MC 24, no. 56 (P451997)
Prayer, Neo-Assyrian, Nineveh · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | MC 24, no. 56 |
|---|---|
| ID | P451997 |
| 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 nn · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse [0:1] o 1o 1–o 1o 1 | That which befell me [. . . among(?)] the gods, I shall recount. |
| Obverse [1:2] o 22–o 22 | To the creator of wisd[om, . . . (are) worthy of r]enown, |
| Obverse [2:3] o 33–o 33 | To the one who dwells in the Emashmash, [Ishtar . . .] (who) extols my name, |
| Obverse [3:4] o 44–o 44 | To the queen of the gods, into whose hands [all(?)] the cultic rites are [be]stowed, |
| Obverse [4:5] o 55–o 55 | To the lady of Nineveh, the he[ro of the god]s, the most exalted one, |
| Obverse [5:6] o 66–o 66 | To the daughter of Sin, the beloved sister of Shamash, who governs the totality of kingship, |
| Obverse [6:7] o 77–o 77 | To the one who decides lawsuits, the goddess of absolutely everything, |
| Obverse [7:8] o 88–o 88 | To the lady of the heavens and the earth, who receives petitions, |
| Obverse [8:9] o 99–o 99 | To the one who hears prayer, who accepts supplication, |
| Obverse [9:10] o 1010–o 1010 | To the merciful goddess, who loves justice, |
| Obverse [10:11] o 1111–o 1111 | (O) Ishtar, the lady whose nature (it is) to restore to life, |
| Obverse [11:12] o 1212–o 1212 | I will set forth(?) in your presence all the trials I have experienced. |
| Obverse [12:13] o 1313–o 1313 | Give ear to my wearied utterance, |
| Obverse [13:14] o 1414–o 1414 | May your mood be appeased at my afflicted speaking. |
| Obverse [14:15] o 1515–o 1515 | Look upon me, O lady, that I am turned (to you). May your heart show concern (for me)! |
| Obverse [15:16] o 1616–o 1616 | I (am) Ashurnaṣirpal, the afflicted one, your servant, |
| Obverse [16:17] o 1717–o 1717 | The humble one, who fears your divinity, the trustworthy one, your beloved, |
| Obverse [17:18] o 1818–o 1818 | Who furnishes your offerings, who never ceases providing your food offerings, |
| Obverse [18:19] o 1919–o 1919 | Who yearns for your festivals, who provisions your sanctuaries, |
| Obverse [19:20] o 2020–o 2020 | Who abundantly supplies the kurunnu-beer, which you love, the desire of your heart, |
| Obverse [20:21] o 2121–o 2121 | The son of Shamshi-Adad, the king who fears the great gods. |
| Obverse [21:22] o 2222–o 2222 | I was born in the mountains, (in a place) that no one knows. |
| Obverse [22:23] o 2323–o 2323 | I did not give your rulership consideration. I never entreated (you). |
| Obverse [23:24] o 2424–o 2424 | The people of the land of Ashur did not know me; they were not in the habit of appealing to your divinity. |
| Obverse [24:25] o 2525–o 2525 | You, O Ishtar, great, terrifying dragon of the gods, |
