Nebuchadnezzar II 021 (Q005492)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Babylonian, Babylon · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE
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| Designation | Nebuchadnezzar II 021 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q005492 |
| Collection | Crozer Theological Seminary, Rochester, New York, USA; Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin, Germany; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, USA; University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Babylonian · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE |
| Genre | Royal Inscription |
| Find spot | Babylon |
| Coordinates | 32.5350, 44.4258 |
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 [0:8] i 1i 1–i 88 | Nebuchadnezzar (II), king of Babyl[o]n, pious prince, selected by the steadfast heart of the god Marduk, true shepherd who ensures that the sanctuaries of the god Nabû are looked after correctly, the one who plea[s]es their hearts, exalted ruler who is mindful of provisioning Esagil and Ezida daily and (who) constantly seeks out good things for Babylon and Borsippa, the wise (and) pious one who provides for Esagil and Ez[i]da, the foremost heir of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, a[m I]. |
| Obverse Column i [8:12] i 99–i 1212 | When the god Marduk, the great lord, the god who created m[e], steadfastly named me and magnificently commissioned m[e] (to perform) good things for his city Babylon, I myself was constantly present (and) incessant towards the god Marduk, my lord, (and) all day, without ceasing, [(my) mind] pondered about (things) that were pleasing to him. |
| Obverse Column i [12:15] i 1313–i 1515 | I provided Esagil with had silver, gold, precious (and) valuable stone(s), copper, musukkannu-wood, ce[dar], an abundance of anything that is valuable, leaving nothing (else) to be desired, and made its sheen shine forth like the sun. |
| Obverse Column i [15:16] i 1616–i 1616 | I completed Ezida and made (it) shine like the stars (lit. “writings”) of the heavens. |
| Obverse Column i [16:26] i 1717–i 2626 | (As for) Imgur-Enlil and Nēmetti-Enlil, the great wall(s) of Babyl[on] that Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, the father who had eng[endered me], had built and put in good order, ... (something) that no king who had come before him had done previously; moreover, (using) baked bricks, that he surrounded the outskirts of the city with an embankment for its moat with bitumen and baked brick; (that) he built the embankment of the Araḫtu River with bitumen and baked brick from the gate of the goddess Ištar to the gate of the god Uraš and constructed piers of baked brick on the other side of the Euphrates River, but he did not complete the rest; |
