But thou, O Ishtar, mighty weapon of the great gods,
By thy grace[490] thou didst instruct me, and didst desire me to rule.
The statement that the Ishtar cult was introduced or even reinstated by Ashurnasirbal can hardly be taken literally; but it distinctly points to a movement in the days of the dynasty to which the king belonged, that brought the worship of the goddess into great prominence.
In return for all that he has done to the house of Ishtar, the king pleads:
I, Ashurnasirbal, full of affliction, thy worshipper,
Who takes hold of thy divine staff,
Who prays to thy sovereignty,
Look upon me and let me appeal to thy power!
May thy liver be appeased for that which has aroused thy anger;
Let thy whole heart be strong towards me.