SAA 03 034. Marduk Ordeal (Assur Version) (KAR 143, 219; GPA 268)
| Obverse | ||
| o 1o 1 | [LÚ ša ina É-šú i-ra-ʾa-bu-ú-ni x x x x dEN šu-ú ina É LÚ.ṣa-ab-te šu-tu] ⸢ka⸣-li | (1) [The man who rages in his house ...... is Bel. He is] held fast [in the prison.] |
| o 22 | [LÚ ša UD 07-KÁM ša ITI.BARAG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x]-un-ni | (2) [The man who on the 7th of Nisan ......]... [...... is the messenger of Šamaš and Adad]. He brings him out [of the prison.] |
| o 33 | [x x x x x x LÚ.A—KIN ša dUTU dIM šu-u-tu TAv É LÚ.ṣa-ab-te] ú-šé-ṣa-áš-šú | |
| o 44 | [x x x x x x x ma-a] ša* la ⸢LÚ.A—KIN⸣ ša EN-MEŠ-šú man-nu ú-še-ṣa-áš-šú | (4) [......]:"Without the messenger of his lords, who would take him out?" |
| o 55 | (5) [The messenger] who goes and brings him out, (and who) rides [.......], goes to the (place of the) ordeal. | |
| o 66 | [x x x x x i]-ra-kab-u-ni a-na ḫur-sa-an šu-ú il-lak | |
| o 77 | [ina ŠÀ É.a-ki-te ša] il-lak-u-ni É šu-ú ina UGU šap-te ša ḫur-sa-an ina ŠÀ i-ša-ʾu-ú-lu-šú | (7) [The Akitu House where] he goes, is the house at the edge of (the place of) the ordeal; they question him there. |
| o 88 | [dAG ša TAv BÁR].⸢SIPA⸣.KI il-lak-an-ni a-na šul-me ša AD-šú ša ṣa-bit-u-ni šu-ú il-la-ka | (8) [Nabû, who] comes [from] Borsippa, comes to greet his father, who has been taken prisoner. |
| o 99 | [dbe-lit—DINGIR]-⸢MEŠ⸣ ša ina su-qa-qa-te i-du-lu-u-ni dEN ú-ba-ʾa ma a.a-ka ṣa-bit | (9) [Belet-il]i, who roams the streets, is looking for Marduk: "Where is he kept prisoner?" |
| o 1010 | [dzar-pa-ni-tum] ša ŠU.2-šá ṭar-ṣa-a-ni a-na d30 dUTU tu-ṣal-la ma-a dEN bal-li-⸢ṭa⸣ | (10) [Zarpanitu], whose hands are stretched out, prays to Sin and Šamaš: "Let Bel live!" |
| o 1111 | [dbe-lit—DINGIR]-⸢MEŠ⸣ ša tal-lak-u-ni KÁ qa-bu-rat šu-ú tal-lak tu-ba-[ʾa]-⸢šu⸣ | (11) [Belet-ili] who goes away, is going to the graveyard and looking for him. |
| o 1212 | [EN-MEŠ] ⸢ú⸣-ma-a-še ša ina ⸢KÁ⸣ ša É.SAG.ÍL i-za-zu-u-ni LÚ.EN.NUN-MEŠ-šú šu-nu ina UGU-šú paq-du i-na-⸢ṣu⸣-[ru-šú] | (12) [The ath]letes who stand at the gate of Esaggil are his guards; they are appointed over him, and guard [him]. |
| o 1313 | [x ša ina] ⸢si⸣-qu-ri-[te] e-pi-šu-ni a-ki DINGIR-MEŠ e-si-ru-šu-ni iḫ-ti-liq ina ŠÀ-bi ⸢e*⸣-[te-li] | (13) [The ... which] is done [on] the ziggurrat: When the gods surrounded him, he fled and we[nt up] there, [thinking: "Per]haps I will be saved." They brought [him] down from there. |
| o 1414 | ||
| o 1515 | [ta-ḫap-šu] ša ina KI.TA-šú ⸢SÍG⸣.tab-ri-bu ša lab-bu-šu-ni mi-iḫ-ṣi ša maḫ-ḫu-ṣu-ni šú-nu ina MÚD-MEŠ-šú [ṣar-pu] | (15) [The saddle] beneath him, (and) the red wool with which he is clothed, are the blows with which he was struck. They are [dyed] with his blood. |
| o 1616 | [dtaš-me]-tum ša is-[si]-šú kam-mu-sa-tu-ni a-na šul-me-šú ta-ta-[al-ka] | (16) [Tašme]tu, who sits with him, has co[me] to greet him. |
