BMS 48 + ZA 042, 221-222 (P397497)
Prayer, Neo-Assyrian, Nineveh · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | BMS 48 + ZA 042, 221-222 |
|---|---|
| ID | P397497 |
| Museum no. | BM — |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE |
| Genre | Prayer |
| Find spot | Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) |
| Coordinates | 36.3582, 43.1621 |
English translation
By King, Leonard W.; Geers, Friedrich W. · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse [0:1] o 1o 1–o 1o 1 | [. . . cre]ation |
| Obverse [1:2] o 22–o 22 | [. . . the wo]rld |
| Obverse [2:3] o 33–o 33 | [. . .] the weak |
| Obverse [3:4] o 44–o 44 | [. . .] the oppressed |
| Obverse [4:5] o 55–o 55 | [. . . the or]phan-girls |
| Obverse [5:6] o 66–o 66 | [. . .] counsel |
| Obverse [6:7] o 77–o 77 | [. . .] the Igigi |
| Obverse [8:9] o 99–o 99 | [. . . everything, whatever] there is, |
| Obverse [9:10] o 1010–o 1010 | [. . . who lov]es [. . .] |
| Obverse [10:11] o 1111–o 1111 | [. . . the] dead |
| Obverse [11:12] o 1212–o 1212 | [. . . who lov]es [. . .] |
| Obverse [12:13] o 1313–o 1313 | [. . . the] dead |
| Obverse [13:14] o 1414–o 1414 | [. . .] my [pray]er |
| Obverse [17:18] o 1818–o 1818 | [I hereby turn] to you among the gods. Have mer[cy]! |
| Obverse [18:19] o 1919–o 1919 | [I seize] your hem. Grant me life! |
| Obverse [19:20] o 2020–o 2020 | [Ca]ll my name! Lengthen my days! |
| Obverse [20:21] o 2121–o 2121 | Broaden my [shee]pfold. May my offspring be numerous! |
| Obverse [21:22] o 2222–o 2222 | [Erad]icate my illness. Order well-being (for me). |
| Obverse [22:23] o 2323–o 2323 | May my [gui]lt be release. May my fear be carried off. |
| Obverse [23:24] o 2424–o 2424 | [May] my sin be forgotten. Disperse [my] distres[s], |
| Obverse [24:25] o 2525–o 2525 | That I may proclaim your greatness and praise your name, |
| Obverse [25:26] o 2626–o 2626 | (And) [fo]rever without ceasing may I sing your heroism. |
| Obverse [27:28] o 2828–o 2828 | Incantation: O heroic Ishtar, cherished one among the goddesses, |
| Obverse [28:29] o 2929–o 2929 | [To]rch of the heavens and earth, brilliance of the world, |
| Obverse [29:30] o 3030–o 3030 | Innini, firstborn of Sin, offspring of Ningal, |
| Obverse [30:31] o 3131–o 3131 | Twin sister to the bearded, resplendent one of the warrior Shamash, |
| Obverse [31:32] o 3232–o 3232 | Ishtar, you are (like?) Anu, you rule the heavens. |
| Obverse [32:33] o 3333–o 3333 | Like Enlil, the counsellor, you command the habitations. |
| Obverse [33:34] o 3434–o 3434 | [Mu]mmu, creator of the rites and lustrations, |
