Scholarship on Letter: T-S 8J22.13 + T-S 10J6.17

1. The slave, Natan the Ḥazzan

[pious quotations and blessings]

Recto

1. ...
2. ...
3. ...h]onor, gre(atness and) hol(iness), our mas(ter) and tea(cher) the great Dignitary
4. ...] his welfare, [...ho]nored and precious, and whose reputation is wise, above and not below, the wise and discerning, who does many [good
5. deeds] and much beneficence to all wayfarers, with the poor, and also with scholars;
6. who stands ready to help the people of the Lord with all his ability and might;
7. may [G]o[d] be your succor and grant you favor, kindness and mercy in the eyes of God and man. 
8. Your slave informs your excellency about his terrible situation of dearth and family burden, of which God the exalted is aware
9. —may God from His holy habitation strengthen you and from His throne support you,
10. make your ways succeed and bless all you do, make you "a head rather than a tail"
11. [and remove] your enemies from before you. Your slave is from Jerba. He (God) knows the mysteries
12. of the adversity that your slave has experienced, the house arrest by the Muslim religious authorities, which is unjust
13. and not inconsiderable. For nine months your slave has been paying interest of three dirhems
14. per month on two dinars, as well as monthly dues for house arrest. Your slave appeals to your gate only out of
15. deep faith in my heart in heaven's mercy and your noble nature. I ask you,
16. by God, not to disappoint the request of your slave from you. And may your welfare increase and not d[iminish].
17. Amen sela.