A reading, published with its checks still open. A Vigslist translation.
“A Man Must Not Be Sick for a Whole Year” — Muššuʾu Tablet I. The New Year rite: two doves to Šamaš at sunrise and sunset, under an Ashurbanipal colophon.
Published as a reading. No first-translation claim is made for this piece. The checks that would settle such a claim are named in the notes below and are still open; the wording on this page claims nothing they have not settled.
the principal Nineveh manuscript of Tablet I of the incantation series Muššuʾu, "Rubbing" — the series the āšipu consulted when a sickness could not be named. Its rubric (obv. 30) gives the series' promise: KA.INIM.MA LU₂ MU.1.KAM NU GIG, "Incantation: 'A man must not fall sick for a whole year.'" The edition of record is Böck, Das Handbuch Muššuʾu "Einreibung" (2007) — a German edition, in scope under the house rules, and credited here in full; no complete English translation of the composition was located at dossier depth. Two component-level English treatments stand on the record's face and are printed here, not smoothed: Macmillan, BA 5/5 (1906), p. 703 no. 57, treated the fragment K.5245 in English; Livingstone, in Wisdom, Gods and Literature (Fs Lambert, 2000), pp. 375–387, edited the dove-release passage (obv. 14–18) in English. Until those two are reconciled line by line in the print-check wave, no first-English claim is made for the composition or the witness. The witness reading stands on its own either way.
The identification that recovered this tablet is Wave A4's AMT pass: the legacy catalogue row P229221, "AMT pl. 059 03" (museum number blank), resolved through CDLI's current record P394433, which names the accession group below; the live eBL record of the lead fragment confirms the same number from its own side (externalNumbers.cdliNumber = P394433). Method and the numbering-epoch audit behind it: .
Nine joined fragments, Kuyunjik collection, British Museum: K.2438 + K.2561 + K.3711 + K.5245 + K.8186 + K.9793 + K.13371 (CDLI's accession list), with K.10584 (which carries the colophon) and K.10622 joined on the eBL record. Neo-Assyrian; genre on the record: Canonical → Magic. Photograph on the lead record. The colophon is Ashurbanipal's own: the king wrote, checked, and collated these tablets for his palace library, and curses whoever writes his name beside the king's (rev. colophon a+15–28). The reverse carries a parallel note to a second witness (F K.15961) at rev. 6.
A year of health is bought on New Year's morning. On the first of Nisannu the patient is shaved, purified, dressed in white, anointed with maštakal oil; two doves are bought from the bird-catcher, male and female, feasted on the roof, and then released — one sent to the rising sun, one to the setting — carrying the bond of sickness away to Šamaš the judge. Then the spell itself, spelled out one sign at a time down the tablet like a charm being assembled, and its rubric: say it, and a man does not fall sick for a year. A second rite follows (you purify me, release me), a prayer to Šamaš as king of truth and justice, and on the other face a fish is made to swallow the patient's spittle and carry off his oath-curse, while the colophon signs the whole tablet with the name of the king who collected it.
Transliteration exactly as the record serves it. Counts: 83 line-units — 15 whole, 51 part, 17 fragments, 0 invented. "Part" grades lines whose wording is substantially recoverable through the record's own bracket-restoration, restored from the series' parallel manuscripts in the edition of record; the brackets are the record's and are kept. The counts grade the clay, not the restoration.
Dragon scan (standing order): no ušumgal, muš-serpent, mušḫuššu or bašmu stands on this witness. The two near-misses are printed so no later wave re-litigates them: TU{mušen} (obv. 7, 14–15) is a dove — mušen is the bird determinative's word, not MUŠ; UŠ₁₁ (rev. block a+48) is witchcraft (kišpū), not a serpent.
1. DIŠ ina {iti}BARA₂ U₄#.[1.KAM@v x x x x (x) ša₂ {d}]en-lil₂ U₄ ŠE
"If, on the [1st] day of Nisannu, [the … day of] Enlil, the day of the grain(?) …" (Fragment — the opening survives at its edges; the rest is the record's restoration.)
