Position in chronology
Ashurbanipal 226
Translation · reference
High confidence(1') [...] ... [... wh]ose deeds are skillful, the word(s) of [...]. (4') I, Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, [capable] govern[or ..., whom] the lord of lords chos[e] by his pure glance [(and) ...] ... the forgotten cultic rites (and) kidudû-rituals [...] and to placate the mood of his divinity ... [...] (who) guided (me) [in my y]outh (and) protected [my] royal majesty [... he] gave me a just scepter (and) a true staff over [...] (10´) his attention was given to my entreaties [... “D]o not fear!,” he said to me, “I myself [will come to] y[our] aid!” [...]. (12') By his command, he granted me…
Source: Novotny, J. & Jeffers, J. 2018–. The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC), Aššur-etel-ilāni (630–627 BC) and Sîn-šarra-iškun (626–612 BC), Kings of Assyria. RINAP 5. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap5/Q007634/
Why it matters
Attests Ashurbanipal's direct-speech divine assurance — 'Do not fear, I myself will come to your aid' — the same royal-reassurance formula that recurs in Neo-Assyrian prophecies, linking monumental inscription to oracular tradition.
Transliteration
[...] x x [...] / [...] (blank or erased line) [...] / [x x] ⸢ša ep⸣-še-tu-šú nak-la a-mat ⸢kab⸣-[...] / [a-na]-⸢ku⸣ mAN.ŠÁR-DÙ-A LUGAL KUR AN.ŠÁR.KI GÌR.⸢NÍTA⸣ [it-pe-šú? ...] / [ša] ina ni-iš IGI.II-šú KÙ.MEŠ EN EN.EN ut-⸢tu⸣-[šú-(ma) ...] / [x]-áš-šu-ut par-ṣe ki-du-de-e ma-šu-ú-[ti ...] / ⸢ù⸣ a-na šup-šu-uḫ ka-bat-ti DINGIR-ti-šú mu-te-x [...] / ⸢meṣ⸣-ḫer-u-ti it-tar-ru-ú iḫ-ti-nu…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Ashurbanipal or a late Sargonid successor, edited by Jamie Novotny & Joshua Jeffers (RINAP 5, 2018–). ORACC text Q007634.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P452476). source
Translation excerpted from Novotny, J. & Jeffers, J. 2018–. The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC), Aššur-etel-ilāni (630–627 BC) and Sîn-šarra-iškun (626–612 BC), Kings of Assyria. RINAP 5. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap5/Q007634/.
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