1 King of Babylon
2 whom Merodach, the Sun, the great Lord,
3 for the holy places of his city
4 Babylon hath called, am I:
5 and Bit-Saggatu and Bit-Zida
6 like the radiance of the Sun I restored:
7 the fanes of the great gods
8 I completely brightened.
9 At former dates from the days of old
10 to the days ...[1]
11 of Nabopolassar King of Babylon
12 the exalted father who begat me,
13 many a Prince who preceded me
14,15 whose names El had proclaimed for royalty
16 for the city, my city, the festivals of these gods
17 in the perfected places
18 a princely temple, a large temple did they make
19 and erected it as their dwelling-places.
20,21 Their spoils in the midst they accumulated,
22 they heaped up, and their treasures
23 for the festival Lilmuku
24 of the good Lord, Merodach god of gods
25 they transferred into the midst of Babylon;
26,27 when at length Merodach who made me for royalty
28 and the god Nero his mighty son,
29 committed his people to me
30 as precious lives.
31 Highly have I exalted their cities;
32 (but) above Babylon and Borsippa
33 I have not added a city
34 in the realm of Babylonia
35 as a city of my lofty foundation.
36 A great temple, a house of admiration for men,
37,38 a vast construction, a lofty pile,
39,40 a palace of My Royalty for the land of Babylon,
41 in the midst of the city of Babylon
42,43 from Imgur Bel to Libit-higal
44 the ford of the Sun-rise,
45 from the bank of the Euphrates
46 as far as Aibur-sabu
47 which Nabopolassar
48 King of Babylon the father who begat me
49,50 made in brick and raised up in its midst,
51 but whose foundation was damaged
52 by waters and floods
53,54 at Bit-Imli near Babylon,
55,56 and the gates of that palace were thrown down,
57,58 of this the structure with brickwork I repaired
59 with its foundation and boundary wall,
60 and a depth of waters I collected:
61,62 then opposite the waters I laid its foundation
63 and with cement and brick
_(Continued on Column VIII_.)
[Footnote 1: Lacuna.]