Ninurta-kudurri-uṣur 02

(i 1) I, Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur, governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari, son of Šamaš-rēša-uṣur, ditto (governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari),

(i 2) son of Iqīša-Marduk, ditto (governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari), descendant of Adad-nādin-zēri, ditto (governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari), one of an enduring lineage,

(i 3) distant descendant of Tunamissaḫ, son of Ḫammu-rāpi, king of Babylon; the chosen one, upon whom the gods Šamaš and Marduk, Adad and Apla-Adad, happily (and) radiantly looked with their full shining faces, to whom they gave mighty power, strength, and the kingship over the land of Sūḫu, and for whose lot they bestowed (a sense of) justice —

(i 7b) Three months had hardly passed, at the beginning of my governorship, when I ascended the throne of my father, (when) two thousand Ḫatallu (tribesmen) — from the Sarugu (clan) to the Luḫuāyya (clan) — with archers and their military commanders gathered and came to an agreement.

(i 12) Šamaʾgamni, the herald of the Sarugu (clan), who is thoroughly pervaded with falsehood, was their leader. They came up to plunder the land of Laqû, but while in the steppe they deliberated, saying: “The governor of the land of Sūḫu is hostile to us. How shall we pass by (him) in order to plunder the land of Laqû?”

(i 16b) Šamaʾgamni, the herald of the Sarugu (clan), and Yâʾe, the son of Balammu, a member of the Amatu (tribe), their military commanders, said the following to them:

(i 19) “Not one among the governors of the land of Sūḫu, his ancestors, (ever dared to) go to fight against one thousand Arameans. Now then, this one will (have to) go to fight against two thousand Arameans!

(i 21b) If he comes up against us, we will go to fight him and take the land of Sūḫu for our own.

(i 23b) However, if he does not come up (against us), we will take away booty and draw (more) men to us.

(i 25) Then we will go and attack the houses of the land of Sūḫu. We will seize his towns which are (located) in the steppe and cut down their fruit trees.”

(i 27b) Trusting in their (own) forces, they proceeded on to the land of Laqû (and) seized one hundred villages of the land of Laqû. They took countless booty and turned the land of Laqû into a heap of ruins.

(i 30b) Adad-daʾʾānu, the governor of the land of Laqû, came before me with four chariots (and) two hundred soldiers. He kissed the ground before me and then implored me (for aid). I accepted his supplication.

(i 33) Moreover, Sîn-šallimanni, the provincial governor of the land of Ruṣapu, went against them (the Arameans) with all the troops of the land of Ruṣapu, but (when) he saw them, he became afraid and [did not fall upon them].

(i 36) I, Ni[nurta-kudurrī-uṣur ...]

(ii 1) I brought about a [cloud]-burst over them and from inside my chariot I blew them away (lit. “washed them away”) like ch[aff]. Arrows quivered like locusts over [my] forces, (but) not one person among my forces fell.

(ii 4) (Although) they wounded thirty-eight men from among my forces, not one person among them (my forces) fell dead in the steppe. I fell upon them (the enemy) like a blazing fire and put one thousand six hundred and sixteen of their men to the sword. Moreover, I removed the arms (and) lower lips of eighty of their men and let them go free to (spread the news of my) glory.

(ii 9b) From the well Makiru <as far as> the well Gallabu and the well Suribu, at (these) three wells, I defeated (and) annihilated them. I broke up their numerous auxiliary troops and split up their military contingents. I captured those who tried to get away; I made their blood run like the water of a river. Eagles and vultures hovered over their corpses. I filled the mountains and wadis with their skulls like mountain-stones; birds made (their) nests in their skulls.

(ii 17) Three hundred and four of their men had quickly retreated before me. (Because) my horses and my men had become thirsty for water due to the fighting, I did not pursue them. Forty of these (three hundred and four) men perished due to thirst for water; (the remaining) two hundred and fifty-four men of them got away.

(ii 20b) I (thus) killed one thousand eight hundred and forty-six of their men. This is a single defeat which Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur, governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari, inflicted upon the Ḫatallu (tribesmen).

(ii 23b) With regard to Šamaʾgamni, the herald of the Sarugu (clan), their leader, the dishonest servant whom the land of Sūḫu, Assyria, and my fathers rejected, I got hold (of him and) killed him, (thereby) easing my heart. I stripped off his skin like the skin of a sheep and set (it) in front of the gate of Āl-gabbāri-bānî.

(ii 27b) I inflicted such a defeat as none among <my ancestors> had inflicted. My ancestors had defeated the enemy ten times, but they did not achieve as much as I. I inflicted a single defeat (of such an extent that) I surpassed my ancestors.

(ii 29b) Anyone in the future who comes forward and says: “How [did] Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur, the governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari [inflict] this defeat?” (should be told that) I did [not] inflict (this) [by my own power, (but rather) I inflicted this] defeat by the power of the gods Šamaš and Marduk, A[dad and Apla-Adad, the great gods], my lords.

(ii 33b) [Anyone in the future] who comes forward and [should ask] the elders of [his] l[and and the elders of the land of Laqû: ...]”

