Nabonidus 19 (Q005416)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Babylonian, Marad · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE
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| Designation | Nabonidus 19 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q005416 |
| Collection | Louvre Museum, Paris, France; British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Babylonian · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE |
| Genre | Royal Inscription |
| Find spot | Marad |
| Coordinates | 32.0917, 44.7851 |
English translation
By ORACC project ribo/babylon7 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse Column i [0:5] i 1i 1–i 55 | When the god Marduk, the Enlil of the gods, the exalted one, the lord of everything, proclaimed a ruler to exercise lordship, named Nabonidus, the king, as the one who provides (for the gods), (and) elevated him above all of the (other) kings, the great gods were happy about his command(s) regarding his (Nabonidus’) kingship. |
| Obverse Column i [5:11] i 66–i 1111 | The gods Anu and Enlil gave him a throne, crown, scepter, and staff, the eternal insignia of kingship; the god Ea, the creator of all (things), gave him every (type of) wisdom; the goddess Bēlet-ilī, the creator of everything, perfected his features; the god Nabû, the overseer of the totality (of heaven and earth), gave him (knowledge of) scribal skills; the god Nannāru, the son of the prince, inspected his form; |
| Obverse Column i [11:18] i 1212–i 1818 | the god Šamaš, the light of the gods, loved his shepherdship (and) allowed (Nabonidus) to settle people through his (Nabonidus’) command; the god Erragal, the (most) powerful one among the gods, gave him power; the god Zababa, the noble one, made him supremely powerful; the god Nusku, the martial one, decorated him with the brilliance of kingship, became his šēdu in order to give orders, hold counsel, and investigate matters, (and) sent the great gods to his aid so that (he) could exercise his leadership. |
| Obverse Column i [18:23] i 1919–i 2323 | At that time, Nabonidus, king of Babylon, attentive prince, the capable shepherd who reveres the great gods, the governor who provides, the one who is attentive to the will of the gods, (the one) who is constantly seeks out the sanctuaries of the gods and goddesses daily, son of Nabû-balāssu-iqbi, wise prince, am I. |
| Obverse Column i [23:27] i 2424–i 2727 | When the god Marduk, the great lord, called my name for ruling over the land (and) the son of the prince — the god Nabû — made the fame of my kingship surpassing, I spoke daily, (showing) devotion to their divinity, (and) I constantly strove (to do) what(ever) was pleasing to them. |
| Obverse Column i [27:32] i 2828–i 3232 | I am foremost in provisioning Esagil and Ezida: I send the best of everything into their (Marduk and Nabû’s) presence. Constantly (and) without interruption, I constantly seek out their places (of worship). I make their great cult centers worthy of (high) praise (and) make their fame great among the people of the inhabited world. |