| Obverse [25:26] o 2626–o 2626 | With the lifting of your eyes, you recognized me and desired my lordship. |
| Obverse [26:27] o 2727–o 2727 | You took me from the midst of the mountains and called me to shepherd the peoples. |
| Obverse [27:28] o 2828–o 2828 | You established (my) righteous staff to sustain the habitations long into the future. |
| Obverse [28:29] o 2929–o 2929 | You, O Ishtar, glorified my name. |
| Obverse [29:30] o 3030–o 3030 | You granted (me) (resolve) to rescue (and) to spare those loyal (to me). |
| Obverse [30:31] o 3131–o 3131 | According to your command (lit. in the going forth of your mouth) to renew the amassed gods (i.e., divine images), |
| Obverse [31:32] o 3232–o 3232 | I myself renovated the decrepit temples. |
| Obverse [32:33] o 3333–o 3333 | I repaired the ruined gods (i.e., divine images) and returned (them) to their place. |
| Obverse [33:34] o 3434–o 3434 | I established their share and offerings perpetually. |
| Obverse [34:35] o 3535–o 3535 | I built a bed of boxwood, a comfortable resting place that provides your divinity with rest, |
| Obverse [35:36] o 3636–o 3636 | Whose interior I gilded with the very best (lit. selected, appropriate) gold. |
| Obverse [36:37] o 3737–o 3737 | I decorated it with choice precious stones from the mountains, like(?) . . . |
| Obverse [37:38] o 3838–o 3838 | I purified it (so that one could) observe (it) from afar. I filled it with splendor. |
| Obverse [38:39] o 3939–o 3939 | I made it radiant like the rays of the sun, worthy to behold. |
| Obverse [39:40] o 4040–o 4040 | I installed it in Emashmash, the luxurious dwelling that you love. |
| Obverse [40:41] o 4141–o 4141 | (Given all of this), how have I slighted you so as to b[e]ar (my present) hardship? |
| Obverse [41:42] o 4242–o 4242 | You have covered me with sickness. Why am I at death's door (lit. has my breath become short)? |
| Obverse [42:43] o 4343–o 4343 | [It (i.e., the sickness)] made my body (lit. sinews) feverish; it ruined my frame. |
| Obverse [43:44] o 4444–o 4444 | [Panic], terror, . . . my throat became blocked. |
| Obverse [44:45] o 4545–o 4545 | [. . .] . . . [. . .] he/it fixed firmly on the in[side(?)] |
| Obverse [45:46] o 4646–o 4646 | [. . .] he/it brought [. . .] to an end. |
| Obverse [46:47] o 4747–o 4747 | [. . .] and(?) . . [. . .] |
| Reverse [2:3] r 33–r 33 | [. . .] tears [. . .] |
| Reverse [3:4] r 44–r 44 | [. . .] in my body [(. . .)] |
| Reverse [4:5] r 55–r 55 | [. . .] Girra [. . .] |
| Reverse [6:7] r 77–r 77 | [. . .] . . . body of [. . .] |
| Reverse [8:9] r 99–r 99 | Constantly, [I give] your rulership con[sideration]. I entrea[t] (you). |
| Reverse [9:10] r 1010–r 1010 | In the presence of your divinity . [. . .] I lament. |
| Reverse [10:11] r 1111–r 1111 | {I am treated} like one who does not fear your divinity, who violated a taboo. |
