Self-Praise of Esarhaddon (116)

http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu

(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 slave girl] did not list[en to] her mistress.

         [They led their gods away, neglected their goddesses], abandoned [their rites], and embraced quite different (rites);

         […] they were inciting [criminal ac]ts (and) infringing on a taboo; […] they discontinued [sattuk]ku offerings.

         They fomented a conspiracy.

         They (Babylon’s citizens) put their hands on [the possessions of Esagil and the citizens of Babylon]

         and they plundered its goods, [gold, silver, (and) stones fr]om inside the temple

         (and) sold (them) at market value to the land Elam.

         (Enlil, Anu, & Enki in their sky-disc)

       [The god] Enlil saw […] and his heart became angry (and) his mood became furious.

         [The Enlil of the gods, the lord of the lands], plotted evilly to scatter the land and people;

         [to level the land and to destroy] its [people], his heart was angry.

         A bitter curse was placed in his mouth.

       Many [bad omens] concerning the destruction of mankind occurred [in heaven and on earth.

         The path of the Enlil-stars, the path of the Anu-stars, (and) the path of] the Ea-stars

         changed their position(s) for the worse (and) they constantly revealed signs portending destruction.

         […] … in the same way, its signs became increasingly bad.

       [The river Araḫtu, (normally) a river of abundance], turned into an angry wave,

         a raging tide, a huge flood like the deluge.

         It swept (its) [waters] destructively across the city, [its dwelling(s),

         (and) its shrines], and turned (them) into a swamp.

        (Enlil, Anu, & Enki flying like birds above)

         The gods [(and goddesses) dwelling in it] flew up to the heavens like [bi]rds.

         The šēdus (and) [lamassus … fle]d and were wandering around outside.

         The people living [in it were hidden in another place] and took refuge in an unknown land.

         (Marduk)

       As time passed, [the heart of the great lord], the god Marduk, was soothed

         and he became reconciled with the land that he had punished.

         As the seventy years [passed, …] he (the god Marduk) wrote [‘11 years’], had pity, and said ‘Aḫulap!’

         (wall relief of Esarhaddon)

       (As for) me, Es[arhaddon, …], who knows how to revere his great divinity,

         [… were established] for me at the beginning of [my kingship, in my first year,

         when] I sat [on the] throne of my priestly office, when I wore the crown of lordship, and […].

         They (the gods) constantly revealed good omen(s) to me concerning the (re)population of the city and the temple.

       [Bright Jupiter(, the giver of decisions on Akkad,) came] near [in Simānu]

         and stood in the place where the sun shines.

         It was shining brightly (and) its appearance was [red. …]

         (and) there were copious [rains] (and) regular floods [in Akkad].

         It (Jupiter) reached (its) [hyp]soma [for a second time in the month “Opening of the Door”] and [stayed] i[n its place].

       [In order to triumph (and) to show overpowering strength], he (the god Marduk)

         reveal[ed to me] good omen(s) [concerning the (re-)entering of Esagil.

         Every month, the gods Sîn (Nannar) (and) Šamaš (Nannar’s son Utu) together,

         at their appearance, answered me with a firm] ‘yes’ [concerning (the renewing of the gods,)

         the completion of the shrines (and) cult centers, the stability] of my reign

         (and) the securing of the throne of my priestly office.

       [By means of the great intelligence] (and) vast understanding which [the sage of the gods,

         the prince, the god Nudimmud (Enki)], gave [to me, it occurred] to me [to (re)populate that city,

         to renovate] its [shrines], (and) to make the cult center shine, [and] my [mind prompted (me).

       [I was afraid (and) wo]rried [to perform that work] and [I knelt be]fore the gods

         Šamaš (Utu), Adad, (and) Marduk, the great judge(s), the god[s, my lords.

         In the diviner’s bowl], good [sig]n(s) were established for me,

         and they had (their response) concerning the (re)population of the city

         (and) the renovati[on of Esagil] written on a liver.

       [I trusted in their firm ‘yes’] and I mustered all of my craftsmen and (the people of) Karduniaš (Babylonia).

         I imposed baskets (on them and) had them wield ho[e]s.

         I mixed (the mud for) its revetment [with fine oil, honey,

         ghee, kurunnu-wine], muttinnu-wine, (and) mountain beer.

         I had its bricks made for a whole year [in brickmolds of musukkannu]-wood.

         I gathered together [expert craftsmen] (and) skilled master builders, who lay out plans.

       I laid the foundations of [Esagil, the palace of the gods], and secured its brickwork.

         [… fas]hioned skillfully (and) I drew its ground plan exactly as it had been written.

         [With] the large aslu-cubit, I measured the dimensions of […], in (exact) accordance with its earlier plan.

         […] I made its foundation platform as strong as the base of a mighty mountain,

         […] … (and) built its structure as it was in former days.

       I bui[lt Etemenanki, the ziqqurat], as it was before — its length [is one ašlu

         (and) one ṣup]pān, (and) its width is one ašlu (and) one ṣuppān.

       I offered pure offerings to […] the great [gods] and the god Kulla (Apkulla), the lord of foundations (and) bricks.

         I laid their foundations with […] …, wine, (and) kurunnu-wine, and I secured [their] footings.

       [I had foundation inscriptions made of (…)] basalt [(and) I wro]te [on them] the glory of the great lord, my lord,

         and I pl[ace]d (them) in their (Esagil’s and Etemenanki’s) midst.

         […] I restored its precious [ritu]als and [… I] established […] … […] … […]