Electronic manuscript
Sennacherib, great king, [strong] king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the fou[r] quarters (of the world), capable shepherd, favorite of the grea[t] gods, guar[dian of truth] who lov[es] justi[ce, (i 5) renders assis]tance, goes to the aid of the w[eak], (and) str[ives after] good deeds, perfect man, virile warrior, foremost of all rulers, the bridle that controls the insubmissive, (and) the one who strikes enemies with lightning:
The god Aššur, the great mountain, granted to me unrivalled sovereignty and made my weapons greater than (those of) all who sit on (royal) daises. He made all of the black-headed (people) from the Upper Sea of the Setting Sun to the Lower Sea of the Rising Sun bow down at my feet. (i 15) Thus did recalcitrant rulers come to fear battle with me. While they were abandoning their settlements, they flew away alone like bats (living) in crevices to inaccessible place(s).
ruling
On my first campaign, I brought about the defeat of Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), king of Karduniaš (Babylonia), together with the troops of (the land) Elam, his [al]lies, (i 20) in the plain of Kish. [I]n the midst of that batt[le] he abandoned his camp, [f]led alone, and (thereby) saved his life. I seized the [chariots], horses, wagons, (and) mules that he had abandoned in the thick of battle.
I joyfully entered his palace, which is in Babylon, then I opened his treasury and brought out gold, silver, gold (and) silver utensils, precious stones, all kinds of possessions (and) property with[out] number, a substantial tribute, (together with) his palace women, courtiers, attendants, male singers, female singers, [all] of (i 30) the craftsmen, as many as there were, (and) his palace attend[ants], and I counted (them) as booty.
With the strength of the god Aš[šur], my lord, I surrounded, conquered, (and) plundered 75 of his fortified cities, fortresses of Chaldea, and 420 small(er) settlements in their environs. (i 35) I brought out the auxiliary forces of the Arameans (and) Chaldeans who were in [Uruk], Nippur, Kish, Ḫursagkalama, Cutha, (and) Sippar, together with the guilty citizens, and [I cou]nted (them) [as bo]oty.
On my return march, I defeated [all toget]her the Tuʾumuna, [Riḫi]ḫu, Yadaqqu, Ubudu, Gib[rê], (i 40) Malaḫu, Gurumu, [Ubulu], Damunu, Gambulu, [Ḫ]in[daru], Ruʾuʾa, Puqudu, Ḫamrānu, Ḫagarānu, Nabatu, (and) Liʾtaʾu, insubmissive Arameans. (i 45) I carried off into Assyria a substantial booty (consisting of) 208,000 people, young (and) old, [male] and female, horses, mules, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep and goats, which were without number.
In the course of my campaign, I received a substantial audience gift from Nabû-bēl-šumāti, the official in [charge of the city] Ḫararatu: gold, silver, (i 50) large mu[sukkannu]-trees, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep and goats.
I pu[t to the sword the popul]ation of the city Ḫirimmu, a dangerous enemy, [and] I did not spare a single one. I hung their [corp]ses on poles and (i 55) placed (them) [aro]und the city. I reorganized that district (and) imposed for eternity [on]e ox, ten sheep, ten homers of wine, (and) twenty homers of [dat]es as his first-fruits offerings to the gods of Assyria, my lords.
ruling
On my second campaign, the god Aš[šur], my [lor]d, encouraged me and I marched to the land of the Kassites and the land of the Yasubigallians, who since time immemorial had not submitted to [the kin]gs, my ancestors. I[n the] high [mountai]ns, difficult terrain, I rode on [horseback] and had my personal chariot carried on (men’s) necks. (i 65) In very rugged terrain I roamed about on foot like a wild bull.
I surrounded (and) conquered the cities Bīt-Kilamzaḫ, Ḫar[diš]pu, (and) Bīt-Kubatti, their fortified walled [cit]ies. I brought out of th[e]m people, horses, mule[s], donkeys, oxen, [and] sheep and goats, and (i 70) I counted (them) [as bo]oty. Moreover, I destroyed, deva[stated, (and) tu]rned into ruins [their] small(er) settlements, which were with[out] number. I burned with fire pavilions (and) tents, their ab[odes], and reduced (them) to a[shes].
