Amarna letter EA 325



Amarna letter EA 325, titled: "Preparations Completed (2)," is a shorter-length clay tablet Amarna letter from Yidya the governor-'mayor' of Ašqaluna. It is a letter addressing the Pharaoh in high terms, as well as stating the 'governor of Ašqaluna' is making preparations for the arrival of the Pharaoh's archer-army, the archers (Egyptian pitati). EA 325 is a vassal-state letter (from Canaan), and has some similar appearances, for example appearing like letters EA 270 and EA 271.

EA 325: "Preparations Completed (2),"
EA 325, letter five of seven, by Yidya. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation, and English from French.)


 * (Lines 1-9)--[To] the king, my lord, my god, my Sun, the Sun fr[om the s]ky; Message of Yidya, your servant, the dirt at your feet, the groom of [yo]ur horses. I indeed prostrate myself, on the back and on the stomach, at the feet of the king, my lord, 7 times and 7 times.
 * (10-14)--I am indeed guarding the place of the king, my lord, and the city of the king, my lord, [w]here I am. Who is the dog that would not obey the orders of the king, the Sun from the sky?
 * (15-19)--I have indeed prepared absolutely everything &mdash; [f]ood, strong drink, oxen, sheep, and goats,1 grain, straw, absolutely everything that the king, my lord, commanded. I have indeed prepared it.
 * (20-22)--And I am indeed p[reparing] the tribute of the Sun, in accordance with the comma[nd] of the king, my lord, the Sun fr[om the sky].

Akkadian text
The Akkadian language text:

Akkadian:


 * (Line 1)--A-na 1.diš-LUGAL-EN-ia dingir-MEŠ-IA--([[Image:B839 (Old Assyrian and Hittite a).jpg|100x24px]][[Image:B110ellst.png|100x24px]]–1–: LUGAL-[[Image:B164ellst.png|100x24px]][[Image:B260ellst.png|100x24px]],.. [[Image:B010_(Old_Assyrian_an_%E2%80%93_FreeIdg_dingir).jpg|100x24px]]-MEŠ-[[Image:B260ellst.png|100x24px]],..)
 * (2)--dingir-UTU-IA dingir-UTU ša iš-tu [ an-ša10-mi ]--([[Image:B010_(Old_Assyrian_an_%E2%80%93_FreeIdg_dingir).jpg|100x24px]]-UTU-[[Image:B260ellst.png|100x24px]],.. [[Image:B010_(Old_Assyrian_an_%E2%80%93_FreeIdg_dingir).jpg|100x24px]]-UTU ša [[Image:B357ellst.png|100x24px]][[Image:B086 (Old Babylonian tu-v1).jpg|100x24px]] [[Image:B010_(Old_Assyrian_an_%E2%80%93_FreeIdg_dingir).jpg|100x24px]]-ša10-mi!...)
 * (3)--umma 1.diš-(pi=yi)-YI-iD-(i)Ya ARAD-ka--([[Image:B238ellst.png|100x24px]][[Image:Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary b9 323-0.jpg|100x24px]]–1,– Yi-[[Image:C+B-Babylonia-CuneiformImage13.PNG|100x24px]]-[[Image:B260ellst.png|100x24px]],.. [[Image:B018 (Old Babylonian arad-v2).jpg|100x24px]][[Image:B024 Hittite ka.jpg|100x24px]],...)
 * (4)--ip-ri ša 2.diš-GÌR-MEŠ-ka--([[Image:B148 (Old Babylonian kab v1).jpg|100x24px]][[Image:B142ellst.png|100x24px]],.. ša 2(1-1).-GÌR-MEŠ-[[Image:B024 Hittite ka.jpg|100x24px]],...)
 * (5)--LÚ qar-tab-bi ša 2.diš ANŠE.KUR.RA.MEŠ-ka--([[Image:Cuneiforme, Lú.png|100x24px]],.. qar-[[Image:B209ellst.png|100x24px]]--[[Image:B358ellst.png|100x24px]] ša 2.-ANŠE-[[Image:C+B-Assyria-CuneiformImage4.PNG|100x24px]]-RA-MEŠ-[[Image:B024 Hittite ka.jpg|100x24px]],...)
 * (6)--ana 2.diš-GÌR-MEŠ LUGAL-EN-ia am-qú-ut--([[Image:B839 (Old Assyrian and Hittite a).jpg|100x24px]][[Image:B110ellst.png|100x24px]] 2.-GÌR-MEŠ,.. LUGAL-[[Image:B164ellst.png|100x24px]][[Image:B260ellst.png|100x24px]],.. [[Image:B309ellst.png|100x24px]]-qú-ut!... )
 * (7)--7.diš-šu ù 7.diš-ta-na--(7.-[[Image:B567 Hittite su.jpg|100x24px]],.. ú 7,.. [[Image:B184ellst.png|100x24px]]-[[Image:B110ellst.png|100x24px]],.. )
 * (8)--lu-ú iš-tu-hu-hi-in--(lu-ú,.. [[Image:B357ellst.png|100x24px]]-[[Image:B086 (Old Babylonian tu-v1).jpg|100x24px]]-hu-hi-in!...)
 * (9)--ṣi-ru-ma ù ka-ba-tu-ma
 * segue:
 * (single line ruling)(=paragraph)
 * (10)--a-nu-ma i-na-ṣa-ru a-šar
 * (11)--LUGAL-EN-ia ù URU-ki LUGAL-EN-ia
 * (12)--ša it-ti-ia mi-la-mi
 * (13)--lu-ú-ur-gi12 ù la-a (pi=yi) yi-iš-te-mu
 * (14)--a-wa-ti7 LUGAL dingir-UTU iš-tu an- { ša10-mi }
 * segue:
 * (single line ruling)(=paragraph)
 * (15)--a-nu-ma šu-ši-ir-ti gáb-bi mi-im-mi
 * (16)--[ NÌG-]-MEŠ KAŠ-MEŠ (gu4)GUD-MEŠ ud5-MEŠ
 * (17)--ŠE-MEŠ IN-MEŠ gáb-bi mi-im-[ mi ]

