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BMS 21 (P394642)
Prayer, Neo-Assyrian, Nineveh · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | BMS 21 |
|---|---|
| ID | P394642 |
| Museum no. | BM — |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian; Sumerian |
| Period | Neo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE |
| Genre | Prayer |
| Find spot | Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) |
| Coordinates | 36.3582, 43.1621 |
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)
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) |
|---|---|---|
| o | ||
| 1 | [EN₂ EN šur-bu-u ša₂ AN{e} u] ⸢KI{ti₃⸣} | Incantation: O most exalted lord of heaven and earth |
| 2 | [ša₂-kin₂ DUNGU-MEŠ mu-ša₂-az-nin zu]-un-ni | Who establishes clouds, who guides the people |
| 3 | {[d}IŠKUR EN šur-bu-u ša₂ AN{e} u] KI{ti₃} | O Adad, exalted lord of heaven and earth, |
| 4 | [ša₂-kin₂ DUNGU-MEŠ mu-ša₂-az-nin] ⸢zu⸣-un-ni | Who establishes clouds, who makes the ezu-e-unninni flower |
| 5 | [...] ⸢AZ⸣ URU.⸢URU⸣ | ... the temple, the city |
| 6 | [... AN]{⸢e⸣} KI{ti₃} | ... heaven and earth |
| 7 | [...] x-ha HAD₂.A-ti₃ | ... ... my illness. |
| 8 | [...] ⸢x i-tar-ra-ru⸣-[(u₂)] ⸢a⸣-na šup-li | ... they will return. |
| 9 | be-⸢lu₄⸣ [ša₂ ša₂]-⸢ru⸣-ru-šu₂ u₂-nam-⸢ma⸣-[ru] ⸢kib⸣-ra-a-ti | (Sum) The lord of the netherworld, whose utterance is unfathomable(?) (Akk) The Lord of the Netherworld is the one who destroys the lands |
| 10 | ga-⸢aš₂⸣-[ru] ⸢ša₂⸣ NU BAL{u₂} ⸢qi₂⸣-bit-su | “I want to go out, I want to leave, I will not be able to cross over it, its qi’ebitsu |
| 11 | GU₂-⸢GAL⸣ [AN{e]} ⸢KI⸣-ti₃ mu-ša₂-⸢az-nin⸣ HE₂.⸢NUN⸣ | May the throne of heaven and earth, the aznin goddess of abundance, |
| 12 | pa-x [...] x mu-deš-šu-⸢u₂⸣ HE₂.⸢GAL₂⸣ | May ... bring forth ..., may there be abundance |
| 13 | ša₂ ⸢i⸣-[na DINGIR-MEŠ] ŠEŠ-MEŠ-šu₂ šur-⸢bu⸣-[u] be-lu-us-⸢su⸣ | Whose (personal) god (is) the lord of the four quarters |
| 14 | na-⸢di⸣-[in] ⸢ter⸣-ti ša₂ ina AN{⸢e⸣} [man]-⸢za⸣-zu šar-⸢hu⸣ | (Sum) You are the lord of the four quarters (of the world) who is in heaven (Akk) The one who makes heaven tremble (var.) Your kingship is supreme |
| 15 | ša₂ x [...]-⸢ti⸣ mu-nar₃-bi ana ⸢nap-ša₂⸣-[ti-šu-nu] | The one who ...-ēti-e3 the song of the napšûtu song |
| 16 | be-[lu₄ ...] ⸢ša₂⸣ e-mu-qu-[šu ...] | The lord ... his army |
| 17 | ⸢mu⸣-[...]-⸢e⸣-nu u₄-mu la ⸢a⸣-[ni-hu] | “May the day not come near to me! |
| 18 | al-[si-ka {d}IŠKUR] ina qe₂-reb AN-⸢e⸣ [...] | I call out to you, Adad, in the middle of heaven and earth |