| Obverse Column i [32:36] i 3333–i 3636 | For the god Šamaš, the great judge of the gods, the exalted one, lord of Sippar: (As for) Ebabbar, the pure cella, his original dwelling whose (ancient) foundation(s) he had never revealed to any former king, the god Šamaš, the great lord, waited for me to build it and I secured its (new) foundation(s) on top of the (original) foundation(s) of Narām-Sîn. |
| Obverse Column ii [0:2] ii 1ii 1–ii 22 | As for the wall Ugal-amaru, the wall of Cutha, I raised up its superstructure. (As for) the wall Melem-kurkurra-dulla, the wall of Kish, I raised (it) as high as a mountain. |
| Obverse Column ii [2:4] ii 33–ii 44 | For the god Uraš, the (most) powerful lord, I built the akītu-house of his rest anew as (it had been) in ancient times. |
| Obverse Column ii [4:7] ii 55–ii 77 | As for the city Ubassu, (which is) between Babylon and Borsippa, I raised up its superstructure with bitumen and baked brick(s) and (then) had the goddess Nanāya, the supreme goddess, enter her cella. |
| Obverse Column ii [7:10] ii 88–ii 1010 | For the god Sîn, the great lord, the one who resides in Ekišnugal, which is inside Ur, I lavishly provided his sattukku-offerings and made his nindabû-offerings plentiful. I constantly sought out his places (of worship) and beseeched his lordship. |
| Obverse Column ii [10:13] ii 1111–ii 1313 | At the request that he (Sîn) made of me, I became frightened, (but) I was attentive and did not deny his request and consented to his command. I elevated (my) daughter, my own offspring, to the office of ēntu-priestess and (then) I named (her) En-nigaldi-Nanna, as her (new, official) name, and had (her) enter the Egipar. |
| Obverse Column ii [13:15] ii 1414–ii 1515 | My heart dearly wanted me to provide for all of the cult centers of the great gods. |
| Obverse Column ii [15:19] ii 1616–ii 1919 | At that time, I was attentive to the god Lugal-Marda, the noble warrior, the exalted warrior who is perfect in strength, the fierce storm whose onslaught cannot be withstood, the one who storms over hostile land(s) (and) plunders the land(s) of his foe(s), the one who resides in Eigikalama, my lord. |
| Obverse Column ii [19:26] ii 2020–ii 2626 | (As for) the chariot, the vehicle of his divinity, the insignia of his heroism that plunders the land(s) of (his) foe(s), <which> is (well) suited for battle, which no former king had built since distant days, its stone ornaments and its equipment became visible in the foundation(s) of Eigikalama. I (then) built that chariot anew with shiny silver, bright gold, and precious stones. I magnificently decorated it and had (it) sent into his presence. |
| Obverse Column ii [26:32] ii 2727–ii 3232 | (As for) Eigikalama, his temple, which a former king had built and had raised up its superstructure, (but) without surrounding (it) with its (own) outside wall and (thereby) failing to strengthen its protection — its site was in ruins (and) its door-jamb(s) were not joined (together). I removed its buckled (piles of) earth. I examined (and) checked its original foundation(s) and (then) I laid its (new) foundation(s) on top of the (original) foundation(s). I built its (outer) wall and (thereby) strengthened its protection. I built (the outer wall) anew and raised up its superstructure. |