| Reverse [11:12] r 1212–r 1212 | Like one who committed sins and sacrilege, I endure {the penalty}. |
| Reverse [12:13] r 1313–r 1313 | I am constantly apprehensive; {I dwell} in darkness. |
| Reverse [13:14] r 1414–r 1414 | I have stopped lying down (to sleep); I cannot see {the light}. |
| Reverse [14:15] r 1515–r 1515 | On the throne of my kingship I . . . {. . .} |
| Reverse [15:16] r 1616–r 1616 | I cannot (even) approach the meal I am supposed to eat. {. . .} |
| Reverse [16:17] r 1717–r 1717 | Kurunnu-beer, sustenance itself, {became} stinkweed {to me}. |
| Reverse [17:18] r 1818–r 1818 | I despised the stringed instrument (lit. string) and (its) sound, befitting {kingship}. |
| Reverse [18:19] r 1919–r 1919 | And I am in utter want of the joy of living. {. . .} |
| Reverse [19:20] r 2020–r 2020 | (Though) my eyes are full of color, they cannot perceive (anything) at a distance. {. . .} |
| Reverse [20:21] r 2121–r 2121 | I do not raise (them) upward (but merely) {look} at the ground. |
| Reverse [21:22] r 2222–r 2222 | How long, (my) lady, will you bind me with (this) never-ending sickness? |
| Reverse [22:23] r 2323–r 2323 | I, Ashurnaṣirpal, the exhausted one, who fears you, |
| Reverse [23:24] r 2424–r 2424 | Who seizes the hem of your divinity's (garment), who entreats your rulership: |
| Reverse [24:25] r 2525–r 2525 | Look at me, O lady, that I may entreat your divinity! |
| Reverse [25:26] r 2626–r 2626 | You who are angry, show mercy on me. May your mood be appeased. |
| Reverse [26:27] r 2727–r 2727 | May your merciful heart show concern for me. |
| Reverse [27:28] r 2828–r 2828 | Expel my illness; remove my sin! |
| Reverse [28:29] r 2929–r 2929 | From your mouth, O lady, may abatement (of the divine anger against me) come! |
| Reverse [29:30] r 3030–r 3030 | (On) your favored vicegerent, which will never change, |
| Reverse [30:31] r 3131–r 3131 | Have mercy. Send away his anxiety. |
| Reverse [31:32] r 3232–r 3232 | Intercede for him with your beloved, the father of the gods, the hero Ashur, |
| Reverse [32:33] r 3333–r 3333 | So that I may ever (and) continuously extol your divinity, |
| Reverse [33:34] r 3434–r 3434 | [That I may prai]se (and) magnify (you) among the god[s], those of heaven (and) earth. |
| Reverse [34:35] r 3535–r 3535 | Palace of Ashurbanipal, king of the world, king of the land of Ashur, to whom Nabu and Tashmetu gave wide understanding, |
| Reverse [35:36] r 3636–r 3636 | (who) has achieved enlightened eyes with regard to the highest level of the scribal art, |
| Reverse [36:37] r 3737–r 3737 | which among the kings who came before me none had learned that art, |
| Reverse [37:38] r 3838–r 3838 | the wisdom of Nabu, cuneiform [sig]ns, as many as there are. |
| Reverse [38:39] r 3939–r 3939 | I wrote, collated, and checked (the present text) on tablets. |
