Bit Rimki — Tablet V (K.2373)
The Bit Rimki, the "House of Bathing," was among the most elaborate purification rituals of ancient Mesopotamia — a multi-day ceremony in which the king was washed clean of oaths, curses, and demonic attachment through a sequence of incantations, ritual washings, and the burial of contaminated materials in the city wall. The series survives in multiple tablets from Ashurbanipal's library at Nineveh (7th century BCE).
This is Tablet V, containing two bilingual Sumerian-Akkadian incantations. The first is a dawn hymn to Shamash, the Sun God, praising him as supreme judge, lord of fates, and the god from whom no case can be hidden. The second is a purification prayer in which the king confesses an unknown curse — enumerating fourteen possible sources from family, strangers, nature, and commerce — and begs Shamash to remove it through the agency of tamarisk, mashtakal-plant, date-palm pith, and the earth itself. The text closes with ritual instructions for the exorcist.
This is the first free English translation of K.2373. Translated from the Akkadian and Sumerian ATF transliteration by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
Incantation I — Hymn to Shamash at the Rising
Shamash, from within heaven you rise —
your radiance is a canopy over the sky.
God whose course no one can learn,
god who calms the heart of his father Enlil,
Ea has magnified your destiny;
among the gods he has exalted you.
The governance of the land he has filled into your hands.
The awe of your divinity stretches over all the lands.
In the holy place you stand,
and the gods attend you.
Shamash, from within heaven you rise.
Shamash, from within heaven you rise.
Shamash, from heaven, from the holy place, you rise.
Shamash, from heaven, from the holy place, you rise.
[...] standing in heaven, constant [...]
[...] of Anu — you are.
Noble scion of Enlil — you are.
Exalted judge of the great gods — you are.
Shamash, who sets right the judgments of the lands — you are.
Shamash, the completeness of heaven and earth is yours.
To determine the fates, lord bearing lordship — is yours.
For a favorable destiny, may he stand before you.
[...] to seat upon a throne — is yours.
[...] to bear lordship — is yours.
[...] may it return to its former state.
[...] to perform beneficence — is yours.
In the pure heavens, at your exalted table,
I invoked your name.
The case of the king, son of his god —
may it reach your attention.
His case, when he speaks it —
may his evil be known to you.
His case — render his verdict.
The god of the king —
may he proclaim your greatness.
That king —
your praise may he sing.
And I, the exorcist, your servant —
your praise may I sing.
Incantation formula of the Rising Place of Shamash. The exorcist recites.
Incantation II — The Purification
Shamash, judge of heaven and earth,
who watches over the wide earth,
lord who opens the ear, beloved of Enlil,
exalted judge whose command cannot be changed —
to whom no god can say "No."
You alone are supreme.
Your word is great.
Your command cannot be forgotten.
Your supplication cannot be altered.
Like Anu your father, your command is exalted.
Among the gods your brothers, your word surpasses all.
Lord, perfect one, of terrifying strength,
judge of mighty powers — you are.
You charge forth — your fury cannot be withstood.
Shamash, at your rising,
may cool waters greet you.
The gods of the land — may they bless you.
Quickly — stand.
Judge my case. Render my verdict.
Grant me your favor.
Guide me toward good fortune.
Because of the sickness with which I am sick —
you are the god who knows.
No other god knows.
The Hand of the Curse that has seized me
and presses upon me,
the demon that stands against me
day and night —
whether it be the oath of my father,
or the oath of my mother,
whether the oath of my brother,
or the oath of my sister,
whether the oath of my kinfolk and my people,
whether the oath of my clanswomen and my kindred,
whether the oath of the known and the unknown,
whether the oath of the oppressed man and the oppressed woman,
whether the oath of darkness and of grievance,
whether the oath of the foundation and the courtyard,
whether the oath sworn by the name of a god,
whether the oath of the thorn-plant and the carob,
whether the oath of grasses plucked from the steppe,
whether the oath of touching an animal or striking one,
whether the oath of giving and receiving,
whether the oath of a reed snapped in the reedbed —
may it depart from my body.
Like smoke, may it rise to heaven.
Like a cloud, may it drift from the field.
