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Tablet II (KTU 1.2) — Column III

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

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. . . lord(?) . . .

'. . . [Kapt]or is far away, O g[ods;] [Memphis] [is far]

[for the divinities] — [two] [lengths] [beneath] [the springs] [of the earth,] [three] [spans] [of the caverns.]'

Then he set his face toward El at the springs of the [two rivers,] [amid] [the channels] [of the two deeps.]

[He came to] the mound of E[l] and entered the [dwe]lling of the King, [the Father] [of Years.] [At] [the feet] [of El]

[he bowed] and fell, [he pr]ostrat[ed himself] and hono[red him.] [Afterw]ard [. . .]

. . . Kothar-and-Ha[sis:] 'Depart! Build the house of Yam, [rai]se the palace of Judge Ri[ver!]

. . . [Ri]ver, in the midst of . . . Depart, Kothar and [Hasis:] you shall [b]uild the house of Prince Yam,

. . . the pala[ce] [for] [Judge] River, in the midst of the sp[rings(?)] [of Yam(?)] . . .

[Quickly] let his [hou]se be buil[t,] [qui]ckly let [his] [pala]ce be rai[sed] — [a thousand] [fields] shall the house cover,

[ten thousand] acres the palace!' . . . Yam(?) — a house amid the lads(?) — for the field . . . of the days(?) —

[Baal(?)] in the sea, day by day(?) he will die(?) — the face of Athtar stood forth, who . . .

. . . burning(?), and . . . a fire I will set . . ., a fire . . .

. . . they were carried down(?), brought . . . he went down . . . there is no son —

. . . the Lamp of the gods, Shapshu, lifted her voice and c[ried:] ['He]ar, pray:

. . . Bull El your father [will ex]act vengeance before Prince Yam, before [Ju]dge River!

[How] indeed would Bull El your father hear you? Surely he will pull up the [su]pport of your seat, surely he will [overturn]

[the throne of] your kingship, surely he will break the scepter of your rule!' And Athta[r] answered: '. . . of me(?) —

Bull El my father [has ta]ken from me(?). I myself have no house [like] the gods, no court [like the sons]

[of the Ho]ly One. All alone I will go down into our two throats(?). The Kotharat will wash me(?). [Let him si]t in [the house]

[of Prince] Yam, in the palace of Judge Rive[r.] Bull El his father will exact vengeance be[fore] [Pr]ince Ya[m,]

[before] [Judge] [River.] Am I king, [or] am I not king? But no wife is mine, li[ke]

[the gods . . .] Prince Yam will [remain sea]ted(?), Judge River —

[. . .] he will send me(?). And Athtar answered:

[. . .] . . .

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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