(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)
[The people living there] were [answering each other] ye[s (for) no].
They neglected [their goddesses, abandoned] their rites, (and) [embraced] quite different (rites).
(Marduk’s ziggurat residence Esagil)
[They put their] hands on the possessions of [Esagil], the palace of the god[s, an] inaccessible [place,
and] they sold the gold, silver, (and) pr[ecious stones at] ma[rket value] to the land E[lam].
The [Enlil of] the gods, [the god Marduk], became angry
and [plotted evilly] to le[vel the land (and) to de]st[roy its people].
[I built (and) co]mpleted [Esagil … a replica of Ešarra,
a like]ness of [the abode of the god Ea (Enki), (and) a replica of] Pegasus, (and) [I laid out (its) sq]uare.
[For] its roof, [I stretched out] magnificent [cedar beams, grown on Mount Amanus], the pure mountain,
(and) [fastened bands of] gold (and) silver on [doors of cypress],
whose fragrance [is sweet, and] installed (them) in its gates.
[(As for) the šēdus, lamassu]s, (and) rābiṣu-demons [of the temple,
I repair]ed their dilapidated part(s) (and) I (re)stationed them where their […] are.
I gather[ed the bought people who had become slaves
(and) who had been distributed among] the (foreign) riff[raff
(Mesopotamian Babylon)
and] counted (them once again) [as Babylonians].
I returned [their looted] possessions, pro[vided] the [naked] with clothing,
(and) let them take the road to Babylon.
I encouraged them to (re)settle the city, build houses, plant orchards, (and) dig canals.
I restored their interrupted privileged status.
I wrote anew the tablet of their exemptions.
Let me stride beaming [daily in joy, gladness, happiness, shining face, (and) happy moo]d;
(and) let a happy fate, a good fate, (one) for the lengthening of the days of my reign,
the protection of the throne of my priestly office,
(and) the well-being of my offspring be placed in their (the gods’) mouths.
May he allow my hands to grasp the righteous scepter that enlarges the land
(and) the fierce staff that humbles the unsubmissive;
(mixed-breed King Esarhaddon before temple of Marduk)
May he (the god Marduk) make [his name (and) his descendant(s)] disappear [fr]om the land.
May he have no pity on him forever.
Accession year of Esarhaddon, king of the world, king of Assyria.