p.koeln.9.392
ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡἐλάχιστος ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛταλαίπωρος ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲉⲧⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧ ⲛⲥⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲣⲉϥⲣϩⲁⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲣⲉϥϣⲙϣⲉⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ
One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 109924
Opening of a letter from John to his beloved brother TM 109924unbekanntVII - VIII
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 2 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
The opening of a Coptic letter on an ostracon in which a man named John, calling himself most humble and wretched, writes to his beloved brother, described as a holy servant of God. It dates to the 7th-8th century AD.
In English machine translation
I, the most humble and wretched John, am writing to my beloved brother, the fearful (?) and holy God-worshipper […]
The word rendered "fearful (?)" (ⲣⲉϥⲣϩⲁⲧⲉ) is unclear; it may be a variant of a term meaning God-fearing or a scribal error. The catalogue calls it an ostracon with a name inscription, but the text reads as a letter prescript, perhaps an exercise or a draft.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Ostrakon mit Namensaufschrift). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.