Nabonidus 29

(i 1') [has occupied the residence of his happiness: His (Sîn’s) heart] became angry [with the city and that temple] and [he raised up a barbarian horde (the Medes), and it dest]royed [that temple] and [turned it into ruins].

(i 4'b) [D]uring my legitimate r[eign, the god Sîn, the great lord, out of] love for my royal majesty, became reconciled [towards the city and that temple] (and) had mercy. [At the beginning of] my eternal [kingship], he showed me a dream.

(i 1'') […] … [a barbarian horde (the Medes) is all around it and] its forces are powerful.” [The god Marduk spoke with] me, (saying): “(As for) the barbarian horde (the Medes) [that you spoke of, it, its land], and the kings who march at its side will not exist.”

(i 5'') [When (my) third year] arrived, they had [Cyrus (II), king of the land Anšan, a] young [servant of] his (Astyages’), rise up against him (Astyages), and he (Cyrus) scattered the extensive barbarian horde (the Medes) [with his small body of troops]. He seized [Astyages (Ištumegu), king of the barbarian] horde (the Medes), and took him to his land as a captive.

(i 9'') [The word of the great divine lord, the god Marduk, and the god] Sîn, the light of heaven and earth, [whose command(s) cannot be chang]ed — by their exalted command, [I became frightened, worried, (and) an]xious, [and my face was haggard].

(i 12''b) [I was not lazy], negligent, (or) careless. I raised up [my ex]tensive [troops] from the land (of the city) Gaza [(on) the border of Egypt (and) the U]pper [Sea] on the other bank of the Euphrates River [to the Lower Sea] — kings, nobles, governors, [and my extens]ive [troops], whom the deities Sîn, Šamaš, and Ištar, [my lords], had entrusted [to me] — to (re)build Eḫulḫul, [the temple of the god Sîn, my lord, the one who marches] at my side, which is inside the city Ḫarrān, [which Ashurbanipal, king of As]syria, son of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, [a ruler who came before me, had built].

(i 20'') In a favorable month, [o]n an auspicious day [that the gods Šamaš] and Adad [had revealed to me through divination, using the wisdom of the gods Ea and Asalluḫi, th]rough the craft of the incantation priest, [(and) with the craft of the god Kulla, the lord of foundation(s)] and brickwork, [during joyous celebrations], I laid its [foundations in silver, gold, a selection of precious stones, (and) crushed piec]es of wood [(and) cedar aromatics, (precisely) on the founda]tion(s) of Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, [who had seen the foundation(s) of Shal]maneser (III), son of Ashurnasirpal (II), and (thereby) I secured its brickwork.

(ii 4) I blended its šallaru-plaster [with beer, wine, o]il, (and) honey, and [mixed (it into)] its [revet]ment. I made [its structure] stronger than that of the kings, my ancestors, and had its construction more expertly executed. I built [that temple anew] from its foundat<ion>(s) to its crenellations and completed its construction.

(ii 9) I had immense [beams of c]edar, (which were) grown on Mount Amanus, stretched out over it (for its roof). I had doors of cedar, whose scent is sweet, installed in its gates. I had its walls clad with silver and gold and made (them) radiate like the sun.

(ii 14) I stationed a wild bull of shiny zaḫalû-metal, which aggressively gores my foes (to death), in his (Sîn’s) inner sanctum. [I firmly plan]ted two long-haired heroes of ešmarû-metal, who overwhelm my enem(ies), in the Gate of the Rising Sun, (on) the right and left.

(ii 18) I took the deities Sîn, Ningal, Nusku, and Sa[darnun]na, my lords, by the hand, (leading them out) of Šuanna (Babylon), the city of my royal majesty, and I had (them) reside inside the residence of (their) hap[pines] du[ring jo]yous celebrations.

(ii 22) I offe[red] pure, sumptuous offerings before them (and) presented (them) with my gifts. I f[ill]ed Eḫulḫul with joy and (then) made the radiance of the city Ḫarrān, to its full extent, shine like the appearance of the moon.

(ii 26) O Sîn, king of the gods of heaven and earth, without whom no city or land can be founded or restored (lit. “returned to its place”), when you enter Eḫulḫul, the temple (that is) the residence you desired, may good thing(s) about the city and that temple be placed [on your lips].

(ii 30) May the gods who reside in heaven [and on earth] constantly bless the temple of the god Sîn, the father who crea[ted th]em.

(ii 32) (As for) me, Nabonidus, king of Babylon, the one who compl[eted th]is [temple], may the god Sîn, king of the gods of heaven and earth, look with pleasure upon me with his favorable glance and monthly, a[t sunrise and sunset], make my signs auspicious. May he lengthen my days, increase my years, (and) make my reign endure. May he conquer my enemies, cut down those hostile to me, (and) flatten my foes.

(ii 38b) May the goddess Ningal, mother of the great gods, speak laudatory word(s) about me in the presence of the god Sîn, her beloved.