| o 1717 | [dx] ⸢ša⸣ is-si-šú la il-⸢lak⸣-u-ni ma-a la EN—ḫi-iṭ-ṭi a-na-ku ma-a la us-sa-ta-am-maḫ [is-si-šú*] | (17) [...] who does not go with him, saying: "I am not a criminal; I have nothing to do [with him]!" — [on] account of that Aššur entrusted judgment to him; he passes the judgments. |
| o 1818 | [ina UGU]-ḫi daš-šur ⸢de⸣-na-ni ina pa-ni-šú ip-ti-qid* de-na-ni i-⸢mi⸣-[id] | |
| o 1919 | [dx ša is]-si-šú la il-lak-u-ni DUMU daš-šur šu-u-tú ma-ṣu-ru šu-ú ina UGU-ḫi-šú pa-qid URU.bir-tú ina UGU-ḫi-šú i-⸢na⸣-[ṣar] | (19) [... who] does not go with him, is the son of Aššur. He is a guard appointed over him, and gu[ards] the citadel on account of him. |
| o 2020 | [SAG.DU] ⸢ša⸣ ina GIŠ.tal-li ša dbe-lit—KÁ.DINGIR.RA.KI eʾ-la-an-ni SAG.DU ša EN—ḫi-iṭ-ṭi ša is-si-šú i-⸢zi⸣-[zu-ni] | (20) [The head] which hangs from the crossbar of the Lady of Babylon, is the head of the criminal who assi[sted and ad]vised him. They have hung his head on the neck of the Lady of Babylon. |
| o 2121 | [im]-⸢li*⸣-ku-šú-ni šú-tú SAG.DU-su ina UZU.⸢GÚ ša⸣ dbe-lit—KÁ.DINGIR.RA.KI e-ta-⸢aʾ⸣-[lu] | |
| o 2222 | [dAG] ša a-na BÁR.SIPA.KI i-sa-ḫur-u-ni il-lak-u-ni GIŠ.tal-[tal]-⸢li⸣ ša ina ŠÀ-šú is-sa-na-⸢la⸣-[aʾ-ú-ni] | (22) [Nabû], who returns and goes to Borsippa, and sprinkles about the stamens of the date palms there: [(that) is because] Bel went to (the place of) the river ordeal. The city has revolted against [him] and they are fighting in there. |
| o 2323 | [ina UGU] ša dEN ina ḫur-sa-an il-lik-u-ni URU ina UGU-[ḫi] it-ta-bal-kàt qa-ra-bu ina ŠÀ ⸢up⸣-[pu]-šú | |
| o 2424 | ⸢GI⸣.ÚR-MEŠ ša ŠAḪ-MEŠ ša ina IGI KASKAL ša dAG ki-i ⸢TAv⸣ BÁR.SIPA.KI il-la-kanan-ni i-kar-ra-ru*-ni | (24) The pig reeds which they throw in the path of Nabû when he comes from Borsippa, and which Nabû, in his coming, steps upon and sees, is the criminal who was with Bel: he recog[nizes him] as the accomplice of Bel. |
| o 2525 | dAG ša il-lak-an-ni ina UGU-ḫi i-za-zu-u-ni em-mar-u-ni EN—ḫi-iṭ-ṭi ša TAv dEN šu-tú-[ni šu-ú] | |
| o 2626 | ||
| o 2727 | ⸢LÚ⸣.MAŠ.MAŠ-MEŠ ša ina pa-na-tu-šú il-lak-u-ni ši-ip-tú i-ma-an-nu-u-ni UN-MEŠ-šú šu-nu ina pa-na-tu-šú ú-na-bu-u [il-lu-ku] | (27) The exorcists, who go in front of him reciting an incantation, are his people; they [go] wailing in front of him. |
| o 2828 | ⸢LÚ⸣.maḫ-ḫu-u ša ina IGI dbe-lit—KÁ.DINGIR.RA.KI il-la-ku-u-ni LÚ.mu-pa-si-ru šu-u a-na GABA-šá i-bak-⸢ki⸣ [il-lak] | (28) The ecstatic who goes before the Lady of Babylon is a bringer of news; he goes toward her weeping: "They are taking him to the river ordeal!" She sends (him) away, saying: "My brother, my brother!" [......] |
| o 2929 | ma-a a-na ḫur-sa-an ub-bu-lu-šú ši-i ta-ṭa-rad ma-a ŠEŠ-u-a ŠEŠ-u-a [x x x x] | |
| o 3030 | la-bu-su-šu ša a-na dGAŠAN—UNUG.KI ú-še-bal-u-ni ku-zip-pi-šú šu-nu it-ta-⸢aṣ⸣-[ṣu-šú-nu] | (30) His clothing which they send to the Lady of Uruk are his robes; they carried [them off]. |
