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The Behistun inscription
Relief at Behistun. Photo Ab Langereis. The Behistun relief
 Behistun or Bisotun: town in Iran, site of several ancient monuments, including a famous inscription by the Persian king Darius I the Great (522- 486 BCE), the great organizer of the Achaemenid empire.

On these pages, you can find drawings, a translitteration and an adapted version of the King/Thompson translation of the inscription.

  
 

Column 5, lines 27-36
Sakan king Skunkha. Behistun relief. Photo Ab Langereis.
Skunkha
  1. âšim \ avâjanam \ mathištašâm \ Skuxa \ nâma \ avam \ aga
  2. rbâya \ utâ \ anaya \ abiy \ mâm \ avadâ \ aniyam \ math
  3. ištam \ akunavam \ yathâ \ mâm \ kâma \ âha \ pasâva \ da
  4. hyâuš \ manâ \ abava \ thâtiy Dârayavauš \ xšâya
  5. thiya \ avaiy \ Sakâ \ arikâ \ âha \ utâ \ naiy \ Auramazd
  6. âšâm \ ayadiya \ Aurmazdâm \ ayadaiy \ vašnâ \ Aurama
  7. zdâha \ yathâ \ mâm \ kâma \ avathâdiš \ akunavam \ thât
  8. iy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ hya \ Auramazdâm \ yadâta
  9. iy \ avahyâ \ yânam \ ahatiy \ utâ \ jîvahyâ \ utâ
  10. \ martahyâ
(74b) [Another] chief of them, by name Skunkha, they seized and led to me. Then I made another their chief, as was my desire. Then the province became mine.

(75) King Darius says: Those Scythians were faithless and Ahuramazda was not worshipped by them. I worshipped Ahuramazda; by the grace of Ahuramazda I did unto them according to my will.

(76) King Darius says: [Whoso shall worship] Ahuramazda, [divine blessing will be upon him, both while] living and [when dead.]
 
 
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