| Reverse [39:40] r 4040–r 4040 | I deposited (it) in my palace for my reading (and) studying. |
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 | ep-šet im-hu-ra-an-⸢ni⸣ [x x x x x x x (x) ina] ⸢DINGIR⸣-MEŠ u₂-za-kar | |
| 2 | a-na ba-na-at ne₂-⸢me⸣-[qi₂ (x x x) si-mat ta]-⸢na⸣-da-a-ti | |
| 3 | a-na a-ši-bat E₂-MAŠ.MAŠ {⸢d⸣}[iš-tar x x x] ⸢u₂⸣-ša₂-pa zik-ri | |
| 4 | a-na šar-rat DINGIR-MEŠ ša₂ par-⸢ṣi⸣ [ka-li-šu₂-nu šu]-⸢ut⸣-lu-mu qa-tuš-ša₂ | |
| 5 | a-na be-let {uru}NINA ⸢qa⸣-[rit-ti DINGIR]-MEŠ ša₂-qu-tu₂ | |
| 6 | a-na DUMU.SAL {d}3(u) ta-li-mat {d}⸢šam-ši ša kul⸣-lat LUGAL{ti} ta-be-el | |
| 7 | a-na pa-ri-sa-at EŠ.BAR DINGIR{at} kal gim-ri | |
| 8 | a-na be-let AN{e} u KI{ti₃} ma-hi-rat tes₂-⸢li⸣-ti | |
| 9 | a-na še-ma-at ik-ri-bi le-qa-at un-ni-ni | |
| 10 | a-na DINGIR{ti₃} rem₂-ni-ti ša₂ me-ša₂-ra i-ra-am-mu | |
| 11 | {d}iš-tar NIN ša₂ bul-lu-ṭu(LU) i-si-iq-ša₂ | |
| 12 | da-al-pa-a-te mal a-tam-ma-ru mah-ra-ki a-⸢taš-šar⸣ | |
| 13 | a-na at-mu-u-a šu-nu-hi lib-ša₂-a ⸢u₂-zu⸣-un-ki | |
| 14 | a-na siq-ri-ia šum₂-ru-ṣi ka-bat-⸢ta⸣-ki lip-pa-⸢šir⸣ | |
| 15 | am-ri-in-ni NIN ki-i su-uh-hu-ra-⸢ku⸣ lib₃-ba-⸢ki⸣ lim-ra-aṣ | |
| 16 | {m}aš-šur-PAP{ir}A ana-ku šum₂-ru-⸢ṣu⸣ IR₃-ki | |
| 17 | šah-tu pa-lih DINGIR{ti}ki pit-qu-du na-ram-ki | |
| 18 | mu-kin₂ PAD.{d+}INANA-MEŠ-ki la mu-par-ku-u ⸢na-di⸣-nu zi-bi-ki | |
| 19 | ha-ši-ih i-si-na-te-ki mu-ša₂-az-ni-⸢nu BARA₂⸣-ki | |
| 20 | mu-ṭa-hi-id KURUN.NAM bi-bil lib₃-bi-ki ša ta-ra-mi | |
| 21 | DUMU šam-ši-{d}IŠKUR MAN pa-lih DINGIR-MEŠ GAL-MEŠ | |
| 22 | ab-ba-ni-ma ina qe₂-reb KUR{i} ša₂ NU ZU-šu₂-nu mam₂-ma | |
| 23 | ul ha-sa-ku-ma be-lut-ki ul u₂-sap-pa-a ka-a-a-an | |
| 24 | UN-MEŠ KUR aš-šur{ki} ul i-da-ni-ma ul im-da-ha-ra DINGIR{ut}ki | |
| 25 | at-ti-ma {d}iš-tar u₂-šum₂-gal-lat DINGIR-MEŠ ra-šub-ti | |
| 26 | i-na ni-iš IGI-MIN-ki tu-di-ni-ma tah-šu-hi EN{u₂-ti} | |
| 27 | tal-qi₂-ni-ma ul-tu qe₂-reb KUR{i} a-na SIPA{tu₂} ina UN-MEŠ tab-bi-in-ni | |
| 28 | tu-ki-in-ni GIŠ.GIDRU eš-re-e-ti a-na li-tab-bur da-ad₂-mi | |
| 29 | at-ti-ma {d}iš-tar tu-ša₂-aš₂-ri-hi zik-ri | |
| 30 | ta-⸢qi₂⸣-ši-ma ki-nu-te šu-zu-ba ga-⸢ma⸣-lu | |
| 31 | ina pi-i-ki u₂-ṣa-a ud-du-uš DINGIR-MEŠ na-ak-mu-ti | |
| 32 | E₂.KUR-MEŠ šu-uh-ha-a-te u₂-di-ša₂ a-na-ku | |
| 33 | DINGIR-MEŠ šul-pu-tu-ti ab-ni a-šar-šu₂-nu ut-ter | |
| 34 | iš-qu u PAD.{d+}INANA-MEŠ u₂-kin-šu₂-nu a-na ṣa-a-ti | |
| 35 | u₂-še-piš-ma GIŠ.NA₂ GIŠ.TASKARIN KI.NA₂ tak-ne₂-e mu-šap-ši-ih DINGIR{ti}ki | |
| 36 | ša ina KU₃.GI liq-ti šu-su-me e-ri-mu qe₂-reb-ša₂ | |
| 37 | ni-siq-ti NA₄-MEŠ KUR{e} šu-qu-ru-<ti> u₂-za-ʾ-in-ši ki-⸢i⸣ AB ILIMMU₄+U | |
| 38 | u₂-lil-ši a-na ṣu-ub-be₂-e u₂-mal-⸢liš⸣ bal-ti | |
| 39 | u₂-nam-mir-ši GIM ŠE.ER.ZI {d}šam-ši a-⸢na na⸣-ṭa-li as-mat | |
| 40 | u₂-šar-ši-si ina E₂.MAŠ.MAŠ šu-bat la-li-⸢ki ša ta-ra-mi₃ | |
