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A Coptic ostracon letter from Frange, a monk and bookbinder/copyist at Thebes, reproaching the recipients for neglecting a small request. He quotes Scripture, invokes the Son of God and the forty days of Lent, and urges them to send him tools (an awl) needed to decorate books.
Frange was an 8th-century anchorite in western Thebes known from many ostraca; the 'forty days' likely refers to Lent. The exact objects requested (ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲩ ϯἐλάχιστον, ⲧⲥⲟⲩⲣⲉ) are uncertain; ⲧⲥⲟⲩⲣⲉ may be an awl or needle.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below. It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
ϥⲣⲁⲛⲅⲉ ⲡⲓἐλάχιστος ϯⲣ ϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ϯⲣ ⲙⲁⲓϩⲉ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩϩⲱⲃ ⲉⲟⲩⲛ ϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ⲉⲁⲁϥ ⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛκαταφρονεῖν ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲉⲧⲥⲏϩ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉγραφή ϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲧκαταφρονεῖν ⲛⲟⲩϩⲱⲃ ⲥⲉⲛⲁκαταφρονεῖν ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲙⲡⲉⲧⲛⲣ ⲡⲁϣⲓⲡⲉ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲩϩⲟⲣ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲥⲉⲛⲁⲩ ϯἐλάχιστον ⲛⲥⲣ ⲧⲟⲕ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲓϩⲉϣ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲛϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ⲉκοσμεῖν ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁεὐχαριστεῖν ⲛⲧⲟⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧ…
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