2. {lu₂}ŠU.I-su [DU₃-uš ... li-te-l]il! li-te-bi-ib
"His barber [shall attend him …] — let him be purified, let him be cleansed." (Part.)
3. I₃.GIŠ {šim}GIG [x x x x (x) TU]G₂ BABBAR MU₄.MU₄
"Oil of the kanaktu-plant(?) […] — he shall wear a white garment." (Part.)
4. {kuš}E.SIR₂ GADA liš-[kun x x x (x)] x ta-ra-sa-an
"Sandals of linen he shall put on […] … he shall stretch out(?)." (Part.)
5. {u₂}IN.NU.UŠ t[u-ub-bal SUD₂ ana lib₃-bi I₃+GIŠ ŠUB-d]i ŠEŠ₂-su
"The maštakal-plant you dry, pound, drop into oil, and anoint him." (Part — the series' namesake rubbing, in one line.)
6. {na₄}ZA.GIN₃ ina TUG₂.SIG₂-[ka? tara-kas₂? ana] E₂# {lu₂}MUŠEN.DU₃ GIN-ma
"A lapis-lazuli stone on a fine thread [you tie(?)], and go to the bird-catcher's house." (Part.)
7. 2 TU{mušen}-MEŠ 1 NITA [1 MUNUS ta-šam?] a-na E₂-ka GIN-ak
"Two doves — one male, [one female you shall buy(?)] — shall come to your house." (Part.)
8. UR₃ E₂ a-šar ANŠE.KUR.[RA GUB-zu KU₃.G]UR? SAR A KU₃ SU₃
"On the roof of the house, where […] stands: pure […] you scatter, pure water you sprinkle." (Part — the record's cited edition (Cavigneaux & Donbaz 2007, p. 330) reads the opening instead as "where the path is cut"; both stand here, neither smoothed.)
9. GI.DU₈ GIN-an [x x x x (x x)] {zid₂}EŠA DUB-ak
"You set out a reed mat […]; you sprinkle fine flour." (Part.)
10. {ninda}I₃.DE₂.A LAL₃ [x x x x (x x)] x GAR-an
"A mersu-cake, honey […] you place." (Part.)
11. 2 {dug}LA.HA.AN SAHAR₂ ša i-[x x x] 1#-en KAŠ.SAG DIRI-ma GIN-an
"Two lahannu-vessels … one you fill with fine beer and set down." (Part.)
12. GID₂-MEŠ ša₂ qe₂?#-e#-[mi ZAG u₃ GUB₃] GID₂-ad 3 ZI₃.DUB.DUB.BU ŠUB.ŠUB-di
"Long (reeds) of qêmu-wood(?) [right and left] you stretch out; three heaps of flour you keep scattering." (Part.)
13. x x x [x x x (x x)]-ma ina UGU GI.DU₈ GAR-an
"[…] and you place (it) on the reed mat." (Fragment — only the tail of the line is on the clay.)
14. [x x x x x x (x x)] DUG₄.GA TU{mušen}-MEŠ KEŠDA-ši-na ta-pa-ṭar
"[Speak(?)]: 'Doves — I untie your bonds.'" (Part — the release formula opens here; this passage, obv. 14–18, is the part Livingstone edited in English in 2000, and it is credited on the face.)
15. [TU{mušen}-MEŠ NITA u MUNUS ina IGI {d}UTU] ta-dan-ši-na-ti
"[The doves, male and female, before Šamaš] you shall present." (Part.)
16. [{d}UTU DI.KUD AN-e u] KI-ti₃ at-ta-ma
"'[Šamaš, judge of heaven and] earth — it is you!'" (Part.)
17. [KIŠIB.LA₂ dan-na-t]a ša₂ DINGIR LUGAL IDIM u NUN šup-ṭi-ra
"'[Release the mighty bond] of god, king, magnate and prince!'" (Part.)
