Category Archives: Babylon

A Hymn to Marduk for Abi-Eshuh (Abi-Eshuh A): translation

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal...)

^1-6King who gathers up the divine powers (alien technologies) of heaven and earth,

(Marduk, patron god of Babylon with foot upon his zodiac symbol of Aires the Ram)

foremost son of Enki, Marduk, mighty lord, perfect hero, foremost of the Great Princes (a name for the Igigi gods) ,

strong one of the Anuna (Anunnaki), the great gods who have given him justice and judgment!

(Marduk‘s grandfather Anunnaki King Anu in his winged sky-disc)

Great prince, descendant of holy An (Anu), lord who decides destinies,

who has everything in his grasp (?), wise, august knower of hearts,

whose divinity is manifest, who shows concern for all that he looks upon!

Your ancestor An, king of the gods (god the father in heaven to the “sons of god” who “came down” & colonized the Earth),

has made your lordship effective against the armies of heaven and earth.

^7-10He has given you the supervision of great august commands of heaven and earth,

he has bound to your hand the shepherd’s crook that curbs the foreign lands, he has made you excel among the great gods,

and in addition has given you, to control them, the royal scepter and the ritual ordinances of the gods.

Enlil has fixed as your destiny kingship over the totality of heaven and earth and has relieved you of any rivals;

he has made you eminent among the Anuna (Anunnaki), and has bestowed on you the exercise of domination.

¹¹1st kirugu.

12 Marduk, in all quarters of the heavens they have made shine forth like Utu the lordship of prince Abi-Ecuh,

the beloved son of your heart, and have relieved him of any rivals.

¹³Jicgijal.

¹⁴The lordship of the hero standing in all his strength upon this august pedestal is indeed eminent in heaven and earth.

(Marduk, patron god of Babylon & then Egypt)

The lordship of Marduk standing in all his strength upon this august pedestal, is indeed eminent in heaven and earth.

Marduk’s Ordeal (Imprisonment)

http://www.gatewaystobabylon.com/myths/texts/classic/mardor.htm

A hard-to-get text concerning Marduk (Nibiru), of Assyrian origin. We know that some Assyrian versions of the Enuma Elish have Ashur instead of Marduk as the protagonist. Here, Ashur is the protagonist, and Ishtar (Inanna) of Nineveh is explained as Tiamat. The Assyrians regarded Ashur as another name for Anshar, Tiamat‘s grandson, thus closer to Tiamat and worthier of worship than Marduk.

H. Zimmern saw in the text an account of death and resurrection of Marduk (Lishtar´s Note: which took actually place during the Akitu, or New Year´s Festival). Von Soden, another scholar, pointed out that the events in the text were to be associated with the destruction of Babylon in 689 B.C., and the deportation of the statue or symbol of Marduk to Assyria.

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue)

(Nabu, 3rd son to Marduk, helped Marduk with many battles against their cousins)

1. Nabu,who comes from Borsippa. He comes to greet his father (Marduk), who has been taken captive.

2. Nabu, who turns back and goes to Borsippa, and sprinkles here and there stamens of the date palms there. That is the rebellion ……

(winged Nabu & unidentified on Library of Congress door)

3. The pig reeds in the path of Nabu. When he comes from Borsippa and blesses.

4. Nabu, who comes, stands over, and watches. : He is the criminal who is with Bel ….. Because he is with Bel (Marduk)

(Nabu‘s spouse, Tashmetu / Nanaya, giant Anunnaki goddess, & smaller king with spouse)

5. Tashmetu (“lady who listens”, Nabu‘s spouse), who bows down with him. She has come to greet him.

6. The Lady of Babylon, who does not go to the Akitu temple. She is the governess of the temple …… “You know the temple. Guard the temple! I hold you responsible for it.”

7. She is the governess of the temple. They ask her, “Who is the criminal?”

8. The Lady of Babylon on whose back is black wool, and on her front multicolored wool…….: ….. on her front is the blood of the heart which was shed …….

9. Sakkukutu (unidentified), who goes round the city. : She is his wailing woman, and goes round the city.

10. ……. is the criminal who was present with Bel. : They Ashshur …..

(Anu, alien father of the gods; Anu in his winged sky-disc)

11. ……. they have killed the daughter of Anu ……

12. …… because of the god … encircles, they demonstrate.

13. ….. the ….. of the districts ……

14. The exorcists, who go in front of him reciting an incantation. They are his people, and go in front of him calling out.

15. The ecstatic, who goes in front of the Lady of Babylon (Sarpanit). He is a bringer of news and weeps on her breast.

16. The athletes, who stand at the gate of Esagil. : They are his guards, are appointed over him and guard him.

17. … in the battle …..

(Bau / Gula on her throne with her guard dog; Bau)
18. The dog, which crosses Esabad. He is a messenger. Gula (Bau) sends (to inquire) about him.

19. Enuma Elish (SEE TEXT ON MARDUK‘S PAGE), which is recited and which they chant in front of Bel in Nisan. : That concerns the prisoner.

20. …. they sing ……

21. He says prayers and makes supplications to them. He recites that before Shamash (Utu): “They were favors for Ashshur (Ashur). I did them. What is my crime?”

