Letter: T-S 10J15.15

Recto

The office of Ismaʿīl b. Faraḥ, from Alexandria to the Banū Faraḥ in Fusṭāṭ

1. 1. Nahray wrote to you, may God perpetuate his glory, regarding what remained for us in Fusṭāṭ, and I acquainted you with what it was, if nothing is kept for me

   2. That I work on my rising [.....]but it will rise/appear for the city (Fusṭāṭ), and do not be contended in yourself for our condition if

   3. You hear about the condition of people [...], the sons of Tāhartī, Abū Saʿīd, swore that his father’s distress will not remain with us, and we died

   4. And they do not know where he went or towards where he is proceeding, and whosoever left its gate, either wished for death or was eaten, and if he sat, he died

   5. Of hunger. And I ask you to purchase two dīnārs worth of flour, grind them in their bags, and remove its husks and wrap it in a waist cloth 

   6.  Or in two waist cloths, and release yourself of jealousy in this type of business…and half 

   7. Buy it with 2 dīnārs, or with one dīnār, whatever you deem fit, the errand boy (ṣabīyy) who took the letter will arrive with 

   8. his master and my letters will be delivered to you in his hands. Your uncle Yusuf has purchased peppers for you, at the price [...], qinṭar (100 pounds)

   9. Which was ransomed by Maimūn at a very inferior price. A bag containing approximately 60 dīnārs has arrived for you from the consignment of Barūk/kh, and the price of 

   10. A bale of flax and Qābisī oil has arrived. May God free/save us from the people as Kohen was freed/saved from us, not a single bag (of coins?) has reached Abī Yūsuf 

   11. from the first year. And the ones that reached safely from our colleagues are Abū l-Faḍl b. Khalfa and his friend Qābisī, and Ibn Ḥajjāj

   12. And his nephew Abū Ibraham b. Khalf, and Abū l-Dayyin al-Siqillī and a slave Ibn Yusuf al-Baysānī. I know most of these people who have arrived

   13. And the Muḥabbab (ship) whose freight/cargo is from Cyrenaica and Sicily contains 6,000 skins of olive oil, if I would have had a dīnār I would have purchased it, because olive oil according to your uncle in Sūsa 

   14.  sells (in Egypt) for a dīnār and in Mahdīyya for 5 dīnārs. The epidemic/plague has spread across coastal cities, as for Qayrawān, no one remains, may God keep you in his safety.

   15. Do not roam about the villages for these are trying times. By God, be vigilant in yourself, 'who is called wise? He who sees the consequences' [Tamud 32a].

   16. Be vigilant in all things before you enter into them. Do not trust in [the belief that] he who [is destined to] survive, will survive, for in my view this time does not call for nothing can be done [except for the trust in God]. And if I reaffirm

   17. My will/intention, I will travel to Fusṭāt after the holiday, for the duration I deem fit. May God only acquaints me of your well-being and keep you in his safety

   18. And fulfill in you my prayers and desires, ‘judge your kin wisely’. And I have to purchase, in earnest,

   19. Two skins of oil in the quantity of [....] on Mawhūb (name of a person/boat?), and I have counted every single dīnār for you of the 5 dīnārs that were received from ʿAbd l-Qādir. And they said [...]

   20. We purchased it for a dīnār less [..] 6 dīnārs….

Right margin

But God eased it, do not get anxious

Top Margin

1. First year, it was apparent that a man would sell himself, and purchase now in a negligible amount, what is this? No one is spending

 

Verso

1. What was written for him, and my letters which were supposed to reach Kohen al-Ramlī

2. In the ḍubāra binding, reached Maimūn, which I had pierced with a hole

3. And I have sent them towards Kohen with the messenger carrying this letter

4. Will deliver it…

Verso (Address)

1. For my beloved son, Abū Surūr Farḥ b. Ismaʿīl b. Faraḥ                  from Ismaʿīl b. Farḥ

2. May God prolong his life and perpetuate his help, safety, and glory

3. Deliver to my Master Abī Yaḥyā Nahray b. Nissīm