[I, Ashurbanip]al, great king, [strong king, k]ing of the world, king of Assyria, [kin]g of the four qu[art]ers (of the world), [the cr]eation of (the god) Aššur and the goddess Mullissu, the one to whom the god Ea and the goddess Bēlet-ilī have stretched out (their) hands, one who was chosen by the gods Sîn, Šamaš, (and) Adad, beloved of the god Marduk (and) the goddess Zarpanītu, the one required by the deities Nabû, Tašmētu, (and) N[anāya], wise (and) capa[ble], (i 10) true shepherd, favorite of the [great] g[ods]; son of Esarhaddon, [great king], strong king, kin[g of the world, king of Assyria], governor of Ba[bylon], king of the land of Sum[er and Akkad],

Lacuna

they (the gods) commanded [...]. In order to pro[tect my (position as) heir designate] and af[terwards (my) exercising the kingship of Assyria], he (Esarhaddon) ass[embled the people of Assyria] (and) the land of Sum[er and Akkad, ...].

[In front of the] great [god]s of heaven and netherworld, [wh]ose command(s) [cannot be ch]anged, [he] reinforced, wrote out, (and) established [trea]ties for future days. [In the month Ayyāru (II), the mon]th of the god Ea — the lord of humankind, [the one who fashioned the physi]que of my royal majesty — [I entered] the House of Succession, [a sophisticated place, the bo]nd of kingshi[p. ...]

Lacuna

[By the]ir (the great gods’) exalted [command, I sat gladly on] the throne of the father who had engendered me. [Nobles (and) e]unuchs required [my lordship; they loved] my [exercising the kingshi]p. [Being happy at the mention of my vener]ated [name, the fou]r [quarters (of the world) rejoiced].

Lacuna

[I] made [offerings] before them (the gods) and presented (them) with [m]y gift[s]. Those gods accepted my prayers and (then) flattened my e[n]emies (and) [destr]oyed my foes.

ruling

[... a] remote [plac]e, [...] its way, [wherein Esar]haddon, king of Assyria, the father who had engendered me, [went do]wn and marched inside it. He brought about [the de]feat of Taharqa, the king of Kush, and scattered his forces. He conquered [E]gypt (and) Kush and (then) carried off its booty [with]out number. He ruled over [t]hat [land] in its entirety and (iii 15) made (it) part of the territory of Assyria. He changed the former names of the cities and gave them new names. He appointed his servants therein as king(s), governor(s), (and) official(s). He imposed upon them [annual tribu]te [pay]ment (in recognition) of his overlordship.

[...] ... territory [...] the city Memphis

Lacuna

[... he (Taharqa) entere]d [the city Memphis. He tu]rned th[at] city over to [him]sel[f. Against the A]ssyrians who were insid[e Egypt, servant]s who belong[ed to me, whom Es]arhaddon — king of Assyria, [the father who had engendered me — had appointed a]s king(s) [there, to] kill (them) [...]

Lacuna

(As for) him (Taharqa), terror and fear fell upon him and he went into a frenzy. He escaped from the city M[em]phis, the city (and) place upon which he [relie]d and, in ord[er to save] his (own) [l]ife, [he boar]ded a shi[p], abandoned his camp, [f]led [alone], and [enter]ed the city Theb[es].

Th[ey (my army) captur]ed [as many] warships [as there were wit]h him, as well as his combat troops. A messenger to[ld m]e the [goo]d new[s] that I had been waiting for. To banish Tahar[qa f]rom Egypt (and) K[ush, I added to] my form[er fo]rces the chief eunuch, the [governor]s, and [al]l of the kings of Across the River (Syria-Palestine), together with their forces (and) their [boats], (as well as) the kings of Eg[y]pt, [servants who belonged to] me, together with their boats (and) [the]ir for[ces, and] I sent (them) to [the city Thebes, ...]

Lacuna

[th]at I had been waiting for, [...].

Afterwards, Necho, [Šarru-lū-dāri], (and) Pa-qruru, kings wh[om the father who had engendered] me had installed [in Egypt], (iv 5´) transgressed the treaty (sworn) by (the god) Aššur and the great gods, my [lord]s, and (then) bro[k]e their oath(s). They forgot the kindness of the father who had engendered me, and their heart(s) plotted evil (deeds). They spoke word(s) of treachery and (iv 10´) decided (among) themselves on a profitless decision, saying: “If they remove Taharqa from Egypt, how then [can] we (ourselves) st[ay]?” (iv 15´) To establish treaties and [pe]ace, they dispatched their [mounted messenger(s)] to Taharqa, the kin[g of] Kush, saying: “Let peace be established [between u]s so that we can c[ome to a mu]tual [agreement. (Let) us divide] the land among ourselves so that (iv 20´) no [other lord] comes betwe[en u]s.” With regard to the n[umerous] troops of (the god) Aššur, [the might of my lordly majesty], they constantly sought out [evil plan(s); they plotted] to cut (their) throa[t(s and) strove to completely] destroy (them).

