(i 1) Nabonidus, king of Babylon, shepherd chosen by the god Marduk, the one who provides for Esagil and Ezida, the one who makes sattukku-offering(s) abundant, the one who renovates the cult centers of the great gods, (the one who has) generously providing hands, the one who provides abundantly for all temples, the one who provides for the sanctuaries, the one who makes gifts splendid, the indefatigable envoy who (succeeds) in reaching high mountains, the shepherd who deliberates (and) sets the people of (his) land on the right path,

(i 13) the one whose name the god Marduk — the Enlil of the gods — steadfastly called for kingship to provision the cult centers and renew (their) sanctuaries, (the one) whose lordship the god Nabû — the overseer of the totality of heaven and earth — made the greatest among all (of the kings) who sit upon (royal) daises, (the one) at whose side the god Nergal — the almighty, the circumspect Enlil of the netherworld — marches into battle and war, (on) whose head the god Sîn and the goddess Ningal placed an eternal crown, (and) for whom the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya opened the ways of justice, whom the great gods magnificently choose in their steadfast [heart(s)], whose name they made import[ant], (and) whose [lord]ship they made great, son of Nab[û-balāss]u-iqbi, wise prince, am I.

(i 31) When the god Šamaš, the great lord of heaven and earth, shepherd of the black-headed (people), lord of humankind, (with regard to) Larsa, his beloved city, (and) Ebabbar, the seat of his happiness, which had fallen to pieces (and) turned into ruins in distant days, (and) over which sand dune(s) and dust heap(s), (as well as) massive pile(s) of earth, were heaped, so that its ground plan could not be determined (and) its design could not be seen,

(i 40) during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar (II), a former king, son of Nabopolassar, the sand dune(s and) pile(s) of earth that were heaped over the city and that temple were removed and he discovered the foundation(s) of the Ebabbar of Burna-Buriaš, a former king who had come before (him). He then sought out the foundation(s) of an ancient king (who came) before Burna-Buriaš, but did not find (them).

(i 47) On top of the foundation(s) of Burna-Buriaš that he had seen inside it, he (re)built Ebabbar and had the god Šamaš, the great lord, dwell therein.

(i 50) (As for) that temple, its processional way was (too) tiny for the residence of the god Šamaš, the great lord, and the goddess Aya, his beloved bride, and its construction was (too) small.

(i 54) [N]ow, during (my) tenth year, in the days of my favorable reign, during my eternal kingship, which the god Šamaš loves, the god Šamaš, the great lord, remembered his original residence.

(ii 3) With regard to the ziggurat, his (Šamaš’) sacred building, his heart joyfully prompted (him) to raise up its superstructure higher than the one in the past and (then) he waited for me, Nabonidus, the king who provides for him, to return Ebabbar to its (original) place (and) to (re)build the seat of his happiness like (it was) in distant days.

(ii 10) By the command of the god Marduk, the great lord, their four winds, the [great] stor[ms], rose up, (and) the sand dune(s) that were covering the city and that temple were removed and the foundation(s) of Ebabbar, the awe-inspiring shrine, the urāšu-building of [si]nging, the residence of the god Šamaš and the goddess [A]ya, and the ziggurat, his (Šamaš’) exalted sacred building, the eternal cella, the chamb[er of their] desire, their foundation(s) became visible and their ground plans could be seen.

(ii 20) Inside of it (Ebabbar), I discovered an inscription bearing the name of Ḫammu-rāpi, an ancient king who had built Ebabbar and (its) ziggurat for the god Šamaš on top of the original foundation(s) 700 years before Burna-Buriaš. I became frightened, worried, and anxious.

(ii 28) I spoke to m[y heart] as follows, saying: “A king who came before me built (this) temple and had Šamaš, the great lord, dwell therein.”

(ii 32) (But as for) me, I raised (my) hands (and) bes[eeched the lord of lords to build] that temple, [the residence of the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya], in the most befi[tting] place, [saying]: “O Enlil of the gods, prince Marduk, without you no site can be laid out (and) its ground plan(s) cannot be created. Who can do anything without you? O lord, at your exalted command, I will have what(ever) pleases you done.”

(ii 41) I frequently visit[ed] the shrines of the gods Šamaš, Adad, and Nergal with regard to (re)building that temple and they (the gods) wrote out in[side] it (a lamb) an auspicious omen concerning the lengthening of my days and the building of (that) temple.

(ii 45) For a second time, I performed an exti[spicy] (lit. “I touched the la[mb]”). They (the gods) made sure that a firm ‘yes’ regarding the success of m[y work] was present in my extispicy.

(ii 48) I trusted in the word of the god Marduk, my supreme lord, and in the word(s) of the gods Šamaš and Adad, the lords of divination, and my heart rejoiced, (my) liver cheered up, I myself was happy, (and) my face beamed.

(ii 52) I mustered the workmen of the gods Šamaš and Marduk — those who wield hoes, hold spade(s), (and) carry basket(s) — and I [laid] a great commission (on them) to (re)build Ebabbar, the [awe-inspiring] shrine, [and the ziggu]rat, the exalted dais. I then made expert craftsmen [con]front its (Ebabbar’s) site. They examined (its) foundation (and) surveyed (its) (original) appearance.

(ii 58) In a favorable month, on an auspicious day, with regard to Ebabbar, the beloved temple of the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya, the cella (and) seat of their divinity, the chamber of their desire, I (re)laid their brickwork according to the[ir] original appearances, over [the foundation(s) of] Ḫam[mu]-rāpi, an ancient king, and put their foundation(s back) in the(ir) correct position(s). I built that temple anew as (it had been) in ancient times and appropriately adorned its structure.

(iii 7b) (As for) Eduranna, his beloved temple, I raised its superstructure just like the one of the distant past (lit. “distant days”). I built (and) completed Ebabbar for the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya and (then) made its processional way beautiful.

(iii 13) (As for) the cella, the seat of their exalted divinity, whose foundation(s) were set in place at the side of the ziggurat, to make (it) befit their great divinity, I made (it) as bright as day for the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya, my lords, and raised (it) as high as a mountain.

(iii 20) That which the god Šamaš, the great lord, had never granted any king, he granted to me, the king who reveres him, and he presented (it) into my hands.

(iii 23) I piously built Ebabbar for the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya, my lords, as (it had been) in ancient times and returned (it) to its (original) place.

(iii 27) (As for) the alabaster tablet bearing the name of Ḫammu-rāpi, an ancient king, that I had discovered inside of it, I placed (it) with an inscription bearing my name and firmly established (it there) [for] ever.

(iii 32) On this account, O Šamaš, supreme lord, exalted one, lord of everything, king of heaven and earth, light of the lands, look with pleasure upon this temple and grant me a l[on]g life (lit. “a life of l[on]g days”), the attainment of very old age, a firmly secured throne, (and) a long reign.

(iii 39) By your exalted command, O Šamaš, great lord, may this temple grow old in your presence for eternity. Make my hands conquer the black-headed (people), as many as see your bright light, (and) make (them) bow down at my feet.

(iii 47) May the goddess Aya, the great bride, constantly say good thing about me to you in your exalted cella.

(iii 51) May the god Bunene, the vizier with whom you deliberate, reveal favorable signs for me daily.