Letter: T-S 8J7.23

recto

1. In Your name, O Merciful. His servant Joseph b. Abraham—may he rest in Eden!
2. I have sent to Sheikh Abraham b. Peraḥyā Yijū, through the agency of Sheikh Maymūn, the Muslim,
3. the {prominent} merchant, to Manjarūr, in the ship of the nākhudā Maḥrūz—may God ordain its safety {alt. tr.: safe arrival}!—
4. a bag containing copper, in which are four pieces of scrap, and a copper {ten-cornered} tray, weighing 41 ½
5. pounds, and a tall boiler, in a separate package, weighing 12 pounds. Total weight:
6. 53 ½ pounds. If God decrees that it arrives safely, please have made for me
7. a {ten- cornered} tray the same size as the one sent to you and also a marfaʿ decorated with wickerwork {alt. tr.: filigree},
8. which we call zīr-khuwān (a table jug). It should fit into the center of the {ten-cornered} tray, so that when
9. water is poured into it from a water skin, the drops should fall on the {ten-cornered} tray {lit., ‘so that whatever water drips from the water skin above it should fall on the (ten-cornered) tray.’}.
10. The wickerwork decoration {alt. tr.: filigree} should be like that of a bamboo basket; the table jug should weigh eight pounds, more
11. or less, and the {ten-corned} tray about four pounds. Furthermore, a
12. small candlestick, weighing about three pounds, made in the form of steps; and a small tʾlm (?), whose
13. mouth should be no more than one and a half handbreadths, and whose ʾsbʾdr should be of fine workmanship. As to the remainder of the copper,
14. please sell it, and with its proceeds pay the craftsman’s fee. With the balance buy me, your servant, a small quantity of
15. fresh betel nuts, or, if they are not available, cardamom or tumeric. There was also sent
16. to your excellency an Indian basket with nineteen pounds of copper, four pieces
17. of scrap and a basin. I, your servant, was asked by my son to help him with this. However, I would like you to please
18. keep his account separate; it should not be entered in my account. Please have made from it for its owner
19. a basin and a ewer, both small, a small marfaʿ with nice bamboo wickerwork {alt. tr.: filigree, like bamboo wickerwork}.
20. He wishes to place it on a platter on the table. As to the remainder of the copper, please sell it for him
21. and use the proceeds to pay the craftsman’s fee. With the balance buy him a small quantity of betel nuts or cardamom.

recto, right margin

1. There was dispatched to your excellency for your esteemed
2. household what has no importance and no value, namely a bottle of raisins; a rubāʿiyya of almonds and a rubāʿiyya of soap; an embroidered kerchief,

verso

1. {woven in Aden; five dasts of Egyptian paper; half an ounce of civet; half a pound of kohl;
2. and half a pound of mastic gum. The kerchief, civet, paper, kohl and gum are
3. all in one piece of cloth, on which is written your excellency’s name. All of this is sent together with
4. the aforementioned Sheikh Maymūn. And peace.}