Column 1, lines 1-17

1. [1]  \ adam \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ vazraka \ xšâyatha \ xšâyathiy
2. ânâm \ xšâyathiya \ Pârsaiy \ xšâyathiya \ dahyûnâm \ Višt
3. âspahyâ \ puça \ Aršâmahyâ napâ \ Haxâmanišiya \  [2]  thâtiy \
4. Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ manâ \ pitâ \ Vištâspa \ Vištâspahyâ \ pitâ \ Arš
5. âma \ Aršâmahyâ \ pitâ \ Ariyâramna \ Ariyâramnahyâ \ pitâ\ Cišpiš \ Cišp
6. âiš \ pitâ \ Haxâmaniš \  [3]  thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâthiya \ avahyarâ
7. diy \ vayam \ Haxâmanišiyâ \ thahyâmahy \ hacâ \ paruviyata \ âmâtâ \ ama
8. hy \ hacâ \ paruviyata \ hyâ \ amâxam \ taumâ \ xšâyathiyâ \ âha \  [4]  th
9. âtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ VIII \ manâ \ taumâyâ \ tyaiy \ paruvam
10. \ xšâyathiyâ \ âha \ adam navama \ IX \ duvitâparanam \ vavam \ xšâyathi
11. yâ \ amahy \  [5]  thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ vašnâ \ Auramazd
12. âha \ adam \ xšâyathiya \ amiy \ Auzamazdâ \ xšaçam \ manâ \ frâbara \  [6]  th
13. âtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ imâ \ dahyâva \ tyâ \ manâ \ patiyâiša \ vašn
14. â \ Auramazdâha \ adamšâm \ xšâyathiya \ âham \ Pârsa \ Ûvja \ Bâbiruš \  A
15. thurâ \ Arabâya \ Mudrâya \ tyaiy \ drayahyâ \ Sparda \ Yauna \ Mâda \ Armina \ Kat
16. patuka \ Parthava \ Zraka \ Haraiva \ Uvârazmîy \ Bâxtriš \ Suguda \ Gadâra \  Sa
17. ka \ Thataguš \ Harauvatiš \ Maka \ fraharavam \ dahyâva \ XXIII \  [7]  thâtiy \  Dâra

[1]  I am Darius, the great king, king of kings, the king of Persia, the king of countries, the son of Hystaspes, the grandson of Arsames, the Achaemenid.

[2]  King Darius says:  My father is Hystaspes;  the father of Hystaspes was Arsames;  the father of Arsames was Ariaramnes;  the father of Ariaramnes was Teispes;  the father of Teispes was Achaemenes.

[3]  King Darius says:  That is why we are called Achaemenids;  from antiquity we have been noble;  from antiquity has our dynasty been royal.

[4]  King Darius says:  Eight ^* of my dynasty were kings before me;  I am the ninth.  Nine in succession we have been kings.

[5]  King Darius says:  By the grace of Ahuramazda am I king;  Ahuramazda has granted me the kingdom.

[6]  King Darius says:  These are the countries which are subject unto me, and by the grace of Ahuramazda I became king of them:  Persia,  Elam,  Babylonia,  Assyria,  Arabia,  Egypt,  the countries by the Sea,  Lydia,  the Greeks,  Media,^†  Armenia,  Cappadocia,  Parthia,  Drangiana,  Aria, Chorasmia,  Bactria,  Sogdia,  Gandara,  Scythia,  Sattagydia,  Arachosia,  and Maka;  twenty-three lands in all.

1. (1.1-3.)  I am Darius the Great King, King of Kings, King in Persia, king of countries, son of Hystaspes, grandson of Arsames, an Achaemenian.

2. (1.3-6.)  Darius the King says:  My father was Hystaspes;  Hystaspes' father was Arsames;  Arsames' father was Ariaramnes;  Ariaramnes' father was Teispes;  Teispes' father was Achaemenes.

3. (1.6-8.)  Darius the King says:  For this reason we are called Achaemenians.  From long ago we have been noble.  From long ago our family had been kings.

4. (1.8-11.)  Darius the King says:  there were 8 ^* of our family who were kings before me;  I am the ninth;  9 in succession we have been kings.

5. (1.11-12.)  Darius the King says:  By the favor of Ahuramazda, I am King;  Ahuramazda bestowed the kingdom upon me.

6. (1.12-17.)  Darius the King says:  These are the countries that came to me;  by the favor of Ahuramazda I was king of them:  Persia,  Elam,  Babylonia,  Assyria,  Arabia,  Egypt,  (those) who are beside the Sea,  Sardis,  Ionia,  Media,^†  Armenia,  Cappadocia,  Parthia,  Drangiana,  Aria,  Chorasmia,  Bactria,  Sogdiana,  Gandara,  Scythia,  Sattagydia,  Arachosia,  Maka.  In all, 23 provinces.

• â  =  'ah'
• au  =  'ow' as in English 'how'
  
• š  =  'sh' as in English 'short'
  
• x  =  heavy breathing,
  as in German or Scottish 'ch'
• c  =  'tsh' as in English 'tch':  'watch'

• Dârayavauš -
  son of Vištâspa -
  grandson of Aršâma
  Haxâmanišiya -
• Vištâspa -
• Aršâma -
• Ariyâramna -
• Cišpiš -
• Haxâmaniš -

• Darius -
  son of Hystaspes -
  grandson of Arsames
  an Achaemenian
• Hystaspes - son of Arsames
• Arsames - son of Ariaramnes
• Ariaramnes - son of Teispes
• Teispes - son of Achaemenes
• Achaemenes - founder of the dynasty
     (according to Darius)

1. Achaemenes
2. Teispes
3. Ariaramnes
4. Arsames
5. Hystaspes
6. Darius

* 8 of our family who were kings before me –
   Perhaps Darius counts Cyrus the Great and Cambyses.  Cyrus was also supposedly descended from Achaemenes.  Cambyses was Cyrus's son.

1. Pârsa
2. Ûvja
3. Bâbiruš
4. Athurâ
5. Arabâya
6. Mudrâya
7. tyaiy \ drayahyâ
8. Sparda
9. Yauna
10. Mâda
11. Armina
12. Katpatuka
13. Parthava
14. Zraka
15. Haraiva
16. Uvârazmîy
17. Bâxtriš
18. Suguda
19. Gadâra
20. Saka
21. Thataguš
22. Harauvatiš
23. Maka

1. Persia
2. Elam
3. Babylonia
4. Assyria
5. Arabia
6. Egypt
7. countries by the Sea
8. Sardis [Lydia]
9. Ionia [Greeks of Asia Minor]
10. Media ^†
11. Armenia
12. Cappadocia
13. Parthia
14. Drangiana
15. Aria
16. Chorasmia
17. Bactria
18. Sogdia [Sogdiana]
19. Gandara
20. Scythia
21. Sattagydia
22. Arachosia
23. Maka

1. Persia
2. Elam
3. Babylonia
4. Assyria
5. Arabia
6. Egypt
7. countries by the Sea
8. Sardis [Lydia]
9. Ionia [Greeks of Asia Minor]
10. Media ^†
11. Armenia
12. Cappadocia
13. Parthia
14. Drangiana
15. Aria
16. Chorasmia
17. Bactria
18. Sogdia [Sogdiana]
19. Gandara
20. Scythia
21. Sattagydia
22. Arachosia
23. Maka