Behistun T 38

Behistun or Bisotun: town in Iran, site of several ancient monuments, including a famous inscription by the Persian king Darius I the Great (r.522-486 BCE), the great organizer of the Achaemenid Empire.

On these pages, you can find drawings, a transliteration and an adapted version of the King/Thompson translation of the inscription.

Column iv, lines 50-58

  1. uruxtam \ maniyâtaiy \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ tyaiy
  2. \ paruvâ \ xšâyathiyâ \ yâtâ \ âha \ avaišâm \ avâ \ naiy \ astiy \ kar
  3. tam \ yathâ \ manâ \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ hamahyâyâ \ tharda \ kartam \ thâ
  4. tiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ nûram \ thuvâm \ varnavatâm \ tya \ man
  5. â \ kartam \ avathâ \ kârahyâ \ râdiy \ mâ \ apagaudaya \ yadiy \ imâm \
  6. hadugâm \ naiy \ apagaudayâhy \ kârahyâ \ thâhy \ Auramazdâ \ thuvâm \
  7. dauštâ \ biya \ utâtaiy \ taumâ \ vasiy \ biyâ \ utâ \ dargam \ jîvâ
  8. thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ yadiy \ imâm hadugâm \ apagaudayâ
  9. hy \ naiy \ thâhy \ kârahyâ \ Auramazdâtay \ jatâ \ biyâ \ utâtaiy \ taum

(59) King Darius says: Those who were the former kings, as long as they lived, by them was not done thus as by the favor of Ahuramazda was done by me in one and the same year.

(60) King Darius says: Now let what has been done by me convince you. For the sake of the people, do not conceal it. If you do not conceal this edict but if you publish it to the world, then may Ahuramazda be your friend, may your family be numerous, and may you live long.

(61) King Darius says: If you conceal this edict and do not publish it to the world, may Ahuramazda slay you and may your house cease.