Like a tamarisk uprooted,
to its place may it not return.
May the tamarisk purify me.
May the mashtakal-plant release me.
May the date-palm pith carry away the evil.
May the earth receive me.
May it give its radiance,
and carry the evil away.
May those who pass by dismiss it.
May passers-by render it harmless.
Incantation that the king speaks.
Ritual Instruction
This is the incantation of the Bit Rimki, fifth tablet.
With thorn-plant and tamarisk, you open it. With water and beer, you wash his mouth. You sprinkle upon him. In the foundation of the wall, you bury it.
Catchline: "Incantation — Shamash, may they sing to you at the horizon."
Colophon of Ashurbanipal
Palace of Ashurbanipal, king of the universe, king of Assyria, who trusted in Ashur and Ninlil, to whom Nabu and Tashmetu gave wide understanding, who gained sharp eyes — the finest of the scribal art, which among the kings who went before me none had learned. The wisdom of Nabu, the signs of writing, as many as were made — on tablets I wrote, I collated, I checked, and for my reading and recitation, within my palace I placed them.
The trusting one who does not fear — the king of the gods, Ashur. Whoever removes this, or writes his name alongside my name — may Ashur and Ninlil, in fierce anger, overthrow him, and may his name and his seed perish from the land.
Colophon
K.2373. Upper fragment of a clay tablet containing two bilingual Sumerian-Akkadian incantations from the Bit Rimki ("House of Bathing") ritual purification series. Neo-Assyrian period, from the library of King Ashurbanipal at Nineveh (7th century BCE). Tablet V of the series.
The Bit Rimki was one of the great purification rituals of Mesopotamian religion — a multi-day ceremony in which the king was systematically cleansed of every possible curse, oath, and demonic attachment through washing, incantation, and the burial of contaminated ritual materials. This tablet contains the incantation for the fifth day: a hymn to Shamash at dawn and a comprehensive purification prayer that enumerates fourteen categories of oath-curse. The curse litany is among the most systematic in all Mesopotamian literature, covering every domain of human relationship and interaction — family (father, mother, brother, sister), community (kinfolk, clanswomen), knowledge (known and unknown), justice (the oppressed), time (darkness and grievance), space (foundation and courtyard), religion (oaths by divine name), nature (plants, grasses, animals), commerce (giving and receiving), and the wilderness (reeds in the reedbed).
Good Works Translation. Translated from the Akkadian and Sumerian Archival Text Format (ATF) transliteration in the eBL (Electronic Babylonian Literature) corpus, LMU Munich, by Fan (Expeditionary Tulku, Life 213), New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. The text is bilingual: the Sumerian lines (Emesal liturgical dialect) preserve the ritual original; the interlinear Akkadian lines are the Neo-Assyrian scholarly translation. This English is derived primarily from the Akkadian interlinear, with the Sumerian consulted for context where the Akkadian is damaged or broken. No existing English translation of K.2373 was consulted. Uncertain readings are noted: obverse line 30 contains a sequence whose precise meaning is unclear and has been rendered freely; reverse line 22 renders darkati u teniqi as "darkness and grievance" provisionally. The SAG.HUL.HA.ZA demon name is preserved in its Sumerographic form, as no standard English equivalent exists. All sign readings follow standard Akkadian lexical values as established in the ATF transliteration.
First free English translation of K.2373.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: K.2373 (Bit Rimki V)
Akkadian and Sumerian ATF transliteration from the Electronic Babylonian Literature (eBL) corpus, LMU Munich (Zenodo DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10018951). Presented for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
@obverse
1. %sux [EN₂ {d}utu an-ša₃-ta e₃ me-lam₂]-zu an-dul-la
2. ($___$) [{d}UTU ina i-šid AN-e tap-pu-ha me-lam₂-ma-k]a AN-u₂ kat₃-mu
3. %sux [dingir a-ra₂-bi lu₂-na-me nu]-un-zu-a
4. ($___$) [DINGIR ša₂ a-lak-ta-šu₂ ma-am-ma la] i#-lam-ma-du
5. %sux [dingir ša₃ hun-ga₂ a-a-bi {d}en-l]il₂-la₂-ke₄
6. ($___$) [DINGIR mu-ni-ih ŠA₃-bi AD-šu₂] {d}MIN
7. %sux [{d}nu-dim₂-mud nam-tar-zu dim₄-ma₃ x] x diri-e-ne
8. ($___$) [{d}e₂-a ši-ma-tu₂ u₂-šar-bi-ka ina DINGIR-MEŠ] u₂-ša₂-tir-ka
9. %sux [a₂-ag₂-ga₂ kalam-ma-ke₄ šu-zu-še₃ ...]-bi₂-ib₂
10. ($___$) [ur-ti ma-a-ti ana qa-ti-ka u₂-ma]l-li
11. %sux [ni₂-te-zu dingir kur-kur-ra la₂-e?]
