ABC 19 (Weidner Chronicle)

The Weidner Chronicle (ABC 19) or Esagila Chronicle is a religious text from ancient Babylonia. In fact, it is not a chronicle but a piece of propaganda in the form of a letter, although it contains after line 31 a part that resembles a chronicle.

The presumed author, probably king Damiq-ilišu of Isin (ruled 1816-1794, according to the Middle chronology), writes to king Apil-Sin of Babylon (1830-1813) about the blessings that the gods bestowed upon earlier rulers who sacrificed to the supreme god Marduk in the Esagila shrine in Babylon. Most of these kings ruled in the third millennium, when Babylon and the shrine probably did not exist.

For a very brief introduction to the literary genre of chronicles, go here. The translation on this webpage was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975), Alan Millard's rendering in W.W. Hallo (ed.), The Context of Scripture (2003 Leiden and Boston), and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).

Translation

[Pr.] Say to Apil-Sin, king of Babylon, thus says Damiq-ilišu, king of of Isin:^note[This first line can also be read as "Say to Rim-Sin, king of Larsa, thus says Enlil-bani, king of Isin."]

[1'-15'] [...] like [...] his reign. I myself have written to you a matter to be pondered, a matter [...], but you have not considered them. You have not listened to or paid attention to the advice I gave you, nor heeded the special advice that [...] You have been looking for something else. To do you a good turn I have [...] you, but it is not in your mind. For your own good I have advised you to reinforce the training of your army, but you have not put your hand to it. His shrines where I sought advice [...] has ceased. Now I shall tell you my experience [...] learn from it speedily!

I offered sacrifice to my lady Ninkarrak [Gula], mistress of Egalmah; I prayed an implored her, I told her the matter that I was constantly considering, and spoke like this: "Entrust to me the people of Sumer and Akkad [...] all the lands. Let the people of the Upper and the Lower lands bring their weighty tribute into Egalmah."

In the night time, holy Gula, the exalted lady, stood before me, she heard my speech, spoke to me clearly and blessed me. "You shall set a place in the underground water, in the ocean beneath the earth, [...] you shall raise the top to the distant sky, in [...] above, a state of privilege. Afterwards, Marduk, the king of the gods, who [...] the whole of heaven and earth, will [...] the people of Sumer and Akkad to his city Babylon." [...]

He [Marduk] went quickly to his father, Ea, the craftsman, the counselor of heaven and earth. "May Esagila, the majestic shrine, be [...] to the limits of heaven and earth! May the lord of lords, who dwells in the shrine, from east to west  [...] May he shepherd human beings like sheep! May the city be famous! [...] The lord Nudimmud [Ea] carried out all he had said. Throughout heaven he honored him.

[16'] Then Anu and Enlil, the great gods, favored him and decreed

[17'] "May he be the leader of the Upper and Lower lands

[18'] May the great gods of heaven and earth tremble before his shrine.

[19'] Raise up to the sky the top of Esagila, of Ekua, the palace of heaven and earth,^note[A reference to the Etemenanki; cf. Genesis 11.4.] [...]

[20'] May its foundation be fixed like sky and earth forever!

[21'] By your sacrifice I understood what you said and I have given to you long life.

[22'] Apart from the order announced in the dream, good advice for [...].

[23'] For the gods of that city, the great gods of heaven and earth [...]

[24'] for daily, monthly, and yearly renewal of life [...]

[25'] no god shall oppose it [...] whose mind [...]

[26'] at his command they are bound, the hostile gods clad in dirty clothes [...]

[27'] Whoever sins against the gods of that city, his star shall not stand in the sky,

[28'] his kingship will end, his scepter will be taken away, his treasury will become a heap of ruins [...].

[29'] And the king of heaven and earth said thus:

[30'] "The gods of heaven and earth [...] the behavior of each former king of which I hear to [...].

[31'] Akka, son of [...]

[32'] Enmekar, king of Uruk, destroyed the people [...].

[33'] The sage Adapa, son of [...]

[34'] heard in his holy sanctuary and cursed Enmekar.

[35'] He/I gave to him rule over all lands and his rites.

[36'] He/I beautified like the heavenly writing^note[The constellations.] and in Esagila the king

[37'] who controls the whole of heaven and earth for his 3,020 years.

[38'] In the reign of Puzur-Nirah, king of Akšak, the freshwater fishermen of Esagila

[39'] were catching fish for the meal of the great lord Marduk;

[40'] the officers of the king took away the fish.

[41'] The fisherman was fishing when 7 (or 8) days had passed [...]

[42'] in the house of Kubaba,^note[A legendary Sumerian queen and the only member of the Third Dynasty of Kiš. If she is a historical figure, her reign may have been in c.2400 BCE. She is also known as Kugbaba.] the tavern-keeper [...] they brought to Esagila.

[42a'] At that time BROKEN^note[An indication by the writer that the tablet he was copying was damaged.] anew for Esagila [...]

[43'] Kubaba gave bread to the fisherman and gave water, she made him offer the fish to Esagila.

[44'] Marduk, the king, the prince of the Apsû,^note[The sweet waters below the earth.] favored her and said: "Let it be so!"

[45'] He entrusted to Kubaba, the tavern-keeper, sovereignty over the whole world.

[46'] Ur-Zababa ordered Sargon, his cupbearer, to change the wine libations of Esagila.