The story which the tablet contains appears to be the building of some
great temple tower, apparently by command of a king. The gods are angry at
the work, and so to put an end to it they confuse the speech of the
builders. The tablet is in a very broken condition, only a few lines being
in any way complete.

The late Mr. George Smith has given a translation of the legend in his
work on Chaldean Genesis, and I have published the text and translation in
the fifth volume of "Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology."

LEGEND OF THE TOWER OF BABEL

COLUMN I

1 ...[1] them the father.
2 (The thoughts) of his heart were evil
3 ...[1] the father of all the gods[2] he turned from.
4 (The thoughts) of his heart were evil[3]
5 ...[1] Babylon corruptly to sin went and
6 small and great mingled on the mound.[4]
7 ...[1] Babylon corruptly to sin went and
8 small and great mingled on the mound.

[Footnote 1: Lacunae.]

[Footnote 2: A title of Anu.]

[Footnote 3: Refers to the king who caused the people to sin.]

[Footnote 4: The verb used here is the same as in Gen. xi. 7, [Hebrew:
bll].]

COLUMN II

1 The King of the holy mound[1] ...[2]
2 In front and Anu lifted up ...[2]
3 to the good god his father..,[2]
4 Then his heart also ...[2]
5 which carried a command ...[2]
6 At that time also ...[2]
7 he lifted it up ...[3]
8 Davkina.
9 Their (work) all day they founded
10 to their stronghold[4] in the night
11 entirely an end he made.
12 In his anger also the secret counsel he poured out
13 to scatter (abroad) his face he set
14 he gave a command to make strange their speech[5]
15 ...[6] their progress he impeded
16 ...[6]the altar

(Column III is so broken only a few words remain, so I have omitted it.)

[Footnote 1: A title of Anu.]

[Footnote 2: Lacunae.]

[Footnote 3: All these broken lines relate to council of gods?]

[Footnote 4: The tower.]

[Footnote 5: "Uttaccira--melic-su-nu," "make hostile their council."]

[Footnote 6: Lacunae.]

COLUMN IV [Footnote: Relates to the destruction of the tower by a storm.]

1 In (that day)
2 he blew and ...[1]
3 For future time the mountain ...[1]
4 Nu-nam-nir[2] went ...[1]
5 Like heaven and earth he spake ...[1]
6 His ways they went ...[1]
7 Violently they fronted against him [3]
8 He saw them and to the earth (descended)
9 When a stop he did not make
10 of the gods ...[1]