| Obverse Column ii [32:37] ii 3333–ii 3737 | O Lugal-Marda, supreme lord, mighty warrior, when you joyfully enter this temple (and) look with pleasure upon everything that I have done (for you), speak good thing(s) about me in the presence of the god Marduk, king of heaven and earth, daily so that the days of my life are long (and) I am sated with old age. With your fierce weapons, cut down my enemies (and) destroy all of my foes. |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| i | ||
| 1 | i₃-nu-um {d}AMAR.UTU {d}EN.LIL₂ DINGIR.MEŠ ša-qu-u₂ EN gi-im-ra | |
| 2 | u₂-ša-pu-u₂ ma-al-ku a-na e-pe₂-eš e-nu-tim | |
| 3 | {d}na-bi-um-na-ʾi-id šar-ri a-na za-ni-nu-tim im-bu-u₃ | |
| 4 | u₂-ul-lu-u₂ re-e-ši-šu e-li ka-li-šu-nu LUGAL.MEŠ | |
| 5 | qi₂-bi-tu-uš-šu DINGIR.DINGIR GAL.GAL ih-du-u₂ a-na šar-ru-ti-šu | |
| 6 | {d}a-num u₃ {d}EN.LIL₂ {giš}GU.ZA a-gu-u₂ {giš}NIG₂.GIDRU u₃ ši-bir-ri | |
| 7 | pa-ra-aṣ šar-ru-tim a-na du-ur u₄-mu i-qi₂-šu-šum | |
| 8 | {d}e₂-a ba-an ka-la-mu ne₂-me-qi₂ u₂-ša₂-ag-mi-ir-šu | |
| 9 | {d}be-let-i₃-li₂ ba-na-at gi-im-ra u₂-ša₂-ak-li-lu bu-na-an-ne₂-e-šu | |
| 10 | {d}na-bi-um pa-qid ki-iš-ša₂-ti iš-ru-uk-šu šu-ka-ma | |
| 11 | {d}ŠEŠ.KI-ri DUMU ru-be₂-e u₂-ṣa-ab-ba-a nab-ni-it-su | |
| 12 | {d}UTU-ši nu-ur₂ i₃-li₂ ir-i-am re-e₂-ut-su | |
| 13 | ba-ʾu-la-a-ti u₂-še-ši-ib qi₂-bi-tu-uš-šu | |
| 14 | {d}er₃-ra-gal ga-aš-ru DINGIR.DINGIR iš-ru-uk-šu du-un-num | |
| 15 | {d}za-ba₄-ba₄ mu-ut-ta-al-lum u₂-ma-ša u₂-ša-ag-mi-ir-šu | |
| 16 | {d}nusku da-pi-nu u₂-za-ʾi-in-šu me-lam-mi LUGAL-u₂-tu | |
| 17 | a-na u₂-ʾu-ur₂ ṭe₃-e-mu ša-ka-ni₇ ši-tul-tum u₃ pa-ra-as ar₂-kat₂ i-tur še-du-uš-šu | |
| 18 | a-na mu-er-ru-ti-šu e-pe₂-šu DINGIR.DINGIR GAL.GAL u₂-ša₂-li-ku re-ṣu-su | |
| 19 | i-nu-šu {d}na-bi-um-na-ʾi-id LUGAL TIN.TIR{ki} ru-bu-um na-a-dam | |
| 20 | re-e₂-a-am it-pe-šu pa-li-ih DINGIR.DINGIR GAL.GAL | |
| 21 | GIR₃.NITA₂ za-ni-nu ša a-na ṭe₃-e-mu DINGIR.DINGIR pu-tuq-qu | |
| 22 | ša u₄-mi-ša-am-ma iš-te-ne₂-eʾ-u₂ aš-rat DINGIR.MEŠ u₃ {d}IŠ.TAR | |
| 23 | DUMU {m}{d}na-bi-um-TIN-su-iq-bi NUN e-em-qa₂ a-na-ku | |
| 24 | e-nu-ma {d}AMAR.UTU EN GAL-u₂ a-na be-lu-ti₃ ma-a-ti im-bu-u₃ ni-bi-ti₃ | |
| 25 | mar ru-be₂-e {d}na-bi-um zi-ik-ru šar-ru-ti-ia u₂-šar-bu-u₃ | |
| 26 | u₄-mi-ša-am-ma a-ta-mi pu-lu-uh₂-ti₃ i-lu-ti-šu-un | |
| 27 | ka-a-a-nam aš-te-ne₂-e ša e-li-šu-nu ṭa-a-bu | |
| 28 | a-na e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ e₂-zi-da šu-tu-ra-ku zi-in-na-a-tim | |
| 29 | re-eš mi-im-ma-a-a dam-qa u₂-še-er-re-eb ma-ha-ar-šu-un | |
| 30 | gi-na-a la na-par-ka-a aš-te-ne₂-eʾ-a aš-ri-šu-un | |
| 31 | ma-ha-zi-šu-nu ra-bu-tim a-na ta-na-da-a-ta aš-tak₂-ka-an | |
| 32 | u₂-šar-bi zi-ik-ra-<šu₂>-nu in a-pa₁₂-ta-aš₂ da-ad₂-me | |
| 33 | a-na {d}UTU DI.KU₅.GAL DINGIR ša-qu-u₂ EN ZIMBIR{ki} e₂-babbar-ra ki-iṣ-ṣi KU₃ | |
