Nabonidus 23 (Q005420)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Babylonian, Sippar · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE
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| Designation | Nabonidus 23 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q005420 |
| Collection | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Babylonian · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE |
| Genre | Royal Inscription |
| Find spot | Sippar |
| Coordinates | 33.0592, 44.2538 |
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 gods Anu and Enlil had commanded the renovation of the city, Sippar, (and) their firmly appointed time to (re)build Ebabbar had arrived, the god Šamaš, the great lord, remembered his original residence. |
| Obverse Column i [5:10] i 66–i 1010 | Their hearts prompted (them) with pleasure to raise the superstructure of the ziggurat, his raised temple, higher than the previous one and they nominated Nabonidus, the king who provides for (and) pleases their heart(s). |
| Obverse Column i [10:20] i 1111–i 2020 | The submissive shepherd who constantly seeks out the shrines of the great gods, the capable governor who is constantly attentive to the will of the gods, the one who provides for Esagil and Ezida, the one who renovates the shrines of the gods and goddesses, the one who makes sattukku-offerings abundant (and) nindabû-offerings splendid, son of Nabû-balāssu-iqbi, wise prince, am I. |
| Obverse Column i [20:23] i 2121–i 2323 | [When the god Marduk] entrusted me [(to) rule ov]er his land [...] the god Nabû [... nom]inated me |
| Obverse Column i [23:27] i 1'1'–i 4'4' | [So that there would be no] cultic mistake(s), [...] ... praying to them [(and) I was] constantly [praying de]voutly [to the gr]eat [gods]. |
| Obverse Column i [27:32] i 5'5'–i 9'9' | At that time, (with regard to) Ebabbar, the awe-inspiring shrine, the residence of the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya that is inside Sippar, which a king of the past had built (and) raised its superstructure, forty-five years had not (yet) elapsed and its walls had buckled. |
| Obverse Column i [32:36] i 10'10'–i 13'13' | The ramku-priests of Ebabbar told me: “The temple had buckled.” I did not believe their report, but (nevertheless) I was worried. |
| Obverse Column i [36:46] i 14'14'– | I sent citizens of Babylon and Borsippa, skilled men who know (every) task, (to Sippar) and had (them) enter Ebabbar. Then, they saw that the walls of that temple had buckled, that the structure of (its) gates were falling apart, (and) that the beam(s) of its roof were stripped away (and) protruding inside the temple. They saw (this) and they filled me with fear. |
| Obverse Column ii [3:7] ii 44–ii 77 | They led the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya out of that temple by the hand and had (them) reside in a good shrine, a suitable place. |
