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Nebuchadnezzar II 019 (Q005490)

Royal Inscription, Neo-Babylonian, Babylon · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE

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DesignationNebuchadnezzar II 019
IDQ005490
LanguageAkkadian
PeriodNeo-Babylonian · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE
GenreRoyal Inscription
Find spotBabylon
Coordinates32.5434, 44.4222

English translation

By ORACC project ribo/babylon7 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)

LineEnglish
Obverse Column i [0:7] i 1i 1–i 77Nebuchadnezzar (II), king of justice, the true shepherd who is leader of people, the one who ensures that the subjects of the gods Enlil, Šamaš and Marduk are looked after correctly, the one who deliberates (and) acquires wisdom, the one who constantly seeks out life, the pious (and) unceasing one, the one who provides for Esagil and Ezida, son of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, am I.
Obverse Column i [7:15] i 88–i 1515When the god Marduk, the great lord, raised me up to rule over the land and gave me a widespread people to shepherd, I indeed paid reverent attention to god Marduk, the god who created me, bent my neck down to to his chariot pole, (and) made his abundant sattukku-offerings and his pure nindabû-offerings more plentiful than before.
Obverse Column i [15:28] i 1616–i 2828Every day: one fattened prize bull, (one) uncastrated bull, forty-four fine zuluḫḫû-sheep, including (everything) that (is offered to) the gods of Esagil and the gods of Babylon: fish, bird(s), ušummu-rodent(s), egg(s) — the best thing(s) from the marshes — honey, ghee, milk, the best oil, sweet kurunnu-wine, “mountain beer,” the purest wine, (and) wine of the lands Izalla, Tuʾimmu, of Ṣimiri, of Ḫilbūnu, Arnabānu, Sūḫu, of Bīt-Kubāti, and Bītāti — countless (amounts), like water of a river — I copiously provided (all of this) for the table of the god Marduk and the goddess Zarpanītu, my lords.
Obverse Column i [28:33] i 2929–i 3333I indeed put bright gold (on the walls of) the cella, the seat of his (Marduk’s) lordship, as if (it was) šallaru-plaster. I had Kaḫilisu clad with gold and (then), for the goddess Zarpanītu, my lady, I decorated (her) room with sexual charm(s).
Obverse Column i [33:38] i 3434–i 3838(As for) Ezida, the residence of the god Lugaldimmerankia (and) the cella of the Nabû that is inside Esagil, I decorated its door-jamb(s), door bolt(s), (and) giškanakku(s) with gold and made (that) room shine like daylight.
Obverse Column i [38:40] i 3939–i 4040During joyous celebrations, I (re)built Etemenanki, the ziqqurrat of Babylon.
Obverse Column i [40:45] i 4141–i 4545(As for) Babylon, the cult center of the great lord, the god Marduk, I completed Imgur-Enlil, its great wall. I stationed fierce wild bulls of copper and raging mušḫuššu-dragons at the door-jamb(s) of its gates.
Obverse Column i [45:48] i 4646–i 4848I dug out its moat and reached the water table. I indeed built its embankment(s) with bitumen and baked brick.
Obverse Column i [48:51] i 4949–i 5151I had the zāratu-feature(s) of the embankment(s) of the fortified wall, which like a mountain cannot be shaken, built with bitumen and baked brick.
Obverse Column ii [0:9] ii 1ii 1–ii 99In order to strengthen the protection of Esagil (so that) no evil doer and murderer can come near Babylon, (I did something) that no that no king of the past had done: In the outskirts of Babylon, I had Babylon surrounded with a fortified wall on the other, eastern bank. I dug out its moat and raised its embankment(s) as high as a mountain with bitumen and baked brick.
Obverse Column ii [9:17] ii 1010–ii 1717Around Babylon, I heaped up large earthen dikes (and) had it surrounded with a massive flood, a huge expanse of water, like the roiling sea (Tiāmat). I indeed surrounded it on all sides with marsh(es and) established Babylon as a life-(preserving) mountain (refuge) for (its) people. I made its name surpassing among the cult centers of the land of Sumer and Akkad.
