The Three Journeys of the God
The Marduk Prophecy is one of the most extraordinary texts in Mesopotamian literature — a god narrating his own exile and return. Composed in the first person, it tells how Marduk, patron deity of Babylon, departed his city three times: once to the land of the Hittites, once to Elam, and once more before his prophesied final return. Each departure brings catastrophe — social collapse, famine, brother devouring brother — and each return restores order and abundance. The text is a masterwork of "prophecy after the fact" (vaticinium ex eventu), where historical events (the removal of Marduk's statue by foreign conquerors) are recast as the god's own deliberate choices.
The surviving copy (K.2158 + joins) comes from Ashurbanipal's library at Nineveh (7th century BCE), copied from a Babylonian writing board. The colophon attributes it pseudepigraphically to Shulgi, the great king of Ur III (c. 2094-2047 BCE), though the text itself describes events from the late second millennium BCE — the Hittite raid on Babylon under Mursili I (c. 1595 BCE) and the Elamite capture of the Marduk statue under Kutir-Nahhunte (c. 1160 BCE). The golden age prophecy in the final section likely refers to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar I (c. 1125-1104 BCE), who recovered Marduk's statue from Elam in a famous military campaign.
The text's theological significance is profound: it transforms political humiliation into divine strategy. Marduk was not stolen — he chose to go. The chaos was not random — it was the consequence of the god's absence. The return was not luck — it was destiny. This rhetorical move influenced later prophetic traditions across the ancient Near East.
The Invocation
Haharnum, Hashum,
Anu, Enlil,
Nudimmud, Ea,
Nabu, Nabu —
the great gods, the wise ones, who decree my destiny,
where they bound my fate, my name was named.
The First Journey — To the Land of the Hittites
I am Marduk, the great lord,
the vigilant inspector who traverses the lands,
the watchful one who surveys all the countries —
all the lands, every one of them,
from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun,
I myself go.
I commanded: to Hatti I went.
I questioned the land of Hatti.
The throne of my divine sovereignty
in its midst I placed.
Twenty-four years in its midst I dwelt.
The trade routes of the people of Babylon
in its midst I established.
Their goods, their possessions, and their wealth
to Sippar, Nippur,
and Babylon I brought.
A king of Babylon arose
and seized [...]
[...] Babylon
[the plaza]s and the [...] of everything —
the broad ways of Babylon were sweet.
For the crown of my divine sovereignty
and the image of my making [...]
waters, winds, [...]
three days [...]
the crown of my divine sovereignty [...]
and the image of my making [...]
to my body [...]
I returned to Babylon.
I brought the tribute of the lands.
The countries — to Babylon
I established the proper place.
[...] life was sweet [...]
[...] the temple, life [...]
The temples shone like alabaster.
[...] abundance was his gift.
[...] sweet [...]
Monthly, daily, and yearly — prayers.
The troops, the army of Enlil, were bound to him.
[...] like birds, wings he placed upon them.
All the lands he surpassed.
[...] he surpassed, and Assur he blessed.
[...] destinies were his gifts.
[...] the true gift of heaven he gave him.
I returned to Babylon.
I brought the tribute of the lands.
To Babylon I established the proper place.
The Second Journey — To Elam
I am Marduk, the great lord,
lord of destinies and decisions, I myself —
who has taken this road?
Where I went, I myself commanded.
To Elam I went.
The ways of all the gods, I myself commanded.
The offerings of the temples, I myself cut off.
Nergal and Nisaba ascended to heaven.
The beer-goddess — the heart of the land was stricken.
The corpses of the people lay open at the gates.
Brother devoured his brother.
Friend struck his friend with weapons.
Freeborn children became children of bondage;
their hands were bound.
The scepter grew short; the land was pressed.
The kings [...]; the land was diminished.
Lions blocked the roads.
Dogs raged and bit the people;
as many as they bit did not live — they died.
My days were darkened, my years were darkened.
To my city Babylon,
and to Ekursaggil, my heart carried me.
I, all the covenants, I called upon.
I commanded: I brought the tribute of the lands.
The countries — to Babylon
I established the proper place.
The Prophesied Return
A king of Babylon shall arise.
The festival house [...]
Ekursaggil he shall renew.
The designs of heaven and earth
in Ekursaggil he shall draw.
Its heights he shall raise, its purity he shall restore.
For my city Babylon he shall provide.
He shall take my hand — to my city, Babylon,
and into Ekursaggil, forever, he shall bring me.
The processional barge he shall renew.
