耶柔米《多俾亚传》前言
Jerome Preface on Tobit
耶柔米。我对您所提出的要求不禁感到惊讶。您坚持要我将一本用迦勒底语写成的书译成拉丁文，无疑就是《多俾亚传》这本书，希伯来人将其从圣经正典的目录中剔除，将其中所记之事归入圣录。我已尽力满足您的愿望，但这并非出于我自己的追求。因为希伯来人的热心责备我们，指控我们违背他们的正典，将此书译给拉丁人听。但宁可受法利赛人的论断而令他们不悦，也要遵从主教的命令，这正是我一贯的做法。我已尽我所能坚持完成，因为迦勒底人的语言与希伯来语相近，我找到一位精通两种语言的人，用一个工作日着手完成了此事；凡他以希伯来语向我表达的内容，我都召来一位抄写员用拉丁文记录下来。当我承蒙您的厚爱，得知您所托付我完成的工作是值得的，您的祷告将是我这项劳作的报酬。[耶柔米，《多俾亚传前言》，《拉丁教父集》29:37-39]
JEROME. I do not cease to wonder at the demand of your request. For you insist I get a book written in the Chaldean language into Latin writing, certainly the book of Tobit, which the Hebrews cut from the list of Divine Scriptures, relating those things which they have transferred to Hagiographa. I have done enough for your desire, but not by my pursuit. For the zeal of the Hebrews rebuke us and charge us, to translate this for the ears of Latins against their canon. But it is better to be judging the judgment of the Pharisees and to displease them, and serve the commands of bishops, as I have practiced. I have persisted as I have been able, and because the language of the Chaldeans is close to Hebrew speech, finding a speaker very skilled in both languages, I took to the work of one day, and whatever he expressed to me in Hebrew words, this, with a summoned scribe, I have set forth in Latin words. I will be paid the price of this work by your prayers, when, by your grace, I will have learned what you request to have been completed by me was worthy. [Jerome, Preface Tobit, PL 29:37-39]