Ongin inscription
Line 12 makes it clear that the author of the inscription erected a memorial to his father.
[1]: 183 According to Gerard Clauson, it must have been erected between 716 and 735, during the reign of Bilge Qaghan.
[1] It was found in district Maantyn Burd, the northwest coast of Ongi River in Övörkhangai Province of Mongolia.
Following inscription text transcription and translation derived from latest research made by Osawa Takashi in 2011.
[3] Transcription of original text: äčümiz apamïz:[note 1] yama qaγan:[note 2] tört buluŋuγ : qïsmïš # : yïgmïš : yaymïš : basmïš : ol qan : yoq : boltuqda : kesrä : elyitmiš : qačïš(mïš) : qa : ... altmïš : tägmiš : ... : elbägler : tabγač : qaγanladuq qaγanïn ïčγïnï : ïdmïš : türk bodun:[note 3] öŋ # rä : kün : tuγsuqïŋa:[note 4] kesrä : kün : batsïqïŋa : tägi : beriyä : tabγačqa:[note 5] yïraya : yïšqa(tä)g(i) : ... : qazγantuq : üčün : ol qïz oγlïn körti : alp ärin : balbal : qïšdï : türk bodun : atï yoq : bolu : barmïš : ärti : türk bodun : yitmäzün : teyin : yulïr ärmäzün : teyin : üzä : täŋri : temiš : ärig : ... nt a : ... : qapγan : elteriš : qaγan : eliŋä : qïlïntïm:[note 6] eletmïš yabγu:[note 7] oγlï # : ïšbara : tamγan čor : yoγa : inisi : bilgä : ïšbara : tamγan : tarqan : yoγa : atï : beš : yetmiš : äčim atïm : at... : sü : äsiŋ : oγlï : tamγan bu : tabγačda : yïriyä : täg[note 8] oγuz : ara : yeti ärin : yaγï : # bolmïš : qaŋïm[note 9] baγa : täŋrikän : yanïnta : yorïmïš : išig : küčin : bermiš : ärtmiš : (käl)[miš)... : tarduš : boltuqda : täŋrikänkä išig bertiŋ : teyin : yarlïqamïš : šad atïγ : ant # a : bermiš : boltuqda : toquz : oγuz : täg : yaγï : ärmiš : bädük : är(miš :) qaγan : täg(miš) ... : biz bädük biz : biz bat biz : biz : yavïz bat biz : azïγ üküšüg : körtüg : irti : sülätim # : ter ärmiš : amtï bäglärïm a : ter : ärmiš : biz : az biz : teyin al # qïnur : (ärtimiz) : ... : yorïyïn : sü : süläyïn : qaŋïm : š(ad) : anča : ötünmiš : täŋrikän : almazïn teyin # : ... : bodun : anta bermäziŋ ä : tusul är ... : (atačïm a) ... d ... qamuq balïqqa : (tägdim) : qonuldïm : altïm : süsi : kälti : arqasï#n : yaγdïm : bägi : qačdï : / š / γ ärti : tabγač bodunï : ... : toqïdtïm : yaγdïm : bas(dïm : yaydïm :) ... buzuq anča : ... : ...mäz : ärïnč : išig küčig bert(im) : ... kälir : ärtimiz : ekin ara : täg yaγï : bolmïš : tägmäči # män teyin : saqïntïm : täŋri bilgä : qaγanqa : ančaqïŋa : išig küčüg : bersägim : bar : ärmiš : ärinč : tägdük(in) (üčün) ... # äbimä tägdüküm : ur elï qaŋ elï : adrïlmalïm : täyin : qaγanda : adrïlmaz : teyin : tägdim : tägip : inima : oγlïma : anča : ötlädim : qaŋ : yorïp : elteriš qaγanqa # : adrïlmaduq : yaŋïlmaduq : täŋri : bilgä : qaγanta : adrïlmalïm : azmalïm : teyin : anča : ötlädim : ilgärü barïγma : bardï # : bilgä qaγan : bodunï ... : bardï # : ölügin : atqa : išig küčig : bertim : adrïlmaz : teyin : tägdim : üzä : täŋri : qan : lüi : yïlqa : yetinč:[note 10] ay küčlüg : alp är : qaγanïmda : adrïlu : bardïŋïz : bilgä : atačïm : yoγuŋ : qorïγïŋïn : qazγantïm : el yetti : täŋri : üzä : täŋrikän : ... (tabγa)č körür : ärtim : ädgü : atačïm : ... : toqïdïmïz : äčim boyla : ... girtim : ... basatïp ärig : udušuru : sančdïm : ... išig : küčig: kü... ičün : ...dim : ... atačïm : ... : ...n : täg : ïšbara : tarqanïγ : ... # elteriš : qaγan : ...
Transcription of the text in south side of the headstone: atačïmqa : bitig : tašï qïldïm : bäŋigü qaγanïm : atačïm bilgä : atačïm : lü yïlqa : bilgä : uluγ : alp är : ädgü qan:[note 11] atačïm : ölti Transcription of text on balbal: Ïsbara Tamγan balbalï[note 12] English translation: It was said that our ancestor, our forefather Yama Qaγan compressed, assembled, enlarged and made a surprise attack on the four corners (of the world).
It is said that leaders (Begs) of the Turkic country completely lost the qaγan whom the Tabγač (i. e. Chinese) had made their ruler.
Up to the front (eastern) side where sun rises, up to the black (western) side where sun sets, up to the right (southern) side where the Tabgach existed, up to the left (northern) side where the wooden Mountains existed, Turkic peoples were victorious (against the ... and ...) His daughters and sons (i. e. Turkic daughters and sons) served him (literally, he saw his daughters and sons).
and "You, Turkic peoples, don't scatter", the God Täŋri said above.
I was a son of Eletmiš Yabγu, and the younger brother of Ïšbara Tamγan Čor Yoγa, and I had the name of Bilgä Ïšbara Tamγan Tarqan Yoγa.
(I and) my 65 uncles younger than my father and nephews (or grandsons), ... , "Make the military go ahead in a hurry!".
It was said that his son Tamγan became the enemy with the seven warriors among Oγuz tribes up to the northern regions of this Tabγač (China).
I attacked, and I advised my little brothers and my sons as follows: "My father marched ahead and he did not make a mistake against Elteriš Qaγan".
Over, Täŋri Qan, you went away separating from my Qaγan that was strong and brave warrior in June of the Lüi (Dragon) year, my dear and wise father!
Translation of the text in south side of the headstone: For my dear father, stone epitaph i constructed.
