Full text of "Early Turkish Inscriptions"

Cambridge UNIVERSITY PRESS SPAS UnlvenHy of Landvn The Orkhon Inscriptions: Being a Translation of Professor Vilhelm Thomsen's Final Danish Rendering Author(s): E. Denison Ross and Vilhelm Thomsen Reviewed work(s): Source: Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies , University of London , Vol. 5, No. 4 (1930), pp. 861-876 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the School of Oriental and African Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/607024 Accessed: 03/03/2013 15:43 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http ://www.j stor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms .j sp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. Cambridge University Press and School of Oriental and African Studies are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London. STOR http ://www.j stor.org THE OBKHON INSCRIPTIONS Being a Translation of Professor Vilhelm Thomsen's final Danish rendering By E. Denison Ross rpHE two famous monuments known as the Orkhon Inscriptions, erected in honour of the two Turkish princes, Kiil-Tegin and his brother Bilga Kagan, though mentioned in Chinese histories, remained forgotten and ignored down to quite recent times. They stand near the Lake Kocho Tsaidam, to the west of the River Orkhon, about 50 miles north of the monastery of Erdentso (the site of the ancient city of Kara Korum), and about 25 miles to the north-west of the ruins of the capital of the Uighurs, Kara-Balgassun. They are two great square monoliths, which originally reposed in two sockets. Both these sockets are still in their original position, but the monuments have been thrown down, with the result that Monument II is in four pieces. They contain long Turkish inscriptions in Runic characters on three sides, and on one side (the western) the inscription is in Chinese. The Chinese inscriptions are very beautifully cut; the Runic inscriptions, which are also probably the work of the Chinese stone¬ cutters, are less elegant. It may be mentioned that the Chinese inscriptions differ entirely in their contents from the Turkish. In 1896 the late Vilhelm Thomsen, of Copenhagen, published his first decipherment and translation into French 1 of these Runic inscriptions, which are of the greatest historical importance for the early history of the Turks. In 1922, in the third volume of his collected essays, 2 he published an entirely new translation into Danish of these inscriptions, his researches in the interval having thrown a great deal of new light, both linguistic and historical, on the interpretation of these texts. No rendering of these famous inscriptions has hitherto appeared in English, although a full translation was published by H. H. Schaeder in the ZDMG., Neue Folge, Bd. iii, 1924. I thought it would be of interest to readers of our Bulletin to know what were the contents of these remarkable monuments, erected respectively in a.d. 732 and 735. Professor Thomsen also published at the same time a new translation of the Tonyukuk inscription found near the other two, and of this I hope to publish an English version in a future number. 1 Inscriptions de VOrkhon, Helsingfors, 1896. 2 Samlede Afhandlinger, vol. iii, Copenhagen, 1922. 862 E. DENISON ROSS— Translation of Monuments I and II (1) South side of Monument I (I S) = North side of Monument II (II N) IS l I, the God-like, Heaven-bred Turkish Wise [Bilga] Kagan, I II S l have mounted my throne (?). Hear from the beginning to the end of my words, first and foremost Ye my younger brothers, my brother’s and my sister’s sons (?) and my young princes, and then all Ye my kindred and my people, Ye Shadapit-begs on the right, Ye Tarkans I S 2 and Buyruk-begs on the left, Otuz—[“ Thirty ”—] (Tartars ? . . .) begs and peoples of the Tokuz—[“ Nine ”—] Oguzes ! Harken well to these my words, give close heed to them ! Towards the East, towards the sun’s rising, towards the South, towards the mid-day, II N 2 towards the West, towards the sun’s setting, towards the North, towards the mid-night—let all peoples within this [circle] listen to I S 3 me ; so far around have I disposed all the peoples. So long as the Turkish kagan rules in the forest of Mount Otiikan without the wickedness of to-day the kingdom suffers no ill. To the East I have made campaigns as far as the Shantung plain, and almost reached the II N 3 sea ; to the South I have made campaigns as far as Tokuz-Ersin (?) and almost reached Tibet; to the West I have made campaigns beyond Yenchii-iiguz [“ The Pearl River ”] as far as Tamir-kapig I S 4 [“ The Iron Gate ”]; to the North I have made campaigns as far as the land of the Yer-Bayirku’s. To all these lands have I led [the Turks]. The forest of Mount Otiikan has no [foreign] overlord ; the forest of Mount Otiikan is the place wherefrom the kingdom is held together. I S 5 While I have ruled here, I have become reconciled with the Chinese IIN 4 people. The Chinese people, who give in abundance gold, silver, millet (?), and silk (?), have always used ingratiating words and have at their disposal enervating riches. While ensnaring them with their ingratiating talk and enervating riches, they have drawn the far- dwelling peoples nearer to themselves. But after settling down near I S 6 them these have come to see their cunning. The good and shrewd men, the good and stout men, however, they have not shaken ; and even if a man have fallen away from [us], they have not succeeded in leading astray the sober ones within his kindred or his people. IIN 5 But by letting yourselves be snared by their ingratiating talk and enervating riches, many of you, Turkish folk, have gone to destruction. When some among you, Turkish folk, said : “ I will settle in the South, but not in the forest of Mount Chugay, but in the plain,” then the I S 7 wicked men encouraged this party among you, Turkish folk, in this THE ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS 863 wise : “ When they are far away they give bad gifts ; when they are II N 6 near they give good gifts.” Thus did they urge them on. The foolish persons were taken by these words, and went down to their neighbour¬ hood, whereby many among you have come to destruction. “ If thou I S 8 then go forth to that land, 0 Turkish nation, thou wilt come to destruction ; but if thou stay in the land of Otiikan, and send out caravans, thou wilt never suffer any need. If thou stay on in the mountain forest of Otiikan, thou shalt ever hold an everlasting kingdom, 0 Turkish nation, and thou shalt be full-fed. When thou art hungry, thou dost not remember what fullness is ; but once thou I S 9 art full-fed, thou hast no thought of what hunger is.” Without giving IIN 7 heed to the words of your kagan, of him who, thanks to those of like mind among you, has set you on your feet—ye have wandered forth from place to place, and ye have all there languished and suffered need. Those among you that have stayed behind there have all had to go on from place to place, to life or death. Under the will of Heaven, and for that it was my high calling, I became kagan. After having I S 10 become kagan I gathered together the whole luckless people ; the poor