Amarna letter EA 39



Amarna letter EA 39, titled: "Duty-Free", is a fairly short letter from the King of Alashiya (modern Cyprus). Almost half the letter, Para I, is a shortened greeting formula. The letter is requesting the Pharaoh to let messengers pass freely, as they are also being represented as merchants; this also applies to their shipping.

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 3: "Duty-Free"
EA 38, letter number six of seven, from Alashiya. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation.)

Obverse (see here: )


 * (Lines 1-9)–Say to the king of Egypt, my [brother]er: Message of the king of Alašiya, your brother. For me all goes well, and for you may all go well. For your household, your chief wives, your sons1 your wives, your chariots, your many horses, and in Egypt-(Mizri), your country, may all go very well.


 * Paragraph II


 * (10-13)–My brother, let my messengers go promptly and safely so that I may hear my brother's greeting.


 * Paragraph III


 * (14-20)–these men are my merchants. My brother, let them go safely and prom[pt]ly. No one making a claim in your name is to approach my merchants of my ship.2


 * Reverse (see here: )


 * –(uninscribed reverse, with a single line of written ink hieratic text)–(complete EA 39, minor lacunae, lines 1-20)

<!-- ==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!... )-->