12. ($___$) [pu-luh-ti DINGIR-ti-ka ana ma-ta]-ti#? LA₂-a[t]
13. %sux [ki-sikil-ta he₂-gub dingir-re-e-ne-ke₄] mu#-un-su₈-su₈-ge-e[š]
14. ($___$) [ina aš₂-ri el-li GUB-ma DINGIR-ME]Š DU-MEŠ-k[a]
15. %sux [{d}utu an-ša₃-ga]-ta e₃#
16. ($___$) [{d}UTU ina AN-e] šu-pu-[u₂]
17. %sux [{d}utu an-ša₃-ga-ta] e₃#
18. ($___$) [{d}UTU ina qe₂-reb AN]-MEŠ šu-pu-[u₂]
19. %sux [{d}utu an-ša₃-ga ki]-sikil-ta e₃#
20. ($___$) [{d}UTU ina AN]-e aš₂-ri el-li šu-p[u-u₂]
21. %sux [{d}utu an-ša₃-ga] ki-sikil-ta e₃#
22. ($___$) [{d}UTU ina qe₂-reb AN-e a]š₂-ri el-li šu-pu-[u₂]
23. %sux [...-ta gub]-ba kalam-ma pa-e₃
24. ($___$) [...] ina AN-e ka-a-a-ma-[nu]
25. %sux [... an-na-k]e₄ za-e-me-e[n]
26. ($___$) [...] ša₂ {d}a-nim at-[ta]
27. %sux [ibila mah {d}en-lil₂-l]a₂ za-e-me-en
28. ($___$) [ap-lu ṣi-ru ša₂ {d}en-lil₂] at-t[a]
29. %sux [di-ku₅ mah dingir-gal-gal-e-n]e za-e-me-en
30. ($___$) [da-a-a-nu ṣi-ru ša₂ DING]IR-MEŠ GAL-MEŠ at-t[a]
31. %sux [{d}utu eš-bar kur-kur-ra si₂-sa]-de₃ za-e-me-e[n]
32. [{d}UTU EŠ.BAR KUR.K]UR šu-te-šu-ra at-t[a]
33. %sux [{d}utu gi-til-la an-ki-b]i-da za-a-k[am]
34. ($___$) [{d}UTU (x x) AN u K]I ga-me-ru ku-um-ma
35. %sux [nam tar-tar-re-de₃] en# nam-en-na il₂-la za-a-ka[m]
36. ($___$) [ši-ma-a]-ti ša₂-a-mu e-nu a-na e-nu-ti na-šu-u ku-um-m[a]
37. %sux [...] x igi-a-ni-še₃ he₂-gub
38. ($___$) [a-na ši-i]m-ti SIG₅-ti₃ ina mah-ri-šu₂ li-iz-ziz
39. %sux [... {gi]š}gu-za-a tuš-e-de₃ za-a-kam
40. ($___$) [...] ŠA₃#? ina ku-us-si-i šu-šu-bu ku-um-ma
41. %sux [...] nam-en-na il₂-e-de₃ za-a-kam
42. ($___$) [... n]u? be-lu na-šu-u₂ ku-um-ma
43. %sux [... e]gir-bi-še₃ he₂-en-gilim
44. ($___$) [... ana] ar-ki-šu₂ li-tur
45. %sux [...]-ga tag-tag-bi za-a-kam
46. ($___$) [...] nu#?-u₂ du-um-mu-qu ku-um-ma
47. %sux [an ku₃-ga {giš}banšur-ma]h-zu-še₃ mu-un-pa₃
48. ($___$) [... pa-aš₂-šu]-ri ṣi-ri MU-ka az-kur
49. %sux [di lugal-e dumu dingir]-ra-na geštug₂-min-zu he₂-am₃
50. ($___$) [... D]UMU DINGIR-šu₂ lu-u u-zu-un-ka
51. %sux [di-da-ne du₁₁-a-n]i? hul-ne zu
52. ($___$) [... HUL-š]u₂ li-mad