| Obverse Column i [26:31] i 2727–i 3131 | that which in the distant past no king among the (former) king(s) had built (and) that which no king of the past had do[ne], (he did); for the protection of Babylon, he surrounded the eastern side of Babylon with a fortification wall over a stretch of 4,000 cubits around Babylon from the bank of the Euphrates River upstream on the city to the bank of the Euphrates River downstream of the city, dug its canal, and built its embankment wall(s) with bitumen and baked brick — |
| Obverse Column i [31:35] i 3232–i 3535 | As for me, his first-born son, the beloved of his heart, with the wisdom that the gods Ea and Marduk had granted [me], I co[mpleted] everything that the father who had engendered me had done, ... Imgur-Enlil and Nēmetti-Enlil, the wall[s ...]. |
| Obverse Column i [35:41] i 3636– | I [made] Ištar-sākipat-tēbîša, the gate <of> (both) Imgur-Enlil and Nē[metti-Enlil], the entrance of the gods’ controlling place, the gate of Babylon, [(...), appear] resplendent with baked bricks (colored with) shining blue glaze. At its door-jamb(s), (I did something) that no king of the past had done: I created and stationed fierce wild bulls of copper and [raging] mušḫuššu-dragons. |
| Obverse Column ii [1:6] ii 22–ii 66 | On the outskirts of Imgur-Enlil, beside the embankment that my father had constructed, I built a strong, twenty-one-baked-brick(-thick) embankment with bitumen and baked brick and adjoined (it) to the embankment that my father had constructed. I secured its foundation on the surface (lit. “breast”) of the netherworld and raised its superstructure as high as a mountain. |
| Obverse Column ii [6:9] ii 77–ii 99 | On the other bank, (on) the western (side), I surrounded the wall of Babylon with an embankment of baked bricks. Beside the embankment of the Araḫtu (River) that my father had built, I built a strong embankment like a mountain with bitumen and baked brick. |
| Obverse Column ii [9:15] ii 1010–ii 1515 | (As for) the wall that the father who had engendered me had built beside the wall for the protection of Babylon, but whose construction he had not completed, I completed that wall and raised its superstructure. I dug out its moat and reached the water table. I built three strong, thirty-six-baked-brick(-thick) embankments and adjoined (them) to the embankment that (my) father had constructed. |
| Obverse Column ii [15:20] ii 1616–ii 2020 | On [its] embankment, [I built] a fortified wall, which like a mountain [cannot be shaken], with bitumen and baked brick [and] raised its superstructure as hi[gh as a mountain]. I constructed its broad gates (and) fitted them with doors (made) of cedar with a facing of bronze. |
