in his petition: ‘Send him away from my gate (he says); he is robbing me and disputes with me in my chief city.’[1] And I have heard this and much beside which they have said to me as I now speak to say.
“Thou hast sent to the King thy Lord (saying thus), ‘I am thy servant as all former guardians[2] who have been in this city.’ And you do well to say thus. (But) I hear so to say a ruler of ours whose petition (is), ‘Send him away from my gate, (he is) out of his city.’ And in the city Zituna (Sidon) he abides, and has subjected himself among chiefs who are governors; and, though certainly knowing what is said, thou dost not confess the persecution of these chiefs. If thou art, as is assured, a servant of the King, how is his cutting off lawful 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.
- ↑ In each case “gate” might be rendered “port,” as both of the cities had famous ports.
- ↑ The word “Khazanu,” commonly used in these letters for a ruling class, apparently native, and in communication with the “Paka,” or “head man,” who was Egyptian, appears to come from a root which means “to treasure.” The word “Khazanutu” appears to mean “a government.”
