Ashurbanipal 186 (Q007594)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Assyrian, Kuyunjik (Nineveh) · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
Open in the reader & map →See it among all tablets
| Designation | Ashurbanipal 186 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q007594 |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE |
| Genre | Royal Inscription |
| Find spot | Kuyunjik (Nineveh) |
| Coordinates | 36.3587, 43.1519 |
English translation
By ORACC project rinap/rinap5 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse [0:6] 1'1'–6'6' | [... I allowed ... to dw]ell (as safely) as if on a meadow [... te]rror in the steppe [...] ... well-being (5´) [... who] constantly [a]chieves his heart’s wish [...]s, birds, and fish. |
| Obverse [6:9] 11–33 | I, Ashurbanipal, great king, strong k[ing], king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world); offspring of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, governor of Babylon, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad; descendant of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, (who was) also king of Assyria — |
| Obverse [9:16] 44–1010 | (The god) Aššur, the Enlil of the gods, firmly established the foundations of (my) throne (and) required my priestly services; the goddess Mullissu, the mother of the great gods, raised me like my (own) birth mother in her sweet embrace; the gods Sîn (and) Šamaš regularly sent me auspicious signs every month through their firm “yes”; the god Marduk, the sage of the gods whose command cannot be changed, determined as my lot a destiny of longevity; the god Nabû, the scribe of everything, implanted in my mind the precepts of his wisdom, which he loves; the goddess Ištar, who resides in the city Arbela, the honored one of the great gods, stretched out her everlasting protection over me; (and) the god Nergal, mightiest of the gods, granted me power, virility, (and) unrivalled strength as a gift. |
| Obverse [16:20] 1111–1414 | From my childhood, the great gods who dwell in heaven and netherworld determined my destiny to be king. They raised me like a father who had engendered (me) (and) entrusted me with their exalted ways. They taught me how to wage war and battle, set in motion an attack, form a battle line, and (do) combat. They made my weapons greater than (those of) my enemies who, from my childhood until I became an adult, started a fight with me. |
| Obverse [20:22] 1515–1616 | They judged my case with Urtaku, the king of the land Elam, with whom I did not start (but) who started a battle with me. In my stead, they brought about his defeat, smashed his vanguard, (and) drove him away as far as the border of his land. |
| Obverse [22:25] 1717–1919 | [I]n that year, they destroyed his life through a cruel death. They consigned him to Kurnugia, the place of no return. The heart(s) of the great gods, my lords, were not appeased, (and) the angry mood(s) of the[i]r lordly majesties were not pacified. They overthrew his kingship (and) took away his dynasty. They made somebody e[ls]e assume dominion over the land Elam. |