English:
 * (Line 1)--(To:.. 1.-King-Lord-Mine,.. (of) Gods (pl)-Mine,.. )
 * (2)--(God-'Sun-God'-Mine,.. God 'Sun-God' 'which' from "Sky" (Heaven),.. )
 * (3)--('message thus' 1.-Yi-iD-iYa(Yidya),.. Servant-Yours,.. )
 * (4)--(dust,.. 'which at' 2.-feet (pl)-yours,.. )
 * (5)--((the) Groom,.. 'which of' 2.-Horses(pl)-Yours,.. )
 * (6)--(at 2. Feet (pl),.. King-Lord-Mine,.. (I) bow!... )
 * (7)--(7. times and 7, times,.. )
 * (8)--("may it be",.. (that I) prostrate (myself),.. )
 * (9)--((on my) Back and Front (liver),.. )
 * segue:

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Moreover,1 I urged my brothers, "If the god of the king, our lord, brings it about2 that we overcome Lab'ayu, then we must bring him alive :–'(gloss) ha-ia-ma'' to the king, our lord."
 * (8-14)--My mare, however having been put out of action :–-(gloss) tu-ra (having been shot), I took my place behind him :–(gloss) ah-ru-un-ú '''and rode with

medium length clay tablet Amarna letter from Biridiya the governor-'mayor' of Magidda. It is letter number four of five from Biridiya.

The letter is in pristine condition except for a missing flake (lower-right, obverse) causing a lacuna at the end of a few lines. The cuneiform characters are finely inscribed, with some photos that can even show the individual strokes of the cuneiform characters (the stroke sequence). The letter is 47-lines long, and about 5-in tall. Letter EA 245 (see here-(Obverse): ), is numbered BM 29855, at the British Museum.

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 245: "Assignment of Guilt"
EA 245, letter four of five. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation, and English from French.)


 * (Lines 1-7)--Moreover,1 I urged my brothers, "If the god of the king, our lord, brings it about2 that we overcome Lab'ayu, then we must bring him alive :–(gloss) ha-ia-ma to the king, our lord."
 * (8-14)--My mare, however having been put out of action :–-(gloss) tu-ra (having been shot), I took my place behind him :–(gloss) ah-ru-un-ú and rode with Yashdata.3 But before my arrival they had struck him down :–(gloss) ma-ah-ṣú-ú.
 * (15-23)--Yašdata being truly your servant, he it was that entered with me into batt[le]. May [ ... ] [ ... ] the life4 of the king, my [lord], that he may br[ing peace to ever]yone5 in [the lands of] the king, [my] lord.
 * (24-35)--It had been Surata that took Labaya from Magidda. and said to me, "I will send him to the king by boat :–(gloss) a-na-yi "6 Surata took him, but he sent him from Hinnatunu to his home, for it was Surata that had accepted from him :–(gloss) ba-di-ú his ransom.
 * (36-47)--Moreover, what have I done to the king, my lord, that he has treated me with contempt :–(gloss) ia8-qí-ìl-li-ni and honored :–(gloss) ia8-ka-bi-id my less important brothers?7 It was Surata that let Lab'ayu go, and it was Surata that let Ba'l-mehir go, (both) to their homes. And may the king, my lord, know.--(complete Obverse & Reverse, EA 245, minor, restored lacunae, (and a small corner of clay tablet missing), total ines 1-47)

