| 0 | Ecclesiasticus | ||
| 1 | Whereas many great teachings have been given to us through the law and the prophets | ECCLESIASTICUS. THE WISDOM OF JOSHUA, SON OF SIRACH. Forward. Sir.Intro.1-36 | |
| 2 | and the others that followed them, | ||
| 3 | on account of which we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom; | ||
| 4 | and since it is necessary not only that the readers themselves should acquire understanding | ||
| 5 | but also that those who love learning should be able to help the outsiders | ||
| 6 | by both speaking and writing, | ||
| 7 | my grandfather Jesus, after devoting himself | ||
| 8 | especially to the reading of the law | ||
| 9 | and the prophets | ||
| 10 | and the other books of our fathers, | ||
| 11 | and after acquiring considerable proficiency in them, | ||
| 12 | was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, | ||
| 13 | in order that, by becoming conversant with this also, | ||
| 14 | those who love learning should make even greater progress in living according to the law. | ||
| 15 | You are urged therefore | ||
| 16 | to read with good will and attention, | ||
| 17 | and to be indulgent in cases where, | ||
| 18 | despite our diligent labour | ||
| 19 | in translating, | ||
| 20 | we may seem to have rendered some phrases imperfectly. | ||
| 21 | For what was originally | ||
| 22 | expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same sense when translated into another language. | ||
| 23 | Not only this work, | ||
| 24 | but even the law itself, the prophecies, | ||
| 25 | and the rest of the books | ||
| 26 | differ not a little as originally expressed. | ||
| 27 | When I came to Egypt in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Euergetes | ||
| 28 | and stayed for some time, | ||
| 29 | I found opportunity for no little instruction. | ||
| 30 | It seemed highly necessary that I should myself devote some pains and labour to the translation of the following book, | ||
| 31 | using in that period of time | ||
| 32 | great watchfulness and skill | ||
| 33 | in order to complete and publish the book | ||
| 34 | for those living abroad who wished to gain learning, | ||
| 35 | being prepared in character | ||
| 36 | to live according to the law. | ||
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