Unread Atlas

Home › Tablets › Q006305

Marduk-apla-iddina II 1 (Q006305)

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

Open in the reader & map →See it among all tablets

DesignationMarduk-apla-iddina II 1
IDQ006305
CollectionIraq Museum, Baghdad, Iraq
LanguageAkkadian
PeriodNeo-Babylonian · c. 626 BCE–539 BCE
GenreRoyal Inscription
Find spotNimrud
Coordinates36.0992, 43.3275

English translation

By ORACC project ribo/babylon6 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)

LineEnglish
Obverse [0:2] 11–22For the goddess Ištar, mistress of the lands, supreme (among) the gods, valiant, the goddess Nineanna (‟Lady of Eanna”), who dwells in Uruk, who has gathered to herself all the divine offices:
Obverse [2:7] 33–77(With regard to) Eanna, which Šulgi, a previous king, had had built and which had become old, and (with regard to) the shrine of the god Ningizzida, which Anam, an earlier king, had had constructed inside it, (with regard to) this temple, whose walls had buckled and whose bondings had disintegrated, whose [para]pet had collapsed and which had become unrecognizable, (and) whose reconstruction had not [occ]urred to the kings, (his) predecessors,
Obverse [7:11] 88–1111[At that] time, the great lord, the god Marduk, had turned away in divine wrath from the land of Akkad, and the evil enemy, the Subarian, exercised the rule over the land of Akkad for [seve]n [years, unt]il the days had elapsed, the appointed time had arrived, (and) the great [lord], the god Marduk, became reconciled with the land of Akkad, with which he had become angry.
Obverse [11:15] 1212–1515He (the god Marduk) looked (with favor) upon Marduk-apla-iddina (II), king of Babylon, prince who reveres him, to whom he (the god Marduk) stretched out his hand, legitimate eldest son of Erība-Marduk, king of Babylon, who has made firm the foundation(s) of the land. The king of the gods, the god Asari, duly named him [to] the shepherdship of the land of Sumer and Akkad (and) personally [sa]id: “This is indeed the shepherd who will gather the scattered (people).”
Obverse [15:18] 1616–1818[With] the power of the great lord, the god Marduk, and of the hero of the gods, the god Utulu, he defeated the widespread army of Subartu and shattered their weapons. He brought about their overthrow and prevented them from treading on the territory of the land of Akkad.
Obverse [18:22] 1919–2222With the excellent understanding which the god Ea, the creator, maker of all things, had bestowed upon him, (and with) the extensive knowledge which the god Ninši[ku] had granted him, he directed his attention to performing the rites, to administering correctly the rituals, and to renovating the cult centers and the sanctuaries of the divine residences of the great gods of the land of Akkad.
Obverse [22:26] 2323–2626He was assiduous toward the sanctuaries of Eanna, the abode of the goddess Ištar, mistress of the lands, his lady. (With regard to) the outer enclosure wall of Eanna in the lower courtyard and (with regard to) the temple of the god Ningizzida, which had been constructed inside it to one side, he tore down its parapet and laid bare [its] foundation.
Obverse [26:29] 2727–2929With fervent entreaties, prayers, and expression(s) of humility, he laid its foundations (anew) and made (them) as firm as a mountain. He raised its top with (ritually) pure bricks and made (it) as bright as daylight. He made (it) larger than before and fashioned (its) structure artfully.
Obverse [29:36] 3030–3636On account of this, when the goddess Ištar, mistress of the lands‬, looks upon this work with pleasure, may she bestow a (long) life on Marduk-apla-iddina (II), king of Babylon! May she increase his years and may he experience the fullness of old age! By her august command, which cannot be changed, may he subjugate at his feet all of his enemies and may the kings, his enemies, drag their weighty [trib]ute — the [abun]dance of the four quarters (of the world), the yield of mountain and sea — into Šuanna (Babylon)! May he receive their [pres]ent and may he bring (them) into Esagil, before the lord of lords! May his reign be established in Babylon for all time!
Obverse [36:40] 3737–4040I saw the royal inscription of a king who had preceded me (and) who had built that temple. I did not alter his royal inscription, but (rather) I placed (it) with my own royal inscription. Anyone in the future — whether king, or son of a king, or commissioner, or [govern]or, or chief administrator (of a temple), or mayor — who, appointed by the great lord, the god Marduk, decides to (re)build Eanna, let him see this royal inscription and let him place (it) with his own royal inscription for the future!