Obverse Column ii [17:22] ii 1818–ii 2222(As for) Ezida, the true house, I built (it) anew in Borsippa (and) had the cedar (beams) of its roof clad with bright gold. I decorated its structure with gold, silver, precious stones, copper, musukkannu-wood (and) cedar.
Obverse Column ii [22:35] ii 2323–ii 3535During a joyous celebration, I made the god Nabû and the goddess Nanāya reside inside it, (on) the seat of (their) happiness. Every day: one fattened prize bull, (one) uncastrated bull, sixteen prime quality pasillu-sheep, including (everything) that (is offered to) the gods of Borsippa: string(s) of fish, bird(s), ušummu-rodent(s), egg(s) — the best thing(s) from the marshes — sweet beer, kurunnu-wine, “mountain beer,” the purest wine, honey, ghee, milk, (and) the finest oil — I provided (all of this) more lavishly than in the past for the table of the god Nabû and the goddess Nanāya, my lords.
Obverse Column ii [35:37] ii 3636–ii 3737Every day, I confirmed eight sheep as ginû-offering(s) for the god Nergal, the goddess Laṣ, (and) the (other) gods Emeslam and Cutha.
Obverse Column ii [37:39] ii 3838–ii 3939I abundantly provided for the sattukku-offering(s) of the great gods and made ginû-offering(s) surpass the original ginû-offering(s).
Obverse Column ii [39:41] ii 4040–ii 4141(As for) Ebabbar of Sippar, I built (it) anew for the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya, my lords.
Obverse Column ii [41:43] ii 4242–ii 4343(As for) Ebabbar of Larsa, I built (it) anew for the god Šamaš and the goddess Aya, my lords.
Obverse Column ii [43:45] ii 4444–ii 4545(As for) Ekišnugal of Ur, I built (it) anew for the god Sîn, the one who loves my kingship.
Obverse Column ii [45:47] ii 4646–ii 4747(As for) E-ibbi-Anum of Dilbat, I built (it) anew for the god Uraš, my lord.
Obverse Column ii [47:49] ii 4848–ii 4949(As for) Edurgina of Bāṣ, I built (it) anew for the god Bēl-ṣarbi, my lord.
Obverse Column ii [49:59] ii 5050–ii 5959I return the original appurtenances (and) primordial rites of the goddess Ištar of Uruk, the pure lady of Uruk, (back) to their (original) place(s). I returned the protective god to Uruk (and) the goddess of goodness to Eanna. I examined (and) checked the original foundation(s) of Eanna and (then) firmly placed its foundations on top of the original foundation(s).
Obverse Column ii [59:67] ii 6060–Nebuchadnezzar, exalted ruler who provides for the cult centers of the great gods. I myself was constantly present with regard to Esagil and Ezida. I constantly seek out the shrines of the gods Nabû and Marduk, my lords.
Obverse Column iii [6:17] iii 77–iii 1717(As for) their beautiful festivals, their great akītu-festivals, in abundance and prosperity, I passed in front of them every year with powerful prize bulls, uncastrated bulls, fine zuluḫḫû-sheep, fattened sheep, gukkallu-sheep, ušummu-rodent(s), egg(s), fish, bird(s) — the best thing(s) from the marshes — beer libations without number, (and) wine as if (it were) water.
Obverse Column iii [17:26] iii 1818–iii 2626(As for) the widespread people whom the god Marduk, my lord, had entrusted to me, I made them submit to Babylon. Inside it, I received the produce of the lands, the yield of the mountains, (and) the wealth of the seas. I gladly gathered all of the people under its eternal protection. I heaped up for it countless, massive piles of grain.