| Obverse [25:29] 2020–2323 | Ummanigaš, Ummanappa, (and) Tammarītu — the sons of Urt[a]ku, the king of the Elam — Kudurru (and) Parrû — the sons of Ummanaldašu (Ḫumban-ḫaltaš II), the king who came before Urtaku — (together with) sixty members of the royal (family), countless archers, (and) nobles of the land Elam, fled to me before the slaughter of Teumman, the brother of their father, and grasped the feet of my royal majesty. |
| Obverse [29:33] 2424–2727 | After I sat on the throne of the father who had engendered me, the god Adad released his rains (and) the god Ea opened up his springs. The forests flourished greatly (and) reeds (and) reed-thickets grew together (so that) there was no entrance or walkway. The young of the lions thrived in[s]ide them and they ba[n]ded into packs without number. By devouring oxen, sheep and goats, and humans, they became restless and fierce; they gr[e]w in size. |
| Obverse [33:38] 2828–3232 | The mountains resou[nded] with their roars (and) the beasts of the ste[ppe] were perpetually terrified. They were constantly cutting down wild animals (and) shedding the blood of humans, (so that) they blocked travel. (30) Like the carnage of the god Erra, the bodies (and) corpses of oxen and s[heep and goats] were heaped up [in the stepp]e and open country. Shepherds (and) herdsmen were bewailing that lions were eat[ing (animals) within (their) cattle-pens and] sheepfold(s). Settlements were mourning day and night ..., their dwelling place(s) were situated [in the r]eed(s) and forest(s). |
| Obverse [38:42] 3333–3636 | They (the people) told m[e] about the deeds of these lions [and for pl]easure I went out against them. During the course of my campaign, I entered into those [re]ed(s) [and fo]rests and I brought about their defeat. (35) I scattered their lairs (and) I captured [t]heir [...] alive. I pacified the people living in (those) settlements (and) the [shepherd(s) (and) he]rdsmen, and I allowed wild animals to dwell (as safely) as if on a mea[dow]. |
| Obverse [42:50] 3737–4444 | At that time, four sons of the king[s ...], fugitives of the land Elam, demonstrated to [m]e (lit. “drew [m]y attention to”) the shooting of their bow(s), [wh]ich after ... [...] they mutilated (their) fingernails in a ... way. [...] ... [...] they were shooting [...] before me. (40) [...] they shot ... [...] their furious arrows [...] my furious [ar]row ... [...] ... my eunuchs [...] ... is/are located ... |
| Obverse [50:60] 4545–5454 | [...] the god Nergal, mightiest of the gods, ... [...] before my bow [...] they were [lo]oking at him ... [...] they were constantly blessing m[y ...] (and) were kissing my feet. [...] ... their (own) eyes saw (50) [...] ... [...] ... you will not place [...] May he allow you to have [(... and) m]ight. [...] humanity [...] the land Elam |
