FOURTH TABLET.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
1. They founded for him a majestic canopy,
2. He (i.e., Marduk) seated himself in the seat of kingship in the presence of his fathers [who said unto him]:
3. "Thou art honourable by reason of thy greatness among the gods.
4. "Thy position is unrivalled, the words thou utterest become Anum (i.e., as fixed as the sky).
5. "Thou art honourable by reason of thy greatness among the gods.
6. "Thy position is unrivalled, the words thou utterest become Anum (i.e., as fixed as the sky).
7. "From this day onward thy command shall not be abrogated.
8. "The power to exalt to heaven and to cast down to the earth both shall be in thy hand,
9. "That which goeth forth from thy mouth shall be established, against thy utterance shall be no appeal.
10. "No one among the gods shall overstep thy boundary,
11. "Worship, which is the object of the sanctuary of the gods,
12. "Whensoever they lack [it] shall be forthcoming in thy sanctuary,
13. "O god Marduk, thou art our avenger.
14. "We have given unto thee sovereignty over the whole creation,
15. "Thou shalt sit down, in the council thy word shall be exalted,
16. "Thy weapon shall never fall [from thy hands], it shall break the head of thy foe.
17. "Lord, whosoever putteth his trust in thee, spare thou his life,
18. "And the god who deviseth evil, pour thou out his soul."
19. Then a cloak (literally, one cloak) was set in their midst,
20. They addressed the god Marduk their first-born [saying]:
21. "Thou, Lord, shalt hold the foremost position among the gods.
22. "Decree thou the throwing down32 and the building up,33 and it shall come to pass.
23. "Speak but the word, and the cloak shall disappear,
24. "Speak a second time and the cloak shall return uninjured."
25. Marduk spoke the word, the cloak disappeared,
26. He spoke a second time, the cloak reappeared.
27. When the gods his fathers saw the issue of the utterance of his mouth
28. They rejoiced and adored [him, saying], "Marduk is King."
29. They conferred upon him the sceptre, the throne, and the symbol of royalty (?)34
30. They gave him the unrivalled weapon, the destroyer of the enemy [saying]:
31. "Go, cut off the life of Tiâmat.
32. "Let the wind carry her blood into the depth [under the earth]."
33. The gods, his fathers, issued the decree for the god Bel.
34. They set him on the road which leadeth to peace and adoration.
35. He strung [his] bow, he set ready his weapon [in the stand],
36. He slung his spear, he attached it to [his belly],
37. He raised the club, he grasped it in his right hand.
38. The bow and the quiver he hung at his side.35
39. He set the lightning in front of him.
40. His body was filled with a glancing flame of fire.