22 B. M.—“To _Amanabba_(260) ... as a letter, thus says this _Ribadda_ thy servant. I bow at my Lord’s feet. The God _Amen_ and _Baalath_ of _Gebal_ have established your power in the presence of the King my Lord. To what purpose is thy messenger with me to go to the King your Lord? And may I indeed expect horses and chariots to be ordered of thee? Will not you fortify the city? And this is heard by your message, and I am sincere, but the covenant is mocked and no soldiers are heard of with it. And they have routed the ... The city of _Batruna_ (_Batrûn_) is his; and bloody soldiers and chariots have established themselves in the midst of the city, and I had lain in wait for them outside the great pass of the city of _Gebal_(261) ... to the King my Lord ... with thee the soldiers of the prefect ... chariots and ... here with ...”
45 B. begins with the usual salutation, and continues: “The King my Lord will be sad. Why will you not send him to me? Behold I have no ruler over my fugitives. The city of _Simyra_ they have (shut up?); all have turned on me: and two chiefs of the land of Egypt, who travelled from the palace, went not forth. No man has travelled to the King who might carry my letter to the palace. Now these two chiefs brought us letters for the King, and the two have not gone forth, as being now afraid, and (refusing?) to my face ... I send to the palace (or capital), and _Azru_ (_Aziru?_) is laying snares, gathering soldiers: has not _Abdasherah_ marched with whatever he had? As I am told they will send friendly messages to my Lord, but thou wilt say ‘Why do ye send friendly messages to me when you refuse my message?’(262)
“I have been afraid of the snare. _Azaru_ (is) like ... Lo! I am strong through the King ... The sons of _Abdasherah_—the slave dog—have pretended that the cities of the governments of the King are given to them—our cities. The fortress has not opened to _Aziru_ ... O King as to their cities are they not subject to them? From the city Simyra, to the city _Ullaza_, the city _Sapi_(263) ... chariots ... land of Egypt ... from their hands for me. So now I am despatching this chief: he has left: do I not send to the King? Now the two chiefs of the land of Egypt, they whom you sent us remain with me, and have not gone out, since no soldiers are (intended for?) me, and ... the lands for the men of blood. And since the King’s heart altogether has forgotten my Egyptian soldiers (_bitati_) I send to _Yankhamu_ and to _Biri_. They have taken those that were with the governors. Lo! may the land of the _Amorites_ become (their) conquest. The corn which they have threshed for me has been stored up, a part of the whole with my ... and one part with me; and ... the King will order ... we ... all whatever breathes; (it is not right to shut them up?) for the King; he is not coming to him: the chief must help himself to what was ordered to be stored up for the King. The King shall order a memorial as to the innocence of his servant. And as to the produce of the city O King there is none at all with me; all is finished from being distributed for (my own subsistence?). But as to this chief, the King will order him as I trust, and will give us men of garrison for ... to guard his faithful servant and his chief city, and the men of _Nubia_ who are with us, as those who are your foes (exult?). Moreover behold (much to say?) ... Thinking this, I shall send to the palace for a garrison—men of _Nubia_ ... The King will ... men of garrison ... of the land of _Nubia_ for its guarding, you will not ... this city to the men of blood.”