1 This book has been called in Latin Ecclesiasticus, which they have translated: the spiritual discipline. And is almost well practiced and used in the church, with reading, singing and preaching, but with little understanding and use, without having to boast of the clerical status and church pomp.
2 Otherwise his right name is called "Jesus Sirach", after his master, as his own preface and the Greek gives. As also Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, and all the prophets' books, are called after their masters, and is held by the ancient fathers not in the number of the holy scriptures, but as otherwise a good, fine book of a wise man, so we leave it.
But it seems to us, because he himself confesses in the preface, that he came to Egypt in the time of King Energeti, and there he finished this book (which his grandfather had started before), that he has gathered the best he found from many books. Especially because in Egypt there was a delicious Liberei, prepared by Euergeti's father, King Philadelphnm, that at that time both, books and learned people, were in great honor, and struck from all countries, as a great high school, especially to Greece; in addition, the Jews built a temple there, and erected worship.
4 This also shows that in this book one piece is not neatly put on top of the other, as the work of one master, but is drawn from various masters and books, and mixed with one another, as a bee puts its seed on various flowers and mixes them together. And it seems that this Jesus Sirach was from the royal tribe of David, and a nephew or grandson of Amos Sirach, who was the highest prince in the house of Judah, as one may take from Philone, about two hundred years before the birth of Christ, about the time of the Maccabees.
5. it is a useful book for the common man; for also all his diligence is that he may
to make a citizen or householder God-fearing, pious and wise, how he should behave towards God, God's word, priests, parents, wife, children, his own body, servants, goods, neighbors, friends, enemies, authorities and everyone; so that it might well be called a book of domestic discipline, or of the virtues of a pious householder, which is also and should be called right spiritual discipline.
But what work it took us to translate this book, whoever desires to know, may hold our German against all other copies, both Greek, Latin and German languages, they are old or new, so the work shall give the master 1) well testimony. So many clever ones in all languages have come over this book that it would not be a miracle, because without it all things in it have not been in order from its beginning, that it would have become completely unrecognizable, incomprehensible, and incapable of all things. But we have read it together again like a torn, trampled and scattered letter, and wiped off the dung, and brought it as far as anyone can see, praise be to God and thanks be to God, amen. Christians will not reproach us in this; but the world, as it has done until now, according to its virtue, will know how to thank us for it.
Preface of Jesus Sirach to his book. 2)
Many great men have given us wisdom from the law, the prophets, and others who have followed it; therefore Israel is to be praised for her wisdom and teaching. Therefore not only let those who have it and read it become wise from it, but also let them serve others with teaching and writing.
My grandfather Jesus, after making a special effort to read the Law, the Pro-.
1) Erlanger: "the masters"; the Weimar Bible has our reading.
2) This preface is missing in Walch, but is in the Bible edition of 1545.
*) This preface is found in Walch, in the Leipzig edition, vol. XII, p. 51 and in the Erlanger, vol. 63, p. 100.
He had practiced well in them, and he intended to write something about wisdom and good manners, so that those who would like to learn and become wise would become the more understanding and skilled in leading a good life. Therefore I ask you to accept it kindly and to read it with diligence, and to consider us worthy, if we cannot speak as well as the famous orators. For what is written in the Hebrew language does not read as well when it is translated into another language; not only this book of mine, but also of the law, the prophets, and the prophets.
and other books are much different when they are spoken under their language.
When I arrived in Egypt in the thirty-eighth year, in the time of King Ptolemaei Euergetis, and remained there all my life, I gained space to read and write many good things. Therefore I saw it good and necessary that I put the diligence and effort on it, and interpreted this book. And while I had time, I worked and worked diligently to finish this book and bring it to day, so that even the strangers who want to learn may become accustomed to "good" customs, so that they may live according to the law of the Lord.