| Obverse [34:35] o 3535–o 3535 | At the [ins]truction of Ea, you hold the bonds in the Apsu. |
| Obverse [35:36] o 3636–o 3636 | [Wherever] ground plans are formed, brickwork laid out, |
| Obverse [36:37] o 3737–o 3737 | (There) [you ap]point [. . .] like Shamash. |
| Obverse [37:38] o 3838–o 3838 | [. . . wh]o (is) your equal? |
| Obverse [38:39] o 3939–o 3939 | [. . .] where (is) your rival? |
| Obverse [39:40] o 4040–o 4040 | [. . .] you establish [. . .] (and) profit. |
| Obverse [40:41] o 4141–o 4141 | [. . . fa]te so that the unfortunate thrive. |
| Obverse [41:42] o 4242–o 4242 | [. . . were presented] to you. (When) I turned to the goddesses, you were the one to bes[eech]. |
| Obverse [42:43] o 4343–o 4343 | [. . . a divine guardian] behind you. |
| Obverse [43:44] o 4444–o 4444 | [. . .] favor at your left. |
| Obverse [44:45] o 4545–o 4545 | [Accep]tance and consent (and) peace [. . .] |
| Obverse [45:46] o 4646–o 4646 | #tr.en: Life (and) wholeness [revo]lve [around you]. |
| Reverse [0:1] r 1r 1–r 1r 1 | [How] sweet (it is) to pray to you; how near (is) your hearing. |
| Reverse [1:2] r 22–r 22 | Your seeing (is) acceptance, your command light. |
| Reverse [2:3] r 33–r 33 | Have mercy on me, O Ishtar, command my prosperity. |
| Reverse [3:4] r 44–r 44 | Look upon me in earnest and accept my prayers. |
| Reverse [4:5] r 55–r 55 | I have pursued your course; let prosperity remain with me. |
| Reverse [5:6] r 66–r 66 | I have seized your carrying pole; let me lay claim to goodness of he[art]. |
| Reverse [6:7] r 77–r 77 | I have carried your yoke; implem[ent] the releasing (of anger). |
| Reverse [7:8] r 88–r 88 | I have waited on you; let peace come to me straight away. |
| Reverse [8:9] r 99–r 99 | I have kept watch of your radiance; may there be acceptance and consent. |
| Reverse [9:10] r 1010–r 1010 | I have sought out your splendor; may my countenance shine (with joy). |
| Reverse [10:11] r 1111–r 1111 | I have turned to your sovereignty; may there be life and wholeness. |
| Reverse [11:12] r 1212–r 1212 | May I acquire a favorable protective spirit who (is) before you. May I acquire the divine guardian who follows after you. |
| Reverse [12:13] r 1313–r 1313 | May I add the wealth that (is) at your right (side). May I achieve the favor that (is) at [your] left. |
| Reverse [13:14] r 1414–r 1414 | Command that my utterance be heard. |
| Reverse [14:15] r 1515–r 1515 | May the word that I speak be accepted when I speak (it). |
| Reverse [15:16] r 1616–r 1616 | Guide me every day in a sound body and gladness of heart. |
| Reverse [16:17] r 1717–r 1717 | Lengthen my days. Grant (me) well-being. Let me be healthy; let me be whole, so that I may continually praise [your] divini[ty]. |