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)
1a-na {d}iš-tar be-⸢let⸣ KUR.KUR šur-bu-⸢ti⸣ DINGIR.MEŠ qa-rit-ti
2{d}nin-e₂-an-na a-šib-⸢ti UNUG⸣{ki} ša₂ kul-lat ⸢par₂⸣-ṣi ha-am-mat
3e₂-an-na ša₂ {d}šul-gi ⸢LUGAL⸣ mah-ri u₂-še-pi-šu₂-⸢ma⸣ il-li-ku la-ba-riš
4u₃ E₂ {d}nin-giz-zi-da ša₂ an-am₃ LUGAL pa-⸢ni⸣ u₂-še-pi-šu₂ qe₂-reb-šu₂
5⸢E₂ šu-a⸣-ti E₂.GAR₈.MEŠ-šu₂ i-qu-pu-ma up-⸢ta⸣-aṭ-ṭi-ru rik-su-šu₂
6[sa]-mit-su ih-har-mi-mu-⸢ma⸣ i-tu-⸢ru⸣ up-pu-uš-šu₂
7[ina lib₃]-⸢bi⸣ LUGAL.MEŠ a-lik mah-ri la ib-bal-ki-⸢tu⸣ e-peš šip-ri-šu₂
8[i]-⸢nu⸣-šu₂ EN GAL-u₂ {d}AMAR.UTU it-ti ⸢KUR-URI⸣{ki} ⸢ki-mil⸣-tuš is-bu-us-ma
9[MU.x]+1.KAM₂-ma {lu₂}KUR₂ lem-nu {lu₂}su-bar-u₂ ina KUR-URI{⸢ki⸣} ip-pu-uš be-lu-tu₂
10[a]-⸢di⸣ u₄-me im-lu-⸢u₂⸣ ik-šu₂-⸢da⸣ a-dan-na
11[EN] GAL-u₂ {d}AMAR.UTU a-na ⸢KUR⸣-URI{ki} ša₂ ik-mi-lu ir-⸢šu⸣-u₂ sa-li-ma
12[ip]-pa-lis-ma {d}AMAR.UTU-⸢IBILA⸣-SUM.NA LUGAL KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} NUN ⸢pa⸣-lih-šu₂ ti-ri-iṣ qa-ti-šu₂
13⸢IBILA⸣ GI.NA reš-tu-⸢u₂⸣ ša₂ eri-ba-{d}AMAR.UTU LUGAL KA₂.⸢DINGIR.RA⸣{ki} mu-kin SUHUŠ KUR
14[ana] SIPA-ut KUR-šu-me-⸢rim⸣ u URI{ki} MU-šu₂ ki-niš it-ta-⸢bi LUGAL⸣ DINGIR.MEŠ {d}asar-ri
15[iq]-⸢bi⸣ i-na ṣi-it pi-šu₂ an-nu-um-ma lu-u₂ SIPA ⸢mu⸣-pa-ah-hir BIR.MEŠ
16[ina] e-muq EN GAL-i {⸢d⸣}AMAR.UTU u₃ UR.SAG DINGIR.⸢MEŠ⸣ {d}ut-u₁₈-lu
17⸢BAD₅⸣.BAD₅ ERIM-ni SU.BIR₄{ki} ⸢DAGAL⸣-tim ⸢im⸣-haṣ-ma u₂-⸢šab⸣-bir kak-ki-šu₂-un
18⸢su⸣-kup-⸢ta⸣-šu₂-nu iš-kun-⸢ma⸣ ina qaq-qar KUR-⸢URI{ki⸣} u₂-šap-⸢ri⸣-sa kib-si-šu₂-un
19i-na uz-na ṣir-ti ša₂ {⸢d⸣}e₂-a mu-⸢um⸣-mu ba-an ⸢ka⸣-la i-qi₂-[šu₂]-⸢šu₂⸣
20ha-si-sa pal-ka u₂-šat-li-mu-uš {d}⸢nin⸣-ši-[ku₃]
21a-na šul-⸢lum⸣ par-ṣi aš₂-ru ⸢ki⸣-du-de-e ud-du-⸢šu₂⸣ ma-ha-[zi]