I made that city Bīt-Kilamza[ḫ] a fortress again (and) I strengthened its [wall]s more [than be]fore, then I settled therein the people of the la[nds] that I had conquered. I brought [down] from the mountains the people of the land of the Kassites (ii 1) and the land of the Yasubigall[ians] who had fl[ed] from my weapons [and] I made (them) dwell [in the] cities Ḫardišpu (and) Bīt-Kubatti. (ii 5) I placed them [un]der the authority of a eunuch of mine, the governor of the city Arrapḫa. I had a stele made, had all the victorious conquests that I achieved over them written on it, and I erected (it) in (that) city.
I turned around (lit. “I turned the front of my yoke”) and took the road to the land Ellipi. Before my arrival, Ispabāra, their [king, ab]andoned his fortified cities (and) his treasury and fled far away. I overwhelmed all of his wide land like a fog. I surrounded, conquered, destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fi[re] the cities [Marʾ]ubištu (and) Akkuddu, cities of (ii 15) his royal house, together with thirty-four small(er) settlements in their en[vir]ons.
I carried off people, young (and) old, male and female, horses, mules, donkeys, camels, oxen, and [sheep] and goats without number, then (ii 20) I brought him (Ispabāra) to nought and made his land smaller. I detached from his land the cities Ṣi(ṣ)ṣirtu (and) [Kumm]aḫ[lum], fortified cities, together with the small(er) settlement[s] in their environs (and) [the district] of the land Bīt-Barrû in its [entire]ty, and I added (this area) to the terri[tory of As]syria.
[I took] the city Elenzaš as a [roy]al city and a fortress for that district, then I changed its former name and called it Kār-Sennacherib. I settled therein the people of the lands that [I] had conquered. [I pla]ced (it) under the authority of a eunuch of mine, the governor of the city Ḫarḫar, and (thus) enlarged my land.
On my return march, I received a substantial payment from the distant Medes, of whose land none of the kings, my ancestors, had heard mention. (Thus) I made them bow down to the yoke of my lordship.
ruling
On my [third] campaign, I marched [t]o the land Ḫatti. Fear of my lordly brilliance overwhelmed Lulî, the king of the city Si[d]on, [and] he fled afar into the midst of the sea and disappeared. The awesome terror of the weapon of the god Aššur, my lord, [overwhelmed] the cities [Great] Sido[n], Lesser Sidon, Bīt-[Z]itti, (ii 40) Ṣarepta, Maḫalliba, Ušû, Akzibu, (and) Acco, his fortified cities (and) [fort]resses, an area of pasture(s) and [wat]er-place(s), resources upon which he relied, and they bowed down at my feet.
I placed Tu-Ba[ʾlu on the royal throne] over th[em] and im[posed upon him] tribute (and) [payment (in recognition) of my overlordship] (to be delivered) year[ly] (and) with[out] interruption.
[As for M]in(u)ḫ[im]mu of the city Samsi[muruna], Tu-Baʾlu [of] the city Sidon, Abdi-Liʾ[ti of] the city Arwad, (ii 50) [Ūru]-Mil[ki] of the city Byblos, [Mit]inti of the city Ashdod, Būdi-il of the land Bīt-Ammon, Kammūsu-na[d]bi of the land Moab, Aya-rāmu of [the land] Edom, (ii 55) all [of] the kings of the land Amurru, [they br]ought extensive gifts, four [times] (the normal amount), as their substantial [audience g]ift before me and kissed my feet.
[Moreover, (as for) Ṣ]idqâ, the king of the city Ashkelon who had not bowed down [to my yoke], I forcibly removed the gods of his father’s house, himself, his wife, his sons, [his daughters], (ii 60) his brothers, (and other) offspring of his father’s house and took him to As[syria].