| Reverse [17:18] r 1818–r 1818 | Whatever I strive for, let me achieve. May the heavens rejoice over you. May the Apsu be glad [on your account]. |
| Reverse [18:19] r 1919–r 1919 | May the gods of the world (lit. everything) great you. May the great gods make your heart gl[ad]. |
| Reverse [19:20] r 2020–r 2020 | It is the wording of a lifted-hand prayer to Ishtar. In front of Ishtar, you set up a censer of juniper, |
| Reverse [20:21] r 2121–r 2121 | You libate miḫḫû-beer, and you recit[e] (this) lifted-hand prayer three times. |
| Reverse [21:22] r 2222–r 2222 | Incantation: You, O Zappu (Pleiades), (are) the splendid ones of the night, |
| Reverse [22:23] r 2323–r 2323 | The brilliant ones of the great gods, O Pleiades! |
| Reverse [23:24] r 2424–r 2424 | Anu created you to destroy the wicked. In the heavens your name (is) Sebettu (i.e., the Seven). |
| Reverse [24:25] r 2525–r 2525 | [. . .] . . a headband of serpentine, the ones girded with a belt. |
| Reverse [25:26] r 2626–r 2626 | [. . .] . . of the weapons, who strike down the beasts. |
| Reverse [26:27] r 2727–r 2727 | [Who throw] the steppe [into con]fusion, who roil the sea, |
| Reverse [27:28] r 2828–r 2828 | [. . .] . . . mighty sons of Anu. |
| Reverse [28:29] r 2929–r 2929 | [. . .] to you. |
| Reverse [29:30] r 3030–r 3030 | [. . .] I may sing your [pr]aises! |
| Reverse [30:31] r 3131–r 3131 | Jus[t as] the fresh [water of the river] expelled the old. Closing Incantation Formula. |
| Reverse [31:32] r 3232–r 3232 | It is the wording of a lifted-hand prayer to Zappu (Pleiades). |
| Reverse [32:33] r 3333–r 3333 | Incantation: O greatest lord, whose lustrations (are) pure in the heavens. |
| Reverse [33:34] r 3434–r 3434 | Eighth pirsu of (the ritual) Bit Sala' Me. Palace of Ashurbanipal, king of the world, king of the land of Ashur, |
| Reverse [34:35] r 3535–r 3535 | who trusts in Ashur and Ninlil, |
| Reverse [35:36] r 3636–r 3636 | to whom Nabu (and) Tashmetu gave wide understanding, |
| Reverse [36:37] r 3737–r 3737 | (who) has achieved enlightened eyes with regard to the highest level of the scribal art, |
| Reverse [37:38] r 3838–r 3838 | which art none of the kings who came before me had learned, |
| Reverse [38:39] r 3939–r 3939 | [the wisdom of Nabu, cuneiform] signs, as many as there are. |
| Reverse [39:40] r 4040–r 4040 | [I w]rote, collated, and checked (the present text) [on tablets]. |
| Reverse [40:41] r 4141–r 4141 | I deposited (it) in my palace [for m]y reading and studying]. |
| Reverse [41:42] r 4242–r 4242 | [The one who trusts in you will not be put to shame], O king of the gods, Ashur. |