(Utu cuts launch pads with launch towers into the mountains; mixed-breed king stands before Utu, the alien giant & Sun god)
22. ….. which in the rays of Shamash (Utu the Sun god)….

23. …. who scans the heavens. She is praying to Ashshur (Ashur), Anu, Sin (Nannar), Shamash (Utu), and Adad (Ishkur): “Keep me alive!”

24. …. who scans the ground on which his place of river ordeal has been put down. : Concerning the one who comes from the place of the river ordeal.

25. They carry him to the place of the river ordeal. She gives chase: “My brother, my brother!” ……

(Marduk, Enki‘s eldest son, patron god of Babylon, standing upon his zodiac symbol Aires the ram)
26. … Bel went to the place of the river ordeal. : The city has revolted against him and done battle inside. “What is his crime?”

27. ….. who rides. : He goes to the place of the river ordeal.

(Marduk‘s ziggurat residence & his patron city of Babylon way below him)

28. ….. who goes. : That is the temple. They question him about it at the edge of the place of the river ordeal.

29. …. who carry. : The criminal …..

30. ….. it is the place on …..

31. …. his … to the place of the river ordeal …

32. .. .. who does not go with him. “I am not a criminal! I will not be made to swear!” With him, on behalf of Ashshur they opened lawsuits before him. The lawsuits ….

33. …. “It is just.”

(Ashshur / Ashur / etc., Marduk‘s son in his weaponized winged sky-disc)
34. … who does not go with him. He is a son of Ashshur and is a guard. He is appointed over him, and guards the citadel because of him.

35. ….. placed to guard …. goes in front of him.

36. ….. his guard wearing a crown….

(Shamash / Utu; Adad; & Ashur with mixed-breeds)

37. ….. Shamash and Adad that is. From the temple of the prisoner …

38. … he is held fast.

39. …. it concerns the one who is held fast..

40. That which they do on the ziggurat. : Because the god imprisoned him he disappeared and was held inside.

41. … which they place, responsibility … in the ladles.

42. …. there is not. He is present. Responsibility …..

(alien giant gods in combat with each other)

43. …. she makes carry to him, to the temple of his imprisonment …..

44. …. because it is not old …. as his name.

45. …. who does not go out with Bel to the Akitu temple. He holds the fetter of the prisoner … with him.

46. …. to the place of the river ordeal he goes. In the Akitu temple……

47. The man who on the 7th day of the month….

48. …. who slaughters a pig in front of her on the 8th of Nisan.

49. It is said in Enuma Elish (SEE TEXTS ON MARDUK‘S PAGE): When heaven and earth were not created, Anshar came into being. When city and temple came into being, Anshar had come into being. The water which over Anshar …..

50. All the speech which is recited among the lamentation priests. It concerns the robbery and desecration which they commit against him. They are the gods, his fathers ……

(Esagil, Marduk‘s “holy of holies” within his ziggurat residence / house in Babylon)

51. His silver, gold, or gems which they take out of Esagil to other temples. : It is his temple ……

52. ……. whom they make superior ….

53. ….. it is ……. it is plundered …..

54. They make poured offerings from ladles and beakers.

55. ….. who goes. Because her vessel was lifted and he completes

……..: It is in fear. He quickly thirsts for water….

56. ….. is libated ………….

57. …. which he libates and pours. : That is turbid water ……

(Marduk between 2 winged sky-discs)

58. ….. who roams the streets. : He is looking for Marduk. “Where is the prisoner?”

(Utu, twin sister Inanna, father Nannar, & brother Papsukal damaged)

59. The Lady of Babylon, whose hands are stretched out. : She is praying to Sin and Shamash: “Keep Bel (Marduk) alive!”

60. …….s who goes, That is the gate of graves. She goes and looks for him.

61. …… who weep …… who do not weep. It is concerning Marduk ….

62. ….. Keep alive! Do not kill! …..

63. ….. is put down. Let me bear and bury …

64. ….. who goes and puts down.

65. ….. the messenger saves. They send him down from inside.

66. ….. who opens, the urn ….

67. …… whom Ashshur will kill …

68. That is the day of his crime. It is gathered in the chamber. Without water. He is clothed. Chamber……

(Ninurta in his winged “storm bird” shoots down winged Anzu, in his failed coup attempt, here portrayed as a demon bird)

69. The race which is in Kislimu, and in which they go round in front of Bel and in all the cult places. : When Ashshur sent Ninurta to defeat Anzu. Nergal …. spoke before Ashshur, “Anzu is defeated”. Ashshur said to the god ….. “Go to all the gods and give the news.” He gives the news to them and they in ….. they rejoiced.

70. …. he the cult places …..

71. …. she comes round from the city …..

72. ….. He is a messenger …. He goes round the city.

73. … he makes him go out….. not the messenger of his lords. Who makes him go out? ….. who goes, who makes him go out.

74. Grain, which is extremely plentiful in Nisan. : It is grain of when he was taken prisoner.

(Ishtar / Inanna, Goddess of Love & War)

75. The milk, which they draw in front of Ishtar (Inanna) of Nineveh. : Because she brought him up and showed compassion to him.