| 34 | šu-bat-sa reš-ti-ti ša ma-na-ma šar-ri mah-ri la u₂-kal-li-mu te-me-en-šu₂ | |
| 35 | e-pe₂-eš-su {d}UTU EN GAL-u₂ u₂-qa₂-an-ni-ma | |
| 36 | e-li te-me-en-na ša₂ na-ra-am-{d}EN.ZU u₂-ki-in uš-šu-šu | |
| ii | ||
| 1 | ša BAD₃ u₄-gal-a-ma₂-ru₁₀ BAD₃ GU₂.DU₈.A{ki} ul-la-a re-ši-šu | |
| 2 | BAD₃ me-lem₄-kur-kur-ra-dul-la BAD₃ kiš{ki} u₂-za-aq-qi₂-ir hur-sa-ni-iš | |
| 3 | a-na {d}uraš EN ga-aš-ru E₂ a₂-ki-tu₄ ta-ap-šu-uh-ti-šu | |
| 4 | ki-ma la-bi-ri-im-ma e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš | |
| 5 | ša {uru}u₂-ba-as-si DAL.BA.AN.NA KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} u₃ bar₂-sipa{ki} | |
| 6 | i-na ESIR.UD.DU.A u₃ a-gur-ru re-e-ši-šu ul-li-ma | |
| 7 | {d}na-na-a {d}iš-tar šu-ur₂-bi-tum u₂-še-ri-ib ki-iṣ-ṣu-uš-šu | |
| 8 | a-na {d}30 EN GAL-u₂ a-ši-ib e₂-kiš-nu-gal₂ ša₂ qe₂-reb uri₂{ki} | |
| 9 | sa-at-tuk-ki-šu u₂-ṭa-ah-hi-id-ma u₂-šar-ri-hu ni-id-be₂-e-šu₂ | |
| 10 | aš-te-ne₂-eʾ-e-ma aš-ri-šu a-ba-lu be-lu-ut-su | |
| 11 | a-na e-ri-iš-ti i-ri-ša-an-ni ap-lah₃ at-ta-ʾi-id-ma | |
| 12 | e-ri-iš-ta-šu la ak-la-am-ma am-gu-ru qi₂-bit-su | |
| 13 | DUMU.MUNUS ṣi-it lib₃-bi-ia a-na e-nu-tim aš₂-ši-ma en-nig₂-al-di-{d}NANNA šum-šu₂ am-be₂-e-ma | |
| 14 | a-na e₂-gi₆-par₃ u₂-še-ri-ib a-na ma-ha-zi DINGIR.DINGIR GAL.GAL | |
| 15 | ka-li-šu-nu za-na-nu na-ša-an-ni lib₃-bi | |
| 16 | i-nu-šu a-na {d}lugal-mar₂-da qar-ra-du mu-ut-ta-al-lum | |
| 17 | eṭ-lu-um mu-ut-le-el₂-lu-u₂ ša₂ da-na-num šu-uk-lu-lu | |
| 18 | u₄-um ez-zi ša₂ la im-mah-ha-ru qa₂-bal-šu | |
| 19 | ra-hi-iṣ KUR nu-kur₂-ti ša-lil KUR a-a-bi a-ši-ib e₂-igi-kalam-ma | |
| 20 | be-li₂-ia at-ta-ʾi-id-ma {giš}GIGIR ru-ku-bu i-lu-ti-šu | |
| 21 | si₃-ma-at qar-ra-du-ti-šu ša-li-la-at KUR a-a-bi | |
| 22 | <ša> a-na ta-ha-zi šu-lu-ka-at ša iš-tu UD.MEŠ ru-qu-tu₂ | |
| 23 | šar-ri mah-ri la i-pu₂-šu i-na te-me-en e₂-igi-kalam-ma | |
| 24 | NA₄.MEŠ ti-iq-ni-šu u₃ u₂-nu-ut-su in-na-mir-ma {giš}GIGIR šu-a-ti | |
| 25 | e-eš-ši-iš ab-ni i-na KU₃.BABBAR eb-bi KU₃.GI nam-ri u₃ ni-si₃-iq-tu₄ NA₄.MEŠ | |
| 26 | ra-biš u₂-za-ʾi-in-šu-ma a-na mah-ri-šu u₂-še-ri-ib | |
| 27 | e₂-igi-kalam-ma E₂-su ša₂ LUGAL mah-ri i-pu₂-šu-ma ul-lu-u₂ re-e-ši-šu | |
| 28 | i-ga-ri ki-di-šu₂ la u₂-ša₂-as-hi-ru-ma la u₂-dan-ni-in ma-aṣ-ṣar-tu-uš | |
| 29 | a-šar-šu na-di-ma la ru-uk-ku-su sip-pe-e-šu e-pe-ri-šu | |
| 30 | qa-a-a-pu-ti ad-ka te-me-en-šu la-bi₂-ra a-hi-iṭ ab-re-e-ma | |
| 31 | e-li te-me-en-ni-šu u₂-kin uš-šu-šu BAD₃-šu ab-ni-ma | |
| 32 | ma-aṣ-ṣar-ta-ša u₂-dan-ni-in e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš-ma ul-la-a re-e-ši-šu | |
| 33 | {d}lugal-mar₂-da EN šur-bu-u₂ UR.SAG mug-da-aš-ri a-na E₂ šu-a-ti | |
| 34 | ha-di-iš i-na e-re-bi-ka mim-mu-u₂ e-te-ep-pu-uš ha-diš in nap-lu-si-ka | |
| 35 | in ma-ha-ar {d}AMAR.UTU LUGAL AN u₃ KI u₄-mi-šam-ma at-ma-a SIG₅-tim | |
| 36 | li-ri-ku UD.MEŠ TIN-ia lu-uš-ba-a lit-tu-tu i-na {giš}TUKUL.MEŠ-ka ez-zu-tim | |
| 37 | šu-um-qi₂-tu a-a-bi-ia hu-ul-li-iq gim-ra-at ga-ri-ia | |
Sources & licences
- 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.