| Obverse Column ii [20:32] ii 2121–ii 3232 | At that time, I constantly stove (to do things) to strengthen the protection [of] Esagil and Babylon. Beside Nēmetti-Enlil, the outer wall of Babylon, from the bank of the Euphrates River up to the lower enclosure Nēmetti-Enlil, which faces East, (at) a distance of 335 cubits from the outskirts of Nēmetti-Enlil, I built with bitumen and baked brick [o]ne embankment (whose width was) thirty-two baked bricks (and) a second embankment (whose width was) twenty-three baked bricks, [two] strong embankments, one in front of the other. I secured their foundation(s) directly on the apsû, [i]n the water table far below and raised their superstructure(s) as high as mountain(s). |
| Obverse Column ii [32:35] ii 3333–ii 3535 | I fashion[ed] a baked brick structure between them [and, on t]op of them, I built a kummu-building, a large sacred building, to a great height. |
| Obverse Column ii [35:37] ii 3636–ii 3737 | I skillfully the strengthen (Esagil’s and Babylon’s) protection and established the city of Babylon as a fortress. |
| Obverse Column ii [37:46] ii 3838–ii 4646 | O Marduk, great lord, look upon my handiwork with favor and pleasure and may good things about me be set upon your lips. By your holy command, which cannot be altered, proclaim the prolongation of my days (and) command my (attainment of) very old age. May everything that I have built endure and stay in good repair forever so that I may be sated with its luxuriousness. By your true command, which cannot be overturned, may I not have enemies nor acquire (any) troublemaker(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 | {d}na-bi-um-ku-du-ur₂-ri-u₂-ṣu-ur₂ LUGAL KA₂.⸢DINGIR⸣.[RA]{ki} | |
| 2 | ru-ba-a-am na-a-dam i-tu-ut ku-un li-ib-bi {⸢d⸣}AMAR.UTU | |
| 3 | re-e₂-a-um ki-i-ni mu-uš-te-ši-ir a₃-aš-ra-a-at {d}AG mu-⸢ṭi⸣-ib li-ib-bi-šu-un | |
| 4 | iš-ša-ak-kam ṣi-i-ri ša a-na zi-in-na-a-ti e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ e₂-zi-da | |
| 5 | u₄-mi-ša-am ti-iṣ-mu-⸢ru⸣-u₂-ma | |
| 6 | da-am-qa₂-a-ti KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} u₃ bar₂-sipa{ki} iš-te-ne₂-⸢eʾ-u₃⸣ ka-a-a-nam | |
| 7 | e-em-qa₂ mu-ut-ne₂-en-nu-u₃ za-ni-in e₂-sag-il₂ u₃ e₂-⸢zi-da⸣ | |
| 8 | IBILA SAG.KAL ša {d}na-bi-um-IBILA-u₂-ṣu-ur₂ LUGAL KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} ⸢a-na-ku⸣ | |
| 9 | i₃-nu-um {d}AMAR.UTU EN GAL i-lu ba-nu-u₂-a ki-ni-iš ib-ba-an-⸢ni-ma⸣ | |
| 10 | da-am-qa₂-a-ti URU-šu KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} ra-bi₂-iš u₂-ma-ʾe-er-an-ni | |
| 11 | a-na-ku a-na {d}AMAR.UTU be-li₂-ia ka-a-a-na-ak la ba-aṭ-la-ak | |