| Obverse Column ii [7:9] ii 88–ii 99 | I spoke [t]o the people of (my) land, (saying): “What has happened to it so that it buckled?” |
| Obverse Column ii [9:17] ii 1010–ii 1717 | This is what they said me: “Its (original) emplacement had not been sought out. It was not (re)built on its true site and its location was changed. The god Šamaš, the great lord, has waited for you to (re)build Ebabbar. (Therefore,) make its construction beautiful! He has entrusted you with building it on its true site.” |
| Obverse Column ii [17:23] ii 1818–ii 2323 | My heart was afraid (at the thought of) removing Ebabbar; I was worried. In (my) night bed, I did not get enough good sleep. I raised [my] ha[nds (and) bese]eched the Enlil of the gods, the god Marduk. |
| Obverse Column ii [23:28] ii 2424–ii 2828 | [With reg]ard to (re)buil[ding] Ebabbar, I frequently visited [the shrines of] the gods Šamaš and Adad, [the lords of divination], and [I performed extispicies. The gods Šamaš and] Adad [always answer]ed me [with a firm ‘yes].’ |
| Obverse Column ii [28:30] ii 2929–ii 3030 | [I repeated (and) checked the extispicy] and |
| Obverse Column ii [30:31] ii 1'1'–ii 1'1' | [I mustered the workmen of the gods Šamaš and Marduk — those who wield hoes, hold spade(s)], (and) carry [bas]ket(s). |
| Obverse Column ii [31:42] ii 2'2'–ii 12'12' | From the surface of the ground, they dug down eighteen cubits and I saw the original foundation(s) of Narām-Sîn, a king of the past, and (then) found tablet(s) of gold, lapis lazuli, and carnelian concerning the construction of Ebabbar. I did not alter their (original) place(s) and I returned (them) to their (proper) place(s). I firmly placed my (own) inscription(s) with them forever. |
| Obverse Column ii [42:45] ii 13'13'–ii 15'15' | I indeed firmly established its boundary marker(s precisely) on its original foundation(s), not (even) a fingerbreadth outside or inside (of them). |
| Obverse Column ii [45:47] ii 16'16'–ii 17'17' | I did not withhold anything needed to (re)build that temple, but had (all of those things) brought inside it. |
| Obverse Column ii [47:56] ii 18'18'– | (For the temple,) whose roof a king of the past had built with beam(s) of date palm(s), I carried strong cedars from Mount Lebanon, the bright forest, and indeed had 1,050 cedars for (re)building Ebabbar brought inside. |
| Obverse Column iii [5:9] iii 66–iii 99 | For its šīpu, I set bright cedars in place. At each gate and room, I securely fastened crossbeam(s), architrave(s), giškanakku(s), (and) sikkūru šāqilu lock(s) of bright cedar. |
| Obverse Column iii [9:13] iii 1010–iii 1313 | Just like when the god Šamaš, the supreme lord, rises up from the Cedar Mountain, I built a roof over it with strong cedar(s). |
| Obverse Column iii [13:15] iii 1414–iii 1515 | I made the scent of the place where he (Šamaš) resides as pleasing as a forest of ḫašūru-tree(s). |
