THE BEGINNING

Ashur, the great Lord, ruling supreme over the gods; the giver of sceptres and crowns; the appointer of sovereignty.  Bel, the Lord; King of the circle of constellations;[1] Father of the gods; Lord of the world.  Sin;[2] the leader the Lord of Empire the powerful the auspicious god; Shamas;[3] the establisher of the heavens and the earth; ...;[4] the vanquisher of enemies; the dissolver of cold. Vul;[5] he who causes the tempest to rage over hostile lands and wicked countries. Abnil[6] Hercules; the champion who subdues heretics and enemies, and who strengthens the heart. Ishtar, the eldest[7] of the gods; the Queen of Victory; she who arranges battles.

[Footnote 1:  Aratnaki. (Fox Talbot.)]

[Footnote 2:  The moon.]

[Footnote 3:  The sun.]

[Footnote 4:  Lacuna.]

[Footnote 5:  Ninev. (Fox Talbot.) Ao. (Dr. Oppert.)]

[Footnote 6:  Ninip-Sumdan.  Dr. Oppert.]

[Footnote 7:  Or source.]

II

The great gods, ruling over the heavens and the earth, whose attributes I have recorded and whom I have named; the guardians of the kingdom of Tiglath Pileser, the Prince inspiring your hearts with joy; the proud Chief whom in the strength of your hearts ye have made firm, (to whom) ye have confided the supreme crown, (whom) ye have appointed in might to the sovereignty of the country of Bel, to whom ye have granted pre-eminence, exaltation, and warlike power.  May the duration of his empire continue forever to his royal posterity, lasting as the great temple of Bel!

III

Tiglath Pileser the powerful king; supreme King of Lash-anan;[1] King of the four regions; King of all Kings; Lord of Lords; the supreme; Monarch of Monarchs; the illustrious Chief who under the auspices of the Sun god, being armed with the sceptre and girt with the girdle of power over mankind, rules over all the people of Bel; the mighty Prince whose praise is blazoned forth among the Kings:  the exalted sovereign, whose servants Ashur has appointed to the government of the country of the four regions (and) has made his name celebrated to posterity; the conqueror of many plains and mountains of the Upper and Lower Country; the conquering hero, the terror of whose name has overwhelmed all regions; the bright constellation who, according to his power[2] has warred against foreign countries (and) under the auspices of Bel, there being no equal to him, has subdued the enemies of Ashur.[3]

[Footnote 1:  “Various tongues.”  Talbot.]

[Footnote 2:  Or, “as he wished.”]

[Footnote 3:  Or, “has made them obedient to Ashur.”]

IV