great gods, as many as are named in this stele, by their holy decree, which cannot be al[tered], curse him with a harsh [curse] and overthrow his dynasty.