Note [52.] "Dunyà" signifies the "world."
Note [53.] "Riḍwán," which signifies "approbation," "complacency," &c., is the name of the Guardian of Paradise.—The meaning of this passage is, "Surely this handsome young person is one of the Wildán, or Weleeds, those beautiful youths prepared to wait upon the faithful in Paradise; and he hath escaped thence through the inadvertence of Riḍwán." The very meanest in Paradise is promised eighty thousand of these servants, besides seventy-two Ḥooreeyehs, &c.
Note [54.] A compliment of this kind is generally uttered on letting a shop or house, and on selling an article of dress, &c.; and "God bless thee!" is usually said in reply. In like manner, a merchant selling goods to be re-sold says, "May God grant thee a profit upon them!"
Note [55.] The word thus translated signifies taking a morning-draught of wine, milk, sherbet, or any other beverage.
Note [56.] When Zeleekhà invited her female friends that they might behold Yoosuf (or Joseph) and excuse her for inclining to him, at the sight of him they cut their own hands, and praised God, ejaculating these words, "This is not a mortal," &c. (Ḳur-án, ch. xii. v. 31).
Note [57.] To persons more or less above him in rank, the shopkeeper rises and stands, or merely makes a slight motion as if he were about to rise.
Note [58.] This is a common invocation, for the protection of a person from envy, or the evil eye, founded upon the last chapter but one of the Ḳur-án, in which the believer is desired to "seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak" from various evils, and among these "from the mischief of the envious." It is very often said to imply admiration of a child, that the mother may not fear.
Note [59.] This ejaculation is addressed to God.
Note [60.] This alludes to one of the stages of the creation of man explained in the Ḳur-án, ch. xxii. v. 5.
Note [61.] The old woman is described as being "full of joy" because, having induced her mistress to answer the letter, she saw a prospect of continuing the correspondence, and so obtaining additional presents.