The Jewish garrison of Elephantine · a new plain-English translation from the Aramaic
Date| [21] [Kis]le[v, that is day 1] of [Meso]re, year 6 of King Artaxerxes
1| On [the 21st] of [Kis]le[v, that is day 1] of [Meso]re, year 6 of King Artaxerxes, said Mahseiah
2| son of Jedaniah, a J[ew of] {E}lephantine, of the detachment of Haumadata, to Jezaniah son of Uriah of the same detachment,
3| saying: There is land for 1 house of mine, west of your house, which I gave to Mibtahiah
4| my daughter, your wife, and I wrote a document for her concerning it. The measurements of that house: 13 cubits and a handbreadth
5| by 11, according to the measuring-rod. Now I, Mahseiah, tell you: Build on that land and fit it out,
6| and dwell in it with your wife. But that house you do not have power to sell or to give
7| as a gift to others; but your children from Mibtahiah my daughter, they have power over it
8| after you. If tomorrow or another day you build on that land, and then my daughter hates you
9| and goes out from you, she shall not have power to take it or to give it to others; rather, your children by
10| Mibtahiah, they hold power over it, in exchange for the work that you have done. If she takes it back
11| from you, half of the house [shall be] for {her} to take, and over the oth[er] half you have power, in return for
12| the building work that you have built in that house. And again, that half: your children by Mibtahiah,
13| they have power over it after you. If tomorrow or another day I bring suit or process against you
14| and say: 'I did not give you that land to build on, and I did not write you this document,' I
15| will pay you silver, 10 karsh by the royal weights, silver at 2 r. to the ten, without suit or process.
16| Atarshuri son of Nabuzeraban wrote this document in Syene the fortress, as Mahseiah dictated. The witnesses
17| hereto: Witness: Hoshea son of Pelaliah. Witness: Zechariah son of Nathan.
18| Witness: Gemariah [so]n of Mahseiah. Witness: Zechariah son of Meshullam.
19| Witness: Maaziah son of Malchiah. Witness: Shemaiah son of Jedaniah.
20| Witness: Jedaniah son of Mahseiah. Witness: Nathan son of Ananiah. Witness: Zaccur son of Zephaniah.
21| Witness: Hoshea [son of] Reuiah. Witness: Mahseh son of Jeshaiah.
22| Witness: Ho[shea son of Igda]l.
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