(1) Palace of Ashurnasirpal, vice-regent of Aššur, chosen of the gods Enlil and Ninurta, beloved of the gods Anu and Dagan, destructive weapon of the great gods, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Tukultī-Ninurta (II), great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Adad-nārārī (II) (who was) also king of the world (and) king of Assyria; valiant man who acts with the support of Aššur, his lord, and has no rival among the princes of the four quarters, marvelous shepherd, fearless in battle, mighty flood-tide which has no opponent, the king who subdues those insubordinate to him, he who rules all peoples, strong male who treads upon

(5) the necks of his foes, trampler of all enemies, he who breaks up the forces of the rebellious, the king who acts with the support of the great gods, his lords, and has conquered all lands, gained dominion over all the highlands and received their tribute, capturer of hostages, he who is victorious over all countries:

(7b) When Aššur, the lord who called me by name (and) made my sovereignty supreme, placed his merciless weapon in my lordly arms, I felled with the sword the extensive troops of the Lullumu in battle.

(10) With the help of the gods Šamaš and Adad, the gods my supporters, I thundered like the god Adad, the devastator, against the troops of the lands Nairi, Ḫabḫu, the Šubaru, and the land Nirbu. The king who subdued (the territory stretching) from the opposite bank of the Tigris to Mount Lebanon and the Great Sea, the entire land Laqû, (and) the land Sūḫu including the city Rapiqu; he conquered from the source of the River Subnat to the land Urarṭu. I brought within the boundaries of my land (the territory stretching) from the passes of Mount Kirruru to the land Gilzānu, from the opposite bank of the Lower Zab to the city Tīl-Bāri which is upstream from the land Zaban, from the city Tīl-ša-Zabdāni

(15) and the city Tīl-ša-Abtāni, the cities Ḫirimu, Ḫarutu, (which are) fortresses of Karduniaš (Babylonia). I accounted (the people) from the passes of Mount Babitu to Mount Ḫašmar as people of my land. In the lands over which I gained dominion I always appointed my governors. They entered (lit. “performed') servitude.

(17b) Ashurnasirpal, attentive prince, worshipper of the great gods, ferocious dragon, conqueror of cities and the entire highlands, king of lords, encircler of the obstinate, crowned with splendor, fearless in battle, merciless hero, he who stirs up strife, praiseworthy king, shepherd, protection of the (four) quarters, the king whose command disintegrates mountains and seas, the one who by his lordly conflict has brought under one authority ferocious (and) merciless kings from east to west:

(21b) I have traversed mighty mountains; I have seen remote (and) rugged regions throughout all the (four) quarters; I have caused flaming arrows to rain down upon the princes of all cities (so that) they ever revere my command (and) pray to my lordship;

(23b) I, Ashurnasirpal, sage, expert, intelligent one, open to counsel (and) wisdom which the god Ea, king of the apsû, destined for me; the great gods of heaven and underworld chose me, in their steadfast hearts, and my sovereignty, dominion, (and) power came forth by their holy command; they sternly commanded me to rule, subdue, and direct the lands and mighty highlands:

(25b) By the command of Aššur, the great lord, my lord, and the god Ninurta who loves my priesthood, I marched to Mount Lebanon. I went up to the Great Sea. I cleansed my weapons in the Great Sea (and) made sacrifices to my gods. At that time I received tribute from the kings of the sea-coast, from the lands of the people of Tyre, Sidon, Amurru, Byblos, Maḫallatu, Kaizu, Maizu, and the city Arwad which is (on an island) in the sea — silver, gold, tin, bronze, bronze casseroles, linen garments with multi-colored trim, ivory of nāḫirus (which are) sea creatures. At that time I received from them with their tribute, large female monkeys (and) small female monkeys.

(31b) I brought them (the monkeys) to my land Aššur. I bred herds of them in great numbers in Kalḫu (and) displayed (them) to all the people of my land. With my outstretched hand and my fierce heart I captured 15 strong lions from the mountains and forests. I took away 50 lion cubs. I herded them into Kalḫu and the palaces of my land into cages.

(35) I bred their cubs in great numbers. I captured live tigers (mindinaš). I formed herds of wild bulls, elephants, lions, ostriches, male monkeys, female monkeys, wild asses, deer, aialu-deer, female bears, panthers, senkurru, beasts of mountain (and) plain, all of them in my city Kalḫu. I displayed (them) to all the people of my land.

(38b) O later prince among the kings my sons whom Aššur calls, or later people, or vice-chancellor, or noble, or eunuch — you must not despise (these animals). Before Aššur may these creature(s) live!

(40) The gods Ninurta and Nergal, who love my priesthood, gave to me the wild beasts (and) commanded me to hunt. I killed 30 elephants from an ambush pit. I slew 257 strong wild bulls from my ... chariots with my lordly assault with swords. I killed 370 strong lions like caged birds with the spear.

(43) On the eighth day of the month Ayyāru I moved from Kalḫu. After crossing the Tigris I approached the city Carchemish of the land Ḫatti. I received from it much of its palace property, the weight of which could not be determined. All the kings of the lands came (and) submitted to me. I took from them hostages (and) they were kept in my presence on the march to Mount Lebanon (lit. “(and) they marched to Mount Lebanon”).

(46) Moving on from the city Carchemish I took the way between Mounts Munzigānu (and) Ḫamurga. Leaving Mount Aḫānu on my left I approached the city Ḫazazu which (was ruled by) Lubarna, the Patinu. I received silver, gold, (and) linen garments. Passing on I crossed the River Aprê, pitched camp, (and) spent the night. Moving on from the River Aprê I approached the city Kunulua, the royal city of Lubarna, the Patinu. He took fright in the face of my raging weapons (and) fierce battle and submitted to me to save his life. I received as his tribute 20 talents of silver, one talent of gold, 100 talents of tin,

(50) 100 talents of iron, 1,000 oxen, 10,000 sheep, 1,000 linen garments with multi-colored trim, decorated couches of boxwood with inlay, beds of boxwood, decorated ivory beds with inlay, many ornaments from his palace the weight of which could not be determined.

(52) The ancient city Kalḫu which Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, a prince who preceded me, had built — this city had become dilapidated; it lay dormant. I rebuilt this city. I took people which I had conquered from the lands over which I had gained dominion, from the land Sūḫu, (from) the entire land of Laqû, (from) the city Sirqu which is at the crossing of the Euphrates, (from) the entire land of Zamua,

(55) (from) Bīt-Adini and the land Ḫatti, and from Lubarna, the Patinu. I settled (them) therein. I cleared away the old ruin hill (and) dug down to water level. I sank (the foundation pit) down to a depth of 120 layers of brick. I founded therein a palace of cedar, cypress, daprānu-juniper, boxwood, meskannu-wood, terebinth, and tamarisk as my royal residence (and) for my lordly leisure for eternity. I made (replicas of) beasts of mountains and seas in white limestone and parūtu-alabaster (and) stationed (them) at its doors. I decorated it in a splendid fashion; I surrounded it with knobbed nails of bronze. I hung doors of cedar, cypress, daprānu-juniper, (and) meskannu-wood in its doorways. I took in great quantities and put therein silver, gold, tin, bronze, booty from the lands over which I gained dominion.