| Reverse [42:43] r 4343–r 4343 | [Whoever carries (this tablet) off or] writes [his name alongside] my [name], |
| Reverse [43:44] r 4444–r 4444 | [may Ashur and Ninlil overthrow him in fierce rage. May his name (and)] his seed disappear from the land. |
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 | [... nab]-ni-ti | |
| 2 | [... kib]-⸢ra⸣-a-ti | |
| 3 | [...] ⸢en⸣-ši | |
| 4 | [...] ⸢šag⸣-ša₂ | |
| 5 | [... e]-⸢ka⸣-a-ti | |
| 6 | [...] ⸢mil⸣-ku | |
| 7 | [... {d]}⸢i₂⸣-gi₃-gi₃ | |
| 8 | [...] ⸢x⸣ ri | |
| 9 | [... kal mim-ma] ⸢šum⸣-šu₂ | |
| 10 | [... i-ram]-mu | |
| 11 | [... {lu₂]}UŠ₂ | |
| 12 | [... i-ram]-⸢mu⸣ | |
| 13 | [... {lu₂]}⸢UŠ₂⸣ | |
| 14 | [... tes₂-li]-⸢ti⸣ | |
| 15 | [...] | |
| 16 | [...] | |
| 17 | [...] | |
| 18 | [as-hur]-⸢ka ina DINGIR-MEŠ ri-ša₂-a re-e⸣-[mu] | |
| 19 | [aṣ-bat] TUG₂.SIK₂-ka TI qi₂-⸢šam⸣ | |
| 20 | [i]-⸢bi⸣ šu-mi šu-ri-ka U₄-MEŠ-⸢ia⸣ | |
| 21 | [su]-pu-ri ru-up-piš li-im-id lil-li-⸢di⸣ | |
| 22 | [hul]-liq GIG-MU qi₂-bi ba-la₂-⸢ṭi⸣ | |
| 23 | [an]-⸢ni⸣ lip-pa-ṭir lit-ta-bil a-di-⸢ri⸣ | |
| 24 | [lim]-ma-ši gil₂-la-ti su-pu-uh ta-ne₂-[hi] | |
| 25 | ⸢lu⸣-ša₂-pi nar-bi-ka lut-ta-id zi-kir-⸢ka⸣ | |
| 26 | [ud]-da-kam la pa-da-a qu-ru-ud-ka lud-⸢lul⸣ | |
| 27 | ⸢KA⸣-INIM-MA ŠU-IL₂-LA₂ {d}DI-KUD-[KAM] | |
| 28 | ⸢EN₂⸣ qa₂-rit-tu₄ {d}iš-tar ka-nu-ut i-la₂-a-⸢ti⸣ | |
| 29 | [di]-par AN{e} u KI{ti₃} ša₂-ru-ur kib-ra-a-⸢ti⸣ | |
| 30 | {[d]}⸢in⸣-nin-ni bu-uk-rat {d}3(u) i-lit-ti {d}nin-⸢gal⸣ | |
| 31 | [tu]-⸢am⸣-ti ṭar₃-ri šu-pe-e qu-ra-du {d}UTU{⸢ši⸣} | |
| 32 | {[d]}⸢iš⸣-tar a-na-ti-ma AN{e} ta-be₂-el-⸢li⸣ | |
| 33 | [GIM] {⸢d⸣}EN.LIL₂ ma-li-ki ta-ṭe-em-me da-ad₂-mi | |
| 34 | {[d}mu]-⸢um⸣-mu ba-an par-ṣi u šu-luh-hi | |
| 35 | [tak]-⸢lim⸣-tu₄ {d}e₂-a ina ABZU ⸢tu⸣-kal-li rik-si | |
| 36 | [e-ma] ⸢ba-aš-mu ki-sur⸣-ru-u₂ ŠUB{at} ⸢SIG₄⸣ | |
| 37 | [...] ta-paq-qi₂-di ki-ma {d}UTU{⸢ši⸣} | |
| 38 | [... a]-a-u₂ ma-hir-⸢ki⸣ | |
| 39 | [... {d}a-nun]-⸢na⸣-ki a-li ša₂-nin-⸢ki⸣ | |
| 40 | [...] ⸢lu⸣-up₂-ni iš-di-ha tu-kan-ni | |
| 41 | [...] ⸢ši⸣-ma-tam-ma i-dam-mi-iq lem-⸢nu⸣ | |
| 42 | [... šar]-⸢ku⸣-ki as-hur-ma ina {d}1(u) 5(diš)-MEŠ ka-ši-ma ša₂ ⸢ba⸣-[a-li] | |
| 43 | [...] ⸢ar⸣-ka-tuk {d}[LAMA₃] | |
| 44 | [...] ⸢šu⸣-me₂-lu-uk-ki dum-⸢qu⸣ | |
| 45 | [... taš-mu]-⸢u₂⸣ u ma-ga-ru sa-li-⸢mu⸣ | |
| 46 | [i-ta-tu-ki šu-tas-hu]-⸢ra⸣ TI.LA šul-⸢mu⸣ | |
| r | ||
| 1 | [ki] ṭa-a-bu su-up-pu-u₂-ki ki-i qe₂-ru-ub neš-mu-ki | |
| 2 | ⸢nap⸣-lu-us-ki taš-mu-u₂ qi₂-bit-ki nu-u₂-ra | |
| 3 | re-min₄-ni-ma {d}iš-tar qi₂-bi-i na-ha-ši | |
| 4 | ki-niš ⸢nap⸣-li-si-in-ni-ma le-qe₂-e un-ni-ni-ia | |
| 5 | er-de us-ki iš-di-hu li-⸢ku-na⸣ | |