| Obverse Column iii [15:20] iii 1616–iii 2020 | At each of its gates, I securely fastened doors of cedar and musukkannu-wood. (As for) <the temples> in the vicinity of Ebabbar, I built their roof(s) with (beams of) thick pine-tree(s). |
| Obverse Column iii [20:30] iii 2121–iii 3030 | So that anger, curse, (and) cultic mistake are not brought into existence inside it (nor) placed in the mouth(s) of the workmen executing its construction, but (instead) that blessing(s) of good fortune are placed in their mouths, I copiously supplied them with bread, beer, meat, and an abundance of wine, lavishly anointed their bod(ies) with (ritually-)pure oil, (and) had their heads drenched with a perfume of sweet-smelling oil. |
| Obverse Column iii [30:35] iii 3131–iii 3535 | [Jo]yously, I cheered up their heart(s). [...] their [h]earts and [...] ... [...] in his place [...] me. |
| Obverse Column iii [35:42] iii 3636–iii 4242 | [For the god Šamaš, the great lord, the one who] makes [my signs] favorable, I magnificently built for him [a temple — (one) that] n[one] of the king(s) among the king(s of the past) had built [like] me, (but as for) me, (the one that) I had (it) built well for the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya, my [lor]ds — and completed its construction. |
| Obverse Column iii [42:53] iii 4343–iii 5353 | O Šamaš, great lord of heaven and earth, when you enter this temple with pleasure (and) gladly occupy your pure, original residence, bless me, Nabonidus, the king who provides, with blessings of good fortune (and) grant me a long life (lit. “a life of long days”) so that I stay in good health for eternity. Give me dominion over the black-headed (people) so that I may shepherd all of them. |
| Obverse Column iii [53:55] iii 5454–iii 5555 | May the goddess Aya, your beloved spouse, say good thing(s) about me to you. |
| Obverse Column iii [55:58] iii 5656–iii 5858 | In (divine) pronouncement(s) and extispicy, whenever I raise up (my) hands to you, answer me unequivocally. Make my (good) deeds constantly find acceptance in the presence of the god Marduk, king of heaven and earth. |
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 AN-num u₃ {d}EN.LIL₂ | |
| 2 | ša URU ZIMBIR{ki} iq-bu-u₂ e-de-eš-su | |
| 3 | a-da-an-šu-num ki-i-ni ik-šu-dam | |
| 4 | a-na e-pe₂-eš e₂-babbar-ra {d}UTU be-el ra-bi₂-u₃ | |
| 5 | i-ih-su-sa šu-bat-sa re-eš-ti-tu₂ | |
| 6 | ša zi-qu₂-ra-at ge-gu-na-šu | |
| 7 | re-ši-šu e-li ša pa-ni ul-lu-u₃ | |
| 8 | lib-ba-šu-ni ha-di-iš ub-lam-ma | |
| 9 | {d}na-bi-um-na-ʾi-id LUGAL za-ni-nu | |
| 10 | mu-ṭi-ib lib-bi-šu-nu ib-bu-u₂ | |
| 11 | re-e₂-a-am ka-an-šu | |
| 12 | muš-te-⸢eʾ⸣-u₂ aš-ra-a-ti DINGIR.DINGIR GAL.GAL | |
| 13 | GIR₃.NITA₂ it-pe₂-šu | |
| 14 | ša a-na ṭe₃-em DINGIR.MEŠ pu-tuq-qu | |
| 15 | za-ni-in e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ e₂-zi-da | |
| 16 | mu-ud-di-iš eš-re-e-ti DINGIR.MEŠ u₃ EŠ₁₈.TAR₂ | |
