(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)
(prayer to Marduk by mixed-breed king)
For the god Marduk, supreme lord, august hero, lord of lords, exalted,
wh(ose) figure is splendid (and who) is vastly superior to all of the (other) gods,
bearer of the awe-inspiring, terrible radiance, clothed in splendor,
who drove [off] the god Kingu (the moon in “Enuma Elish” Tale on Babylon Page),
defeated the angry sea, (and) overcame the evil ones,
who dwells in Eešerke — which is inside Sippar-Aruru — great lord, his lord:
Aššur-etel-ilāni, king of the world (and) king of Assyria, son of Ashurbanipal,
king of the world (and) king of Assyria, had a scepter of red gold made
(prayers before giant god Marduk, lord over Babylon)
which was (then) presented for his (Marduk’s) pure hands to grasp.
He (Aššur-etel-ilāni) set (it) up forever inside Eešerke in order to ensure his good health,
to prolong his days, to confirm his reign, to ensure the well-being of his descendant(s),
to make his royal throne secure, (and) to ensure that his prayers are heard (and) his supplication(s) granted.
He established for (all) future days the freedom from taxation of those privileged to enter the temple,
the collegium, those people, as many as there are, who look after his (Marduk’s) ways.
(Marduk on throne as supreme god with his golden scepter)
That which is (written) upon the gold scepter of the god Marduk.