Chavalas Ancient Near East (pp. 426-430 (Cyrus cylinder) (P386349)
Official or display, Achaemenid · c. 539 BCE–330 BCE
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| Designation | Chavalas Ancient Near East (pp. 426-430 (Cyrus cylinder) |
|---|---|
| ID | P386349 |
| Museum no. | BM 090920 |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Achaemenid · c. 539 BCE–330 BCE |
| Genre | Official or display |
English translation
By livius.org · Via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI (reuse with citation)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| surface a 1 | [When ...] ... |
| surface a 2 | [... of the four] quarters |
| surface a 3 | ... an incompetent person [i.e., Nabonidus] was installed to exercise lordship over his country. |
| surface a 4 | and? [...] he imposed upon them. |
| surface a 5 | An ersatz of Esagila he made, [and ...] ... for Ur and the rest of the cultic centers, |
| surface a 6 | a ritual which was improper to them, an [unholy] display [offering x x x without] fear he daily recited. Irreverently, |
| surface a 7 | he put an end to the regular offerings (and) he interfered [in the cultic centers; ... he] established in the sacred centers. By his own plan, he did away with the worship of Marduk, the king of the gods, |
| surface a 8 | he continually did evil against Marduk’s city. Daily, [...] without interruption, he imposed the corvee upon its inhabitants unrelentingly, ruining them all. |
| surface a 9 | Upon hearing their cries, the lord of the gods became furiously angry and [...] their borders; the gods who lived among them forsook their dwellings, |
| surface a 10 | angry that he [sc. Nabonidus] had brought them to Babylon. Marduk, the exalted, [the lord of the gods], turned towards all the habitations that were abandoned and |
| surface a 11 | all the people of Sumer and Akkad, who had become corpses. He was reconciled and had mercy upon them. He examined and checked all the entirety of the lands, all of them, |
| surface a 12 | he searched everywhere and then he took a righteous king, his favorite, by the hand, he called out his name: Cyrus, king of Anshan; he pronounced his name to be king all over the world. |
| surface a 13 | He made the land of Gutium and all the Umman-manda [i.e., the Medes] bow in submission at his feet. And he [i.e., Cyrus] shepherded with justice and righteousness all the black-headed people, |
| surface a 14 | over whom he [i.e., Marduk] had given him victory. Marduk, the great lord, guardian of his people, looked with gladness upon his good deeds and upright heart. |
| surface a 15 | He ordered him to go to his city Babylon. He set him on the road to Babylon and like a companion and a friend, he went at his side. |
| surface a 16 | His vast army, whose number, like water of the river, cannot be known, marched at his side fully armed. |
