28 Lines of Old Babylonian Cuneiform
This tablet contains a letter between two
men in
a business relationship. The one is senior to
the
other, so he addresses him as father
and calls himself son, terms not to be
taken literally. The tablet is well preserved,
and
save for a few line-ends which are obscured
due
to heavy incrustation (which could be
removed)
the text is clear.
Translation:
Speak to my father and my Lord, "Thus
says
Bali-ilim your son: 'May Shamash and
Tishpak
keep my father and my lord in good health
for
eternity. Who have I been able to trust from
the
beginning, and but for you I have no father or
lord. Now, yesterday, when my father went
for
his health, Nur-Shamash tried to block my
nostrils. My father wrote saying, “I will send
a
full report from the Forest of Barqu.” I will
pay
attention to that matter as to your health.
Nur-
Shamash, now, has departed for my father.
Nur-
Shamash should write for you a full report,
so
that my father will act to spare me. I would
raise(?) my hands day and night in the
presence
of Tishpak and bless my father. Then my
father
should put his name on me.’”
The tablet dates to c. 1900-1700 B.C. As to
area, the god Shamash, the sun-god, was
popular everywhere, but the other god
invoked,
Tishpak was only at home in the Diyala area,
so
most likely this letter comes from there.
Clearly
the writer, Bali-ilim, was in a difficult position
and another man in this affair, Nur-Shamash,
was a rival. This Bali-ilim is trying to get his
senior to take his side.
Description and translation kindly provided
by
Professor W. G. Lambert