(i 1) When the god Marduk, the Enlil of the gods, the exalted one, the lord of everything, proclaimed a ruler to exercise lordship, named Nabonidus, the king, as the one who provides (for the gods), (and) elevated him above all of the (other) kings, the great gods were happy about his command(s) regarding his (Nabonidus’) kingship.

(i 6) The gods Anu and Enlil gave him a throne, crown, scepter, and staff, the eternal insignia of kingship; the god Ea, the creator of all (things), gave him every (type of) wisdom; the goddess Bēlet-ilī, the creator of everything, perfected his features; the god Nabû, the overseer of the totality (of heaven and earth), gave him (knowledge of) scribal skills; the god Nannāru, the son of the prince, inspected his form;

(i 12) the god Šamaš, the light of the gods, loved his shepherdship (and) allowed (Nabonidus) to settle people through his (Nabonidus’) command; the god Erragal, the (most) powerful one among the gods, gave him power; the god Zababa, the noble one, made him supremely powerful; the god Nusku, the martial one, decorated him with the brilliance of kingship, became his šēdu in order to give orders, hold counsel, and investigate matters, (and) sent the great gods to his aid so that (he) could exercise his leadership.

(i 19) At that time, Nabonidus, king of Babylon, attentive prince, the capable shepherd who reveres the great gods, the governor who provides, the one who is attentive to the will of the gods, (the one) who is constantly seeks out the sanctuaries of the gods and goddesses daily, son of Nabû-balāssu-iqbi, wise prince, am I.

(i 24) When the god Marduk, the great lord, called my name for ruling over the land (and) the son of the prince — the god Nabû — made the fame of my kingship surpassing, I spoke daily, (showing) devotion to their divinity, (and) I constantly strove (to do) what(ever) was pleasing to them.

(i 28) I am foremost in provisioning Esagil and Ezida: I send the best of everything into their (Marduk and Nabû’s) presence. Constantly (and) without interruption, I constantly seek out their places (of worship). I make their great cult centers worthy of (high) praise (and) make their fame great among the people of the inhabited world.

(i 33) For the god Šamaš, the great judge of the gods, the exalted one, lord of Sippar: (As for) Ebabbar, the pure cella, his original dwelling whose (ancient) foundation(s) he had never revealed to any former king, the god Šamaš, the great lord, waited for me to build it and I secured its (new) foundation(s) on top of the (original) foundation(s) of Narām-Sîn.

(ii 1) As for the wall Ugal-amaru, the wall of Cutha, I raised up its superstructure. (As for) the wall Melem-kurkurra-dulla, the wall of Kish, I raised (it) as high as a mountain.

(ii 3) For the god Uraš, the (most) powerful lord, I built the akītu-house of his rest anew as (it had been) in ancient times.

(ii 5) As for the city Ubassu, (which is) between Babylon and Borsippa, I raised up its superstructure with bitumen and baked brick(s) and (then) had the goddess Nanāya, the supreme goddess, enter her cella.

(ii 8) For the god Sîn, the great lord, the one who resides in Ekišnugal, which is inside Ur, I lavishly provided his sattukku-offerings and made his nindabû-offerings plentiful. I constantly sought out his places (of worship) and beseeched his lordship.

(ii 11) At the request that he (Sîn) made of me, I became frightened, (but) I was attentive and did not deny his request and consented to his command. I elevated (my) daughter, my own offspring, to the office of ēntu-priestess and (then) I named (her) En-nigaldi-Nanna, as her (new, official) name, and had (her) enter the Egipar.

(ii 14b) My heart dearly wanted me to provide for all of the cult centers of the great gods.

(ii 16) At that time, I was attentive to the god Lugal-Marda, the noble warrior, the exalted warrior who is perfect in strength, the fierce storm whose onslaught cannot be withstood, the one who storms over hostile land(s) (and) plunders the land(s) of his foe(s), the one who resides in Eigikalama, my lord.

(ii 20b) (As for) the chariot, the vehicle of his divinity, the insignia of his heroism that plunders the land(s) of (his) foe(s), <which> is (well) suited for battle, which no former king had built since distant days, its stone ornaments and its equipment became visible in the foundation(s) of Eigikalama. I (then) built that chariot anew with shiny silver, bright gold, and precious stones. I magnificently decorated it and had (it) sent into his presence.

(ii 27) (As for) Eigikalama, his temple, which a former king had built and had raised up its superstructure, (but) without surrounding (it) with its (own) outside wall and (thereby) failing to strengthen its protection — its site was in ruins (and) its door-jamb(s) were not joined (together). I removed its buckled (piles of) earth. I examined (and) checked its original foundation(s) and (then) I laid its (new) foundation(s) on top of the (original) foundation(s). I built its (outer) wall and (thereby) strengthened its protection. I built (the outer wall) anew and raised up its superstructure.

(ii 33) O Lugal-Marda, supreme lord, mighty warrior, when you joyfully enter this temple (and) look with pleasure upon everything that I have done (for you), speak good thing(s) about me in the presence of the god Marduk, king of heaven and earth, daily so that the days of my life are long (and) I am sated with old age. With your fierce weapons, cut down my enemies (and) destroy all of my foes.