Nabonidus 34 (Q005431)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Babylonian, Ur · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE
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| Designation | Nabonidus 34 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q005431 |
| Collection | Yale Babylonian Collection, New Haven, Connecticut, USA |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Babylonian · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE |
| Genre | Royal Inscription |
| Find spot | Ur |
| Coordinates | 30.9616, 46.1047 |
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 [0:3] i 1i 1–i 33 | When the god Nannāru desired an ēntu-priestess, the son of the prince (the god Marduk) revealed his sign to the world (and) the god Namra-Ṣīt made his firm decision manifest. |
| Obverse Column i [3:7] i 44–i 77 | The god Nannāru, the lord of the crown who bears portent(s) for settlements, made his sign regarding (his) desire for an ēntu-priestess known to Nabonidus, king of Babylon, the one who provides for Esagil and Ezida, the reverent shepherd who constantly seeks out the shrines of the great gods. |
| Obverse Column i [7:10] i 88–i 1010 | “The Fruit” (the god Sîn) became eclipsed in the month Ulūlu (VI), (on) the thirteenth day (of) the month of “the work of the goddesses” and set while he was eclipsed. “The god Sîn desired an ēntu-priestess,” such was his sign and his decision. |
| Obverse Column i [10:13] i 1111–i 1313 | I, Nabonidus, the shepherd who reveres his divinity, was frightened by his firm command. I was attentive, but was worried about (his) desire for an ēntu-priestess. |
| Obverse Column i [13:17] i 1414–i 1717 | I frequently visited the shrines of the gods Šamaš and Adad, the lords of divination, and the gods Šamaš and Adad answered me with a firm ‘yes.’ In my divination, they wrote out an auspicious omen, an omen indicating the desire for nadītu-priestesses, the desire of the gods to a man. |
| Obverse Column i [17:18] i 1818–i 1818 | I repeated and checked the extispicy and they answered me with an omen more auspicious than the previous one. |
| Obverse Column i [18:19] i 1919–i 1919 | I performed an extispicy (to ask) about (the suitability of) a daughter from my extended family, but they answered me ‘no.’ |
| Obverse Column i [19:21] i 2020–i 2121 | I performed an extispicy a third time (to ask) about (the suitability of my) daughter, my own offspring, and they answered me (this time) with an auspicious omen. |
| Obverse Column i [21:25] i 2222–i 2525 | I was attentive towards the word of the god Sîn, the supreme lord, the god who created me, (and) the command(s) of the gods Šamaš and Adad, the lords of divination, and 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. |