| surface a 17 | He made him enter his city Babylon without fighting or battle; he saved Babylon from hardship. He delivered Nabonidus, the king who did not revere him, into his hands. |
| surface a 18 | All the people of Babylon, all the land of Sumer and Akkad, princes and governors, bowed to him and kissed his feet. They rejoiced at his kingship and their faces shone. |
| surface a 19 | Lord by whose aid the dead were revived and who had all been redeemed from hardship and difficulty, they greeted him with gladness and praised his name. |
| surface a 20 | I am Cyrus, king of the world, great king, mighty king, king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters, |
| surface a 21 | the son of Cambyses, great king, king of Anshan, grandson of Cyrus, great king, king of Anshan, descendant of Teispes, great king, king of Anshan, |
| surface a 22 | of an eternal line of kingship, whose rule Bel and Nabu love, whose kingship they desire fot their hearts’ pleasure. When I entered Babylon in a peaceful manner, |
| surface a 23 | I took up my lordly abode in the royal palace amidst rejoicing and happiness. Marduk, the great lord, established as his fate for me a magnanimous heart of one who loves Babylon, and I daily attended to his worship. |
| surface a 24 | My vast army marched into Babylon in peace; I did not permit anyone to frighten the people of [Sumer] and Akkad. |
| surface a 25 | I sought the welfare of the city of Babylon and all its sacred centers. As for the citizens of Babylon, [... upon] whom he [i.e., Nabonidus] imposed a corvee which was not the gods’ wish and not befitting them, |
| surface a 26 | I relieved their weariness and freed them from their service. Marduk, the great lord, rejoiced over [my good] deeds. |
| surface a 27 | He sent gracious blessing upon me, Cyrus, the king who worships him, and upon Cambyses, the son who is [my] offspring, [and] upon all my army, |
| surface a 28 | and in peace, before him, we moved around in friendship. [By his] exalted [word], all the kings who sit upon thrones |
| surface a 29 | throughout the world, from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, who live in the districts [far-off], the kings of the West, who dwell in tents, all of them, |
| surface a 30 | brought their heavy tribute before me and in Babylon they kissed my feet. From [Babylon] to Assur and (from) Susa, |
| surface a 31 | Agade, Eshnunna, Zamban, Me-Turnu, Der, as far as the region of Gutium, the sacred centers on the other side of the Tigris, whose sanctuaries had been abandoned for a long time, |
| surface a 32 | I returned the images of the gods, who had resided there [i.e., in Babylon], to their places and I let them dwell in eternal abodes. I gathered all their inhabitants and returned to them their dwellings. |
| surface a 33 | In addition, at the command of Marduk, the great lord, I settled in their habitations, in pleasing abodes, the gods of Sumer and Akkad, whom Nabonidus, to the anger of the lord of the gods, had brought into Babylon. |
