Scholarship on State document: T-S Ar.40.37

Verso, left side 

1. A decree has been made concerning the protection of the shipowners in al-Nastarāwiyya and the prevention of the requisitioning of their vessels
2. and the prevention of people from al-Ġarbiyya
3. from fishing along the shore.
4. Mark
5. A gracious decree.
6. At the top there is the motto (written) in the noble hand:
7. Praise be to God, lord of the universe.
8. Its copy.
9. Since it has been reported to the presense of the commander of the faithful that merchant
10. shipowners living in the province of al-Nastarāwiyya and in towns bordering upon this region
11. are travelling to the sea coasts of al-Buḥayra, al-Šarqiyya,
12. al-Ġarbiyya and the frontier region of Alexandria - may God protect her -
13. to make purchases from the said provinces and that

Verso, right side

1. those who seek to gain access to anything thereof that is forbidden to them or that is disallowed
2. and those who regard as permissible what is not permissible for them. Let the chosen ʾamīr,
3. (3–4) the diligent representative of its dīwān - may God save it - (and all the ʾamīrs, governors and employees) ensure that
5. the commands and prohibitions contained in this decree are carried out. Let him stand within the bounds of
6. his office in loyalty and absolute obedience,
7. and let him seek to ameliorate the lot of the merchants, protect them from, 
8. all harm and damage, set right the affairs of the ḍāmins
9. in their ḍamān and levy their dues in full according to the praiseworthy and prospering law.
10. (Let this be done) after this decree has been registered in the auspicious office of inspection

Verso, right side, margin

1. of al-Ḥāfiẓ and its registration where such documents are registered. It was written when nine days remained of the month Rabīʿ I,
2. in the year five-hundred and twenty-eight.

Recto, right side

1. the governors, the šādds and the government employees are mistreating them and are requisitioning
2. their ships, with the result that their merchandise is being lost, for they are dumping it
3. on the isolated seashores where it cannot be protected,
4. and this is causing disruption to their trade
5. and their ruin; and (since it has been reported) that fishermen from outside this province
6. living in the province of al-al-Ġarbiyya are fishing along the shores
7. of the lake in the said province and all this is causing
8. damage to the ḍāmins and to the finances of the dīwān - he was displeased with all

Recto, left side

1. the harm that is befalling the merchants and all the damage that is being done to
2. the ḍāmins and his exalted order was issued for this decree to be written and for it to be read out in public.
3. (It enjoins) the safeguarding of the travelling merchants and their defence and protection,
4. the prevention of the requisitioning of the ships that are carrying their goods
5. and are loaded with their merchandise, the granting to them of the power to
6. deliver what they wish to sell, the checking of anyone who harms the ḍāmins
7. in their ḍamān, the prevention of people who are not their tenants from encroaching upon the shore of the province
8. and the outlawing of