| 17 | mu-ṭah-hi-id sa-at-tuk-ku | |
| 18 | mu-šar-ri-ih ni-id-be₂-e | |
| 19 | DUMU {m}{d}na-bi-um-ba-la-at-su-iq-bi | |
| 20 | ru-bu-u₂ e-em-qa₂ a-na-ku | |
| 21 | [i₃-nu-um {d}AMAR.UTU be-lu]-⸢ut KUR⸣-šu₂ i-qi₂-pa-⸢ni⸣ | |
| 22 | [...] {d}na-bi-um | |
| 23 | [... im]-ba-an-ni | |
| 1' | [...] hi-ṭi-ti₃ | |
| 2' | [...] x x su-pe-e-šu-un | |
| 3' | [...] x ⸢GAL⸣ qa₂-qa₂-da-a | |
| 4' | [x x šu-te]-mu-qa₂-ku₁₃-šu-nu-ti | |
| 5' | ⸢i⸣-nu-šu e₂-babbar-ra ki-iṣ-ṣi ra-aš₂-bu | |
| 6' | šu-ba-at {d}UTU u₃ {d}a-a | |
| 7' | ša i-na qe₂-re-eb ZIMBIR{ki} | |
| 8' | ša LUGAL ma-har i-pu-šu-ma ul-la-a re-e-ši-šu | |
| 9' | 45 MU.AN.NA.MEŠ la im-la-ma i-qu-pu i-ga-ru-šu | |
| 10' | ra-am-ku-ti₃ e₂-babbar-ra i-ta-mu-nim | |
| 11' | i-qu-pu E₂ | |
| 12' | qi₂-bi-it-su-nu la a-qi₂-ip-ma | |
| 13' | ra-ša₂-a-ku ni-qi₂-it-ti | |
| 14' | u₂-ma-ʾe-er-ma DUMU.MEŠ TIN.TIR{ki} u₃ bar₂-sipa{ki} | |
| 15' | em-qu-tu mu-de-e ši-ip-ri | |
| 16' | a-na qe₂-re-eb e₂-babbar-ra ⸢u₂-še⸣-rib-ma | |
| 17' | ip-pa-al-⸢su⸣-ma | |
| 18' | E₂ šu-a-ti i-ga-ru-šu qu-up-pu-ma | |
| 19' | pu-uṭ-ṭu-ru ri-ki-is KA₂.KA₂ | |
| ii | ||
| 1 | GIŠ.UR₃ ṣu₂-lu-li-šu šu-uh-hu-ṭu | |
| 2 | a-ṣu₂-u₂ qe₂-re-eb E₂ | |
| 3 | ip-pal-su-ma u₂-ša-am-lu-in-ni pu-lu-uh₃-tu₂ | |
| 4 | iš-tu E₂ šu-a-ti | |
| 5 | qa₂-at {d}UTU u₃ {d}a-a iṣ-ba-tu-ma | |
| 6 | i-na ki-iṣ-ṣi da-am-qu | |
| 7 | aš-ri šu-us-su-mu u₂-še-ši-bu | |
| 8 | a-ta-⸢mi⸣ [a]-⸢na⸣ ni-ši ma-a-ti | |
| 9 | mi-na-a i-ši-ir-šum-ma i-qu-up-ma | |
| 10 | an-ni-ta i-ta-mu-nim | |
| 11 | ul bu-ʾa-a a-šar-šu | |
| 12 | e-li šu-ub-ti-šu₂ kit-ti ul e-pu₂-uš-ma e-ni qa₂-qa₂-ar-šu | |
| 13 | {d}UTU be-el ra-bi₂-u₃ | |
| 14 | e-pe₂-eš e₂-babbar-ra u₂-qa-a re-eš-ka | |
| 15 | ši-pi₂-ir-šu bu-un-ni-i | |
| 16 | i-na aš-ri-šu ki-nim e-pe₂-eš-su | |
| 17 | u₂-ša-ad-gi-il pa-ni-ka | |
| 18 | a-na da-ke-e e₂-babbar-ra ŠA₃ pa-li-ih | |
| 19 | ra-ša₂-a-ku ni-qi₂-it-ti | |
| 20 | i-na ma-a-a-al mu-ši-im | |
| 21 | ul u₂-qa-at-ta-a ši-it-tim ṭa-ab-tim | |
| 22 | aš₂-ši qa-[ti-ia u₂-ṣa]-⸢al-la⸣-a | |
| 23 | {d}EN.LIL₂ ⸢DINGIR.MEŠ⸣ {d}AMAR.UTU | |
| 24 | [aš]-⸢šum⸣ e-⸢pe₂⸣-[eš] e₂-babbar-ra | |
| 25 | [aš-ra-a-ti {d]}UTU u₃ {d}IŠKUR | |
| 26 | [EN.MEŠ bi-ri] aš-te-e-ma | |
| 27 | [bi-ri ab-re-e-ma {d}UTU u₃] {d}IŠKUR | |
| 28 | [an-na ki-i-nu i-tap-pa]-⸢lu⸣-in | |
| 29 | [aš₂-ne₂-e-ma te-er-tum ap-qid]-⸢ma⸣ | |
| 30 | [...]-e | |
| 1' | ⸢za-bi-il⸣ [tu]-⸢up⸣-ši-ik-ku | |
| 2' | iš-tu pa-ni ⸢qa₂⸣-qa₂-ri-im | |
| 3' | 18 KUŠ₃ u₂-ša-ap-pi₂-lu-ma | |
| 4' | te-me-en la-bi-ri-im | |
| 5' | ša na-ra-am-{d}EN.ZU LUGAL ma-har | |
| 6' | ap-pa-li-is-ma | |
| 7' | ṭup-pi₂ KU₃.GI {na₄}ZA.GIN₃ u₃ {na₄}GUG | |
| 8' | ša e-pe₂-eš e₂-babbar-ra a-mu-ur-ma | |
| 9' | a-šar-šu-nu la u₂-na-ak-ki-ir-ma | |
| 10' | u₂-te-er aš-ru-uš-šu-<un> | |
| 11' | ši-ṭi-ir šu-mi-ia it-ti-šu-un | |
| 12' | u₂-ki-in a-na ṣa-a-ti | |
| 13' | e-li te-em-me₂-ni-šu₂ la-bi-ri | |
