ful in the sight of the
King your Lord? Thus this ruler beseeches me, 'Let a supplicant be
protected, for he is disputing my chief city with me.' And if you do as is
asserted, and not according to all the messages that I send against these
things, you are hindering the King traitorously. So will be understood all
that has been said.

"And now a certain Chief hears of a gathering with the Chief of the city
of _Ciidsa_ (Kadesh on Orontes, the capital of the southern Hittites);
devising hostilities, ready to fight, you have made alliance. And if so,
why dost thou so? Why should a chief foregather with a chief save that he
is on his side? But if you cause what is assured to be done, and you
respect the orders to yourself and to him, I say nothing more as to the
messages you formerly made (and) as to what was pretended by you in them.
But thou art not on the side of the King thy Lord.

"Lo! this is the message, that their fortress burns in flames through
(your burning?) and thou ragest against everything grievously. But if thou
dost service to the King thy Lord, what is it that I will not do to
interceding with the King? If then thou ragest against everything, I make
God my witness; and if you persist, God is my witness, that messages of
war (will be) in your midst, and by the might of the King thou diest, and
as many as are with thee.

"But do service to the King thy Lord and live. And thou thyself knowest
that the King does not deem needful a subjection of the land of
Canaan.(203) So he is wroth. And as I sent, truly was commanded me of the
King my Lord this year and not ... in another year. My son (this)
contumacy in the sight of the King thy Lord is vain.

"And now the King thy Lord is anxious as to thee this year. If it is
difficult for thee to come, then send thy son. And thou beholdest a King
at whose commands many lands tremble: and dost not thou (fear?): thus
truly is ordered this year concerning us; failing to go to the presence of
the King thy Lord, send thy son to the King thy Lord as a hostage, and let
him not delay at all.

"And now the King thy Lord hears, for I send to the King. Thus truly has
the King commanded me--Khanni--a second time a messenger of the King. Truly
it is to fetch to his hands men who are the foes of his house. Behold now
I have been sent, as they are troublous; and moreover thou shalt bind
them, and shalt not leave one among them. Now I am desired by the King thy
Lord to name the men