| Obverse Column i [25:27] i 2626–i 2727 | Because the rite(s) of the ēntu-priestess had been forgotten since distant days and its (the Egipar’s) structure was no (longer) known, I deliberated (these matters) daily. |
| Obverse Column i [27:33] i 2828–i 3333 | The appointed time arrived and the gates were opened for me: I discovered an ancient foundation inscription of Nebuchadnezzar (I), son of Ninurta-nādin-šumi, a previous, former king, that had an image of an ēntu-priestess depicted on it, whose appurtenances, attire, and insignia he had also written down, and (that) he had had brought into Egipar. |
| Obverse Column i [33:35] i 3434–i 3535 | I carefully inspected the ancient tablets and writing boards and made (it) as (it had been) in ancient times. |
| Obverse Column i [35:38] i 3636–i 3838 | I created anew a foundation inscription (recording) her appurtenances and the utensils of her house, wrote down (this information) on it, and firmly established (it) before the god Sîn and the goddess Ningal, my lords. |
| Obverse Column i [38:41] i 3939–i 4141 | At that time, (with regard to) Egipar, the pure cella, the site wherein the rite(s) of the ēntu-priestess are performed to perfection, its site was in ruins and had turned into rubble. Date palms and fruit orchards were growing inside it. |
| Obverse Column i [41:43] i 4242–i 4343 | I cut down the trees and cleared away the rubble from its ruin(s). I (then) discovered (that) temple and (clearly) identified its foundation(s). |
| Obverse Column i [43:50] i 4444– | I discovered inside it inscription(s) of ancient kings of the past. I (also) discovered an ancient inscribed object of Enanedu, ēntu-priestess of Ur, daughter of Kudur-mabuk, sister of Rīm-Sîn, king of Ur, who had renewed Egipar and restored it (“lit. “returned (it) to place”), (and who) surrounded the burial ground of the ancient ēntu-priestesses near the boundary of Egipar with a wall. Then, I built Egipar anew as (it had been) in ancient times. |
| Obverse Column ii [5:7] ii 66–ii 77 | I built its daises and ground plans anew as (they had been) in ancient times. Near the boundary of Egipar I built anew the house of En-nigaldi-Nanna, my daughter, the ēntu-priestess of the god Sîn. |
| Obverse Column ii [7:9] ii 88–ii 99 | I purified (my) daughter and (then) dedicated (her) to the god Sîn and the goddess Ningal. I purified it with an exorcistic ritual and had (her) enter into Egipar. |
| Obverse Column ii [9:11] ii 1010–ii 1111 | I made the sattukku-offering(s) of Egipar abundant. I copiously supplied it with fields, orchards, domestic staff, cattle, and sheep and goats. |
| Obverse Column ii [11:14] ii 1212–ii 1414 | As (it had been) in the (distant) past, I surrounded the burial ground of the ancient ēntu-priestesses anew with a wall. (As for) that temple, I established it as a strong fortress. |