| 12 | ša e-li-šu ṭa-a-bu ud-da-ak-ku la na-pa-ar-ka-a i-ta-ma-am | |
| 13 | i-na KU₃.BABBAR KU₃.GI ni-si₃-iq-ti₃ NA₄.NA₄ šu-qu₂-ru-tim e-ra-a {giš}MES.MA₂.KAN.NA {giš}⸢EREN⸣ | |
| 14 | mi-im-ma šu-um-šu šu-qu₂-ru šu-un-du-lam la ba-ša-a hi-ši-ih-tim | |
| 15 | e₂-sag-il₂ az-nu-un-ma ša-aš-ši-iš u₂-ša-pa-a ša-ru-ru-u₂-ša | |
| 16 | e₂-zi-da u₂-ša-ak-li-il-ma ki-ma ši-ṭe-er-ti₃ ša-ma-mi u₂-ba-an-nim | |
| 17 | im-gu-ur₂-{d}EN.LIL₂ u₃ ne₂-me₂-et-ti-{d}EN.LIL₂ BAD₃ GAL.GAL ša KA₂.DINGIR.⸢RA⸣{[ki]} | |
| 18 | ša {d}na-bi-um-IBILA-u₂-ṣu-ur₂ LUGAL KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} a-bi ⸢ba⸣-[nu-u₂-a] | |
| 19 | i-pu-šu-ma uš-te-ši-ru ⸢te-me-en⸣-[šu-un] | |
| 20 | ša pa-na-ma LUGAL ša ma-ah-ri a-li-ku pa-nim la i-⸢pu-šu⸣ | |
| 21 | 14 a-gur-ri ka-a-ri hi-ri-ti-šu i-na ku-up-ru u₃ a-gur-⸢ri⸣ | |
| 22 | URU{ki} a-na ki-da₄-a-nim u₂-ša-al-mu-u₃ | |
| 23 | iš-tu KA₂.GAL-{d}iš-ta-ar a-di ⸢KA₂⸣.GAL-{d}uraš | |
| 24 | ka-a-ri {id₂}a-ra-ah-tim i-na ku-up-ru u₃ a-gur-ru ik-ṣu₂-ru-⸢ma⸣ | |
| 25 | ⸢ma⸣-ka-a-ti a-gur-ri a-ba-ar-ti₃ {id₂}BURANUN{ki} u₂-ra-ak-<ki>-su-⸢ma⸣ | |
| 26 | la u₂-ša-ak-li-lu si₃-it-ta-a-ti | |
| 27 | ša ul-tu u₂-ul-lu LUGAL i-na LUGAL la ib-nu-u₃ LUGAL ša ma-ah-ri la i-⸢pu₂⸣-[šu] | |
| 28 | a-na ni-ṣi-⸢ir⸣-ti₃ ⸢KA₂.DINGIR⸣.RA{ki} 4 LIM KUŠ₃ qa₂-qa₂-ri i-ta-a-at KA₂.DINGIR.RA{[ki]} | |
| 29 | ul-⸢tu⸣ GU₂ {id₂}BURANUN{ki} e-la-an URU{⸢ki⸣} a-di GU₂ {id₂}BURANUN{ki} ša-ap-la-an ⸢URU⸣{[ki]} | |
| 30 | ⸢BAD₃⸣ da-num₂ BAL.RI {d}⸢UTU.E₃⸣.A KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} u₂-ša-al-mu-u₂-ma | |
| 31 | ⸢hi⸣-ri-su ih-ru-u₂-ma i-na ku-up-ru u₃ a-gur-ri ik-ṣu₂-ru ki-bi-ir-šu | |
| 32 | ia-⸢ti⸣ a-pi₂-il-šu re-eš-ta-a-am na-ra-am li-ib-bi-⸢šu⸣ | |
| 33 | i-na ne-me₂-qi₂ ša {d}e₂-a u₃ {d}AMAR.UTU u₂-ša-at-⸢li-mu⸣-[ni] | |
| 34 | mi-im-mu-u₃ a-bi ba-nu-u₂-a i-te-ep-pu-šu a-na ŠU DI/KI x [x (x)] | |
| 35 | ⸢im⸣-gu-ur₂-{d}EN.LIL₂ u₃ ne₂-me₂-et-ti-{d}EN.LIL₂ BAD₃.⸢MEŠ⸣ [...] u₂-ša-⸢ak⸣-[li-il] | |
| 36 | {d}iš₈-tar₂-sa-ki-pa-at-te-e-bi-ša ša im-gu-ur₂-{d}EN.LIL₂ u₃ ⸢ne₂⸣-[me₂-et-ti-{d}EN.LIL₂] | |
| 37 | ⸢KA₂⸣.GAL ne₂-re-bi ma-as₃-na-aq-ti DINGIR.DINGIR KA₂.GAL KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} ša-di-⸢il⸣-[tim] | |
| 38 | i-na a-gur-ri {na₄}ZA.GIN₃ e-el-le-tim na-am-ri-iš u₂-še-pi₂-iš | |
| 39 | i-na si₃-ip-pe₂-ša ri-i-mu URUDU e-ek-du-tim u₃ MUŠ.⸢HUŠ⸣ [še-zu-zu-u₂-tim] | |
| ii | ||
| 1 | ša ma-na-ma LUGAL ma-ah-⸢ri⸣ la i-pu₂-šu ab-ni-ma u₂-uš-zi-iz | |
| 2 | a-na ki-da₄-a-nim im-gu-ur₂-{d}EN.LIL₂ i-ta-a-at ka-a-ri a-bi ik-ṣu₂-ru | |
| 3 | 21 a-gur-ri ka-a-ri da-num₂ i-na ku-up-ru u₃ a-gur-ri ab-ni-ma | |
| 4 | it-ti ka-a-ri a-bi ik-ṣu₂-ru e-se₃-ni-iq-ma | |
| 5 | i-ši-id-su i-na i-⸢ra⸣-at er-ṣe₂-tim u₂-ša-ar-ši-id-ma | |
