LBPL CTMMA 2 44

LBPL no. 36280

Copy / Photo
pls. 62–63
Tablet Siglum
MMA 86.11.370A + MMA 86.11.370C + MMA 86.11.383C + MMA 86.11.383D + MMA 86.11.383E
Measurements
circumference
10.0 x 15.2 x 3.6
cm
Collection
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Edition
207–210
Studies
44, 46, n. 11
203–207
121–122
132, n. 42
19–20, 31, nn. 33–34
149, n. 31
78, n. 13, 87
277, n. 22
147–148
Genre / Classification
Literary Letters
Provenance
Babylon (mod. Kasr, Amran Ibn Ali, Sahn, Ishin Aswad, Merkes)
Text

Obv.   

1 [ana nabû-aplu-uṣur] šakkanak(gìr.níta) bābili(eki) šarru(lugal) dan-nu ma-ṣ[i ma-la lì]b-bu-šú šá mard[u]k(damar.[u]tu) apkal(abgal) šamê(an-e) u erṣeti(ki-tì)

2 [x x x x ú]-ma-ʾ-ir-su-ma tur-ru gi-[mil-li māt(kur)] akkadî(uriki) ú-mál-l[a]-a qa-tuš-šú

3 [x] x x x x x x (x) [x x x x x (x)] x x [x x x šar]ri(lug]al) bēli(en)-iá-a-ma

marduk([d]amar.utu) u dzar-pa-ni-tu4 mu x [. . .] še-ret-ka dan-na-at

5 [li]-mi-du kal-la šarrāni(lugalmeš) iš-tu māt(kur) ši-rù x [x x x x x ad]i(e]n) māt(kur) pa-ra-ši-i šap-li-[i/ti

6 [x x (x)] x x x ka u4-mi-šam-[m]a la na-par-[ka-a daš-šur] a-šib é-šár-ra nap-ḫar x [x (x)]

7 [x x] x x x x x [x x] x x [x x x x ni?-iz?]-mat lìb-bi šá šarri(lugal) bēli(en)-iá x [. . .]

8 [x x] x iš-pur-ru um-ma tebâ(zi)-am-ma [x x x] x ur māt(kur)-kaa-sap-pan u ka-a-š[ú? . . .]

9 [abu]l([ká.ga]l) ištar(d15) né-re-bi šarrūti(lugal-ú-ti) [x x x] x su ku a a še-ú ku-mu-ú šá ana šarri(lugal) b[ēli(e[n)-iá]

10 [x x (x)] x ki-ša[d]-su a-ku-ú za/šá [. . .] kal iṣṣūr(mušen) ḫurri(buru5.ḫabrud.da) šá itti(ki) mušenka-su-su ip-pu-[šú]

11 [x x x x] na? bi šá itti(ki) x x x x x [x x x] x ⌈urna x [a]t-ma-a ṭa-[ba]

12 [x x x x x] ul? x [x] x qar qí-bit-su x |x x x x x x (x)] x ia u na-ka-su na[pišti(z[i?-tì?])

13 [. . .] x māt(kur)-ka bītu rabâ(gal-a) [. . .] x šá ga [x (x)]

14 [. . . um-m]a arad(ìr)-ka-ma šarru(lugal) [li(e[n-iá . . .] x x [ . . . ]

15 [. . .]x še(?) a-bu-ba u iz z[a . . . ] x x x x

16 [. . .] ⌈i-ḫa-an⌉ x [. . .] x u ia-a-ši

17 [. . .] x ka ni-ṭù-t[ú r]it-ku-su-ma kal bi x [. . .]-lu mi-tu-tu

18 [. . .] ka ez-zu-tu ṣābē(érinmeš) ek-du-tu ni [. . . pa]l?-ḫa-ak šá la balāṭi(tin) ut-ta-az!(text: ʾ)-za!(text: A)-am u4-mi-šam 

 

Rev.

19 [. . .] x šá la balāṭi(tin) atbâ(zi-a) ú-ša[b-bar . . .] ni mNabû(dag)-apla(a)-uṣur(ùri) šarru(lugal) ši-tul-tú

20 [. . .] x x x x [. . .] i-sel-li-mu

21 [. . .] x x tar x bi? x [. . .] x na?-ku-ma

22 [x x x x] šar[ru(lug[al) ]li(e]n)-iá šit?-ta?-tú mšamaš(dutu)-x [. . .]

23 [x x] x x x [x] x na ur ma-as-su⌉ x x [. . .] x x x [. . .]

24 [x x x] x x x [x x] x x ēkalli(é.gal)-iá la-an-du-ʾ x x tu ʾ ḫa-as-su-ʾ ma x [. . .]