people I have made rich, the people small in numbers I have IIN 8 made a numerous one. Or is there, perhaps, any untruth in these my words ? Turkish begs and peoples, harken unto this ! How thou, 0 Turkish people, hast preserved the kingdom (through being obedient ?), I have here written down ; how thou hast been divided up, when thou wast faithless, I have here set forth. All that I had to I S 11 say to you I have written down on this memorial stone [literally, the everlasting stone]. Having obeyed this, ye Turkish peoples and begs now living, ye begs that up to now have been obedient to the throne, could you indeed wish to be found wanting ? (2) I (have had) the memorial stone (hewn ?). From the Chinese Emperor I have had artists to come, and have set them to work. I S 12 My request has not been refused (?). They have sent the Chinese Emperor’s court painters. I have bidden them set up a separate [or excelling ?] hall, and inside and out I have had them to make various (?) [remarkable ?] paintings. I have had the stone hewn ; that which lay in my heart to utter I have (had written . .). Understand to see [ : to read ?] this (. . . ?) all as far as the suns and subjects of the Ten Arrows. 1 I have had the memorial stone I S 13 hewn. For those of you (?) who might have been withdrawing [into 1 It is interesting to note that the combination ung which Thomsen following Radloff originally read as unug = beloved, he now reads as on og or the Ten Arrows. VOL. v. part IV. 56 864 E. DENISON ROSS— winter camp ?], or from barren (?) places striving towards grazing- ground, I have had this memorial stone hewn in a barren (?) place, and have written this. When ye see it, then know so much : this stone I have (. . . .). He that has written this inscription is his sister’s son (?) Yolig Tegin. The East Side (I and II E) (3) When the blue sky above and the dark earth below were made, II E 3 then were made between them both the sons of men. Over the sons of men set themselves [as rulers] my forbears Bumin kagan and Istami kagan, and having set themselves [as rulers] they governed and kept I E 2 in order the Turkish peoples’ kingdoms and polity. All [the peoples in] the four quarters of the world were foes to them ; but they waged wars against them and overcame all the peoples in the four quarters of the world, made them keep the peace and bow their head and bend their knee. Towards the East they made them settle as far as the mountain II E 4 forest of Kadirkan, to the West as far as Tamir-kapig [: “ The Iron I E 3 Grate ”). Over so great a distance did they rule between [these] two [extremes], bringing order to the “ blue ” Turks [kok Turk], who were without lord and without any tribal [organization]. They were wise kagans, they were stout-hearted ; also their buyruk’s [: high officials] were wise, were stout-hearted. Both begs and peoples were united. I E 4 Therefore were they able to govern so great a realm, to bring order into the political body. According as their fate was laid down so they died. To witness the funeral and take part in the mourning there II E 5 came from the East, from the sun’s rising, the far-off Bokli (?)—nation, the Chinese, the Tibetans, Apar (?), Apurum (?), the Kirghiz, the Uch—[: “ Three ”—] Kurikans, the Otuz—(“ Thirty ”—) Tatars, the Kitays, Tatabi—so many nations came to take part in the mourning and funeral. Such illustrious kagans they were. After them I E 5 their younger brothers became kagans, and their sons became kagans ; but the younger brothers were now not like their elder brothers, the II E 6 sons were not like their fathers. It was incapable kagans that mounted the throne, it was bad kagans ; their buyruks were likewise incapable I E 6 and they were bad. Because of want of harmony between the begs and the people, and because of the Chinese people’s cunning and craft and its intrigues, and because the younger and the elder brothers chose to take counsel against one another and bring discord between begs and IIE 7 people, they brought the old realm of the Turkish people to dissolution, I E 7 and brought destruction on its lawful kagans. The sons of the nobles THE ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS 865 became the bondsmen of the Chinese people, their unsullied daughters became its slaves. The Turkish begs gave up their Turkish names [or titles ?], and bearing the Chinese names [titles ?] of Chinese begs they IE 8 obeyed the Chinese Emperor, and served him during fifty years. II E 8 For him they waged war in the East towards the sun’s rising, as far as Bokli kagan, in the West they made expeditions as far as Tamir- kapig (“ The Iron Gate ”) ; for the Chinese Emperor they conquered I e 9 kingdoms and power. The whole of the common Turkish people said thus : 44 I have been a nation that had its own kingdom ; where is now my kingdom ? For whom do I win the kingdoms ? ” said they. 4 4 1 have been a people that had its own kagan ; where is my kagan ? II E 9 Which kagan is it I serve ? ” they said. Speaking in this wise they rose I E 10 up against the Chinese Emperor ; but as they, having risen up, had not been able to put themselves in order and take proper thought, they once more submitted. All these were [not only] not minded to give [us] help, but [even] said : 44 Let us [rather] slay the Turkish people and root it out ” ; but they went [themselves] to meet II E 10 destruction. But the Turks’ Heaven above, and the Turks holy I E ll Yer-sub did as follows : to the end that the Turkish people should not perish but that it should [again] become a people, they raised up my father Elterish kagan and my mother Elbilga katun, supporting them from the heights of Heaven. My father the kagan went forth I E 12 with seventeen men. When they heard the tidings that he was going forth outside [China], they that were in the towns went out, and they that were on the mountains came down from them, and when they II E ll gathered together they were seventy men. As Heaven gave them strength, my father, the kagan’s army was as wolves, and their foes as sheep. Making marches East and West, he gathered people and I E 13 brought them together, and there came to be in all seven hundred men. When there had come to be seven hundred men he set the people in order in consonance with my forefathers’ institutions, the people that had lost its realms and its kagan, the people that had become II E 12 thralls and slave-women, the people whose Turkish institutions had I E 14 been broken up, and he put heart into them. He now brought order into the Tolish peoples and the Tardush peoples, and gave them a yabgu and a shad. To the south the Chinese people was our foe, to the North Baz kagan and the people of the Tokuz [ 4< Nine ”] Oguz’s were our foes ; Kirghiz, kurikans, Otuz [ 44 Thirty ”] Tatars, Kitays I E 15 and Tatabis—they were all hostile to us ; (with) all these (had) IIE 13 my father the kagan (to fight ?). Forty-seven times he went 866 E. DENISON BOSS— campaigning, and fought in twenty fights. By the will of Heaven we took from them that had a kingdom their kingdom, and them that had a kagan we robbed of their kagan ; he made the foes to keep the peace, and made them bow their head and bend their