Ilimilku the Scribe · a new plain-English translation from the original language
'. . . to Baal.'
Her skin with a stone she scored — with a flint(?) double-blade(?); [in the woods(?)]
she cut cheeks and chin; she fu[rrow]ed
the length(?) of her arm; she plowed her chest like a garden —
like a valley she furrowed her back:
'Baal is dead! What of the people of the son of Dagan?
What of the multitudes? After Baal let us go down
into the earth.' With her went down the Lamp of
the gods, Shapshu. When she was sated with weep-
ing — drinking tears like wine — aloud
she cried to the Lamp of the gods, Shapshu:
'Load Mightiest Baal, pray, upon me.'
The Lamp of the gods, Shapshu, obeyed:
she lifted Mightiest Baal onto the shoulders of
Anat — she set him there indeed — and carried him up
into the crags of Sapan. She wept for him
and buried him; she laid him in the cavern of
the gods of the underworld. She slaughtered seventy
wild oxen as a funeral offering(?) for Mightiest
Baal; she slaughtered seventy great oxen
[as] a funeral offering for Mightiest Baal;
[she slau]ghtered seventy sheep
[as] a [fun]eral offering for Mightiest Baal;
[she slau]ghtered seventy deer
[as] [a funeral offering] for Mightiest Baal;
[she slaughtered] [se]venty mountain-goats
[as] [a funeral offering] for [Migh]tiest Baal;
[she slaughtered] [seventy] [ro]ebucks
[as] [a funeral off]ering for Mightiest Baal.
[In] her [cl]an(?) she set(?) her . . . — An[at,]
[the] hero's(?) [ves]sel(?), sister-in-law of the gods.
[The]n indeed she set her face toward
[E]l at the springs of the two rivers, amid
the channels of the two deeps. She came to the mound of
El and entered the dwelling of
the King, the Father of Years. At the feet of
El she bowed and fell,
prostrated herself and honored him.
She lifted her voice and cried: 'Now let Athirat
rejoice, and her sons — the goddess and the band of
her kin! For dead is Mightiest
Baal; perished is the Prince, lord of
the earth!' Aloud El cried
to Lady Athirat of the Sea: 'Hear,
O Lady Athira[t] of the Sea: give
one of your sons and I will make him king.'
And Lady Athirat of the Sea answered:
'Shall we not make king one who knows — who understands?'
And the Kindly One, El the Compassion-
ate, answered: 'One frail of frame cannot race
with Baal — cannot handle the lance
with the son of Dagan — when they clash(?).'
And Lady Athirat of the Sea answered:
'Then let us make king Athtar the Terrible!
Let Athtar the Terrible be king!'
Thereupon Athtar the Terrible
went up into the crags of Sapan;
he sat on the seat of Mightiest
Baal. His feet did not reach
the footstool; his head did not reach
its top. And Athtar the Terrible spoke:
'I cannot be king in the crags of Sapan.'
Athtar the Terrible came down — came down
from the seat of Mightiest Baal,
and became king over the earth, god of the whole of it —
[. . .] they drew(?) in barrels(?),
[. . .] [they] drew(?) in casks(?).