| Obverse [60:67] 5555–6161 | (No translation possible) |
| Left [0:1] l.e. 1l.e. 1–l.e. 1l.e. 1 | [...] ... had encouraged me, commanded me to scatter the land Elam. |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2' | [... u₂-šar]-⸢bi⸣-ṣa par-ga-niš($over ersaures$) | |
| 3' | [...] ⸢ḫur⸣-ba-ša ina EDIN | |
| 4' | [...] x x šul-me | |
| 5' | [...] ⸢it-ta⸣-na-al-⸢la⸣-ku bi-bil ŠA₃-šu₂ | |
| 6' | [...] x.MEŠ MUŠEN.MEŠ u KU₆.MEŠ | |
| 1 | a-na-ku {m}AN.ŠAR₂-DU₃-A ⸢LUGAL GAL LUGAL⸣ dan-nu LUGAL ŠU₂ LUGAL KUR AN.ŠAR₂{ki} LUGAL kib-rat LIMMU₂-tim | |
| 2 | E₃ lib₃-bi {m}AN.ŠAR₂-PAP-AŠ LUGAL KUR ⸢AN.ŠAR₂⸣{ki} GIR₃.NITA₂ KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} LUGAL KUR EME.GI₇ u URI{ki} | |
| 3 | ŠA₃.BAL.BAL {m}{d}30-PAP.MEŠ-SU ⸢LUGAL⸣ GAL LUGAL dan-nu LUGAL ŠU₂ LUGAL KUR AN.ŠAR₂{ki}ma | |
| 4 | AN.ŠAR₂ {d}EN.LIL₂.LA₂ DINGIR.MEŠ iš-di {giš}⸢GU.ZA-e⸣ u₂-kin iḫ-šu-ḫa {lu₂}ša₂-an-gu-ti | |
| 5 | {d}NIN.LIL₂ AMA DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ ki-ma ⸢AMA a-lit-ti⸣ u₂-rab-ban-ni ina ki-rim-mi₃-ša₂ DUG₃.GA | |
| 6 | {d}30 {d}UTU ina an-ni-šu₂-nu ke-e-ni ITI-šam iš-⸢ta⸣-nap-pa-ru-u-ni i-da-at dum-qi₂ | |
| 7 | {d}AMAR.UTU ABGAL DINGIR.MEŠ ša₂ qi₂-bit-su la ut-tak-ka-ru ši-⸢mat⸣ la-ba-ri i-šim šim-ti | |
| 8 | {d}AG DUB.SAR gim-ri iḫ-ze ne₂-me-qi₂-šu₂ ša₂ i-ram-mu u₂-šak-mi₃-sa kar-šu-u-a | |
| 9 | {d}iš-tar a-ši-bat {uru}LIMMU₂-DINGIR ka-bit-ti DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ ṣil-la-ša₂ da-ru-u it-ru-ṣa UGU-ia | |
| 10 | {d}U.GUR dan-dan-ni DINGIR.MEŠ dun-nu zik-ru-tu e-mu-qi₂ la ša₂-na-an ⸢iš⸣-ru-ka ši-rik-ti | |
| 11 | ul-tu ṣe-ḫe-ri-ia DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ a-šib AN-e u KI-tim ši-ma-ti i-ši-mu a-na LUGAL-u-ti | |
| 12 | ki-ma AD ba-ne₂-e u₂-rab-bu-in-ni al-ka-kat₃-e-šu₂-nu ṣi-ra-a-ti u₂-mal-lu-u qa-a-tu-u-a | |
| 13 | u₂-lam-mi₃-du-in-ni e-peš MURUB₄ u ME₃ di-ku-ut a-na-an-ti se-de-ru u mit-ḫu-ṣu-ti | |
| 14 | u₂-šar-bu-u {giš}TUKUL.MEŠ-ia UGU {lu₂}KUR₂.MEŠ-ia ša₂ ul-tu ṣe-ḫe-ri-ia a-di ra-be₂-ia ig-ru-in-ni a-na ṣa($over erasure$)-al-ti | |
| 15 | i-di-nu de-e-ni it-ti {m}ur-ta-ki MAN {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} ša₂ la ag-ru-u-šu₂ ig-ra-an-ni a-na qab-li | |
| 16 | ke-e-mu-u-a BAD₅.BAD₅-šu₂ iš-ku-nu im-ḫa-ṣu pa-na-as-su iṭ-ru-du-šu₂ a-di mi-ṣir KUR-šu₂ | |
| 17 | ⸢ina⸣ MU.AN.NA šu₂-a-tu ina UŠ₂ lem-ni u₂-ḫal-li-qu nap-šat-su ip-qi₂-du-šu₂ a-na KUR.NU.GI₄.A a-šar la ⸢ta⸣-a-ri | |
| 18 | ⸢lib₃⸣-bi DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ EN.MEŠ-ia ul i-nu-uḫ ul ip-šaḫ ša₂ e-zu-zu ka-bat-ti EN-ti-šu₂-⸢nu⸣ | |
| 19 | LUGAL-us-su iš-ki-pu BALA-šu₂ e-ki-mu be-lut {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} u₂-šal-qu-u ša₂-⸢nam-ma⸣ | |
| 20 | {m}um-man-i-gaš {m}um-man-ap-pa {m}tam-ma-ri-tu DUMU.MEŠ {m}ur-ta-ki LUGAL {kur}ELAM.⸢MA⸣{ki} | |
| 21 | {m}ku-dur₂-ru {m}pa-ru-u DUMU.MEŠ {m}um-man-al-da-si LUGAL a-lik pa-ni {m}ur-⸢ta-ki⸣ | |
