رسالة: T-S 12.69

Recto

1. Your servant, friend and brother Abu'l-Baraka't, son of your friend

2. Abu'l-Faraj, son of the chief, (may the) m(emory of a) r(ighteous man be a) b(lessing).

3. The reason for sending these words to the master, the august and esteemed

4. Trustee and elder Abu'l-Faraj (may God grant him long life,

5. perpetuate his honored position and benefaction, and deprive him not of the best of

6. fortune). May he bring us together in the happiest of circumstances in his grace

7. and favor - He has mastery over it, God willing. I inform you of my great

8. longing for you and of my regret over not having seen you for a long time.

9. May God] on high be gracious upon us and bring us together in the way God on

10. high wishes. Now, then; we are, praise be to God,

11. in the best of] health and well-being. We lack nothing except gazing

12. upon your perfect countenance. Your daughte]r is extremely well and longs for you,

13. for Abu['l-'Izz and for her grandfather, the elder Abu'l-H'asan.

14.               ] Also for her uncle; the Noble Abu'l-Baraka't,

15.               ] God on high bless him and may he be of

16.                            ] weeping. Her tears are incomparable.

17.                ] and also she should be awed by you

18.                ] something of what oppresses

19.                 ] on her. I pray

20.                 ] .. we may be near and we should live with you

Recto Margin

you are like no-one else for her

Verso

1.                     ] the blessed news

2.                     ] may not make us fall into the hands of

3.                 ] the great. I ask

4. your grace to send ] us a letter in which you would really admonish her

5.                 ] not from you a salutary letter which will come

6.                 ] since we left you, you have not written

7.                 ] be so kind as to let us know in your letter all

8.                 ] upon it. Enjoin her to accept

9.                 ] her things but she disobeys everything.

10.                  ] be so kind as to enjoin her, for she is - as God

11. is true - your daugh]ter, and I am your brother or son or servant

12.                 ] me girl. She accepts nothing; nay, all

13.                    ] man order her, she will disobey them. And that is

14.  . . . . . . . . . . It isn't that I hate her; I only hate her character.

15. I say to her, "don't do this!" Says she "all

16. right, I won't." But then she forgets (what I said) and does it. I do hope God

17. will reform her and her blessed character and her blessed

18. movements. We hope to God you can change them for the better.

19. By God, oh my cousin! If I were only living with you in the same town -

20. I would never leave you, and you would make peace between us.

21. May God let me live to see that day! - And make her live, (too), and make her fortunate, and bless

22. her life. May he never separate us and grant her as a boon;

23. May he bring us together. Amen. Peace.

24. Written on the seventh of Ni’sa’n, may salvation come soon.

Verso Margin

1.      ] (may his) R(ock) p(reserve him). Greetings to your father, the elder

Verso Top Margin

1. in excellence
2. goodness
3. beneficence
4. and good feeling.
5. Peace.