| surface a 34 | May all the gods whom I settled in their sacred centers ask daily |
| surface a 35 | of Bel and Nabu that my days be long and may they intercede for my welfare. May they say to Marduk, my lord: “As for Cyrus, the king who reveres you, and Cambyses, his son, |
| surface a 36 | [...].” The people of Babylon blessed my kingship, and I settled all the lands in peaceful abodes. |
| surface a 37 | I [daily increased the number offerings to n] geese, two ducks, and ten turledoves above the former offerings of geese, ducks, and turtledoves. |
| surface a 38 | [...] Dur-Imgur-Enlil, the great wall of Babylon, its defense, I sought to strengthen |
| surface a 39 | [...] The quay wall of brick, which a former king had built, [but had not] completed its construction, |
| surface a 40 | [...who had not surrounded the city] on the outside, which no former king had made, (who) a levy of workmen? [had led] into Babylon, |
| surface a 41 | [... with bitumen] and bricks, I built anew [and completed] their [job]. |
| surface a 42 | [... magnificent gates of cedar] with a bronze overlay, thresholds and door-sockets [cast in copper, I fixed in all] their [doorways]. |
| surface a 43 | [...] an inscription with the name of Assurbanipal, a king who had preceded [me, I] saw [in its midst]. |
| surface a 45 | [...] for eternity. |
Transliteration (ATF)
From Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI: reuse of catalogue/transliteration data with citation of CDLI; images restricted (not fetched)
| Line | ATF | Machine English (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| surface a | ||
| 1 | [i3-nu ...] x-ni-szu | |
| 2 | [... ki]-ib#-ra-a-ti3 | |
| 3 | [...] x x _gal_ ma-tu-u2 isz-szak-na a-na e-nu-tu ma-ti-szu2 | |
| 4 | u3#? [...]-szi-li u2-sza-asz2-ki-na se-ru-szu-un | |
| 5 | ta-am-szi-li e2-sag-il2 i-te-[pu-usz-ma ...]-ti3#? a-na uri2{ki} u3 si-it-ta-a-ti3 ma-ha-za | |
| 6 | pa-ra-as la si-ma-a-ti-szu-nu ta-[ak-li-im la-me-si ... la] pa-lih u4-mi-sza2-am-ma id-de-ne2-eb-bu-ub u3 ana# ma#-ag#-ri-ti3 | |
| 7 | sat-tuk-ku u2-szab-ti-li u2-la#-[ap-pi-it pel2-lu-de-e ... isz]-tak-ka-an qe2-reb ma-ha-zi pa-la-ha {d}marduk _lugal dingir-mesz_ ig#-mur# kar-szu-usz-szu | |
| 8 | le-mu-ut-ti _iri_-szu [i]-te#-ne2-ep-pu-usz# u4-mi-sza-am-ma# x x [... _ug3]-mesz_-szu2 i-na ab-sza-a-ni la ta-ap-szu-uh2-ti3 u2-hal-li-iq kul-lat-si-in | |
| 9 | a-na ta-zi-im-ti-szi-na {d}en-lil2 _dingir-mesz_ ez-zi-isz i-gu-ug-ma# [...] ki-su-ur2-szu-un _dingir-mesz_ a-szi-ib lib3-bi-szu-nu i-zi-bu at-ma#-an-szu-un | |
| 10 | i-na ug-ga-ti-sza u2-sze-ri-bi a-na qe2-reb szu-an-na{ki} {d}marduk ti#-[iz-qa-ru {d}en-lil2 _dingir]-mesz#_ us-sa-ah-ra a-na nap-har da-ad2-mi sza2 in-na-du-u2 szu-bat-su-un | |
| 11 | u3 _ug3-mesz kur_ szu-me-ri u3 uri{ki} sza i-mu-u2 sza-lam-ta-asz2 u2-sa-ah#-hi-ir ka-bat#-[ta-asz2] ir-ta-szi ta-a-a-ra kul-lat ma-ta-a-ta ka-li-szi-na i-hi-it ib-re-e-ma | |
