text
stringlengths 63
2.96k
|
|---|
Let the king, my lord, launch his military campaign against Urarṭu, conquer Ṭurušpâ and let the king, my lord, establish his name forever. |
I have received the sealed letter which the king, my lord, sent to me, and I have gone and asked Parni-aldê about the Assyrian messengers who went to Urarṭu, about whom the king, my lord, gave me orders. |
The messengers of Urarṭu came with them, brought them into the house of Yata', his (= the Šubrian king's) village manager, and gave them bread and water in |
But perhaps I am not telling the truth in the king my lord's presence? Let the king, my lord, write to the Šubrian king that he send Parnaldê, his augur and let the king, my lord, ask him why he is making the bird omens so favourable. |
The governor with his magnates has made a sworn deal with the servants of Aššur-belu-uṣur, and they are plotting to kill me. The king, my lord, should know this. |
As to what my brother wrote: "What is the news of the land that they discussed with you? Outline it and write to me!" |
Earlier Nabû-naṣir wrote to the king: "Mukin-zeri has moved horses up from the Borsippa gate against Babylon, so nobody can leave Babylon, and we cannot cultivate our fields." After that the king wrote: "Make peace between Babylon and Borsippa!" |
When I wrote to the king, saying: "May the king, my lord, confirm the treaty and send a copy to the son of Yakin!", NN renounced the |
The harvest was good, the field has not yet been cultivated. The king, my lord, should rule that Nabû-u |
Concerning the king of Karalla to whom the king sent me, he entered Kilizi on the 22nd and will enter Calah on the 23rd. He has his tribute with him. |
Perhaps my lord will say: "Why didn't the bodyguard proceed here in advance?" He is helping him across the river, thereupon he will proceed here. |
The thing is: You know that my family is from the king and the commander-in-chief, whom he the king entrusted into the service of Dayan-Adad in the Fortress, saying: "If he proves loyal in your service, return him." He has been having me as his delegate in the town Sahiru. |
He is now selling the household of Dayan-Adad at my disposal and all the cities of the king that are at my disposal, the horses that |
Nabû-šezib from Tyre has sent me this sealed Aramaic document, saying: "Let it be sent to the Palace." I have sent it to the Palace. |
Let the captives who are coming to Immiha set out and come. Their seed is cultivated; they should come to their sickles. |
Your servant Nabû-balassu-iqbi: I would gladly die for the king, my lord! May Nabû and Marduk bless the king, my lord! Say to the king, my lord: |
Concerning the clansmen of Dur-ša-Balihaya about whom the king, my lord, wrote, by Bel and Nabû, the gods of the king, my lord, I do not know any sin of theirs. The witnesses did swear it. |
Your servant Dummuqu: I would gladly die for the king, my lord! May Nergal and Laṣ bless the king, my lord! Say to the king, my lord: |
I am hereby sending my tablet to greet the king, my lord. The temples and the city of the king, my lord, are well. |
Your country and the people of your country are well. May Aššur and Šamaš bless the king, my lord! |
The lady Barsipitu has sent me a letter and sealed document through the royal delegate, saying: "Why did you kill your |
Concerning the emissary of Mukin-zeri about whom I wrote to the king: "I have strengthened his watch. If he falls in their hands, they will arrest him and I shall send him to the king." His name is Yadi'-il - he fled and went to Mukin-zeri. His house and his people are in Hindanu. |
I have now sent my messenger to Adad-aplu-iddina that they would capture (the people of Yadi'-il) and send them to the king. |
Zariqu and Mar-Biti set out in procession on the fourth day, saying: "Hail to the Babylonians and Borsippeans |
I have appealed to the king, my lord, saying: "Nobody listens to me." If there is a fault of mine before the king, my lord, let the king, my lord, kill me but why are these people killing me? |
The king, my lord, gave me the order: "Receive regular horses and give them to Dadî! Also receive the king’s horse!" |
The city-lord of Kišesim brought the tribute and the recruitment officers were in my presence. As he was about to enter, I sent my 'third man' to him, saying: ‘Come, stay with me, and let’s go and receive the tribute!" |
I also said: "Tell me if I should come to you and stay there, so we would receive the tribute together." |
He wrote to me: "As for you, receive the king's tribute! I shall collect and receive regular horses for profit." |
He collects what he has heard of, while they carry him on litters. He sends his lads before me, but they do not receive the regular horses nor the king’s horse. He gives orders to the city-lords, saying: ‘Brace your heart, do not fall!" |
We shall come to the king my lord’s presence, and I and he shall litigate before the king, my lord. |
Because of the excellent enemy horses that I receive, he has been hostile with me, like an enemy. Because of envy, he has been prompt to slander me. |
He brings the enemy horses to the king, my lord, but receives the regular ones as well as the king’s horses in the trade colony, and only then brings them to the king, my lord. |
All the ports of trade have been released to him; his servants go in and out of the trading posts and sell and buy as they wish. Mount Lebanon is at his disposal, and they go up and down as they wish and bring down the wood. |
I collect a tax from anyone who brings down wood, and I have appointed tax-collectors over the ports of trade of the entire Mount Lebanon. They are keeping watch over the mountain. |