| 19 | ana-⸢ku⸣ [...] ⸢ma⸣-har-ka az-ziz a-še-ʾ-ka ⸢ša₂-pal⸣-[ka ...] | I stand before you, I stand at your side, I seek you, the šapal temple |
| 20 | {d}[...] ⸢ZI⸣ KUR UN-MEŠ ⸢i⸣-[...] | May ... the Ezida, the land of the people |
| 21 | ⸢x⸣ [...] AN.DUL₃ ṭa-[a-ba] | “... a protective deity |
| 22 | {[d}IŠKUR IZI iš-tu AN{e]} tu-ur-dam-ma ina URU-ia ⸢ta⸣-[am-qut] | Adad returned the fire from heaven, and in my city it fell down. |
| 23 | [ina] ⸢GU₃⸣-[ka IZI iš-tu] AN{e} tu-ur-⸢dam⸣-[ma] | When you enter your temple, the fire will return from heaven. |
| 24 | [E₂].GAR₈ ⸢E₂⸣ [DINGIR ... u] lu sa-mit BAD₃ ŠUB-[ma] | (If) it is surrounded by a wall of the temple of a god or a samitu-demon, and |
| 25 | [x] ⸢x⸣ DI BI ⸢x⸣ [...] ŠEG₃ u NA₄-MEŠ NIM.GIR₂ ⸢IZI⸣ | ... ēšû-plant |
| 26 | ⸢DINGIR⸣ URU-ia u ⸢lu⸣ [DINGIR ma]-⸢am⸣-ma u₂-qal-lu-[šu] | The gods of my city and the lords of all the gods raised him up. |
| 27 | {⸢d⸣}IŠKUR EN ⸢GAL⸣ [al-si]-ka a-ta-ta-ma-[x (x)] | O Ea, lord of the palace, I have ...ed your prayer. |
| 28 | [a]-⸢na⸣ ia-a-ši [i]-⸢ziz⸣ a-ta-ta-ma-[x (x)] | “Why does he not stand by me?’— I have ...ed |
| 29 | [ina u₄]-⸢mi⸣ an-ne₂-e ma-har-⸢ka⸣ [az-ziz] ⸢le⸣-qe₂ un-ni-ni-ia mu-gu-ur su-[pi-ia] | On this day, I stood before you. Take my oath, grant my prayer. |
| 30 | [HUL] GU₃-ka lu la TE{a} ⸢lu⸣ [la DIM₄ lu] ⸢la⸣ i-qer-ri-ba lu la KUR-an-ni ⸢ia⸣-[a-ti] | May the evil of your voice not approach me, may it not come near me, or may it (it) pass by me and not reach me. |
| 31 | [nar₃]-⸢bi⸣-ka lu-ša₂-pi [KA.TAR]-⸢ka⸣ ana UN-MEŠ DAGAL-MEŠ ⸢lud⸣-[lul] | May I proclaim your greatness (and) resound your praises to the far-flung people. |
| 32 | [KA]-INIM-MA ŠU-⸢IL₂⸣-[LA₂] {d}IŠKUR-[KAM] | It is the wording of a lifted-hand prayer to Adad |
| 33 | [ša₂] {⸢d⸣}IŠKUR GU₃-šu₂ ⸢ŠUB⸣-[ma E₂.GAL] ⸢URU⸣ lu E₂ DINGIR URU uš-tal₂-pi-[tu₂-ma] | (If) the voice of Adad roars and the palace, the inner city or the temple of the city is disturbed |
| 34 | [lu E₂].⸢GAR₈⸣ E₂ DINGIR lu [E₂.GAR₈ E₂].⸢GAL⸣ lu sa-mi₃-it BAD₃ ŠUB-[ma] | Be it a temple or a courtyard of a palace or an embankment of the wall, you lay it down. |
| 35 | ⸢MU₂{ih} IZI⸣ in-na-⸢ap⸣-[hu] | “The fire will be extinguished by the ešumiḫ-plant. |
| 36 | [DU₃].⸢DU₃⸣-BI ina ⸢GE₆ UR₃⸣ [SAR A KU₃ SUD GI].⸢DU₈⸣ ana IGI {⸢d}IŠKUR GIN{an⸣} | Its ritual: At night you sweep the roof. You sprinkle pure water. You blow a reed cone into the presence of Adad. |
| 37 | ⸢ZU₂⸣.LUM.MA ZI₃.[EŠA DUB{aq} NINDA.I₃.DE₂.A] ⸢LAL₃⸣ [I₃.NUN].⸢NA⸣ GAR{an} | You strew emmer flour. You set out a maštakal-cake (made) of honey (and) ghee. |
