On one side Ebla the other Mari
Two cities together in their destiny
One city up the other city down
In conflict the rivals could spread around
Southwest of Aleppo Ebla stands tall
The first city to hear world power call
Settled in thirty-five-hundred BC
Ebla secured their own hegemony
Ebla vassalized western Syria
City state their only criteria
Extending to the river Euphrates
Their arch rival was the city Mari
On one side Ebla the other Mari
Two cities together in their destiny
One city up the other city down
In conflict the rivals could spread around
Downriver Deir-ez-Zor we find Mari
Founded in twenty-nine-hundred BC
Started to stand guard over the levees
Mari too would command other cities
The Ebla-Mari Hundred Years' War
Storied battles that entered the folklore
Twenty-four-hundred BC Ansud declared
War on Ebla for fighting they prepared
Ansud conquered the cities of Ebla
Stampeding up to the land of Belen
Sa'umu the next king resumed the war
On east Ebla the city of Raqqa
On the other side was King Kun Dumu
Who restored land stolen by Sa'umu
The Ebla-ites put up fierce resistance
With Mari there could be no coexistence
On one side Ebla the other Mari
Two cities together in their destiny
One city up the other city down
In conflict the rivals could spread around
The next king of Mari Istup Asar
Restarted the war conquering Emar
His successor was the king Iblul-Il
Tearing up Ebla and leaving the bill
The Mariotes now demanded tribute
Until the reign of King Irkab Damu
This Ebla-ite king defeated Mari
Extending the borders kept him busy
Ebla allied with the city Nagar
Where Mari began the next phase of war
There Euphrates branches from Al-Khabour
A blockade stopped all trade from south to north
The balance of power tipped back again
When Ebla consolidated their friends
Allied with Kish Ebla formed a pincer
Around the neck of Mari near Terqa
On one side Ebla the other Mari
Two cities together in their destiny
One city up the other city down
In conflict the rivals could spread around
The Mariotes grew tired of this fight
Any brotherly love replaced by spite
King Hidar of Mari rewrote the rules:
He demolished Ebla once and for good
Rival destroyed the Mariotes rejoiced
All of Syria was theirs to exploit
King Ishqi ruled last without any fear
The battle of Ebla his fate had sealed
Ten short years after Ebla was destroyed
King Ishqi began to grow paranoid
South of Mari a new empire was born
Akkadians had to their conquest sworn
Just like their rival Mari was destroyed
Reduced by Sargon to scrublands spoiled
City deserted for two generations
Mari will rebuild on new foundations
On one side Ebla the other Mari
Two cities together in their destiny
One city up the other city down
In conflict the rivals could spread around