| 6 | ser₃-da-a-ki a-hu-zu lu-be₂-el ṭu-ub ⸢lib₃⸣-[bi] | |
| 7 | u₂-bil ab-ša₂-na-ki pa-ša₂-ha šuk-[ni] | |
| 8 | u₂-qe₂-ʾ reš-ki li-ši-ra sa-li-⸢mu⸣ | |
| 9 | aṣ-ṣur ša₂-ru-ra-ki lu-u₂ taš-mu-u₂ u₃ ma-ga-ru | |
| 10 | eš-te-ʾ-u₂ ⸢nam-ri-ir⸣-ri-ki lim-mi-ru zi-mu-u₂-a | |
| 11 | as-hur be-lut-ki lu-u₂ TI.LA u₃ šul-mu | |
| 12 | lu-ur-ši {d}ALAD SIG₅ ša₂ pa-ni-ki ša₂ ar₂-ki-ki a-li-kat₃ {d}LAMA₃ lu-ur-ši | |
| 13 | ša₂ im-nu-uk-ki meš-ra-a lu-uṣ-ṣip dum-qa lu-uk-šu-da ša₂ šu-me-lu-⸢uk⸣-[ki] | |
| 14 | qi₂-bi-ma liš-še-me₂ zik-⸢ri⸣ | |
| 15 | a-mat a-qab-bu-u₂ ki-ma a-qab-bu-u₂ lu-u₂ ma-ag-rat | |
| 16 | ina ṭu-ub UZU u hu-ud lib₃-bi i-tar-ri-in-ni u₄-me-šam | |
| 17 | U₄-MEŠ-ia ur-ri-ki ba-la-ṭa šur-ki lu-ub₂-luṭ lu-uš-lim-ma lu-uš-tam-mar DINGIR{[ut}ki] | |
| 18 | e-ma u₂-ṣa-am-ma-ru lu-uk-šu-ud AN{u₂} HUL₂-ki ABZU li-riš-[ki] | |
| 19 | DINGIR-MEŠ ša₂ kiš-ša₂-ti lik-ru-bu-ki DINGIR-MEŠ GAL-MEŠ lib₃-ba-ki li-ṭib-[bu] | |
| 20 | KA-INIM-MA ŠU-IL₂-LA₂ {d}INANA-KAM ana IGI {d}1(u) 5(diš) NIG₂.NA ŠIM.LI ⸢GAR⸣{[an]} | |
| 21 | mi-ih-ha BAL{qi₂}ma ŠU.IL₂.LA₂ 3(diš)-šu₂ ⸢ŠID⸣-[nu] | |
| 22 | EN₂ at-tu-nu {mul}MUL šar-hu-tu₄ ša₂ mu-⸢ši-ti⸣ | |
| 23 | nam-ru-ti ša₂ DINGIR-MEŠ GAL-MEŠ {⸢mul}MUL⸣ | |
| 24 | ⸢a⸣-na hul-lu-qu lem-nu-ti ib-nu-ku-nu-ši {d}a-num ina ša₂-ma-me ⸢MU⸣-ku-nu {d}IMIN-BI {⸢mul⸣}[MUL] | |
| 25 | [...]-⸢nu⸣ ki-li-lu {na₄}MUŠ.GIR₃ ra-ki-su me-ser₂-⸢ri⸣ | |
| 26 | [...] SU TI ša₂ til-le-e mu-šam-qi₂-tu₄ bu-lim | |
| 27 | [mu-sa]-⸢ah⸣-hu EDIN da-li-hu A.AB.BA-⸢MEŠ⸣ | |
| 28 | [x x x] ⸢x-x-tu₄ ga-ru-tu₄⸣ DUMU-MEŠ {d}a-nim | |
| 29 | [...]-⸢x⸣-ku-nu-ši | |
| 30 | [... da₃]-⸢li₂⸣-li₂-ku-nu lud-⸢lul⸣ | |
| 31 | ki-[ma A-MEŠ ID₂] ⸢eš-šu-ti iṭ-ru-du la-bi-ru⸣-ti TU₆.⸢EN₂⸣ | |
| 32 | KA-INIM-MA ŠU-IL₂-LA₂ {mul}MUL-KAM | |
| 33 | EN₂ EN šur-bu-u ša₂ ina AN{e} šu-luh-hu-šu₂ KU₃ | |
| 34 | 8(diš)-u₂ pir-su E₂ sa-la me-e E₂.GAL {m}AN-ŠAR₂-DU₃-A ⸢LUGAL ŠU₂⸣ LUGAL KUR AN.ŠAR₂{ki} | |
| 35 | ša a-na AN.ŠAR₂ u₃ {d}nin-lil₂ tak-lu | |
| 36 | ša {d}NA₃ {d}taš-me-tu₄ GEŠTU-2(diš) DAGAL{tu₄} iš-ru-ku-uš | |
| 37 | i-hu-uz-zu IGI-2(diš) na-mir-tu ni-siq ṭup-šar-ru-ti | |
| 38 | ⸢ša ina LUGAL-MEŠ⸣ a-lik mah-ri-ia mim-ma šip-ru šu-a-tu₂ la i-hu-uz-zu | |
| 39 | [ne₂-me-eq {d}NA₃ ti]-⸢kip sa⸣-an-tak-ki ma-la ba-aš₂-mu | |
| 40 | [ina ṭup-pa-a-ni aš₂]-⸢ṭur⸣ as-niq ab-re-e-ma | |
| 41 | [a-na ta-mar-ti u ši-ta-as-si]-⸢ia qe₂⸣-reb E₂.GAL-ia u₂-kin | |
| 42 | [NIR.GAL₂.ZU NU UR] ⸢LUGAL⸣ DINGIR-MEŠ AN.ŠAR₂ | |
| 43 | [man-nu ša TUM₃ u₃ lu-u MU-šu₂ it-ti MU]-⸢ia⸣ i-šaṭ-ṭa-ru | |
| 44 | [AN.ŠAR₂ u₃ {d}nin-lil₂ ag-giš ez-zi-iš lis-ki-pu-šu₂-ma MU-šu₂] ⸢NUMUN⸣-šu₂ ina KUR li-hal-li-qu | |
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 2026-10-11.