76. The moistened roasted flesh which they place in front of Marduk.: It is of the darkness (?)

77. It is of the darkness (?) …..

78. ….. who cuts, darkness (?) ….

79. The water for (washing) the hands which they bring near. : It is because he wept. His tears inside….

80. The garment which is on him. : What they say, that is water, those are drops.

81. The garment in which he is clad. : He is in the chamber.

82. ….. It is his mattress ….

83. The shoe which they take to the temple of the Lady of Babylon. It is a standard. He sends it to her because they will not release him and he cannot go out.

84. His clothing, which they send to the Lady of Uruk (Inanna). They are his cloaks. They carried them off.

85. …. concerning the dead one …. the saddle beneath him (and) the multi-colored wool with which he is clad. They are the blows which were struck. They are dyed in his blood.

86. …. all which the cloak …. …… the temple …

87. …. does not go. They …. his garments. He has disrobed ….

88. … which hangs from the beam of the Lady of Babylon. That is the head of a criminal who was present with him and whom they killed. They have hung his head on the neck of the Lady of Babylon.

89. The lattice door. : As they say, the gods have taken him captive and he has entered the temple and locked the door behind him. They bored holes in the door and did battle.

90. The chariot, which goes to the Akitu temple. It goes with no driver. Without a driver, it rocks about.

91. ….. he ….. not in honor of them.

92. ….. oil ……. lasting……

(end of extant text)

A Prayer to Marduk (Enki?) for Hammu-rabi (Hammu-rabi B): translation

^{The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature}

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

(ALIEN GIANTS APPOINTED OFFSPRING MIXED-BREEDS TO KINGSHIPS OVER EARTHLINGS)

^1-13May Lugalcubur (unidentified) place on your head the sacrosanct (?) crown of kingship!

(Enki on his throne; his ziggurat residence located in patron city of Eridu)

May Enki, the lord of life, …… life, and in the E-unir,

the house of the plans of heaven and earth which rides upon all the divine powers (alien technologies),

(Babylonian King Hammurabi in “priestly headdress” receives the “Law Code of Hammurabi” from alien giant gods; Hammurabi attentively standing before Utu, giant god of laws)

may he cover your priestly headdress in awe and splendour!

May he make the divine powers of kingship resplendent for you,

and fit you up forever with the plans appropriate to the rank of en priest!

May he gently recite for you live-giving incantations, bestowing in addition a long-lived destiny;

may the uttering of your name delight Enki as much as the uttering of his own name!

May he reward you with wisdom and intelligence!

May your royal name be as something unchangeable!
(ENKI; ARTIFACT NOW SHAMEFULLY DESTROYED BY RADICAL ISLAM, FEARING THE ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE)

May father Enki prolong the years of your life, and may he grant you lordship over every one of the foreign lands.

(IN “PRIESTLY HEADDRESS”, FAMOUS BABYLONIAN KING HAMMURABI, SERVANT OF THE GODS)

O Hammu-rabi, my king!

Samsu-iluna and Inana (Samsu-iluna A): translation

(Provisional translation: the language of this composition is extremely obscure and almost all the translation is very uncertain)

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

^1-8The ornament of fearsome divine powers (alien technologies),

the great knife of masculinity, looked at him with joyful eye and shining brow.

She conferred attractiveness on his beauty.

She made charm approach the colorful statue.

She erected the statue for him against (?) the opposing side.

She took its precious form to her heart (?).

(Inanna, Goddess of Love, daughter to Nannar)

With overflowing heart, she ……. Inana blessed the king in words:

^9-15“Lord, your destiny is a good one, and will delight the beloved.

Samsu-iluna, to choose the colorful ……, I will establish, benevolently according to my sight,

and lasting for ever, and will fix (?) for you a joyous celebration of incantation rituals (?).

I will fight off (?) the people of the other side for you.

Samsu-iluna, it is your power to possess strength, lord of all people!

You are …… your handsome hero (“mighty man” giant spouse), you keep watch.”

(alien giants Inanna & Adad, semi-divine mixed-breed giant king receives power & protection)

^16-22Standing joyfully beside the king, she granted a good destiny to the people for the sake of the king.

She gave them great beasts, and male and female protective deities,

to make their companions (?) powerful, and to send running those on that side, on the opposing side.

Inana took up her position at the right-hand side, while Samsu-iluna stood at their left-hand.

^23-25They played (?) with golden jugs of milk; they made sweet the songs of incantation (?).

They tormented those on the opposing side, the other side.

^26-30 (The protective goddesses speak:)

(2 protective goddesses of Inanna, Inanna, & Ninshubur)

“We are the beneficent protective goddesses of Inana.

We are the raised band (?) of Samsu-iluna.

You are on the opposing side …….

The celebration of incantation rituals is not perfect.

I will recite a pilipili.”