| 6 | re-e-ši-ša u₂-za-aq-qi₂-ir hu-ur₂-sa-ni-iš | |
| 7 | ka-a-ri a-gur-ri ⸢BAL⸣.RI {d}UTU.ŠU₂.A BAD₃ TIN.TIR{ki} u₂-ša-al-mu | |
| 8 | i-ta-a-at ka-a-ri {id₂}a-ra-ah-tim ša a-bi i-pu₂-šu | |
| 9 | ⸢ka-a-ri⸣ da-num₂ i-na ku-up-ru u₃ a-gur-ri ša-da-ni-iš ab-nim | |
| 10 | ⸢BAD₃⸣ ša i-⸢ta⸣-a-at URU{ki} a-na ni-ṣi-ir-ti KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} | |
| 11 | a-bi ba-nu-u₂-⸢a⸣ i-pu₂-šu-ma la u₂-ša-ak-⸢li⸣-lu ši-pi₂-ir-ša | |
| 12 | BAD₃ ša-a-ti u₂-⸢ša⸣-ak-li-il-ma u₂-ul-la-a re-e-ši-ša | |
| 13 | hi-ri-su ah-re-e-ma šu-pu₂-ul me₂-e ak-šu-ud | |
| 14 | 36 a-gur-ri 3 ka-⸢a⸣-ri da-nu₄-tim ab-ni-ma | |
| 15 | it-⸢ti⸣ ka-⸢a-ri a-bi ik-ṣu₂-ru⸣ e-se₃-⸢ni-iq⸣-[ma] | |
| 16 | ⸢BAD₃⸣ da-num₂ ša ki-⸢ma ša⸣-di-im [la ut-ta-aš-šu] | |
| 17 | i-na ku-up-ru u₃ a-⸢gur⸣-ri i-na ki-ša-⸢di⸣-[ša ab-ni-ma] | |
| 18 | re-e-ši-ša u₂-za-⸢aq⸣-qi₂-ir hu-[ur₂-sa-ni-iš] | |
| 19 | KA₂.GAL.KA₂.GAL-ša ša-⸢ad⸣-la-a-tim u₂-⸢ra-ak-ki-is-ma⸣ | |
| 20 | {giš}IG.{giš}IG {giš}EREN ⸢ta⸣-ah-lu-up-ti ZABAR e-er₄-te-et-ti-ši-na-a-ti | |
| 21 | ⸢i₃⸣-nu-mi-šu ni-ṣi-⸢ir⸣-[ti] ⸢e₂⸣-sag-il₂ u₃ TIN.TIR{ki} aš-te-eʾ-e-ma | |
| 22 | i-ta-a-at ne₂-me₂-⸢et⸣-ti-{d}EN.LIL₂ ša-al-he-e KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} | |
| 23 | ⸢iš⸣-tu GU₂ {id₂}⸢BURANUN⸣{ki} a-di tu-ur₂-ri ša-ap-li-i | |
| 24 | ⸢ša⸣ ne₂-me₂-et-ti-{d}EN.LIL₂ ša ti-ib {im}KUR.RA | |
| 25 | 3 ME 35 KUŠ₃ qa₂-qa₂-ri ul-tu mu-uh₂ ne₂-me₂-et-ti-{d}EN.LIL₂ a-na ki-da₄-a-nim | |
| 26 | 1-en ⸢ka⸣-a-ri 32 SIG₄.AL.UR₃.RA | |
| 27 | ⸢ša⸣-na-a ka-a-ri 23 SIG₄.AL.UR₃.RA | |
| 28 | 2 ⸢ka⸣-a-ri da-nu₄-tim 1-en i-na ma-ah-ri ša-ni-i | |
| 29 | [i]-na ESIR.UD.DU.A u₃ SIG₄.AL.UR₃.RA ab-ni-ma | |
| 30 | [i]-⸢ši⸣-id-su-un me₂-he-ra-at ap-si-i | |
| 31 | [i]-na šu-pu₂-ul me₂-e be₂-e-ru-tim u₂-ša-ar-ši-id-ma | |
| 32 | re-e-ša-šu-nu hu-ur₂-sa-ni-iš u₂-⸢za-aq⸣-qi₂-ir | |
| 33 | i-na be₂-e-ri-šu-nu pi₂-ti-iq a-gur-ri ša-da-ni-iš e-ep-⸢ti⸣-[iq-ma] | |
| 34 | ku-um-mu ge-gu-na-a-tim ra-ba-a-tim | |
| 35 | [re]-⸢e⸣-ša-šu-nu ša-qi₂-iš e-pu-uš | |
| 36 | [ma-aṣ-ṣa]-⸢ar⸣-tim na-ak-li-iš u₂-da-an-ni-in-ma | |
| 37 | [URU{ki} KA₂].⸢DINGIR⸣.RA{ki} a-na ni-ṣi-ir-tim aš-ku-un | |
| 38 | {[d}AMAR.UTU] be-li₂ ra-bi₂-u₃ | |
| 39 | [li-pi₂-it qa₂]-ti-ia a-na da-mi-iq-tim ha-di-iš na-ap-li-⸢is⸣-ma | |
| 40 | [da-am-qa₂-tu-u₂]-⸢a⸣ li-iš-ša-ak-na ša-ap-tu-uk-ka | |
| 41 | [i-na pi-i]-⸢ka⸣ el-lam ša la na-ka-ri | |
| 42 | [i-bi₂ a-ra-ku] ⸢u₄⸣-mi-ia qi₂-bi₂ li-it-tu-u₂-tim | |
| 43 | [mi-im-mu-u₂ e-te]-ep-pu-šu li-ku-un-ma | |
| 44 | [ga-du u₂-ul]-⸢lu⸣ li-bu-ur₂-ma la-la-a-šu lu-uš-⸢bu⸣ | |
| 45 | [i-na qi₂-bi₂-ti]-ka ki-it-ti ša la šu-pe₂-e-lam | |
| 46 | ⸢a-a i-ši na-ki-ri⸣ mu-ga-al-li-ti a-a ar-ša | |
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.