Ilimilku the Scribe · a new plain-English translation from the original language
like the gods', a court like the sons of Athirat's!'
And Lady Athirat of the Sea answered:
'You are great, O El — you are truly wise;
the gray of your beard truly instructs you,
the soft hairs(?) that fall to your breast.
So now, too — the season of his rain
may Baal appoint, the season of the chariot(?) in the storm,
and the giving of his voice from the clouds —
his loosing of lightnings to the earth.
A house of cedars — let him complete it!
Or a house of bricks — let him raise it up!
Let it be told to Mightiest Baal:
Summon a caravan into your house,
wares into the midst of your palace.
The mountains shall bring you silver in plenty,
the hills the choicest gold;
the noblest of gems they shall bring you —
and build a house of silver and gold,
a house of purest lapis lazuli!'
The Virgin Anat rejoiced. She stamped
her feet and the earth shook.
Then indeed she set her face
toward Baal on the heights of Sapan —
across a thousand fields, ten thousand acres.
The Virgin Anat laughed; she lifted
her voice and cried: 'Receive good news, Baal!
Good news I bring you: a house
shall be given you like your brothers', a court
like your kinsmen's! Summon a caravan
into your house, wares into the midst of
your palace. The mountains shall bring you
silver in plenty, the hills the choicest
gold — and build a house of silver
and gold, a house of purest
lapis lazuli!' Mightiest Baal
rejoiced. He summoned a caravan into his house,
wares into the midst of his palace.
The mountains brought him silver in plenty,
the hills the choicest gold;
the noblest of gems they brought him.
He sent to Kothar-and-Hasis —
(now return to the recital: 'When the lads
are sent . . .') —
Afterward Kothar-and-Hasis arrived.
He set an ox before him, a fatling
right before his face. A throne was placed,
and he was seated at the right hand of Mightiest
Baal — until [the gods] had eaten and drunk.
[And] Migh[tiest] [Baal] answered:
'[Quickly,] [de]part, K[othar-and-Hasis:]
quickly, let a house [be bu]il[t;]
quickly raise a pa[lace.]
Quickly let a house be bui[lt;]
quickly let the mansi[on(?)] be raised
amid the crags of Sapan.
A thousand fields let the house seize,
ten thousand acres the palace!'
And Kothar-and-Hasis answered:
'Hear, O Mightiest Baal —
understand, O Rider of the Clouds:
shall I not set a casement in the hou[se,]
a window within the palace?'
And Mightiest Baal answered:
'Do not set a casement in the h[ouse,]
[a wind]ow within the pal[ace!]'