(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)
(giant mixed-breed Assyrian King Ashurbanipal)
I, Ashurbanipal, great [kin]g, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria,
king of the four quarters (of the world), king of kings, prince who has no rival,
who by the command of the gods Aššur (Ashur), Šamaš (Utu), and Marduk
rules from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea and has subjugated all rulers,
[who provi]des for Esagil, the palace of the gods —
[who]se [doorbo]lt I made glisten like the stars (lit. “writing”) of the firmament —
who repaired the damaged parts (10) of all their sanctuaries,
(who) established (my) protection over all cult centers, the one who[se] deeds are pleasing to all the gods
(and) whose shepherdship is sweet to the black-headed (term used for non-mixed-breed earthlings) people;
(top panel: Esagil temple residence of Marduk, & King Esarhaddon)
son of Esarhaddon, (15) king of the world, king of Assyria,
viceroy of Babylon, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad,
who (re)settled Babylon, (re)built Esagil, renovated the sanctuaries of all the cult centers,
constantly established appropriate procedures in them,
(and) (re)confirmed [thei]r [inter]rupted regular offerings,
(who) restored the rites and rituals according to the old pattern;
(Assyrian King Sennacherib, ruled 704-681 B.C.)
grandson of Sennache[rib], king of the world, king of Assyria, I —
During my reign, the great lord, the god Mard[uk],
(Marduk; Ashur / Ahura-Mazda)
who during the reign of a previous king had resided in Baltil (Aššur) (Ashur‘s patron city)
(Ashur’s Assur; Marduk’s Babylon)
in the presence of the father who created him, entered Babylon amidst rejoicing.
I (re)confirmed the regular offerings for Esagil and the gods of Babylon.
I (re–)established the privileged status of Babylon (and) in order that the strong might not harm the weak
(King Ashurbanipal & brother King Samas-suma-ukin)
I appointed Šamaš-šuma-ukīn, my favorite brother, to the kingship of Babylon.
(Nabu’s residence Ezida; Borsippa)
At that time, (with regard to) the enclosure wall of Ezida (“True House”) (of Nabu in Borsippa)
which had become old and whose foundation had become weak,
during my reign I renovated its dilapidated sections and made (it) high as a mountain.
(giant alien god Nabu, in man’s image & likeness)
On account of this, may the god Nabû, the august lord,
look upon my good deeds with pleasure and may a good word for me —
Ashurbanipal, prince who reveres him — be set upon his lips!
May he determine as my fate a long life, fullness of old age, good health, and happiness!
May he make the foundation of my royal throne as secure as a mountain!
May he make my reign as firm as heaven and netherworld!
Moreover, with regard to Šamaš-šuma-ukīn, [king] of Babylon, my favorite brother (mixed-breed semi-divine bloodline),
may his days be long and may he be fully satisfied with (his) good fortune!
[If at] any time in the future, during the days of the reign of some future prince,
this work falls into disrepair, may (that prince) repair its dilapidated state!
May he look at my royal statue, anoint (it) with oil, offer a sacrifice, (and) place (my statue) with his (own) statue!
(Utu, Marduk, giant mixed-breed king, Enki, & Nabu the scribe)
The god Nabû will (then) listen to his prayers
(But) as for the one who erases my inscribed name, (or) destroys my royal statue,
or changes its position and does not place (it) with his (own) statue,
may the god Nabû, supreme lord, glare at him angrily, overthrow his royal rule, and take away his sovereignty!
(Marduk, Ashur, Nabu & Babylonian semi-divine king with Nabu’s animal symbol)
May he (Nabû) make his name (and) his descendant(s) disappear from the lands and have no pity on him!