I set Šarru-lū-dāri, son of Rūkibtu, their former king, over the people of the city Ashkelon and imposed upon him the payment of tribute (and) gifts (in recognition) of my overlordship so that he (now) pulls my yoke.
In the course of my campaign, I surrounded, conquered, (and) plundered the cities Bīt-Daganna, Joppa, Banayabarqa, (and) Azuru, the cities of Ṣidqâ that had not submitted to me quickly.
(As for) the governors, the nobles, and the people of the city Ekron (ii 70) who had thrown Padî, their king who was bound by treaty and oaths to Assyria, into iron fetters and who had handed him over to Hezekiah of the land Judah in a hostile [manner, t]hey became frightened on account of the villainous acts they had committed. They formed a confederation with the kings of Egypt (and) the archers, ch[ariots], (ii 75) (and) horses of the king of the land Meluḫḫa, forces [without number], and they came to their aid.
In the plain of the city Eltekeh, they sharpen[ed] their weapons while drawing up in battleline [bef]ore me. (iii 1) [Wi]th the support of the god Aššur, [my] lord, [I fo]ught [with them] and de[feated them]. In the thick of battle, I captured alive [the Egyptian] charioteers and prin[ces (lit. “the sons of the king”), to]gether with the [charioteers of] the king of [the land Meluḫḫa].
I surrounded, conquered, (and) plundered the cities Eltekeh (and) Tamnâ. I approached the city Ekron and I killed the governors (and) nobles who had committed crime(s) and hung their corpses on towers around the city; I counted the citizens who had committed (iii 10) the criminal acts as booty; (and) I com[manded] that the rest [of them], (those) who were not guilty of crimes or wrongdoing, (to) whom no penalty was due, be allowed to go free.
I brought [out] Padî, [their] king, from the city Jerusalem [and] pla[ced] (him) on the lordly throne over them, [then] I imposed up[on h]im payment (in recognition) of my overlordship.
Moreover, (as for) Hezekiah of the land Judah, who had not [sub]mitted to my yoke, I surrounded (and) conquered forty-six of his fortified cities, fortresses, and small(er) settlements in their environs, which were without num[ber], by having ramps trodden down and battering rams brought [up], (iii 20) the assault of foot soldiers, sapping, breaching, [and sie]ge engines. I brought out [of] them 200,150 people, young (and) ol[d, male] and female, horses, mules, donkeys, c[amel]s, oxen, and sheep and goats, which were without number, and I counted (them) as booty.
As for him (Hezekiah), I confined him inside the city Jerusalem, his royal city, [like a bird in] a cage. I set up blockades against him [and m]ade him dread exiting his city gate. I detached [from] his land the cities of his that I had plundered [and] I gave (them) to Mitinti, [the king of the city Ashdod, Pa]dî, the king of the city Ekron, (iii 30) and Ṣilli-[Bēl, the king of the city Ga]za, and (thereby) made his land smaller. To the for[mer] tribute, their annual [gi]ving, I added the payment (of) gifts (in recognition) of [my] overlord[ship] and imposed (it) upon them.
As for him, Hezeki[ah, fea]r of my lordly brilliance overwhelmed him and, after [my] (departure), [he had] the [auxiliary forces] and his elite troops (iii 35) whom he had brought inside to strength[en the city Jeru]salem, his royal city, thereby ga[ining reinfor]cements, along with 30 talents of gold, 800 talents of silver, ch[oice an]timony, large blocks of ..., ivory beds, arm[chairs] of ivory, elephant hide(s), elephant ivory, ebony, boxwood, every kin[d of] valuable [trea]sure, as well as his daughters, (iii 40) his palace women, male singer[s], (and) female singers [bro]ught into Nineveh, my capital city, and he sent a mounted messenger of his to me to deliver (this) payment and to do [obeisan]ce.
ruling
On my fourth campaign, [the god Aššur], my lord, encouraged me so that [I mus]tered my numerous troops and (iii 45) ordered the march to the land Bīt-Yakīn. In the cou[rse of] my campaign, I defea[ted] Šūzubu (Mušēzib-Marduk), a Chaldean who [lives in the] marshes, at the city Bittūtu. [As for him, terror] of doing battle with me fell upon him [and] his [he]art [pounded]. He [fled] alone like a lynx [and] his (hiding) place could [not] be found.
