Nebuchadnezzar II 036

(i 1) Nebuchadnezzar (II), king of Baby[lon, pious prince],

(i 1') [the god Nabû, overseer of the totality of heaven and earth, allowed my hands to grasp] a j[u]s[t] scepter to le[ad people in the right way].

(i 4') As for me, [I] pra[y] to them (Marduk and Nabû), [I constantly seek out their divinity]. At the mention of their important name(s), [I] re[vere god and goddess (alike)].

(i 6') I prayed to the god Marduk, my lord. [I besought him with] supplica[tions and spoke] to him the words that my heart searched for, (saying): “Without you, my lord, what would exist? As for the king you lo[ve, whose] na[me] you call, (and) the one who is pleasing to you, (it is) you (who) makes his name prosper (and) sends him on the ri[ght] path.

(i 10') I am the prince who is obedient to you, the creation of yo[ur] (own) hand. You are the one who created me and entrusted [me] with kingship of all of the people. [Ac]cording to your good will, my lord, by which you allow all of the[m] (the people) to be fed regularly, make your exalted dominion be merciful towards me and make reverence for yo[ur] divinity exist in m[y] heart. Grant me what is pleasing to you and d[o] that which will give me good physical health.”

(i 15') (With regard to) him, the foremost one, the honored one, the wisest of the gods, the prince, the god Mard[uk], he heeded my [su]p[pl]ications and accepted my prayers. He made [his exalted] dominion pleasing to me and [...]

(i 1'') (No translation possible)

(i 1''') [..., in which] the god Lugaldimmera[nkia, the lord of the god(s), takes up residence ...], (on) the eighth day (and on) the eleventh day, (when) the gods of heaven and earth reverently attend [on him, bow down (and) stand in his presence, in which] they (the gods) determine (for me) a fate of long days (and) a fate of (the preservation of) [my li]fe:

(i 4''') (with regard to) that dais, the dais of kingship, (and) the dais of supreme po[wer of the wisest of the gods, the prince, the god Marduk, whose structure] a king of the past had ca[st] with silver, [I had it clad with bright gold (and) ornaments (imbued with) brillian]ce.

(i 6''') [I decorated] the utensils of the temple(s) of Esagil with r[edd]ish gold [(and) Maumuša with ṣāriru-gold and stone(s)] (to look) like the stars of the heavens. I had the sanctuaries of Babylon (re)built and I provided for (them).

(i 9''') I raised the superstructure [of Etemenanki using] baked bricks (colored with) shining blue glaze.

(i 10''') My heart dearly wanted me to (re)build Esagil (and) I was constantly attentive (towards it). I constantly sought out the best of my cedar that I had carried off from Mount Lebanon, the ho[ly forest], to (be) the roof of Eumuša, the cella of his supreme power, and [(my) mind pondered (it)].

(i 13''') I clad the (beams of) har[d] cedar for the roof of Eumuša with bright [gold]. I decorat[ed] the šīpus below the roof cedar(s) with gold and [prec]ious stone(s).

(i 15''') To (re)build Esagil, I pr[a]yed all day to the king of the gods, the lord of lords (Marduk).

(i 16''') (With regard to) Borsippa, his beloved city, I properly adorned (it) and had Ezida, the true house, (re)built inside it. I completed its construction with silver, gold, precious stone(s), copper, musukkannu-wood, (and) cedar. I had the roof cedar(s) of the cellas of the god Nabû clad with gold (and) had the roof cedar(s) of Kaumuša clad with bright silver.

(i 20''') I decorated the wild bull(s) in the doors of the gate of the cella, the door-jambs, door bolt(s), crossbeam(s), architrave(s), (and) giškanakku(s) with ṣāriru-gold and the roof cedar(s) of its dalbānus with silver.

(i 22''') I resplendently beautified the accessway to the cella and the course to the temple (using) slab(s) of ešmarû-metal, the throne platform(s) and daises inside it (with) cast silver, (and) the wild bulls in the doors of (its) gates with zaḫalû-metal.

(i 24''') I suitably beautified the temple (Ezida) and filled (it) with splendor to be an object of wonder.

(i 25''') [(With regard to) Mai]dḫedu, the vehicle of his lordliness, the processional barge of the New Year’s festival, the festival of Šuanna (Babylon), [I had its karûs (and) the zār]atu-feature(s) [inside it clad with an overlay of gold and stone(s)].

(ii 1') [...] ... [...] I f[illed (Ay-ibūr-šabû) in with] a high(er) infill. Then, I improved Ay-ibūr-šabû, from Kasikil[la] to [Ištar-sā]kipat-tēbîša, [with slabs of breccia] and slabs of stone quarried from the mountain(s) for the proce[ssion of his divinity] and (then) I adjoined (it) to the part that my father had built and beau[tified the accessway].

