THE   MERODACHBALADAN   STONE                  65

and Akkad, who feared his divinity, he looked upon with
joy, and he gave orders by word of mouth to exalt his
lordship: "This Is the ruler, who collects the scattered."
He intrusted to his hands a righteous sceptre, a staff lead¬
ing the people aright. He submitted to his order the
giving of counsel to Sumer and Akkad, the judgment of
all men. He made the power of his lordship great in the
assembly of the princes.

At that time Merodachbaladan, King of Babylon, the
prince, the adviser, King of Sumer and Akkad, who feared
Nabu and Marduk, the gods of Esagila and Ezida, who
filled their granaries (?) with plenty, who made brilliant
all temples, repaired all shrines, who ruled Sippar, Nip¬
pur, and Babylon aright, who put into effect their laws;
who built the temples, confessionals (?) and shrines of
the large cities, who yearly hastened to bring (?) before
the great gods his rich tribute, the riches of the broad
sea, plenty in abundance (?), toll and presents, who
sought out the commands of the lord of the gods, who
prostrated himself before him (?), who directed his atten¬
tion to the repairing of temples, to the peopling of cities,
and to the sacred care of the districts (?) of the gods; the
faithful governor, who, under the protection of the great
gods, marches here and there and attains his goal, who
gathers together the Inhabitants of the countries, who were
scattered, and returns them to their abodes; the exalted
prince, who In power and strength (?) does not have his
like; the powerful hero, at the mention of whose name his
enemy Is cruelly driven out before him, the firmest (?)
foundations (?) are torn down; who, with the mighty
power of Bel, attained whatever his heart desired; clothed
with power, of ancient royal seed, who holds unstained
the name of his father, his begetter; the offspring of Erba-
Marduk, King of Babylon, who founded the country, who,
in the temples of the cities of the great gods, placed works
of art; the clever prince, of broad view, the diplomatic
arbitrator, who understands everything, of broad Insight
and deep understanding, who Is his own counsellor; whose
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