Interrogation of a temple-serf regarding the legal case against his brother.

A1, the temple administrator (šatammu), and A2, the courtier (ša rēš šarri) and royal supervisor (bēl piqitti) of Eanna, interrogate (qabû) B, a temple-serf (širku) of Ištar regarding accusations brought against the corrupt rent farmer of Eanna C, his brother:

A1 and A2 first ask B if there are (ina pāni bašû) any promissory notes (uˀiltu) for dates or receipts(?) (ḫēpû, lit. “break”) for imposts (imittu) from temple land (eqlu makkūr Bēlti-ša-Uruk u Nanāya), and if so, where (ašar šakāni, wr. a-šar šak-kan) are they?

Additionally, they want to know who is the owner (ša manna) of the baskets (nuhsu, wr. ginu-uh-su) with promissory notes and receipts for property (=lands) that fD, B’s wife, deposited (paqādu) in the house of E, F’s slave?

B swore in the mār banê assembly (puhru) by Bēl, Nabû, and king Darius that the promissory notes and receipts(?) deposited in E’s house by fD, his wife, are not related to temple property and that these are his documents (i.e. relate to his own property).

Later (arku), A1 and A2 interrogated B further why would he not give them (i.e. to the temple) the promissory notes that C, B’s brother, deposited in his care? (ina pāni paqādu). They add that they cannot collect (esēru) the date payments (without these tablets)!

In reply, B states in the mār banê assembly that C deposited the promissory notes and receipts(?) in his care, but also instructed (šapāru) him not to give the promissory notes or receipts(?) to anyone without his consent.

Names of 6 witnesses and the scribe.

A1= Bēl-iddin/Sîn-ēreš//Eppēš-Ili, temple administrator (šatammu) of Eanna; A2= Barīk-ilī, courtier (ša rēš šarri) and royal supervisor (bēl piqitti) of Eanna; B= Iddināya/Innin-šumu-ibni, temple-serf (širku) of Ištar, brother of C, husband of D; C= Gimillu (/Innin-šumu-ibni), brother of B and a known rent farmer (ša muhhi sūti) of the Lady-of-Uruk; fD= fAndia, wife of B; E= Kudurrānu, slave of F; F= Rukanna, master of E