Amarna letter EA 205



Amarna letter EA 205, titled: "Ready for Marching Orders (5)" is a short letter from the Ruler of city Ṭubu. The title references that six mostly identical, very short, letters were scribed by the same scribe, from small regional towns; the scribe also is the writer of Amarna letter EA 195. It is not known if each letter was written at the location of each town, or from an alternative site, or sites.

The six towns are:
 * Ṣiribašani, Message of Artamanya
 * town 2, Message of Amawaše
 * Šashimi, Message of Abdi-Milki
 * Qanu, Message of the Ruler
 * Ṭubu, Message of the Ruler
 * Naziba, Message of the Ruler

The Amarna letters, about 300, numbered up to EA 382, are a mid 14th century BC, about 1350 BC and 20–25 years later, correspondence. The initial corpus of letters were found at Akhenaten's city Akhetaten, in the floor of the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.

EA 205: "Ready for Marching Orders (5)"
EA 205, letter number one of one, from the small town of Tubu (Biblical Tob). (Not a linear, line-by-line translation.)

Obverse


 * (Lines 1-8)--Say to the king, my lord: Message of the ruler of Tubu, your servant. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord, the Sun of (all) peoples,1 7 times plus 7 times.

Reverse


 * (lines 9-18)You have written to me to make preparations before the arrival of the archers. I am herewith, along with my troops and my chariots, at the disposition of the troops of the king, my lord, wherever they go.2 (complete EA 205, with no lacunae, lines 1-18)

Cuneiform score, Akkadian, English
Cuneiform score (per CDLI, Chicago Digital Library Initiative), and Akkadian, and English.

Obverse

Paragraph I, (lines 1-8)

1.A-na undefinedlugal _EN_-ia ___Ana undefinedŠÀR(ru) Bēlu-ia ___To undefinedKing Lord-mine 2.qí— ——- bil— ——-ma ___qabû &mdash; ! ___ Speaking &mdash; ! 3.um-ma diš-LÚ _iri_ Ṭù-bu ___umma diš-amēlu iri/URU Ṭù-bu ___ Message undefinedMan, city(town)(city-state) Ṭubu (Biblical Tob) 4. _ARÁD_-ka a-na _gìri-meš_ ___ ARÁD-ka, – ana gìri-meš ___ Servant-yours, – at (the) feetpl. 5. 1=diš ŠÀR-(ru) be-li-ia ___ 1=m=male=diš Šàrru bēlu-ia ___ undefinedKing, Lord-mine

Obverse

11.a-na pa-ni ___ana pānu ___"Before" 12. _erín-meš-_ pí-ṭá-te ___ erín-meš pí-ṭá-te ___ armypl. pitati

<!-- ==Akkadian text== Text: Akkadian language, sumerograms, Egyptianisms, etc.

Akkadian:

Obverse: Paragraph I (see here: )
 * (Line 1)--Ṭup-pí an-nu-ú,.. ṭup-pí--(Tablet this,.. tablet- )
 * (2)URU-IR-Qa-Ta,.. a-na QuoteLUGAL-ri--(-City-state-Irqata-(Arqa),.. to (the)-QuoteKing!.. )
 * (3)--EN-nuUnquote,.. um-ma,.. URU-IR-Qa-Ta a-na--(Lord-OursUnquote,.. "message thus",.. City-state-Irqata!..-- )
 * (4)--ù LÚ.MEŠ ši-bu(!)-ti-ši,..--(--and MEN(pl) elders,.. )
 * (5)--ana GÌR.MEŠ,.. Quote-LUGAL-ri EN-nuUnquote,..--(at (the) Feet(pl),.. "King-Lord-Ours",.. )
 * (6)--7 šu,.. 7 ta-an-ni,.. am-qú-ut!..--(7 times,.. (and) 7 'times again',.. we bow!,.. )
 * (7)--ana EN(=Bēlu)-nu,.. An-UTU,.. umma--(..to Lord-Ours,.. God-"Sun-God",.. "message thus"-(of) -- )
 * (8)--URU-IR-Qa-Ta!.. "i-de ŠÀ(=lìb)-bi"--(..City-Irqata!.. .."Know (in the)-HEART (of the)" -- )
 * (9)--LUGAL EN,.. i-nu-ma ni-na-ṣa-ru--( --King-Lord!.. .."Now (-at-this-time)" (we) 'Watch-Guard' -- )
 * (10)--URU-IR-Qa-Ta,.. ana ša-šu!...--(City-Irqata,.. for Him!....(i.e. for the Pharaoh) )


