Amarna tablets: Letter from
Burnaburiash, king of Babylon, to Amenhotep IV
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Letter from Burnaburiash of Karduniash
EA 7 To Napkhururia [1],
Great King, king of Egypt, thus speaks Burnaburiash, Great King, king of
Karaduniash [2], your brother. I and my house, my horses and my
chariots, my notables and my land, we are well. May well-being reign over
my brother and his house, his horses and his cars, his notables and his
land.
From the day on which the envoy of my brother arrived
before me, my body has not been well, and his envoy has never eaten or
drunk before me. See, if you question your envoy, he cannot tell you that
my body is not well, and ... And as my body is not well and my brother ...
I vented my anger with my brother with the following
words: Should my brother not know that I am ill? Why has he not supported
my head? Why has he not worried and sent his messengers?
The envoy of my brother has spoken thus: The way is not short, so that
your brother can find out and send you greetings. The passage is long to
your brother. Who can inform him, so that he sends a greeting to you
quickly? He next spoke thus: Question your messenger if
the passage is not long... As I asked my messenger, and
he said that the way was long, no longer make I my brother the object of
my anger. As one has said that in the land of my brother
there is everything, and that my brother lacks nothing, of everything
there is also in my land, and I lack nothing. For a long time we have had
good relations between us kings, and we exchange greetings. These
relations between us must remain... Only, four
mines [3] of beautiful lapis lazuli have I sent to my brother as a
gift, and also five teams of horses. When the times are good, I will send
with my future messengers many beautiful gifts, and anything that my
brother wishes, he can write ... I have started an
undertaking, and for this reason I write to my brother. My brother should
send me much gold, that I need for my work. But the gold that my brother
sends me, do not leave it to some official. Let the eyes of my brother
inspect it, and let my brother seal it and send it! Because as far as the
previous gold is concerned, which my brother did not inspect personally,
but which was sealed and sent by an official of my brother, of the 40
mines which I put in the furnace, there was barely anything of value left.
And with regards to Salmu, my envoy, twice has his
caravan been plundered. Once it was plundered by Biriazama, and his other
caravan by Pamahu, a governor of a land that belongs to you. And this
matter, my brother, you must put right! When my envoy appears before my
brother, then let also appear Salmu. His ... has to be returned to him,
and the damages have to be made good.
[1] Napkhururia: Amenhotep IV
Nefer-khepru-re [2] Babylon [3]
about four pounds
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