Letter: T-S NS 37.77

Letter T-S NS 37.77

Metadata

Shelfmark
T-S NS 37.77
Primary Language
Judaeo-Arabic

What's in the PGP

  • Image
  • 1 Transcription
  • 1 Translation

Description

Business letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Small fragment, extremely difficult to read. Sent from Fez, probably to Fustat, to al-ʿAfṣī (possibly Abū Saʿīd al-ʿAfṣī or his father Abū Naṣr). The writer tells the addressee that certain matters cannot be adequately conveyed in writing and that only a personal meeting would satisfy him. He refers to having left the addressee while intending to travel, probably on a vessel loaded with goods belonging to the state, or on a state-owned vessel (markab matāʿ al-sulṭān). ASE/YU.

Related People

Recipient
Abū Saʿīd al-ʿAfṣī (uncertain)

Related Places

Destination
Fustat
Origin
Fez

Tags

Additional metadata

Provenance
Geniza
Collection
Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter
Input date
In PGP since 2019
Image
Transcription
Translation

T-S NS 37.77 1r

°
1r
Yusuf Umrethwala, Matthew Dudley and Alan Elbaum's digital edition.

Recto

  1. ] מאברו(؟) וגסים(؟) מיכר(؟)
  2. ודלך לאנד(?) מא לא יחויה כתאב ולא?
  3. ולא שפא לי מן דלך אלא באלאגתמאעי(!)
  4. א אלתי מן חצרתך אלגלילה
  5. ]לאני כרגת ענך ואנא מעול אלי
  6. אלספר(?)] באלמרכב מתאע אלסלטאן ויסד(?)
Yusuf Umrethwala's digital translation (2026).

Recto

  1. ].......
  2. ]........
  3. and that is because of a matter which no letter can contain, nor [...]
  4. and there will be no relief for me from that except through meeting
  5. ] which is from your illustrious presence.
  6. ] because I departed from you while intending
  7. [to travel(?)] on the sultan’s ship, and [...]

T-S NS 37.77 1v

°
1v

Verso

  1. יצל אלכתאב אלי חצרת
  2. אלנבון אלשיך אלגליל 
  3. עפצי
  4. מן פאס אלי מצ[ר] 
  5. מן שאכרה ומע[תרף בגמילה]

Verso

  1. This letter should reach the presence of
  2. the eminent shaykh [
  3. al-ʿAfṣī,
  4. from Fez to Miṣr,
  5. from one who is grateful to him and acknowledges [his favor].
Image Permissions Statement
  • T-S NS 37.77: Provided by Cambridge University Library. Zooming image © Cambridge University Library, All rights reserved. This image may be used in accord with fair use and fair dealing provisions, including teaching and research. If you wish to reproduce it within publications or on the public web, please contact genizah@lib.cam.ac.uk.
Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter, T-S NS 37.77. Available online through the Princeton Geniza Project at https://geniza.princeton.edu/documents/26119/ (accessed November 13, 2026).