E02227: Coptic private letter from Hermopolis (Middle Egypt), sent from a monk to a comes with intent to console him in his illness, contemplating the sufferings of the *saints (unnamed, S00518) and their ability to heal on account of their purity, as well as on *Iob (Old Testament patriarch, S01191) whose suffering was rewarded; datable to the 7th century.

P.Harrauer 57

A monk named Apollo writes to the comes Apa Demetrios, an important figure in Hermopolis, acknowledging the severe illness of his addressee and pointing out that the saints were healed and rewarded due to their purity, focusing on the case of Iob.

Lines 5–14 read as follows:

ϩⲙ ⲡⲧⲣⲁⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲕⲥϩⲁ ⲉⲧⲧⲁⲏⲩ ⲧⲁ-
ⲉⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲙⲁⲥⲧⲓⲅⲝ ⲛⲧⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩ-
ⲁⲁⲃ · ⲛⲁⲙⲉ ⲁⲗⲩⲡⲉ ⲧⲟⲛⲉ ⲧⲟⲛⲉ · ⲁⲣⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲛ-
ϩⲁϩ ϩⲛ <ⲛ>ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲧⲁⲩϣⲱⲛⲉ ⲁⲩϯϩⲏⲩ ⲧⲟⲛⲉ
ⲕⲁⲛ ⲉϩⲉⲛⲁⲧⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲛⲉ ⲁⲣⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲁ ⲉⲁϥϣⲡ
ϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲫⲓⲗⲟⲥⲟⲫⲉⲓ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲉⲛⲉⲧ-
ϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲓ ⲛⲉⲧⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ ⲉϣⲁϫⲉ ⲡⲛⲟϭ ⲱⲃ ϩⲉⲛϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ
ⲛⲉ ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲉ ⲉϫⲱϥ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲇⲓⲁⲃⲟⲗⲟⲥ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧⲥⲩⲛⲭⲱⲣⲓ-
ⲥⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁ ⲧⲣⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϯⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲛⲁϥ ⲁϥ-
ⲑⲉⲣⲁⲡⲉⲩⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲥⲱⲙⲁ

'Having been worthy of your honoured letters and becoming aware of the torture which had a grip on your holy body, I was truly very, very upset. I have been reminded of many from among the saints who have been ill. They have certainly been rewarded, if they were without sin. I remembered one who suffered more than they and was contemplating more than those who are siting on the thrones'. I am talking about the great Iob. Wonders are what came upon him through the devil and through the permission of God. After God set him at ease, he healed his body. …'

(Text and German trans.: H. Förster, Engl. trans and text adjustments.: G. Schenke)