Electronic manuscript
Seal of the god Aššur, king of the gods, lord of the lands — [not to be altered]; seal of the great ruler, father of the gods — not to be disputed.
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The treaty of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, with the governor of Kunalia, with the deputy, the major-domo, the scribes, the chariot drivers, the third men, the village managers, the information officers, the prefects, the cohort commanders, the charioteers, the cavalrymen, the exempt, the outriders, the specialists, the shi[eld bearers (?)], the craftsmen, (and) with [all] the men [of his hands], great and small, as many as there a[re] — [wi]th them and with the men who are born after the treaty in the [fu]ture, from the east [...] to the west, all those over whom Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, exercises kingship and lordship, concerning Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, the son of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, your lord, [on] whose [be]half he established the treaty with you.
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(which he) confirmed, made and [concluded in the presence of Ju]piter, Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Mars and [Sirius];
[in the presence of] Aššur, Anu, Illil, [Ea], Sin, Šamaš, Adad, Marduk, Nabû, [Nusku, (Uraš, Nergal, Mullissu)], Šerua, Belet-ili, the gods d[welling in] heaven and earth, the gods of Assyria, the gods of Sumer and Akkad, all the god[s of the lands].
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[Swear each individually] by Aššur, father of the gods, lord of the lands!
[Ditto] by Anu, Illil and Ea! [Ditto] by Sin, [Šamaš, Adad and Marduk]!
[Ditto by Nabû, Nusku], Uraš and Ne[rgal]!
[Ditto] by Mulli[ssu, Šer]ua and [Belet-ili]!
[Ditto] by Ištar of [Nineveh] and Ištar of Arbe[la]!
[Ditto] by all the gods of [...]!
[Ditto] by all the gods of the Inner C[ity]!
[Ditto] by all the gods [of Ninev]eh! Ditto by all the gods [of Calah]!
... [...] ... [...]
the gods [...]
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[god]s [...]
[...] the gods of [one's] lan[d ...]
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(This is) the treaty [which Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, has concluded with you, in the presence of the great gods] of heaven [and earth], on be[half] of [Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, son of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, your lord, whom he has named and appointed to the crown-princeship]:
[When Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, passes away, you will seat Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate], upon [the royal throne, and he will exercise the kingship and lordship of Assyria over you. You shall protect him in country and in town, fall and die for him. You shall speak with him in the truth of your heart, give him sound advice loyally, and smooth his way in every respect].
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You [shall neither change nor alter the word of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, but serve this very Assurbanipal, the great] cro[wn prince designate], whom [Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, your lord], has pres[ented to you, and he shall exercise] the kingship and dominion of Assyria] over [you].
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You shall protect [Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, whom Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, has presented and ordered for you, and on behalf of whom he has confirmed and concluded (this) treaty with you; you shall not sin against him, nor bring] your hand [against him] with evil intent, nor revolt or do anything to him which is not [good and proper];
[you shall not oust him] from the kingship [of Assyria] by [helping] one of his brothers, elder or younger, [to se]ize [the throne] of Assyria [in his stead], nor set [any other king or] any other lord over you, nor swear an oa[t]h to any other king or any other lord.
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If you [hear] any [impro]per, unsuitable or unseemly word concerning [the exercise of kingship which is] un[seemly and evil against Assurbanipal], the (great) crown prince designate, either from the mouth of [his] brothers, [his uncles, his cousins, his family, members of his father's line]; or from the mouth of [magnates and governors, or from the mouth of the bearded courtiers] and the eu[nuchs, or from the mouth of the scholars or from the mouth of any human being at all, you shall not conceal it but come and report it to Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate].
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[You shall not make common cause with (any)one who may revolt against Assurbanipal, the great crown prince [designate, son of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, your lord, concerning whom he has concluded (this) treaty with you, but, should they seize you by force, you shall flee and come] to Assurbanipal, the great crown prince [designate].
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[You shall not, whether while on a guard duty ...... or on a day of rest, while residing within the land or while entering a tax-collection point, set in your mind an unfavourable thought against Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate; you shall not revolt against him, nor make rebellion, nor do anything to him which is not good].
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[You shall wait for a woman pregnant by Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, (or) for the wife of Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate (to give birth), and after (a son) is born, bring him up and set him on the throne of Assyria, seize and slay the perpetrators of rebellion, destroy their name and their seed from the land, and] by shedding [blood for blood], avenge Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate.
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You shall not give [As]surbani[pal], the great crown [prince] designate, son of [Esarha]ddon, king of Assyria, yo[ur lord], a deadly drug to eat or to drink, [nor anoint him with it], nor practice [witchcraft] against him, [nor make gods and goddesses ang]ry [with him].
