EA 254: "Neither Rebel nor Delinquent (2)" EA 254, letter three of three. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation, and
English from French.)
Obverse: See here;
Line drawing, [https://cdli.ucla.edu/dl/lineart/P271197_l.jpg :(Lines 1-5)–'''To the king, my lord and my Sun: Thus
Lab'ayu, your servant and the dirt on which you tread. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord and my Sun, 7 times and 7 times.''' :(6-10)–
I have obeyed (i.e. heard) the orders that the king wrote to me. Who am I that the king should lose his land on account of me? :(10-15)–
The fact is that I am a loyal servant of the king! I am not a rebel and I am not delinquent in duty.1
I have not held back my payments of tribute; I have not held back anything requested by my commissioner. :(16-29)–
He denounces me unjustly,3
but the king, my lord, does not examine my (alleged) act of rebellion. Bottom & Reverse: See here;
Line drawing, [https://cdli.ucla.edu/dl/lineart/P271197_l.jpg :(Lines 20-29)–
Moreover, my act of rebellion is this: when I entered Gazru, I kept on saying, "Everything of mine the king takes, but where is what belongs to Milkilu?" I know the actions3
of Milkilu against me! :(30-37)–
Moreover, the king wrote for my son.4 '''I did not know that my son was consorting with the
'Apiru. I herewith hand him over to
Addaya.''' :(38-46)–
Moreover, how, if the king wrote to me, "Put a bronze dagger into your heart and die," how could I not.. Left Side :(46)
..execute the order of the king?5–(complete EA 254, with no
lacunae, lines 1-46) ==The
Habiru/
'Apiru==