The inscription reads, 'al-jud min akhlaq ahl al-janna al-yumn', which translates to 'Generosity is one of the virtues of the people of paradise, divine favour [to the owner]'. Another bowl with almost identical inscription was sold in these rooms, 19 October 1993, lot 252. For other examples of the adage contained here, see Bolshakov, O.G.: 'Arabic inscriptions in glazed ceramics of Central Asia, IX-XII century, III - Aphoristic inscriptions (in Russian), Epigrafica Vostoka, Moscow-Leningrad XVI, 1963, pp.37-46