Ashurbanipal 215

(i 1') [I enl]a[rged it].

(i 2') [I had a canopy, which] rivals the heave[ns], made [from m]usukkannu-[wood], a d[urable] wood. (i 5´) I [then] c[lad] its [peri]meter [with thirty-four ta]lents (and) twenty minas of [reddish] gold (and thereby) [rei]nforced [its] bonds. I stretched out its [cov]ering [ove]r the god Marduk, the great lord, [and (thus)] secured [its] roof.

(i 11') [(As for) the] exalted [chariot], the vehicle of the god Mard[uk, the pre-emin]ent one among the gods, the lord of lor[d]s, I c[omple]ted [its] feature(s) [with gol]d, silver, (and) precio[us] stones. (i 15´) [I gave (it)] as a g[if]t t[o the god Mard]uk, the king of the totality of heaven and [netherworld], the one who ove[rwhelms my] enemies.

(i 18') I skillfully mad[e] a bed of m[usukkannu]-wood, [a durable wood], that [is clad] with pašal[lu-gold (and) studded with] precio[us] stones, as a [pleasure] bed for the god Bēl (Marduk) (and) [the goddess Bēltīya (Zarpanītu)] to carry out the weddin[g] (and) to make lo[ve]. I placed (it) in Ka[ḫili]su, the bed chamber of the goddess Zarpanītu, which is laden with [sex]ual charm.

(i 26') I stationed [four] fierce [wild bulls of s]ilver, [protector]s of my royal path, [in the “Gate of the Risi]ng Sun” and the “Gate of Lamma-RA.BI,” [in gateway(s) of Ez]ida, which is inside Borsippa.

(i 30') I decorated [Emašm]aš (and) Egašankalama with [silver (and) gol]d, (and) fill[ed (them) with] s[plendor].

(i 33') The goddess [Šarrat-Kidmuri, who in her ang]er [had aban]do[ned her] inner sanctum (and) (i 35´) had taken up residence in [a place not befitting her], relen[ted] during the favora[ble] reign (lit. “my favora[ble] reign”) [that (the god) Aššur had granted me].

(ii 1') (No translation possible)

(ii 4'b) [I built (and)] completed [the sanctuari]es of [Assyria (and) the land] Akkad [in their entirety]. I made [eve]ry [type of temple appurtenance] there is [from silver (and) gold], (and) I added (them) [to those of the kings], my ancestors. (ii 10´) [I made the great gods] who support me [reside in the]ir exalted [inner sanctums]. I offered sumptuous [offerings before the]m (and) [presente]d (them) with my gifts.

(iii 1') [great rulers from (both) east and west are anxious for me] to be [their] all[y].

(iii 2') With the support of the [great] god[s, my lords, I entered] the land E[lam], brought a[bout] their (the Elamites’) defeat c[ountless (times)], (and) (iii 5´) marche[d] about [triu]m[phantly]. Ummanalda[šu (Ḫumban-haltaš III), the king of] the land Elam, became frightened by the assault of my mighty battle array, fled naked, an[d] took to the mountain(s).

(iii 10') I conquered fourteen fortifie[d] cities, his royal residence(s), and small(er) settlements, which were without number, together with twenty villages, in the district of the city Ḫunnir, (which is) on the border of the city Ḫidalu. I destroyed (and) demolish[ed] the city Bašimu and the villages in its environs.

(iv 1) As for the people living inside the[m], I annihilat[ed] them. I smashed thei[r] gods (and thus) placated the mood of the lord of lord[s]. (iv 5) I carried off to Assyria its gods, it[s] goddesses, its possessions, (and) its property, (as well as) people, young and o[ld]. I devast[ated] an are[a] of sixty leagues inside the land Elam (and) scattered salt (and) cres[s] over the[m].

(iv 12) (As for) the goddess Nanāya, who 1,635 yea[rs] (ago) became angry and wen[t] to live in the land Ela[m], (iv 15) a place not befitting [her], then, at that time (when) sh[e] — and the gods, [her] fathers — nominated me for ruling over the land[s], (iv 20) she entrusted [me] with the return of [her] lordly majes[ty], [say]ing: “Ashur[banipal] wil[l bring me out] o[f the land Elam and] make [me] enter Ea[nna (again)].”

(iv 26) The word(s) of the[ir] divine command that th[ey] had sp[oken] in distant days, th[ey] now disclo[sed] to the people of [a later generation. (iv 30) I grasped] the hands of her great divinity. She to[ok] the [direct] path, which please[s the heart, to Eanna. I made her enter] into [Uruk and made her dwell on (her) eternal dais] in E[ḫiliana, which she loves].

(v 1) [I put] a lead-rope [through] his (Uaiteʾ’s) [gu]ms, placed him [in a dog collar], and (then) [made] him [guar]d the door [of the eastern gate of the cit]adel of Nineveh, whi[ch is (named) the “En]trance to the Place Where the World Is Controlled.”

(v 6) [(As for) ... of] the land of the Arabs, [...] ..., [who had t]urned hostile [tow]ards m[e, had cast] off the y[ok]e of my lordship, (and) (v 10) [w]hom I had defea[t]ed in the thick of [ba]ttle, [I f]layed the[m] in Nineveh, my [capi]tal [city].

(v 14) At that time, [(as for) the akīt]u-[house] of the god Sîn that is inside the city Ḫarrān (and) that had become old, [I] laid its foundation(s). I built (and) [comp]leted (it) from its foundation(s) to its crenel[lation]s. I clad (it) with [shiny] zaḫalû-silver.

(v 21) May the deities [S]în, Ninga[l, and Nusku] l[ook with pleasure upon] my [good deed]s. Ma[y] they [length]en [m]y [days (v 25) (so that) I may be fully satisfied with (my)] g[ood f]ortune. May they make [the foundation(s) of m]y [royal throne] endure (and) [make] my reign [last for a long time]. May they kill [my enemies (and) cut down] my [f]oes. (v 30) [With their] great [support], may I rule [wherever I desire (lit. “I say”) (and) achieve whatever (lit. “the place”) I stri]ve for.

(v 34) [In the futu]re, [may (one of) the sons, grands]ons,

(vi 1) (As for) the one who dest[roys] an inscribed object bearing [m]y name, makes (it) disappea[r] by some crafty device, (or) (vi 5) does not plac[e] (it) with an inscribed object bearing his name, may the great gods of heaven and netherworld overthro[w] his kingship (and) make his name (and) seed disappea[r] from the land.

(vi 10) [An inscribed obj]ect fo[r the akītu-house of the god S]în [that is inside the city Ḫarr]ān.

(l.e. 1) The goddess Šarrat-kidmuri, [who from] distant [day]s was an[gry (...)] ... her great divinity.