| Obverse Column ii [14:19] ii 1515–ii 1919 | At that time, with regard to the god Sîn and the goddess Ningal, my lords, I made their sattukku-offerings more abundant than (they were) in the past. I made everything there is copious in Ekišnugal. Per day, I indeed established for the god Sîn and the goddess Ningal, my lords, three sheep above the original ginû-offering of a (single) sheep. I made possessions (and) property copious inside Ekišnugal. |
| Obverse Column ii [19:28] ii 2020–ii 2828 | In order to keep the bursaggû-offerings pure and to avoid cultic mistake(s), I released the ramku-priests of Ekišnugal and the temples of the (other) gods (at Ur), (as well as) the ēnu-priest, the purification priest, the zabarbaddu-official, the brewer, the cook, the miller, the rab-banî-official, the builder, the courtyard sweeper, the head doorkeeper, the tīru-official of the house, the lagaru-priest who performs the taqribtu-ritual, the singers who please the heart(s) of the gods, the lower-ranking priesthood who are named (here) by their title(s), from their corvée labor and established their freedom from service obligations. I cleared them (of legal claims) and set them free for the god Sîn and the goddess Ningal, my lords. |
| Obverse Column ii [28:32] ii 2929–ii 3232 | May the god Sîn, the bright god, the lord of the crown, the light of the people, the supreme god who(se) command is firm, be happy with my deeds so that he loves my royal majesty. May he grant me a long life (and) the attainment of very old age. |
| Obverse Column ii [32:33] ii 3333–ii 3333 | May he not bring a rival into existence for me (so that) I do not have opponents. |
| Obverse Column ii [33:36] ii 3434–ii 3636 | Each month, may he make signs of my well-being manifest. May he firmly establish on my head the crown of my royal majesty forever. Make the throne of my lordly person secure in the days to come. |
| Obverse Column ii [36:38] ii 3737–ii 3838 | Every month, when you renew yourself, may I always behold your auspicious sign(s). |
| Obverse Column ii [38:39] ii 3939–ii 3939 | May the goddess Ningal, the supreme lady, say good things about me in your presence. |
| Obverse Column ii [39:43] ii 4040–ii 4343 | May En-nigaldi-Nanna, the beloved daughter of my heart, remain in good health in your presence and may her command(s) be firm. May her deeds be pleasing to you (and) may she avoid cultic mistake(s). |
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 {d}ŠEŠ.KI-ri i-ri-šu NIN.DINGIR.RA | |
| 2 | DUMU ru-be₂-e gi-is-ki-im-ma-šu u₂-kal-li-im ad-na-a-tim | |
| 3 | {d}nam-ra-ṣi-it u₂-ša-pi pu-ru-us-sa-šu ki-i-nu | |
| 4 | a-na {d}na-bi-um-na-ʾi-id LUGAL TIN.TIR{ki} za-ni-in e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ e₂-zi-da | |