Obverse Column iii [26:31] iii 2727–iii 3131At that time, in Babylon I built anew a palace, the residence of my royal majesty, the bond of the great people, the seat of joyous celebrations, (and) the place where important people submit.
Obverse Column iii [31:40] iii 3232–iii 4040With bitumen and baked brick, I secured its foundation on the primordial netherworld, on the surface (lit. “breast”) of the broad earth. I had (beams of) hard cedar brought from Lebanon, the holy forest, to be its roof. I surrounded (it) with a strong wall made of bitumen and baked brick.
Obverse Column iii [40:44] iii 4141–iii 4444Inside of it (the palace), I proclaimed royal decrees and lordly ...s. I raised up (my) hand(s and) prayed to the lord of lords; my prayers went to the god Marduk, the merciful one.
Obverse Column iii [44:59] iii 4545–iii 5959O lord of the lands, Marduk, listen to the utterances of my mouth so that I may be sated with the luxuriousness of the house that I have built. May I reach the prime of (my) life (and) attain very old age in Babylon, inside it. May I receive inside it the substantial tribute of kings of the (four) quarters (of the world and) of all people. Inside it, may my descendants rule over the black-headed (people) 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)

LineATFMachine English (draft)
i
1{d}na-bi-um-ku-du-ur₂-ri-u₂-ṣu-ur₂ LUGAL mi-ša-ri-im
2re-e₂-a-um ki-i-num mu-ut-ta-ru-u₂ te-ne-še-ti
3mu-uš-te-ši-ir ba-ʾu-la-a-ti {d}EN.LIL₂ {d}UTU u {d}AMAR.UTU
4mu-uš-ta-lam a-hi-iz ne-me₂-qi₂ mu-uš-te-eʾ-um ba-la-ṭam
5na-a-dam la mu-up-pa-ar-ku-u₃
6za-ni-in e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ e₂-zi-da
7DUMU {d}na-bi-um-IBILA-u₂-ṣu-ur₂ šar ba-bi-lam{ki} a-na-ku
8i₃-nu-um {d}AMAR.UTU EN ra-bi₂-u₃ a-na be-lu-ut MA.DA
9iš-ša-an-ni-ma
10ni-šim ra-ap-ša-a-ti a-na re-e₂-u₂-ti i-di₃-nam
11a-na {d}AMAR.UTU i-lu ba-ni-ia pa-al-hi-iš lu u₂-ta-aq-qu
12a-na ša-a-ṭa₄ se₃-er-de-e-šu lu u₂-šak-an-iš ki-ša-dam
13sa-at-tu-ku-šu du-uš-šu-u₂-tim
14ni-id-ba-a-šu e-el-lu-u₂-tim
15e-li ša pa-nim u₂-ša-te-er
16ša u₄-um 1-en GU₄.MAH.E ma-ra-a GU₄.ŠU.DU₇ GU₄.ŠU.DU₇