(ii 40) May the god Šamaš and the goddess Ištar, his bright offspring, say good thing(s) abo[ut me] to the god Sîn, the father who created them. May the god Nusku, [the] exalted [vizi]er, hea[r] my prayers [and] intercede (on my behalf).

(ii 43b) I fou[nd] an inscribed object bearing [the name of] Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, [and] I did not change (its position). I anointed (it) with oil, [made] an offering, placed (it) with my (own) inscribed object, [and returned (it) to its place].

(ii 47) For the god Šamaš, judge of heaven and earth: (With regard to) Ebabbar, his temple that is inside Sippar, which Nebuchadnezzar (II), a king of the past had built and whose original foundation(s) he had sought out but did not find — he (Nebuchadnezzar) built (it anyway) and, in (only) forty-five years, the walls of that temple buckled.

(ii 51b) I became worried, afraid, (and) anxious, and my face was haggard. While I had the god Šamaš brought out of it (Ebabbar) (and) had (him) reside in another temple, I removed that temple and sought out its original foundation(s). Then, I dug down eighteen cubits into the earth and the foundation(s) of Narām-Sîn, (grand)son of Sargon, which (for) 3,200 years none of the king(s) who came before me had found — the god Šamaš, the great lord, revealed to me (the original) Ebabbar, the temple (that is) the residence of his happiness.

(ii 60b) In the month Tašrītu (VII), in a favorable month, on an auspicious day that the gods Šamaš and Adad had revealed to me through divination, during joyous celebrations, I secured its brickwork in silver, gold, a selection of precious stones, (and) crushed pieces of wood (and) cedar aromatics, (precisely) on the foundation(s) of Narām-Sîn, (grand)son of Sargon, not (even) a fingerbreadth [o]utside or insi<de> (of them).

(ii 66) I had 5,000 strong cedar(s) stretched out for its roof. I installed immense [doors] of cedar, (threshold) slab(s), (and) nukuššû-fittings in its gates.

(iii 2) I built anew Ebabbar, together with E­kun­an­kuga, [its] ziggurat, and completed [its] construction. I took the god Šamaš, my lord, by the hand and had (him) resi[de] inside it, the residence of (his) happiness, during joyous celeb[rations].

(iii 6) I fo[und] an inscription of Narām-Sîn, (grand)­son of Sargon, [and] I did not change (its position). I anointed (it) with oil, [made] an offering, placed (it) with my (own) inscribed object, and returned (it) to [its place].

(iii 9) O Šamaš, great lord of heaven and earth, ligh[t of the god]s, his fathers, offspring of the god Sîn and the goddess Ningal, when you enter Ebabbar, your belo[ved] temple, (and) [when] you [occup]y your eternal dais — (as for) me, Nabonidus, king of Babylon, the prince who provides for you, the one who pleases your heart, the one who built your exalted cella — look with pleasure upon my good deeds and daily, at sunrise and sunset, make [my] signs auspicious in heaven and (on) earth. Receive my prayers (and) accept my petition(s) so that I may rule forever (with) the scepter and legitimate rod that you had let my hands grasp.

(iii 20) For the goddess Ištar of Agade, lady of the gods, ... the lady of battle who fully carries out the command(s) of the god Enlil, [her] father, the one who overwhelms enemies (and) destroys the wick[ed], the one who marches at front of the gods, (the one) during/in ... [...]

(iii 24) (No translation possible)

(iii 28) its original foundation(s) ... [...] ... I saw the foundation(s) of Narām-[Sî]n, [(...)], its original, eternal foundation, [and] ... (precisely) on th(ose) foundation(s), not (even) a fingerbreadth outside or inside (of them). I (re)built that temple anew (and) ...

(iii 34) [I had] the goddess Ištar of Agade, great lady, the lady of battle who fully carries out the command(s) of the god Enlil, her father, the one who ov[erwh]elms enemies (and) destroys the wicked, [the one who ma]rches at fr[ont] of the gods, [dwe]ll in her [resi]dence. [I made sattukku-offerings and nindab]û-offerings [more plentiful] than before [and] (re)confirmed (them) in her presence.

(iii 41) [You, O Ištar of] Agade, great lady, when you e<n>ter [th]is [temple] with pleasure, look with pleasure upon my [good deed]s [and], monthly, at sunrise and sunset, p[eti]tion the god Sîn, the father who engendered you, about good things for me.

(iii 46) O Anunītu, exalted lady, speak good things about me in the presence of the god En[lil] daily.

(iii 49) Whoever you are, whom the gods Sîn and Šamaš name to be king and during whose reign that temple becomes dilapidated and who builds (it) anew, may he find an inscribed object bearing my name and not change (its position). May he anoint (it) with oil, [make] an offering, place (it) with an inscribed object bearing his (own) name, and return (it) to its place.