| 5 | re-e₂-a-am pa-al-hu mu-uš-te-eʾ-u₂ aš-ra-a-ti DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ | |
| 6 | {d}ŠEŠ.KI-ri EN a-gi-i na-aš₂ ṣa-ad-du a-na da-ad-mi | |
| 7 | u₂-ad-di it-ta-šu aš-šum e-re-eš NIN.DINGIR.RA | |
| 8 | i-na {iti}KIN-{d}INANNA UD.13.KAM ITI ši-pi₂-ir {d}IŠ.TAR.MEŠ | |
| 9 | {d}in-bi in-na-di-ir-ma i-na na-aʾ-du-ri-šu ir-bi | |
| 10 | {d}EN.ZU NIN.DINGIR.RA i-ri-iš ki-a-am it-ta-šu u₃ pu-ru-us-su-šu₂ | |
| 11 | a-na-ku {m}{d}na-bi-um-na-ʾi-id re-e₂-a-am pa-li-ih i-lu-ti-šu₂ | |
| 12 | qi₂-bi-it-su ki-it-tim ap-la-ah at-ta-ʾi-id-ma | |
| 13 | aš-šum e-re-eš NIN.DINGIR.RA ⸢ra-ša-ku ni-qi₂-it⸣-ti₃ | |
| 14 | aš-ra-a-ti {d}UTU u₃ {d}IŠKUR EN.MEŠ bi-ri aš-te-eʾ-e-ma | |
| 15 | {d}UTU u₃ {d}IŠKUR an-na ki-i-nu i-tap-pa-lu-in-ni | |
| 16 | i-na bi-ri-ia iš-ṭu-ru UZU da-mi-iq-tum | |
| 17 | UZU e-ri-iš-ti na-da-a-ti e-ri-iš-ti DINGIR.MEŠ a-na LU₂ | |
| 18 | aš₂-ni-ma te-er-tum ap-qi₂-id-ma UZU SIG₅ e-li ša₂ mah-ri i-tap-pa-lu-ni | |
| 19 | aš₂-šu₂ DUMU.MUNUS.MEŠ ki-im-ti-ia te-er-tum e-pu₂-uš-ma ul-la i-tap-pa-lu-ni | |
| 20 | aš₂-lu-uš-ma aš₂-šu₂ DUMU.MUNUS ṣi-it lib-bi-ia | |
| 21 | te-er-tum e-pu₂-uš-ma UZU SIG₅ i-tap-pa-lu-in-ni | |
| 22 | a-ma-at {d}EN.ZU EN šu-ur-bu-u₂ DINGIR ba-a-ni-ia | |
| 23 | qi₂-bi-it {d}UTU u₃ {d}IŠKUR EN.MEŠ bi-ri at-ta-ʾi-id-ma | |
| 24 | DUMU.MUNUS ṣi-it lib-bi-ia a-na e-nu-ti aš₂-ši-ma | |
| 25 | en-nig₂-al-di-{d}nanna šu-um-ša₂ am-bi | |
| 26 | aš₂-šu₂ iš-tu UD.MEŠ ru-qu-tim pa-ra-aṣ en-ti ma-šu-u₂-ma | |
| 27 | la ud-du-u₂ ši-ki-in-šu u₄-mi-ša-am uš-ta-ad-da-an | |
| 28 | a-da-an-nu ik-šu-da-am-ma up-ta-at-ta-a-ni KA₂.MEŠ | |
| 29 | ap-pa-li-is-ma {na₄}NA.RU₂.A la-bi-ri ša {d}na-bi-um-ku-dur₂-ri-u₂-ṣur | |
| 30 | DUMU {m}{d}nin-urta-na-din-šu-mi LUGAL pa-na ma-ah-ra-a | |
| 31 | ša ṣa-lam NIN.DINGIR.RA ba-aš₂-mu ṣe-ru-uš-šu | |
| 32 | si-ma-a-ti-šu lu-ub-uš-ta-šu u₃ ti-iq-ni-šu | |
| 33 | it-ti-i iš-ṭu-ru-ma a-na e₂-gi₆-par₃ u₂-še-ri-bu | |
| 34 | ṭup-pa-nu u₃ {giš}LE.U₅.UM.MEŠ LIBIR.RA.MEŠ at-ta-aṭ-ṭa-al-ma | |
| 35 | ki-ma la-bi-ri-im-ma e-pu₂-uš | |
| 36 | {na₄}NA.RU₂.A si-ma-ti-šu u₃ u₂-na-a-at E₂-šu | |
| 37 | e-eš-ši-iš ab-ni ṣe-ru-uš-šu aš₂-ṭu-ur-ma | |
| 38 | ma-ha-ar {d}EN.ZU u₃ {d}nin-gal EN.MEŠ-e-a u₂-ki-in | |
| 39 | i-nu-šu e₂-gi₆-par₃ ku-um-mi el-lu a-šar pa-ra-aṣ e-nu-tim uš-tak-la-lu qe₂-re-eb-šu | |
| 40 | a-šar-šu na-di-ma e-mi kar-mi-iš | |
| 41 | {giš}a-la-mi-it-ti₃ in-bi ṣi-ip-pa-a-tim a-ṣu-u₂ qer-bu-uš-šu | |
| 42 | ak-ši-iṭ-ma iṣ-ṣi e-pe-ri ka-ar-mi-šu as-su-uh | |
| 43 | E₂ ap-pa-li-is-ma ud-da-a te-me-en-šu | |
| 44 | ši-ṭi-ir šu-mi ša LUGAL.MEŠ mah-ri la-bi-ru-tim ap-pa-li-is qer-bu-uš-šu₂ | |
| ii | ||
| 1 | MU.SAR-u₂ la-bi-ri ša₂ en-an-e-du₇ NIN.DINGIR.RA uri₂{ki} | |
| 2 | DUMU.MUNUS ku-du-ur-ma-bu-uk a-ha-at ri-im-{d}EN.ZU LUGAL uri₂{ki} | |
| 3 | ša e₂-gi₆-par₃ uš-ši-šu-ma a-na aš₂-ri-šu u₂-te-er-ru | |
