§1
Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord, [and the gods of Ḫatti,] my [lords!] Muršili, [Great King], your servant, sent to me (the command), "Go! Speak thusly to [the Storm] God of Ḫatti, my lord, and to the gods, my lords! What is this you have done? You let a plague into the midst of the land of Ḫatti! It is very greatly oppressed. Previously my father and my brother each died. Then I became priest to the gods. Now for these 20 years a dying has been going on before me." Because a dying is going on in the midst of Ḫatti, the plague is in no way expelled? from the land of Ḫatti. Will I not overcome the worry within (me)? Furthermore, will I not overcome the anguish in (my) soul?
§2
Moreover, wherever I celebrated the festivals, I went back before all the gods. I did not miss? a single temple. I made a prayer to all the gods concerning the plague. I kept making recitations? [to you] - ["Oh gods,] my [lords,] hear [me]! [Send] the plague [away from the land of] Ḫatti! [May] it [. . . not] overcome [the city of Ḫattuša]!" [From whatever matter the land of Ḫatti is] dying, "May he either establish it (by oracle), or [may I see] it [in a dream, or] let [an oracle] speak it!" But the gods [did not listen] to me. The plague did not abate [in the midst of the land of] Ḫatti. [And the land of Ḫatti] is [very greatly oppressed].
§3
The [few] thick bread men and libation pourers of the gods who were [making offerings] died. [. . . The matter] became important. Of the gods [. . . I inquired by oracle. I found] two old tablets. One tablet is of [a ritual of the Mala River.] Former kings always? [held] the ritual of the Mala River for plague. [Now] while from the days of my father [there has been a dying] in the land of Ḫatti, we have in no way celebrated the ritual of the Mala River.
§4
The second tablet is of the town of Kuruštama, when the Storm God of Ḫatti carried the men of the town of Kuruštama into the land of Egypt. When the Storm God of Ḫatti made an oath for the men of Ḫatti concerning them, again it is an obligation from the Storm God of Ḫatti! Because the men of Ḫatti and the men of Egypt had been made to swear an oath by the Storm God of Ḫatti, the men of Ḫatti came to take preeminence. The men of Ḫatti quickly transgressed the oath of the god. My father sent troops (and) chariots, and they struck the land of Amka, the border land of Egypt. Again he sent (them). Again they attacked. When the men of Egypt were afraid, they came and they strongly desired a son from my father for kingship. When my father sent a son of his to them, as they escorted him, they killed him. My father was enraged. He went into the land of Egypt, and he struck the land of Egypt. He killed the troops and chariotry of the land of Egypt. Then, too, the Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord, judged in favor of my father in the case. He conquered the troops and chariotry of the land of Egypt, and he killed them. But then, when they brought back into the land of Ḫatti the men whom he took, a plague broke out in the midst of the prisoners, and they began to die.
§5
When the prisoners arrived in the midst of the land of Ḫatti, the prisoners brought a plague into the land of Ḫatti. From that day there has been a dying in the midst of the land of Ḫatti. When I found this tablet of the land of Egypt, I investigated it by oracle by means of the god: "Why is this matter proceeding from the Storm God of Ḫatti?" Because the men of Egypt and the men of Ḫatti are in an obligation from the Storm God of Ḫatti, and because the domestic goddesses are in the midst of the temple of the Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord. Verily the men of Ḫatti quickly transgressed the matter; "How did he bring anger to the Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord?"
§6
I investigated the ritual of the [River Mala] by oracle for the plague. Then, too, it was established for me to step before the Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord. So I have now turned the sin [from before the Storm God.] It is so! We did [it!] [. . . it] is [not] occurring in my time, [it is] occurring from the time of my father [. . .] on the contrary I know. [. . .] the matter. The Storm God of Ḫatti [. . .] angry [. . .] a dying is going on. [. . .] (Break)
§7'
[. . .] obey! Expel the plague [from the land of Ḫatti!]
§8'
[When] I inquired by oracle, [then] what words were established [for me], I will [give it for indemnification. . . .] I will give it for indemnification. What [was established by the god] for the plague, the ritual [. . .] for the Storm God of Ḫatti [. . .] I offered. [. . .] I offered. [. . .] to you, Storm God of Ḫatti [. . .] Because the ritual of the River Mala was established for me [for the plague], and because I am about to celebrate (it) for the River Mala, may you, Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord, and gods, my lords, let back the ritual of the River Mala for me! Let me perform the ritual of the River [Mala]! Let me celebrate it! For what matter I am doing it for the plague, take pity on me oh gods, my lords! Abate the plague in the midst of the land of Ḫatti!
§9'
Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord, (and) gods, my lords, just so it occurs - sinning. My father, too, sinned. He transgressed the word of the Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord. But I did not sin in any way. Just so it occurs. The sin of the father reaches his son. The sin of my father reached me. I will now turn it before the Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord, and the gods, my lords. It is so! We did it! Because I am turning the sin of my father, therefore may the spirit be pacified for the Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord, and the gods, my lords. Further, take pity on me! Further, send away the plague from the land of Ḫatti! Whatever few thick bread men and libation pourers are working, do not let them die on me!
§10'
I am about to send up a prayer to the Storm God, my lord, for the plague. Her me, oh Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord! Save me! Thus to you [. . .] A bird again takes hold of a thicket?, and the thicket saves him. If either something is difficult for some servant, and he makes a plea to his lord, and his lord hears him, and [he takes pity] on him, what is difficult becomes good; or if a sin (exists) for some servant, and he turns the sin from before his lord, because his lord will then make him, he makes him. Because he turns the sin from before his lord, the spirit is pacified for his lord, and his lord does not hold it against that servant. I turned the sin of my father. It is so! I did it! [If] there is some compensation, because formerly, too, from that plague [. . .] what captives they brought from the land of Egypt, and what civilian deportees [they brought], because this city of Ḫattuša gave compensation by means of the plague, [it compensated] twenty times over already, in the same way it will occur. Is the spirit not at all pacified for the Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord, [and] the gods, my lords? If either you bind some special compensation on me, or may you speak it to me in a dream, I will give it to you!
§11'
I will keep praying to you, Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord. Grant life to me! [And if] perhaps from this matter a dying is occurring, while I am making it better, what thick bread men and libation pourers of the gods are working, therefore may they not die! [Further,] if from some other matter the dying is occuring, either let me see it by means of a dream, or establish it by means of an oracle, or may an oracle speak it, or because I command all the priests, and they sleep in a consecrated (state), too, save me, Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord! May the gods, my lords, reveal (their) divine providence! Then let someone see it in a dream. From what matter there is a dying occurring, may he find it! We will put in order (that of?) the needle? from the cushioned seat. Save me, Storm God of Ḫatti, my lord! Further, expel the plague from the land of Ḫatti!
Colophon
1 tablet, (text) complete. [When] Muršili [. . . made a prayer] for the plague [. . .]
