(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)
Ashurbanipal, great king, 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, his helpers, rules from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea and has subjugated all rulers;
(King Esarhaddon stands before his god’s temple-residence)
son of Esarhaddon, great king, mighty king, 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 their interrupted regular offerings;
(Sennacherib scribes take Hebrew head count)
grandson of Sennacherib, great king, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, I —
(patron god Marduk enters Babylon)
(son Nabu, semi-divine king, earthling worker, Marduk upon Mushhushu, & son Ashur)
During my reign, the great lord, the god Marduk, entered Babylon amidst rejoicing
and took up his residence in the eternal Esagil.
I (re)confirmed the regular offerings for Esagil and the gods of Babylon.
(giant semi-divine Ashurbanipal & giant brother Samas-suma-ukin)
I (re-)established the privileged status of Babylon (and) appointed Šamaš-šuma-ukīn, my favorite brother,
to the kingship of Babylon in order that the strong might not harm the weak.
I completed the unfinished work on Esagil.
I decorated Esagil with silver, gold, (and) precious stones
and made Eumuša glisten like the stars (lit. “writing”) of the firmament.
I restored the damage done to all the sanctuaries.
I extended (my) protection over all the cult centers.
At that time, I sought the (original) emplacement of Ebabbar, which is inside Sippar,
the temple of the god Šamaš, the great lord, my lord, which had become old, buckled, and collapsed.
(Ningishzidda sets the foundation pegs to the world’s greatest monuments)
I had (it) (re)built anew with the work of the god Kulla (Ningishzidda) and raised its top (as high) as a mountain.
On account of this, may the god Šamaš, great judge of the gods, great lord, my lord, look upon my good deeds with pleasure!
May he determine (20) for me — Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, the prince who reveres him —
as my fate, a long life, fullness of [old age], good health, and happiness!
Moreover, with regard to Šamaš-šuma-ukīn, the king of Babylon, my favorite (brother),
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) renovate its dilapidated sections
May he write my name with his (own) name!
May he look at my royal inscription, anoint (it) with oil, offer a sacrifice,
(and) place (my royal inscription) with his (own) royal inscription!
(giant semi-divine descendant-king, & bigger giant, the god Utu hearing his prayers)
The god Šamaš will (then) listen to his prayers.
(But) as for the one who erases my inscribed name or the name of my favorite (brother) by some crafty device,
(or) does not write my name with his (own) name, (or) destroys my royal inscription,
(or) does not place (my royal inscription) with his (own) royal inscription,
may the god Šamaš, lord of the upper world and the netherworld, glare at him angrily
and make his name (and) his descendant(s) disappear from the lands!