25 [x x x] x x x x x šá [x] x x x šú-nu-ti-ma x-iá liq-bu-ú ki-i ana zi-k[ir? . . .]

26 [x x x] x x x x x ḫi ip x x [x] x paḫāru(báḫar) x x gul-lu-ta-k[u x]

27 [x x x] ši x x ri? [x] x x x [x] x šú lìb-ba-šu šar-ḫu li-ni-iḫ-ḫa-am-[ma]

28 x x x x x x x x šarru(lugal) [li](e[n])-iá lu-gam-mir-am-ma [an]a maḫar(igi) šarri(lugal) bēlī(en)-iá lu-bil-lu

29 ki-i [l]a? te-eg-gu-ú la te?-ri? x x ma-aṣ-ṣar-tu šar[ri](lug[al]) bēli(en)-iá la at-ta-ṣar

30 šarru(lugal) bēli(en)-iá liš-pu-ru-am-ma šá ina lìb-bi-šú [a?-b]u li-pu-uš

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31 ši-piš-tu4 msîn(d30)-šarru(lugal)-iškun(gar-un) [šà]r māt(kur) aš-šurki šá x [x x x] x [x] ⌈a-na mnabû(dag)⌉-apla(a×za!)-uṣur(ùri) bēli(en)-šú iš-pur-ru

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32 [ma](g[im]) ⌈labīri(sumun)-šú šaṭir(sar)⌉ [giṭṭu(im)/ṭuppu(dub) mbēl(den)-x(-x)] māru(⌈a⌉?) šá mbēl(umun)-ina-é-sag-gíl-lūmur(igi)

33 [qāt(šu) mbēl(den)-ku(?)-ṣu]r-šú mārišu(dumu.a.ni) bābili(ek[i]) [itix-(x) ūm(ud) (x+)]5.kam šanat(mu) 1 me 6[0+2?].kam ma-lik-sa-an-dar šarri(lugal)

Translation

Obv.               

1–3 [To Nabopolassar], governor of Babylon, mighty king, with [full] discretion to act, whom Marduk, sage of heaven and netherworld, [. . .] commissioned and entrusted to his hands the avenging of Akkad, . . . [. . .] . . . [. . .] the king my lord.

4–8 [May] Marduk and Zarpanītu, who [. . .] impose your severe punishment [(and) . . .] your . . . (on) all the kings from Širum [. . .] to lower Parašû daily without ceasing. [May Aššur], who dwells in Ešarra, all [. . .]. . . [. . .] . . . [. . .] the desire(?) of which the king my lord [. . .] wrote [to] his [servant(?)], saying, ''Arise and [. . .] . . . I am going to devastate your land and [. . .] you!"

9–18 [(At?)] the Ištar [Gate], the royal entrance, [. . .] . . . were sought out (and) bound (as captives), which for the king [my lord] [. . .] his neck. The weak man [. . .] the partridge, which wishes to share [a nest(?)] with a falcon [. . .] . . . that with . . . [. . .]    . . . a pleasant speech [. . .] . . . his words . . . my [. . .] and cutting the [throat(?) . . .] your land, a great house, [. . .] . . . [. . . thus] says your servant, "The king my lord [. . .] . . . [. . .]. . . a flood-storm and . . . [. . .] . . . [. . .] also me [. . .] bound with your hitting [. . .] and . . . [. . .] the dead [. . .] your fierce [. . .], savage warriors, [. . .] in fear I complain(?) daily about dying.

19–26 [. . .] dying. Should(?) I arise and break(?) [. . .] Nabopolassar the king [. . .] a consultation [. . .] . . . [. . .] they will be reconciled [. . .] . . . [. . .] the king my lord, the remnants (which) Šamaš-[. . .] . . . the leaders [. . .] . . . [. . .]. . . [. . .] who understand    . . . of my palace . . . wise . . . [. . .]. . . them and may they speak . . . When at the mention(?) [. . .]. . . the potter . . . I am frightened [. . .]

27–30 [. . .] . . . may his [. . .] quiet his fiery heart. . . may I complete the . . . of the king(?) my lord and bring (it /them) to the presence of the king my lord. As you are not(?) lazy and not . . . I did not perform my duties to the king my lord. May the king my lord write to me and do what he considers good.

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31 Letter of Sîn-šarra-iškun, king of Assyria, which [. . . ] . . .  he wrote to Nabopolassar his lord. 

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32–33 Written according to its original, [tablet of Bēl-. . .], son of Bēl-ina-Esagil-lūmur, [hand of] Bēl-kuṣuršu, his son. Babylon, [month . . ., day (x)]+5, year 16[2?] of Alexander the king.

