Amarna letter EA 59



Amarna letter EA 59, titled: "From the Citizens of Tunip", is a short- to moderate-length clay tablet Amarna letter from the city-state of Tunip, written to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Only one other city sent a clay tablet Amarna letter to the Pharaoh, namely Irqata (modern Arqa), letter EA 100, titled: "The City of Irqata to the King".

The EA 59 letter concerns the "watch-guarding" of Tunip, regional warfare (with the Habiru), and the city's continued protection, and loyalty to the Egyptian Pharaoh.

EA 59 is located at the British Museum, no BM 29824. A line drawing of tablet letter EA 59 can be viewed here: Obverse & Reverse:

EA 59: "From the Citizens of Tunip"
EA 59, letter one of one from the elders of city-state Tunip. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation.)

Obverse, See here
 * (Lines 1-4)&mdash;To the king of Egypt (Misri of the letters), our lord: Message of the Citizens of Tunip, your servant.1 For you may all go well. And we fall at the feet of my lord.


 * (5-8)&mdash;My lord, thus says Tunip, your servant: Tunip&mdash;&mdash;who ruled it in the past?2 Did not Manahpirya: am-ma-ti-wu-uš (your ancestor) rule it?3


 * (9-12)&mdash;The gods and the ...: na-ah-ri-il-la-an (?)4 of the king of Egypt, our lord, dwell in Tunip, and he should inquire of his ancients: am-ma-ti (ancient) when we did not belong to our lord, the king of Egypt.


 * (13-17)&mdash;And now, for 20 years,5 we have gone on writing to the king, our lord, but our messengers have stayed on with the king, our lord. And now, our lord, we ask for the son of Aki-Teššup from the king, our lord.6 May our lord give him.


 * (18-20)&mdash;My lord, if the king of Egypt has given the son of Aki-Teššup, why does the king, our lord, call him back from the journey?


 * (21-24)&mdash;And now Aziru is going to hear that in Hittite territory a hostile fate has overtaken your servant, a ruler (and) your gardener.7


 * (25-28)&mdash;Should his (the king's) troops and his chariots..

Reverse, See here


 * (~27-28)&mdash;..be delayed, Aziru will do to us just as he did to Nii.


 * (29-33)&mdash;If we ourselves are negligent and the king of Egypt does nothing about these things that Aziru is doing, then he will surely direct his hand against our lord.


 * (34-38)&mdash;When Aziru entered Ṣumur, he did to them as he pleased, in the house of the king, our lord. But our lord did nothing about the{s}e things.


 * (39-42)&mdash;And now Tunip, your city, weeps, and its tears flow, and there is no grasping of our hand.


 * (43-46)&mdash;We have gone on writing to the king, our lord, the king of Egypt, for 20 years, and not a single word of our lord has reached us.8&mdash;(complete, only very minor lacunas, lines 1-46)

<!-- This tablet is a tablet from Irqata (Arqa). To the king, our lord: Message from Irqata and its el(d)ers.1 We fall at the feet of the king, our lord, 7 times and 7 times. To our lord, the Sun: Message from Irqata. May the heart of the king, (our) lord, know2 that we guard Irqata for him.'''
 * Paragraph II
 * (11-18)--When the [ki]ng, our lord, sent D[UMU-Bi-Ha-A, he said to [u]s, "Message of the king: Guard Irqata!"3 The sons of the traitor to the king seek our harm;4 Irqata see[ks]5 loyalty to the king.
 * Paragraph III
 * (19-22)--As to [silver] having been given to S[u]baru (Sú-ba-ru, [[Image:B015vellst.png|100x24px]][[Image:B014vellst.png|100x24px]][[Image:B111ellst.png|100x24px]]) al[ong with] 30 horses and cha[riots],

Reverse
 * Paragraph III-B
 * (23)--May you know the mind of Irqata!
 * (24-32)--When a tablet from the king arrived (saying) to ra[id] the land that the "A[piru ] had taken [from] the king, they wa[ged] war with us against the enemy of our lord, the man whom you pla[ced] over us.6 Truly we are guarding the l[and].7 May the king, our lord, heed the words of his loyal servants.
 * Paragraph IV
 * (33-44)--May he grant a gift to his servant(s) so our enemies will see this and eat dirt.8 May the breath of the king not depart from us.9 We shall keep the city gate barred until the breath of the king reaches us. Severe is the war against us &mdash; terribly, terribly.--(complete, only very minor lacunas, lines 1-44)

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-KÚR,.. it-ti-nu,.. ana KÚR--(..(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!... )

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