The Sidonites chased away the tax-collector whom I appointed to the ports of trade that had been added to me in Sidon. Subsequently, I sent the Itu'eans into Mount Lebanon, and they frightened the people. |
Later on they (= the Sidonites) wrote to me, took the tax-collector and brought him into Sidon. I said to them as follows: "Bring down the wood, do your work there but do not sell it to the Egyptians or to the Philistines. Otherwise I do not let you go up to the mountain." |
Concerning the people of Kašpuna about whom the king said: "What have you given them for their safety?" |
Even before they wrote to me from the Palace, I had already started the work and performed it; afterwards, they sent me a sealed document. Even if it had not come to me, yet I had raised my hands as for erecting towers but I did not construct the city-gate of the inner quarters. But after receiving the sealed document I immediately dropped everything, took over their king's men and they came with me. I appointed a eunuch over them as fort commander and made 30 Ši'anean men to enter there. They will keep the watch, and release them thus by 30 men. |
I swear I do not give the orchards of the villages of Helbon to anybody! If good orchards have turned into wasteland, let the king call me to account. |
I said: "Why is it that the king has come out but you are staying at home? The forces of the Palace are there." |
I sent Yasubaya with cavalry to them with the following message: "Go and tell them to come out. 'Why are you staying at home? If you do not go to the territory of Mukin-zeri, come as far as Marad. I shall myself come from here and unite with you.'" |
Yasubaya came back and told me their news, saying: "They say: ‘If the troops really come, we will see them and we will come out from there; otherwise if the troops do not come, we will certainly not come out. We will stay in the town until we will see the troops.'" |
All the Arameans who were in Sapia came with Mukin-zeri, and when Mukin-zeri came out of Sapia, he plundered the sheep of Larak along his route. But when the sheep of Mukin-zeri were grazing in Buharru the Larakeans went and plundered about 10,000 sheep of Mukin-zeri. |
News of Babylon: Mukin-zeri has said to the citizens of Babylon: "Come away with me to kill the date palms of Dilbat!" |
News of the governor of Nippur: He came to me on the 3rd of Tishri VII and three chariots, cavalry and 500 archers came with him. |
Concerning the Arameans about whom the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Write down their details and send the letter to me!" |
and shall put half of them within the outer city wall and the other half within the city wall of the centre of the city. You shall fill its holes with three long |
Send orders; you shall indicate what is on a cart or placed to the right and left and have them placed into the |
Perhaps the king, my lord, will say: "Why did you not send me my messenger in the custody of your messenger?" |
There is very much snow; I have sent out scouts but they have turned back, saying: "Where can we go?" |
As to the Arameans about whom the king said: "They should be made to marry wives," I have seen women in great numbers there but their fathers refuse to give them, saying: "Not until they give money to us." |
, about whom the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Find out what is the news about him and write it to me." |
He is in his country and does his work. His whole country is quiet; they are doing their work. His men are doing work in the fort. |
All the captives that I gave to you and whom you provisioned are people at your responsibility. Your oxen and sheep are at your disposal; you have received your provisions, having requested it from the Palace. |
As for the captives to be provisioned, don't be negligent over and over again or you will die because of it. |
If there is a sick person among the captives whom I send you from the empty-handed up to the needy, he is to be lifted up and placed in your care as long as he lives. |
As to the grain store for barley about which the king wrote to me; let plenty of barley be brought and stored therein. |
To the palace scribe, my lord: your servant Bel-abu'a. Good health to my lord! The house is very well. The Inner City is well. |
As to the waist-belts about which my lord said: "You have not given any of them." There are no waist-belts that my lord likes, the ordinary waist-belts sell for half a mina of silver each. |
As to that waste land, we have not yet got hold of the purchase document, but Urdu-Allaya will give it to you. |
As to the news of the king of Elam, he has crossed the river and has set on the bridge. He had heard that the governor of Arrapha had come to Der and turned Zineni back from the bridge. |
From the bridge he has gone inside the forest of Adad-mukin-apli and set camp amidst the Arameans. I went from Der as far as the bridge, fastened soil on the bridge and moved up troops in there. |
I have sent a messenger to the Vizier; he has not yet come back to me. Amel-Illil has delivered the letters which the king, my lord, sent to me |
He has not yet come back but as soon as he comes, I shall send to the king, my lord, whatever news there is. |
I have received 45 horses of the palace. The emissaries from Egypt, Gaza, Judah, Moab and Ammon entered Calah on the 12th with their tribute. The 25 horses of the king of Gaza are with him. The Edomite, Ashdodite and Ekronite |