Its standards with splendor he shall fill.
Its prow [...] he shall [adorn].
The boatman, its steersman,
aboard it shall embark.
Right and left shall pass [in procession].
The king, by the star of Ekursaggil,
[...] forever [...]
[...] the processional barge [...]
its standards [...]
its prow [...]
the boatman [...]
aboard it [...]
Nabu, the firstborn son, [...]
the works that lead to [the great palace]
and the temples [...]
forever [...]
That prince — the god [shall look upon him with favor].
Ekur, the temple of Enlil, [...]
the divine river [...]
pure waters to [...]
Ekur, the temple of Enlil, [...]
the hand of Ninlil [...]
The Golden Age
[...] shall be established.
Ningirshu shall rule.
The rivers shall overflow with fish.
The fields and meadows shall be heavy with yield.
The winter crop shall reach the harvest;
the harvest crop shall reach the winter.
The harvest of the land shall be straight; the market shall be good.
The evils shall be made right.
The murky shall be purified; the dark shall be brightened.
The clouds shall be parted.
Brother shall have mercy on his brother.
The son shall fear his father as a god.
The mother and daughter [shall be at peace].
The bride shall be perfected; her husband she shall honor.
Mercy shall come to the people.
The young man and his labor [shall prosper].
That prince — all the lands shall he rule.
The Judgment of Elam
And I myself — with all the gods,
with him I am reconciled.
Elam I shall strike.
Its cities I shall strike.
Its fortress-cities I shall destroy.
The great king of Der —
from his seat I shall remove him.
His rebellion I shall overthrow.
His evil I shall [repay], and his hand I shall seize.
To Der and to Ekur-udgal-kalamma,
forever I shall bring him.
The Ritual Prescriptions
[...] of the god [...]
[half a measure of flour ...]
[half a measure of flour ...]
[a measure of flour ...]
[one sila of ...]
one sila of honey, one sila of ghee,
one sila of [figs], one sila of raisins,
one sila of [...] in a stone vessel,
one sila of fine [aromatics] without alkali,
one regular sheep,
a bowl of a fattened ox —
for the ghost of [...] he shall complete the offering.
Monthly, daily, and yearly — his prayer.
Colophon
Haharnum, Hashum. Complete.
"I am Shulgi." — Pseudo-epigraphic attribution.
Copied from a writing board, original from Babylon. Written and checked. Palace of Ashurbanipal, King of the World, King of Assyria.
The Marduk Prophecy (K.2158 + K.7065 + K.13434 + Sm.1338 + Sm.1388) is preserved on a multi-column clay tablet from the library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh (7th century BCE). The text is a pseudo-autobiographical composition in which the god Marduk narrates three departures from Babylon, corresponding to historical events: the Hittite raid under Mursili I (c. 1595 BCE), the Elamite seizure of Marduk's statue under Kutir-Nahhunte (c. 1160 BCE), and the prophesied restoration under a future king (likely Nebuchadnezzar I, c. 1125-1104 BCE). The genre is classified as "monologue and dialogue" in the Electronic Babylonian Literature corpus.
This is the first freely available English translation of the Marduk Prophecy. Previous scholarly translations exist behind academic paywalls (Borger 1971; Longman, Fictional Akkadian Autobiography, 1991). This translation was independently derived from the Akkadian cuneiform transliteration in the eBL corpus (Zenodo DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10018951, CC BY 4.0). No existing English translation was used as a source. Damaged or illegible passages are indicated by [...]. The section headings are editorial additions for readability; the original tablet uses single rulings to divide sections.
