The god Aššur, the great lord, [king of all] the Igīgū gods and Anunnakū gods, begetter of everything, [father of the god]s, lord of the lands; the god Sîn, lig[ht ...] lord of heaven and netherworld, who [espies] the treachery of the enemy, (i 5) who renders [...] decisions for the ea[rth] (and) destroys [the en]emy; the god Šamaš, [the] gr[eat judge ...], who [...] the treachery of the evil and ... of the foe, (and) exp[oses the vil]lain; the god Adad, the great prince, her[o, canal inspect]or, (i 10) who devastates regions ... (and) makes the seas h[ea]ve; the god Mar[duk], the lord [...], who provides all people with food, [...] ... [...], (and) grants pl[ants ...]; (i 15) the god Nabû, the [perfect] heir, [...] ... [...] high [mountain]s, who rem[oves] the uncompliant (and) ... the roots of the enemy; (i 20) the goddess Ištar, queen of battle, ... evil-doers; (and) the Sebetti, who go before the gods, stand at the side of the king, their favorite, in the place of battle, and [bri]ng about (his) victory;

Great gods, managers of heaven and netherworld, whose attack means battle and strife, who appoint (rulers) (lit.: “raise the eyes”) (and) name king(s), (and) by whose holy command they place (one) land over (another) land and make (its ruler) greater [than] (other) rulers.

Sargon (II), great king, [strong king], king of the world, king of Assyria, governor of B[abylon], king of the land of Sumer and Akkad, king of the [four] quarters (of the world), favorite of the great gods, ... [...].

The gods Aššur, Nabû, (and) [Marduk] gra[nted me] a reign without equal [and] exalted my [good] reputation to the h[eights].

I [continually acted] as provider for (the cities) Sippar, Nippur, (and) B[abylon] (and) I [made restitution] for the wrongful damage suffered by the people of privileged status, as many as [there were (of them)]; I abolished corvée duty for (the cities) D[ēr], Ur, Uruk, Eri[du], (ii 15) Larsa, Kul[laba], Kissik, (and) Nēmed-L[aguda] (and) gave relief to [their] people. I restor[ed] the exemption (from obligations) of (the city) Baltil (Aššur) and the city [Ḫarrān], which had fallen into oblivion in the dis[tant] past, and their privileged status [that had lapsed].

With the support of the great gods, I ad[vanced and] ru[led] the people (from) the Up[per] Sea to the Lo[wer] Sea as if (they were) one (people). From Egypt to the land [Musku], I made (them) bow down at my feet. I [dispersed] the forces of Ḫumbanigaš (Ḫumban-nikaš I), the [Elamite]. I destroyed the land Karalla, the land [Šurda], (ii 30) the city Kišesim, the city [Ḫarḫar], the land Media, (and) the land El[lipi]; I did not spare any of [their] offspring. I settled in their midst people from the land Ḫatti (Syria) that [I] had conquered. (ii 35) I [set] e[unuchs of mine] as provincial governors over them [and] had (them) pull [my] y[oke]. I subjugated the lands Mannea, Andia, (and) Zik[irtu]. I [counted] as booty Urzana, king of the city Muṣaṣir, together with [the people of his land (ii 40) (and) his deities] Ḫaldi (and) Bagbartu. [I] had (the people of) [the land] Urarṭu, to [its full] extent, wield razor(s) [...]. (ii 45) [I imp]osed for the fu[ture] lamentation and [dirge (singing) upon the people] who lived there. [I brought about the defe]at of Ursâ (Rusâ), the [Urarṭian, at Mou]nt Uauš, a rugged mountain. He to[ok fright at] (engaging in) fierce battle with me [and] by his own hands, [he brought an end to] his life with the iron dagger [from his belt].