| 12 | isz-te-'e-e-ma ma-al-ki i-sza2-ru bi-bil lib3-bi-sza it-ta-ma-ah qa-tu-usz-szu {disz}ku-ra-asz2 _lugal iri_ an-sza-an it-ta-bi ni-bi-it-su a-na ma-li-ku-ti3 kul-la-ta nap-har iz-zak-ra szu-um#-szu2# | |
| 13 | _kur_ qu-ti-i gi-mir um-man-man-da u2-ka-an-ni-sza a-na sze-pi-szu _ug3-mesz_ sal-mat _sag-du_ sza u2-sza-ak-szi-du qa-ta-a-szu2 | |
| 14 | i-na ki-it-ti3 u3 mi-sza2-ru isz-te-ne2-'e-e-szi-na-a-ti3 {d}marduk _en gal_ ta-ru-u2 _ug3-mesz_-szu2 ep-sze-e-ti-sza dam-qa-a-ta u3 lib3-ba-szu i-sza-ra ha-di-isz ip-pa-li-is# | |
| 15 | a-na _iri_-szu _ka2-dingir-mesz_ ki a-la-ak-szu iq-bi u2-sza-as-bi-it-su-ma har-ra-nu tin-tir{ki} ki-ma ib-ri u3 tap-pe-e it-tal-la-ka i-da-a-szu | |
| 16 | um-ma-ni-szu rap-sza-a-ti3 sza ki-ma me-e _i7_ la u2-ta-ad-du-u2 ni-ba-szu-un _{gesz}tukul-mesz_-szu-nu sa-an-du-ma i-sza-ad-di-ha i-da-a-szu | |
| 17 | ba-lu qab-li u3 ta-ha-zi u2-sze-ri-ba-asz2 qe2-reb szu-an-na{ki} _iri_-szu _ka2-dingir-mesz_ ki i-ti-ir i-na szap-sza-qi2 {disz}{d}na3-ni2-tuku _lugal_ la pa-li-hi-szu u2-ma-al-la-a qa-tu-usz-szu2 | |
| 18 | _ug3-mesz_ tin-tir{ki} ka-li-szu-nu nap-har _kur_ szu-me-ri u uri{ki} ru-be2-e u3 szak-ka-nak-ka sza-pal-szu ik-mi-sa u2-na-asz2-szi-qu sze-pu-usz-szu ih-du-u2 a-na _lugal_-u2-ti-szu2 im-mi-ru pa-nu-usz-szu2-un | |
| 19 | be-lu sza i-na tu-kul-ti-sza u2-bal-li-tu mi-tu-ta-an i-na pu-usz-qu u3 u2-de-e ig-mi-lu kul-la-ta-an ta-bi-isz ik-ta-ar-ra-bu-szu isz-tam-ma-ru zi-ki-ir-szu | |
| 20 | a-na-ku {disz}ku-ra-asz2 _lugal_ kisz-szat _lugal gal lugal_ dan-nu _lugal_ tin-tir{ki} _lugal kur_ szu-me-ri u2 ak-ka-di-i _lugal_ kib-ra-a-ti er-be2-et-ti3 | |
| 21 | _dumu_ {disz}ka-am-bu-zi-ia _lugal gal lugal iri_ an-sza-an _dumu-dumu_ {disz}ku-ra-asz2 _lugal gal lugal# iri#_ an-sza-an _sza3-bala-bala_ {disz}szi-isz-pi-isz _lugal gal lugal iri_ an-sza2-an | |
| 22 | _numun_ da-ru-u2 sza _lugal_-u2-tu sza {d}en u {d}na3 ir-a-mu pa-la-a-szu a-na tu-ub lib3-bi-szu2-nu ih-szi-ha _lugal#_-ut-su e-nu-ma a-na# qe2#-reb tin-tir{ki} e-ru-bu sa-li-mi-isz | |
| 23 | i-na ul-si u3 ri-sza-a-ti3 i-na _e2-gal_ ma-al-ki ar-ma-a szu-bat be-lu-ti3 {d}marduk _en gal_ lib3-bi ri-it-pa-szu sza ra-im# tin-tir{ki} szi-ma#-a#-tisz# isz#-ku#?-na#-an-ni-ma _u4_-mi-szam a-sze-'a-a pa-la-ah#-szu2 | |
| 24 | um-ma-ni-ia rap-sza-ti3 i-na qe2-reb tin-tir{ki} i-sza-ad-di-ha szu2-ul-ma-nisz nap-har _kur_ [szu-me-ri] u3# uri{ki} mu-gal-li#-ti3 ul u2-szar-szi | |
| 25 | _iri#{ki#}_ babila{ki} u3 kul-lat ma-ha-zi-szu i-na sza-li-im-ti3 asz2-te-'e-e _dumu-mesz_ tin-tir[{ki} ...] sza# ki-ma la lib3-[bi] _dingir_-ma ab-sza2-a-ni la si-ma-ti-szu2-nu szu-ziz-zu!# | |
| 26 | an-hu-ut-su-un u2-pa-asz2-szi-ha u2-sza-ap-ti-ir sa-ar-ma-szu-nu a-na ep-sze-e-ti-[ia dam-qa-a-ti] {d}marduk _en gal#_-u2 ih-de-e-ma | |
| 27 | a-na ia-a-ti {disz}ku-ra-asz2 _lugal_ pa-li-ih-szu u3 {disz}ka-am-bu-zi-ia _dumu_ si-it lib3-bi-[ia u3 a]-na# nap-har# um-ma-ni-ia | |
