When Nebuchadnezzar [the king] dwelt in Babylon,
He would roar like a lion, would rum[ble] like thunder,
His illustrious great men would roar like lions.
[His] prayers went up to Marduk, lord of Babylon,
"Have mercy on me, in despair and pros[trate],*
"Have mercy on my land, which weeps and mourns,
"Have mercy on my people, who wail and weep!
"How long, O lord of Babylon,
Will you dwell in the land of the enemy?
"May beautiful Babylon pass through your heart,
"Turn your face towards Esagila which you love!"
[The lord of Babylon] heeded Nebuchadnezzar [‘s prayer],
[ ] befell him from heaven,
"I command you with my own lips,
"[A word of] good fortune do I send you:
"[With] my [help?] you will attack the Westland.
"Heed yur instructions, [ ]
"Take me [from El]am to Babylon.
"I, [lord of Bab]ylon, will surely give you Elam,
"[I will exalt] your [kingshp] everywhere."
[ ] the land of [ ] and seized [ ] of? his gods
Explanatory Notes:
|
This epic-style poem recounts in summary fashion the events dealt with in more detail in III..I 5b-d.*Notes to Text: (5) WGL: ú-tu-[lu], confirmed by collation. |
Publication:
|
Benjamin R. Foster, Before the Muses, 3rd edition; 2005, (p. 166) |
Publisher URL:
|
http://www.cdlpress.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=54 |
Source:
|
H. Winckler, Altorientalische Forschungen I (Leipzing, 1897), 542f |
Language:
|
Akkadian |
Medium:
|
clay tablet |
Permalink:
|
http://etana.org/etact/search/rss |
Submitted by bill.hook@vande... on Tue, 2007-03-20 14:00