C 5044

Siglum: C 5044
Alternative Sigla: Wetzstein 316
Transliteration: l s¹ʿ{d} bn ḏbb bn ʾs¹d w rʿy h- ʾ- hrmt bql w wgm ʿl- bnyt w ʿl- ʾm -h w ʿl- gfnt f h lt s¹lm l- ḏ s¹lg
OCIANA
Translation: By S¹ʿd son of Ḏbb son of ʾs¹d and he pastured this [region of] ancient wells on spring herbage and he grieved for a young daughter and for her mother and for Gfnt and so O Lt [grant] security for him who s¹lg
OCIANA
Language and Script: Safaitic

Interpretation

Apparatus Criticus: C: l s¹ʿd bn ḏ{r}{r} bn ʾs¹d w rʿy h- ʾ(ʾ)rmt b- ql w wgm ʿl- bnyt w ʿl- ʾm -h w ʿl- gfnt f h lt s¹lm l- ḏ s¹(ʾ)(r)
Commentary: The letters in the copy appear clear and consistent, thus there is definite distinction between m and g, which important in the interpretation of some sections (see below). The inscription contains several unusual features. Firstly, the phrase h- ʾ- hrmt is probably a rare example of the demonstrative h- "this" followed by definite article ʾ-, see Al-Jallad 2015: 78–79, 83. We have interpreted hrmt on the basis of Arabic harāmīt "ancient wells" (Lane 2892a) and, since rʿy is usually followed by the area pastured and/or the type of pasture, we have taken it as referring to a "[region of] ancient wells". If we are right in taking bnyt as "a young daughter", the following ʾm -h could refer either to "his" (i.e. the author's) mother or to her (i.e. the daughter's) mother, i.e. the author's wife. There is no way of deciding this. The word bnyt could, of course, also refer simply to "a young girl". The final word of the prayer is also problematic. The last letter can only be a g not a m, and C';s emendation to the common s¹(ʾ)(r), is rather drastic. We cannot find a suitable interpretation for this.

Al-Jallad, A. An Outline of the Grammar of the Safaitic Inscriptions. (Studies in Semitic Languages and Linguistics, 80). Leiden: Brill, 2015.
[Wetzstein] Grimme, H. Texte und Untersuchungen zur ṣafatenisch-arabischen Religion. Mit einer Einführung in die ṣafatenische Epigraphik. (Studien zur Geschichte und Kultur des Altertums, 16/01/2012). [Reprint, 1970, Johnson, New York]. Paderborn: Schöningh, 1929.
[Lane] Lane, E.W. An Arabic-English Lexicon, Derived from the Best and Most Copious Eastern Sources. (Volume 1 in 8 parts [all published]). London: Williams & Norgate, 1863-1893.
[C] Ryckmans, G. Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum: Pars Quinta, Inscriptiones Saracenicae Continens: Tomus I, Fasciculus I, Inscriptiones Safaiticae. Paris: E Reipublicae Typographeo, 1950–1951.

Site: “In an unknown part of Wādī Ġarz” (C p. 616), Al-Suwaydāʾ (al-Sweidah) or Rif Dimašq Governorates, Syria

Date Found: 1858
Current Location: In situ
Subjects: Deity, Genealogy, Grieving, Isolated Prayer, Pasturing, Plants, Relatives
Old OCIANA ID: #0008248
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Updated 16 Sep, 2024 by OCIANA

OCIANA,. 'C 5044.' OCIANA. 16 Sep, 2024. https://ociana.osu.edu/inscriptions/11243. Accessed: 06 Feb, 2026.