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EA 138 (P271212)
letter, Middle Babylonian, Akhetaten · c. 1400 BCE–1100 BCE
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| Designation | EA 138 |
|---|---|
| ID | P271212 |
| Museum no. | VAT 00351 |
| Collection | Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin, Germany |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Middle Babylonian · c. 1400 BCE–1100 BCE |
| Genre | letter |
| Find spot | Akhetaten (mod. el-Amarna) |
| Coordinates | 27.6400, 30.8959 |
Transliteration (ATF)
From Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI: reuse of catalogue/transliteration data with citation of CDLI; images restricted (not fetched)
Machine draft. The right-hand column is machine English from ixmon/atf-to-english (atf-en-t5base-F, 2026-10-17), generated line by line from the transliteration. It is unreviewed and is not a scholarly translation.
| Line | ATF | Machine English (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| obverse | ||
| 1 | a-na _lugal_ be-li#-[ia _{d}]utu# kur-mesz#_ | To the king, my lord: the god Shamash of the mountains. |
| 2 | um-ma ri-ib#-ad-di# _ARAD2#_-ka | Thus Ribaddi, your servant: |
| 3 | a-na _ki-ta giri3-mesz lugal en_-li-ia# | to the lower feet of the king, my lord |
| 4 | 7(disz)-tam u3 7(disz) ma#-aq-ta-ti7 | 7 and 7 mashtātu-vessels |
| 5 | i-nu-ma qa-be-mi a-na pa-ni _lugal_ | When I spoke to the king |
| 6 | a-na _iri_ ia-a-pu{ki} szu-ut | to the city of Yapu he belongs |
| 7 | ga#-mi#-[ir lu] da#-an-na u3 ki-i szu#-nu#-ti# | Be it strong or weak, |
| 8 | u2-ul# al#-ka-ti a-na ma-har {disz}a-pi# | I will not come before Api. |
| 9 | u3 a-[nu]-ma# i-na-an-na sza-ap-ru-mi | Now then, send me a message! |
| 10 | _lu2-mesz#_ sza# _iri_ gub{[ub]}-la a-na ia-szi | the men of the city are stationed to me |
| 11 | la-a-mi ti-pa#-t,e6#-er# isz-tu _iri a-pu2{ki}-mesz_ | “From the city of Apum |
| 12 | asz-szum-ma# ni-[i]-x u3 ni#-ri#-bu-ka | Because your ... and your nirību |
| 13 | [a]-mur#-mi# x [x]-szu#-nu# sza-a-ru-tu | I saw their ..., they were young. |
| 14 | id-na-szu# te#-szi#-ir# da#-mu-szu | he gave to him, he fashioned his image. |
| 15 | sza-ru#-[tu ...] bi#-ia# | Exalted . . my house. |
| 16 | [...] | |
| 17 | [...]-_mesz#_ [...] | ... ... |
| 18 | [...] ar# _lu2-mesz iri#_ gub#-[la] | ... stood behind the citizens of the city. |
| 19 | a-na i-ri-[bi]-ia# a-na _iri{ki#}_ x [...] | to my city, to the city ... |
| 20 | isz-tu _hi-ga#-ri# ki#_-ia isz#-tu# 1(u) 2(disz)# _iti#_ | After my return from the road, for 12 months |
| 21 | u2-ul asz-ba-ti a-na _iri a-pu2#_ be#-lu# mi#-ia#-mi | I did not dwell in the city of the well, my lord, anything |
| 22 | u3 usz-szi-ir-ti t,up#-pi2# [a-na _e2]-gal# lugal_ | and the original tablet for the palace of the king |