Translated from Akkadian by Sakoku (鎖国) for the Good Work Library. First freely available English translation. Good Works Translation (AI-assisted, NTAC + Claude). New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: K.2158 (Marduk-narû)
Akkadian cuneiform transliteration from the Electronic Babylonian Literature (eBL) corpus, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Fragment K.2158 + joins (K.7065, K.13434, Sm.1338, Sm.1388). Neo-Assyrian copy from the library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh. Transliterated by Enrique Jiménez and H. Stadhouders (2021). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
Obverse, Column 1
1. {d}ha-HAR-num [{d}]ha-a-šum
2. {d}a-nu-um {d}en-lil₂
3. {d}nu-dim₂-[mud] {d}e₂-a
4. {d}[A]G {d}AG-um
5. DINGIR-MEŠ GAL-MEŠ ZU-MEŠ HAL-MEŠ-MU
6. ki K[EŠ]DA-su MUR₂-MU MU.MU MU
———
7. a-na-ku {d}AMAR.UTU EN GAL-u₂
8. LAL-MEŠ ha-a-a-ṭu DU-MEŠ KUR-MEŠ-ni
9. LAL ha-i-ṭu MU.DU-is KUR.KUR-MEŠ
10. ša KUR.KUR-MEŠ DU₃.A.BI-ši₄(KU)-na
11. TA E₃ {d}UTU-ši EN KU₄ {d}UTU-ši
12. GIN-MEŠ-ku a-na-ku-ma
———
13. DUG₄.GA a-na {kur}hat-ti GIN-ik
14. hat-ti-i aš₂-al
15. {giš}GU.ZA {d}a-nu-ti-MU
16. ina lib₃-bi-ša₂ ad-di
17. 24 MU.AN.NA-MEŠ i-na lib₃-bi-ša₂ TUŠ-ma
18. [K]ASKAL-MEŠ DUMU-MEŠ KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki}
19. i-na lib₃-bi-ša₂ GUB-in
20. [x]-MEŠ-ša₂ NIG₂.GAL₂-MEŠ-ša₂ u₃ NIG₂.GA-MEŠ-ša₂
21. [ana {ur]u}UD.KIB.NUN{ki} {uru}NIBRU{ki}
22. [u {uru}KA₂.DINGIR.R]A{ki} LAL-MEŠ-da
23. [LUGAL KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki}] E₁₁-ma
24. [x x x (x x)] DIB-ma
25. [x x x x x x (x x) {uru}K]A₂.DINGIR.RA{ki}
26. [ša SUR-MEŠ x x x (x x)]-MEŠ mim-ma
27. [SILA.DAGAL{gal} {uru}KA₂.DINGIR.RA]{ki} DUG₃-ma
28. [MU AGA {d}a-nu-t]i-MU
29. [u₃ ALAM DU₃-ti x x (x x)] x
30. [A-MEŠ IM-MEŠ x x x x (x x)]
31. [3 u₄-mi x x x x (x x)]
32. [AGA {d}a-nu-ti-MU x x x x (x x)]
33. [u₃ ALAM DU₃-ti x x x (x x)]
34. [ana SU-MU um-x x x x (x x)]
35. [ah-hi-sa ana {uru}KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} MU-ma]
36. [IL₂-MEŠ GUN-HI.A.MEŠ-ki-na]
37. [KUR.KUR-MEŠ ana {uru}KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki}-ma]
38. [GUB-un DIM₂.MA DIŠ KI]
Column 1 Continuation (K.7065+)
1'. [x x x x] x x [x x x]
2'. [x x x x] x [x x x x]
3'. [x x x x b]al-ti-il₅ DUG₃ x [x x x]
4'. [x x x] E₂.KUR bal-ti-il₅ [x x x]
5'. [E₂.KUR-ME]Š GIM {na₄}ZALAG₂ Z[ALAG₂-ir]
6'. [x x]-MEŠ ṭa-ah-da NIG₂.BA-[su-ma]
7'. [x x] x DUG₃ NE UH U[R/TUK[U ...]
8'. [ITI U₄ M]U.1.KAM AM₃ [ŠUD₃]
9'. [MURUB₄-MEŠ] ERIN₂-MEŠ {d}en-lil₂ KI-šu₂ KI KEŠ₂-s[u]
10'. [x x] x GIM MUŠEN-MEŠ PA-MEŠ GAR-un-[šu]
11'. [KUR.KUR-ME]Š DU₃.A-BI-ši₄(KU)-na DIRI-l[i]
12'. [x x] x DIRI-ma {kur}aš-šur ŠUD₃-ub