| o 3131 | lu-u KUG.UD lu-u KUG.GI lu-u NA₄-MEŠ-šú ša TAv ŠÀ É.SAG.ÍL a-na É.KUR-MEŠ ú-še-ṣu-u-ni É-su šu-ú-tu [x x x x] | (31) His silver, gold or gems, which they took out of Esaggil to other temples, is his property [......]. |
| o 3232 | (32) The outfit in which he was dressed is [collected] in the storeroom. | |
| o 3333 | ši-iz-bu ša ina IGI d15 ša NINA.KI i-ḫal-li-bu-ni né-mi-il ši-i tu-ra-bu-šú-ni re-e-mu ú-ka-li-im-šú-[ni] | (33) The milk which they milk in front of Ištar of Nineveh is (milked) because she brought him up and showed compassion to him. |
| o 3434 | e-nu-ma e-liš ša da-bi-ib-u-ni ina IGI dEN ina ITI.BARAG i-za-mur-ú-šú-ni ina UGU ša ṣa-bit-u-ni [šu-ú] | (34) Enuma Eliš, which is recited and chanted in front of Bel in Nisan, concerns his imprisonment. |
| o 3535 | (35) He says prayers and makes supplications to them, and pleads (his case) before Šamaš: "I only did what was good to Aššur! What is [my] crime?" | |
| o 3636 | ⸢ina IGI dUTU⸣ šu-tú i-da-bu-ub ma-a dam-qa-a-te ša daš-šur ši-na e-ta-pa-áš ma-a mi-i-nu ḫi-[ṭa-a.a] | |
| o 3737 | [dEN] ša AN-e i-da-gal-u-ni a-na d30 dUTU ú-ṣal-la ma-a bal-li-[ṭa-a]-⸢ni⸣ | (37) [Bel], who scans the sky, prays to Sin and Šamaš: "Let me live!" |
| o 3838 | [dEN ša] kaq-qu-ru i-da-gal-u-ni ḫu-ur-ni-šú ina UGU-šú kar-ru-ni ina UGU ša TAv ŠÀ ḫur-sa-an ⸢il⸣-[lik-u]-ni | (38) [Bel], who scans the ground and on whom his ...s have been put, is (thus) because he [turn]ed back from the river ordeal. |
| o 3939 | [dx ša] ⸢TAv⸣ dEN a-na É.a-ki-ti la ú-ṣu-ni [GIŠ].⸢KA×KIB⸣.Ú ša LÚ.ṣa-ab-te i-na-áš-ši i-si-šú ⸢uš?-šab⸣ | (39) [..., who] does not go out with Bel to the Akitu House, holds the fetter of the prisoner and s[it]s with him. |
| o 4040 | [dbe-lit]—⸢KÁ⸣.DINGIR.RA.KI ša ina ŠÀ É.á-ki-it la tal-lak-u-ni MÍ.šá-ki-in-tú ša ⸢É⸣ [ši-i-ti] | (40) [The Lady of] Babylon, who does not go to the Akitu House, is the governess of the house. [He (instructs her)]: "You know the house. Guard the house! I shall call you to account [for it."] |
| o 4141 | [ma-a] ⸢at⸣-ti É tu-di-i ma-a É uṣ-ri ina ŠU.2-ki ú-⸢ba⸣-[ʾa] | |
| o 4242 | [dbe-lit—KÁ.DINGIR].RA.KI ša SÍG.MI ina ku-tal-li-šá-ni SÍG.tab-ri-bu ina pa-ni-[šá-ni o] | (42) [The Lady of] Babylon who has black wool on her back and red wool on her front [...]: [the red wool] on her [front] is blood of the heart which was shed [......]. |
| o 4343 | [x x x ina pa-na-tu]-uš-šá da-mu ša ṣur-ri ša tab-ku-u-ni [šu-nu] | |
| o 4444 | [dbe-lit—KÁ.DINGIR.RA].KI ša UD 08-KÁM ša ITI.BARAG ŠAḪ ina pa-ni-šá i-ṭa-[ba-ḫu-u-ni o] | (44) [The Lady of Babylo]n, before whom a pig is sla[ughtered] on the 8th of Nisan, is [the governe]ss of the house. They ask her: "Who is the criminal [......]?" They bring [......], [muzzle] the criminal [and ......]. |
| o 4545 | [MÍ.šá-ki-in]-⸢tú⸣ šá É ši-i i-šá-ʾu-lu-ši ma-a man-nu EN—ḫi-iṭ-ṭi ma-a ⸢x⸣+[x x x x x x] | |
| o 4646 | [x x x x x x]-⸢bi⸣ ú-bal-u-ni EN—ḫi-iṭ-ṭi i-[x x x] | |