 * (Line 1)--(Ṭuppu annû,.. ṭuppu- )
 * (2)--(-City-Irqata,.. to QuoteLUGAL(=ŠÀR-ru)- )
 * (3)--(-Bēlu-nuUnquote,.. "umma",.. City-Irqata!.. )
 * (4)--(ù LÚ.MEŠ-(šību)"the elders"!.. )
 * (5)--(ana šêpu(meš),.. "LUGAL(=ŠÀR-ru)-Bēlu-nu",.. )
 * (6)--(7 šu (ù) 7 ta-an-ni, maqātu!.. )
 * (7)--(ana Bēlu-nu,.. d-UTU,.. umma --)
 * (8)--(City-Irqata!.. .."Idû (in the)-ŠÀ(=lìb)-bi (=libbu)" -- )
 * (9)--(LUGAL EN!.. ..Inūma(=enūma) naṣāru -- )
 * (10)--(-City-Irqata,.. ana šâšu!.... )


 * segue:
 * Paragraph II
 * (11)--I-nu-ma yu-wa-ši-ra,.. LUGAL,..--("Now-(at-this-time)",.. sent,.. (the) King- )
 * (12)--EN-nu,.. 1.diš-DUMU-Bi-Ha-A,.. Ù--(..-Lord-Ours,.. 1.-DUMU(son(=compatriot))-Bi-Ha-A,.. And,.. )
 * (13)--yi-iq-bi,.. ana ia-ši-nu--(..He said,.. to us,.. )
 * (14)--QuoteUmma LUGAL,.. Ú-ṣa-ru-mi--(Quote"Message thus" (the) King,.. Guard!.. )
 * (15)--URU-IR-Qa-Ta!..Unquote .. DUMU.MEŠ,.. )--(City-state-Irqata!Unquote.. "Sons"(Compatriots),.. )
 * (16)--LÚ-ša-ri LUGAL-ri--(of the traitor,.. (of the)King,.. )
 * (17)--tu-ba-ú-na-nu!..--("seek harm"(attack/'to rise up')!.. )
 * (18)--URU-IR-Qa-Ta,.. tu-a-[-ú!.. ]--(City-Irqata,.. "seeks loyalty"!..(="to be good") )


 * (11)--(Inūma aṣû/uššuru,.. LUGAL(=ŠÀR-ru)- )
 * (12)--(Bēlu-nu,.. 1. DUMU-Bi-Ha-A,.. Ù,.. )
 * (13)--(..qabû,.. ana iāši,.. )
 * (14)--(Quote"Umma" (the) LUGAL: ''Naṣāru!.. )
 * (15)--(City-Irqata!..Unquote .. DUMU.MEŠ (of),.. )
 * (16)--(LÚ-ša-ri,.. (of the)-Šarru,.. )
 * (17)--(tebû-("us")!.. )
 * (18)--(City-Irqata,.. tâbu!... )


 * segue:
 * Paragraph III
 * (19)--Ki-ta a-na,.. LUGAL-ri,..(As to(Whether),.. King,.. )
 * (20)--i-nu-ma,.. na-ad-nu [ x  a-na,.. --("Now-(at-this-time)",.. "having given"("to throw/cast"),.. (x="silver"),.. to,.. )
 * (21)--KUR-Sú-Ba-Ri,.. qa-du,..(Land-Subaru,.. "handed over",.. )
 * (22)--(3x(u) ANŠE.KUR.RA.MEŠ [ (ù) giš-GIGIR.MEŠ ]--(30 Horses [ (and) chariots ],.. )


 * (19)--(Kī ana,.. LUGAL-ri(ŠÀR-ri),.. )
 * (20)--(inūma,.. nadû [ x ana ],.. )
 * (21)--(KUR-Su-Ba-Ri,.. qātu.. )
 * (22)--(30 ANŠE.KUR.RA.MEŠ [ (ù) (GIŠ).GIGIR.MEŠ ],.. )


 * (end Obverse)

