Letter: T-S 8J24.6
Letter T-S 8J24.6Tags
Description
Fragment of a letter (right margin, top and bottom cut off). First part discusses the plight of a 'humble' cantor and teacher of small children (in a kuttāb) who has spent all his money and needs assistance, which the writer requests on his behalf from the addressee. Next matter: writer asks the addressee to help the bearer of this letter, who is 'from a good family' (mi-benei tovim), and who arrived 'in this country' from another place after great effort, apparently escaping something untoward, only to find himself in another kind of difficulty, including an illness. (Information from Mark Cohen.) Reused on verso for Aramaic piyyuṭ.
Edition: Goitein, S. D.
Translation: Cohen, Mark (in English)
T-S 8J24.6 1r
Transcription
S. D. Goitein, unpublished editions.- ] ופיה אלברכה ויקים
- ] יעגב מנך אלדי מא חנית עליה יום כמא. . .יק
- ] לא אבעתת לה קט תחפה פכם יריד אלחזאן אלעניו
- ] שגל תקים בה והו יריד פצה אלכתאב וכלף כתיר
- ]דה ובאלכלאץ פי מתל הדה אלסנה אלדי אכלנא פיהא
- ]ה עול אלחזאן קד אתגע וענה ימות ולם יבקא
- ] ולא דינאר ולא דרהם אלא נפק אלכל וולדך
- ] עליך וישד עצדך בה פאנפד להם שי פה.[.
- ] אב אכתר מן דאלך ואנת תערף מרצה [. . . .
- ]ם פרג אלא מן אללה תעאלי ומא תחב להדא . .
- ]א מא ארגע אתוסט בינכם פקד תעבת מ. . .
- ] לעל יכון אלפרג מן אללה ואמא חאמ[.
- ] אן אכתב לחצרתך כתאב אערפך חאלה וכלפת
- ]י שי אן פיכיר ענדך פלא תכיב רגאה ותתסבב
- ] חגתה פאנת מן בני טובים וכאנת ללה עליה
- ] פי בלאדה מן אמר אלמורד תכוף לא יגרי עליה
- ] תצל אלי הדה אלדיאר בעד משקה ודכל עד
- ] הדא אלסכסוך כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי
- ] אן קטיע קליל אלכלאם מחתשם גדא ולא ע[.
Translation
Mark Cohen, The Voice of the Poor in the Middle Ages (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2005).Recto
[...] the blessin[g] and remain [...] surprised that you did not take pity on him for a day, as befits [him] [...] you never sent him any gift. The humble cantor does not want [...] work that you have provided him. He wants his wages for (teaching in) the Bible school. He has toiled much [...] especially in a year like this one, during which we ate [...] the yoke of being cantor, he suffered and will die from it and will not live [...] neither a dinar nor a dirhem. Rather he spent it all. Your son [...] assist him and send them something, for th[ey ...] more than that, for you know [he] is sick [...] relief comes only from God the exalted. Whatever you wish for this [...] I shall not again mediate between you, for I am tired [...] perhaps relief will come from God.
Concerning the bear[er of this letter, he asked me] to write to your excellency telling you about his situation [...] something, so that he will be treated munificently by you. Do not disappoint his hope, but occupy yourself [with] his [n]eed, for [he] is from a good family. God had [...] against him in his land on account of the affair of the supplier of metal to the mint. He [...] that [...] would not befall him [...] arrived in this country after undergoing hardship and entered the [... th]is dispute, "as when a man flees from a lion (and is attacked by a bear)," (Amos 5:19). [He is] alone, short on words, and very ashamed, and he has [...].
T-S 8J24.6 1v
