I am Kurash [ "Cyrus" ],
King of the World, Great King, Legitimate King,
King of Babilani, King of Kiengir and Akkade,
King of the four rims of the earth,
Son of Kanbujiya, Great King,
King of Hakhamanish, Grandson of Kurash,
Great king, King of Hakhamanish, descendant of Chishpish,
Great king, King of Hakhamanish,
of a family which always exercised kingship;
whose rule Bel and Nebo love,
whom they want as king to please their hearts.
When I entered Babilani as a friend
and when I established the seat of the government in the palace of the ruler
under jubilation and rejoicing,
Marduk, the great lord, induced the magnanimous inhabitants of Babilani to love me,
and I was daily endeavoring to worship him....
As to the region from as far as Assura and Susa,
Akkade, Eshnunna, the towns Zamban, Me-turnu, Der
as well as the region of the Gutians,
I returned to these sacred cities on the other side of the Tigris the sanctuaries
of which have been ruins for a long time,
the images which used to live therein and established for them permanent sanctuaries.
I also gathered all their former inhabitants and returned them to their habitations.
Furthermore, I resettled upon the command of Marduk, t
he great lord, all the gods of Kiengir and Akkade whom Nabonidus had brought into Babilani
to the anger of the lord of the gods,
unharmed, in their former temples, the places which make them happy. [1]

[. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ] his troops
2 [ . . . . . . . . . . . . four] quarters of the world
3 [ . . . ] a weakling was established as ruler over his land
4 and [ . . . . . ] a similar one he appointed over them,
5 like Esagila he made [ . . . ] to Ur and the rest of the cities,
6 a command dishonoring them [ . . . . . ] he planned daily and in enmity,
7 he caused the daily offering to cease; he appointed [ . . . ] he established within the city.
   The worship of Marduk, king of the gods [ . . . ]
8 he showed hostility toward his city daily[ . . . ] his people;
    he brought all of them to ruin through servitude without rest.
9 On account of their complaints, the lords of the gods became furiously angry and left their land;
    the gods, who dwelt among them, left their homes,
10 in anger over his bringing into Babylon.
     Marduk [ . . . ] to all the dwelling places, which had become ruins,
11 and the people of Sumer and Akkad, who were like corpses [ . . . . ]
     he turned and granted mercy. In all lands everywhere
12 he searched; he looked through them and sought a righteous prince after his own heart,
    whom he took by the hand. He called Cyrus, king of Anshan, by name;
    he appointed him to lordship over the whole world.
13 The land of Qutu, all the Umman-manda, he cast down at his feet.
    The black-headed people, whom he gave his hands to conquer,
14 he took them in justice and righteousness. Marduk, the great lord,
     looked joyously on the caring for his people, on his pious works and his righteous heart.
15 To his city, Babylon, he caused him to go; he made him take the road to Babylon,
     going as a friend and companion at his side.
16 His numerous troops, in unknown numbers, like the waters of a river,marched armed at his side.
17 Without battle and conflict, he permitted him to enter Babylon.
     He spared his city, Babylon, a calamity. Nabonidus, the king, who did
     not fear him, he delivered into his hand.
18 All the people of Babylon, Sumer, and Akkad, princes and governors,fell down before him and kissed his feet.
     They rejoiced in his sovereignty; their faces shone.
19 The lord, who by his power brings the dead to life,
     who amid destruction and injury had protected them, they joyously blessed him, honoring his name.
20 I am Cyrus, king of the world, the great king, the powerful king, king of Babylon,
     king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters of the world,
21 son of Cambyses, the great king, king of the city of Anshan, grandson of Cyrus,
     the great king, king of the city of Anshan; great-grandson of Teispes,
     the great king, king of the city of Anshan;
22 eternal seed of royalty whose rule Bel and Nabu love, in whose administration they rejoice in their heart.
    When I made my triumphal entrance into Babylon,
23 I took up my lordly residence in the royal palace with joy and rejoicing;
    Marduk, the great lord, moved the noble heart of the residents of Babylon to me,
    while I gave daily attention to his worship.
24 My numerous troops marched peacefully into Babylon.
     In all Sumer and Akkad I permitted no enemy to enter.
25 The needs of Babylon and of all its cities I gladly attended to.
     The people of Babylon [and . . . ], and the shameful yoke wasremoved from them. Their dwellings,
26 which had fallen, I restored. I cleared out their ruins. Marduk, the great lord, rejoiced in my pious deeds, and
27 graciously blessed me, Cyrus, the king who worships him, and Cambyses, my own son, and all my troops,
28 while we, before him, joyously praised his exalted godhead. All the kings dwelling in palaces,
29 of all the quarters of the earth, from the Upper to the Lower sea dwelling [ . . . ]
     all the kings of the Westland dwelling in tents
30 brought me their heavy tribute, and in Babylon kissed my feet. From [ . . . ] to Asshur and Susa,
31 Agade, Eshnunak, Zamban, Meturnu, Deri, with the territory of the land of Qutu,
     the cities on the other side of the Tigris, whose sites were of ancient foundation—
32 the gods, who resided in them, I brought back to their places,
     and caused them to dwell in a residence for all time
33 And the gods of Sumer and Akkad—whom Nabonidus, to the anger of the lord of the gods,
     had brought into Babylon—by the command of Marduk, the great lord,
34 I caused them to take up their dwelling in residences that gladdened the heart.
     May all the gods, whom I brought into their cities,
35 pray daily before Bêl and Nabû for long life for me,
     and may they speak a gracious word for me and say to Marduk, my lord, "May Cyrus,
     the king who worships you, and Cambyses, his son,
36 their [ . . . ] I permitted all to dwell in peace [ . . . ]

By Josephus
“Thus says Cyrus the king: Since God Almighty has appointed me to be
king of the habitable earth, I believe that he is the God which the
nation of the Israelites worship; for indeed he foretold my name by
the prophets, and that I should build him a house at Jerusalem, in the
country of Judah” (Antiquities 11.1.1).

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