53. %sux [di-da-ne ku₅-ru-da-ni? eš]-bar-a-ni bar-ra-ab
54. ($___$) [... pu-ru-u]s-sa-šu₂ pu-ru-us
55. %sux [dingir lugal-la-ke₄ nam-mah]-zu he₂-bi₂-ib
56. ($___$) [DINGIR LUGAL nar-bi-ka] liq-bi
57. %sux [lugal-bi ka-tar-zu] ga-an-[sil]
58. ($___$) [šar-ru šu-u₂ da₃-li₂-li₂-ka] lid-[lul]
59. %sux [u₃ ga₂-e lu₂ tu₆-tu₆ arad-zu ka-tar]-zu# [ga-an-sil]
60. [u₃ ana-ku a-ši-pu ARAD-ka da₃-li₂-li₂-ka lud-lul]
$ single ruling
61. [KA.INIM.MA ki-{d}utu-kam MAŠ.MAŠ ŠID-nu]
$ single ruling
62. [EN₂ {d}UTU DI.KU₅ AN-e u KI-ti₃ la-iṭ KI]-ti₃# [DAGAL-ti]
63. [EN pe-tu-u₂ uz-ni na-ra]m {d}+e[n-lil₂]
64. [DI.KU₅ MAH ša₂ qi₂-bit-su la u]t-tak-ka-[ru]
65. [an-na-šu₂ DINGIR ma-am-mam-an la] in-nu-u₂#
$ end of obverse
@reverse
1. [EN at]-ta-ma [šu]r-bat a-mat-ka
2. [qi₂-bit]-ka ul im-[maš-ši u]t-nin-ka ul iš-ša₂-an-na-an
3. [GIM] {d}a-nim AD-[ka qi₂-b]it-ka [ṣ]i-rat
4. [ina DING]IR-MEŠ ŠEŠ-ME[Š-ka šu-tu-rat a-mat-ka]
5. [EN] git₂-ma-lum [ša₂ e-mu-qa ra-aš₂-bu]
6. [DI.K]U₅ e-mu-qa [MAH-MEŠ at-ta-ma]
7. [ta]-aṣ-ṣa-an-da p[a-ri-ka ša₂ šit-mu-ru la-sa-ma]
8. [{d}U]TU ina E₃-k[a A-MEŠ SED₇-MEŠ lim-hu-ru-ka]
9. [DINGIR]-MEŠ ša₂ KU[R lik-ru-bu-ka]
10. [a-d]i sur-ri ni-hi-iš# G[UB-za-am-ma]
11. [di-n]i di-in EŠ.BAR-a-a [KU₅-us]
12. [šu-u]t-li-ma-am-ma a-na SIG₅-ti₃# [UŠ.(UŠ)-an-ni]
13. [aš-šum] GIG GIG-ku-ma at-ta DINGIR ZU-u DINGIR ma-am-man N[U ZU-u]
14. [ŠU N]AM.ERIM₂.MA ša₂ DAB-ni-ma UŠ.UŠ-an-ni
$ single ruling
15. [SAG].HUL.HA.ZA ša₂ ur-ra u GI₆ GUB-za-am-ma
16. [lu-u] ma-mit AD-MU lu-u ma-mit AMA-ia
17. [lu-u] ma-mit ŠEŠ-MU lu-u ma-mit NIN-ia
18. [lu-u] ma-mit kim-ti-MU u ni-šu-ti-ia
19. [lu-u] ma-mit el-la-ti-MU u sa-la-ti-ia
20. [lu-u] ma-mit ZU-u₂ u la ZU-u₂
21. [lu-u] ma-mit hab-li u ha-bil-ti
22. [lu-u] ma-mit dar-ka-ti u te-ni-qi₂
23. [lu-u] ma-mit kip-pe-e u ki-ṣal-li
24. [lu-u] ma-mit MU DINGIR MU-ru
25. lu#-u# ma-mit {giš}DIH u {giš}KIŠI₁₆
26. lu-u ma-mit U₂-MEŠ ina EDIN ZI-hu
27. lu-u ma-mit TE u₂-ma-mi ma-ha-ṣu₂
28. lu-u ma-mit ta-me-i u la-qe₂-e
29. lu-u ma-mit GI ina GIŠ.GI ha-ṣa-pu