| 38 | {udu}⸢SISKUR BAL⸣{[qi₂} {uzu}ZAG.LU {uzu}ME.HE₂ {uzu}KA.NE] ⸢tu⸣-ṭah-ha-ma | You libate ešakur-beer, alum, maštakal-plant, kānu-reed, etutu-baḫḫu-plant |
| 39 | ŠID ⸢x⸣ [...] ⸢e⸣-re-⸢ni⸣ | Hand of a ... ešēdu-plant |
| 40 | ⸢KI {d}IŠKUR⸣ [...] ⸢ŠEŠ₂⸣ | E’e, Adad, ..., Eššēzib |
| 41 | [x] ⸢x⸣ NI [...] | ... ... |
| 42 | [EN₂] šur-bu-⸢u₂⸣ [...] | Incantation: “Šurbu-e... |
| 43 | [u₄]-⸢mu⸣ la a-ni-⸢hu⸣ [...] | May the day not come near me |
| 44 | {[d]}IŠKUR šur-bu-⸢u₂⸣ [...] | Adad, Šurbu’e |
| 45 | ⸢u₄⸣-mu la a-ni-hu ⸢qar⸣-[...] | “My day is not overcast, my quay |
| 46 | ša₂-kin₂ u₂-pe-e [...] ⸢a-bu⸣-[bi] | Establisher of upê-offerings |
| 47 | kaš-kaš-šu git₂-⸢ma⸣-[lu ez]-⸢zu⸣ a-lal-[lu] | His beer is perfect, he is exalted, his water is pure |
| 48 | ⸢šam⸣-ru la ne₂-ʾ-⸢i⸣ [...] ⸢EN⸣ tam-ha-[ri] | The šamû-tree, the unrelenting one, the en-priestess of battle |
| 49 | {d}IŠKUR kaš-kaš-šu git₂-⸢ma⸣-[lu šam]-⸢ru⸣ la ne₂-[ʾ] | O Adad, his beer is perfect, he is not to be found |
| 50 | ⸢la⸣-iṭ muq-tab-lu [...]-⸢ri⸣ aš₂-ṭu-[ti] | “I am the one who smites the throat of the king, my lord, |
| 51 | ⸢ša⸣-giš ga-aš₂-ru-⸢ti⸣ [...]-i-di ⸢muš⸣-tar-[hi] | The ša-e-giš chariot, the e-muše-tarḫi |
| 52 | mu-[hal]-⸢liq⸣ ṣe-en-⸢ni⸣ [(x) (x)] ⸢mu⸣-bal-lu-u rag-[gi] | The one who destroys it, the one who dislodges it, |
| 53 | ŠE [...] ⸢x⸣ DU [... ra]-⸢hi⸣-iṣ ta-me-[er-ti] | Hand of ... ra-ehi-ešdb |
| 54 | NI [... mu]-de-e dan-ni qar-da-me ⸢iš⸣-[...] | ... strong one, our hero |
| 55 | DINGIR [...] ⸢ZI UN⸣-[MEŠ ...] | God ... the ezi-priest of the people |
| 56 | ina [...] | in ... |
| 57 | tu-[...] | Tu- |
| 58 | ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| r | ||
| 1 | [...]-⸢MEŠ⸣ ṣab-tu₄ ⸢ab⸣-[bu-ta ...] | ... the šabātu-priestess |
| 2 | [...] ⸢kul⸣-lat DINGIR-MEŠ ⸢ša₂⸣ [...] | ... the cult center of the gods |
| 3 | [...] ⸢u₂⸣-taq-qu-u₂ {⸢d⸣}[...] | ... etaqqû-plant, eštar-plant |
| 4 | [... muš]-⸢ta⸣-iu-u₂ aš₂-rat ⸢ta⸣-[šil-ti-ka] | ..., the one who blesses me, your counsellor |
| 5 | [... šu]-ut AN.TA u KI.TA ib-ni ⸢be⸣-[lu-ut-ka] | ... of the upper and lower world he created your lordship |
| 6 | [...] ⸢x⸣ a-bi DINGIR-MEŠ [...] | ... the father of the gods |
| 7 | [...] ⸢ABZU⸣ ne₂-me-qi₂ [...] | ... the Apsu, wisdom |
| 8 | {⸢d}NIN.MAH⸣ DU₃{at} DINGIR-MEŠ ša₂-lum-ma-ta ⸢u₂⸣-[...] | Ninmaḫe |
| 9 | {d}ku-tu-šar uš-mal-la gat-ta-ka na-mur-ra-ta ⸢x⸣ [...] | Kutusvara, you are the one who illuminates the darkness. |
| 10 | ina E₂.KUR E₂ NAM-MEŠ ša₂-qa-a ⸢re⸣-[e-ša₂-ka] | In the Ekur, the house of fates, your lordly majesty |
| 11 | EN re-me-nu-u₂ ina DINGIR-MEŠ [...] | Merciful lord among the gods |