1744 zu-lu-he-e da-am-qu₃-tim
18qa₂-du-um ša DINGIR.DINGIR e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ DINGIR.DINGIR ba-bi-lam{ki}
19nu-u₂-num iṣ-ṣu-ru u₂-šu-um-mu pe-la-a si-ma-at ap-pa-ri-im
20di-iš-pa-am hi-me-tim ši-iz-bi du-mu-uq ša-am-nim
21ku-ru-un-num da-aš-pa-am ši-ka-ar SA.TU.UM
22ka-ra-nam e-el-lu ka-ra-nam {kur}i-za-al-lam
23{kur}tu-uʾ-im-mu {kur}ṣi-im-mi-ni {kur}hi-il-bu-nim
24{kur}a-ra-na-ba-nim {kur}su-u₂-ha-am
25{kur}E₂-ku-ba-tim u₃ {kur}bi-ta-a-tim
26ki-ma me-e na-a-ri la ni-bi-im
27i-na {giš}BANŠUR {d}AMAR.UTU u₃ {d}zar-pa-ni-tum
28EN.MEŠ-e-a lu u₂-da-aš-ša-am
29pa-pa-ha šu-ba-at be-lu-ti-šu
30KU₃.GI na-am-ra-am ša-al-la-ri-iš lu aš-ta-ak-ka-an
31ka₂-hi-li-su₃ KU₃.GI u₂-ša-al-bi-iš-ma
32E₂ a-na {d}zar-pa-ni-tum be-el-ti-ia
33ku-uz-ba-am u₂-za-ʾi-in
34e₂-zi-da šu-ba-at {d}lugal-dim₃-me-er-an-ki-a
35pa-pa-ha {d}na-bi-um ša qe₂-re-eb e₂-sag-il₂
36si-ip-pu-šu ši-ga-ru-šu u₃ giš-ka₂-na-ku-šu
37KU₃.GI u₂-ša-al-bi-iš-ma
38E₂ ki-ma u₄-um lu u₂-na-am-mi-ir₄
39e₂-temen-an-ki zi-qu₂-ra-at ba-bi-lam{ki}
40i-na hi-da-a-ti u₃ ri-ša-a-ti e-pu₂-uš
41ba-bi-lam{ki} ma-ha-az EN ra-bi₂-u₃ {d}AMAR.UTU
42im-gu-ur₂-{d}EN.LIL₂ du-ur₂-šu ra-bi₂-a-am
43u₂-ša-ak-li-il
44i-na ZAG.DU₈ KA₂.GAL.KA₂.GAL AM.AM URUDU
45e-ek-du-tim u₃ MUŠ.HUŠ.<MUŠ>.HUŠ še-zu-zu-u₂-ti uš-zi-iz
46hi-ri-su ah-re-e-ma šu-pu-ul me-e ak-šu-ud
47ki-bi-ir-šu in ESIR.UD.DU.A u₃ SIG₄.AL.UR₃.RA
48lu ab-nim
49za-ra-ti ki-ib-ri ša BAD₃ da-num₂
50ša ki-ma SA.TU.UM la ut-ta-aš-šu
51in ESIR.UD.DU.A u₃ SIG₄.AL.UR₃.RA u₂-še-pi₂-iš
ii
1aš-šum ma-aṣ-ṣa-ar-ti e₂-sag-il₂ du-un-nu-nim
2le-em-num u₃ ša-ag-gi-šu
3a-na ba-bi-lam{ki} la sa-na-qa₂-am
4ša ma-na-ma šar ma-ah-ri-im la i-pu₂-šu
5in ka-ma-at ba-bi-lam{ki} BAD₃ da-num₂
6ba-la-ar {d}UTU.E₃ {d}UTU.E₃ ba-bi-lam u₂-ša-as₃-hi-ir
7hi-ri-su ah-re-e-ma
8ki-bi-ir-šu in ESIR.UD.DU.A u₃ SIG₄.AL.UR₃.RA
9u₂-za-aq-qi₂-ir hu-ur₂-sa-ni-iš
10i-ta-at ba-bi-<lam>{ki} ši-pi₂-ik SAHAR.HI.A ra-bi₂-u₃-tim
11aš-ta-ap-pa-ak-šu
12mi-li ka-aš-ša-am me-e ra-bi₂-u₃-tim
13ki-ma gi-pi₂-iš ti-a-am-tim u₂-ša-al-mi-iš
14ap-pa-ri-am lu uš-ta-as₃-hi-ir-šu