30. lis-si šar₅ 1 ILLAT ina SU-MU
31. GIM# qut-ri li-tel-li AN-e
32. [GIM] IM.DUGUD li-ne₂-ʾi A.GAR₃-šu₂
33. [GIM] {giš}bi-ni ZI-hi ana KI-šu₂ a-a GUR
34. [{giš}]bi-nu li-lil-an-ni
35. [{u₂}]IN.NU.UŠ lip-šur-an-ni {giš}ŠA₃.GIŠIMMAR šer₃-ti lit-ba[l]
36. [KI-t]i₃ lim-hur-an-ni lid-di-na ME.LAM₂-ša₂-ma lum-ni lit-ba[l]
37. [ka]-bi-su KI lim-hu-ru-in-ni
38. [e-t]i-qu KI li-tin-nu-u KI-M[U]
$ single ruling
39. [KA].INIM.MA LUGAL DU₁₁.DU₁₁-u[b]
$ single ruling
40. [K]A.INIM.MA E₂ rim-ki 5-kam NU ma-mit ša₂ ŠA₃-ša₂ MUD DI[RI]
41. [ina] DIH {giš}bi-ni ta-pat-tah ina A-MEŠ u KAŠ KA#-šu₂ LUH-ši
42. [ana] UGU-hi u₂-raq-ma ina sa-mit BAD₃# te-qeb-bir
$ single ruling
$ (catchline)
43. %sux EN₂ {d}utu an-ur₂-ra he₂-sir₂-re
$ single ruling
@colophon
44. E₂.GAL {m}AN.ŠAR₂-DU₃-A LUGAL ŠU₂ LUGAL KUR AN.[ŠAR₂{ki}]
45. ša a-na AN.ŠAR₂ u₃ {d}nin-lil₂ tak-[lu₄]
46. ša {d}+AG u {d}taš-me-tum GEŠTUG-MIN DAGAL-tum iš-ru-ku-uš
47. i-hu-zu IGI-MIN na-mir-tum ni-siq ṭup-šar-ru-ti
48. ša# ina LUGAL-MEŠ-ni a-lik mah-ri-ia
49. [mam-ma ši]p-ru šu-a-tu la i-hu-zu
50. [ne₂-me-e]q {d}+AG ti-kip sa-an-tak-ki ma-la ba-aš₂-mu
51. [ina ṭu]p-pa-a-ni aš₂-ṭur as-niq ab-re-e-ma
52. [a-n]a ta-mar-ti ši-ta-as-si-ia qe₂-reb E₂.GAL-ia u₂-kin
53. [NIR].GAL₂-ZU NU TEŠ₂ LUGAL DINGIR-MEŠ AN.ŠAR₂
54. [man]-nu ša TUM₃ u₃-lu-u MU-šu₂ it-ti MU-ia i-šaṭ-ṭa-ru
55. [AN.ŠAR₂] u₃# {d}nin-lil₂ ag-giš ez-zi-iš lis-ki-pu-šu₂-ma
56. [MU-šu₂ NUM]UN-šu₂ ina KUR li-hal-li-qu
$ end of side
Source Colophon
K.2373. Neo-Assyrian. Upper fragment of a clay tablet, incantations. British Museum, London. ATF transliteration from the eBL (Electronic Babylonian Literature) corpus, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, accessed via Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10018951). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. The eBL project, directed by Enrique Jimenez, provides open-access transliterations of Babylonian cuneiform texts held in museums worldwide.
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