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[You shall love] Assurbanipal, [the great crown prince] designate, [son of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria], your [lord, like yourselves].
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[If someone involves you in a plot, be it one of his brothers, his uncles, his relations, a member of his father's line, a eunuch or a bearded (courtier), an Assyrian or a foreigner, or any human being at all, saying: "Slander his brothers, sons by his own mother, before him, make it come to a fight between them, and divide his brothers, sons of his own mother, from him"], you shall not obey nor speak evil about his brothers in his presence, nor divide him from his brothers; you shall not let those who speak such things go free but shall come and report to Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate as follows: "Your father imposed a treaty on us and made us swear an oath concerning it."
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You will not look at Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, or his brothers without reverence or submission. If someone does not protect him, you will fight them as if fighting for yourselves. You will bring frightful terror into their hearts, saying: "Your (pl.) father wrote (this) in the treaty, he established it, and he has made us swear it."
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You will not look at Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, or his brothers without reverence or submission. If someone does not protect him, you will fight them as if fighting for [your]se[lves]. You will bring frightful terror into their hearts, saying: "Your (pl.) father wrote (this) in the treaty, he established it, and he has made us swear it."
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When Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, your lord, passes away and Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, ascends the royal throne, you shall not say any evil word about his brothers, sons of his own mother, before their brother nor try to make them hateful (saying): "Bring your hand against them for an evil deed." You shall not alienate them from Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, nor shall you say any evil word about them in the presence of their brother. (As for) the positions which Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, their father, assigned them, you shall not speak in the presence of Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, (trying to make him) remove them from their positions.
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You shall not smear your face, your hands, and your [throat] with ... [against the god]s of the assembly, nor [tie] it in your lap, nor d[o] anything to undo the oath.
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You shall not try to revoke or undo (this) oath ... [...]; you shall neither think of nor perform a ritual to revoke or undo this oath. You and your sons to be born in the future will be bound by this oath concerning Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, son of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, your lord, from this day on until what(ever) comes after this treaty.
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While you stand on the place of this oath, you shall not swear this oath with your lips only but shall swear it wholeheartedly; you shall teach it to your [sons] to be born after this treaty; you shall not feign unclean illness but take part in this treaty of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, concerning Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate. In the future and forever Aššur will be your god, and Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, will be your lord. May your sons and your grandsons fear his sons.
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Whoever changes, neglects, violates, or voids the oath of this tablet and transgresses against the father, the lord, (and) the treaty of the great gods(?) (and) breaks their entire oath, or whoever discards this treaty tablet, a tablet of Aššur, king of the gods, and the great gods, my lords, or whoever removes the statue of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, the statue of Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, or the statue(s) of his brothers (and) his sons which are over him — you will guard like your god this sealed tablet of the great ruler on which is written the treaty of Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, the son of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, your lord, which is sealed with the seal of Aššur, king of the gods, and which is set up before you.
If you should remove it, consign it to the fire, throw it into the water, cover it in the earth or destroy it by any cunning device, annihilate or deface it,
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May Aššur, king of the gods, who decrees the fates, decree an evil and unpleasant fate for you.
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May Mullissu, his beloved wife, make your words evil, may she not intercede for you.
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May Anu, king of the gods, let disease, exhaustion, malaria, sleeplessness, worries and ill health rain upon all your houses.
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May Sin, the brightness of heaven [and earth], clothe you [with leprosy and forbid] your entering [into the presence of the gods or king. Roa]m the desert like the [wild]-ass and the gazelle!
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[May Šamaš, the light of heaven and earth, not judge you justly. May he remove your eyesight. Walk about in darkness]!
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May Jupit[er], exalted [lord] of the gods, not show you the entrance of Bel in Esangil; may he destroy your life.
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May Marduk, the eldest son, decree a heavy punishment and an indissoluble curse for your fate.
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May Zarpanitu, who grants name and seed, destroy your name and your seed from the land.
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May Belet-ili, the lady of creation, cut off birth from your land; may your nurses be deprived of the cries of little children in the streets and squares.
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May Adad, the canal inspector of heaven and earth, cut off rain from your land, and may your fields lack grain, may he submerge your land with a great flood; may the locust who diminishes [the land] devour your harvest; may the sound of mill or [oven] be lacking [from your houses], may the grain for grinding dis[app]ear from you; instead of grain may your sons and your daughters grind your bones; may not (even) your (first) finger-joint dip in the dough, may the qāqānu-worm eat up the dough from your bowls. May a mother bar the door to her daughter. In your hunger eat the flesh of your sons! In want and famine may one man eat the flesh of another; may one man clothe himself in another's skin; may dogs and swine eat your flesh; may your ghost have nobody to take care of the pouring of libations to him.
