COLUMN II
Whosoever in the process of time, among the brothers, the sons, the family, the men and women, the servants both male and female, of the house of Kilnamandu, either a foreigner, or a guest, or whosoever he may be (or anyone else), who will destroy this field, who will venture to take away the boundary-stone, or will vindicate it: whether he consecrate this field to a god, or earn it for his superior, or claim it for himself, or change the extent, the surface, or the limits, that he reaps new harvests (crops); or who will say of the field with its measures, "There is no granter;" whether he call forth malediction and hostility on the tablets; or establish on it anyone other who change these curses, in swearing: "The head is not the head;" and in asserting: There is no evil eye;[1] whosoever will carry elsewhere those tablets; or will throw them into the water; will bury them in the earth; will hide them under stones; will burn them with fire, will alter what is written on them, will confine them into a place where they might not be seen; that man shall be cursed:
May the gods Anu, El, Hea, the Great Goddess, the great gods, inflict upon him the utmost contumely, extirpate his name, annihilate his family.
May Marduk, the great Lord of eternity without end, bind him in fetters which cannot be broken.
May Samas, the great Judge of heaven and earth, judge his unpunished misdeeds, and surprise him in flagrant deeds.
May Sin, the brilliant (Nannar), who dwells in the sacred heavens, clothe him in leprosy as in a garment, and give him up to the wild beasts that wander in the outsides of the town.
May Istar, the Queen of heaven and earth, carry him off, and deliver him for avenge to the god and the king.
May Ninip, son of the zenith, son of El the sublime, take away his lands, funds, and limits.
May Gula, the great Queen, the wife of Ninip, infilter into his bowels a poison which cannot be pushed out, and may he void blood and pus like water.
May Bin, the great Guardian of heaven and earth, the son of the warrior
Anu, inundate his field.
May Serah destroy his firstborn; may he torture his flesh, and load his feet with chains.
May Nabu, the supreme Watcher, strike him with misfortune and ruin, and blast his happiness that he not obtain it, in the wrath of his face.
May all the great gods whose names are recorded on this tablet, curse him with irrevocable malediction, and scatter his race even to the last days.
[Footnote 1: This seems to be a usual formula.]
(This monument is equally engraved on a black basalt stone; it offers the same arrangement as the stone of Michaux. The analogous documents show that numerous inaccuracies have been committed.
In the upper part there occur the same altars, tiaras, birds, as well as the above-mentioned goat, dog, scorpion, and snake. The surface of the basso-relievo is also covered with Cuneiform writing.
The inscriptions are arranged in four columns, and take both sides of the monument. The first column originally finished at the 30th line; it seems to have been completed by four lines, which contain one of the essential articles of the contract, but which evidently are not in their right place, and had been actually forgotten in the original engraving.
On the margins and the bassso-relievo many additions and repetitions are to be read, which also prove the engraver's carelessness or precipitation.)
20 hins[1] of corn are sufficient to seed an arura,[2] a field in the land of Zunire,[3] on the bank of the river Zirzirri, belonging to the house of Ada.
Marduk-idin-akhe, King of Babylon, has thus sentenced according to the laws of the country of Assur. Bin-zir-basa, his Minister, has favored Marduk-ilusu, son of Ina-e-saggatu-irbu,[4] who has written this to the King of Babylon: I say, He has loaded me with favors, and I proclaim that this rating has been made according to the epha[5] of the King of Babylon.
20 hin of corn are sufficient to seed an arura. Bin-zir-basa, the Lieutenant (of the King) has invested him with it, and (the measurer of lands) has thus measured it for the time to come.
In the length[6] above toward the North, turned to the river Zirzirri, adjoining the house of Ada, and the field of the house of the Satraps. In the length below, toward the South of the river Atab-du-Istar, adjoining the house of Ada. In breadth above toward the East, adjoining the limits of Bit-ulbar. In breadth below toward the West, adjoining the house of Ada.