| 28 | da-am-qi2-isz2 ik-ru-ub-ma i-na sza2-lim-ti3 ma-har-sza ta-bi-isz ni-it-ta#-[al-la-ak i-na qi2-bi-ti-szu2] sir-ti nap-har _lugal_ a-szi-ib _bara2-mesz_ | |
| 29 | sza ka-li-isz kib-ra-a-ta isz-tu tam-ti3 e-li-ti3 a-di tam-ti3 szap-li-ti3 a-szi-ib na#-[gi-i ne2-su-ti3] _lugal-mesz kur_ a-mur-ri-i a-szi-ib kusz-ta-ri ka-li-szu2-un | |
| 30 | bi-lat-su-nu ka-bi-it-ti3 u2-bi-lu-nim-ma qe2-er-ba szu-an-na{ki} u2-na-asz2-szi-qu sze-pu-u2-a isz-tu [szu-an-na]{ki#} a-di _iri_ asz-szur{ki} u3 szuszin{ki} | |
| 31 | a-ka3-de3{ki} _kur_ esz3-nu-nak _iri_ za-am-ba-an _iri_ me-tur2-nu bad3-an{ki} a-di pa-at _kur_ qu-ti-i ma-ha-za# [e]-ber#-ti _i7_ idigna sza isz-tu pa!-na-ma na-du-u2 szu-bat-su-un | |
| 32 | _dingir-mesz_ a-szi-ib lib3-bi-szu2-nu a-na asz2-ri-szu-nu u2-tir-ma u2-szar-ma-a szu-bat da-ri2-a-ta kul-lat _ug3-mesz_-szu2-nu u2-pa-ah-hi-ra-am-ma u2-te-er da-ad2-mi-szu2-un | |
| 33 | u3 _dingir-mesz kur_ szu-me-ri u3 uri{ki} sza {disz}{d}na3-ni2-tuku a-na ug-ga-ti3 _en dingir-mesz_ u2-sze-ri-bi a-na qe2-reb szu-an-na{ki} i-na qi2-bi-ti {d}marduk _en gal_ i-na sza-li-im-ti3 | |
| 34 | i-na masz-ta-ki-szu-nu u2-sze-szi-ib szu2-ba-at tu-ub lib3-bi <<ut>> kul-la-ta _dingir-mesz_ sza u2-sze-ri-bi a-na qe2-er-bi ma-ha-zi-szu-un | |
| 35 | _u4_-mi-sza-am ma-har {d}en u3 {d}na3 sza a-ra-ku _u4-mesz_-ia li-ta-mu-u2 lit-taz-ka-ru a-ma-a-ta du-un-qi2-ia u3 a-na {d}marduk _en_-ia li-iq-bu-u2 sza {disz}ku-ra-asz2 <<asz>> _lugal_ pa-li-hi-ka u {disz}ka-am-bu-zi-ia _dumu_-szu2 | |
| 36 | x [...]-ib# szu-nu lu-u2 x x x x x x _ug3-mesz_ tin-tir{ki} ik#-tar#-ra#-bu# _lugal_-u2-tu _kur-kur_ ka-li-szi-na szu-ub-ti ne2-eh-ti3 u2-sze-szi-ib | |
| 37 | [_n kur]-gi{muszen} 2(disz) uz-tur{muszen}_ u3 _1(u) tu-gur4{muszen}-mesz_ e-li _kur-gi{muszen} uz-tur{muszen}_ u3 _tu-gur4{muszen}-mesz_ | |
| 38 | [... _u4_]-mi-szam u2-ta-ah-hi-id _bad3_ im-gur-{d}en-lil2 _bad3 gal_-a sza tin-tir{ki#} [ma-as]-sar#-ta#-szu2 du-un-nu-nu3 asz2-te-'e-e-ma | |
| 39 | [...] ka-a-ri a-gur-ru sza2 _gu2_ ha-ri-si sza _lugal_ mah-ri i-pu#-[szu-ma la u2]-szak#-li#-lu# szi-pi-ir-szu | |
| 40 | [... la u2-sza-as-hi-ru _iri_] a#-na ki-da-a-ni sza _lugal_ ma-ah-ra la i-pu-szu um-man-ni-szu di-ku-ut# [ma-ti-szu i?-na] qe2#-reb# szu-an-na{ki} | |
| 41 | [... i-na _esir had-ra2]-a#_ u3 _sig4 al-ur3-ra_ esz-szi-isz e-pu-usz-ma [u2-szak-lil szi-pir-szi]-in | |
| 42 | [... _{gesz}ig-mesz {gesz}erin-mah]-mesz_ ta-ah-lu-up-ti3 _zabar_ as-ku-up-pu u3 nu-ku-sze#-[e pi-ti-iq e-ri-i e-ma _ka2-mesz_]-szi#-na | |
| 43 | [u2-ra-at-ti ...] szi#-ti-ir szu-mu sza2 {disz}an-szar2-du3-ibila _lugal_ a-lik mah-ri-[ia sza2 qer-ba-szu ap-pa]-al#-sa! | |
| 44 | [...] x x x [...]-x-ti3 | |
| 45 | [...] x x x [x x a-na] da#-ri2-a-ti3 | |
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
- electronic Babylonian Library (eBL), LMU Munich · MIT (eBL Zenodo dataset); platform terms unverified · electronic Babylonian Library (eBL), LMU Munich, https://www.ebl.lmu.de/ ; Zenodo dataset (MIT)
Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-11.