knee. After I E 16 having won so great a kingdom and such great power he died. Instead of my father the kagan we raised up Baz kagan as first balbal. (4) 1 So my father’s brother the kagan took over the government. Having mounted the throne, my father’s brother the kagan organized anew I E 17 the Turkish people, and set it on its feet; the poor he made rich, those that were few he made many. When my father’s brother the kagan had mounted the throne I myself became shad over the Tardush people (5). Together with my father’s brother the kagan I took the field eastwards as far as the Green Biver \yasil ugiiz] and the Shantung plain ; westwards we made campaigns as far as Tamir-kapig; as far I E 18 as the Kirghiz land beyond Kogman we made campaigns. Altogether we made twenty-five campaigns and fought thirteen times. From them that had a kingdom we took away their kingdom ; them that had a kagan we robbed of their kagan ; we made them bend their IIE 16 knee and bow their head. The Tiirgish kagan was of my Turks, my I E 19 people. Because of his foolishness, and because he was filled with deceit towards us he was slain and his buyruks and begs were slain. The people of the Ten Arrows suffered evil. So that the land governed by our forbears should not be without a lord, we set in order the people that was small in numbers [? or : the Az people ?] (. . . . ) IE 20 who was Bar’s beg; we gave him here the title of kagan, and gave IIE 17 him the princess my younger sister to wed. But they were faithless, the kagan was slain, and the people became thralls and slave-women. So that the land Kogman should not be left without a lord, we came, after setting Az-og (?) the Kirghiz people in order, and fought, but I E 21 we gave them (their independence ?) back again. So far as the other side of the mountain forest of Kadirkan in the East, we let the people dwell, and organized it; so far as Kangii-tarman in the West we let IIE 18 the Turkish people dwell, and organized it. At that time the slaves themselves had slaves, the slave-women themselves had slave-women ; the younger brother knew nought of the elder brother, the sons knew nought of their father. So great was the kingdom and the dominion II E 19 which we had won and organized. But, Turkish and Oguz begs and 1 It was a custom of the Turks to set up stones round the tomb of a fallen prince, each stone representing an enemy he had slain during his lifetime. Such stones were called balbal. THE ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS 867 people, hearken to this ! Did not Heaven above fall down, or the earth below open, who could then have destroyed thy kingdom and I E 23 thy might ? Turkish peoples ! Tremble and go into thyself ! It is thou thyself that has been deceitful and acted cravenly towards thy wise kagan, who through thy obedience had raised thee up, and brought thee to thy goodly realm, which had been free and independent. Whence came, indeed, armoured men and split thee up ? Whence, indeed, came lance-bearing men and dragged thee away ? Thou people from the holy Otiikan mountain-forest, it was thou thyself that went IE 24 forth ! Some of you went eastwards, others of you went westwards ; II E 20 but in those lands whither ye went ye attained only to this, that your blood flowed in streams and your bones lay like mountains. Your nobles’ sons became thralls, your unsullied daughters became slave- women. Through your foolishness and cowardice my father’s brother I E 25 the kagan found his death. As the first one I had the Kirghiz kagan raised to be balbal. Heaven, which, so that the name and fame of II E 21 the Turkish people should not perish, had raised up my father the kagan and my mother the katun, Heaven, which had given them the kingdom—this same Heaven, so that the name and fame of the I E 26 Turkish people should not perish, has now appointed me as kagan. I did not become a ruler over a flourishing (?) people ; I became the ruler of a people which within was without food and outside was without clothing, a wretched and weak people. Together with my II E 22 younger brother Kiil tegin did I deal with this. So that the people’s name and fame won by my father and my father’s brother might not I E 27 perish, for the sake of the Turkish people, I have not slept by night, and by day not found rest. Together with my younger brother Kill tegin, and with the two shads I have toiled unto death. By so toiling I have brought the peoples to not being as fire and water [: disunited] I E 28 (After I had mounted the throne as kagan ?) those peoples that had II E 23 gone forth far around came back, dying, without horses, and without clothing. That I might set the people up I (undertook) twelve (expeditions) with great armies, northwards against the Oguz people, to the East against the Kitay and Tatabi peoples, to the South against I E 29 the Chinese, and I fought ( . times). By the will of Heaven, and because I was greatly deserving and it so brought it about, I brought the dying people back to life ; for the naked people I found clothing, II E 24 the poor people I made rich, the scanty people I made numerous. I have made the other, which has a kingdom and a kagan, to stand I E 30 higher. All the peoples in the four quarters of the world I have brought 868 E. DENISON ROSS— to keeping the peace and making an end of hostilities ; they all have obeyed me (6), and serve me. After having done so much for the power of the kingdom, my brother Kill tegin died by the decree of fate. At my father the kagan’s death my brother Kul tegin was (left behind at the age of) seven years. (At ten years of age ?) my brother IE 31 Kill tegin was given a man’s name [ : was received among the grown up], to the happiness of my mother the katun, who is like Umay. 1 At the age of sixteen he accomplished as follows for my father’s brother, the kagan’s kingdom and power : we made a campaign against Alti [“ Six ”] Chub (?) and the Sogds and defeated them. The Chinese IE 32 Ong tutuk (came with an army of) fif(-ty thousand and we fought). Kul tegin attacked at the run with the footmen, and took by force of arms the tutuk with spearmen prisoners, and brought them armed to the kagan. That army we destroyed there. When he was twenty- IE 33 one years old we fought with Chacha sangiin. First (he attacked riding on) Tadik (?) chur’s grey (horse ; this horse) was killed there. The second time he attacked, riding on Ishbara Yamtar’s grey horse ; this horse was killed there. The third time he attacked riding on Yaginsilig beg’s brown horse Kadimlig; this horse was killed there. His armour and his moon-diamond (ornament) they hit with more I E 34 than 100 arrows, but not one hurt the [armour-?) plates or his head (.) their [? his ?] attack ye all remember, Turkish begs. That army we there destroyed. Thereafter the Yer-Bayirkus under Ulug- [“ great ”] erkin became our foes. We hewed them up and IE 35 defeated them by Lake Tiirgi-yargun. Ulug-erkin fled with but a few men. When Kill tegin was (26) years old we made a campaign against the Kirghiz. Making ourselves a way through the snow that lay a lance’s depth, we marched up over Kogman mountain-forest and fell IE 36 on the Kirghiz people as they slept. Kul