Vocabulary
Word Translation Semantic Line
abūbum flood, deluge 15
abullum gate [9]
adi until, as far as [5]
Akkadûm GN 2
Aliksandar RN 33
ana to, for [1], 9, 25, [28], 31
apkallum wise man, expert 1
Aššur DN [6]
Aššur DN 31
atwûm, atmûm speech, word 11
Bābili GN 1, 33
balāṭum life 18, 19
Bēl-ina-Esagil-lūmur PN 32
Bēl-kuṣuršu PN [33]
Bēl-x PN 32
bēlum lord, proprietor (of) 3, 7, [9], 14, 22, 28 (x2), 29, 30, 31
bītum house, palace, temple 13
dannum strong, mighty, hard 1, 4
egûm (v.) to be(come) lazy, be negligent 29
ēkallum palace 24
ekdum wild, furious 18
emēdum (v.) to lean on, impose, become stationary, (N) get together 5
epēšum (v.) to do, make, build, open (mouth), (D) calculate, check, execute properly (a tablet) 10, 30
erṣetum earth, land, underworld, quarter 1
Ešarra TN 6
ezzum furious, angry, fierce 18
galātum (v.) to tremble, be afraid, (D) frighten 26
gamārum (v.) to bring to conclusion, complete 28
gimillum requital [2]
giṭṭum oblong tablet [32]
ḫassum clever, wise [24]
ina in, on, by, from [30]
iṣṣūr ḫurri rock partridge 10
Ištar DN, SN [9]
ištum, ultu from, out of, since, after 5
itti with 10, 11
kalû, kullu all, totality 5
kamûm (v.) to bind, take prisoners 9
kas(s)ūsum (hunting) falcon 10
kâšim, kâšum you, to you, of you (sg.) 8
like, how, when, if, that, as 25, 29
kīma like, when, as, that 32
kišādum neck, bank 10
not 6, 18, 19, 29 (x3)
labīrum old, former, original 32
lamdum experienced 24
libbum inner body, heart 1, 7, 27, 30
maḫrum, meḫrum front, presence, past (time) 28
mala as much as [1]
malûm (v.) to be(come) full, fill up 2
Marduk DN 1, 4
mārum 32, 33
maṣṣartum observation, guard, watch 29
massûm leader, expert 23
mašûm (v.) to forget 1
mātum land, country [2], 5 (x2), 8, 13, 31
mītum dead 17
Nabû-aplu-uṣur RN [1], 19, 31
nâḫum (v.) to rest 27
nakāsum (v.) to cut, fell, slaughter 12
naparkûm (v.) to cease 6
napḫarum total, sum, (the) whole, entirety 6
napištum throat, (essence of) life, breath [12]
naṣārum (v.) to guard, protect, watch over, observe 29
nazāmum (v.) to moan, complain 18
nērebum entrance 9
niṭûtum thrashing, beating 17
nizmatum desire, objective [7]
paḫārum potter 26
palāḫum (v.) to fear, revere 18
Parašû GN 5
qabûm speech, command 25
qātum 2, [33]
qibītum speech, command, prayer 12
rabûm big, great, old, noble, chief 13
rakāsum (v.) to bind, tie, install 17
ša who(m), which, of 1, 7, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19, 30, 31, 32
ṣābum people, troops 18
šakkanakkum (military) governor 1
salāmum (v.) to be(come) at peace, reconcile 20
Šamaš-x PN 22
šamû sky, heaven 1
sapānum (v.) to flatten, lay flat, overturn, devastate 8
šapārum (v.) to send (a message), write to 8, 30, 31
šaplûm lower 5
šarḫum proud, splendid 27
šarrum king, SN 1, [3], 5, 7, 9, 14, 19, 22, 28 (x2), 29, 30, [31], [33]
šarrūtum kingship, reign 9
šaṭārum (v.) to write (down) 32
šattum year 33
šebērum (v.) to break 19
šērtum guilt, crime, punishment 4
šeʾum barley, grain 9
Sîn-šarru-iškun RN 31
šipirtum, šipištum message, letter 31
ṣīrum exalted, supreme 5
šittum remnant, remainder 22
šitūltum discussion, consultation 19
ṭābum good, sweet, pleasant [11], [30]
târum (v.) to turn, return, (D) bring, send, give back, restore 2
ṭebûm (v.) to sink, submerge 8, 19
ṭuppum (clay) tablet [32]
u and 1, 4, 8, 12, 15, 16
ūmišam daily 6, 18
umma saying 8, [14]
ūmum day, time [33]
wabālum (v.) to carry, bring, (Š) send, deliver 28
wardum slave, servant 14
wârum, maʾārum (v.) to go (up to), (D) instruct, commission, govern, give charge 2
wāšibum sitting, dwelling, inhabitant 6
yâšim me, to me 16
Zarpānītum DN 4
zikrum utterance, name, speech 25