18. [1 NITA ana {d}UTU.E₃.A] 1 MUNUS ana {d}UTU.ŠU₂.A tu-šap-ra-aš
"[One male to the rising sun], one female you shall send to the setting sun." (Part — the doves carry the bond out at both horizons.)
19. %sux [en₂ & ud] & & bi & ud-kalag-bi & kin-nam
20–29. %sux ud & peš & … & ud-kalag-bi & kin-nam (eleven rows in all, the signs ud, peš and bi accumulating in growing combinations down the grid — first row partly restored, last row standing complete as ud & peš & peš & peš peš & ud-kalag-bi & kin-nam — every row closing with the same tail)
"(The Sumerian spell, written out in a sign-grid, one step at a time, line by line, until the spell stands complete — the tablet literally assembling the incantation before the rubric names it. Line 19 is partly restored; lines 20–29 stand whole as pattern lines, the empty columns being the tablet's own layout. The recurring tail: 'ud-kalag-bi kin-nam' — 'its mighty day is ordained.')" (1 part, 10 whole.)
30. KA.INIM.MA LU₂ MU.1.KAM@v NU GIG
"Its incantation rubric: 'A man must not fall sick for a whole year.'" (Whole — the line the whole tablet exists to serve.)
31. KID₃.KID₃#.BI# ina# {iti#}BARA₂ U₄ TE.A te-diš-tu₂-ma %sux in-zi nig₂-nam in!(LU₂)-tab
"Its procedure: In Nisannu, on an auspicious day, you perform the renewal — (the spell begins, in Sumerian:) 'in-zi nig₂-nam in-tab …'" (Part — signs damaged but read; the reading follows the record's cited edition (Cavigneaux & Donbaz 2007, p. 325).)
32. x [x x x x] NIG₂.NA {šim}LI ZID₂.DA PEŠ₁₀-{d}ID₂ ZAG-ka DUB-aq
"[…] a censer with juniper and flour of the peštur-plant(?) you sprinkle at your right side." (Part.)
33. x [x x x x] x-da x x GUB₃-ka DUB KAŠ.SAG BAL-qi₂
"[…] you sprinkle at your left side; you pour a libation of fine beer." (Part.)
34. [...] {giš}GIŠIMMAR# ina ZAG-šu₂ {giš}ŠA₃ GIŠIMMAR ina bu-di-šu₂ GAR-an
"[…] a date-palm frond at his right, the heart of the date palm on his shoulder you place." (Part.)
35. [... ṣu-b]a-ta MU₄.MU₄? SAG.DU-ka tu-ka-ta-am
"[…] you dress (him) in [the gar]ment; you cover your head." (Part — the text's person shifts mid-rite, as served.)
36. [EN₂ %sux u₄-bi u₄-k]alag-bi kin-nam %sb 3-šu₂ ŠID-nu
"[Incantation — (Sumerian:) 'u₄-bi u₄-k]alag-bi kin-nam' — you recite three times." (Part.)
37. [... %sux he₂-sikil %sb ... l]i-lil u₄-ma e-bi-ib %sux he₂-dadag
"['(Sumerian:) ḫe₂-sikil — may he be pure!'] … 'May he be clean that day — (Sumerian:) ḫe₂-dadag, may he be bright.'" (Part — Sumerian and Akkadian braided in one spell.)
38. [... ul-l]il-an-ni {u₂}tu-lal BUR₂-an-ni
"'[… Pur]ify me! With the tulal-plant release me!'" (Part.)
39. x [... e]-re-ni šer₃-ti lit-bu-uk
"… […] … let it pour away my punishment." (Fragment.)
40. EN₂ {d}UTU LUGAL AN#-e# u KI-ti₃ EN kit-ti u me-ša₂-ri
"Incantation: 'Šamaš, king of heaven and earth, lord of truth and justice," (Whole.)
41. mu-lil DINGIR u LUGAL at-ta-ma
"purifier of god and king are you." (Whole.)