tegin attacked at a run, riding on Bayir-ku’s white stallion. One man he shot with an arrow, two men he pierced through, one after the other. In this attack he broke the leg of Bayir-ku’s white stallion. The Kirghiz kagan we slew, and took their realm. In the same year we marched against the Tiirgishes up over the Altun mountain-forest, and crossing over the I E 37 River Irtish. The Tiirgish folk we fell upon as they slept. The Turgish kagan’s army came up by Bolchu like fire and storm, and we fought. Kul tegin attacked riding on the grey horse Bashgu. The grey horse Bashgu (.). On the way back from there the Turgish I E 38 kagan’s buyruks took the Az [people’s] tutuk a prisoner. Then we 1 A children’s deity. THE ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS 869 slew the kagan, and took over his kingdom. The whole of the common I E 39 Tiirgish people submitted. This people (.). To organize the Sogd people we went over Yenchii-iigiiz as far as Tamir-kapig. Afterwards the Tiirgish common people revolted, and went off towards Kangaras. Our army had neither horses nor supplies at the resting- IE 40 places ; they were evil peoples (.). They were brave men that had attacked us. In despair under such conditions we sent out Kiil tegin with a few men to come up with them. They gave a great fight. He attacked, riding on his white horse Alpshalchi. There he slew and conquered the Tiirgish common people. As he withdrew (.)• North Side (N) INI (. .) he fought with (.) and with Koshu tutuk, and slew all his men. Their tents and goods he took all home without leaving anything. When Kiil tegin was 27 years old, the Karluk people, which at that time was free and independent, came to a war with us. We fought by the holy spring [or mountain-top ; literally “ head ”] Tamag. I N 2 Kiil tegin was, when this battle took place, 30 years old. He attacked at a run, riding on his white horse Alpshalchi. Two men he pierced through one after the other. The Karluks we slew and overcame. The Az people came to war with us. We fought by Lake Kara (?)-kol. I N 3 Kiil tegin was then 31 years old. Riding on his white horse Alpshalchi he attacked at a run. He took prisoner the eltabir of the Az people and annihilated there the Az people. As the kingdom of my father’s brother the kagan had become rebellious and the people had taken a hatred (?) to him, we fought with the Izgil people. Riding on his white IN 4 horse Alpshalchi, Kiil tegin made his attack at the run. This horse fell dead there. The Izgil people was destroyed. The Tokuz-Oguz people was my own people. As Heaven and Earth were in a turmoil they rose against us. Within one year we fought five times. First IN 5 we fought at [the town of] Togu-balik. Kiil tegin attacked at a run, riding on his white Azman. Six men he transfixed with his lance, a seventh man he cut down in the hand-to-hand fight of the armies. The second time we fought with the Adiz at Kushlagak. While Kiil I N 6 tegin attacked at a gallop, riding on his brown Az, he transfixed one man, nine men he hewed down in the turmoil of the fight (?). The Adiz people was destroyed there. The third time we fought with the Oguz people at Bo(.). Kiil tegin attacked, riding on the white Azman, and transfixed [foes with the lance]. We overcame their army 870 E. DENISON ROSS— and brought their people to submission. The fourth time we fought I N 7 at Chushbashi. The Turkish people was rebellious and nigh to being craven. After Kill tegin had scattered (?) their army which had come first, we surrounded and slew, at Tonga tegin’s funeral, the alpagus of the Tongra of one kindred and (?) ten men. The fifth time we fought I N 8 with the Oguz at Azganti-kadaz (?) Kiil tegin attacked riding on his black-brown Az. Two men he transfixed (. . .). This army was there slain. After wintering in [the stronghold of] Maga- [or Amga-] kurgan we set forth in the spring with an army against the Oguz ; Kill tegin we sent off to bear the orders home (?). The hostile Oguz fell on the I N 9 camp. Kiil tegin transfixed nine men among them, riding on his white Ogsiz [= “ the motherless ”], and did not yield the camp. My mother the katun, along with my stepmothers, my aunts, and elder sisters, my daughters-in-law, my princesses—all of those^ that were left alive, would have become slave-women, and those of you that were I N 10 slain would have been left lying in the camp or on the road. If Kiil tegin had not been there, it would have been all over with you all. Now my brother Kiil tegin is dead. I have myself mourned. My eyes, though seeing, have become as blinded ; my thoughts, though conscious, have become as without consciousness. I have myself mourned. I N 11 But the sons of men are all born to die, so soon as Heaven ordains the time. Thus did I mourn, with the tears coming from the eye, and wailing from the heart, I have mourned ever and again ; deeply have I mourned. I thought that the two shads, my younger brothers and brothers’ sons, my sons, my begs and my people would weep till their eyes grew sick. To take part at the funeral and mourning Udar Sangiin IN 12 came from the Kitay and Tatabi peoples. From the Chinese Emperor came Ishiyi and (?) Likang. They brought in immeasurable quantity precious things, gold and silver [to the value of] a tiiman [= 10,000]. From the Tibetan kagan came a holm} From the peoples of the Sogds, Persians(?), and Bukhara tribes, dwelling in the West, towards the I n i 3 sun’s setting came Nang [? or Nak ?] sangiin and Ogul tarkan. From the Ten Arrows and my son [? son-in-law or : from my sons, the Ten Arrows, and] the Tiirgish kagan came Makarach, the keeper of the seal, and Oguz Bilga, the keeper of the seal. From the Kirghiz kagan came Tardush Inanchu chur. To build the hall, carry out the 1 It is interesting to note the Turkish transcription of the Tibetan word blon —- pointing to the pronunciation of the initial " b ” vbich has only an orthographical value to-day (= lon-po, an official). THE ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS 871 works of art [the paintings ?] and the inscribed stone there came the Chinese Emperor’s Chikans and Chang Sangiin. On the Face between the North and the East Side (I N E) Kiil tegin died in the year “ sheep ” [731] the seventh [day]. In the ninth month, the 27th we held the funeral. His hall, the works of art [the paintings ?] and the inscribed stone—all we dedicated in the year “ ape ”, the 7th month, the 27th [=21 August 732]. Kiil tegin died in his 47th year. (.) All these artists were sent for by the toyguns (sic) and the eltabirs. On the Face between the South and the East Side (I S E) He that has written [: composed] this inscription is I, Kiil tegin’s sister’s son (?), Yolig tegin, who have written it. Tarrying here for twenty days, I have written all on this stone and these walls. Ye showed always a greater care than the others (?) for your princes and your tayguns. Now are ye dead. [Be in ?] Heaven just as [ye were then] amongst the living. On the Face between the South and the West Side (I S W ) The toyguns (?) that saw to (?) Kiil tegin’s gold, silver, precious things, belongings, and 400 stud-horses (. . .) My lord the tegin (.) up to Heaven (.). The stone