Akkadian text
The Akkadian language text:

Akkadian:


 * (Line 1)--Ša-ni-tam dabābu--(..Furthermore,.. to expound upon (to talk))
 * (2)--UGU ŜEŠ-HI.A-ia--(upon Brothers-Mine,.. )
 * (3)--šumma epēšu--(..If .. to make happen)
 * (4)--DMEŠ-nu ša LUGAL-ri(=ŠÀRru) ENBēlu-nu--( "the God"-ours,.. 'which of' King-Lord-Ours.. )


 * (5)--ù kašādu--(..and Defeat!.. )
 * (6)--1.diš-La-aB-A-iYa ù til-la-nu-um-ma :-(gloss) ha-ia-ma--(1.diš-Labaya,.. and "bodily" :-(gloss) "alive",.. )
 * (7)--nu-abālu ana LUGAL-ri(=ŠÀRru) ENBēlu-nu--(..Bring 'unto'(to) King-Lord-Ours!... )
 * segue:
 * (8)--Ù tu-sà-ah-mi(=tazzimtu) :-(gloss) tu-ra(tarû)--(..But "bad luck" :-(gloss) "returned"?('my horse was "shot"')..)
 * (9)--ANŠE.KUR.ra :-(gloss) MUNUS-ia ù uzuzzu--(Horse- :-(gloss) mine,..and "to be present",.. )
 * (10)--EGIR.ERIM-šu :-(gloss) harānnú--(..BEHIND.ARMY-his :-(gloss) "expeditioning"(=road, journey) )
 * (11)--ù erēbu--(..and "to encamp"(to set),.. )
 * (12)--itti 1.diš-Ya((=pi))-aŠ-Da-Ta--(with Yashdata!... )
 * segue:
 * (13)--Ù adi kašādu--(..But before "conquering"(reaching/vanquishing),.. )
 * (14)--ù dâku :-(gloss) mahāṣ(ú)u--(and "killed" :-(gloss) 'fighting'!.. )
 * (15)--ù elû-mì(+šamû(heaven)?) 1.diš-Ya((=pi)-aŠ-Da-Ta--(and "ascended-up" 1.diš-Yashdata,.. )
 * (16)--Ardu-ka ù š-ût--(Servant-yours,.. and "who of",.. )
 * (17)--erēbu itti--(-(always)-"to enter" with,.. )
 * (18)--ina MÈERIM(=tāhāzu) tāhāzu--(..into BATTLE-War-Battle!.. )
 * (19)--ù lū nâ[-du ana šâšu ]--(and "may it be" 'to (have)-praise' for him,.. )
 * (20)--til-la-aṭ(tillu) LUGAL-ri(=ŠÀRru) ENBēlu-ia--(.."warriors"(workers)-(of),. King-Lord-Mine,.. )
 * (21)--[ ù ] epē[-šu ]--(..and "to treat"... [ .. ])-(lacuna)
 * (22)--gabbu ina [ ... ]--(..everyone in [ ..?.. ] )-(lacuna)
 * (23)--LUGAL-ri(=ŠÀRru) ENBēlu-ia--(.., King-Lord-Mine! .. )
 * segue:
 * (24)--Ù 1.diš-Su-Ra-Ta--(But,.. 1.-Surata.. )
 * (25)--yi(=pi)-il5-qû(leqû) 1.diš-La-aB-A-iYa--(..took Labaya.. )
 * (26)--ištu URUMa-GID6-Daki--(from Magidda,.. )
 * (27)--ú yi(=pi)-qabû ana iā-[ ši ](iāši)(--(and "said" to me:&mdash; )
 * (28)--enūma ša GIŠMÁ :-(gloss) a-na-yi--(.."Now 'that by' BOAT :-(gloss) 'ship'... )
 * (29)--uššuru-šu--(..Send (issue)!..(i.e. Labaya)..)
 * (30)--ana LUGAL-ri(=ŠÀRru),.. ù (pi)leqû--(to (the) King,.." ..But 'taken'..)
 * (31)--1.diš-Su-Ra-Ta ù (pi)tarû--(..(by) 1.-Surata,.. and "returned"-him..)

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