WH 1271

Siglum: WH 1271
Transliteration: l s²kl w l(ṯ) w ṣ{y}ʾ m- nʿr
Translation: By S²kl and he got [his clothes] muddy and did not wash properly because of the flies.

Interpretation

Apparatus Criticus: WH: w nṣ w ṣṯʾ m- nʿr "He remained behind and spent the spring [?] [here] tormented by flies"
Commentary: It is very likely that the copy is inaccurate in places and WH's interpretation is based on some rather drastic emendations. Our suggested reading is based on emending the first ṣ in the copy to ṯ thus lṯ for which compare Arabic lāṯa "to defile (clothes) [with mud]" (Hava 700) thus "he got [his clothes] muddy". The second letter in the next word looks more like a y than a ṯ (despite the tiny mark at the right end). The word ṣ{y}ʾ could be compared with Arabic ṣayaʾa "to wash a thing imperfectly" (Hava 410). It may recur in Al-Mafraq Museum 36. We would follow WH in interpreting nʿr as either the passive participle or the infinitive of a verb nʿr which, on the basis of Arabic naʿira, would mean "being harassed by flies" (Hava 781). However, other interpretations are no doubt possible.

Winnett, F.V. & Harding, G.L. Inscriptions from Fifty Safaitic Cairns. (Near and Middle East Series, 9). Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1978.
Hava, J.G. Al-Faraid Arabic-English Dictionary. Fifth edition. Beirut: Dār al-Mašriq, 1982.