Nabonidus 25 (Q005422)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Babylonian, Sippar · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE
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| Designation | Nabonidus 25 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q005422 |
| Collection | British Museum, London, 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 [0:16] i 1i 1–i 1616 | Nabonidus, king of Babylon, the one who pr[ovides for Esagi]l and Ezida, the attentive prince who constantly seeks out the sh[rin]es of the great gods, (the one who has) generously providing hands (and) whose mind is focused daily on revering the gods, (the one who has) a reverent heart that is constantly (and) greatly attentive to the word(s) of the god(s) and goddess(es), the humble (and) submissive one who shows reverence (and) constantly beseeches the gods and goddess(es), who takes hold of the hem of the gods to avoid cultic mistake(s) (and thereby) constantly strives after life, whose heart is reverent and honors the word(s) of the gods, who prays to the great gods in order to avoid deviating from the rite(s) of the gods, who checks (through expisticy) the circumstances of everything he does (or) strives to do, who serves the gods with supplication(s) and prayer(s), who prays wholeheartedly to the gods Bēl (Marduk) and the Son-of-Bēl (Nabû), whose neck is bent down to pull their chariot pole(s), who holds their names in high esteem, the one who shows reverence for the great gods, son of Nabû-balāssu-iqbi, wise prince, am I. |
| Obverse Column i [16:24] i 1717–i 2424 | When the god Marduk, the great lord, entrusted me (to) rule over his land, placed in my hands (the responsibility of) providing for the cult centers (and) renovating sanctuaries, I have never ceased provisioning Esagil and Ezida. I (constantly) send the best of everything into them, constantly bring them precious gifts, (and) copiously supply every lavish thing there is into their midst, together with the (normal) provisioning of Esagil, Ezida, and the sanctuaries of the great gods. |
| Obverse Column i [24:28] i 2525–i 2828 | (With regard to) Ebabbar, the temple of the god Šamaš that is inside Sippar, which a king of the past had built, but whose wall(s) had not been (properly) supported, that temple buckled and its superstructure was tottering. With regard to (re)building that temple, the great lord, the god Marduk, had waited for me. |
| Obverse Column i [28:33] i 2929–i 3333 | I removed its buckled walls, cleared away the rubble from its interior, and (then) dug down eighteen cubits into the earth. I saw the original foundation(s) of Narām-Sîn, a king of the past, and laid its brickwork (directly) on (its) original foundation(s). |