…… statue …… is not.

unknown no. of lines missing

Hammurabi Builds Inanna’s Temple

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

(Hammurabi & Law Code of Hammurabi artifact)

HAMMURABI, MIGHTY KING, KING OF BABYLON,

KING OF THE FOUR QUARTERS OF THE WORLD,

THE BUILDER OF THE TEMPLE EZI-KALAM-MA

(‘HOUSE – THE LIFE OF THE LAND’),

TEMPLE OF THE GODDESS INNANA IN ZABALA

MS in Old Babylonian on clay, Zabala, Babylonia, 1792-1750 BC, 1 brick, 13x29x9 cm, originally ca. 33x29x9 cm, 9 columns, (7×16 cm) in cuneiform script.

Context: There are 10 bricks extant apart from MS 1876/1-2, 9 in the Iraq Museum and 1, former MS 1876/3, now in British Museum (gift from The Schøyen Collection). MS 3028 is a royal inscription on black stone from the shoulder of a statue.

Commentary: Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC), the great king who created the Old Babylonian empire, is today mostly remembered for his famous law code. But he also built a series of great temples like the present one in Zabala. Towards the end of his reign, Hammurabi ordered his law code to be carved on stele which were placed in the temples bearing witness that the king had performed his important function of ‘king of justice’ satisfactorily. The famous stele now in the Louvre, was originally erected in the Sippar temple. The 12 surviving bricks are the only witnesses of the Zabala temple, its law code stele is lost.

A Hymn to Inana for Hammu-rabi (Hammu-rabi F): translation

^{The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature}

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

(Inanna & Ninhursag, with symbols of gods)

^1-2Lady who perfects the august divine powers (alien technologies), …… his destiny grandly!

O Inana (Inanna), to whom An (Anu) has …… manliness in heaven and earth!

^3-10Foremost among the gods, manifest, …… his destiny!

Inana, without whom An and Enlil cannot make a decision in the Land,

proud one among the Anuna (Anunnaki) gods, …… self-esteem and ……!

Inana, good wild cow of the great princes, respected among ladies ……,

your greatness shines forth to heaven and earth,

(Inanna & grandfather Enlil, Earth Colony Commander)

your divine powers (misunderstood advanced alien technologies) are …… powers.

When you speak it is the command of An, …… named by An …….

Your divinity is pre-eminent in the throne-hall (?), your great ways are …….

(eagle-headed & winged Apkulla / pilot, Enki, King Anu in his sky-disc,Tree of Life, Enlil, & Apkulla / pilot)

With An, you give judgment on earth; with Enlil …….

^11-12You behave as a lady among living creatures, you …… the dais;

you …… great ritual ordinances and commands in the Abzu shrine.

^13-19Without you, no king is …… as shepherd over the Land.

An (King of the Anunnaki) and Enlil (Earth Colony Commander) …… at your command for the king.

By your command, heaven and earth …….

(Hammurabi relief on US House of Representatives Bldg.)

An and Enlil …… the destiny which has been determined for you, Hammu-rabi, king …….

In the four quarters of the world …… the ordinances; …… a time of abundance, a year of plenty, …… life.

²⁰Hammu-rabi …….

unknown no. of lines missing)

Hymn To Ishtar for Ammiditana

Unknown web source

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Translation

Sing of the goddess, most awe-inspiring goddess,

Let her be praised, mistress of people, greatest of the Igigi–gods (Anunnaki).

(Ninshubur, Goddess of Love & War Inanna, a mixed-breed king, & mother Ninsun)

Sing of Ishtar (Inanna), most awe-inspiring goddess, let her be praised,

Mistress of women, greatest of the Igigi–gods.

She is the joyous one, clad in loveliness,

She is adorned with allure, appeal, charm.

(Ishtar / Inanna, daughter to Nannar & Ningal, alien Goddess of Love & War)

Ishtar is the joyous one, clad in loveliness,

She is adorned with allure, appeal, charm.

iii
In her lips she is sweetness, vitality her mouth,

While on her features laughter bursts to bloom.

She is proud of the love-charms set on her head,

Fair her hues, full-ranging, and lustrous her eyes.

iv
This goddess, right counsel is hers,

(earthling, Utu from the mountains, Adad, Inanna holding ring of destinies, Bull of Heaven, & Anu)

She grasps in her hand the destinies of all that exists.

At her regard, well-being is born,

Vigor, dignity, good fortune, divine protection.

v
Whispers, surrender, sweet shared captivation,

Harmony too she reigns over as mistress.

The girl who invokes(?) finds (in her?) a mother,

Among women(?) one mentions her, invokes her name.

vi
Who is it that could rival her grandeur?

Her attributes are mighty, splendid, superb.

(Inanna; King Anu & Inanna with alien weaponry)

Ishtar this is, who could rival her grandeur?

Her attributes are mighty, splendid, superb.

vii
She it is who stands foremost among the gods,

Her word is the weightiest, it prevails over theirs.

Ishtar (Inanna) stands foremost among the gods,

Her word is the weightiest, it prevails over theirs.

viii
She is their queen, they discuss her commands,

All of them bow down before her:

They go to her (in) her radiance,

Women and man fear her too.

ix
In their assembly her utterance is noble, surpassing,

(Anu in his winged sky-disc; Inanna in her sky-disk)

She is seated among them as an equal to Anu their king,

She is wise in understanding, reflection, insight.