13'. [x x x] NAM-MEŠ NIG₂.BA-su
14'. [x x] x BA an-na GI.NA SUM-šu
15'. [ah-hi-s]a ana {uru}KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} MU-ma
16'. IL₂-MEŠ GUN-HI.A-MEŠ-ki-na KUR.KUR-MEŠ
17'. ana {uru}KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki}-ma GUB-un DIM₂.MA DIŠ KI
———
18'. ana-ku {d}AMAR.UTU EN GAL-u₂
19'. EN NAM-MEŠ u EŠ.BAR a-na-ku-ma
20'. man-nu DAB KASKAL an-ni-ta
21'. KI GIN-ku ah-hi-sa [ana]-ku DUG₄.GA
22'. a-na {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} GIN-ma
23'. GIN-MEŠ DINGIR-MEŠ DU₃.A-BI a-na-ku-ma DUG₄.GA
24'. NIDBA-MEŠ E₂-HI.A-MEŠ a-na-ku-ma KUD-us
25'. {d}GIR₃ u {d}nisaba ana AN-e E₁₁-li
Column 2
1. {d}siris ŠA₃ KUR GIG-iṣ
2. ADDA-MEŠ UN-HI.A KA₂-MEŠ BAD-MEŠ-a
3. ŠES ŠEŠ-šu₂ GU₇
4. ru-u₈-a ru-u₈-a-šu₂ ina {giš}TUKUL i-ra-si-ib
5. DUMU-MEŠ DU₃-MEŠ a-na DUMU-MEŠ MAŠ.GAG-MEŠ
6. ŠU-MIN-su-nu i-ma-ak-ka-ku
7. {giš}GIDRU LUGUD₂.DA GIB KUR GIB-ik
8. LUGAL-MEŠ x-[G]I KUR TUR-MEŠ
9. UR.A-MEŠ a-lak-tu₂ KUD-MEŠ
10. UR.GI₇-MEŠ [IDIM-MEŠ] ma UN-HI.A u₂-na-ša₂-ku
11. ma-la u₂-na-ša₂-ku NU TI-MEŠ UŠ₂-MEŠ
12. U₄-MEŠ-MU DIR-ma MU.1.KAM-MEŠ-MU DIR-ma
13. a-na URU-MU KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki}
14. u₃ e₂-kur-sag-il₂ ŠA₃ TUM₃ x (x)
15. a-na-ku iš₇-da-ra-a-ti DU₃.A.BI MU-[ma]
16. a-na-ku DUG₄.GA IL₂-MEŠ GUN-MEŠ-ki-[na]
17. KUR.KUR-MEŠ ana {uru}KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki}-m[a]
18. GUB-un DIM₂.MA DIŠ [KI]
———
19. LUGAL KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} E₁₁-[ma]
20. E₂ TAB.RI-ME[Š]
21. e₂-kur-sag-gil GIBIL-[ma]
22. GIŠ.HUR-MEŠ AN-e u₃ KI-[ti₃]
23. i-na e₂-kur-sag-gil GIŠ.HUR-[ma]
24. SUKUD-MEŠ-šu₂ u₂-ša₂-na LUH-[ta]
25. a-na URU-MU KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} GAR-[an]
26. ŠU DAB-ma ana URU-MU KA₂.DINGIR.RA[{ki}]
27. u₃ e₂-kur-sag-il₂ ša₂ da-ra-ti KU₄-[an-ni]
28. [{giš}MA₂].TUŠ.A GIBIL-[ma]
29. [{giš}sik]-kan-na-ti-ša₂ ṣa-ri-raₓ(KUR) DIR-[la]
30. [ki-šad]-i-ša₂ pa-sal-la u₂-[x (x)]
31. [{l]u₂}MA₂.LAH₄ mut-tab-bi-li-[ša₂]
32. [a-n]a lib-bi-ša₂ E₁₁-[la]
33. [ZA]G u GUB₃ GIB-MEŠ [x x]
34. [LUGA]L ša₂ KI ka-kab e₂-kur-sag-[il₂]
35. [x x x x (x x)]-ki la-[x x (x)]
Column 2 Continuation (K.13434)
1'. [x (x)] x [...]
2'. ša₂ da-ra-a-[ti KU₄-šu ...]
3'. {giš}ma₂-dah-he-[du ...]
4'. {giš}sik-kan-na-[ti-ša₂ ...]
5'. [k]i-šad-i-[ša₂ ...]
6'. {lu₂}MA₂.LAH₄ [...]
7'. a-na lib₃-bi-[ša₂ ...]
8'. {d}AG DUM[U.NUN.NA ...]
9'. DU-MEŠ ša₂ ana [...]
10'. u₃ E₂.KUR-[MEŠ ...]
11'. ša₂ da-ra-a-[ti ...]
12'. NUN BI DINGIR [SIG₅ IGI ...]
———
13'. e₂-kur E₂ {d}[en-lil₂ ...]
14'. [I]D₂ DINGIR [...]
15'. A-MEŠ KU₃-MEŠ ana x [...]
16'. e₂-kur₂ E₂ {d}[en-lil₂ ...]
17'. ŠU {d}nin-l[il₂ ...]