Concerning the house of Nupari where the king sent me to, saying: "Go! Let the criminals of the house of Nupari die!" |
As to the number of beams about which the king wrote to me; 226 heavy beams are for the royal palace, 212 for the storehouses, x+10 for the tower and 639 beams for the palace of Ekallate. |
Concerning the city of the Mazamuans about which the king, my lord, wrote to me: "How much seed-corn is there?" |
A messenger of the Dibonite Aya-nuri, his name is Ezazu, is bringing a sealed document to the Palace. The words in the sealed document of his concern the Moabites. It is about the fact that the Qedarites went straight away to Moab and defeated it. |
Šamaš-naṣir, the deputy of Aššur-remanni has come to me, saying: "The king has given me the towns of Taku, Lulubani and Mila. Bring out your people so that I can bring my people in." |
I refused to give up the towns, saying: "Until I see the king's messenger, I will cultivate the towns." |
I am cultivating barley in Pirriya. These towns are not pertinent to his towns. The towns of Hašdat and the governor of Arpad block the access between them. |
If he takes the towns and I have cultivated 1,000 homers of cornfield there, should he harvest it? Moreover, should he enjoy my yoke horses? Where should I bring the unit of horses in my command? |
To the king, my lord: your servant Nabû-belu-ka''in. The very best of health to the king, my lord! |
The emissaries of GN are now coming with Marduk-iddina; one team of horses and one team of mules is all they have brought to me. |
have not come out to perform their state service and have not brought horses from the towns of the country. |
If the state service of the towns has been removed, then let them take the obligation to provide horses away from me and let them (= the towns) buy them. |
Concerning the box of sinews about which my lord wrote to me: "Did they give it to you as you had tested?" – I have brought in the sinews of Digirina. When I come, I will tell my lord what I have tested and sold. |
As to the letter which my lord sent to me concerning the mayor, he has gone to Assyria, so my lord can speak with him in person. |
Concerning the revetment of which my lord wrote to me: "Construct it from the materials in the trunk" – would I construct a revetment without a trunk?! I have laid 30 courses of bricks. The treasurer, however, has seen it, and is saying: "Patch it up and leave it; it is too much work." |
To the king, my lord: your servant Ululayu. The best of health to the king, my lord! Assyria is well, the temples are well, all the king's forts are well. The king, my lord, can be glad indeed. |
36 bales of reed – I personally went down to the river bank, and they crushed and collected it in my presence. I am now sending it to the king, my lord, with the royal bodyguard Ubru-Nergal. |
The year before last, when there was as much snow, rivers were frozen and the men and horses who were with me died in the snow. I shall be in the king my lord's presence on the 6th or 7th of Nisan. |
As to what the king, my lord, wrote to me: "The men and horses should come with you" – hitherto the captives |
The king's word to the clergymen, the congregation, the leaders of Babylon and to the citizens of Babylon: I am well, Assyria is well – you can be glad. |
Don't be afraid because of the news you heard; watch the city, seize the streets and take care of yourself! |
Now I am approaching you again since the bodyguard Na'di-ilu told me: "They are trembling in fear." Bel and Nabû know and the great god himself knows that, verily, when I previously heard that your brothers were killed, for three days nobody entered into my presence, my heart broke. |
Now you are afraid again. Bel and Nabû know indeed that there is no fault of yours. You can be very glad. Let your guard be strong until I arrive. |
I have written to you; don't be negligent with your cavalry, although I may be delayed in the homeland. |
To the king, my lord: your servant Ululayu. The best of health to the king, my lord! Assyria is well, the temples are well, all the king's forts are well. The king, my lord, can be glad indeed. |
The emissaries of Commagene, Carchemish, Marqasa, Sam'al, Ashdod and Moab have come, but they have passed through Til-Barsip and Guzana without my permission. |
I wrote to the commander-in-chief that the emissaries should not proceed but they had been let to cross over the river. They are now in Kubanaše. |
The second emissary of Commagene went back with letters in his hand. I ordered them to send me their words. As soon as they bring me the letters |
When the king is ready to set out, let them write to me and let me come and see the king, my lord, and let me hear the answer of the king, my lord. |
I am herewith sending to the king, my lord, 20 bales from the household of the commander-in-chief, 40 bales from the treasurer, 30 bales from the chief cupbearer, in all 90 bales of reed. I took off the water-skin raft on which the reed was shipped on the 3rd of Iyyar II. |
As to the farmers of the town of Aššur-nirka-uṣur who appealed to the king, saying: "Our sown field has been flooded" - now their harvest has come out exceedingly well. The king knows that 10 homers of seed is cultivated annually. |
They have utilized the land of this sustenance field. The king should have them watched more strictly. They say: "It is our own sown field." |
I will now place harvesters in the sustenance field. If the harvest falls short, I shall indemnify it fully. |
They (= the Ionians) did not take anything and when they saw my troops they embarked their boats and fled into the midst of the sea. |