42. ina di-ʾi MU.1.KAM@v an-ni-te ša e-ru-ba u₃ šu-ru-pi-iš
"In the sickness of this year that has come upon us, and the frost —" (Whole as served; the sentence runs on into the break.)
43. ina INIM DINGIR {d}[1]5 LUGAL IDIM u NUN
"by the command of the god — of Ištar, king, magnate and prince —" (Part.)
44. [x] AN# eʾ-il-[ti? (x)] HUL {d}ištaran
"[…] … the bond(?) of evil … Ištaran …" (Fragment.)
45. [x (x) x] x x [...] x x x
(Fragment — traces only; then several lines missing.)
a+46. [x x x x x] x [...]
(Fragment — a trace line at the join.)
a+47. [x x x {d}]IMIN.BI [...]
"[…] the Seven Gods […]" (Fragment.)
a+48. [UŠ₁₁] UŠ₁₁# UŠ₁₁ NIG₂.A[G.A-MEŠ ...]
"'[Witchcraft], witchcraft, witchcraft, sorcer[ies …]'" (Part.)
a+49. [ina] u₄-me an-ne₂-e [...]
"'[On] this day […]'" (Part.)
a+50. da₃-li₂-li₂-ka [... lud-lul]
"'Your praises [… let me sing]'" (Part.)
a+51. u₄-mu šu-a-tu u₂-[...]
"That day […]" (Fragment.)
a+52. ana KA₂ NU E₃ MU x [...]
"To the gate of no exit(?) […]" (Fragment — the phrase is read as served and queried; nothing is built on it.)
a+53. TA ki-a-am taq₂-ṭa-bu-u₂ ŠID-tu an-[ni-tu₂ ...]
"Since you have spoken thus — this recitation [… you shall recite(?)]." (Part.)
a+54. SAG.DU-ka BAD-ti ap-pa-ka [ta-lab-bi-in-ma? ...]
"Your head you bare(?), your nose [you soften(?) …]" (Part — the patient's part of the rite resumes; the two verbs are queried on the record's own damage.)
a+55. ul KI.ZA.ZA KEŠDA DU₈ ana ID₂ ŠUB ta-tar ta[l-lak? ...]
"You shall not … untie the knot(?) … cast into the river … again you [go(?) …]" (Part.)
a+56. PAD-ka ana {d}UTU GAR-ma {d}UTU a-bu-ut-ka [DAB-bat]
"Set your food offering before Šamaš, and Šamaš will take up your cause." (Part — end of the side.)
rev. 1. KU₆ ta-bar-ma UH₂-k[a ana KA KU₆ ŠUB-di]
"You take a fish, and [cast] its spittle [into the fish's mouth]." (Part.)
rev. 2. KU₆ ma-mi-ti pu-šur K[U₆-MEŠ ar₂-ni ta-bal]
"'Fish, release my oath-curse! [Fish, carry away my guilt!]'" (Part — the fish takes the māmītu down the river; the patient's part, spoken to a fish.)
rev. 3. NIG₂.NA {šim}LI ina ma-har [{d}UTU GAR-an]
"A censer with juniper [you set] before Šamaš." (Part.)
rev. 4. A.GA 15 u 150 š[a₂ KA₂-ka BAL-qi₂]
"A libation of prime and of second(?) grade [you pour at your gate]." (Part — the two grades are the record's figures, 15 and 150.)
rev. 5. e-ma DU-ku m[a-gir GIM DINGIR ni-iz-mat ŠA₃-šu₂ KUR-ad₂]
"Wherever you go, [be favoured; like a god, attain your heart's desire]." (Part.)
rev. 6. MAŠ₂.GE₆-MEŠ-š[u₂ SIG₅-MEŠ TI.LA ut-tar]
"[Make] his dreams [favourable; life in abundance grant]." (Part — a parallel is noted on the record: witness F, K.15961, line 7′.)
rev. 7. e-ma i-k[ap?-pu-du? ...]
