1 (In) the earth their borders were taken, and that god[1]
came not forth.
2 From the earth he came not forth, (and) their power was
baneful.
3 The heaven like a vault they extended and that which had
no exit they opened.[2]
4 Among the stars of heaven their watch they kept not, in
watching (was) their office.
5 The mighty hero[3] to heaven they exalted, and his father
he knew not.[4]
6 The Fire-god on high, the supreme, the first-born, the
mighty, the divider of the supreme crown of Anu!
7 The Fire-god the light that exalts him with himself he
exalts.
8 Baleful (are) those seven, destroyers.
9 For his ministers in his dwelling he chooses (them).
10 O Fire-god, those seven how were they born, how grew
they up?
11 Those seven in the mountain of the sunset were born.
12 Those seven in the mountain of the sunrise grew up.
13 In the hollows of the earth have they their dwelling.
14 On the high-places of the earth are they proclaimed.
15 As for them in heaven and earth immense (is) their habitation.
16 Among the gods their couch they have not.
17 Their name in heaven (and) earth exists not.
18 Seven they are: in the mountain of the sunset do they rise.
19 Seven they are: in the mountain of the sunrise did they set.
20 Into the hollows of the earth do they penetrate.[5]
21 On the high places of the earth did they ascend.
22 As for them, goods they have not, in heaven and earth they
are not known.[6]
23 Unto Merodach[7] draw near, and this word may he say
unto thee.[8]
24 Of those baleful seven, as many as he sets before thee,
their might may he give thee,
25 according to the command of his blessed mouth, (he who
is) the supreme judge of Anu.
26 The Fire-god unto Merodach draws near, and this word
he saith unto thee.
27 In the pavilion, the resting-place of might, this word he
hears, and
28 to his father Hea[9] to his house he descends, and speaks:
29 O my father, the Fire-god unto the rising of the sun has
penetrated, and these secret words has uttered.
30 Learning the story of those seven, their places grant thou
to another.
31 Enlarge the ears, O son of Eridu.[10]
32 Hea his son Merodach answered:
33 My son, those seven dwell in earth;
34 those seven from the earth have issued.
[Footnote 1: That is, the god of fire.]
[Footnote 2: The Assyrian has, "Unto heaven that which was not seen they
raised."]
[Footnote 3: The Assyrian adds; "the first-born supreme."]
[Footnote 4: In the Accadian text, "they knew not."]
[Footnote 5: In the Accadian, "cause the foot to dwell."]
[Footnote 6: In the Assyrian, "learned."]
[Footnote 7: In the Accadian text, Merodach, the mediator and protector of
mankind, is called "protector of the covenant."]
[Footnote 8: That is, the fire-god.]
[Footnote 9: Hea, the god of the waters, was the father of Merodach, the
sun-god.]
[Footnote 10: "Eridu," the "Rata" of Ptolemy, was near the junction of the
Euphrates and Tigris, on the Arabian side of the river. It was one of the
oldest cities of Chaldea.]