| 22 | 60 NUMUN LUGAL ina la mi₃-ni {lu₂}⸢ERIM⸣.MEŠ {giš}PAN DUMU.MEŠ ba-ne₂-e ša₂ {kur}ELAM.MA{⸢ki⸣} | |
| 23 | la-pa-an da-a-ki {m}te-um-man ŠEŠ AD-šu₂-nu in-nab-tu-nim-ma iṣ-ba-tu₂ GIR₃.II LUGAL-⸢ti⸣-ia | |
| 24 | ⸢ul⸣-tu ina {giš}GU.ZA AD ba-ni-ia u₂-ši-bu {d}IŠKUR ŠEG₃.MEŠ-šu₂ u₂-maš-ši-ra {d}e₂-a u₂-paṭ-⸢ṭi⸣-ra IDIM.MEŠ-šu₂ | |
| 25 | {giš}TIR.MEŠ ma-gal iš-mu-ḫa {giš}GI.MEŠ ṣu-ṣe-e uš-te-li-pu la i-šu₂-u ne₂-re-bu u tal-lak-tu₂ | |
| 26 | ta-lit-ti UR.MAḪ.MEŠ ⸢qe₂-reb⸣-ši-in i-šir-ma ina la-a mi₃-ni ik-⸢ṣu⸣-ru el-la-tu₂ | |
| 27 | ina u₂-kul-ti GU₄.MEŠ ṣe-e-ni u a-me-lu-ti in-na-ad-ru-ma e-zi-zu ⸢iš-mu⸣-ḫu la-a-nu | |
| 28 | ina rig-me-šu₂-nu ḫur-ša₂-a-ni i-⸢ram-mu⸣-[mu] ig-da-na-lu-du u₂-ma-am ⸢EDIN⸣ | |
| 29 | bu-ul EDIN ka-a-a-an u₂-šam-qa-tu i-tab-ba-ku UŠ₂.MEŠ a-me-lu-ti ⸢ip-ru-su⸣ a-lak-tu | |
| 30 | ki-ma dab₂-de-e {d}er₃-ra tab-kat₃ ša₂-lam-tu ADDA.MEŠ GU₄.⸢MEŠ⸣ u ⸢ṣe⸣-[e-ni ina] ⸢EDIN⸣ u ba-ma-a-ti | |
| 31 | i-bak-ku-u₂ {lu₂}SIPA.MEŠ {lu₂}na-qi₂-di ša₂ la-ab-bi ik-⸢ka⸣-[lu ina tar-ba-ṣi u] su-pu-ru | |
| 32 | i-sa-ap-pi-du da-ad-me ur-ru u mu-šu₂ x (x) x x [ina {giš]}⸢GI⸣ u {⸢giš}TIR šit-ku-na⸣-at šu-bat-sun₂ | |
| 33 | ep-⸢šet⸣ UR.MAḪ.MEŠ ša₂-a-tu-nu iq-bu-⸢nim⸣-[ma ki-i] ⸢mul⸣-ta-ʾu-u-ti al-li-⸢ka EDIN⸣-uš-šu₂-un | |
| 34 | ina me-ti-iq ger-ri-ia qe₂-reb {⸢giš}GI⸣ [u {giš]}⸢TIR⸣.MEŠ ša₂-a-ti-na ⸢e⸣-ru-um-ma BAD₅.BAD₅-šu₂-⸢nu⸣ aš₂-kun | |
| 35 | qin-na-a-ti-šu₂-nu u₂-par-ri-ir [...]-⸢šu₂⸣-nu bal-ṭu-u-ti u₂-ṣab-bi-ta ina qa-⸢a-ti⸣ | |
| 36 | ⸢UN⸣.MEŠ a-ši-bu-ut URU.MEŠ {⸢lu₂⸣}[SIPA.MEŠ {lu₂]}⸢na-qi₂⸣-di u₂-pa-aš₂-ši-iḫ-ma bu-ul EDIN u₂-šar-bi-ṣa par-⸢ga⸣-[niš] | |
| 37 | ina u₄-me-šu₂ 4 DUMU.MEŠ ⸢LUGAL⸣.[MEŠ ...] ⸢mun-nab⸣-ti ša₂ {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} ša₂-le-e {giš}PAN-šu₂-un u₂-na-ʾi-i-du-⸢in-ni⸣ | |
| 38 | ⸢ša⸣ ul-tu im-⸢ma⸣-x [...] x la-ab-niš ⸢u₂-kaṣ₃⸣-ṣi-ṣu ṣu-up-⸢ra-te⸣ | |
| 39 | [x x] x x [... i]-⸢sa⸣-al-lu-u₂ i-na maḫ-⸢ri-ia⸣ | |
| 40 | [...]-⸢nu⸣ is-lu-u₂ x x x-ne₂-⸢e⸣ | |
| 41 | [...] {giš}šil-ta-ḫi-šu₂-nu šam-ru-u-ti | |
| 42 | [... {giš}šil]-⸢ta⸣-ḫi-ia šam-ri UB x RU UŠ | |
| 43 | [...]-a-ti ina KA NA AN x x {⸢lu₂⸣}šu-ut SAG.MEŠ-⸢ia⸣ | |
| 44 | [...] x x ID QA šit-ku-nu ŠID x x x x | |
| 45 | [...] x {⸢d}U.GUR dan⸣-dan-ni DINGIR.MEŠ AN x [(x)] | |
| 46 | [...] ⸢ḪA⸣ ina pa-an {giš}PAN-⸢ia⸣ | |
| 47 | [... ip]-pal-la-su-uš ni-iš x | |
| 48 | [...]-⸢ia⸣ ik-⸢ta⸣-na-⸢ra⸣-bu u₂-⸢na⸣-ša₂-qu GIR₃.II-⸢ia⸣ | |
| 49 | [...] x x ⸢NA⸣ e-mu-⸢ra⸣ IGI.II-⸢šu₂-nu⸣ | |
| 50 | [...] x x x ⸢e-li EDIN⸣ x x x x x x x (x) | |
| 51 | [...] x ⸢GI⸣ la ta-šak-kan | |
| 52 | [...] x x-na-nu li-šar-ši-ka | |
| 53 | [...] a-me-lu-⸢u₂-tim⸣-ma | |
| 54 | [...] {⸢kur⸣}ELAM.MA{⸢ki⸣} | |
| 55 | [...] x x x x (x) | |
| 56 | [...] x-⸢la⸣-nu | |
| 57 | [...] | |
| 58 | [...] x x-ra-nu | |
| 59 | [...] x x x-šu₂ | |
| 60 | [...] x-⸢e⸣-šu₂ | |
| 61 | [...] x x | |
| l.e. | ||
| 1 | [...] x x x ⸢u₂-tak⸣-kil-an-ni iq-ba-a sa-pa-⸢aḫ⸣ {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} | |
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.