Letter: ENA NS 29.7

Description

Letter. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Early 13th century, as Eliyyahu the Judge is mentioned. The writer greets the addressee as 'brother' and gives him a report on his family members. It seems the addressee's mother is in a particularly poor state. Munā b. Ḥiyyā and Abū l-Tāhir b. al-Quḍāʿī were staying with the writer's family. The writer struggled to pay the capitation tax (12 dirhams). He complains that he is all alone ('I have no one to wet my throat or give me a thread of silk'). The addressee's brother Surūr had a son born to him, given the name Bū l-Faḍl, on the day this letter was written. "Tell us whether you have found a stable situation, so that we can take the old woman [and move?] to you." Regards from the addressee's sisters and brothers-in-law. The writer asks for news of Bū l-ʿAlā and says to tell him that his children are unemployed and their rent is due, "and if we the men have been overwhelmed, how should they be?" The writer complains about his own unemployment and rent due. He reports on prices for silk and wheat and at least one other commodity; it seems they were bad before, but have now somewhat improved. "Let the response be quick, lest you earn the sins of your mother." The addressee is asked to meet with Eliyyahu the Judge on the writer's behalf. ASE