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May Ištar, lady of battle and war, smash your bow in the thick of battle, may she bind your arms, and have you crouch under [yo]ur [enemy].
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May Nergal, hero of the gods, extinguish your life with his merciless sword, and [s]end slaughter and pestilence among you.
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May Mullissu, who dwells in Nineveh, tie a flaming sword at your side.
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May Ištar, who dwells in Arbela, not show you mercy and compassion.
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May Gula, the great physician, create sickness and weariness in your hearts and an unhealing wound in your body. Bathe in blood and pus as if in water!
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May Aramiš, lord of the city and land of Qarne (and) lord of the city and land of Aza'i, fill you with green water.
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May Adad and Šāla of Kurba'il create piercing pain and ill health everywhere in your land.
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May Šarrat-Ekron make a worm fall from your insides.
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May Bethel (and) Anath-Bethel hand you over to the paws of a man-eating lion.
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May Kubaba and Karhuha of Carchemish, put a serious venereal disease within you; may your blood drip to the ground like raindrops.
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May all the great gods of heaven and earth who inhabit the universe and are mentioned by name in this tablet, strike you, look at you in anger and curse you grimly with a painful curse.
Above, may they take possession of your life; below, in the netherworld, may your ghost be deprived of water. May shade [and] daylight always chase you away, and may you not find refuge in a hidden corner. May food and water abandon you; may want and famine, hunger and plague never be removed from you.
Before your very eyes may dogs and swine drag the teats of your young women and the penises of your young men to and fro in the squares of Assur; may the earth not receive your corpses but may your burial place be in the belly of a dog or a pig.
May your days be dark and your years dim, may darkness which is not to be brightened be declared as your fate. May your life end in exhaustion and sleeplessness.
May an irresistible flood come up from the earth and devastate you; may anything good be forbidden to you, anything ill be your share; may tar and pitch be your food; may urine of an ass be your drink, may naphtha be your ointment, may duckweed be your covering. May demon, devil and evil spirit select your houses.
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May these gods be our witnesses: we will not make rebellion or insurrection against Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, or against Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, or against his brothers, sons by the same mother as Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, and the rest of the sons of Esar[ha]ddon, king of Assyria, or make [common] cause with his enemy.
Should [we hea]r of [instig]ation to armed rebellion, agitation or malicious whisp[ers], evil, [un]seemly things, or treacherous, disloyal talk against Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, and against his brother[s] by the same mother as Assurbanipal, the great crown prince [designate], [we] will not conceal it but [will rep]ort it t[o Assurbanipal], the great crown [prince designa]te, our lord.
[As long as] we, [our sons (and)] our [grands]ons [are alive, Assurbanipal], the great [crown prince designate, shall be our king and our lord, and we will not set any other king or prince over us, our sons or our grandsons. May all the gods mentioned by name (in this treaty) hold us, our seed and our seed's seed accountable (for this vow)].
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If you should sin against [this] treaty [which Esarhaddon], king of Assyria, has concluded with yo[u] concerning Assurbanipal, [the great crown] prince designate, and concerning his brothers, sons by [the same] mother [as Assurbanipal], the great crown prince designate, and the [re]st of the offspring of Esar[ha]ddon, king of [Assyria, yo]ur lord.
May [Aššur, father] of the great gods, strike you down [with] his fierce weapons.
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May Palil, the foremost lord, let eagles and vultures eat your flesh.
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May Ea, king of the Abyss, lord of the springs, ... you deadly water, and fill you with dropsy.
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May the great gods of heaven and earth turn water (and) oil into a curse for you.
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May Girra, who gives food to the great gods, burn up your name and your seed.
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Ditto, may all the gods that are mentioned by name in this treaty tablet make the ground as narrow as a brick for you. May they make your ground like iron (so that) nothing can sprout from it.
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Just as rain does not fall from a brazen heaven so may rain and dew not come upon your fields and [yo]ur meadows; instead of dew may burning coals rain on your land.
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Just as lead does not stand up before a fire, so may you not stand before your enemy (or) take your sons and your daughters in your hands.
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Just as a mule has no offspring, may your name, your seed, and the seed of your brothers, your sons and your daughters disappear from the land.
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Just as a shoot is [...], (and) seed(s) and the yeast of beer are [placed] within, and just as these seeds do not sprout, and the yeast of beer does not turn [t]o its ..., may your name, your seed, and the seed of your brothers and your sons disappear from the face of the earth.
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May Šamaš with an iron plough overturn your city, your country and your district.
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Ditto, ditto; just as this ewe has been cut open and the flesh of her young has been placed in her mouth, may they make you eat in your hunger the flesh of your sons and your daughters.
