1,2 I skilfully surrounded it; 3,4 tall cedars for its porticos I fitted; 5,6 ikki and cedar woods with layers of copper, 7 on domes and arches 8,9 and with bronze work, I strongly overlaid its gates 10 with silver, gold, precious stones, 11,12 whatsoever they call them, in heaps; 13 I valiantly collected spoils; 14 as an adornment of the house were they arranged, 15 and were collected within it; 16,17 trophies, abundance, royal treasures, 18 I accumulated and gathered together. 19 As to the moving of My Royalty 20 to any other city, 21 there has not arisen a desire:  22 among any other people 23 no royal palace have I built:  24 the merchandise and treasures of my kingdom 25,26,27 I did not deposit within the provinces of Babylon:  28 a pile for my residence 29,30 to grace My Royalty was not found:  31 Therefore with reverence for Merodach my Lord, 32,33 the exterior and interior in Babylon 34 as his treasure city 35,36 and for the elevation of the abode of My Royalty 37 his shrine I neglected not:  38 its weak parts which were not completed, 39 its compartments that were not remembered, 40 as a securely compacted edifice 41,42 I dedicated and set up as a preparation for war 43,44 by Imgur Bel, the fortress of invincible Babylon, 45 400 cubits in its completeness, 46 a wall of Nimitti-Bel 47 an outwork of Babylon 48,49 for defence.  Two lofty embankments, 50 in cement and brick, 51 a fortress like a mountain I made, 52 and in their sub-structure 53 I built a brickwork; 54 then on its summit a large edifice 55 for the residence of My Royalty 56,57 with cement and brick I skilfully built 58 and brought it down by the side of the temple:  59 and in the exact middle, on the second day 60 its foundation in a solid depth 61,62 I made good and its summit I carried round; 63 and on the 15th day its beauty

(Continued on Column IX.)

COLUMN IX

1 I skilfully completed 2 and exalted as an abode of Royalty. 3,4 Tall pines, the produce of lofty mountains, 5 thick asuhu wood 6,7 and surman wood in choice pillars 8 for its covered porticos I arranged. 9 ikki and musritkanna woods 10 cedar and surman woods 11 brought forth, and in heaps, 12 with a surface of silver and gold 13 and with coverings of copper, 14,15 on domes and arches, and with works of metal 16 its gates I strongly overlaid 17 and completely with zamat-stone 18 I finished off its top. 19,20 A strong wall in cement and brick 21 like a mountain I carried round 22,23 a wall, a brick fortress, a great fortress 24 with long blocks of stone 25,26 gatherings from great lands I made 27,28 and like hills I upraised its head. 29,30 That house for admiration I caused to build 31 and for a banner to hosts of men:  32 with carved work I fitted it; 33 the strong power of reverence for 34 the presence of