"Wherever he pl[ans(?) …]" (Fragment.)
rev. 8. a-na MU.AN.NA M[U ...]
"For a year […]" (Fragment — the series' promise surfacing again before the break.)
rev. 9. [IB]ILA kal x [...]
"[The he]ir … all […]" (Fragment.)
rev. 10. [NID]BA-šu₂ [...]
"[His] food-offering […]" (Fragment — then several lines missing.)
a+2. KI x [...]
(Fragment — a trace.)
a+12. mim-ma [GIM DUG₄.GA-u₂ ...]
"Whatever [I have spoken …]" (Fragment.)
a+13. e-ma GIN# ma?#-gir?# [...]
"Wherever I go, be favoured(?) […]" (Fragment — signs damaged on the record.)
a+14. ṣu-mu-ur ka-ša₂-du a-x [x x x] x-ti# sa#-li-m[u GAR]
"Eager to reach … […] … pea[ce set(?)]." (Fragment.)
a+15. E₂.GAL {m}AN.ŠAR₂-D[U₃-A LUGAL] ŠU₂# LUGAL {kur}AN.ŠAR₂{ki}
"Palace of Ashurbanipal, king of the universe, king of Assyria," (Part.)
a+16. ša a-na A[N.ŠAR₂] u₃# {d}nin-lil₂ tak-lu₄
"who trusts in Aššur and Ninlil," (Part.)
a+17. [ša {d}+AG] u₃# {d#}taš#-me#-tu₄# [G]EŠTU-MIN DAGAL-tu₄ iš-ru-ku-uš
"to whom Nabû and Tašmētu granted broad understanding," (Part.)
a+18. i#-hu-zu IGI-MIN na-mir-tu₄ n[i-s]iq ṭup-šar-ru-ti
"who took in with his eyes the choicest of the scribal art," (Part.)
a+19. ša ina LUGAL-MEŠ-ni a-lik mah-ri-ia
"which among the kings who went before me" (Whole.)
a+20. mam₂-ma šip-ru šu-a-tu [l]a i-hu-zu
"no one had acquired that craft —" (Part; line a+21 is not served on the record.)
a+22. [ne₂-me]-eq# {d#}+AG# ti#-kip sa-an-tak-ki ma-la ba-aš₂-mu
"[the wis]dom of Nabû, the whole cuneiform tradition, all that exists —" (Part.)
a+23. [ina ṭup-p]a-a-ni aš₂-ṭur as-niq ab-re-e-ma
"I wrote on tablets, I checked and collated (them)," (Part.)
a+24. [a-na ta-mar]-ti ši-ta-as-si-ia qe₂-reb E₂.GAL-ia u₂-kin
"and set them in the midst of my palace [for my viewing] and reading." (Part.)
a+25. [NIR.GAL₂-Z]U NU TEŠ₂ LUGAL DINGIR-MEŠ AN.ŠAR₂
"'[Trust in him] and do not fear — Aššur, king of the gods.'" (Part.)
a+26. [man-nu ša TUM₃] u₃# lu-u MU-šu₂ it-ti MU-ia i-šaṭ-ṭa-ru
"[Whoever carries this off], or writes his name beside my name —" (Part.)
a+27. [AN.ŠAR₂ u₃ {d}n]in-lil₂ ag-giš ez-zi-iš lis-ki-pu-šu₂-ma
"may [Aššur and Ni]nlil, in raging anger, overthrow him, and" (Part.)
a+28. [MU-šu₂ NUMUN-šu₂] ina# KUR# li-hal-li-qu
"[destroy his name and his seed] in the land." (Part — end of the side, and of the tablet.)
Doors on the face as stated in the header (Böck 2007 credited as edition of record, German; Cavigneaux & Donbaz 2007, French; Macmillan 1906 and Livingstone 2000 credited for their English component treatments; the claim is withheld behind the print-check wave's reconciliation of those two). Published 2026-10-22. A Vigslist translation.
Built 2026-10-22.
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