Letter: Bodl. MS heb. d 66/57

(In Your name) 

This is to inform you, my dear son, the physician Abū Zikri, may God, the ex(alted), grant you success, that I arrived at al-Muţaylib Friday late in the day, after I had left the caravan and traveled with two bedouins, whom I had hired as companions on my way. The going was extremely rough, and my mount was troublesome because it was overloaded, although I had distributed most of the contents of the saddlebag between the travelers in the caravan, even the furs, covers, and clothes. But the Creator was kind to me and treated me in accordance with his generous and merciful ways, may I and you never fail to enjoy them, Amen. With the help of the Allmighty I shall pass the Sabbath here. When the bearer of this letter, the messenger of the Sultan, may God grant him victory, passed by here, he, out of his own free will, said to me: "Write a letter and I shall forward it for you." I asked him to de- liver it to one of the servants of the illustrious lord, the great and suc- cessful Nūr al-Dawla, who will deliver it to the two sons of his servant. He most kindly takes this letter to you so that your hearts should be quiet and you pray for me that God should not withhold his favor from me and bring me back to you safely after the successful conclusion of my affairs. 

My heart has remained with you and I do not know what has happened with you. As soon as you have read these lines dispatch a letter to me with good tidings about yourself and the blessings granted to you by God, the ex(alted), so that my heart should calm down. 

By Him who has created you and is the lord of your soul and the souls of all he has created, would that your character changed and you accepted my admonition to get along with people more easily, especially your brother and the one of whom God has commanded you to revere her. Save your soul from trouble in this world and in the world to come. You are not any more a little boy. Learn from the Master, as the prophet has said: “Let not the mighty man glory in his might etc., but let h(im who) g(lories) g(lory) in this that he) under(stands) and knows me that I am the Lord who does works of lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord. Yes, this is the way in which I wish that you should act. “Give (instruction) to a wise man and he will be still wiser. And Peace.  

And give my regards to Raḍi, may God give him success, and tell him he should steady himself and, for God's sake, should guard his honor and that of his parents. This admonition is for both of you. Only that which is good is praised and he who does it. Tell him also not to neglect the two objects at present with the Imām. Give your brother this letter and admonish him to read it, but do not censure him nor argue with him; you know that his character does not bear this. Guard yourself and your parents from rejoicing in our failure by people whom it is not worthwhile to mention. 

I am sick and tired of preaching to you. May God put into your hearts what is best for you in this world and in the world to come and may he not let your enemies rejoice in your failures. 

Give my regards to our auspicious and successful lord, the illustrious amir Nūr al-Dawla, tell him that I pray for him and his children and say to him that we are of his family. He could perhaps send a note to al-Asʿsad, the Christian, to retrieve for me those dirhems, but without harshness, for I do not wish that any one should feel uncomfortable because of me. Or he could send a note to the Shaykh al-Amīn telling him that only through him those ten dirhems could be retrieved. 

Right margin:

a certain sum should be taken from a certain woman and given to Radi. The last line contains greetings to the ladies of the house and the little one see below and concludes on the left margin with greetings to all the friends. Finally, on the top:) 

Give my regards to R(abbi) Perabyā and admonish him to take good care of the little one;  no effort of his will be lost. And Peace. And the welfare of all the rabbis may increase.

Address (in Arabic characters): 

To Jerusalem, the noble, may God, the exalted, protect it, to be delivered to the physician, the ophthalmologist, Abū Zikrī, son of Abu 

ʾl-Faraj, known as Ibn al-Rayyis. 

Deliver and you will receive praise.