22u₃ eš-ret GI₆.PAR₃ DINGIR.MEŠ ⸢GAL⸣.MEŠ ša₂ KUR-URI{ki} u₂-zu-⸢un⸣-šu₂ ib-ši-[ma]
23aš₂-rat e₂-an-na šu-bat {d}⸢iš⸣-tar be-let KUR.KUR GAŠAN-šu₂ ⸢iš⸣-te-eʾ-⸢e⸣-[ma]
24E₂.GAR₈ e₂-an-na ki-di-a-⸢ni⸣ ša₂ KISAL ⸢šap⸣-li-[i]
25u₃ E₂ {d}nin-giz-zi-da ša₂ qer-be₂-ni šu-pu-⸢šu i⸣-du-⸢uš⸣-[šu₂]
26sa-mit-su is-suh-ma u₂-nam-⸢mir⸣ te-me-⸢en⸣-[šu₂]
27URU₄.MEŠ-šu₂ ina te-me-qi₂ ik-ri-bi u la-ban ap-pi id-di-⸢ma⸣ GIM kin-ne₂-e u₂-kin-⸢ma⸣
28i-na SIG₄.HI.A el-le-ti ⸢re⸣-ši-šu₂ ul-li-ma u₂-⸢nam⸣-me-ra GIM u₄-[mi]
29UGU ša₂ pa-ni u₂-ša₂-tir-ma u₂-nak-ki-la ⸢bi⸣-na-a-[ti]
30a-na šat-ti ši-pir šu-a-ti {⸢d⸣}iš-tar be-let KUR.⸢KUR ha⸣-diš ina IGI.BAR-[(ša₂)]
31⸢a⸣-na {d}AMAR.UTU-IBILA-SUM.NA ⸢LUGAL KA₂.DINGIR.RA⸣{ki} liš-ruk TIN MU.⸢AN⸣.[NA]-šu₂ li-iṣ-ṣib-ma liš-ba-a lit-ut-⸢tu₂⸣
32[i]-na qi₂-bi-ti-šu₂ ṣir-ti ša₂ la ⸢na-ka⸣-ri kul-lat na-⸢ki-ri⸣-šu₂ a-na GIR₃.II-šu₂ li-šak-niš-ma
33[(x)] ⸢LUGAL.LUGAL⸣.MEŠ na-ki-ri-šu₂ nu-⸢huš⸣ kib-rat ⸢ar₃⸣-ba-ʾi-i [hi]-ṣib KUR-i u₃ tam-tim
34⸢GUN-su⸣-nu ⸢DUGUD⸣-ta liš-du-⸢du⸣ a-⸢na⸣ qe₂-reb šu-an-⸢na⸣{ki}
35[qi₂]-⸢ša⸣-at-⸢su-nu⸣ lim-hur-ma a-na e₂-sag-il₂ ⸢li⸣-še-rib ma-har EN ⸢EN⸣.EN
36⸢BALA⸣-šu₂ i-⸢na TIN⸣.TIR{ki} ⸢li⸣-kun a-na ⸢ṣa-a⸣-ti
37⸢MU.SAR-e⸣ LUGAL a-lik mah-ri-ia e-⸢piš⸣ E₂ šu-a-ti a-mur-ma MU.⸢SAR-šu₂⸣ la u₂-nak-kir₃-ma it-ti ⸢MU⸣.SAR-e-a GIN
38man-nu ar₂-ku-u₂ lu-u₂ LUGAL lu-u₂ ⸢DUMU⸣ LUGAL lu {lu₂}⸢qi₂⸣-pu lu {lu₂}[GAR]-⸢nu⸣ lu {lu₂}ša₂-tam lu {lu₂}ha-⸢za⸣-an-nu
39ša₂ ⸢EN⸣ GAL-u₂ {d}AMAR.UTU MU-šu₂ i-⸢nam-bu⸣-ma ⸢a-na⸣ e-peš ⸢e₂⸣-an-na GEŠTU-šu₂ i-⸢šak-ka⸣-nu
40MU.⸢SAR⸣ šu-a-tu li-mu-⸢ur⸣-ma ⸢it-ti⸣ MU.SAR-šu₂-ma lu-⸢kin ah-ra⸣-taš

Sources & licences

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