Together they make their decisions, she and her lord.

x
There they sit together on the dais

In the temple chamber, delightful abode,

The gods stand in attendance before them,

Their ears awaiting what those mouths will command.

xi
Their favorite king, whom their hearts love most,

Ever offers in splendor his pure offerings,

(Ashur, giant mixed-breed, & Inanna, alien gods made their mixed-breed offspring into kings, using them as go-betweens for the giant gods & the early “modern earthlings”, protective alien winged sky-disc hovers above new king crowned by Inanna)

Ammiditana offers in plenty before them

His personal, pure libation of cattle and fatted stags.

xii
She has asked of Anu her spouse (his mistress while on Earth) long life hereafter for him

Many years of life for Ammiditana.

(mixed-breed kings, queens, high-priests, & high-priestesses, were bigger, stronger, faster, smarter, & lived much longer than “modern earthlings”)

Has Ishtar rendered to him as her gift.

xiii
By her command she gave him in submission

The four world regions at his feet,

She harnessed the whole of the inhabited world to his yoke

xiv
What she desires, this song for her pleasure

(Enki / Aquarius, god of waters)

Is indeed well suited to his mouth, he performed for her Ea’s (Enki’s) own word(s).

When he heard this song of her praise, he was well pleased with him,

Saying, “Let him live long, may his (own) king always love him.”

(Inanna, Adad, & king, alien giant gods appointed, then watched over their descendant-kings)

O Ishtar, grant long life enduring to Ammiditana, the king who loves you, (long) may he live!

Enhedu’ anna: Hymn C to Inanna 1 – 16:

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

‘INANNA, STOUT-HEARTED, AGGRESSIVE LADY,

MOST NOBLE OF THE ANUNNA–GODS, –

SHE IS A BIG NECK-STOCK

(Inanna & Enlil, many symbols of gods above)

CLAMPING DOWN ON THE GODS OF THE LAND, –

ONCE SHE HAS SPOKEN,

CITIES BECOME RUIN-HEAPS,

A HOUSE OF DEVILS’ …

MS in Sumerian on clay, Babylonia, 20th-17th c. BC, 1 tablet, 21x17x4 cm, 3 columns, 16+16+16+4 lines in cuneiform script by a teacher of a scribal school in column 1, with 2 students repeating the hymn in columns 2 and 3.

Context: The same text as on MS 2367/3. Hymns to Inanna are MSS 2367/1, 2367/3, 2647, 2698/1-2, 2784, 3286, 3301, 3376 and 3384. Hymns by Enhedu’Anna are MSS 2367/1-4,, 2647, 3376 and 3384.

(Enheduana is second from left)

Commentary: Enhedu’anna was daughter of King Sargon of Akkad (2334-2279 BC), founder of the first documented empire in Asia. Enhedu’anna emerges as a genuine creative talent, a poetess as well as a princess, a priestess and a prophetess. She is, in fact, the first named and non-legendary author in history. As such she has found her way into contemporary anthologies, especially of women’s literature.

Chronicle of early kings (ABC 20)

The translation on this webpage was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975) and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).

The Chronicle of early kings (ABC 20) is a historiographical text from ancient Babylonia. Although it purports to offer information about the oldest period and the Old-Babylonian empire, it was probably written much later. One anachronism is the reference to Babylon during the reign of king Sargon of Akkad. However, in outline, much information is more or less correct. The last seven lines of tabletA are identical to the beginning of tablet B, so we can be confident that we have a more or less complete text. Related subject matter can be found in chronicle CM 41.

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Translation of tablet A

1 Sargon, king of Agade, came to power during the reign of Ištar (Inanna) [1] and

2 he had neither rival nor equal. His splendor, over the lands

3 it diffused. He crossed the sea in the east.

4 In the eleventh year he conquered the western land to its farthest point.

5 He brought it under one authority. He set up his statues there

6 and ferried the west’s booty across on barges.

7 He stationed his court officials at intervals of five double hours and

8 ruled in unity the tribes of the lands.

9 He marched to Kazallu and turned Kazallu into a ruin heap,

10 so that there was not even a perch for a bird left.

11 Afterwards, in his old age, all of the lands rebelled again and

12 surrounded him in Agade. Sargon went out to fight and brought about their defeat.

13 He overthrew them and overpowered their extensive army.

14 Afterwards, Subartu attacked Sargon in full force and called him to arms.

15 Sargon set an ambush and completely defeated them.

16 He overpowered their extensive army

17 and sent their possessions into Akkad.

18 He dug up the dirt of the pit of Babylon and

19 made a counterpart of Babylon next to Agade.

20 Because the wrong he had done [2] the great lord Marduk became angry and wiped out his family by famine.

21 From east to west, the subjects rebelled against him

23 and Marduk afflicted him with insomnia.

——————————————

24 Naram-Sin,[3] son of Sargon, marched to Apišal.

25 He made a breach in the city wall and Riš-Adad

26 he captured, the king of Apišal, and the vizier of Apišal.

27 He marched to Magan and captured Mannu-dannu, king of Magan.

——————————————

28 Šulgi,[4] the son of Ur-Nammu, provided abundant food for Eridu, which is on the seashore.

