My eyes see not my ..., the mothers are cut off from the child.
Weep for Niffer, as for me, (with) abundance of affliction (?)
Heaven has bound me fast;
The throne of my glory has been caused to pass away from me;
The bridegroom, the husband of my well-being, Bêl has taken away from me.”
“Like its original written, made clear, and acquired.
Tablet of Bêl-zēr-lîšir, son of Bêl-âba-usur, descendant of the sculptor.
(By) the hands of Bêl-bulliṭ-su, his son. He who fears the king shall not take (?) (this) tablet (?) away.
“Babylon, month Elul, day 15th, year 25th, Siluku and Antiukusu (Seleucus and Antiochus), king of countries.
By those same “rivers of Babylon” where the Israelites had mourned in captivity, thinking of Jerusalem, there the Babylonians themselves came at last to lament the departed glories of their land. Many a time, it is true, they had seen the country which was their fatherland overrun by enemies, but it had always recovered, and risen to a greater height of prosperity. [pg 479] This time, however, there was to be no healing of her wound. The large and well-peopled space within the walls of the great city gradually became uninhabited, and the houses fell into ruin. A time even came at last when the great walls had to be demolished—or at least practically so—in order that they might not afford protection to the lawless bands which infested the country, and were only too ready to make the most of such an advantage.