I [turned] around (lit. “I [turned] the front of my yoke”) and took the road to the land Bīt-Yakīn. He — Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), whom I had defeated and [whose] forces I had scattered during my first campaign — became frightened by the clangor of my mighty weapons and my fierce battle array, then (iii 55) dis[lodged] the gods of the (full) extent of his land from their abodes, [and] loaded (them) [onto] boats. [He flew away] like a bird [to the city Nagīte-raqqi, which is in the midst of] the sea. [I br]ought [his brothers, the seed of his father’s house, whom he had abandoned at the] shore of the sea, [together with the rest of the people of his land, out of the land Bīt-Yakīn, which is in] the sw[amps and marshes], and I counted (them) [as bo]oty.
On[ce again] I destroyed (and) devastated [his cities], (and) turned (them) into ruins. I po[ured out] awe-inspiring brilliance upon his ally, the king of the land Elam.
[On] my return march, I placed Aššur-nādin-šumi, my [first-born] son (whom I) raised on my (own) knee, on [his] lo[rdly] throne and entrusted him with the wide land of Su[mer and Akka]d.
ruling
On my fifth campaign: The population of the cities Tumurrum, Šarum, [Ezā]ma, Kibšu, Ḫalbuda, Qūa, (and) Qana, whose dwellings [are] situ[ated] like [the nes]ts of eagles, the foremost of birds, [on] the peak of Mount [Ni]pur, a rugged mountain, [and] who had not bowed down to the yoke — I had my camp pitched [at the foot of Mount Nipur].
[Like a] fierce [wild bull, with] my select [body]guard [and] my merciless combat [troops], I took the lead of them (the soldiers in my camp). I proceeded through the gorges of the str[eams], the outflows of the mountains, (and) rugged slopes in (my) chair. (iv 1) [Where it was too difficult for (my) chair, I leapt forw]ard [on my (own) two feet like a mountain goat. I ascended the highest peaks against them. Where my knees became tired, I sat down upon the mountain rock] and [drank cold] water from a water skin [to (quench) my thirst].
I pu[rsu]ed them on the peaks of the mountains and defe[at]ed them. I conquer[ed], plundered, destroyed, [devastated], (and) burned with fire their cities.
I turned around (lit. “I turned the front of my yoke”) [and] took the road against Maniye, the king of the city Ukku (and) an insubmissive mountain-dweller. (iv 10) Before my time, none of the former kings of the past had marched through the untrodden paths (and) difficult trails on account of the rugged mountains. I had my camp pitched at the foot of Mount Anara and Mount Uppa, mighty mountains, and I myself, in an armcha[ir], (iv 15) with my [cra]ck com[bat] troops, entered their narrow passes with great difficulty and ascended with a struggle the steep mountain [pe]aks.
He, Ma[ni]ye, saw the dust cloud (stirred up) [by] the feet of my troops, then he abandoned the city Ukku, his [roy]al [city], and fled afar. (iv 20) I [surrounded, conquer]ed, (and) plundered the city Ukku. [I brought] out [of it] every kind of [possession (and) property, the tre]asures of his palace, and I counted (it) as booty.
Moreover, I conquered thirty-three cit[ies on the borders] of his district and carried off from them people, donkeys, [oxen, and] sheep and goats. (Then) I destroy[ed] (them), devastated (them), (and) burned (them) with fire.
ruling
On [my] sixth campaign: The rest of the people of the land Bīt-Yakīn, who had groveled like onagers before my mighty weapon[s], dislodged the gods of the (full) extent of their land from their abodes, then crossed the Great Sea [of] the Rising Sun and (iv 30) set up their residences in the city Nagītu of the land Elam — I crossed over the sea in boats of the land Ḫat[ti]. I conquered the cities Nagītu (and) Nagītu-d[iʾbi]na, together with the lands Ḫilmu, Pillatu, and Ḫupapanu, districts of the land Elam.