I, Yollig [sic] tegin, have inscribed. On the West Side to the Right of the Chinese Inscription (I W) (1) Inantchu apa yargan tarkan is my name. The (Tur-) kish begs and the Turkish (people) (2) witnessed from the enclosure the funeral. Because of my brother Kiil tegin’s (merits) and because he has served my kingdom, I, the Turkish Bilga kagan have taken my place in the middle that was kept for me to keep watch over my brother Kiil tegin. Notes (1) The gaps in the inscription are shown by ( ), with a greater or a smaller number of dots or strokes, or attempts to fill in the missing matter conjecturally. In between [ ] are put words which are inserted in the translation for the sake of making it clearer by explanations and the like. In general in giving Turkish words and names I do not usually distinguish the sounds q,j, at the back of the tongue from k , g , or from i; chi use as in English = c (tsh); sh = s. 872 E. DENISON ROSS— (2) (From here II goes on thus) : As far around as (my father) the kagan and my father’s brother the kagan after having mounted IIN 9 the throne had ordered (and organized) the peoples in the four quarters of the world, (just as far around) have I myself by the favour of Heaven, after having mounted the throne, ordered and organized the peoples (....). To the Turgish kagan with very great II N 10 magnificence I sent (the princess) my daughter in marriage. The daughter of the Tiir (gish kagan) I gave with very great magnifi¬ cence to my son in marriage. (The princess) my younger sister I sent (with very) great magnificence (to the Kirgiz (?) kagan) in marriage. (. . . . the peoples in the) four (quarters of the world I have brought into peace), to bow (their head) and bend their knee. II N 11 By the blessing of Heaven above, and the earth below (I have led) my people, whom none [before] had seen with their eyes or heard of with their ears, to the (lands lying ?) forwards, towards the up (rising) of the sun, to the right, towards the middle of the day, backwards, (towards) the sun’s (setting, to the left towards the middle of the night ? ). I have won for my Turks, my people, their (yellow gold and) white silver, silk-stuff, and millet (?), riding-horses and stallions, II N 12 black sables, and blue squirrels ; I have brought it about that (my II N13 people) can live without cares. (.... So that thou dost not part thyself) from this thy kagan, from these thy begs, from (this) thy II N 14 (land), 0 Turkish nation, then will it be well with thee, thou shalt come home again and not have any cares. (. . .) From the Chinese Emperor I had artists (to come. My) request has not been refused (?) Court artists have been sent. I have made them build a separate (? or excelling ?) hall and inside and outside I have (bidden them make) various (? excelling ?) paintings (. . .). Understand to see [ : read] IIN 15 this [all] as far as the Ten Arrows’ sons and subjects. The memorial stone (....). (3) (II has in front of this): I, the godlike Turkish Wise [Bilga] II E l kagan appointed by Heaven, these are my words : When my father the Wise [Bilga] (kagan had come into the rule, . . . were rejoiced and glad) the illustrious begs and peoples of the Tokuz—[“ nine ”] Oguz’s .(?) Now that my father the kagan is dead (I myself in accordance with) the Turkish Heaven’s (and the Turkish, holy Yer-sub’s will ?) come into the government of (this kingdom) II E 2 as kagan. After I had come into the government the Turkish begs and peoples were glad and rejoiced, who had been in sorrow as though they must die, and looked upwards with quieted (?) eyes. After THE ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS 873 myself mounting the throne I have given out so many important laws (for the peoples) in the four quarters of the world (.). II E 14 (4) (In the parallel place in II is here inserted :) When my father the kagan died, I myself was left behind at an age of eight years. (5) (Instead of the last clause II has :) (I served) myself (my father’s brother the kagan, so long as I ?) was tegin ; (by the will of II E 15 Heaven) I was at fourteen years old appointed shad over the Tardush people. (6) (From here II goes on as follows :) At the age of seventeen II E 24 I made a campaign against Tangut. The Tangut people I destroyed ; their young men and households, their horses and belongings I took II E 25 away from there. At 18 years old I made a campaign against Alti— [“six”] Chub(?) and the Sogds and defeated them. The Chinese Ong tutuk came with an army of 50,000 ; I fought at Iduk-Bash [“ The holy spring ” or “ mountain-top ”] and I destroyed there this army. At 20 years old I made a campaign against the Bashmil people and its Iduk-kut, since they did not send caravans [with tribute], (.) I made them submit again, and all together come to us. II E 26 At 22 I made a campaign against the Chinese ; I fought against Chacha sangiin and (his army of) 80,000 men ; I destroyed his army there. At 26 the Chik people together with the Kirghiz became our enemies ; I made a campaign over the river Kem against Chik, I fought at Orpan and beat their army. The Az people (. . . .), I brought them into submission to me again. At 27 years I made a campaign against the Kirghiz. As we made ourselves a way over the II E 27 snow, which lay to a lance’s depth, I marched up over the Kogman mountain-forest, and fell upon the Kirghiz people as they slept. I fought with their kagan in the Songa (?) mountain-forest, and I slew their kagan and occupied their kingdom. In the same year I marched against the Tiirgish people up over the Altun mountain-forest and beyond the Irtish river, and I fell upon (the Tiirgish people as they slept). The Tiirgish kagan’s army came like fire and storm ; we fought II E 28 at Bolchu; I slew there the kagan and his yabgn and shad, and brought their kingdom under my sway. When thirty years old I made an expedition against Beshbalik ; I fought six times (and conquered ?), the whole of their army I did destroy. What peoples are there within ? (.....) came to call (. .) ; thereby Beshbalik was saved. When II E 29 I was 31 years old the Karluk people became hostile to us, at the time when it was living in freedom and without any cares. I fought by the holy spring [or : mountain-top] Tamag, and I destroyed the Karluk 874 E. DENISON ROSS— people, and conquered it. (When I was 32 years old . . . .) the Karluk people gathered together (and came ? ; their army conquered) IIE 30 I, and destroyed it. The Tokuz-Oguz’s were my own people. Since Heaven and earth were in a tumult, and since envy have taken hold of their mind (?), they rose in rebellion. Within one year I fought four times. First I fought by [the town of] Togu-balik ; having made my men swim over the River Togla I (overcame and destroyed) their army. The second time I fought at Andargu [? or Urgu ?] and overcame (and destroyed their army .... The third time) I fought (at Chush Bashi). The Turkish people was mutinous and near IIE 31 to being craven, but I drove away (?) their [foes’] army, which had got the advantage, and was coming to break us ; and many that were near to dying came back to life again at this. There I surrounded and hewed down, at the funeral of