According to the law of Marduk-idin-akhe, King of Babylon, servant of the gods of the City of the eternal fire,[7] it was so measured by Bel-zir-kini, son of Zikar-Istar, the measurer of the field.
In the town of Dindu, in the month of Tebet, on the 28th day (December) in the 10th year of Marduk-idin-akhe, King of Babylon.
In the presence of Bet-ulbar-sakimu, son of Bazi, Chief of the ru-bar of the countries;
in the presence of Babilai, son of Sin-mustesir,[8] Chief of the head Rulers of the country;
in the presence of Hea-Kudurri-ibni, son of Zikar-Ea, Governor of the provinces;
in the presence of Bel-nasir-habal, son of the Chief of the rubar of the orders in the provinces;
in the presence of Takisa-belit, son of Riu-simti;
in the presence of Uballitsu, son of Karistiya-napasti;
in the presence of Bel-idin-akh, son of Suti;
in the presence of Sukamuna[9]-idin, son of Meliharbat;
in the presence of Isu-il, son of Habliya;
in the presence of Bel-akhesu, son of Meliharbat;
in the presence of Nis-bet-ulbar, son of Ulamhala;
in the presence of Sumidu, son of Marduk-kabuya, Prefect of the house of Ada;
in the presence of E-saggatu-bunuya, hazan[10] of the house of Ada;
in the presence of Babrabtatutai, son of Sar-Babil-Assurissi;
in the presence of Sadu-rabu-kabuya, Judge;
in the presence of Marduk-nasir, son of Gamilu.
Whoever in the process of time, among the brothers, the sons, among the near relations, the allies of the family of the house of Ada, would claim this land, would nourish against it bad designs, or would suggest them; whoever would utter these words, "There is no giver," who would say, "There is no sealer," or whosoever will say, "I deny that there is a master of the house of Ada, that there is a Chief in the house of Ada; that there is a hazan of the house of Ada; or that there is either a speculator for the house of Ada; or a gitta[11] of the house of Ada; or a sumtalu; or a lubattu; or an aklu; or a kisirtu in the house of Ada;" or he will say, "The confiscation has been pronounced;" whether he say: "This field has no measurer," or say, "This seal is not of a sealer" (who has the right to); or whoever will take possession of this field; or consecrate it to the gods; or claim it for himself; or alter its surface, circumference and limits; or construct buildings on this land, and in the middle of this field (that man will be cursed):
The gods who are inscribed on this tablet, all those whose name is commemorated herein, will curse him with irrevocable curses.
May the gods Anu,[12] Bel, Hea, these great gods, torment him and overwhelm him; that …[13]
May Marduk, the great Lord of eternity without limits, fetter him with inextricable bonds.
May Nebo, the supreme minister, overthrow the surface, circumference, and limits of his properties.
May Bin, the great Lord of heaven and earth, cause the streams of his river to overflow[14] … have his progeny circumcised, and load his feet with a heavy chain.
May Sin, who turns around heaven, envelop his body with leprosy as in a garment.
May Samas, the bright Judge of heaven and earth, judge his lawsuit, and have him seized in deed doing.
May Istar, the goddess of heaven and earth, deliver him to the vengeance of the gods and of the King.
May Gula, the Sovereign Lady, the great wife of Ninip, infilter into his bowels with a poison that will not leave him, and may he void pus and blood like water.
May Ninip, the god of boundaries, filium camelas inire cogat.[15]
May Nergal, the god of arms and bows, break his arrows.
May Zamal, the King of battles, prevent him in the midst of the fray from taking a prisoner.
May Turda, the Keeper of the images of the great gods, walking in the right ways of the gods, besiege his door during the night.
May Iskhara, the goddess of the ancient customs, not hear him in the battles.
May Malik, the great Master of Heaven,[16] while he sins cause him to be slain in the act.
May all the gods that are on this stone, whose name is commemorated, curse him with irrevocable curses.