I carr[ied] off the people of the land Bīt-Yakīn, [together with] their gods and the people (iv 35) of the king of the land Elam, and I did not leave a (single) escapee. I loaded (them) onto boats and brought (them) to this side (of the sea), then I made (them) [ta]ke the road to Assyria. I destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire the cities that are in those distr[ict]s. I turned (them) into a mound of ruins (lit. “a mound and ruins”).
On my re[turn ma]rch, i[n] a pitched battle, I defeated Šūzubu (Nergal-ušēzib), a citizen of Babylon who had taken the lor[ds]hip of the land of Sumer and Akkad for himself during the [confusion in] the land. I captured [him] alive, bound him with tethering ropes and iron fetters, and [broug]ht him to Assyria. I defeated the king of the land Elam, (iv 45) who had aligned himself with him and co[me to] his aid. I dispersed his forces [and] scattered his assembled host.
ruling
On my seventh campaign, the god Aš[šur], my [lor]d, encouraged me and I marched to the land Elam. In the course of my campaign, I conquered and plundered the cities [Bīt]-Ḫaʾiri (and) Raṣā, cities on the border of Assyria [that] (iv 50) the Elamites had taken away by force [i]n the time of my ancestor(s). I had my garrisons stationed inside them. I brought (those cities) back inside the border of Assyria and [pla]ced (them) under the authority of the garrison commander of Dēr.
The cities Bubê, Dunni-Šamaš, Bīt-Risiya, Bīt-Aḫlamê, (iv 55) Dūru, Dannat-Sulā[ya], Šilibtu, Bīt-Aṣusi, Kār-Zēra-iqī[ša], Bīt-Giṣṣi, Bīt-[Katpa]lāni, Bīt-Imbiya, Ḫamā[nu], Bīt-Arrabi, Burutu, Dimtu-ša-Su[lāya, D]imtu-ša-Mār-bīti-ēṭir, Ḫarri-ašlak[ê], (iv 60) Rabbāya, Rāsu, Akkabarina, Tīl-Uḫuri, Ḫamrānu, Nadītu,
together with the cities of the passes, namely Bīt-Buna[ki], Tīl-Ḫumbi, Dimtu-ša-Dume-[ili], Bīt-Ubiya, Baltī-līšir, Taqab-līšir, (iv 65) Ša-nāqidāte, Masūtu-šaplī[ti], Sarḫudēri, Ālum-ša-Bēlet-[bīti], Bīt-Aḫḫē-iddina, (and) Ilte[uba] — I surrounded, conquered, plun[dered], destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire (those) thirty-four fortified cities, together with the small(er) settlements in [th]eir en[virons], which were without number. [I] made the smoke from [their] co[nfl]agration cover the wide heavens like a heavy cloud.
Kudur-[Na]ḫundu (Kudur-Naḫḫunte), the Elamite, heard about the conquest of his cities and fear fell upon him. He brought (the people of) the rest [of] his cities into fortresses. He abandoned the city [Ma]daktu, his royal city, and took the road to the city Ḫa[y]dala, which is in the distant mountains.
I ordered the [ma]rch to the city Madaktu, his royal city. In the month Tamḫīru, bitter cold [set] in and (v 1) a severe rainstorm sent down its rain. [I] was afraid of the rain and snow in the gorges, the outflows of the mounta[ins], (so) I turned around (lit. “I turned the front of my yoke”) and to[ok] the road to Nineveh.