| 23 | u3 a-nu-ma a-zi-[ru x x] 4(disz) _iti#-hi#-a#?-mesz_ | And now the aziru ... 4 months |
| 24 | a-na ia-a-szi ki-a-ma# il3#-x x x be-li | To me, like ... my lord |
| 25 | a-na _ARAD2_-di#-szu a-mur-mi# a-na-ku# _ARAD2# lugal_ | I am a servant of the king. |
| 26 | i-ia-nu _lu2-mesz_ ha-za-na _lugal#_ ki#-[ma] ia#-szi | there are no mayors of the king like me. |
| 27 | a-na _lugal_ sza-a ia-mu-tu [_ugu_ be]-li#-ia | To the king about whom I heard, my lord: |
| 28 | i-nu-ma yi-is,-bat _iri_ s,u#-mur#-ri | When he captured the city of Sumurru, |
| 29 | {disz}ARAD2-asz-ra-ti u3 a-na-[s,a]-ar#-mi | Abdi-Ašrati and I will keep watch |
| 30 | _iri_-la{ki} a-na [i]-di-<ni>-ia# i-ia-nu | The city of La has given to me. |
| 31 | _lu2-mesz_ ma-s,a-ra-ta5 it-ti-<ia> u3 asz-pu-ur | the guards with you, and I wrote. |
| 32 | a-na _lugal_ be-li-ia [u3] tu-s,a _erin2-mesz_ | to the king, my lord, and you brought out the troops. |
| 33 | [u3] ti-il3-qe2 _iri_ s,u-mu#-ri u3 | and the city of Ṣumuru and |
| 34 | [{disz}ARAD2-a-szi]-ir-ti u3 a-[nu]-ma# i-na-an-na | Abdi-Aširti and now |
| 35 | la#-[qi?] _iri#_ s,u#-mu#-[ri {disz}]a-zi-ru | The city of Ṣumuri, Aziru |
| 36 | u3 ti-mu-ru# _lu2#-mesz# iri#_ gub#{ub#}-li# | and the witnesses, the citizens of the city stationed |
| 37 | a-di ma-ti ni-ka-szi-szu _dumu_ {disz}ARAD2-[a-szi-ir-ti] | as far as the land of his birth father, son of Arad-Aširti |
| 38 | ga-mi-ir _ku3-babbar_-pu-na a-na nu-kur2-ti | the full price of his silver for insurrection |
| 39 | u3 ti-na-mu-szu _ugu_-ia u3 a-du-uk-szu-nu | and his testimony against me and their settlement |
| 40 | <<ku-nu>> u3 ti-iq-bu a-di ma-ti ti7-du-ku-nu | Come, and you will say as far as the land of your canals. |
| 41 | [a]-ya-mi ti-il3-qu2 _lu2-mesz_ a-na a-sza-bi | nor have you taken the men to live there. |
| 42 | a-na _iri#_{ki} u3 asz-pu-ur a-na _e2-gal_ | to the city and I wrote to the palace |
| 43 | a-na _erin2-mesz_ u3 u2-ul tu-da#-nu _erin2-mesz_ ia-szi | to the troops but you did not give, there are no troops. |
| 44 | u3 ti-iq-bi _iri{ki}_ i-zi#-bu-szu | and you said: the city will revolt against him. |
| 45 | ni-te-pu-usz-mi a-na {disz}a-zi-ri u3 | we have done, to Aziri and |
| 46 | aq-bi ki-i i-te9-pu-szu a-na sza-szu | I said: “When they did it, to him |
| 47 | u3 i-zi-bu _lugal_ be-li u3 yi-iq-bi | and he left, the king, my lord, and I said: |
| 48 | _szesz_-ia u3 yi#-it-mi a-na _iri{ki}_ | my brother and myself to the city |
| 49 | u3 ti-dab2-bi-bu u3! _lu2-mesz be iri{ki}_ | and Tidabbibu and the people of the city |
| 50 | [ti]-te#-pu-szu-mi a-na _dumu-mesz_ {disz}ARAD2-asz-ra-ti# | you have performed against the sons of Warad-Ašrati |
| 51 | u3 [al]-la-ak-mi a-na-<ku> a-na _iri a-pu2[{ki}_] | and I went to the city of Apum |