| o 4747 | [dEN ša ina É.a-ki]-⸢ti⸣ il-lak-u-ni pa-gi-li ša a-ki im-ma-al-⸢lu⸣-[u-ni x x x-šu ú-ga-mar-u-ni] | (47) [Bel, who] goes [to the Aki]tu House, and the libation vessels which he empties [...] as soon as they are filled — in (his) terror he quickly thirsts for water. |
| o 4848 | ina pu-lu-uḫ-ti šu-u A-MEŠ ár-ḫiš i-ṣa-am-mu A-MEŠ [ša x x x x x x x x] | |
| o 4949 | [x x i-ma]-ḫa-ḫu-ni ú-ṣar-ra-ru-u-ni A-MEŠ da-al-ḫu-tu šú-nu [x x x x] | (49) The water [which he] mixes [with ......] and pours out, is the turbid water [......]. |
| o 5050 | [x x x x] UZU.KA.IZI la-ba-ak-te i-kar-ra-ru-ni ša qa-du-ur-ti šu-[ú o] | (50) [The ...] which they place [on] the marinaded roasted meat, is that of ... [......]. |
| o 5151 | [ZÍD].⸢DA⸣ ša ina ŠÀ ITI.BARAG a-na ma-gal ma-aʾ-du-ni ZÍD.DA ša ki-i ṣa-bit-u-ni šu-ú [o] | (51) [The flo]ur which is much too plentiful for Nisan, is the flour which was there when he was taken prisoner. |
| o 5252 | A-MEŠ ŠU.2 ša ú-qar-rab-u-ni bé-et ib-ku-ni šu-ú di-ʾa-a-te-šú ina ŠÀ-bi ⸢ú⸣-[x x x] | (52) The water for (washing) the hands which they bring near, is where he wept. He [poured] his tears into it. |
| o 5353 | TÚG.še-er-ʾi-i-tu ša ina UGU-ḫi-šú ša i-qa-bu-u-ni ma-a A-MEŠ ⸢šu⸣-nu si-li-ʾa-a-te ši-na | (53) The outfit which is on him and of which it is said: "That is water" — that is a lie. |
| o 5454 | šu-ú ina ŠÀ e-nu-ma e-liš iq-⸢ṭi-bi⸣ ki-i AN-e KI.TIM la ib-ba-nu-ni AN.ŠÁR it-[tab-ši] | (54) It is said in Enuma Eliš: When heaven and earth were not created, Aššur came i[nto being]. |
| o 5555 | ki-i URU u É ib-šu-u-ni šu-ú it-tab-ši A-MEŠ ša ina UGU AN.ŠÁR [o] | (55) (Only) when city and temple (already) existed, did he come into being. It is the water which was over Aššur. |
| o 5656 | šu-u-tú ša ḫi-ṭi-šú ina ŠÀ ka-dam-me šu-tú e-si-ip la A-MEŠ ⸢la-biš⸣ ka-⸢dam?⸣-[mu x x x x] | (56) The (outfit) of his crime is gathered in the storeroom. He is not dressed in water. The chamber [......]. |
| o 5757 | li-is-mu ša ina ITI.GAN ina IGI dEN ù ma-ḫa-za-a-ni gab-bu i-lab-[bu-u-ni ša dMAŠ šú-u] | (57) The race which they go [round] in front of Bel and in all the cult cities in Kislev [is that of Ninurta]. |
| o 5858 | ki-i daš-šur dNIN.URTA ina UGU ka-šá-di ša an-zi-i iš-pur-u-ni dU.⸢GUR⸣ [x x x x] | (58) When Aššur sent Ninurta to vanquish Anzû, Nergal [......] announced before Aššur, "Anzû is vanquished." Aššur [said] to the god [Kakka]: |
| o 5959 | ina IGI daš-šur iq-ṭí-bi ma-a an-zu-u ka-ši-id daš-šur a-na d[GA.GA? ṭè-mu is-sa-kan] | |
| o 6060 | ma-a a-lik a-na DINGIR-MEŠ-ni gab-bu pa-si-ir ú-pa-sa-ar-šú-nu ù šú-nu ina UGU-⸢ḫi⸣ [i]-⸢ḫad⸣-di-[u il-lu-ku] | (60) "Go and tell the good news to all the gods!" He gives the good news to them, and they rejoice about it [and go]. |
| o 6161 | (61) All the talk which [they talk] among the lamentation priests, and the acts of robbery which they commit against him and afflict him with are the gods, his fathers, coming up. | |
