Position in chronology
SAA 16 006. Reading Letters to the King (CT 53 391)
Translation · reference
High confidence(Beginning destroyed) (1) As [to what you wrote to me]: "You did not read [nor open the letter] which [I sent] to you." (3) How [would] I [not do] thi[s]? When a letter whi[ch you send to me comes] to [my re]porter, [he pe]rsonally [opens] the let[ter] and [makes me hear] its [infor]mation. (9) [W]hy [should I read] a letter? I take care of myself. (When) I see [a letter], I do not open it nor r[ead it]. (r 2) Besides, the messenger [who brings a letter] to [his lord], whether a guard, [a ...], or a mounted [messenger ...] — let them bring [......] (Rest destroyed)
Source: Luukko, M. & Van Buylaere, G. 2002. The Political Correspondence of Esarhaddon. SAA 16. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa16/P313805/
Why it matters
Transliteration
⸢ša⸣ [taš-pur-an-ni ma-a e-gír-tú] / ša ina UGU-ḫi-ka [áš-pur-u-ni] / la ta-as-si ma-[a la tap-ti] / a-ke-e ana-ku an-ni-[tú la e-pu-uš] / ki-ma e-gír-tú ⸢ša⸣ [ta-šap-par-an-ni] / ina UGU EN—ṭe-e-[mì-ia ta-tal-ka] / ⸢qar⸣-bat-te-šú e-⸢gír⸣-[tú i-pa-ti] / [ṭe]-en-šú [ú-šá-áš-man-ni] / [a]-⸢ke⸣-e e-gír-tú [lu-ú as-si] / [pa]-ni-ia ina UGU-ḫi-ia-⸢ma⸣ [e-gír-tú] / a-mar la a-pa-ti la a-⸢sa⸣-[as-si] /…
Scholarly note
Political letter at the court of Esarhaddon, edited by Mikko Luukko & Greta Van Buylaere (SAA 16, 2002). ORACC text P313805.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P313805). source
Translation excerpted from Luukko, M. & Van Buylaere, G. 2002. The Political Correspondence of Esarhaddon. SAA 16. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa16/P313805/.
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