Tonga tegin, the Tongra [tribes] yilpagu’s of one kindred. The fourth time I fought at Azgandi-kadaz ; their army I overcame and destroyed there. (Their horses) and their belongings (I took away there. When I was 24 (?) years old) there was a failure of the crops after we had wintered in [the stronghold of] Maga-[or Amga-]kurgan. In the spring I marched against the II E 32 Oguzes ; the first army had gone forth, the second army was at home. Three Oguz armies came to attack us ; in the belief that we were left without horses and hard pressed, they came to attack us. One of their armies set forth to plunder our settlements, the second of their armies came to fight. We were few and we were hard beset, the Oguzes (.. . ; as Heaven) gave us strength, I overcame and broke IIE 33 them there. By the favour of Heaven, and because I myself accom¬ plished somewhat, ( . ) the Turkish people (. . . .). If I had not first done so much, the Turkish people would have perished and come to destruction. (Turkish) begs (and people), think of this, know this ! II E 34 The Oguz people (.) I took the field ; I laid waste their abodes. The Oguz people came united with the Tokuz Tatars ; at Agn I fought two great fights ; their army I destroyed, their tribes I overcame. After having accomplished so much (my father’s brother the kanga(?) died). By the favour (of Heaven) (I became) myself II E 35 when 33 years old (kagan.) kagan, 1 who had set (them) on their feet again, was faithless. Heaven above and the holy Yer-sub and (. .) kagan’s good fortune were not favourably minded towards him. The Tokuz-Oguz people left their land, and went to China, (. . . . from) China they came (back) to this land. I will set them 1 Which kagan is here spoken of is not clear; perhaps Bogu kagan (p. 188 f.) (?) THE ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS 875 on their feet, thought I (.) the people (.) was faithless, (therefore) its name and fame came to ruin in the South in China ; in this land it became a shame (?) unto me. When I myself had become kagan, I (set) the Turkish people (on its feet.). (There) I fought and overcame their army. Some of them submitted again, and became a people ; others found death. I marched down along Selenga . (?) and there laid waste their settlements. (.) the Uygurs’ eltabir fled eastwards with about 100 men (.). (. . .) The Turkish people suffered hunger ; I set them up through taking these horses. When I was 34 years old the Oguzes fled and gave themselves up under China ; in wrath I took the field (. . . . .)• [The rest of the East side and its continuation on the South side contain such great gaps, that these parts are here left out as far as II S 8 :] II S 8 Kiig Sangiin came at the head of an army of 40,000 men ; I met him at the mountain Tiingkar, and defeated him and hewed down II S9 3,000 men (.). After my eldest son had died of sickness, I had Kiig Sangiin set up as balbal. For 19 years I governed as shad, II S 10 for 19 years I was kagan and ruled the realm. 3i (years I was tegin ?). For my Turks, for my people I have brought so much good. Having 1 accomplished so much my father the kagan died in the year “ dog 55 II S ll [734], the 10th moon, the 26 ; in the year “ pig 55 [735], the 5th month the 27th, we held the funeral (.) Lisiin tay-sangiin came at the head of 500 men ; they brought sweet-scented things (. .) gold and silver in quantity beyond reckoning ; they brought corpse candles (?) and set them up ; they brought sandal-wood II S 12 (. . . .). All these people cut their hair and slashed their ears and cheeks. They brought their good riding-horses, their black sables, their blue squirrels in quantity beyond reckoning, and all this they offered up. [The end of this part from 1.13 has only an enumeration of those who there took part in the funeral, and in the homage to the new kagan.] HE 36 HE 37 II E 38 1 While up to now it has been always the dead kagan who is represented as speaking [except in II E 1-2], here it is suddenly the new kagan that starts speaking without any transition. 876 THE ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS On the Face between the South and the West Side (II S W) (The description concerning the Turkish Bilga) kagan I, Yolig tegin, have written. (He that had all this painted and set up, the hall, the paintings, and the statues, is I, the kagan’s sister’s son (?), Yolig tegin. For a month and four days I have tarried here, and written and had painted (and had set up). Over the Chinese Inscription on the West Side (II W ; p. 483) (= the beginning of this translation) (Since my father) Bilga kagan, (who has ruled) over (the Turks, is dead), I will, when it is spring, when (Heaven’s) drums (sound ?) as—(?), when the deer flees on the mountain, again mown. My father (the kagan’s) stone I have myself as kagan (. . .). (7) The month is not given ; perhaps the first month of the year. Cambridge UNIVERSITY PRESS SPAS UnlvenHy of Landvn The Tonyukuk Inscription: ’’Being a Translation of Professor Vilhelm Thomsen's Final Danish Rendering” Author(s): E. Denison Ross and Vilhelm Thomsen Reviewed work(s): Source: Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies , University of London , Vol. 6, No. 1 (1930), pp. 37-43 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the School of Oriental and African Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/607296 Accessed: 03/03/2013 15:44 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http ://www.j stor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms .j sp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. Cambridge University Press and School of Oriental and African Studies are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London. STOR http ://www.j stor.org THE TONYUKUK INSCRIPTION Being a Translation of Professor Vilhelm Thomsen’s final Danish rendering By E. Denison Ross npHIS monument is found somewhat farther to the East than the two foregoing ones, about 48° N. and a little more than 107° W. of Greenwich, near a place said to have the name of Bain Chokto, between the Nalaikha post-station and the right bank of the upper waters of the Tola. The inscription is graven on two pillars that are still standing upright; on the first and larger of these the inscrip¬ tion starts on one of the narrow sides, the one turned to the West, and is continued round towards South, East, and North. On the other one, the inscription, which is a direct continuation of that on the larger stone, likewise begins on the West side, but here this is one of the broad sides. The latter stone is more weathered than the first, and the inscription from the very beginning not being here so carefully incised as on the other. On both stones the inscriptions are written in vertical lines as in the Orkhon inscriptions ; but with this difference that while the lines in the latter read from right to left here they read from left to right. Near the two pillars there is a stone sarcophagus and the founda¬ tions of a building ; furthermore, there stand around the stones eight figures, evidently made by Chinese stone-masons, whose heads have all been knocked off ; lastly, there are signs of the whole having been surrounded by