| 4 | a-na i-te-e e₂-gi₆-par₃ BAD₃ e-li ma-a-a-al NIN.DINGIR.RA.MEŠ LIBIR.RA.MEŠ il-mu-u₂ | |
| 5 | ap-pa-li-is-ma e₂-gi₆-par₃ ki-ma la-bi-ri-im-ma e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš | |
| 6 | BARA₂.MEŠ-šu u₃ GIŠ.HUR.MEŠ-šu ki-ma la-bi-ri-im-ma e-eš-ši-iš ab-ni | |
| 7 | a-na i-te-e e₂-gi₆-par₃ E₂ en-nig₂-al-di-{d}nanna DUMU.MUNUS-ia NIN.DINGIR.RA {d}30 e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš | |
| 8 | DUMU.MUNUS ul-li-il-ma a-na {d}30 u₃ {d}nin-gal EN.MEŠ-e-a aš₂-ru-uk | |
| 9 | i-na ši-pi₂-ir ka-ku₃-gal₂-u₂-tim i-ši-ip-pu-ut-su e-pu₂-uš-ma a-na e₂-gi₆-par₃ u₂-še-ri-ib | |
| 10 | sa-at-tuk-ki e₂-gi₆-par₃ u₂-ṭa-ah-hi-id | |
| 11 | A.ŠA₃.MEŠ {giš}KIRI₆.MEŠ SAG.GEME₂.ARAD AB₂.GU₄.HI.A u₃ US₅.UDU.HI.A u₂-da-aš-ši-šu | |
| 12 | BAD₃ ma-a-a-al NIN.DINGIR.RA.MEŠ LIBIR.RA.MEŠ | |
| 13 | ⸢ki-ma la-bi-ri⸣-im-ma e-eš-ši-iš al-mi | |
| 14 | E₂ šu-a-ti a-na ma-aṣ-ṣa-ar-tim dan-na-tim aš-ku-un-šu | |
| 15 | i₃-nu-šu ša {d}EN.ZU u₃ {d}nin-gal EN.MEŠ-e-a | |
| 16 | sa-at-tuk-ki-šu-nu e-li ša pa-na u₂-ṭa-ah-hi-id | |
| 17 | mi-im-ma šum-šu in e₂-kiš-nu-gal₂ u₂-da-aš-ši | |
| 18 | ša u₄-mi 3 UDU.NITA₂ e-le-⸢en⸣ UDU.NITA₂ gi-na-a la-bi-ri a-na {d}30 u₃ {d}nin-gal EN-e-a lu u₂-ki-in | |
| 19 | bu-ša-a ma-ak-ku-ru qe₂-re-eb e₂-kiš-nu-gal₂ u₂-da-aš-ši | |
| 20 | aš-šum bur-sag-ge-e ul-lu-li-im-ma hi-ṭi-ti la ra-še-e | |
| 21 | ra-am-ku-ut e₂-kiš-nu-gal₂ u₃ E₂.MEŠ DINGIR.MEŠ | |
| 22 | e-nu i-šip-pi₂ ZABAR.DAB.BA {lu₂}KUL.LUM {lu₂}en-gi-su | |
| 23 | {lu₂}a-ri-ru {lu₂}GAL-DU₃ {lu₂}GAL-DU₃ {lu₂}ŠITIM {lu₂}KISAL.LUH-ha I₃.DU₈.GAL-lum | |
| 24 | {lu₂}ti-ir E₂ {lu₂}la-ga-ru ša₂-ki-nu taq-ri-ib-ti | |
| 25 | {lu₂}NAR.MEŠ mu-ha-ad-du-u₂ lib₃-bi DINGIR.MEŠ | |
| 26 | {lu₂}ki-ni-iš-tum šu-ut na-bu-u₂ šu-ma-an-šu-un | |
| 27 | i-li-ik-šu-nu ap-ṭu-ur-ma ŠU.BAR.RA-šu-nu ⸢aš⸣-ku-un ub-bi-⸢ib-šu⸣-nu-ti-ma | |
| 28 | a-na {d}EN.ZU u₃ {d}nin-gal EN.MEŠ-e-a u₂-zak-ki-šu-nu-ti | |
| 29 | {d}EN.ZU DINGIR el-lu EN a-gi-i nu-ur₂ te-ne₂-še-e-ti | |
| 30 | DINGIR šu-ur-bu-u₂ ša₂ qi₂-bi-it ki-na-at | |
| 31 | a-na e-ep-še-ti-ia li-ih-du-ma li-ir-a-am šar-ru-ti | |
| 32 | ba-la-ṭa₄ da-ri₂-a še-be₂-e li-it-tu-tu a-na ši-ri-ik-tim liš-ru-kam | |
| 33 | a-a u₂-ša-ab-ša₂-a ša₂-ni-nu ma-hi-ri a-a ar-ši | |
| 34 | e-ma ITI liš-tap-pa-a i-da-a-ti du-um-qi₂-ia | |
| 35 | a-ge-e šar-ru-ti-ia a-na da-ri₂-a-tim lu-ki-in ra-šu-u₂-a | |
| 36 | {giš}GU.ZA be-lu-ti-ia šu-ur₂-ši-id a-na ah-ra-a-tu UD.MEŠ | |
| 37 | e-ma ITI i-na i-te-ed-du-ši-ka | |
| 38 | ṣa-ad-da-ka da-mi-iq-tim gi-na-a lu-ut-tap-la-as | |
| 39 | {d}nin-gal GAŠAN šur-bu-tum ma-ha-ar-ki li-ta-ma-a SIG₅-ti₃ | |
| 40 | en-nig₂-al-di-{d}nanna DUMU.MUNUS na-ra-am-ti lib-bi-ia | |
| 41 | ma-ha-ar-ku-nu li-bur-ma li-kun qi₂-bi-is-su | |
| 42 | e-ep-še-tu-šu li-ṭi-ba el-ku-un | |
| 43 | a-a ir-ša₂-a hi-ṭi-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.