CT 53, 139 (P313554)
Letter, Neo-Assyrian, Nineveh · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | CT 53, 139 |
|---|---|
| ID | P313554 |
| Museum no. | BM — |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE |
| Genre | Letter |
| Find spot | Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) |
| Coordinates | 36.3582, 43.1621 |
English translation
By ORACC project saao/saa10 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse [0:4] o 1o 1–o 44 | [To the crown prince], my lord: [your servant Tabn]î. [Good health to the crown prince], my lord! May [Nabû and Marduk] bless the crown prince, my lord! |
| Obverse [4:9] o 55–o 99 | [From] his [chi]ldhood till his maturity, [my father] took [care of] the father of the crown prince. [Steadily] he stood in his presence; he [shared the ...] of his basket with the king, his lord; he e[xperienced] the [da]ys of misfortune with the king, his lord. |
| Obverse [9:15] o 1010–o 1515 | [The k]ing, our lord, [......] kindness [......]; he dre[ssed him] in purple [...] and ap[pointed him] the chief haruspex. Among the servants [of the king ...] and the elders of the palac[e ......] |
| Obverse [15:17] o 1616–o 1717 | (16) (Break) |
| Obverse [17:18] o 1818–o 1818 | [... un]til the setu[p ......] |
| Obverse [18:19] o 1919–o 1919 | [of the k]ing, my lord [......] |
| Obverse [19:21] o 2020–o 2121 | Everything that he had s[aid ......] Šamaš caused to be understood through his (= my father) hands. |
| Obverse [21:26] o 2222–o 2626 | (So) he (= the king) said: "My servant has ...ed after me; [let] me [do] my servant a favour. The first token of m[y] favour [is]: [I will assign to him] the [lead]ership of scholars. My [second fa]vour is: As long as [he is] in Assyria, l[et him be n]ear me." |
| Obverse [26:29] o 2727–o 2929 | Further[more] he said: "If I didn't do him a favour, would it be appropriate in the sight of the gods?" |
| Obverse [29:33] o 3030– | (So) he did him the (said) favour, and myself, as part of the favour shown to my father, he gave to the crown prince, my lord. |
| Bottom [0:4] b.e. 33b.e. 33– | And the crown prince, my lord, drew up a contract (entitling) me to have usufruct of the 'leftovers' of the crown prince, my lord. Now, what have I done wrong in [the eyes of the crown prince, my lord]? |
| Reverse [0:6] r 1r 1–r 66 | One haruspex is enjoying (the leftovers), but have I re[ally] been all that happy since they withheld [my ...]? Now [the crown p]rince, my lord, had added (to my misery) by dressing another haruspex in purple (robes); as for my heart, the crown prince, my lord, has broken it. |
| Reverse [6:10] r 77–r 1010 | How can he thus humiliate the servants of the king and the crown prince, the servants of my father's house, (that) they say: "That one, what's his favour?" I (can only) say: "Let the crown prince make me weep, (but) what is your fault? |