(ii 6') (With regard to) Ištar-sākipat-tēbîša, both gates of I[mgur-Enlil and Nēmetti-Enlil, their] en­[tran­ces became] too low as a res[ult of the raising (of the level) of the street(s) of Babylon]. I removed those gates and (then) secured [their foundation(s)] at the leve[l of the water table] using bitumen and baked brick. [I had (them) skillfully built] usin[g baked bricks (colored with) shining blue glaze] that have (representations of) wild bulls (and) mušḫuššu-dragon(s) fashioned upon [them (lit. ‘it’)].

(ii 12') I had (beams of) hard cedar stretc[hed (over them)] for their roofs. [At each of its gates, I fitted doors (made) of cedar with a facing of bronze (and)] threshold(s) and nukuššû-fittings of cast c[opper]. At their door-jamb(s), I stationed fierce wild bulls of copper and [raging] mušḫuššu-drago[ns].

(ii 15'b) To be an object of wonder for all of the people, [I filled] those gates [with splendor].

(ii 17') [(So that) no ar]row (during) battle [can come close] to Imgur-En[lil, the wall of Babylon, (I did something) that] no king of the past had done: 4,0[00 cubits distance outside Babylon], far away, (too far away) to approach (lit. “not to approach”), [I surrounded the eastern bank of Babylon with] a fort[ified] wall.

(ii 20') I dug out its moat and [built] its embankment(s) u[sing bitumen and baked brick and] (then), on it[s] embankment, [I built] a fortified wall [like a mountain]. I con[structed its broad gates and fitted them with] doors (made) of cedar with a fac[ing of bronze].

(ii 24') So that no merciless enemy [can come close to] the out[skirts of Babylon, I had] the la[nd surrounded with] a huge expanse of water, like the expanse of the sea, [so that] crossing them was like crossing the roiling sea, [a bitter body of water].

(ii 27') In order to prevent dike breaks arising in them, [I heaped them up] with earthen mounds [and] surrounded [them] on all [sides with] embankments (made) of baked brick. I skillfully reinforced (Babylon’s) protection [and (thus) I established] the city of Babyl[on as a fortress].

(ii 30') (With regard to) Ṭābi-supūršu, the wall of Borsippa, [I built (it)] an[ew]. I dug out its moat and con[structed its embankment(s)] using bitumen and baked brick.

(ii 32') Nebuchadnezzar (II), king of Babylon, the one whom the god Marduk, [the great lord], na[med] to (do) good things for his city, Babylon, [am I. I made Esagil and Ezid[a shine forth like the sheen of the god Šamaš. I made] the sanctuaries of the [great] gods [shine like daylight].

(ii 36') In the past, from [distant] day[s until the reign of Nabopolassar], the king of Babylon, my father who en[gendered me, the many kings who came before me] whose [name(s)] the gods [had called] to be k[ing, built palaces] in cities of [their] cho[ice, (in) place(s) that they loved, (and) established their residences (in them). They accumulated] their possessions [inside (them and) heaped up their property].

(ii 41') [During the festival of the New Year, (during) the setting out of the Enlil of the gods, the god Marduk, they entered] Šuanna (Babylon). [Since] (the moment) the god Marduk [creat]ed me for kingship (and) [the god Nabû], his true [heir], entrusted his subjects (to me), I have loved their beautiful bod(ies) [as m]y (own) precious [life]. I have made no city more resplendent [than Babylo]n and Borsippa.

(iii 6) [In Babylo]n, the city that I chose, which I love, [(with regard to) the palace, a building (that is) an ob]ject of wonder for the pe[ople, the bo]nd of the land, [a] holy [kummu-building, (and) the cella of] my [royal majes]ty,

(iii 1') [I buil]t [...]. I fash[ioned] a baked brick structure between them and, [on top of] it, I b[uilt] to a great height a large kummu-building as the residence of my royal [majesty using] bitumen and baked brick. I added (it) to the palace of my father and in a favo[rable] month, [on an auspicious day, I secured] its foundation on the surface (lit. “breast”) of the netherworld and raised its superstructure as high as a mount[ain. I completed] it[s] construction [i]n (just) fifteen days [and m]ade the seat of (my) lordly majes[ty] resplendent.

(iii 9') I had [(beams of) hard cedar originating from the] high [mountains (Lebanon)], thi[ck] pines, [and the best selection of cypress] stretched (over it) for its roof. [At each of its gates, I fix]ed [doors (made) of musukkannu-wood, ce]dar, cypress, ebony, and ivory [mounted with silver (and) gold and faced with bron]ze, (and) threshold(s) and nukuššû-fittings of cast copper. [I su]rroun[ded its] summit with parapets (colored with) blue glaze.

(iii 14') [I surrounded it] like a [mountain with a fortified wall using bitumen] and baked brick.

(iii 1'') “[...] ... [...] ... [...] May I reach [the prime of (my) lif]e (and) attain v[ery old age inside it]. May I receive inside [it the] substantial [tribute of kings of the (four) q]uarters (of the world and) all of the peo[ple].

(iii 6'') [From the ho]rizon to the zenith, wherever the sun rises, [may I not have] (any) enemies nor acquire (any) troublemaker(s). Inside it, may my [descendant]s rule over [the blac]k-headed (people) forever.”