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Just as young sheep and ewes and male and female spring lambs are slit open and their entrails rolled down over their feet, so may the entrails of your sons and your daughters roll down over your feet.
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[Just] as a snake and a mongoose do not enter the [sa]me hole to lie there together but think only of cutting each other's throat, so may you and your women not enter the same room to lie down in the same bed; think only of cutting each other's throats!
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Just as bread and wine enter into your intestines, (so) may they (= the gods) make this (oath) enter into your intestines and into those of your sons and your daughters.
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Just as you blow water out of a tube, may they blow out you, your [women], your sons and your daughters; may your streams and your springs make their waters flow backwards.
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May they take [b]read away from your land in the same manner as gold.
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Ditto, ditto; just as honey is sweet, so may the blood of your women, your sons and your daughters be sweet in your mouth.
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Just as a worm eats provisions, so may the worm eat, while you are (still) alive, your own flesh and the flesh of your wives, your sons and your daughters.
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May they (= all the gods) break your bow and subje[ct] you to your enemy; may they turn over the bow in your hands and make your chariots run backwards.
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Just as a stag is pursued and killed, so may you, your brothers and your sons be pursued and killed.
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Just as a caterpillar does not see and does not return to its cocoon, so may you not return (to) your women, your sons, and to your house[s].
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Ditto, ditto; just as a bird is caught by a trap, so may they deliver you, your brothers and your sons into the hands of your enemy.
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May they make your flesh and the flesh of your [brother]s, your women and your sons as black as bitumen, pitch and naphtha.
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Just as a ... beast is caught in a snare, may you, your brothers and your sons be seized by the hand of your enemy.
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May your flesh and the flesh of your brothers, your sons and your daughters be wasted like the flesh of a chameleon.
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Just as the honeycomb is pierced with holes, so may they pierce your flesh, the flesh of your brothers, your sons and your daughters with holes while you are alive.
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May they cause your [towns], your land and your fields be devoured just [as with] locusts, ..., lice, caterpillars [(and other field pests)].
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May they make you like a fly in the hand of your enemy, and may your enemy squash you.
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[Just as] this bug [st]inks, just so may your breath [st]ink before gods and king and mankind.
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[May they strangle you, your women, your brothers] and your sons with a cor[d].
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Just as an image of w[ax is burnt in the fire] and one of clay dissolved in water, so may your figure be burnt in the fire and sunk [in] water.
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Just as (this) chariot is dr[enched] with blood up to its base-board, so may yo[ur] chariots [be drenched] with your own blood in the midst of yo(ur) enemy.
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May they (= all the gods) spin you around like a spindle-whorl, may they make you like a woman before your enemy.
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Ditto, ditto; may they (= all the gods) make you, your brothers and your sons go backward like a crab.
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May they make evil and wicked things surround you like fire.
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Just as oil enters (your) flesh, so may they cause this oath to enter into your flesh and the flesh of your sons.
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Just as the Cursers sinned against Bel and he cut off their hands and feet and blinded their eyes, so may they annihilate you, and make you sway like reeds in water; may your enemy pull you out like reeds from a bundle.
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If you should forsake Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate, and the other sons, the offspring of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, going to the south or to the north, may iron swords consume him who goes to the south and may iron swords likewise consume [him] who goes to the north;
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may they burn you, your sons, and your daughters [l]ike a spring lamb or kid.
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Just as the noise of the[se] doves is persistent, so may you, your women, your sons and your daughters have no rest or sleep and may your bones never come together.
Just as the inside of a hole is empty, so may your inside be empty.
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Ditto, ditto; when your enemy pierces you, may there be no honey, oil, ginger or cedar-resin available to place on your wound.
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Just as gall is bitter, so may you, your women, your sons and your daughters be bitter towards each other.
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May Šamaš clamp a bronze bird trap over you and your sons; may he cast you into a trap from which there is no escape, and never let you out alive.
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Just as this waterskin is split and its water runs out, so may your waterskin break in a place of severe thirst; d[ie] of thirst!
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Ditto, ditto; just as these shoes are pierced, so may your shoes be pierced in a region of brier and sharp stones; crawl on your bellies!
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May Illil, lord of the throne, overthrow your throne.
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May Nabû, bearer of the tablet of fates of the gods, erase your name, and destroy your seed from the land.
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May they (= all the great gods) cause the door to be soaked (in blood?) before your eyes. May your doors not open.
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16th day of Iyyar, eponymy of Nabû-belu-uṣur, governor of Dur-Šarrukku. The treaty concluded on behalf of Assurbanipal, the great crown prince designate of Assyria, and Šamaš-šumu-ukin, the crown prince designate of Babylon.