| 14' | ŠU.SI a-na la a-ṣe-e u₃ la e-re-bi | |
| 15' | pu-lu-uk-ka-šu lu-u₂ u₂-ki-in | |
| 16' | mi-im-ma hi-ši-ih-tum e-pe₂-eš E₂ šu-a-tu₂ | |
| 17' | la ak-la-am-ma u₂-še-ri-ib qe₂-re-eb-šu | |
| 18' | ša LUGAL ma-har i-na GIŠ.UR₃ {giš}GIŠIMMAR | |
| 19' | ib-nu-u₂ ṣu₂-lu-ul-šu | |
| 20' | {giš}EREN.MEŠ da-an-nu-ti | |
| iii | ||
| 1 | iš-tu la-ab-na-nu | |
| 2 | {giš}TIR el-le-ti | |
| 3 | u₂-bi-il-lam-ma | |
| 4 | 1 LIM 50 {giš}EREN.MEŠ a-na e-pe₂-eš e₂-babbar-ra | |
| 5 | lu-u₂ u₂-še-ri-ib | |
| 6 | a-na ši-i-pi₂-šu {giš}EREN.MEŠ KU₃.MEŠ aš-tak-ka-an | |
| 7 | {giš}DAL {giš}GAN.DU₇ giš-ka₂-na-ku | |
| 8 | {giš}SAG.KUL LAL₂ ša₂ {giš}EREN el-lu-tim | |
| 9 | e-ma KA₂.MEŠ u₃ E₂.MEŠ u₂-šar-ši-id | |
| 10 | ki-ma ša iš-tu KUR-i {giš}EREN | |
| 11 | {d}UTU EN šur-bu-u₂ i-na na-pa-hi-šu₂ | |
| 12 | i-na {giš}EREN da-an-nu-tu | |
| 13 | e-li-šu ṣu₂-lu-lu ab-ni | |
| 14 | a-šar mu-ša-bi-šu ki-ma {giš}TIR HA.ŠUR | |
| 15 | i-ri-iš-su uš-ṭi-ib | |
| 16 | {giš}⸢IG⸣.MEŠ {giš}EREN.MEŠ u₃ {giš}MES.MA₂.KAN.NA | |
| 17 | e-ma KA₂.MEŠ-šu u₂-šar-ši-id | |
| 18 | <E₂.MEŠ> si-hi-ir-ti e₂-babbar-ra | |
| 19 | i-na {giš}U₃.<SUH₅>.MEŠ pa-ag-lu-tim | |
| 20 | ṣu₂-lu-ul-ši-na ab-ni | |
| 21 | aš-šum ug-ga-tu₂ ar-ra-tim u₃ hi-ṭi-ti₃ | |
| 22 | qe₂-er-ba-šu la šu-ub-ši-i | |
| 23 | i-na pi-i um-ma-na-a-ti e-pe₂-eš šip-ri-šu₂ | |
| 24 | la ša-ka-nim-ma | |
| 25 | ik-ri-ib da-mi-iq-tim | |
| 26 | i-na pi-i-ši-na ša₂-ka-na-am | |
| 27 | NINDA.HI.A KAŠ.SAG UZU.HI.A u₃ GEŠTIN ṭu₃-uh₂-hu-du | |
| 28 | u₂-da-aš₂-ši-šu₂-nu-ti piš-ša₂-tu₂ I₃.GIŠ el-lu | |
| 29 | zu-mur-šu₂-un u₂-ṭah-hi-id nar-qi₂-ti I₃.GIŠ DUG₃.GA | |
| 30 | mu-uh-ha-šu-nu u₂-ša₂-aš₂-qi₂ | |
| 31 | [el]-⸢ṣi⸣-iš ⸢lib₃-ba-šu₂-nu⸣ uš-par-di | |
| 32 | [... li]-ib-ba-šu-nu-ma | |
| 33 | [...]-a-ri | |
| 34 | [...] aš-ru-uš-šu | |
| 35 | [...]-an-ni-ma | |
| 36 | [a-na {d}UTU EN GAL mu]-⸢dam⸣-mi-iq | |
| 37 | [it-ta-ti-ia E₂ ša₂] ma-[na-ma] ⸢LUGAL⸣ i-na LUGAL | |
| 38 | [ki-ma] ia-a-ti-ma la ib-nu-u₂ | |
| 39 | [ia-a-ti] a-na {d}UTU [u₃] {d}a-a | |
| 40 | [EN.MEŠ]-⸢e⸣-a dam-[qi₂-iš] e-pu₂-šu | |
| 41 | [ra]-⸢bi⸣-iš ab-ni-šu-ma | |
| 42 | u₂-ša-ak-li-il ši-pi₂-ir-šu | |
| 43 | {d}UTU EN GAL ša AN-e u₃ KI-tim | |
| 44 | a-na E₂ šu-a-ti | |
| 45 | ha-di-iš i-na e-re-bi-ka | |
| 46 | šu-bat-ka el-le-ti re-eš-ti-tu₂ | |
| 47 | ṭa-bi-iš i-na ra-me₂-e-ka | |
| 48 | a-na {d}AG-na-ʾi-id LUGAL za-ni-nu | |
| 49 | ik-ri-bi da-mi-iq-tu₂ ku-ur₂-ba | |
| 50 | šu-ur₂-ka-am-ma TIN UD.MEŠ ru-qu-tim | |
| 51 | lu-bu-ur₂ a-na da-ri₂-a-tim | |
| 52 | id-na be-lu-ti₃ ṣal-mat qa₂-qa₂-du | |
| 53 | lu-ur₂-a-am na-gab-šu-un | |
| 54 | {d}a-a hi-ir-ti na-ra-<am>-ta-ka | |
| 55 | li-ta-mi-ka da-mi-iq-ti₃ | |
| 56 | i-na di-nim u₃ bi-ri | |
| 57 | e-ma qa-ti a-na-aš₂-šu-ka | |
| 58 | i-ša-ri-iš ap-la-an-ni | |
| 59 | ma-ha-ar {d}AMAR.UTU LUGAL AN u₃ KI | |
| 60 | ka-a-a-na šu-um-gi-ra | |
| 61 | ep-še-tu-u₂-a | |
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.