Like the Deluge, I overwhe[lmed] the land Hamath to [its] fu[ll] extent. I [brought their] ki[ng] Iaū-biʾdī (Ilu-biʾdī) to Assyria in bondage, together with his family, [his] fighting men, (ii 55) (and) the booty of his land. I cons[cripted] from among them 300 chariots, 600 cav[alry], (and) shield (and) spe[ar] bearers, and] I [added] (them) to my royal contingent. I [settled] 6,300 Assyrian cri[minals] in the land Hamath; I set a eunuch of mine as [provincial] gov[ernor] over them and imposed upon th[em] (the delivery of) tribute (and) pa[yment(s)].

Missing or not preserved.

[Happily, with a jo]yful heart and a radiant face, I entered [Babyl]on, the cult center of the Enlil of the gods (Marduk); I grasped hold of [the hands of the gre]at [lord], the god Marduk, and (iv 5) [brought] (him) safely along the road to the akītu-house. [(With regard to) 154] talents, 26 and 1/6 minas of [red] gold, 1,804 talents (and) 20 minas [of pure silver], (donkey) loads of copper (and) iron [in im]measurable quantities, (iv 10) [obsidian], lapis-lazuli, banded agate, muššaru-stone, [blue turquoise], green turquoise, ... of banded agate [(and) mušša]ru-[stone] in immeasurable quantities, [blue-pur]ple [wool], red-purple wool, [garments] with multi-colored trim and linen (garments), (iv 15) [boxw]ood, cedar, cypress, [(and) every kind of] aromatic, the products of Mount Amanus, [who]se [sce]nt(s) are pleasant — [from the beginning] of my reign until (my) third year, [I pres]ented (these items) as gifts [to the] deities Bēl and Zarpanītu, Nabû, [Tašmēt]u, and the (other) gods who dwell in [the cult centers] of the land of Sumer and Akkad.

[Upēr]i, king of Dilmun, who(se) lair is [sit]uated at a distance of thirty leagues [in the middle of the] Eastern [Se]a, [like that of a fish, heard of the might] of the gods Aššur, Nabû, (and) Marduk and sent (a message to do) obeisance (to me).

[(Moreover), seven king]s of the land Yāʾ, a region [of the land Adn]ana (Cyprus) — whose abode(s) [are situated] far away, at a distance of seven days (journey) (iv 30) [in the middle] of the Western Sea, (and) the name of whose land, [from] the distant past, when Assyria was taken over, [until now], none of the kings, my ancestors, [who prec]eded (me), (iv 35) [had ever hea]rd — [he]ard [from afar], in the middle of the sea, [of the deeds I had been do]ing in Chaldea and the land Ḫatti. Their hearts then pounded (and) [fear sei]zed them. [They brought] before me [in] Babylon gold, silver, (and) [utensils of] ebony (and) boxwood, the treasure of their land, [and] they kissed my feet.

[At that time], I had a stele made and [I engraved] upon it [image(s) of the] great [god]s, my lords. I had an image of myself as king stand before them (the gods) [constantly implor]ing (them for the sake) of my life. [I inscrib]ed upon it [the name(s) of the people] whom, from the east [to the we]st, (iv 50) I had subjugated [to the yok]e of my lordship with the support of the gods Aššur, [Nabû], (and) Marduk, my divine helpers. I had (it) erected [beside/facing Mount] Baʾil-ḪARri, a mountain [(that towers) abo]ve the land Adnana (Cyprus]). I left [for] future [king]s, my descendants, [the praises of] the great gods, my lords, [with wh]ose firm [approval] I act and have no [equal].

[In fu]ture days, may a later prince look at my [stel]e and read (it). May he praise [the names] of the great gods, anoint (the stele) [with oil], (and) offer a sacrifice. [May] he [not] change its location.

[(As for) the one who alt]ers my stele (or) [erase]s my inscribed name, may the [great god]s — as many as are mentioned by name on [this] stele — and the gods [who live] in the middle of the wide sea curse him [angrily] and make his name (and) his descendant(s) disappear [from] the land. (iv 70) [May they not have] pity (on him). [May they red]uce his people through famine, want, [hunger], (and) plague. May they make him live in bondage [under] his enemy and may (his enemy) govern his land [in the sight] of his (own) eyes.