| 12 | ib-ša₂-ku ⸢GEŠTU⸣.MIN-a-a ma-har-ka ut-nen ša₂-⸢pal⸣-[ka ak-mis] | I have built my Egištu-ešimma before you, I have filled your heart with joy. |
| 13 | re-man-ni-ma EN ši-me tes₂-[li-ti] | Relent, O lord, hear my prayer! |
| 14 | ⸢hul⸣-liq a-a-bi-ia ṭu-ru-ud lem-[nu-ti-ia] | The evil of my enemies, the destruction of my evildoers |
| 15 | [a-a]-TE{ni} UŠ₁₁ UŠ₁₁ UŠ₁₁ NI₃.AK.A-MEŠ [HUL-MEŠ] | May he not approach me!” (Šumma ālu 31 unknown) means ‘seizing-of-the-mouth’ (Akkadian). |
| 16 | [ki-niš] IGI.BAR{ni}ma qi₂-bi ⸢dum⸣-qi₂-⸢ia⸣ | Look upon me with due favor and speak to me! |
| 17 | [DINGIR-MU] ⸢u⸣ {d}IŠ₈.TAR₂-MU SILIM-ma KI-⸢ia⸣ | May my (personal) god (and personal) goddess be reconciled with me |
| 18 | [ag-gu lib₃]-ba-ka li-nu-ha BUR₂{ra} ⸢ka⸣-bat-ta-ka SILIM-ma šuk-⸢na⸣ | May your angry heart be soothed. May your rejoicing be reconciled with me. |
| 19 | [DINGIR-MU] ⸢li⸣-ri-man-ni {⸢d⸣}[IŠ₈].⸢TAR₂⸣-MU TUK{a} ⸢ARHUŠ⸣ | My (personal) god is eli-erimanni, (my personal) goddess is Išvtar-ēmur, |
| 20 | [... GU₃].DE₂-an-ni-⸢ma lu₂⸣-ta-id DINGIR{ut}⸢ka⸣ | ', he calls out to me, and I am a messenger of your god. |
| 21 | [nar₃-bi]-⸢ka lu⸣-[ša₂]-⸢pi⸣ KA.TAR-ka lud-lul | May I proclaim your greatness (and) sing your praises. |
| 22 | [KA]-⸢INIM⸣-MA ŠU-IL₂-LA₂ {d}IŠKUR-KAM | It is the wording of a lifted-hand prayer to Adad. |
| 23 | [DU₃.DU₃]-⸢BI⸣ e-nu-ma {⸢d⸣}IŠKUR ina qe₂-reb AN{e} GU₃-šu₂ it-ta-na-an-du-u₂ | Its ritual: When Adad shouts in the middle of heaven |
| 24 | [UR₃] ⸢ta⸣-ša₂-⸢biṭ⸣ [A] ⸢KU₃⸣ SUD NIG₂.NA ŠIM.LI ina NE {giš}KIŠI₁₆ ta-sar₂-raq | You pound a censer of juniper in the sap of a sesame tree. |
| 25 | [ŠU].⸢IL₂.LA₂ li⸣-iš₂-ši-ma še₂₀-ma-a-at | Hand of a Priest May it be heard and heard |
| 26 | [EN₂] {⸢d⸣}IŠKUR [mur]-ta-aṣ-nu šu-pu-u DINGIR gaš-ru | Incantation: “Ea-Eškur, mighty god, |
| 27 | [x] x [x pu]-ul-hu da-pi-nu qu-ra-du | ... awe-inspiring ..., fierce warrior |
| 28 | [...] ⸢er⸣-pe-e-ti mu-ṣal-lil u₄-mi | ..., who purifies the day(s) |
| 29 | [x]-⸢tu-x-x⸣ ina li-i-te nu-ug-ka gam-ra-a-ti | (Sum) ... (Akk) In the evening, your complete sleep |
| 30 | ⸢na⸣-šu-⸢u₂⸣ ber-qi₂ EN a-bu-bi | The lord of the flood |
| 31 | ⸢mu⸣-ut-tab-⸢bil⸣ AN{e} KUR-MEŠ ta-ma-a-ti | “It is enough, it is enough!’, the rising of the mountains, |
| 32 | [šu]-mu-ka [x] ⸢x⸣ še-mu-u₂ zi-kir-ka | Your hand (is) ..., the word of your command |
| 33 | [i]-⸢na⸣ rig-mi₃-ka ⸢ha⸣-du-u₂ hur-sa-a-ni | When he rises, the eḫadû-tree is his mountain range. |
| 34 | ⸢qer⸣-be₂-e-⸢tu hu⸣-da-a ri-šu u₂-ga-ru | “The qerbētu-plant, the ḫudâ-plant (and) the ugaru plant |
| 35 | [UN]-⸢MEŠ⸣ hi-it-bu-[ṣu] i-dal-la-la qur-di-ka | The people rejoiced over you, your warriors. |
