Scholarship on Letter: T-S 10J16.1

Letter T-S 10J16.1
  1. Bibliographic citation
    S. D. Goitein, unpublished index cards (1950–85), #9709. Princeton Geniza Lab, Princeton University.
    Relation to document
    • Discussion
  2. Bibliographic citation
    S. D. Goitein's unpublished edition (1950–85).
    Location in source
    • ו11
    Relation to document
    • Edition
  3. Bibliographic citation
    S. D. Goitein, "Portrait of a Medieval India Trader: Three Letters from the Cairo Geniza,"Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 50, no. 3 (Cambridge University Press, 1987), 449-464.
    Relation to document
    • Digital Translation
    • Discussion
    • Edition
    • Translation
  4. Bibliographic citation
    S. D. Goitein's unpublished edition (1950–85).
    Location in source
    Relation to document
    • Edition
Image
Transcription
Translation

T-S 10J16.1 1r

°
1r
S. D. Goitein, "Portrait of a Medieval India Trader: Three Letters from the Cairo Geniza," Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 50, no. 3 (Cambridge University Press, 1987), 449-464.

recto

I am writing to you, my father, who is dear to me and with me, may God prolong his life and make permanent his honoured position, his support and help, his safety and well-being, may he never leave him without full success, and may he be for him and with him in all his undertakings.  

What you wish to know: I arrived safely in Aden, but found the markets to be dull. Half of what I had with me was not sold. The modish garments sold  for 5 ½  to 5 to 4 ½  mithqals [Egyptian dinars], the maqtas for 2 ½  to 2 ¼ , the saris [futas] for 1 ¾  to 1 ½ . Please take notice. One hundred mithqals and some singles were cashed for these.  

Having sought God's guidance, I decided to travel to Sindabur with the corals and storax, for I did not find a market for it [meaning the corals]; all they offered me for it [in Aden] was 18 [dinars] per selling unit.

Do not ask what Joseph did to me. He came to me during the night before my departure and said: ' My paternal uncle [Arus] and Siba told me that you should not travel on the ocean.' He took from me 65 dinars for silver, 25 dinars for 10 maqtas, and 30 maqtas, which he took with him.  

As to the balance of the 70 mithqals: for 10 mithqals I sold cloaks in Dahlak to Siraj on condition that I would take the money at my return with  the al-Karim flotilla. I sold him [also] cloaks for 40 mithqals; and also in  Bade I sold to Ibn Najl cloaks for 4 mithqals, and in Suwakin to Abd al-Raziq cloaks for 20 mithqals. The promissory notes signed by them will be with me until I return safely and receive these sums in full, if God wills.  

Joseph stays in Lakhba with the whores, 'the company', and a beardless youth, who ser[ves them drinks].

 

T-S 10J16.1 1v

°
1v

address

To my father and lord, Arus, son of Joseph, (may he) r(est in) E(den). May God prolong his life and Make his honoured position permanent. 

[from] his scion Allal, son of Hassun

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