| Reverse [10:18] r 1111–r 1818 | A foreign [...] is being honoured, (while) [I, a s]ervant of the king and the crown prince, have been left [in darkness! Is the ......] whom the crown prince has honoured, [......], or is he outside [or inside] the guard duty? I am [a servant of the crow]n prince; my father was the foundation [......] of kingship [......] |
| Reverse [18:23] r 1919–r 2323 | (r 19) (Break) |
| Reverse [23:28] r 2424–r 2828 | Moreover, (whereas) [Aplay]a and Naṣiru have kept [in] their [hands] non-ca[nonical] tablets and [...s] of every possible kind, I have learned (my craft) from my (own) father. |
| Reverse [28:36] r 2929– | [Now], let the crown prince put his servant to a test: I am [an expert in] extispicy, tablets, writing of reports [and things] beyond (that). The crown prince, my lord, may treat his servant [as he d]eems best, [but why] did [the crown] prince, my lord, [thus break [my heart]? |
| Edge [0:1] e. 1e. 1–e. 1e. 1 | Melancholy has gripped my father [......] |
Transliteration (ATF)
From 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)
| Line | ATF | Machine English (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| o | ||
| 1 | [a-na DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN be]-li₂-ia | |
| 2 | [ARAD-ka {1}tab-ni]-i | |
| 3 | [lu DI-mu a-na DUMU—MAN] DUMU—MAN] be-li₂-ia | |
| 4 | {[d}PA {d}AMAR.UTU a-na] DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN EN-ia ⸢lik-ru⸣-bu | |
| 5 | [TA@v ṣe-he]-⸢ri⸣-šu₂ a-di ru-be₂-šu₂ | |
| 6 | [AD-u-a SAG] ⸢AD⸣-šu₂ ša₂ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN uk-te-li | |
| 7 | [x x x x] ⸢ina⸣ IGI-šu₂ it-ti-⸢ti⸣-zi | |
| 8 | [x x] ša₂ ⸢qu⸣-pi-⸢šu₂ TA@v⸣ LUGAL be-li₂-šu₂ [x x x]+⸢x⸣ | |
| 9 | [UD]-me ša₂ la-ma-nu TA@v LUGAL be-li₂-šu₂ e-[ta-mar] | |
| 10 | ⸢LUGAL⸣ be-li-in-ni [x x x x x x] | |
| 11 | ⸢de⸣-iq-tu ⸢x⸣+[x x x x x x] | |
| 12 | {[sig₂]}ZA.GIN₃.SA₅ us-⸢sa⸣-[bi-is-su x x x] | |
| 13 | a-na {lu₂}GAL—HAL-ti {lu₂}GAL—HAL-ti ip-[ti-qi-id-su] | |
| 14 | ⸢LUGAL EN⸣ ina ⸢ŠA₃ {lu₂⸣}ARAD-MEŠ ⸢x⸣+[x x x x x] | |
| 15 | {⸢lu₂⸣}par-ša₂-⸢mu-u-te⸣ ša₂ E₂.⸢GAL⸣ [x x x x x] | |
| 16 | ⸢qi⸣ a ⸢x⸣+[x x]+⸢x⸣-bi-ia [x x x x x x x] | |
| 17 | [x x x x x] ⸢ŠU.2 [x x x x x x x] | |
| 18 | [x x x a]-⸢di⸣ šik-⸢ni⸣ [x x x x x x x x] | |
| 19 | [ša₂] ⸢LUGAL⸣ EN-ia [x x x x x x x] | |
| 20 | [am]—mar iq-[bu-u-ni x x x x x x] | |
| 21 | [a]-⸢na⸣ qa-ti-šu₂ {d}UTU us-sa-hiz [x x x x] | |
| 22 | [ma]-⸢a⸣ ur-di i—da-tu-u-a i—da-tu-u-a is-sa-ra-[x x x x] | |
| 23 | a-⸢na-ku⸣ a-na ur-di-ia ṭa-ab-tu [le-pu-uš] | |
| 24 | [ma-a] 01-et a-bu-tu₂ ša ṭa-ab-ti-⸢ia⸣ [ši]-⸢i⸣ | |
| 25 | [re]-⸢du⸣-tu ša um-ma-nu-ti [lap-qi-da-aš₂-šu₂] | |
| 26 | 02-tu₂ ṭa]-⸢ab⸣-te a-di ina KUR—aš-šur{ki} [šu-tu-ni] | |
| 27 | ⸢lu⸣ [qur]-ba-an-ni is-⸢se⸣-[niš] | |
| 28 | ma-a ki-ma ṭa-ab-tu-uš la ⸢e⸣-[pu]-⸢uš⸣ | |