Reverse: (see here: )
 * Paragraph III (cont.)
 * (23)--Ti-de,.. ŠÀ(=lìb)-bi URU-IR-Qa-Ta!..(..Know,.. (the) mind(=heart) (of)-City-Irqata!.. )
 * segue:
 * (24)--I-nu-ma,.. ka-ši-id -- (.."Now-(when)",.. "arrived"("emplaced"),.. )
 * (25)--ṭup-pí,.. LUGAL QuoteA-na ša-[ -ha-at ]--(..tablet (of the) King,.. Quote"To Raid"("to strip") -- )
 * (26)--KUR,.. ša ìl-qú LÚ.MEŠ GAZ,.. [ ištu ]--(LAND,.. which "taken" (by) LÚ.MEŠ-("Habiru")(gaz),.. [ from ])
 * (27)--LUGAL-ri,..Unquote i-te9-ep-pi-[ -šu ]--( (the) King,..Unquote "waging war"("attack"-ing) -- )
 * (28)--nu-KÙR,.. it-ti-nu,.. ana KÙR--(..(in) War(fare),.. "with-us"(against-us),.. by (the)ENEMY,.. )
 * (29)--EN-nu,.. LÚ ti-ìš-ta-[ -pár-šu ]--( (of) Lord-Ours,.. (The)-MAN,.. "emplaced",.. )
 * (30)--UGU-nu,.. adi ni-na-ṣa-ru,.. ki--("OVER-us",.. "until" "guarding",.. "as if" )
 * segue:
 * (31)--yi-ìš-mé,.. LUGAL-ru EN-nu,.. (Hear("Listen"),.. King-Lord-Ours,.. )
 * (32)--a-wa-te,.. ARAD.MEŠ ki-ti-šu,.. ((the) 'words'("explanations") (of) SERVANT-S(pl)-yours!.. )


 * (23)--(..Idû,.. (the) ŠÀ(=lìb)(=heart) (of)-City-Irqata!.. )
 * segue:
 * (24)--(Inūma,.. kašādu -- )
 * (25)--(ṭuppu LUGAL(ŠÀRru),.. QuoteAna Šahāṭu -- )
 * (26)--(KUR,.. ša leqû (by) LÚ.MEŠ "Habiru"(gaz),.. ištu -- )
 * (27)--( ŠÀR-ri(Šarru),..Unquote tabû -- )
 * (28)--(nukurtu,..itti-nu,.. ana nukurtu -- )
 * (29)--(Bēlu-nu,.. "emplaced" -- )
 * (30)--(--UGU-nu(eli/muhhi-nu),.. adi naṣāru,.. kî,.. )
 * segue:
 * (31)--(Hear("Listen"),.. King-Lord-Ours,.. )
 * (32)--((the) amatu,.. ARAD.MEŠ-kâti!.. )


 * Paragraph IV
 * (33)--Ù,.. ia-di-na,.. NÍG-BA,.. ( ..And,.. (may) he ("grant"))"know",.. GIFTS,.. )
 * (34)--ana ARAD-šu,.. ù,.. ti-da-ga-lu,.. (to SERVANTS-his,.. and,.. (see)"to look",.. )
 * (35)--LÚ.MEŠ, a-ia-bu-nu ù,.. (MEN(pl), "enemies"?,.. and,.. )
 * (36)--ti-ka-lu ep-ra!... ša-ri--(..Eat Dirt!.. (May the)-Breath,.. )
 * (37)--LUGAL-ri,.. ú-ul ti-na-mu-uš--(..(of the) King,.. Not "depart"(leave),.. )
 * (38)--iš-tu mu-hi-nu,..--(from "upon us"!.. )
 * (39)--a-bu-la nu-ú-du-lu,.. a-di,..((The)-"City-Gate" "is barred",.. until,.. )
 * (40)--ka-ša-di,.. ša-ri--(..("emplaced")"Returned,.. (the)-Breath,.. )
 * (41)--LUGAL,.. ana ia-ši-nu (..(of the) King,.. for Us!.. )
 * segue:
 * (42)--kal-ga,.. nu-KÚR,.. UGU-nu!.. (..("All")Severe,.. Warfare,.. UPON-us!.. )
 * (43)--[ ma-]-GAL!.. ma-GAL!.. ("Strongly",.. "Strongly",.. (Terribly!.. Terribly!...) )


 * (33)--( ..Ù,.. idû?,.. NÍG-BA,.. )
 * (34)--(ana ARAD-šu,.. ǜ,.. dagālu,.. )
 * (35)--(LÚ.MEŠ(pl), a-ia-bu-nu,.. ù,.. )
 * (36)--(akālu eperu!... Šāru,.. )
 * (37)--(LUGAL-ri(ŠÀR-ri),.. ul tamû,.. )
 * (38)--(ištu muhhu!... )
 * (39)--(Abullu xxx,.. adi )
 * (40)--(kašāda,.. šāru,.. )
 * (41)--(LUGAL,.. ana iāši-nu,.. )
 * segue:
 * (42)--(kalu,.. nukurtu,.. UGU-nu,.. )
 * (43)--(magal!.. magal!... )-->