LKA 060[via caspo]

1Von Soden suggested reading the first line as NIR.GAL₂-tu₂ ša₂ E₂.EDEN.DIM?.MAH LAL-ti DINGIR-MEŠ ša₂ (as reported by Mayer 1976: 425; quite differently: Ebeling 1953: 138). The old photograph at my disposal does not permit much confidence in this suggestion. And, the temple name does not appear elsewhere, according to George's gazetteer (1993: 81). A plausible reading is not yet permitted by the evidence at hand. Ebeling suggests reading AN-e, "the heavens," at the end of the line, though he indicates great uncertainty about such a reading (1953: 138). In fact, he describes his entire text edition as "eine vorläufige und weithin unsichers" (138n.1). My transliteration is more cautious, especially since there is still no copy or modern photographs available of this one textual witness of Zarpanitu 2 for collation.

2We expect a temple name before E₂.GAL DINGIR-MEŠ, which are the most securely read signs in the line. Marduk's temple in Babylon is a likely candidate. "Queen of Esagil" is an epithet of Zarpanitu, known from Zarpanitu 1.

3"Authority" translates the more literal "ladyship." The restoration at the head of the line is speculative. Ebeling suggests, rather, [i-na] mah?-ri (1953: 138).

4Ebeling suggests reading the end of the line e-ne(?)-tim(?), "Entu-priestesses" (1953: 138-139).

5Ebeling suggests restoring DINGIR-MEŠ GAL-MEŠ at the head of the line (1953: 138), but in such a case I would not expect kitmusā to follow.

6At the end of the line, Ebeling reads . . UN ap-laḫ-ḫi-šú(?) but does not provide a translation (1953: 138-139). If UN is-saḫ-ḫi is the proper reading, we might translate "the people become confused," but this is quite atypical since we normally would expect UN-MEŠ with a plural verb. Perhaps a duplicate will clarify matters.

7Is the last sign ŠA? Ebeling reads ŠU₂ (1953: 138), but that cannot be correct. This line is cited in CAD N/1, 133 (following Ebeling).

8Ebeling has a fuller reading and/or restoration of this and the next line than I have presented. After nap-šat, he reads e-ṭim-me (1953: 138), but, looking at the photograph, I don't think E is within the realm of possibility.

9Ebeling reads: [ilu-u]t-ki ina ûm bubbuli (1953: 138), but I do not see this on the photograph.

10Ebeling (1953: 138) provides full readings and/or restorations of (most of) the lines from here to the end of the obverse. Given the state of the tablet and the available photographs (and no copy), I have taken a much more cautious approach.

11Ebeling suggests reading the second half of the line (1953: 140): ki-[niš gi]m(?)-li si(?)-ta-s[i(?)]-e-a ši-m[i-e(??)], "tr[uly sp]are me! Hear my cryi[ng] out!"

12If lu-mur is correct (Ebeling reads the signs without uncertainty [1953: 140], though the signs are quite abraded in the photograph), then we expect something like nūru or namirtu, both written ZALAG₂ and both meaning "light," to follow. (I do not know of any instance in which we have {d}ZALAG₂ after lūmur. {d}ZALAG₂ is a name of Nusku.) We expect DINGIR-ut-ki after a verb of praise, such as we may have in the second half of the line. (The tablet is quite broken across the last half of the line, and so this is only a plausible reading.) Given these points, I tentatively entertain the idea that the present line could be corrupt, orginally having read something like lu-mur ZALAG₂-ki lu-ta-ʾ-id DINGIR-ut-ki, "That I may see your light (and) laud your divinity." Thus, the present state of the (presumed) text could be explained via scribal mistake due to the graphic similarities between ZALAG₂-KI and UT-KI. Essentially, the scribe accidentally copied the second half of the line incorrectly into the first half of the line and then (again) copied the second half of the line correctly. Of course, given the state of the tablet (and the old photograph on which I am basing my transliteration), this is all quite tentative.

13Ebeling suggests l[u(?)]-[šar-r]i-iḫ, "that I may glorify," at the head of the line (1953: 140). This is contextually appropriate, though the epigraphy may not support it. The tablet is heavily abraded. His reading at the end of the line, lul-tep(?)-pu-uš(?), would be a strange ending to a prayer.