| 29 | ma-a ina pa-an DINGIR-MEŠ ma-he-e-⸢re⸣ | |
| 30 | ṭa-ab-tu e-ta-ap-ša₂-aš₂-šu₂ | |
| 31 | u₃ a-na a.a-ši ina ŠA₃ ṭa-ab-ti ša₂ AD-ia | |
| 32 | a-na DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN EN-ia it-ta-na-an-ni | |
| b.e. | ||
| 33 | ⸢u₃⸣ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN be-li₂ ri-ik-su ir-ta-⸢kas⸣ | |
| 34 | re-ha-a-te ša₂ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN EN-ia a-⸢ta⸣-[kal] | |
| 35 | u₂-ma-a mi-i-nu ⸢hi⸣-ṭa-a.a ina [IGI DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN EN-ia] | |
| r | ||
| 1 | 01-en {⸢lu₂}HAL⸣ e-kal a-⸢na⸣-ku i-[ba-aš₂-ši-i] | |
| 2 | TA@v be₂-[et x x]+⸢x⸣ ik-lu-u-ni | |
| 3 | ŠA₃-bi ⸢iṭ⸣-[ṭi]-ab a—dan-niš | |
| 4 | u₂-ma-a [an-nu-rig DUMU]—⸢MAN⸣ DUMU]—⸢MAN⸣ be-li₂ ur-ta-ad-di | |
| 5 | a-na 01-⸢en⸣ {[lu₂}HAL] {⸢sig₂⸣}ZA.GIN₃.[SA₅] ⸢us⸣-sa-bi-iš | |
| 6 | ia-u₂ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN [be]-li₂ ŠA₃-bi ik-ta-as-pa | |
| 7 | {⸢lu₂⸣}ARAD-MEŠ ša₂ LUGAL ša₂ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN {⸢lu₂}ARAD-MEŠ ša₂ E₂⸣—AD-⸢ia₂⸣ E₂⸣—AD-⸢ia₂⸣ | |
| 8 | a-ke-e lu-ša₂-pil ⸢ma⸣-a ⸢am⸣-mi-i | |
| 9 | ⸢mi-i⸣-nu ṭa-ab-tu-šu₂ nu-⸢uk⸣ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN | |
| 10 | [a-na a].a-ši lu-ša₂-⸢ab⸣-ki mi-i-nu hi-ṭa-⸢ku⸣-nu | |
| 11 | [x x x] ⸢ma⸣-a-ti ša₂-ni-⸢ti⸣ <šu>-u₂ ka-ab-di | |
| 12 | [ana-ku un-za]-ar-hu ša₂ LUGAL ša₂ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN la ⸢x⸣ a ⸢sa⸣ | |
| 13 | [ina ŠA₃ e-ṭu]-⸢te⸣ ka-ra-ak | |
| 14 | [x x x x]-⸢u⸣-te ša₂ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN u₂-ka-bi-du-šu₂-u-ni | |
| 15 | [x x x x]+⸢x⸣ u₂-la-a qa-an-ni ma-ṣar-ti | |
| 16 | [x x x x] ⸢ma⸣-ṣar-ti šu-u₂ | |
| 17 | {[lu₂}ARAD ša₂ DUMU]—MAN DUMU]—MAN a-na-ku AD-u-a šu-u₂ iš-di | |
| 18 | [x x x x]+⸢x⸣ šar-ru-u₂-te šu-u₂ | |
| 19 | [x x x x] an-ni-⸢te⸣ [x] et-ka-an-ni | |
| 20 | [x x x x] ⸢ni ma x⸣ [x x x] ⸢x x x⸣ | |
| 21 | [x x x x] ⸢x x⸣ [x x x x x x] | |
| 22 | [x x x x] hu ⸢x⸣+[x x x x x x] | |
| 23 | [x x x] ⸢x⸣ ka ⸢x⸣+[x x x x x x] | |
| 24 | ⸢u₃ ṭup⸣-pa-a-ni a-⸢hu⸣-[u₂-ti x x x x] | |
| 25 | [x] me-me-e-ni šu-un-šu₂-nu ⸢x x x⸣+[x x x] | |
| 26 | {1}A]-a u₃ {1}na-ṣi-ru | |
| 27 | [ina qa]-⸢ti⸣-šu-un-nu-⸢ma⸣ uk-ti-lu | |
| 28 | [a-na]-⸢ku⸣ TA@v ŠU.2 AD-ia as-sa-am-da | |
| 29 | [u₂-ma]-⸢a⸣ DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN {lu₂}ARAD-šu₂ lil-tuk | |
| 30 | [x x]+⸢x⸣ HAL-u-te IM-MEŠ ša₂-ṭa-ru ša₂ u₂-il₃-ti | |
| 31 | [x x] ⸢a-hu-la⸣ a-na-ku DUMU—MAN DUMU—MAN be-li₂ | |
| 32 | [ki-i ša₂] ⸢il⸣-ʾa-u-ni {lu₂}ARAD-šu₂ le-e-pu-uš | |
| r.e. | ||
| 33 | [a-ta-a DUMU]—LUGAL DUMU]—LUGAL be-li₂ | |
| 34 | [ŠA₃-bi a-ke]-⸢e⸣ ik-su-up | |
| e. | ||
| 1 | AD-u-a šu-up-lu ŠA₃-bi iṣ-ṣa-ab-⸢ta⸣ [x x x] | |
| 2 | in-nu-⸢x⸣ [x x x x x] | |
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 2026-10-11.