29 But he had criminal tendencies and the property of Esagila and Babylon

30 he took away as booty. Bêl (Marduk) caused […] to consume his body and killed him.

——————————————

31 Irra-imitti,[5] the king, installed Enlil-bani, the gardener,

32 as substitute king [6] on his throne.

33 He placed the royal tiara on his head.

34 Irra-imitti died in his palace when he sipped a hot soup.

35 Enlil-bani, who occupied the throne, did not give it up and

36 so he was sovereign.

——————————————

37 Ilu-šumma was king of Assyria at the time of Su-abu.

38 Battles.

Translation of tablet B

Obverse

1-7 Identical to tablet A 31-36.

8 Hammurabi,[7] king of Babylon, mustered his army and

9 marched against Rim-Sin [I], king of Ur.

10 Hammurabi captured Ur and Larsa and

11 took their property to Babylon.

12 He brought Rim-Sin in a ki-is-kap to Babylon.

——————————————

13 Samsu-iluna,[8] king of Babylon, son of Hammurabi, the king

14 […] he mustered and

15 […] Rim-Sin [II] marched to […]

16 […] he captured and

17 […] in good health in his palace

18 […] he went and surrounded […]

19 […] his people […]

20 […]

Lacuna

Reverse

Lacuna

1′ […]

2′ […] Iluma-ilu […]

3′ […] he made […]

4′ he did battle against them […]

5′ their corpses [..] in the sea […]

6′ he repeated and Samsu-iluna […]

7′ Iluma-ilu attacked and brought about the defeat of his army.

——————————————

8′ Abi-ešuh,[9] son of Samsu-iluna, set out to conquer Iluma-ilu.

9′ He decided to dam the Tigris.

10′ He dammed the Tigris but did not capture Iluma-ilu.

——————————————

11′ At the time of Samsuditana [10] the Hittites marched against Akkad.

——————————————

12′ Ea-gamil,[11] the king of the Sealand, fled to Elam.

13′ After he had gone, Ulam-Buriaš, brother of Kaštiliašu, the Kassite,

14′ mustered an army and conquered the Sealand. He was master of the land.

——————————————

15′ Agum, the son of Kaštiliašu, mustered his army and

16′ marched to the Sealand.

17′ He seized Dur-Enlil and

18′ destroyed Egalgašešna, Enlil‘s temple (secondary residence) in Dur-Enlil.

——————————————

Note 1:
According to the Middle chronology, Sargon ruled from 2334 to 2279. His eleventh year would be 2323 BCE. He was the founder of the dynasty of Akkad.

Note 2:
I.e., building a rival to Babylon.

Note 3:
According to the Middle Chronology, Naram-Sin ruled from 2254 to 2218.

Note 4:
According to the Middle Chronology, Šulgi ruled from 2094 to 2047. He was the second king of the Third Dynasty of Ur.

Note 5:
According to the Middle Chronology, Irra-Imitti, king of Isin, ruled from 1868 to 1861. His successor Enlil-bani occupied the throne in 1860-1837. This story is also told in CM 41, tablet B.

Note 6:
Substitute kings were appointed when evil omens predicted the death of a king. Irra-imitti’s sin may have been that he stayed in the palace.

Note 7:
According to the Middle Chronology, the Babylonian king Hammurabi ruled from 1792 to 1750. Rim-Sin of Larsa was defeated in 1762, after a reign that had started in 1822 (!).

Note 8:
Samsu-iluna ruled from 1749 to 1712, according to the Middle Chronology.

Note 9:
Abi-ešuh ruled, according to the Middle Chronology, from 1711 to 1696. The story about the damming of the Tigris is also told in CM 41, tablet B.

Note 10:
Samsu-ditana became king in 1625 (Middle Chronology) and Babylon was sacked in 1595.

Note 11:
Last king of the Sealand Dynasty. Dating is impossible.

Weidner Chronicle (ABC 19)

The translation on this webpage was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975), Alan Millard’s rendering in W.W. Hallo (ed.), The Context of Scripture (2003 Leiden and Boston), and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).

The Weidner Chronicle (ABC 19) or Esagila Chronicle is a historiographical text from ancient Babylonia. In fact, it is not a chronicle but a piece of propaganda in the form of a letter, although it contains after line 31 a part that resembles a chronicle.

The presumed author, probably* king Damiq-ilišu of Isin (ruled 1816-1794, according to the Middle chronology), writes to king Apil-Sin of Babylon (1830-1813) about the blessings that the gods bestowed upon earlier rulers who sacrificed to the supreme god Marduk in the Esagila shrine in Babylon. Most of these kings ruled in the third millennium, when Babylon and the shrine probably did not exist.

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Translation

Say to Apil-Sin (Rim-Sin king of Larsa 1,830-1,813 B.C.), king of Babylon, thus says Damiq-ilišu (Enlil-bani 1,816-1,794 B.C.), king of of Isin:*

[…] like […] his reign. I myself have written to you a matter to be pondered,

a matter […], but you have not considered them.