| 52 | a-na da-[ba]-bi# a-na ma-har {disz}ha-mu-ni-[ri] | to speak before Hamuniri |
| 53 | u3 ni-pu-[usz ki]-tam asz-szum-ma {disz}ha#-[mu-ni-ri] | and we did the same. Concerning Hamuniri |
| 54 | i-nu-ma ti# [...] nu# u3 [...] | When ... did not and ... |
| 55 | isz-tu asz#-[ra-nu] | from Assur |
| 56 | _iri{ki} ugu#_-[ia u3] ni#-[la]-ak#-mi# | the city upon me, and we shall go |
| 57 | a-na-ku u3 {disz}[a-wi] _ugu# [iri]{ki}_ | I and Awi against the city |
| 58 | u2-ul na-ad#-nu-ni# [i]-re#-ba | shall not be given; he shall enter. |
| 59 | la-qi2 _lu2_ ar-ni _lugal#-[erin2]-mesz#_ {disz}a-zi-ri | taken by the old man, the king's troops, Aziri |
| 60 | sza-ka-an a-na lib3#-[bi] _iri#[{ki}_] u3 | is placed in the inner city and |
| 61 | ti-mu-ru _iri{ki#}_ [i]-nu-ma# _erin2#-mesz_ sza-nu a-sza-bu | When the other troops were living in the city |
| 62 | a-na _iri{ki}_ u3 ti#-ma#-ga-ru# | to the city and Tamagaru |
| 63 | i-re-bi a-na _iri#_{ki} u3 ti#-iq-bu | entered the city and said: |
| 64 | a-na sza-a-szu al#-lu-u2-mi _ba-usz2_ | to that one, he will die. |
| 65 | be-el3-nu ki-i ta-aq-bu mi-it | Our lord, as you said, what |
| 66 | {disz}ri-ib-ad-di ki-ka-nu# isz-tu | Rīb-addi received from |
| 67 | _szu-min_ qa-ti-szu# la-a-mi [ia]-asz#-pu-ra | I have written to you the names of the people in his hands. |
| reverse | ||
| 1 | a-na _kur-mesz_ mi-is,-ri u3 yi-il3#-qa-nu | to the lands of mīṣri and yilqanu |
| 2 | qa-du _dumu-mesz_-nu# u3 ti-dab#-bi-ru | together with their sons and witnesses |
| 3 | _erin2-mesz_ {disz}a-zi-ri isz-tu# _iri{ki}_ | troops of Aziri from the city |
| 4 | a-nu-ma _iri{ki}_ mi#-szi-[il3]-szi ra-im | Now, the city of Mišilši is loved. |
| 5 | a-na _dumu-mesz ARAD2_-a-szi-ir#-ti u3 mi-szi-il3-szi | to the sons of Warad-Aširtu and her half |
| 6 | a-na be-li-ia u3 ki#-[i] i-pi2-isz | to my lord and as he wishes |
| 7 | yu-pa-szu a-na _lu2_-li# sza a-szi-ib a-na _iri{ki}_-szu | his yoke to the man who dwells in his city |
| 8 | yu-pa-szu ia-a-szi i-nu-ma isz-tu | “When from |
| 9 | 1(u) _sze_-ti ka-sza-di-ia# a-na _iri a-pu2-mesz_ | 10 barley-corns of my road to the city of the wells |
| 10 | usz-szi-ir-ti _dumu_-ia a-na _e2-gal nun_ | my son to the palace of the prince |
| 11 | isz-tu 4(disz) _iti_ u2-ul yi#-mur-mi pa-ni _lugal_ | After 4 months I did not see the face of the king |
| 12 | um-ma _lu2_-ia a-na _iri_ ta#-ah-da{ki} | thus my man to the city of Taḫda: |
| 13 | ka-sza-ad-ti-szu a-na mi-ni ha-s,i2-ri | (Sum) Its kašadtu priestess, why is she a widow? (Akk) Why is her widowed spouse a wife? Why is she an widow? |
| 14 | _lu2_-li sza-a usz-szi#-[ir a]-na# _e2-gal# lugal#_ | the man who made the king's palace |
| 15 | a-na-ku aq-bu-na# a-na# [...] | I spoke to ... |
| 16 | u3 yi#-na# [...] | And ... in me |