| o 6262 | ša ḫa-ba-a-te ša i-ḫab-ba-tu-šú-ni ša ú-šal-pa-tu-šú-ni šu-ú DINGIR-MEŠ AD-MEŠ-šú šu-nu ⸢i-li-ú⸣ | |
| o 6363 | UR.KU ša É.SA.BAD eb-bir-an-ni LÚ.A—KIN šu-u-tú dgu-la ina UGU-ḫi-šú ta-šap-pa-ra | (63) The dog which crosses Esabad is a messenger. Gula is sending it to him. |
| o 6464 | KUŠ.E.SÍR ša ina É dbe-lit—KÁ.DINGIR.RA.KI ub-bal-ú-ni it-ḫu-ur šu-ú-tú ú-še-bal-áš-ši | (64) The shoe which they bring to the temple of the Lady of Babylon is a token. He sends it to her, because they will not let him go out. |
| o 6565 | ||
| o 6666 | GIŠ.GIGIR ša a-na É.a-ki-it tal-lak-u-ni ta-la-kanan-ni EN-šá la-áš-šú ša la EN ta-sa-bu-uʾ | (66) The chariot which goes to the Akitu temple and comes back has no driver. Without a driver, it rocks about. |
| o 6767 | ù dsak-ku-ku-tú ša TAv URU ta-lab-ba-an-ni ba-ki-su ši-i TAv URU ta-la-bi-a | (67) Finally, Sakkukutu who goes round the city is his wailing woman. She circumambulates the city. |
| o 6868 | GIŠ.IG bir-ri ša i-qa-bu-u-ni DINGIR-MEŠ šu-nu i-ta-as-ru-šú ina É e-tar-ba GIŠ.IG ina IGI-šú e-te-di-li | (68) The lattice door is so called (because when) the gods surrounded him, he entered the building and locked the door behind him. They bored holes in the door and did battle through them. |
| o 6969 | šu-nu ḫu-ur-ra-a-te ina ŠÀ GIŠ.IG ⸢up⸣-ta-li-šú qa-ra-bu ina ŠÀ-bi up-pu-šú | |
| (10 lines blank) | ||
| o 7070 | man-nu ša ṭup-pu an-ni-u e-mar-ra-qu-u-ni lu-u ina A-MEŠ i-kar-ra-ar-u-ni | (70) Whoever crushes this tablet or throws it into water, or sees it but does not tell about it to one who does not know it, |
| o 7171 | ||
| o 7272 | daš-šur d30 dUTU dIM ù dIŠ.TAR dEN dAG dU.GUR d15 ša NINA.⸢KI⸣ | (72) may Aššur, Sin, Šamaš, Adad and Ištar, Bel, Nabû, Nergal, Ištar of Nineveh, Ištar of Arbela and Ištar of the Kidmuri Temple, |
| o 7373 | ||
| o 7474 | DINGIR-MEŠ ša AN-e KI.TIM ù DINGIR-MEŠ KUR—aš-šur.KI ka-li-šú-nu | (74) the gods of heaven and earth, and all the gods of Assyria curse him with an indissoluble, grievous curse and not have mercy on him all the days of his life. May they remove his name and seed from the country and put his flesh in the mouth of a dog. |
| o 7575 | ar-rat la nap-šu-ri ma-ru-uš-tu li-ra-ru-šu-ma a-di UD-MEŠ bal-ṭu a.a ir-šu-šu re-e-mu | |
| o 7676 | MU-šú NUMUN-šú ina KUR li-še-lu-ú UZU-MEŠ-šú ina pi-i ša kal-bi liš-kun-[nu] |
Adapted from Alasdair Livingstone, Court Poetry and Literary Miscellanea (State Archives of Assyria, 3), 1989. Lemmatised by Mikko Luukko, 2019-20, as part of the research programme of the Alexander von Humboldt Chair in the Ancient History of the Near and Middle East at LMU Munich (Karen Radner, Humboldt Professorship 2015). The annotated edition is released under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license 3.0. Please cite this page as http://oracc.org/saao/Q009250/.