Esarhaddon, great king, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, governor of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, the true shepherd who reorganized the confused people (and) made light shine forth for them; to whom the great gods gave as a gift (the ability) to create, build, (and) renew; (5) the one who (re)constructed the temple of the god Aššur, (re)built Esagil and Babylon, completed all of the cult centers, renewed [the sta]tues of the great gods, (and) who returned the plundered gods of the lands to their (proper) place from Assyria; who plat[ed] Egašankalama, the temple of the goddess Ištar of Arbela, his lady, with silver (zaḫalû) [and] made (it) shine like daylight — I had lions, screaming anzû-birds, [laḫ]mu-monsters, (and) kurību-genii fashioned from silver and copper and set (them) up in [its] en[try] doors.

The king, who with the help of the gods Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Nabû, [Marduk, Ištar] of Nineveh, (and) Ištar of Arbela, marched freely from the Upper Sea to the [Lower Sea and] made all of his enemies and the rulers who were unsub[missive to him bow down] at his feet; the one who conquered the city Sidon, [which is] in the midst of the sea, (and) [the one who leveled] all of its dwellings; (15) the one who plundered the city Arzâ, which is in the neighborhood of the Bro[ok of Egypt], (and) [who threw] Asuḫīli, its king, into fetters along with his counselors (and) brought (them) [to Assyria]; moreover, (I am) the one who struck with the sword Teušpa, a Cimmer[ian], together with his entire army, [in the territory of the land] Ḫubušna; the one who treads on the unsubmis[sive] people of Cilicia;

[the one who drove out Nabû-zēr-kitti-lī]šir, son of Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan); (20) the one who sacked Bīt-Dakkūri, which is in [Chaldea, an] enemy of Babylon; the one who captured Šamaš-ibni, its king, [a rogue] (and) outlaw — I surrounded, [cap]tured, plundered, destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire the cities Ḫandasu, Magalani, Al[piana, Diḫ]rāni, Qatabuʾ, Padê, (and) Udēru, [fortified cities in the] district of the land Bāzu, together with small cities in [its] environs.

[The one who crushed the Barnaki, a dangerous enemy], who live in the city Tīl-Ašurri, [which is called] Pitānu [in the language of the people of] the land Miḫrānu; the one who scattered the Mannean people, undisciplined Gutians — (as for) the land Patušarri, a district in the area of the salt desert, which is in the midst of the land of the distant Medes, (30) borders Mount Bikni, (and) upon the soil of whose land none of the kings, my ancestors, had walked, I carried off to Assyria Šidir-parna (and) E-parna, mighty chieftains, who were not submissive to (my) yoke, together with their people (and) their heavy plunder.

Son of Sennacherib, king of the world (and) king of Assyria, descendant of Sargon (II), king of the world, king of Assyria, governor of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad —

At that time, by means of the prisoners from the lands that I had conquered with the help of the god Aššur, my lord, I repaired (and) renovated the dilapidated parts of the ruined wall, city gates, (and) palaces, which are in Kalḫu. I built (and) completed (them) (and) made (them) greater than ever before.

I made foundation inscriptions, had the might of the god Aššur, my lord, (and) the deeds that I had done written on them, and placed (these inscriptions) in them (the foundations).

In the future, in far-off days, may a future ruler be like me and renovate their dilapidated section(s) (and) write my name with his name. The god Ninurta, son of the god Enlil, will (then) hear his prayers.

ruling

Ulūlu (VI), tenth day, eponymy of Banbâ, deputy minister (sukkallu šanû) (676 BC).

Abu (V), twenty-first day, eponymy of Banbâ, deputy minister (sukkallu šanû) (676 BC).

Abu (V), twenty-fifth day, eponymy of Banbâ, [deputy minister (sukkallu šanû)] (676 BC).