| Obverse Column i [33:37] i 3434–i 3737 | That which no king among the king(s of the past) had built since distant days (and which) no king of the past had built a temple for the god Šamaš so beautifully decorated, I magnificently (re)built Ebabbar for the god Šamaš, my lord. |
| Obverse Column i [37:40] i 3838–i 4040 | I did not withhold anything needed for Ebabbar, but had (all of those things) brought inside it. I had (beams of) strong cedars, thick pine-tree(s), (and) large musukkannu-tree(s) brought inside it. |
| Obverse Column i [40:47] i 4141–i 4747 | At that time, as for the god Šamaš, the great lord, the exalted judge of heaven and earth, the one who resides in Ebabbar that is inside Sippar, my lord — (as for) a crown of gold, the embodiment of his divinity that he wears on his head, that is adorned with (his) insignia, (and) that is beautifully decorated with zarinnu, that is securely attached every year, for which there is no replacement, no king who came before me had made a replacement for that crown. My heart was afraid (at the thought of) making a (new) crown of gold; I was ter[rifi]ed. |
| Obverse Column i [47:50] i 4848– | I gathered the citizens of Babylon and Bor[sippa], skilled men who have (sufficient) experience, and they said to me “Let it be made (exactly) as (it had been) in ancient times.” |
| Obverse Column ii [1:5] ii 22–ii 55 | I frequently visited the shrines of the gods Šamaš and Adad, the lords of divination, and the gods Šamaš and Adad repeatedly answered me ‘no’ in their extispicies regarding the making of a crown without zarinnu. I double checked and (they answered me) with a ‘no.’ I did (it) a third time and an unfavorable omen was placed in my extispicy. |
| Obverse Column ii [5:9] ii 66–ii 99 | I performed (an extispicy) again regarding the making of a crown without zarinnu and frequently visited the shrines of the gods Šamaš and Adad. (In response to) if it was pleasing to their divinity and to the god Marduk, the one who resides in Esagil, my lord, the gods Šamaš and Adad had a firm ‘yes’ placed in my extispicy: |
| Obverse Column ii [9:13] ii 1010–ii 1313 | If the ‘Station’ (mazzāzu) is long, (then) the days of the ruler will be long. If the ‘Path’ (padānu) reaches its ‘dwellings,’ (then) the way(s) of man are in harmony with the god (and) the god will give food to the man or increase (his) water. If the ‘Well-Being’ (šulmu) is present, (then) there is well-being of life. If the base of the Gall Bladder (martu) is firm on the right (and) torn out on the left, (then) the foundation of my army is firm (and) the foundation of (my) enemy is torn out. |