Reverse, Column 3
1'. [... B]A.B[AD]
2'. [...] UŠ₂ T[I]
3'. [x x x] x x A TUK-ši
4'. [x x x (x)-n]i-tu₄ GI.NA GIN-an
5'. {d}nin-g[ir₂-s]u i-šal-laṭ-ma
6'. ID₂-MEŠ KU₆-MEŠ BAL-MEŠ-ma
7'. A.ŠA₃ A.GA[R₃] GUN DIR
8'. U₂.BAR [Š]ED₇ a-na BURU₁₄
9'. U₂.BAR BURU₁₄ a-na ŠED₇ BAR-MEŠ-ra
10'. BURU₁₄ KUR SI.SA₂ KI.LAM SIG₅
11'. HUL-MEŠ-tu uš-te-eš-še-ra
12'. LU₃-MEŠ LUH-MEŠ HUL-MEŠ ZALAG₂-MEŠ
13'. IM.DIRI-MEŠ BAR-MEŠ-a
14'. ŠES ŠEŠ-šu₂ ARHUŠ-M[EŠ]
15'. DUMU AD-šu₂ GIM DINGIR i-palla[h₃]
16'. AMA DUMU.MUNUS a-[...]
17'. MUNUS E₂.GI₄.A uk-tal-[lal DAM-sa i-pa]lla[h₃]
18'. ARHUŠ-MEŠ a-na UN-[HI.A GIN-an]
19'. GURUŠ GUN-su [x x x (x x) GIN-an]
20'. NUN BI KUR.KUR-MEŠ [DU₃.A.BI-ši₄(KU)-na i-be]-el
———
21'. u₃ a-na-ku-ma DINGIR-MEŠ DU₃.A.BI-ma
22'. KI-šu sa₂-al-ma-ku ELAM.MA{ki} GAZ
23'. URU-HI.A-MEŠ-ša₂ GAZ-MEŠ
24'. URU be-ra-ti-ša₂ u₂-sa-ma-ak
25'. LUGAL GAL-a ša₂ {uru}de-er
26'. i-na NU TUŠ-šu ZI-šu-ma
27'. ša-ah-ra-ar₂-ta-šu₂ KUR₂-ar₂
28'. HUL-šu x-šu-ma ŠU-su DIB-ma
29'. a-na {uru}de-e[r] u₃ e₂-kur-UD-gal-kalam-ma
30'. ša₂ da-[ra]-a-ti KU₄-šu
Column 4 (Sm.1388 + K.2158+)
1'. [x ...]
2'. [ša₂ DINGIR ...]
3'. [BANLIMMU ...]
4'. [BANLIMMU ...]
5'. [BAN₂ ZI₃.DA ...]
6'. [1 SILA₃ ...]
7'. [1 SILA₃ LAL₃] 1 SILA₃ I₃.NUN.NA
8'. [1 SILA₃ {giš}PEŠ₃ (x x)] 1 SILA₃ GIŠ.GEŠTIN-HAD₂.A
9'. [1 SILA₃ x] {na₄}BUR
10'. [1 SILA₃ x] DUG₃.GA NU ŠE.NAGA
11'. [1 UD]U.NITA₂ GI.NA
12'. [B]UR GU₄ š[a₂ u]š-tam-ru-u₂
13'. ana za-qi₂-qi₂ {d}x [(x)]-i uq-tam-ma
14'. ITI U₄ u₃ MU.1.KAM A.[A]N ŠUD₃-šu
Colophon
15'. {d}ha-HAR-num [{d}]ha-a-šum AL.TIL
16'. a-na-ku {d}šul-gi
17'. ki-i KA {giš}le-u₅-um GABA.RI KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} SAR-ma IGI.KAR₂
18'. KUR {m}AN.ŠAR₂-DU₃-A
19'. MAN ŠU₂ MAN {kur}AN.ŠAR₂{ki}
Source Colophon
Akkadian cuneiform transliteration from the Electronic Babylonian Literature (eBL) corpus, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. CDLI number: P394223. British Museum registration: K.2158 (main fragment) with joins K.7065, K.13434, Sm.1338, Sm.1388. Neo-Assyrian period, from the library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh (Kuyunjik). Transliterated by Enrique Jiménez and H. Stadhouders (2021). eBL corpus data released under CC BY 4.0 license via Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10018951).
The transliteration follows standard Assyriological conventions: curly braces {} indicate determinatives (semantic classifiers), square brackets [] indicate physical damage to the tablet, # indicates uncertain readings, subscript numbers distinguish homophonous signs, and (...) indicates intentional scribal omissions. Lines are numbered following the eBL edition.
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