| 41 | ⸢ina⸣ mi-ne₂-e u₂-qal-lil-ki-ma a-[ša₂]-da-ad PAP.<HAL> ILIMMU₄+U | |
| 42 | ⸢tak-tu⸣-min₃-ni-i-ma GIG a-ta-⸢a⸣-[ma] tak-⸢tu⸣-ru na-piš-⸢ti⸣ | |
| 43 | [u₂]-⸢ha⸣-maṭ UZU.SA-MEŠ-MU ⸢u₂⸣-ʾ-bat la-a-ni | |
| 44 | [ha-tu] pi-rit-tu KIT ⸢x⸣ [x] ⸢x⸣ ZI{ti} u₂-nap-⸢paq⸣ | |
| 45 | [...] ⸢x TA RI⸣ [...] ⸢u₂⸣-rat-ta qer-[be₂-nu] | |
| 46 | [...] ⸢x⸣ u₂-qat-ta [x x (x)] | |
| 47 | [...] RU HA u ⸢li⸣-[x x (x)] | |
| 48 | [...] ⸢UZ⸣ ZA KI ⸢x⸣ [x x x] | |
| 49 | [...]-⸢x⸣ TU U₂ ⸢x⸣ [x x (x)] | |
| r | ||
| 1 | [...] ⸢x KA x⸣ [x x x] | |
| 2 | [...] ⸢x⸣ MI U₂ ⸢DI⸣ [x x x] | |
| 3 | [...] ⸢di⸣-ma-⸢tu⸣ [x x x] | |
| 4 | [...] ⸢KIŠ⸣ ina SU(ZU-)⸢MU⸣ [(x x)] | |
| 5 | [...] {d}BIL.GI ⸢i⸣-[x x] | |
| 6 | [...] ⸢x⸣ MA A PA ⸢UŠ⸣ [x x] | |
| 7 | [...] ⸢x⸣ A RAD pa-⸢gar⸣-[x x] | |
| 8 | ⸢x x ZI x⸣ [...] ⸢x⸣-mi-ri pe-ta-[x (x)] | |
| 9 | ka-a-a-na-ma ⸢ha⸣-[sa-ku] ⸢be⸣-lu-ta-ki u₂-⸢sa⸣-[pa] | |
| 10 | ina ma-har DINGIR{ti}ki ⸢x⸣ [x x] ⸢x⸣ ut-ta-ha-as | |
| 11 | ki-i la pa-lih DINGIR{ti}ki ⸢ka-bi⸣-is an-zu-ul-li | |
| 12 | ki-i ra(AR-)ši ar-ni u gil-⸢la⸣-ti a-ša₂-da-ad | |
| 13 | gi-na-a šu-du-ra-ku ina ⸢e⸣-ṭu-ti | |
| 14 | par-sa-ku-ma ni-ʾ-lu ul a-mar | |
| 15 | ina GIŠ.GU.ZA LUGAL{ti}ia u₂-ze-em-ma-⸢x | |
| 16 | nap-tan a-pa-ta-nu ul e-ṭe-ha-a | |
| 17 | KURUN.NAM ša₂ nab-la-ṭi₂ a-na da-da-ri | |
| 18 | pit-nu u rig-ma šum₂-su-ka-ku si-mat | |
| 19 | u₃ ha-da-a ša TI.LA-MEŠ zu-um-ma-ku | |
| 20 | IGI.MIN-a-a bit-ru-ma-ma ul u₂-ṣab-ba-a | |
| 21 | ul u₂-ša₂-qa-a a-na e-le-ni pa-an qaq-qa-ri | |
| 22 | a-di ma-ti NIN GIG la na-par-ku-u tar-ku-si KI-⸢ia⸣ | |
| 23 | ana-ku {m}aš-šur-PAP{ir}A šu-ud-lu-pu pa-lih₃-ki | |
| 24 | ṣa-bit qa-ni DINGIR{ti}ki mu-sa-pu-u be-lut-⸢ki⸣ | |
| 25 | nap-li-si-ni-ma NIN ⸢DINGIR⸣-ti(RA-)ki lu-sa-ap-⸢pi⸣ | |
| 26 | ša₂ ti-zi-zi reme₂-ni-ma ka-bat-ta-ki lip-pa-⸢šir⸣ | |
| 27 | ga-ma-lu lib₃-ba-ki UGU-MU lim-ra-aṣ | |
| 28 | šu-ṣi-i mur-ṣi šum₂-si-ki hi-ṭi-ti | |
| 29 | ina pi-i-ki ⸢NIN⸣ lim-qu-ta pa-ša₂-hi | |
| 30 | ENSI₂ ⸢mi-ig⸣-ra-ki ša₂ NU BAL{u} ka-a-a-an | |
| 31 | ri-ši-šu ⸢re⸣-e-mu da-lip-ta-šu ⸢ṭu⸣-ur-di | |
| 32 | ṣab-⸢ti⸣ a-bu-us-su a-na na-ra-mi₃-ki AD DINGIR-MEŠ ⸢qu-ra-du⸣ {d}aš-⸢šur⸣ | |
| 33 | ⸢a-na ah⸣-rat u₄-me lut-ta-ʾ-⸢id DINGIR⸣{ut}ki | |
| 34 | [lud-lu]-⸢ul lu⸣-šar-ba-a ina ⸢DINGIR⸣-[MEŠ] ⸢šu⸣-ut AN KI | |
| 35 | E₂.GAL {m}aš-šur.⸢DU₃⸣.A MAN ⸢ŠU₂⸣ MAN ⸢KUR aš-šur{ki} ša {d}NA₃⸣ [u {d}taš]-⸢me⸣-tu₄ GEŠTU.MIN DAGAL{tu₄} iš-ru-ku-uš | |
| 36 | i-hu-uz-zu IGI.MIN na-mir-tu₄ ni-siq ṭup-šar-ru-u-ti | |
| 37 | ša ina LUGAL-MEŠ a-lik mah-ri-ia mam-ma ⸢šip-ru⸣ šu-a-tu la i-hu-zu | |
| 38 | ne₂-me-qi₂ {d}NA₃ ti-kip sa-⸢an⸣-[tak]-ki ma-la ba-aš₂-mu | |
| 39 | i-na DUB-MEŠ{ni} aš₂-ṭur as-⸢niq⸣ ab-re-e-ma | |
| 40 | a-na ta-mar-ti ši-ta-as-si-⸢ia⸣ qe₂-reb ⸢E₂⸣.GAL-ia u₂-kin | |
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.