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Tablet II (KTU 1.2) — Column I

Ilimilku the Scribe · a new plain-English translation from the original language

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[...]

'. . . return . . . [...]

You will rise up against . . . [...]

Mightiest Baal . . . [...]

your dominion . . . you will rule(?) [...]

On your head may Ayyamur . . . [...]

Judge River smash [...]

your head — may Athtart-Name-of-[Baal] [smash] your [crown!] —

the shepherd's staff(?); may you fall at the bor[der . . .]'

— the Father of Years. The two women he to[ok . . .]

Messengers Yam sent out: [. . .]

[In] joy upon joy the two flew through the heav[ens:]

'. . . the breaking of their nostrils(?)! Depart, la[ds;] [do not] [sit down.] [Then] [your faces]

you must set toward the Gathered Assembly, in the mi[dst of] [Mount] [Lalu.] [At] [the feet] [of El]

do not fall, do not prostrate yourselves before the Assembly [of the Council.] [Standing,] [speak] [your speech,]

repeat what you know. And say to Bull, the Father of the go[ds — El;] [repeat] [to] [the Gathered]

Assembly: "Message of Yam your lord, of your master, Ju[dge] [River:]

Give up, O gods, the one you are hiding, the one the multitude is hiding! Give up Ba[al] [and] [his attendants,]

the son of Dagan, that I may inherit his gold!"' The lads departed; they did not sit down. Th[en] [their faces]

they set toward the midst of Mount Lalu, toward the Gathered Assembly. Now the gods were sitting to ea[t,]

the sons of the Holy One were at the meal — and Baal stood attending upon El. As soon as

the gods saw them — saw the messengers of Yam, the embassy of Judge [River] —

the gods lowered their heads to the tops of their knees, down onto the thrones of

their lordship. Baal rebuked them: 'Why, O gods, have you lowered your heads

so, to the tops of your knees, and onto the thrones of your lordship? As one,

O gods, answer the tablets of the messengers of Yam, of the embassy of Judge River!

Lift up your heads, O gods, from the tops of your knees, from the thrones of

your lordship — and I myself will answer the messengers of Yam, the embassy of Judge River.'

The gods lifted their heads from the tops of their knees, from the thrones of their lordship.

Afterward the messengers of Yam arrived, the embassy of Judge River. At the feet of El

they did not fall; they did not prostrate themselves before the Gathered Assembly. Standing, they spoke

[and repea]ted what they knew — like a fire, two fires they appeared; their tongue a whetted sword.

They said their speech(?) to Bull his father, El: 'Message of Yam your lord,

[of] your [mas]ter, Judge River: Give up, O gods, the one you are hiding, the one the

[multitu]de is hiding! Give up Baal and his attendants, the son of Dagan, that I may inherit his gold!'

[And] Bull his father, El, [answ]ered: 'Baal is your slave, O Yam! Baal is your slave,

[O River!] The son of Dagan is your captive. He shall bring you tribute like the gods —

[...] he shall bring, like the sons of the Holy One, your offerings.' Then Prince Baal grew furious.

[He seiz]ed a striking-weapon in his hand, a smiter in his right hand; at the lads he swu[ng it.]

[...] Anat seized his right hand(?) — Athtart seized his left: 'How [could you stri]ke

[the em]bassy of Judge River, the messenger . . .?' He embraced(?) [. . .]

[. . .] the messenger — between the shoulders! The word of his lord, and . . . [. . .]

[. . .] Then Prince Baal grew furious. The terraces in the vi[neyards . . .]

[. . .] the messengers of Yam, the embassy of Judge Riv[er . . .]

[. . .] 'I myself say to Yam your lord, [your] mas[ter,] [Judge]

[River:] [. . .] Hear the word of the Annihilator — Haddu . . . Yam [. . .]

[. . .] . . . you will bow down(?) . . . [. . .]

[...]

An original translation made in 2026 by Scriptorium Press, working directly from the original language text (never from another English translation), in one consistent modern voice. Free to read, download, and listen — no accounts, no ads, nothing for sale.

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