A eunuch of mi[ne] heard [these words; ...]. He seized the[ir] mounted messenger(s) [along with their messages] that (they had sent) to [Taharqa, the king of Kush], to establish tre[aties and peace], and he saw their [deceit]ful [acts. They seized Šarru-lū-dār]i (and) Necho [and clamped] (their) hands and feet [in fe]tters (and) handcuffs. (iv 35´) The oath (sworn) by the god Aššur, the king of the gods, defeated them and my kindness, which I had done for them as a favor, called to account those who had sinned against [the great treaties].

Moreover, they (my troops) cut down with the sword the people of the cities, as many as h[ad sided] with them (and) plotted evil plan(s), young and old, and they did not spare a single person among them. Furthermore, they brought them (Necho and Šarru-lū-dāri) to Nineveh, my capital city, before me.

Moreover, I, Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, the magnanimous one who performs acts of kindness (and) repays good deeds, had mercy on Necho, a servant who belonged to me, and forgave his crime(s). [I made the treaty swo]rn by the gods [more stringent] than the previous one [and] I established (it) [with] him.

Lacuna

The peo[ple living in it (the city Qirbit) trusted in their] rug[ged mountains and did] not [respect the dominion of Assyria]. (As for) Tan[dāya — their city ruler who], to the kings, [my ancestors, had never bowed down to (their) yoke] — (his) heart was prou[d, ...]. They spoke [... and] th[ey were constantly] pl[undering ...] donkeys, oxen, [...] in the steppe. (v 10´) They laid waste to [its] pa[sture land]. Th[ey ...] the district of Yamutbal (and) flattened all of [its] settlem[ents]. With regard to thes[e] deeds, the citizens of Dēr appealed to me (and) beseeched my lordly majesty.

I sent my eunuchs (and) governors [w]ho(se provinces are) on the borders of their land(s) against them. They ascended Ḫalēḫasta, a rugged mountain, and surrounded the city Qirbit, his fortified city. [By having] (siege) ramps [trod]den down (and) the assault of battering rams, they conquered that city and flattened (it) like the Deluge.

(As for) the cities ...meš, Zarzāta, Šanḫara, Sissil, Adumānu, Ḫallāya, Šeliḫiram, Šaḫarasiʾ, GubBAD, Matuḫanzaḫ, Taziʾ, Lušanda, LULbasta, (and) Babsaḫ, they covered those cities like a fog and overwhelmed (them) like a bird snare. They killed Tandāya, (their) city lord, and struck down his warriors with the sword. Th[ey] carr[ied off into Assyria] people, [(...) oxen], (and) sheep an[d goats, his substantial booty].

[They captured] alive Akkud[āya, their herald], (and) brought (him) b[efore me]. I forcibly remov[ed] the people livin[g in those cities, took (them) and settled (them)] in Egyp[t. I made the people], whom [my bow] plundered in a[nother] land, [live] in the cit[y Qirbit] and its villages.

ruling

Gyg[es], the king of the land Lyd[ia — a] remote [place that ...] ... Assyria, [whose ... are not o]pen, whose ci[t]y is far away, (and) [the m]ention of whose name [none of the kings who ca]me before, my ancestors, [had (ever) heard — ...] was wide and [...] was complete, [...] forces, [which the Cimme]rians, a dangerous enemy, [...] in battle [...] th[ey] cu[t him down].

Lacuna

(No translation possible)

against [...] to [its/their] ful[l] extent. [...] Ashurbani[pal ...] was brilliant like lig[ht ...] and ... [...] He reported [...] and [...]. During the night [...] thus [...] saying: “As for Ashurba[nipal, ...], the one who is required by (the god) Aššur, [...] feet ... [...] to ... [...]

Slight overlap?

(No translation possible)

“[... qu]ickly [...] supplica[tion, ...] let them come, [...] pra[yer, ...] that you did and [...] ... made you see.”

“[...] your enemy, [...] I will make [...] bow down and [... wil]l strike down with the sword.” I saw [...], became frightened, and (then) fulfilled [the ... of] my god. [(Now) I am rep]orting [...] to the king [...] that [d]ay (onward), I carry a [su]bstantial tribute, yearly, [wit]hout ceasing. [...] against his foes [...] I myself run. I received [the ... that he h]ad sent to me.

(No translation possible)

Slight overlap or short lacuna

[...] mess[enger ...] to see [...].

ruling

At that time, [the wall of the citadel of Nineveh] which Sennac[herib — king of Assyria], the father of the father who had engende[red me — had built], that wall [became] o[ld and] its foundation(s) [gave way and]

Lacuna