At that time, by [the com]mand of the god Aššur, my lord, Kudur-Naḫundu (Kudur-Naḫḫunte), the king of the land Elam, did not last three months and suddenly died a premature death. After him, Umman-menanu (Ḫumban-menanu), who does not have sense or insight, his younger brother, sat on his throne.
ruling
On my eighth campaign, after Šūzubu (Mušēzib-Marduk) had rebelled and (v 10) the citizens of Babylon, evil gallû-demons, had locked the city gates, th[ey] plotted to wage war. Arameans, fugitives, runaways, [mu]rderers, (and) robbers rallied around Šūzubu (Mušēzib-Marduk), a Chaldean, [a per]son of lowly status, a coward (lit. “who has no knees”), (and) a servant [who] belonged to the governor of the city Laḫīru, and they went down into the marshes and incited rebellion.
I besieged him and put him in dire straits. On account of fear and hunger, he fled to the land Elam. When there were conspiracy [and treache]ry against him, [he hurried] out of the land Elam [and] (v 20) entered Šuanna (Babylon). The Babylonians inappropriately placed him (back) on the throne (and) entrusted him with the lordship of the land of Sumer and Akkad.
They (the Babylonians) opened the treasury of Esagil and took out the gold (and) silver of the god Bēl (Marduk) (and) the goddess Zarpanītu, the property of the temple of their gods. (v 25) They sent it as a bribe to Umman-menanu (Ḫumban-menanu), the king of the land Elam, who does not have sense or insight, (saying): “Gather your army, muster your forces, hurry to Babylon, and align yourself with us! Let us put our trust in you.”
That Elamite, whose cities I had conquered and turned into ruins during a previous campaign to the land Elam, accepted the bribe from them without thinking, then gathered his troops (and) his forces, inspected (his) chariots (and) wagons, (and) checked his teams (of) horses (and) mules.
The lands Parsuaš, Anzan, Pašeru, (and) Ellipi, the people of Yasil, Lakab(e)ra, Ḫarzunu, Dummuqu, Sulāya, (and) Samʾuna, (who was) a son of Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), the lands Bīt-Adini, Bīt-Amukāni, Bīt-Šilāni, Bīt-Sāla (Bīt-Saʾalli), Larak, the city Laḫīru, (v 40) the people (of the tribes of the) Puqudu, Gambulu, Ḫalatu, Ruʾuʾa, Ubulu, Malaḫu, Rapiqu, Ḫindaru, (and) Damunu, a large host, formed a confederation with him.
In their multitude, they took the road to Akkad and, as they were advancing towards Babylon, they met up with Šūzubu (Mušēzib-Marduk), a Chaldean (who is) the king of Babylon, and banded their forces together. Like a spring invasion of a swarm of locusts, they were advancing towards me as a group to do battle. The dust of their feet covered the wide heavens like a heavy cloud in the deep of winter.
While drawing up in battleline before me at the city Ḫalulê, (which is) on the bank of the Tigris River, (and) keeping me from the water source, they sharpened their weapons.
I myself prayed to the deities Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Bēl, Nabû, Nergal, Ištar of Nineveh, (and) Ištar of Arbela, the gods who support me, (v 55) for victory over (my) strong enemy and they immediately heeded my prayers (and) came to my aid.
I raged up like a lion, then put on armor (and) placed a helmet suitable for combat on my head. (v 60) In my anger, I rode quickly in my exal[ted] battle chariot, which lays enemies low. I took in my hand the mighty bow that the god Aššur had granted to me (and) I grasped in my hand an arrow that cuts off life.
I roared loudly like a storm (and) thundered like the god Adad against all of the troops of the wicked enemies. (v 65) By the command of the god Aššur, the great lord, my lord, I blew like the onset of a severe storm against the enemy on (their) flanks and front lines. With the weapons of the god Aššur, my lord, and my fierce battle array, I turned [them] back and made them retreat. I shot [the troops of] the enemy with uṣṣu-arrows (and) mulmullu-arrows, and pierced all of their corpses like ...