| Obverse Column ii [13:16] ii 1414–ii 1616 | If the left side of the Gall Bladder (martu) is split, (then) he will separate (his) enemy from his forces (and) the army of the ruler will enjoy a share (of the booty). If the ‘Finger’ (ubānu) <is intact>, (then) the lord of the sacrifice will prosper (and) his days will be long. If the ‘Increment’ (ṣibtu) is wide, (then) there will be happiness. If the ‘Upper Part’ (elītu) moves (and) ‘Foot’-Mark (šēpu) (indicating) abandonment. If (the same result, then) a man will prevail against his adversary in a legal decision. |
| Obverse Column ii [16:19] ii 1717–ii 1919 | If the base of the ‘Middle Finger’ (ubān ḫašî qablītu) of the lung is loose, (then) my troops will enjoy a share (of the booty). If the Coils of the Colon are fourteen (and) are on the favorable side of the exta, (then) conquest by my hand, the aims of my army will be achieved, (and my) troops (who) go on campaign will enjoy a share (of the booty). |
| Obverse Column ii [19:22] ii 2020–ii 2222 | I recognized the auspicious meaning of this omen on the first day and concerning what was pleasing to the god Marduk, my lord, I repeated (and) checked the extispicy. A favorable omen regarding the making of that crown (exactly) as (it had been) in ancient times was placed into my extispicy: |
| Obverse Column ii [22:26] ii 2323–ii 2626 | If the ‘Station’ (mazzāzu) is long, (then) the days of the ruler will be long. If the ‘Path’ (padānu) is two (in number) and they are placed on the right, (then) the gods will go at (my) side. If the ‘Well-Being’ (šulmu) is doubled, (then there will be) firm foundation(s and) peaceful abode(s in the land). If the ‘Path’ (padānu) on the right side of the Gall Bladder (martu) is obliterated, (but) the Gall Bladder is (nonetheless) there, (then) your army will reach its destination (and) turn safely. |
| Obverse Column ii [26:29] ii 2727–ii 2929 | If the Gall Bladder (martu) is long, (then) the days of the ruler will be long. If the left side of the Gall Bladder is bound (and) ‘Foot’-Mark (šēpu) of the (magical) constraint of the enemy. If there is a ‘Weapon’-Mark (kakku) placed in the middle of the back of the ‘Middle Finger’ (ubānu qablītu) and it faces downwards, (then) the weapon of the goddess Ištar is my helper (and) the onslaught of the enemy will be repelled; alternatively, the name of the weapon is “my thruster.” |