| 17 | a-na mi-ni ti-ka [...] | Why ... your life? |
| 18 | _kur-mesz_ ia-pu a-na mi#-[ni] | What are the lands that I conquered? |
| 19 | a-na ia-a-szi i-nu-ma [ti-de _iri_ gub-la] | to me, when you have reached the city Gubla |
| 20 | _iri_ ki-it-<ti> u3 al#-[lu-u] | the city of reconciliation and reconciliation |
| 21 | i-nu-ma asz-ba-ti a-na [_iri a-pu2-mesz_ u3] | when the dwelling to the city of the wells and |
| 22 | i-ia-nu _{lu2}rab3_ be-li sza il3#-[lik] | Herewith, the scribe, my lord, who went |
| 23 | u3 ti-iq-bu _iri{ki}_ al-lu-mi {disz}[ri-ib-ad-di] | and you said: “I will go to the city, Riba-addi |
| 24 | a-szi-ib a-na _iri a-pu_ a-ya-mi _lu2_-lu | who dwells in the city of Apsu, no one |
| 25 | sza a-lik isz-tu _kur-mesz_ mi-is,-ri a-na _mah_-<ri>-szu | who went from the mountains to his greatness |
| 26 | u3 te-ne2-pu-szu-na a-na {disz}a-zi-ri | and you will do to Aziri |
| 27 | pa-na-nu asz-pu-ru a-na _lugal_ u2-ul yi-isz-mu | I sent before the king, but he did not hear it. |
| 28 | a-wa-ti a-nu-ma i-na-na a-na _iri a-pu_ | a word now to the city of Apu |
| 29 | asz-ba-ti ke-e _iri?{ki}_ la-a tu-usz-mu | The dwelling, like a city, you did not dwell |
| 30 | a-wa-ti szum-ma sza-mi _lugal_ a-na _ARAD2_-szu | a word if the king to his servant |
| 31 | u3 na-ad-na-at _erin2-mesz_ ia-szi | and the gift of my troops |
| 32 | [u3 ta-ra-at]-mi# ur-ki a-na _lugal_ | And you are merciful to the king! |
| 33 | u3 yi#-[din _lugal erin2]-mesz_ u3 | and Yadin, king of the troops, and |
| 34 | ni-is,-bat _iri#{ki#}_ la#-[a ti-il3-qe2-szi] | We captured the city, but you did not take it. |
| 35 | _erin2-mesz dumu-mesz ARAD2_-asz-ra-ti a-na [sza-szu-nu] | troops, sons and servants of the Assyrians to them |
| 36 | u3 ti-bal#-ki#-tu# _lu2-mesz_-szi u3 a-mur#-[mi] | and rebellion against her men, and I saw. |
| 37 | _lu2_-lu ar-nu a-na# na-da#-na-ni# <<a-na>> | a man a debt to give to |
| 38 | a-na {disz}a-zi-ri yi#-pu#-usz# ip-sza [_gal_] | To Aziru I did a great thing. |
| 39 | u3 la-qi2 _<nig2>-gur11-mesz_ u3 yu#-dab-bi#-ra#-[szu]-nu# | and take the property and seize them. |
| 40 | u3# t,a2#-pi2-il3 {disz}[a]-pi2 qa#-[du ia-szi] | and Ṭāpil-Api together with me |
| 41 | u3# yu#-ba-u2 [...] | and Yabau |
| 42 | a-na {disz}a-zi-ri u3 [u2-ul] ia#-[ku]-ul# | to Aziri and I shall not eat |
| 43 | _lugal_ be-li [isz]-tu# _iri#_-szu u3 | the king, my lord, from his city and |
| 44 | ta-aq-bi [_iri]{ki#}_ {disz}[ri]-ib#-ad#-di | You said: “The city of Riba-addi |
| 45 | _ba-bad_ ki-[ka-nu isz-tu _szu-ii_]-szu# [a]-na | The quay is secure. From his hand to |
| 46 | {disz}a-zi-ri [ni-te-pu-usz] | Aziri we did. |
| 47 | u2-ul yu [x x] u2 [...] _iri{ki}_ | not ... ... the city |
| 48 | a-na# [...]-_mesz_ sza-ru#-tam# [e]-pu#-usz# | For ... I built a magnificent ... |