(The lines at the end of the first column read as follows:)
[17]If anybody swears thus: This head is not a head …[17] or institutes here an outlaw or a causer of mischief, immerse them in the waters, bury them in the earth, hide them under a heap of stones, destroy them by fire.
(On the edge of the second column:)
May the gods whose image is on this table, and whose name is invoked, curse him with irrevocable curses.
(On the edge of the fourth column:)
The horses …[18] the Master of the house of Ada may dispose of them after him. 30 horses, 25 buffaloes, 3 mares in the fields are not inclosed in the decree of the King of Babylon; Bin-zir-basa has ascribed it for the benefit of Mahanitu, after Marduk-ilusu, son of Ina-e-saggatu-irbu.
The Chief of the rubar of the house of Ada has said it (named and pronounced) to Marduk-ilusu, son of the Scribe of Marduk-idin-akhe, King of Babylon, and Ina-e-saggatu-irbu, the Scribe, the field, this one has[19] … owner of the house of Ada, has given it for the days to come, and has yielded it up.
(A great many short inscriptions are placed over the basso-relievos.
1. The smallest of them is placed over a kind of lyre. It reads:
In sum, an epha and a half.
2. Entangled between the branches of an object difficult to design and the horns of a goat, occurs a sentence which has not been translated.
3. The word "nase" is written between and the altar supporting a triangular object.
4. A legend of three lines is engraved between the mentioned altar, and a horned animal.)
So that he may not devastate the land of Zunire, nor the
dwellings which are belonging to the Governor of Zunire.
5. Under an undetermined object, opposite to the nose of the above-mentioned fantastical animal is written a sentence composed of a perpendicular line and four lines parallel to the circumference.)
That he will not acknowledge either the kisirtu or the tribute of this house, or the Prefect, or the hazan of the house of Ada.
6. Below the preceding one.
Either the author of the treaty, or the hazan of the land of
Zunire.
7. Included between the roost and the back of the dog occurs another sentence which has not been translated.
8. Across the symbolical figures [commencement obscure]:
That he might not watch upon the streets of Bit-Ada.
9. Between the scorpion and the back of the snake.
That he may pay the rent of the land.
10. Over the head of the snake.
That in his abode, there may not be any power, any judge, any implorer.
[Footnote 1: Twenty hins are equal to 60 litres, 13-1/4 gallons.]
[Footnote 2: Great U, the standard agrarian measure.]
[Footnote 3: The country is unknown; the river Zirzirri is also mentioned elsewhere.]
[Footnote 4: This name signifies, "In the Pyramid he will increase.">[
[Footnote 5: The valuations of the estates are made by the quantity of corn required to seed them, as it is the case in rabbinical literature, where the unity is a beth-sea, or the surface seeded by a sea. Therefore the epha of the king (royal epha) is quite in its place: the epha is varying from 32 to 36 pints.
The text itself states the royal endowment of a perhaps conquered land.]
[Footnote 6: There is no valuation of the field. An error crept into the
French transliteration; "us" is not "a stade," but the word "length.">[
[Footnote 7: This is the city generally read "Agade.">[
[Footnote 8: Person already mentioned in the Za-aleh Stone.]
[Footnote 9: The god Sukamanu occurs elsewhere.]
[Footnote 10: The "hazan" seems to be a superintendent.]
[Footnote 11: By an error, this line is omitted in the French work; the
Assyrian words are not yet understood.]
[Footnote 12: In the text is nu.]
[Footnote 13: Lacuna.]
[Footnote 14: The passage is very obscure; if Dr. Oppert's idea is correct, there is an allusion to the detested custom of circumcision, the performance of which was regarded as an affliction.]
[Footnote 15: See Lev. xx. 15.]
[Footnote 16: "Gara anna.">[
[Footnote 17: In the French work, this passage has been left untranslated.]
[Footnote 18: Lacunæ.]
[Footnote 19: Here are two very obscure words.]