| Obverse Column ii [29:31] ii 3030–ii 3131 | If the ‘Upper Part’ (elītu) crosses over the back of the right lung and the breast-bone is pierced in its middle, (then) there is a deceiver (in) the army of the enemy (and) its main body will fall. If <the ‘Cap’> (kubšu) rides on the exterior part, (then) there will be divine protection over man (and) an angry god will become reconciled with the man (with whom he is angry). |
| Obverse Column ii [31:38] ii 3232–ii 3838 | I saw this extispicy and (immediately) trusted in the word(s) of the gods Šamaš and Adad, the lords of divination. Then, through the craft of the deities Kusibanda and Ninzadim, I created anew the crown of gold (exactly) as (it had been) in ancient times with zarinnu in (which) alabaster and ḫusīgu-stone have been set (and) perfected with precious stones. I made (it) shine like daylight and firmly placed (it) in the presence of the god Šamaš, my lord. |
| Obverse Column ii [38:43] ii 3939–ii 4343 | O Šamaš, great lord, look with pleasure upon everything that I have done and grant me, Nabonidus, the king who provides for you, a long life (lit. “a life of long days”) (and) the attainment of very old age. |
| Obverse Column ii [43:47] ii 4444–ii 4747 | Annually, may I have the wealth of the four quarters (of the world), the abundance of the sea(s), (and) the yield of the mountain(s) and of all lands brought into Esagil, the palace of heaven and earth. |
| Obverse Column ii [47:49] ii 4848–ii 4949 | May I be the king who provides for (and) renovates the sanctuaries of the great gods forever. |
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 | {d}AG-na-ʾi-id LUGAL TIN.TIR{ki} za-[nin e₂-sag]-⸢il₂⸣ u₃ e₂-zi-da | |
| 2 | NUN na-a-du mu-uš-te-eʾ-u₂ ⸢aš⸣-[ra]-⸢a⸣-ti DINGIR GAL.GAL | |
| 3 | i-dan za-ni-na-tu₂ ša₂ u₄-mi-ša₂-am ⸢a-na⸣ pa-lah₃ DINGIR.MEŠ ba-ša₂-a GEŠTU.II-šu₂ | |
| 4 | lib-ba pa-al-hu ša a-na a-⸢mat⸣ DINGIR u₃ EŠ₁₈.TAR₂ ra-bi-iš pu-tuq-qu₂ | |
| 5 | aš₂-ru ka-an-šu ⸢ša⸣ ra-šu-u₂ pu-lu-uh₂-tim | |
| 6 | a-na DINGIR.MEŠ u₃ {d}EŠ₁₈.⸢TAR₂⸣ gi-na-a u₂-sa-ap-pu-u₂ | |
| 7 | a-na la ra-še-⸢e⸣ hi-ṭi-ti₃ | |
| 8 | ṣa-ab-tu si-is-si-⸢ik-ti⸣ DINGIR.MEŠ iš-te-ne₂-eʾ-u₂ ba-la-ṭi | |
| 9 | lib-bu-uš pa-al-hu-⸢ma⸣ a-mat DINGIR.MEŠ na-aṣ-ru | |
| 10 | aš-šum i-na pa-ra-aṣ DINGIR.MEŠ ⸢la⸣ ša₂-la-ṭi u₂-sal-lu-u₂ DINGIR GAL.GAL | |
| 11 | mim-mu-u₂ ip-pu-šu iš-te-ne₂-⸢eʾ-u₂⸣ ar-ka-at-su hi-i-ṭa | |
| 12 | a-na su-pe-e u₃ te-mi-qi₂ ar-⸢ki DINGIR⸣.MEŠ re-du-u₂ | |
| 13 | in lib₃-bi-šu ga-am-ru u₂-sal-lu-u₂ {d}EN u₃ DUMU {d}EN | |
| 14 | a-na ša₂-a-ṭi se-er-de-e-šu-nu ku-un-nu-šu ki-šad-su | |
| 15 | a-na šu-mi-šu-nu šu-qu-ru pa-al-hu DINGIR.DINGIR GAL.GAL | |
| 16 | DUMU {m}{d}AG-TIN-su-iq-bi NUN em-qa a-na-ku | |
| 17 | e-nu-ma {d}AMAR.UTU EN GAL be-lu-ut KUR-šu₂ i-qi₂-pa-an-ni | |
