Extracted Text

Koine Greek

καταλαβεῖν τὰ πρ’ὸς ἡμᾶς
καθόδου σο(υ)
μὴ ἀναμένων
κατάλαβε τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς’ μ[ε]τ[ὰ] τ[ῆ]ς συμπληρώσεως
ὣς εἴρηται τῶν χρυσικῶν δημοσίων καὶ ἐκστραορδίνω(ν)
καὶ λοιπῶν στίχων ἐπιζητουμένων διὰ τῆς διοική(σεως)
μὴ ὑστερῶν ἐξ αὐτῶν τι τὸ σύνολον˙, γινώσκει γὰρ
ὁ Θεός, ὡς οὐ μὴ ἀποκεινηθῇς
ἐξ ἡμῶν’ καὶ ἔστι
διὰ σο(ῦ) ἐν λοιπάδει
ἕως ἑνὸς μιλιαρισίο(υ) καὶ
μόνο(υ) καὶ πιστοφορέθητι εἰς τοῦτο. πάνυ
γὰρ
ηθεως ἔχομεν εἶναι τὸ ἔργον σο(υ) προσκοπτων
καὶ σταθηρὸν πλείω οὗ ἐστί. καὶ γὰρ ὁ Αμιραλμου(μνιν)
οὐ καταδέχεται διὰ προφάσεών τινων ὑστερεθῆναί
τι ἐκ τῆς συμπληρώσεως τῶν ἐπιζητουμένων
ὡς λέλεκται διὰ τῆς διοικήσεώς σο\υ/ καὶ εἰ εἶχες
φρένας ἐρρωμένας’ οὐκ εἶχες δεηθῆναι πλείστων
ἡμῶν γραμμάτων τούτων ἕνεκα˙. ἄνυσον οὖν ἐντελῶς
εἴ τί ἐστι διὰ σο(ῦ) καὶ κατάλαβε ἐν τάχει φέρων
μετὰ σεαυτο(ῦ) οὕσπερ ὀνοματίσαμέν
σοι ἄνδρας
τῆς διοικήσεώς σο(υ) ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων ἡμῶν γράμμασιν.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ κατάγραφον’ κατὰ χωρίον’ τοῦ ὄντος
ἀνδρισμο(ῦ) ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ τί ἐστι διʼ αὐτῶν διάγραφον
καὶ τί ὑ
πάρχει ἑκάστῳ ἐν γῃδίοις καὶ
τί ἐχορήγησ\[ε]/ διʼ ἐνταγί
ων καὶ ἄνευ ἐνταγίων καὶ ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν
μὴ εὑρεθῇς παραλείψας τί ποτε’ ἐν τῇ ἐπιτροπῇ
ἡμῶν εἰς τοῦτο μήτε μὴν διδων
καθ
εαυτο\ῦ/
τὴν οἵαν οὖν πρόφασιν ἢ σκάνδαλον˙. μέλλομεν γὰρ
κελεύσει Θεοῦ καλοποιῆσαι τῷ καλῶς διαπραττωμένῳ
ἐξαλεῖψαι δὲ
τὸν χαώτην ῥᾳδιου
γόν τε καὶ
ἄδικον
λοιπὸν μὴ δεηθῇς ἑτέρων ἡμῶν
γραμμάτων περὶ τούτο(υ) μετὰ τὰ παρόντα γράμματα
καὶ καταλάβῃ σε ἀνταποδοσι
ἀπωλλοῦσα
τὴν ψυχὴν
καὶ ὑπόστασίν σο(υ). ἀγώνισαι’ τοίνυν’ καθὼς πολλαχῶς
εἴρηται’ ἀμελλητὶ καταλαβεῖν τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ
κατενέγκαι
εἴ τί ἐστι διὰ τῆς δι
οικήσεώς σο\υ/
ἀπὸ τε χρησικῶν
δημοσ[ί]ων καὶ ἑτέρων διαφόρων
στίχων ἐκτελῶν ἀπαραλείπτως καὶ τὰ δηλωθέντα σοι
ἔν τε τοῖς νυνὶ καὶ προτέροις γρ’άμμασιν ἡμῶν. οὔ
τε γὰρ
σπεύδομεν εἰς ἕτερόν τι εἰ μὴ το\ῦ/ ἐν συντόμῳ
καταλαβεῖν σε τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς μετὰ τῶν ἐπιζητουμένων
διὰ τῆς διοικήσεώς σο(υ) ἀνελλειπῶς.

Latin

(No Latin text was extracted from the document.)

Translation into English

To understand what is concerning us,
do not wait for your descent,
understand what is concerning us after the completion.
As it has been said regarding the public gold and the military expenses
and the other lines being sought through the administration,
do not fall short of any total from them; for God knows
that you will not be moved from us, and it is
through you in the remaining matters
until one million and
alone and be entrusted to this. For we have
the desire to have your work in view
and to be more stable where it is. For the Admiral
does not deign to be delayed for some pretexts
regarding the completion of the sought matters
as it has been said through your administration; and if you had
strong senses, you would not have needed to ask for many
of our letters for this reason. Therefore, accomplish fully
if there is anything through you and understand quickly bringing
with yourself those whom we have named
to you as men of your administration in these letters of ours.
Nevertheless, also write down according to the place of the existing
manliness in it and what is through them to be written down
and what exists for each in the land and
what has been granted through orders
and without orders and simply put,
do not be found neglecting anything at any time in the committee
of ours regarding this nor do you give
yourself the kind of pretext or scandal. For we are about
to beautify by the command of God the one who acts well,
and to erase the chaotic and
both unjust.
Therefore, do not ask for other letters of ours
regarding this along with the present letters
and let it be understood that you are returning
losing your soul
and your essence. Therefore, strive as has been said in many ways
to diligently understand what is concerning us and
to carry out
if there is anything through your administration
from the useful
public matters and other various
lines to be completed without omission and what has been indicated to you
in both the present and previous letters of ours. For we do not
hasten to anything else unless to briefly
understand what is concerning us along with the sought matters
through your administration without fail.

Extracted Koine Greek Text

English Translation

...to collect what is due to us without awaiting your arrival. Collect what is due to us completely, as has been stated, from the public gold taxes, extraordinary levies, and other required items through your administration, without falling short in any respect. For God knows that you will not be excused by us, and it is your responsibility down to the last miliaresion. Be trustworthy in this matter, for we greatly desire your work to be progressive and stable beyond what it currently is. Indeed, the Amir al-Mu'minin does not accept any excuses for falling short in the completion of what is required, as has been stated through your administration. If you had sound judgment, you would not have needed numerous letters from us concerning these matters. Therefore, complete fully whatever is your responsibility and quickly collect, bringing with you the men of your administration whom we previously named in our letters. Moreover, record by locality the existing manpower, clearly indicating what is available through them, what each possesses in land, and what each has provided through official registers or without registers. Simply put, do not be found neglecting anything entrusted to you, nor giving yourself any excuse or scandal. For we intend, by God's command, to reward the one who acts rightly and to eliminate the negligent, careless, and unjust. Therefore, do not require further letters from us on this matter after this present letter, lest retribution overtake you, destroying your life and position. Strive, therefore, as has been repeatedly stated, to collect without delay what is due to us and to deliver whatever is available through your administration from public gold taxes and other various items, fulfilling without omission what has been indicated to you in both our current and previous letters. For we seek nothing else but your prompt collection of what is due to us through your administration without fail. Written on the 15th of the month Thoth, 8th indiction.