(iii 1') [...]

(iii 2') ... [... governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari ...]

(iii 3') I saw [(...) in the vicinity of] the well Bukrê, but [(its) location was not good ...]

(iii 4') had not been built. Above the well Buk[rê ...]

(iii 5') I discovered. It consisted of depressions; a reed marsh ... [...]

(iii 6') I opened it up and its water was abundant. Three routes [...]

(iii 7') which go to the land of Laqû, the city Ḫindānu, and the land of Sūḫu,

(iii 8') which in the days of the governors, my ancestors, who had left no mounted soldiers there, <...>

(iii 9b') Anyone in the future who comes forward and says: “How is it that (any) stranger who passes by may drink (this) water?” (should be told that) he may drink from the well which we formed.

(iii 11a') No town had been built there before my time. I conceived the idea of building this town.

(iii 12b') While the workforce was making bricks for it, before the town had (yet) been (completely) built there, twenty Aramean marauders came (there), but one mounted officer whom I had stationed there on guard seized them.

(iii 16b') I built a town there and named it Dūr-Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur (“Fort Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur”). I settled people in it (and) stationed mounted soldiers in it. This (town) is the open eyes of the land of Sūḫu for the sake of the security of the land of Sūḫu.

(iii 18b') No one in the future who comes forward should neglect this town (or) expel the inhabitants whom I settled in this town. They should (continue to) guard (this town) against the enemy for the sake of the security of the land of Sūḫu. Just as I (did), he should pay attention to this town (and) not neglect this town.

(iii 22b') I, Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur, governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari, discovered land (capable of being) cultivated on the top of a cliff and conceived the idea of building a town (there). I laid a stone foundation, reinforced (it), built a town upon (it), and named it Kār-Apla-Adad (“Quay of the God Apla-Adad”).

(iii 25b') I [settled] there fifty ..., citizens of the land of Sūḫu, who had approached (me) — Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur, governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari — about settling in (this) town, saying: “Settle us in your town!” I planted orchard(s) near it. I built a temple to the god Apla-Adad and [(...)] I settled inside (it) [...] of the god Apla-Adad, who had (previously) dwelt in the city Anat.

(iii 29b') I established one sūtu of bread and fine beer [...] as regular offerings for him (and) presen[ted] (them) to those privileged to enter the temple and to the mayor. I built a palace for the governor there. I constructed an embankment from the Euphrates, made it high, (and) built a ... upon (it). [...]

(iv 1') ... [...]

(iv 2') I, Ninurta-ku[durrī-uṣur, governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari: the Akītu (temple) of the gods Adad] and Mešar (Mīšarum) — the great gods who dwell in the town Udada — had become old and been abandoned. None am[ong] my ancestors had paid attention (to it) and (re)built (it). I completely (re)built this Akītu (temple). I had (this temple) (re)built and dedicated (it) to the gods Adad and Mešar (Mīšarum), the great gods, my lords, in order to ensure my good health (and) the well-being of my offspring, to prolong my days, to confirm my reign, (and) to defeat the land of my enemy.

(iv 9b') The palace of Enamḫe-zēra-ibni, governor of the land of Sūḫu, (which is located in) the district of the city Raʾil, which is in the middle of the Euphrates (River), had become old and I abandoned it. I built another palace above it: 64 cubits is its length (and) 12 1/2 cubits is its width. I made it 20 cubits longer (and) 4 cubits wider than the palace of Enamḫe-zēra-ibni. I built (even) another palace above it: I made it 45 cubits long (and) 9 cubits wide.

(iv 15b') With regard to the people of Raʾil (and) their rebels, they had rebelled against my father, but my father had defeated them. At the beginning of my governorship, when I ascended the throne of my father, the people of Raʾil revolted against me, but I defeated them. With regard to this matter, I did not pay (great) attention to it and did not make a relief (commemorating) it. No one in the future who comes forward should neglect the people of Raʾil!

(iv 21b') With regard to Āl-gabbāri-bānî, the town which Šamaš-rēša-uṣur, governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari, my father, had built, I built an enclosure around it. I made the town longer and wider, and I strengthened (it). The wall of the enclosure which I built is thirteen cubits thick. I dug a moat around the town and (thereby) completely surrounded the town with water.

(iv 26b') I, Ninurta-kudurrī-uṣur, governor of the land of Sūḫu and the land of Mari: with regard to the people of Tema and Šaba, whose own country is far away, (whose) messenger(s) had never come to me, and (who) had never travelled to (meet) me, their caravan came near to the water of the well Martu and the well Ḫalatu, but passed by and then entered into the city Ḫindānu. I heard a report about them at midday, (while I was) in the town Kār-Apla-Adad and (immediately) harnessed (the horses of) my chariot. I crossed the river during the night and reached the town Azlāyyānu before midday of the next day. I waited in the town Azlāyyānu for three days and on the third day they approached. I captured one hundred of them alive. I captured their two hundred camels, together with their loads — blue-purple wool, ... wool, iron, <pappar>dilû-stones, every kind of merchandise. I took abundant booty from them and brought it into the land of Sūḫu.