You have not listened to or paid attention to the advice I gave you,

nor heeded the special advice that […]

You have been looking for something else.

To do you a good turn I have […] you, but it is not in your mind.

For your own good I have advised you to reinforce the training of your army,

but you have not put your hand to it.

His shrines where I sought advice […] has ceased.

Now I shall tell you my experience […] learn from it speedily!

(Royal Princess Bau & her spouse / nephew Ninurta, Enlil‘s royal heir)

I offered sacrifice to my lady Ninkarrak [Gula], mistress of Egalmah; I prayed an implored her,

I told her the matter that I was constantly considering, and spoke like this:

“Entrust to me the people of Sumer and Akkad […] all the lands.

Let the people of the Upper and the Lower lands bring their weighty tribute into Egalmah.”

(Bau / Gula)

In the night time, holy Gula, the exalted lady, stood before me,

she heard my speech, spoke to me clearly and blessed me.

“You shall set a place in the underground water, in the ocean beneath the earth,

[…] you shall raise the top to the distant sky, in […] above, a state of privilege.

Afterwards, Marduk, the king of the gods, who […] the whole of heaven and earth,

will […] the people of Sumer and Akkad to his city Babylon.” […]

(Marduk, eldest son to Enki, born on Nibiru, patron god of Babylon, then Egypt)

He [Marduk] went quickly to his father, Ea (Enki), the craftsman, the counselor of heaven and earth.

“May Esagila, the majestic shrine, be […] to the limits of heaven and earth!

May the lord of lords, who dwells in the shrine, from east to west […]

May he shepherd human beings like sheep! May the city be famous! […]

The lord Nudimmud [Ea] carried out all he had said. Throughout heaven he honored him.

(King Anu in heaven / planet Nibiru; & son Enlil on Earth Colony)

16′ Then Anu and Enlil, the great gods, favored him and decreed

17′ “May he be the leader of the Upper and Lower lands

18′ May the great gods of heaven and earth tremble before his shrine.

19′ Raise up to the sky the top of Esagila, of Ekua, the palace of heaven and earth,[1] […]

20′ May its foundation be fixed like sky and earth forever!

21′ By your sacrifice I understood what you said and I have given to you long life.

22′ Apart from the order announced in the dream, good advice for […].

23′ For the gods of that city, the great gods of heaven and earth […]

24′ for daily, monthly, and yearly renewal of life […]

25′ no god shall oppose it […] whose mind […]

26′ at his command they are bound, the hostile gods clad in dirty clothes […]

27′ Whoever sins against the gods of that city, his star shall not stand in the sky,

28′ his kingship will end, his scepter will be taken away, his treasury will become a heap of ruins […].

29′ And the king of heaven and earth said thus:

30′ “The gods of heaven and earth […] the behavior of each former king of which I hear to […].

31′ Akka, son of […]

32′ Enmekar (2,800 + B.C.), king of Uruk, destroyed the people […].

33′ The sage Adapa (Enki fashioned “modern man”), son of […]

34′ heard in his holy sanctuary and cursed Enmekar.

35′ He/I gave to him rule over all lands and his rites.

(E-sagila ziggurat temple residence of Marduk in Babylon)

36′ He/I beautified like the heavenly writing [2] and in Esagila the king

37′ who controls the whole of heaven and earth for his 3,020 years.

38′ In the reign of Puzur-Nirah, king of Akšak, the freshwater fishermen of Esagila

(Marduk, Enki‘s son who rivaled Enlil‘s authority, causing wars)

39′ were catching fish for the meal of the great lord Marduk;

40′ the officers of the king took away the fish.

41′ The fisherman was fishing when 7 (or 8) days had passed […]

42′ in the house of Kubaba,[3] the tavern-keeper […] they brought to Esagila.

42a’ At that time BROKEN[4] anew for Esagila […]

43′ Kubaba gave bread to the fisherman and gave water, she made him offer the fish to Esagila.

44′Marduk, the king, the prince of the Apsû,[5] favored her and said: “Let it be so!”

45′ He entrusted to Kubaba (Kug-Bau, only queen 2,500-2,330 B.C.), the tavern-keeper, sovereignty over the whole world.

46′ Ur-Zababa (Kish king 400 yrs.) ordered Sargon, his cupbearer, to change the wine libations of Esagila.

(Sargon the Great, giant mixed-breed appointed to kingship of Akkad, another spouse to Goddess of Love Inanna)

47′ Sargon (2,334-2,279 B.C.) did not change but was careful to offer […] quickly to Esagila.

48′ Marduk, the king of the world, favored him and gave him the rule of the four corners of the world.[6].

49′ He took care of Esagila. Everyone who sat on a throne brought his tribute to Babylon.

50′ Yet he ignored the command Bêl (Enlil) had given him. He dug soil from its pit

51′ and in front of Akkad he built a city which he named Babylon.[7]

(Enlil, giant alien Anunnaki King Anu‘s son & royal heir to heaven / planet Nibiru, & Earth Colony)

52′ Enlil changed the order he had given and from east to west people opposed him. He could not sleep.

