Letter from Puzur-Shulgi to Ibbi-Suen about Ishbi-Erra's claim on Isin: translation

^1-3Say to Ibbi-Suen, my lord: this is what Puzur-Culgi, the governor of Kazallu, your servant, says:

^4-6A messenger of Icbi-Erra came to me. He presented himself before me announcing: "Icbi-Erra, my lord, sends you a message:

^7-14" 'Enlil, my lord, has ...... the shepherdship of the land. Enlil has told me to bring before Ninisina the cities, deities and troops of the region of the Tigris, Euphrates, Ab-gal and Me-Enlila watercourses, from the province of Hamazi to the sea of Magan (1 ms. has instead: and from the ...... of Magan), so as to make Isin the storehouse of Enlil, to make it famous, and to make those regions its spoils of war and to make Isin's citizens occupy their cities (1 ms. has instead: to make Isin's citizens occupy the cities as spoils of war).' "

^15-17" 'Why do you oppose (?) me? I swear by the name of my lord Enlil and by Dagan, my personal god (2 mss. have instead: I swear by the name of Dagan, my personal god), that I will indeed get hold of Kazallu!' "

^18-25" 'The cities and the province which Enlil has promised me I want to build up (1 ms. has instead: I want to place) within Isin in their ....... I want to perform at their ecec festivals. I want to install my statues, my emblems, my en priests (2 mss. add: and lumah priests) and nindijir priestesses in their jipar shrines. Before Enlil, within the E-kur, before Nanna, within the E-kic-nu-jal, the ...... shall speak their prayers.' "

^26-29" 'And as for you, I want to remove (2 mss. have instead: ...... eradicate) from within his country the man in whom you placed your trust! I want to rebuild the fortification of Isin and name it Idil-pacunu!" '

^30-32Just as he said he would, he has rebuilt the fortification of Isin and named it Idil-pacunu.

^33-34He has captured Nibru and installed his garrison (1 ms. has instead: set guards) there. Also he has captured Nijdugani, the chief administrator of Nibru (1 ms. has instead: at Nibru).

^35-36He has imprisoned (1 ms. has instead: made a prisoner of) Zinnum, the governor of Subir (1 ms. has instead: of Kec). He has plundered Hamazi.

^37-42He has made Nur-ahi (2 mss. have instead: Nur-Ea), the governor of Ecnunna, Cu-Enlil, the governor of Kec, and Puzur-Tutu (1 ms. has instead: Puzur-Marduk), the governor of Bad-ziaba, return to their posts. At his cry of victory the land ...... is covered (?) like a ....... Icbi-Erra is constantly at the head of (?) his soldiers!

^43-48Just as he said he would, he has captured the regions of the Tigris, Euphrates, the Ab-gal and Me-Enlila watercourses. He has made Iddin enter Malgium (?). Opposing (1 ms. has instead: hating) Girbubu, the governor of Jirikal, he cut off his strap (2 mss. have instead: he removed his barley stores (?)) and captured him. His cry of victory lies heavily upon us (?) (1 ms. has instead: ...... he named ......).

^49-53Now Icbi-Erra is looking in my direction. I have no ally, nobody with whom I can align myself. Since he has not yet been able to get me in his grasp, let me come to you when he falls upon me. My lord should know this!

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Revision history

04.vi.2001-11.vi.2001 : EFH : adapting translation
30.x.2001 : JAB : proofreading
31.x.2001 : GC : tagging
2.xi.2001 : ER : proofreading SGML
2.xi.2001 : ER : converting to HTML 4.0