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Tablet IV (KTU 1.4) — Column II

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

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[. . .] . . . [. . .]

to the stone(?) . . .

She grasped her spindle [in her hand,]

the whorl-spindle in her right hand.

Her garment, the covering of her flesh,

she stripped off — her clothing, into the sea;

her double garment, into the two rivers.

She set a cauldron on the fire,

a pot upon the coals,

and courted(?) Bull El the Compassionate —

paid homage to the Creator of Creatures.

Lifting her eyes, she saw them:

the coming of Baal Athirat

surely saw — the coming of the Virgin

Anat, the approach of the Sister-in-law

[of Peoples.] At that her feet

[stamped;] [behi]nd, her back as if

[breaking;] [above,] her [fa]ce ran sweat;

the joints of her [ba]ck convulsed,

the muscles(?) of [her] spine.

She lifted her voice and cried: 'How is it

Mightiest Baal has come?

How is it the Vir[g]in Anat

has come? Are they my strikers — the [str]ikers of

my sons, the [destroyers] of the [ba]nd of

my kin?' [The gleam] of silver Athirat

surely saw — the gleam of silver and the shine

of gold — and Lady Ath[irat] of the Sea

rejoiced. Aloud to her lad she [cried:]

'Look, O Skillful One — fisher of the [Sea,]

fisherman of Lady Athira[t] [of the Sea:]

take a net in your hand — . . .

a great one upon both hands —

into the Beloved of El, Y[am] —

into Yam of El, the . . . [Ri]-

ver of El . . .

Mightiest [Baal] —

the Virgin [Anat] —

what . . .

and you . . .

Athira[t] . . .

in . . .

without(?) . . .

the king . . .

which . . .

in . . .

the winepress(?) —

[...]

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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