(Narram-Suen / Naram-Sin, giant descendant to Sargon, standing next to landed command module / alien “shem“)

53′ Naram-Sin (Akkad king 2,291-2,254B.C.) [8] destroyed the people of Babylon,

(Marduk & son Nabu vrs. Enlil‘s descendants)

54′ so twice Marduk summoned the forces of Gutium against him.

55′ Marduk gave his kingship to the Gutian (primitive ape-looking mountain tribe) force.

56′ The Gutians were unhappy people

57′ unaware how to revere the gods, ignorant of the right cultic practices.

58′ Utu-hegal (Uruk king 2,200 + B.C.),[9] the fisherman, caught a fish at the edge of the sea for an offering.

59′ That fish should not be offered to another god until it had been offered to Marduk,

60′ but the Gutians took the boiled fish from his hand before it was offered,

(Marduk & 2 winged sky-discs, travel technology of gods)

61′ so by his august command, Marduk removed the Gutian force from the rule of his land and gave it to Utu-hegal.

62′ Utu-hegal, the fisherman, carried out criminal acts against Marduk‘s city, so the river carried off his corpse.

(Ur kings Shulgi 2,029-1,982 B.C.; & Ur-nammu 2,300 B.C. directed by giant alien gods)

63′ Then Marduk gave sovereignty over the whole world to Šulgi, son of Ur-nammu,[10]

64′ but he did not perform his rites to the letter, he defiled his purification rituals and his sin [….].

65′ Amar-Sin (Isin king 1,895-1,874 B.C., short chrono.), his son, changed the offerings of large oxen and sheep of the Akitu festival in Esagila.

66′ It was foretold that he would die from goring by an ox, but he died from the ‘bite’ of his shoe.

(Nannar, patron god of Ur)

67′ Šu-Sin (Ur king 1,972-1,964 B.C., short chrono.) made Esagila like the constellations for this well-being

68′ BROKEN[4] what Šulgi did, his sin, his son Ibbi-Sin (Ur king 1,972-1,940 short chrono.).[11]

BROKEN a former king who proceeded […] your desire and over Marduk‘s father Ea (Enki), the heaven and earth […] he did not create. Anu and Ištar (Inanna), […] his majestic son, the great lord Marduk, king of the gods, whom the gods […], Ea‘s grandson Nabû, who […] he will name the king.

(Nabu statue, now destroyed by Radical Islam’s hatred for ancient history)

To his descendant Sumu-la-El,[12] the king, whose name Anu pronounced, for your well-being and […] all of it a peaceful dwelling place, a lasting rule in your hand.

[13] Tablet of Marduk-etir, son of Etir-[…]-haya, devotee of Nabû. To be returned in case of loss.

Note *:
This first line can also be read as “Say to Rim-Sin, king of Larsa, thus says Enlil-bani, king of Isin.”

Note 1:
A reference to the Etemenanki; cf. Genesis 11.4.

Note 2:
The constellations.

Note 3:
A legendary Sumerian queen and the only member of the Third Dynasty of Kiš. If she is a historical figure, her reign may have been in c.2400 BCE. She is also known as Kugbaba.

Note 4:
An indication by the writer that the tablet he was copying was damaged.

Note 5:
The sweet waters below the earth.

Note 6:
Sargon‘s reign can be dated to 2334-2279 (according to the Middle chronology).

Note 7:
Probably, the place names should be changed: if Sargon built a city near Babylon that he called Akkad, the anger of Enlil becomes understandable.

Note 8:
Naram-Sin was a descendant of Sargon and ruled, according to the Middle Chronology, from 2254 to 2218.

Note 9:
Utu-hegal was king of Uruk in c.2200. (son to Gilgamesh)

Note 10:
Ur-Nammu and Šulgi were the first kings of the Third Dynasty of Ur. According to the Middle Chronology, their reigns can be dated to 2112-2095 and 2094-2047. The third king, Amar-Sin, ruled from 2046 to 2038; Šu-Sin succeeded him in 2037-2029.

Note 11:
The fifth king of the Third Dynasty of Ur, Ibbi-Sin, ruled from 2028 to 2004 and was captured by the Elamites.

Note 12:
Sumu-la-El ruled 1880-1845 and was the (grand)father of the addressee of this letter.

Note 13:
The last line is the colophon.

Mesopotamian Gods & Kings

Mesopotamian Artifacts & Texts

Category Archives: Babylon

A Hymn to Marduk for Abi-Eshuh (Abi-Eshuh A): translation

Marduk’s Ordeal (Imprisonment)

A Prayer to Marduk (Enki?) for Hammu-rabi (Hammu-rabi B): translation

^{The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature}

Samsu-iluna and Inana (Samsu-iluna A): translation

Hammurabi Builds Inanna’s Temple

A Hymn to Inana for Hammu-rabi (Hammu-rabi F): translation

Hymn To Ishtar for Ammiditana

Enhedu’ anna: Hymn C to Inanna 1 – 16:

Chronicle of early kings (ABC 20)

30 he took away as booty. Bêl (Marduk) caused […] to consume his body and killed him.

Weidner Chronicle (ABC 19)

Translation

50′ Yet he ignored the command Bêl (Enlil) had given him. He dug soil from its pit