an earth mound, which was open towards the East; and here begins a row of upright flag-stones, running for a length of about 150 metres. It is thus an arrangement like that of the Orkhon stones, only on a somewhat smaller scale. The whole is clearly a monument over the tomb of the great Turkish statesman and general, Tonyukuk, who was active under the first two kagans after the restoration, and was still alive (at a great age) at the beginning of Bilga kagan’s government. It may thus probably date from the years round about 720. The very long inscription is drawn up by himself, and he himself speaks all through in the first person, 38 E. DENISON ROSS— Translation of the Tonyukuk Inscription (T) (TIW) I, the wise Tonyukuk, was myself born to belong to the Chinese l Empire, for the Turkish people at that time was under China ; and 2 [thought I] 44 may I not live to see the Turkish people [but] getting for itself a khan (?) ”. But they broke away from China, and got themselves a khan. They nevertheless again deposed their khan, and again submitted to China. Then Heaven may well have spoken as follows : “I had given thee a khan ; but thou hast forsaken thy 3 khan, and again submitted.” As a punishment for this submission Heaven caused them to die ; the Turkish people perished or languished and fell to ruin. In the [old] land itself of the united (?) Turkish 4 people there was no longer any ordered community left. But they that had remained independent [literally : in wood and stone] joined together, and they numbered 700. Two-thirds of them were mounted, a [third] part was on foot. He that as chief led the 700 5 men was the shad. 44 Join me,” said he, and amongst those who joined him was I, the wise Tonyukuk. “ Shall I make him [raise himself to be] kagan ? ” said I, and I thought : “ If you want to distinguish afar off between lean bulls and fat bulls, you cannot say for certain 6 whether it [in each case] is a fat bull or a lean bull.” Thus did I think. Afterwards when Heaven gave me insight I compelled him [to become] kagan. 44 Let me then be Elterish kagan, since I have the wise Tonyukuk hoyla baga tarkan by my side.” To the south 7 he defeated the Chinese, to the East the Kitays, to the North the Oguzes in great strength. His fellow in wisdom and his fellow in renown was I myself. We were dwelling then in Chugay-kuzi and Kara-Kum. (TIS) We lived there, nourishing ourselves on big game and hares, and 8 the people’s mouth was filled. Our foes were all around like birds of prey (?) This was our situation. While we were dwelling there there 9 came a spy from the Oguzes. These were the words of the spy : 44 Over the Toknz-[ 44 Nine ”-] Oguzes people a kagan has set himself [as lord],” says he ; “ to the Chinese he is said to have sent Kuni sangiin and to the Kitays Tongra Samig [or Sam]; this is the message he is said to have sent: 4 A few Turks would seem to have made 10 a rising ; their khan is said to be brave, and his counsellor is said to be wise. If these two men are left alive, they will slay you, Chinese, THE TONYUKUK INSCRIPTION 39 say I; to the East they will slay the Kitays, say I, and us the Oguzes they will slay, say I. So ye attack them, Chinese, from the South, n and ye, Kitays, attack ye them from the East; I shall attack them from the North. In the united (?) Turks’ land no lord must prosper. Let us, if so may be, destroy [such] a lord, say I.’ ” When I had heard 12 these words sleep came not to me by night, nor rest by day. Then I made representation to my kagan ; thus did I represent it to him : 44 If these three—the Chinese, the Oguzes, and the Kitays—combine, all will be over with us ; we are, as it were, fastened to a stone by the Will(?) of Fate. To bend a thing is easy while it is slender; 13 to tear asunder what is still tender is an easy thing ; but if the slender thing becomes thick, it requires a feat of strength to bend it, and if 14 the tender thing coarsens, a feat of strength is required in order to tear it asunder. We must ourselves come to the Kitays in the East, to the Chinese in the South, to the Western [Turks] in the West, and to the Oguzes in the North with our own army of two or three thousand 15 men. How may that be done ? ” Thus did I put it before him. My kagan deigned to listen to the representation which I myself, the wise Tonyukuk, did make unto him. 44 Take thou them as you may see fit,” said he. We waded up Kok-Ong-[iig ?], and I led them to the Otiikan forest. With cows and beasts of burden the Oguzes came 16 along the Togla. Their army was (three thousand strong ?), we were 2,000 ; we fought and Heaven favoured us ; we cut them up, and they fell into the river or were slain in flight. Then came all the Oguzes [and submitted]. When they heard that I [had led] the Turkish 17 kagan and the Turkish people to the Otiikan land, and that I myself, the wise Tonyukuk, had settled in the Otiikan land, the peoples dwelling in the South, the West, the North, and the East came [to join on to us]. (TIE) We were 2,000 ; we had two armies. The Turkish people—to is make conquests—and the Turkish kagan—to rule—had come unto the towns of Shantung and unto the sea, but had found destruction. I laid this before my kagan, and got him to take the field and to come 19 unto the Shantung plain and unto the sea. Twenty-three towns did he lay waste, and made his camp in Usin Bundatu (?). The Chinese Emperor was our foe, the kagan of the 44 Ten Arrows ” [that is to say, of the Western Turks] was our foe ; further (more) (the Kirghizes’ ?) 20 might(y kagan) became (our foe). These three kagans took counsel 40 E. DENISON ROSS— together and said : “ Let us meet in the mountain-forest of Altun,” thus did they take counsel: “ Let us move against the kagan of the 21 Eastern Turks,” said they; “ unless we move against him, he will unfailingly (?)—for (the kagan is brave and) his counsellor is wise— he will unfailingly (?) slay us. Let us all three united go off and destroy him,” quoth they. The Tiirgish kagan spoke thus : “ My people shall be there,” said he, “ (the Turkish people) is in disorder,” (said 22 he), “ the Oguzes, their vassals, are stirred up,” said he. When I heard this, no sleep came to me by night, and no rest came to me [by day]. Then thought I: if first we march against (the Kirghizes ? . . .), 23 said I. When I heard there is but one road over Kogman, and that is was shut [by snow], I said : “It is no good our going that way.” I then sought a guide and found a man from the far-away Az people. (...) “ My land is Az,” ( . . . ) there was a resting-place ; 24 one can advance along by Ani (?). If you keep to it, you can go on with one horse at a time. When I heard this, I said and thought: “ If we go this way, [the thing] is possible.” (T I N) This laid I before my kagan. I made the army ready for the march, 25 and ordered it to mount on horseback. Beyond Ak-Tarmal I bade them gather together. Ordering them to mount their horses, I made a way for us through the snow. Then I bade them ascend on foot, pulling the horses after them, and holding fast by the trees [? or wooden staves ?]