I quickly slaughtered and defeated Ḫumban-undaša, his field marshal, a trusted man who leads his troops, his main support, together with his magnates, who wear gold (decorated) belt-daggers and (v 75) have reddish gold sling straps fastened to their forearms, like fattened bulls restrained with fetters.
I slit their throats like sheep (and thus) cut off their precious lives like thread. (vi 1) Like a flood in full spate [after] a seasonal rainstorm, I made their blood flow [over] the broad earth. The swift [thoroughbr]eds harnessed to my chariot plunged [into floo]ds [of their blood] (just) like the river ordeal. (vi 5) The wheels of my war chariot, [which lays] criminals and villains low, were bathed in blood and gore. I filled the plain with the corpses of their warriors like [grass]. I cut off (their) lips and (thus) destroyed their pride. I cut off their hands like the stems of cucumbers in season.
I received gold (and) shining silver sling straps as their wrist-trappings (and) slashed off their b[el]ts with sharp swords. I took away gold (and) silver (decorated) belt-daggers as their waist-trappings.
(As for) the rest of his magnates, who had raised their arms because they were terrified of doing battle with me, I captured them alive in the thick of battle.
I brought back all together the chariots along with their horses, whose drivers had been killed i[n] the thick of (that) mighty battle and which had themselves been released so that they galloped ab[out] on their own. When the second double-hour of the night had pas[sed], I stopped their [slaug]hter.
(As for) him, Umman-[menanu (Ḫumban-menanu), the king of the land Elam], along with the king of Babylon (and) [the] sheikhs [of Chaldea who marched at] his side, terror of doing bat[tle with me over]whelmed [them like alû-demons. They abandoned] their tents [and, in order to save th]eir [lives], they tra[mpled] the corpses of their troops [as they pushed on].
[Their hearts throbbed] like the pursued young of pigeons, they passed their urine hot[ly], (and) released their excrement [inside] their [chariot]s. I [ordered] my chariots (and) horses t[o pur]sue them. Wherever they caught (them), they ki[ll]ed with the sword the runaways amongst them, who had fled for (their) li[ve]s.
ruling
At that time, the Rear Palace of Nineveh that earlier kings, my ancestors, had had built for the proper running of the military camp, the care of horses, (and) the overseeing of everything — its [ter]race did not exist and (vi 35) its site had become too small. With the passage of time, its base had fallen into disrepair, then its foundations had become loose (and) its superstructure had collapsed.
I tore down that palace in its entirety. As an addition, I took m[u]ch land from the meadow and plain of the city (and) I added (it) to (the site). (vi 40) I abandoned the site of the former palace and filled in a terrace in the area that I had taken from the mead[ow]. I raised its superstructure 200 courses of brick high.
In a favorable month, on an auspicious day, [upon] that terrace, I [had] a large palatial wing, which greatly surpassed the previ[ou]s one, [built] for my royal residence.
I roofed it with magnificent beams of cedar. I fastened bands of bright copper on doors of white cedar and I installed (them) in its gates. I had bull colossi (text “a bull colossus”) fashioned (from) white limestone that was discovered in the territory of the city Balāṭāya and on the right and left I made (them) hold its door bolt(s).
I built (and) completed that palace from its found[ations] to its battlements. I deposited in it inscribed objects bearing my name.
In the future, one of the kings, my descendants, whom the god Aššur and the goddess Ištar [n]ame for shepherding the land and (vi 55) people — when th[at] palace becomes old and dilapidated, may [a future ruler] reno[vate] its [dilap]idated section(s) when th[at] palace becomes old and dilapidated. May he [fin]d an inscribed object bearing my name, ano[int] (it) with oil, make an offering, (and) [return] (it) to its [pl]ace. The god Aššur and the goddess Iš[tar] will (then) he[ar] his prayers.
ruling
[The month ..., (...th day,) eponymy of] Bēl-ēmuranni, [governor of] the city Carchemish (691).
Intercalary Adda[ru (XII₂), (...th day,) eponymy of ...], governor of [...].