Letter: T-S 8J41.1

Letter T-S 8J41.1

Metadata

Shelfmark
T-S 8J41.1
Primary Language
Judaeo-Arabic

What's in the PGP

  • Image
  • 1 Transcription
  • 1 Translation

Description

Recto: Brief letter/petition from a person in dire straits suffering from illness and lack of clothing, and unable to buy anything to eat for the upcoming holiday. Dating: likely 13th or 14th century (paleographic dating). Same scribe as T-S 8Ja1.2 (PGPID 7729). (Information in part from Goitein's index card.)

Tags

Additional metadata

Collection
Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter
Historical shelfmarks
TS 8 J 41, f. 1; TS 8 J 41, fol. 1; TS Box 8 J 41, f. 1; TS Box 8 J 41, fol. 1
Input date
In PGP since 2020
Image
Transcription
Translation

T-S 8J41.1 1r

°
1r
S. D. Goitein's unpublished edition (1950–85).
  1. יקבל אלארץ וינהי בין ידי אל [ . . . . . . .
  2. אלאגל [ . . . . . . . . . . ] הבחור ביקר סט
  3. אלמנעם אלמתפצל עלי עבדה וגלט.
  4. פי כל וקת ואלממלוך שאכר מן
  5. . . . .מן . . . . אחסאנך ומן עי. [ .
  6. ואללה העאלי יקים גאתך וירזקך
  7. אחרית שלום //ובית נאמן// ויחייך אלי הנטר
  8. אלגואל אנת וכל עמך בית ישראל
  9. ואלממלוך [פי] שדה מן אלערי ואלמרץ
  10. ועדם אלקוה פי הדה אלעיד אלמקבל
  11. ולא מעי פלס אן ואחד אשתרי בה
  12. שי ומא תצל לי שי פי הדה אלסנה
  13. וצדק אורך עלי אלממלוך כתיר
  14. ולא תרד אלממלוך כאיב:
  15. ושלום
Mark Cohen, The Voice of the Poor in the Middle Ages (Princeton University Press, 2005).

Recto

  1. [...k]isses the ground and informs the most illustrious
  2. [...] “the Precious Chosen One,” (may your) e(nd be) g(ood),
  3. the beneficent, who acts kindly toward his slave and [his] servant[t]
  4. at all times. Your slave is grateful for
  5. [...] for [...f]or your beneficence and for [...].
  6. May God the e[xal]ted make constant your high rank
  7. give you a peaceful end // and a loyal house // and grant that you live to see the redeemer,
  8. you and the whole house of Israel.
  9. Your slave is [experiencing] adversity on account of his being naked and ill
  10. and lacking food during the upcoming holiday.
  11. I have not even one fals (a copper coin of low value) with which to buy
  12. anything. I have earned nothing this year.
  13. Your charitable deeds toward your slave are many.
  14. Do not turn your slave away disappointed.
  15. And peace.

 

T-S 8J41.1 1v

1v
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Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter, T-S 8J41.1. Available online through the Princeton Geniza Project at https://geniza.princeton.edu/documents/3863/ (accessed June 2, 2026).