. So soon as the foremost men had trampled [the snow] down, I bade [the army] move forward and we crossed 26 [the pass] Ibar (?). So with difficulty we climbed down. For ten nights [i.e. days and nights] we went on through the [snow] barriers on the mountain-side. As the guide had led us astray, he was cut down. While we were suffering want, the kagan said : “ Try to ride on. This is the river Ani; [let us] ride [along by it].” We rode thus 27 down along this river. To take our numbers we bade them dismount and [meanwhile] tied the horses to trees. Both day and night we rode on at a gallop and fell on the Kirghizes while they were asleep, 28 and opened [ourselves a way ?] with the lances. The khan and his army gathered together ; we fought and won. We slew their khan, and the Kirghiz people submitted to the kagan and gave in, and we went back again. We came over at this side of the Kogan mountain- forest, and turned back from the Kirghizes. From the Turkish kagan there came a spy; these were his words : “ ‘ Let us go forth with the THE TONYUKUK INSCRIPTION 41 army against the Eastern kagan , 5 he [i.e. the Tiirgish kagan] is reported to have said. 4 If we do not go forth, he will—for the kagan 29 is brave, and his counsellor is wise—he will surely (?) slay us ”, [thus] he said. The Tiirgish kagan has now gone forth,” said he [i.e. the spy]; 44 the men of the Ten Arrows have marched out to a man,” says he, “ and the Chinese too, have an army [ready].” Having heard these words, said my kagan : 44 1 will go home in peace,” said 31 he ; now the katun was dead ; 44 and I will hold her funeral,” said he. 44 Do ye go on with the army,” said he ; 44 Stay in the Altun mountain-forest,” said he. “ Let Inal kagan and Tardush shad go 32 forth at the head of the army,” said he. But me, the wise Tonyukuk, he commanded as follows : 44 Do thou lead this army,” said he ; 44 inflict on them [i.e. the Western Turks] such punishment as thou thyself findest good. What [else] shall I entrust to thee ? ” said he ; “ when they are on their way coming, then send [the spy ?] [to me]; if they do not come, then stay quietly and collect information and tidings,” said he. So we lay in the Altun mountain-forest. There 33 came in haste (?) three spies ; their tidings were all alike : 44 Their kagan has set out with the army, and the army of the Ten Arrows has set out, all to a man,” they say ; they said, it would seem : 44 Let us gather together on the Yarish plain.” Having heard these words I sent the kagan a message about them. From the khan there came back a message : 44 Stay there quietly,” he had said ; 44 do 34 not ride away, keep a good watch (?), do not let yourselves be taken by surprise.” Such was the order Bogii kagan sent me. But to Apa tarkan [i.e. the head-commander] he sent a secret message. 44 The wise Tonyukuk is fickle and self-willed. He will say: 4 Let 35 us march off with the army , 5 but do not do his will . 55 Having heard these tidings, I ordered the army to march, and I climbed over the Altun mountain-forest where there was no road, and we crossed the River Irtish where there was no ford. We continued [our march] by night, and reached Bolchu well on in the morning. (T 2 W) A spy was brought in ; his words were as follows : 44 On Yarish 3 a plain there has now gathered an army of 100,000 men,” he says. When they heard these words all the begs said : 44 Let us turn back 5 37 for the pure, humility is best.” But I say as follows, I the wise Tonyukuk : 44 We have now come hither after having crossed ss the Altun mountain-forests, we have come hither after having crossed 42 E. DENISON ROSS* the river Irtish. The [foes] who have advanced hither are brave, I have been told ; but they have not noticed us. Heaven and Umay and the holy Yer-sub must out of regard for us have struck them [with blindness]. Why should we flee ? Why should we be afraid at their being many ? Why should we be overwhelmed through being 39 few ? Let us attack ! 55 said I. We attacked and plundered [the camp]. The next day they came rushing hotly forward like a steppe 40 fire, and we fought. Their two wings were about half as many again as ourselves. By the favour of Heaven we had no dread at their being many. We fought, and following Tardush shad, we scattered 41 them and took the kagan a prisoner ; their yabgu and shad they slew 42 there ; we took half a hundred men prisoners. The same night we sent round a message to their peoples. After having heard these tidings the begs and the people of the Ten Arrows came and submitted. 43 Having gathered together and marshalled those of the begs and the people that had come [to join with us], and as a few of the people had fled, I bade the army of the Ten Arrows to march out, and we ourselves 44 marched out, and we followed them up. After crossing Yenchii- iigiiz [“ the Pearl River”] (—) the mountain Tinasi-ogli-yatigma- bangligak ( —? ). (T 2 S) As far as Tamir-kapig [“ The Iron Gate ”] we followed them up ; 45 there we made them turn back. To Inal kagan (...) there came the whole Sogd people with Suk (?) as leader and submitted. Our 46 forefathers and the Turkish people had [in their time] reached Tamir- kapig and the Tinasi-ogli-yatigma mountain, where [at that time] 47 there was no lord. As I now had brought [our army] to this land, 48 it carried home the yellow gold, and the white silver, maidens, and girls, -(?) and precious things in profusion. Because of his wisdom and his bravery Eletrish kagan fought seven times with the Chinese, 49 seven times with the Kitays, and five times with the Oguzes. I it 50 was who was there his counsellor, I that was his war-leader. To Elterish kagan, the Turkish Bogii kagan, the Turkish Bilga kagan ( — ). (T 2 E) Kapagan kagan ( . . . ). Without getting sleep by night or 51 rest by day, and shedding my red blood, and sweating my 44 black 55 52 sweat, I have give up to them by toil and my strength, and so, too, I have sent them forth on far expeditions. The Arkuy-Karagu 53 THE TONYUKUK INSCRIPTION 43 [? guard ?] I have made great; a withdrawing foe I have ( . . . ); I have caused my kagan to take the field. By Heaven’s grace I have 54 not let any armour-clad foe ride among this Turkish people, or any horse with bearing rein (?) gallop around. If Elterish kagan had not toiled, and if I myself, following him, had not toiled, there would 55 not have been any kingdom or any people. Since he toiled, and since I myself, following him, have toiled, both the kingdom has become a kingdom, and the people a people. Now I myself am grown old, 56 and am far advanced in years. But should a people, ruled by a kagan in any land whatever, have only worthless men [at its head] what a 57 misfortune would it not be for it. For the Turkish Bilga kagan’s 58 people I have had this written. I the wise Tonyukuk. (T2N) If Elterish kagan had not toiled, or if he had never been, and if 59 I myself the wise Tonyukuk, had not toiled or had never been, in Kapagan kagan’s and the united (?) Turkish people’s land both 60 community and people and men would have been without a lord. Since Elterish kagan and the wise Tonyukuk have toiled, Kapagan 61 kagan and the united (?) Turkish people have flourished, and this 62 [present] Turkish Bilga kagan rules for the good of the united (?) Turkish people, and Oguz people.