15a-na ša-da na-pi₂-iš-ti ni-šim ba-bi-lam{ki} aš-ku-nim
16i-na ma-ha-az MA.DA-šu-me-ri₂ u₃ ak-ka-di-im
17šu-um-šum u₂-ša-te-er
18e₂-zi-da E₂ ki-i-nim in ba-ar-si₂-pa₃
19e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš e-re-nim ṣu-lu-li-šu
20KU₃.GI na-am-ra-am u₂-ša-al-bi-iš
21in KU₃.GI KU₃.BABBAR NA₄.NA₄ ni₅-si₃-iq-tim
22e-ra-a {giš}MES.<MA₂>.KAN.NA e-re-nim
23u₂-za-ʾi-in ši-ki-in-šu {d}na-bi-um u₃ {d}na-na-a
24in hi-da-a-ti u₃ ri-ša-a-ti
25šu-ba-at ṭu₂-ub li-ib-bi qe₂-er₄-ba-šu u₂-še-ši-ib
26ša u₄-um 1-en GU₄.MAH.E ma-ra-a GU₄.ŠU.DU₇ GU₄.ŠU.DU₇
2716 pa-si-il-lum bi-it-ru-tim
28qa₂-du-um ša DINGIR.DINGIR ba-ar-si₂-pa₃{ki}
29i-si-ih nu-u₂-nim iṣ-ṣu-ru-um u₂-šu-um-mu
30pe₂-la-a si₃-ma-at ap-pa-ri-am
31da-aš-pa-am si₃-ra-aš ku-ru-un-nim
32ši-ka-ar SA.TU.UM ka-ra-nam e-el-lam
33di-iš-pa hi-me-tim ši-iz-ba-am u₂-ul ša-am-nim
34{giš}BANŠUR {d}na-bi-um u₃ {d}na-na-a EN.MEŠ-e-a
35e-li ša pa-nim u₂-ṭa-ah-hi-id
36ša u₄-um 8 UDU.UDU gi-ne₂-e {d}NE₃.ERI₁₁.GAL
37{d}la-aṣ DINGIR.DINGIR ša e₂-mes-lam u₃ GU₂.DU₈.A{ki} u₂-ki-in
38sa-at-tu-uk DINGIR GAL.GAL uš-pa-ar-zi-ih-ma
39e-li gi-ne₂-e la-bi₂-ri gi-na-a u₂-ša-te-er
40e₂-babbar-ra ša ZIMBIR{ki} a-na {d}UTU u₃ {d}a-a
41be₂-e-le-e-a e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš
42e₂-babbar-ra ša la-ar-sa-am{ki} a-na {d}UTU u₃ {d}a-a
43EN.MEŠ-e-a e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš
44e₂-kiš-nu-gal₂ ša uri₂{ki} a-na {d}EN.ZU EN
45na-ra-am šar-ru₄-ti-ia e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš
46e₂-i-bi₂-{d}a-num ša dil-bat{ki} a-na {d}uraš
47EN-ia e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš
48e₂-dur₂-gi-na ša {uru}ba-aṣ a-na {d}EN-ṣar-bi
49EN-ia e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš
50si₃-ma-a-ti re-eš-ta-a-ti
51pel-lu-de-e qu₂-ud-mu-u₂-tim
52ša {d}INANNA UNUG{ki} be-e-le-et UNUG{ki} e-el-le-tim
53u₂-te-er aš-ru-uš-šu-un
54a-na UNUG{ki} še-e-du-u₂-šu
55a-na e₂-an-na la-ma-sa ša da-mi-iq-tim u₂-te-er
56te-me-en-na e₂-an-na la-bi₂-ri
57a-hi-iṭ ab-re-e-ma
58e-li te-me-en-ni-ša la-bi₂-ri
59u₂-ki-in uš-šu-ša
60{d}na-bi-um-ku-du-ur₂-ri-u₂-ṣu-ur₂
