LEGEND OF THE TOWER OF BABEL

COLUMN I

1 ...[1] them the father. 2 (The thoughts) of his heart were evil 3 ...[1] the father of all the gods[2] he turned from. 4 (The thoughts) of his heart were evil[3] 5 ...[1] Babylon corruptly to sin went and 6 small and great mingled on the mound.[4] 7 ...[1] Babylon corruptly to sin went and 8 small and great mingled on the mound.

[Footnote 1:  Lacunae.]

[Footnote 2:  A title of Anu.]

[Footnote 3:  Refers to the king who caused the people to sin.]

[Footnote 4:  The verb used here is the same as in Gen. xi. 7, [Hebrew:  bll].]

COLUMN II

1 The King of the holy mound[1] ...[2] 2 In front and Anu lifted up ...[2] 3 to the good god his father..,[2] 4 Then his heart also ...[2] 5 which carried a command ...[2] 6 At that time also ...[2] 7 he lifted it up ...[3] 8 Davkina. 9 Their (work) all day they founded 10 to their stronghold[4] in the night 11 entirely an end he made. 12 In his anger also the secret counsel he poured out 13 to scatter (abroad) his face he set 14 he gave a command to make strange their speech[5] 15 ...[6] their progress he impeded 16 ...[6]the altar

(Column III is so broken only a few words remain, so I have omitted it.)

[Footnote 1:  A title of Anu.]

[Footnote 2:  Lacunae.]

[Footnote 3:  All these broken lines relate to council of gods?]

[Footnote 4:  The tower.]

[Footnote 5:  “Uttaccira—­melic-su-nu,” “make hostile their council.”]

[Footnote 6:  Lacunae.]

COLUMN IV [Footnote:  Relates to the destruction of the tower by a storm.]

1 In (that day) 2 he blew and ...[1] 3 For future time the mountain ...[1] 4 Nu-nam-nir[2] went ...[1] 5 Like heaven and earth he spake ...[1] 6 His ways they went ...[1] 7 Violently they fronted against him [3] 8 He saw them and to the earth (descended) 9 When a stop he did not make 10 of the gods ...[1] 11 Against the gods they revolted 12 ...[1] violence ...[1] 13 Violently they wept for Babylon[4] 14 very much they wept. 15 And in the midst

(The rest is wanting.)

[Footnote 1:  Lacunae.]

[Footnote 2:  The god of “no rule,” or lawlessness.]

[Footnote 3:  The builders continued to build.]

[Footnote 4:  Lamentations of the gods for the Babylonians.]

AN ACCADIAN PENITENTIAL PSALM

TRANSLATED BY REV.  A.H.  SAYCE, M.A.