| 36 | ⸢tu⸣-ša₂-am-ma-<ah> ⸢ab⸣-[lu]-⸢ti⸣-ma GE₆ u u₂-mi | “Etu-ešammaḫ (is) Eab-lûti-ema. Night and day |
| 37 | ⸢tu⸣-šam-id ur-⸢qi₂⸣-tu₂ tu-sal-lam šab-sa | “It is enough, it is enough! It is sufficient! Its intestines are full of blood. |
| 38 | [ana] ⸢ia⸣-a-ši ARAD-⸢ka⸣ ana ṭu-ub-ba-ti si-di-ir-⸢ma⸣ | To Eya-easvi, your servant, to speak the words of Sidir-emâ |
| 39 | ⸢šuk⸣-nam-ma re-e-ma da₃-li₂-li₂-ka ⸢lud-lul⸣ | “Pray for me, O merciful one, sing your praises! |
| 40 | ⸢MU⸣-ka DU₁₀.GA lul-tam-ma-ra ana UN-MEŠ ⸢DAGAL⸣-MEŠ | May I praise your good ešumu-priestess for the people of the district. |
| 41 | ⸢KA⸣-INIM-MA ŠU-⸢IL₂⸣-LA₂ {d}IŠKUR-KAM | It is the wording of a lifted-hand prayer to Adad. |
| 42 | [DU₃].⸢DU₃⸣-BI lu ina ⸢KEŠ⸣ lu ina NIG₂.NA DU₃{uš} | Its ritual: You do (it) with either a ritual assemblage or with a censer. |
| 43 | ⸢EN₂(DINGIR) EN šu-⸢pu-u git₂-ma⸣-lu₄ DINGIR-MEŠ ra-šub-bu | Incantation: O most exalted lord, perfect one among the gods, |
| 44 | E₂.GAL {m}AN.ŠAR₃.DU₃.A ⸢LUGAL ŠU₂⸣ LUGAL KUR AN.ŠAR₃{ki} | Palace of Ashurnasirpal, king of the universe, King of Assyria. |
| 45 | ša a-na AN.ŠAR₃ u₃ {d}⸢NIN.LIL₂ tak-lu₄⸣ | who trusts in Ashur and Ninlil |
| 46 | ša {d}AG u₃ {d}taš-me-tu₄ ⸢GEŠTU.MIN DAGAL{tu₄⸣} [iš-ru-ku-uš] | of Nabû and Tašmētu, wide-spread ecstatic |
| 47 | i-hu-zu IGI.MIN na-mir-tu₄ ni-siq ṭup-⸢šar⸣-[ru-ti] | He acquired for himself shining eyes, the pinnacle of scholarship. |
| 48 | ša ina LUGAL-MEŠ{ni} a-lik mah-⸢ri⸣-[ia] | which among the kings who came before me |
| 49 | mam-ma šip-ru šu-a-tu la i-hu-[zu] | No one has learned this work |
| 50 | ne₂-me-eq {d}AG ti-kip sa-an-tak-ki ma-la ba-aš₂-[mu] | the wisdom of Nabû, the tikpi of the net, as much as there is |
| 51 | [ina] ⸢ṭup⸣-pa-a-ni aš₂-ṭur as-niq ab-re-e-[ma] | I have written on tablets, checked, collated, and |
| 52 | [a]-⸢na⸣ ta-mar-ti ši-ta-as-si-⸢ia⸣ qe₂-reb E₂.GAL-ia u₂-⸢kin⸣ | I placed the observation of Šītassiya inside my palace. |
| 53 | ⸢NIR⸣.GAL₂-ZU NU UR LUGAL DINGIR-MEŠ {d}[AN.ŠAR₃] | “It is not yours, O king of the gods, Ashur! |
| 54 | [man]-⸢nu ša⸣ TUM₃ u₃ lu-u MU-šu₂ it-ti MU-ia i-šaṭ-ṭa-[ru] | Whoever carries (this tablet) off or writes his name alongside my name |
| 55 | {[d}AN].⸢ŠAR₃ u₃⸣ {d}NIN.LIL₂ ag-giš ez-zi-⸢iš⸣ lis-ki-pu-šu₂-[ma] | May Anu, Enlil, and Ninlil smite him with an angry rage. |
| 56 | ⸢MU⸣-šu₂ ⸢NUMUN⸣-šu₂ ina KUR li-hal-li-⸢qu⸣ | May his seed (and) his seed disappear from the land. |
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)
- 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 2026-10-18.