| 18 | za-na-nu-ut ma-ha-za ud-du-šu eš-re-e-ti u₂-mal₂-lu-u₂ qa-tu-u₂-a | |
| 19 | a-na zi-in-na-a-ti e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ e₂-zi-da | |
| 20 | ul ap-pa-ra-ak-ka-a ka-a-a-na | |
| 21 | re-eš mim-ma-a-a dam-qa₂ u₂-še-er-reb qe₂-reb-šu-un | |
| 22 | i-gi-se-e šu-qu-ru-ti at-ta-nab-bal-šu₂-nu-ši | |
| 23 | mim-ma šum-šu ṭu₃-uh-hu-du u₂-da-aš-ši i-na qe₂-er-bi-šu-un | |
| 24 | it-ti zi-in-na-a-ti e₂-sag-il₂ e₂-zi-da | |
| 25 | u₃ eš-re-e-ti DINGIR GAL.GAL e₂-babbar-ra E₂ {d}UTU ša₂ qe₂-reb ZIMBIR{ki} | |
| 26 | ša LUGAL mah-ri i-⸢pu₂⸣-šu-ma la in-nen-du i-ga-ru-šu | |
| 27 | E₂ šu-a-ti i-qu-up-ma it-ru-ra re-e-ša₂-a-šu | |
| 28 | aš-šum E₂ šu-a-ti e-pe-šu EN GAL {d}AMAR.UTU u₂-qa₂-a-an-ni | |
| 29 | i-ga-ru-šu qa₂-a-a-pu₂-tim ad-ke | |
| 30 | e-pe-ri qer-bi-šu as-su-uh-ma 18 KUŠ₃ qaq-qar u₂-ša₂-ap-pil | |
| 31 | te-em-me₂-en-na la-bi-ru ša na-ra-am-{d}30 | |
| 32 | LUGAL ma-ah-ri ap-pa-li-is-ma | |
| 33 | e-li te-me-en-na la-bi-ru ad-da-a SIG₄-su | |
| 34 | ša iš-tu UD.MEŠ ṣa-a-ti LUGAL i-na LUGAL la ib-nu-u₂ | |
| 35 | ma-na-ma i-na LUGAL ma-ah-ri E₂ ša ki-a-am | |
| 36 | bu-un-nu-u₂ a-na {d}UTU la i-pu₂-šu | |
| 37 | e₂-babbar-ra a-na {d}UTU be-li₂-ia ra-bi-iš e-pu₂-uš | |
| 38 | mim-ma hi-ši-ih-ti e₂-babbar-ra la ak-la-am-ma u₂-še-rib qe₂-reb-šu | |
| 39 | {giš}EREN.MEŠ da-nu₄-tim {giš}U₃.SUH₅.MEŠ pa-ag-lu-ti | |
| 40 | {giš}MES.MA₂.KAN.NA GAL.MEŠ qer-ba-šu u₂-še-ri-ib | |
| 41 | i₃-nu-šu ša {d}UTU EN GAL DI.KU₅ ṣi-rim ša AN-e u₃ KI-tim | |
| 42 | a-ši-ib e₂-babbar-ra ša qe₂-reb ZIMBIR{ki} EN-ia | |
| 43 | AGA KU₃.GI si-mat i-lu-ti-šu ša ap-ru ra-šu-uš-šu | |
| 44 | ti-iq-nu tu-uq-qu₃-nu bu-un-nu-u₂ za-ri-nu | |
| 45 | šat-ti-ša-am-ma šu-ur₂-šu-du la i-ba-aš-šu-u₂ te-na-a-šu | |
| 46 | ma-na-ma LUGAL a-lik mah-ri-ia te-ne₂-e AGA šu-a-ti ⸢la i-pu₂-šu₂⸣ | |
| 47 | a-na e-peš AGA KU₃.GI ŠA₃ pa-li-ih ra-ša-ku ⸢pu⸣-[lu-uh₂]-⸢ti⸣ | |
| 48 | u₂-pa-ah-hi-ir-ma DUMU.MEŠ TIN.TIR{ki} u₃ ⸢bar₂⸣-[sipa]{ki} | |
| ii | ||
| 1 | en-qu-ti ra-aš₂ ṭe₃-mi ki-ma la-bi-ri-im-ma li-in-ne₂-pu-uš iq-bu-ni | |
| 2 | aš-ra-a-ti {d}UTU u₃ {d}IŠKUR EN.MEŠ bi-ri aš-te-eʾ-e-ma | |
| 3 | ša e-peš AGA ša la za-ri-ni {d}UTU u₃ {d}IŠKUR | |
| 4 | i-na te-er-ti-šu-nu ul-li i-tap-pa-lu-in-ni | |
| 5 | ap-qid-ma ul-li u₂-šal-liš-ma UZU lum-nu iš-šak-na in ter-ti-ia | |
| 6 | aš₂-ni-ma aš-šum e-peš AGA ša la za-ri-ni aš-ra-a-ti {d}UTU | |
| 7 | u₃ {d}IŠKUR aš-te-eʾ-e-ma šum-ma ša e-li i-lu-ti-šu-nu ṭa-a-bu | |
| 8 | u₃ e-li {d}AMAR.UTU a-šib e₂-sag-il₂ EN-ia | |
| 9 | {d}UTU u₃ {d}IŠKUR an-na ki-nu u₂-ša₂-aš-ki-nu in ter-ti-ia | |
| 10 | BE NA GID₂.DA UD.MEŠ NUN GID₂.MEŠ BE GIR₂ KI.TUŠ.MEŠ-šu₂ ka-šid | |