| 49 | a-na pi2-i _dumu-mesz ARAD2_-[asz]-ra#-ti | according to the mouth of the sons of the servants of Ashur |
| 50 | yi-pu-usz# ar#-<na> szu-wa#-ta2#? [sza-ni-tam] | After that, another šuwatu(?) |
| 51 | a-mur-mi a-na#-[ku u2]-ul# [aq-ta]-ba# | I have seen it, but I have not said it. |
| 52 | ka-az#-bu#-[tam a]-na# | a valuable commodity for |
| 53 | pal-ha-tu [...] | “Path’s . . |
| 54 | _iri{ki} lu2_-la# ar! _lugal_ u# al#-[lu-mi] | The city, a man, the king and allumi |
| 55 | ta-asz-pu-ru-na _lu2-mesz iri_ gub-la# | you wrote to me, the people of the city of Gubla |
| 56 | a-ya-mi i-nu-ma ia-asz-pu-ru# | “Why, when I wrote to you |
| 57 | _lugal_ be-el2-ka [a]-na# mah-<ri>-ka | The king, your lord, to your greatness |
| 58 | a-ya-mi _erin2-mesz_ [i]-nu#-ma usz-szi-ra-at | “Why did the troops when he was killed? |
| 59 | a-na ka-a-ta5 u3 ia#-pu :" ha-mu-du | I shall go to the kāta and iapu. |
| 60 | sza-a sza-pi2-ir isz#-tu | that is written from |
| 61 | _lugal_ be-li-<ia> la-a na-di-in | The king, your lord, should not give it. |
| 62 | ia-a-szi a-na _iri_-ia sze-[im] | to my city barley |
| 63 | i-ka-al :" ha-s,i2-ri | he eats (means): to eat. |
| 64 | u3 mi-nu-um yi-iq#-[ta]-bu# | and what have you said? |
| 65 | {disz}ha-mu-[ni]-ri | Hamuniri |
| left | ||
| 1 | a-di ma-ti i-zi-[za]-ti7 it-ti-szu u3 ya-[di]-na# _lugal erin2-mesz_ la-a-mi | as far as the land of Izizati with him and Yadina, the king of the troops |
| 2 | ti-ri#-bu _dumu-mesz_ sze#-ra-tum a-na _iri{ki}_ u3 _iri# a-pu2_ ti-isz-ba-tu-na | Tiribum sons of Šeratum to the city and the city of the well Tišbatuna |
| 3 | u3 ia-nu _kur-mesz_ a-na# _lugal#_ be-li-ia sza-ni-tam a-ia#-szi# yu-pa-szu ki-szu-ma sza-a | And if there are no lands for the king, my lord, there is no other way to do it. Just as |
| 4 | yi-di-ni _lugal_ be-li mi-nu-um ni-ta-an# _lu2_ sza-na u3 a-na-ku#-ma | Let the king, my lord, tell me what we have done to that man, and I myself |
| 5 | mi-ta-tam u3 _dumu-mesz_-ia _ARAD2-mesz lugal#_ ba-al#-tu u3 ti-isz-pu-ru-na a-na _lugal_ | Half and my sons, servants of the king of Baltu, and you have sent to the ki[ng]. |
| 6 | i ti-ir-nu-mi _iri#{ki}_-nu mi-nu#-[um] qa-al be-li isz-<tu> ia-a-szi-ia | What is it that my lord's city has left from me? |
Sources & licences
- Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI: reuse of catalogue/transliteration data with citation of CDLI; images restricted (not fetched) · Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI), https://cdli.earth/ ; cite CDLI and the P-number
- Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618) · ORACC project editions, https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ ; cite the individual project (see texts.extra_json.project)
Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-18.