iii
1iš-ša-ak-ku ṣi₂-i-ri
2za-ni-in ma-ha-az DINGIR GAL.GAL a-na-ku
3a-na e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ e₂-zi-da
4ka-aq-da-a ka-a-a-na-ak
5a₃-aš-ra-at {d}na-bi-um u₃ {d}AMAR.UTU be₂-e-le-e-a
6aš-te-ne₂-eʾ-a ka-a-a-nam
7i-si₃-na-a-ti-šu-nu da-am-qa₂-a-tim
8a-ki-su-nu ra-bi₂-tim
9in GU₄.MAH.E.GU₄.MAH.E pa-ag-lu-ti
10GU₄.ŠU.DU₇.GU₄.ŠU.DU₇ GU₄.ŠU.DU₇.GU₄.ŠU.DU₇
11zu-lu-he-e da-am-qu₂-tim
12im-me₂-er mi-ir gu-uk-ka-al-am
13u₂-šu-um-mu pe₂-e-la-a nu-u₂-num iṣ-ṣu-ru-um
14si₃-ma-at ap-pa-rim
15ti-bi-ik si₃-ra-aš la ni₅-bi ma-mi-iš ka-ra-nam
16ša-at-ti-ša-am in nu-uh₂-ši u₃ HE₂.GAL₂-e
17in ma-ha-ri-šu-nu e-te-et-ti-iq
18ni-šim ra-ap-ša-a-ti ša {d}AMAR.UTU be₂-e-la
19u₂-ma-al-lu-u₂ qa₂-tu-u₂-a
20a-na ba-bi-lam{ki} u₂-ka-an-ni-iš
21bi-la-at MA.DA.MA.DA bi-ši-it SA.TU.UM
22hi-iṣ-ib ta-ma-a-tim qe₂-er₄-ba-šu am-hu-ur₂
23a-na ṣi-il-li-šu da-ri-i
24ku-ul-la-at ni-šim ṭa-bi-iš u₂-pa-ah-hi-ir
25ka-re-e ŠE.IM da-nu₄-tim
26la ni₅-bi aš-ta-pa-ak-šu
27i₃-nu-šu E₂.GAL mu-ša-ab šar-ru₄-ti-ia
28ma-ar-ka-as₃ ni-šim ra-bi₂-a-tim
29šu-ba-at ri-ša-a-ti u₃ hi-da-a-tim
30a-šar ka-ad-ru-tim uk-ta-an-na-šu
31i-na ba-bi-lam{ki} e-eš-ši-iš e-pu₂-uš
32in ki-gal-lam re-eš-ti-im
33in i-ra-at er₄-ṣe₂-tim ra-pa-aš₂-tim
34in ESIR.UD.DU.A u₃ SIG₄.AL.UR₃.RA
35u₂-ša-ar-ši-id te-me-en-ša
36e-re-nim da-nu₄-tim ul-tu la-ab-na-nim qi₂-iš-tim
37e-el-le-tim a-na ṣu₂-lu-li-ša lu u₂-bi₂-lam
38BAD₃ da-num₂
39in ESIR.UD.DU.A u₃ SIG₄.AL.UR₃.RA
40u₂-ša-as₃-hi-ir-šu
41pa-ra-aṣ šar-ru₄-ti šu-lu-uh be-lu-tim
42i-na li-ib-bi-ša u₂-ša-pa-am
43aš-ši qa₂-ta u₂-sa-al-la-a EN EN.EN
44a-na {d}AMAR.UTU re-me₂-ni-i il-li-ku su-pu-u₂-a
45EN MA.DA.MA.DA {d}AMAR.UTU
46ši-mi ṣi-it pi₂-ia
47E₂ e-pu₂-šu la-la-ša lu-uš-bi-am
48i-na ba-bi-lam{ki} in qe₂-er₄-bi-šu
49ši-bu-tu lu-uk-šu-ud
50lu-uš-ba-a li-it-tu-ti
51ša LUGAL.LUGAL ki-ib-ra-a-tim
52ša ka-la te-ne-še-e-ti
53bi-la-su-nu
54ka-bi-it-ti
55lu-um-hu-ur₂ qe₂-re-eb-ša
56li-pu-u₂-a
57i-na qe₂-er₄-bi-ša
58a-na da-ri₂-a-tim
59ṣal-ma-at qa₂-qa₂-dam li-be₂-e-lu

Sources & licences

Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-11.