| 11 | ki-bi-is GIR₃ LU₂ KI DINGIR šu-⸢šur⸣ DINGIR ana LU₂ NINDA SUM u₂-lu me-e uṣ-ṣab | |
| 12 | BE SILIM GAR SILIM ZI-tim BE ZI₂ SUHUŠ.MEŠ-šu₂ 15 GI 2.30 ZI | |
| 13 | SUHUŠ ERIM-ia₅ GI SUHUŠ ERIM KUR₂ ZI | |
| 14 | BE 2.30 ZI₂ ša₂-ti-iq KUR₂ ILLAT-su i-šal-liṭ-su ERIM NUN HA.LA GU₇ | |
| 15 | BE ŠU.SI <ša₂-lim> EN SISKUR₂ i-šal-lim UD.MEŠ-šu₂ GID₂.MEŠ BE MAŠ₂ DAGAL DUG₃-ub ŠA₃ | |
| 16 | BE AN.TA DU GIR₃ uš-šur-ti šum-ma LU₂ in di-ni UGU ga-ri-šu₂ GUB-az | |
| 17 | BE ŠU.SI MUR MURUB₄ SUHUŠ-su uš-šur ERIM-ni HA.LA GU₇ | |
| 18 | BE ŠA₃.NIGIN 14 ina SILIM-tim ki-šit-ti ŠU.II-ia₅ ŠA₃.SE₃.SE₃.KE ERIM-ia₅ KUR.MEŠ | |
| 19 | ERIM-ni ina KASKAL DU-ku HA.LA GU₇ | |
| 20 | du-um-qu te-er-ti an-ni-ti u₄-mi mah-ra-a a-mur-ma | |
| 21 | aš-šum ša e-li {d}AMAR.UTU EN-ia ṭa-bu aš₂-ne₂-e ter-ti ap-qid | |
| 22 | UZU SIG₅ ša₂ e-peš AGA šu-a-ti ki-ma la-bi-ri-im-ma | |
| 23 | iš-šak-na in te-er-ti-ia BE NA GID₂.DA UD.MEŠ NUN GID₂.MEŠ | |
| 24 | BE GIR₂ 2-ma ina 15 GAR.MEŠ DINGIR.MEŠ ina A₂ DU.MEŠ | |
| 25 | BE SILIM uš-te-eš-ni SUHUŠ GI.MEŠ KI.TUŠ ne₂-eh-tim | |
| 26 | BE GIR₂ 15 ZI₂ pa-šiṭ ZI₂ GAR ERIM-ka SAG A.ŠA₃-šu₂ KUR-ad SILIM-su GUR-ra | |
| 27 | BE ZI₂ GID₂.DA UD.MEŠ NUN GID₂.MEŠ | |
| 28 | BE 2.30 ZI₂ ṣa-mi-id GIR₃ ka-sa-at KUR₂ | |
| 29 | BE ina MURUB₄ EDIN ŠU.SI MURUB₄-i {giš}TUKUL GAR-ma KI.TA IGI {giš}TUKUL {d}15 A₂.TAH-ia₅ ZI KUR₂ suh-hur ša₂-niš {giš}TUKUL de-e-pi MU-šu₂ | |
| 30 | BE AN.TA EDIN MUR 15 i-bir u₃ ka-as-ka-su ina MURUB₄-šu₂ pa-liš mu-sar-ri-ir ERIM KUR₂ ina DUGUD-šu₂ ŠUB-ut | |
| 31 | BE <SAGŠU> UGU ki-di-tum ir-kab GIŠ.MI DINGIR UGU LU₂ GAL₂ DINGIR ze-nu-u₂ KI LU₂ SILIM-im | |
| 32 | ter-ti šu-a-ti ap-pa-lis-ma a-na a-mat {d}UTU | |
| 33 | u₃ {d}IŠKUR EN.MEŠ bi-ri at-kal-ma | |
| 34 | AGA KU₃.GI ki-ma la-bi-ri-im-ma ša₂ za-ri-ni in {na₄}GIŠ.NU₁₁.GAL | |
| 35 | u₃ {na₄}UGU.AŠ.GI₃.GI₃ šu-šu-bu in NA₄.MEŠ ni-siq-tim šuk-lu-lu | |
| 36 | in ši-pir {d}ku₃-si₂₂-ban₃-da u {d}nin-za-dim₂ eš-ši-iš ab-ni | |
| 37 | u₄-mi-iš u₂-na-am-mi-ir-ma | |
| 38 | ma-ha-ar {d}UTU be-li₂-ia u₂-ki-in | |
| 39 | {d}UTU EN GAL mim-mu-u₂ e-te-ep-pu-šu | |
| 40 | ha-di-iš na-ap-li-is-ma | |
| 41 | a-na ia-ti {d}AG-na-ʾi-id LUGAL za-ni-ni-ka | |
| 42 | ba-la-ṭa₄ UD.MEŠ GID₂.DA.MEŠ še-be₂-e lit-tu-tu | |
| 43 | a-na še-ri-ik-tim šu-ur₂-kam | |
| 44 | i-pa-at ki-ib-ra-at er-be₂-et-tim | |
| 45 | nu-hu-uš ta-ma-a-ti hi-ṣi-ib ša-di-i | |
| 46 | u₃ ma-ti-ta-an ša-ti-ša-am-ma | |
| 47 | a-na e₂-sag-il₂ E₂.GAL AN-e u₃ KI-tim lu-še-⸢rib⸣ | |
| 48 | a-na-ku lu LUGAL za-ni-nu mu-ud-di-iš [(x)] | |
| 49 | eš-re-e-ti DINGIR.DINGIR GAL.GAL a-na da-ri₂-a-ti | |
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.