The prologue of Sirach, written by Ben Sira’s grandson in excellent †Koine Greek, stylistically resembles classical Greek historical introductions (see Luke 1:1–4). It consists of three long, elegant sentences that correspond to the three paragraphs of the RSV-2CE. In these sentences, Ben Sira’s grandson explains (1) the reasons why his grandfather composed his book, (2) the shortcomings of his own Greek translation of the original Hebrew text, and (3) the context of and reasons why he set out to translate the book.

Whereas many great teachings have been given to us through the law and the prophets and the others that followed them, on account of which we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom; and since it is necessary not only that the readers themselves should acquire understanding but also that those who love learning should be able to help the outsiders by both speaking and writing, my grandfather Jesus, after devoting himself especially to the reading of the law and the prophets and the other books of our fathers, and after acquiring considerable proficiency in them, was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, in order that, by becoming conversant with this also, those who love learning should make even greater progress in living according to the law.

You are urged therefore to read with good will and attention, and to be indulgent in cases where, despite our diligent labor in translating, we may seem to have rendered some phrases imperfectly. For what was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same sense when translated into another language. Not only this work, but even the law itself, the prophecies, and the rest of the books differ not a little as originally expressed.

When I came to Egypt in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Euergetes and stayed for some time, I found opportunity for no little instruction. It seemed highly necessary that I should myself devote some pains and labor to the translation of the following book, using in that period of time great watchfulness and skill in order to complete and publish the book for those living abroad who wished to gain learning, being prepared in character to live according to the law.

OT: Deut 4:6
NT: Luke 24:44; 2 Thess 2:15
Catechism: the permanent value of the Old Testament, 121–23

Ben Sira’s grandson begins his prologue by emphasizing the connection between his grandfather’s book and the Hebrew Scriptures.Though now part of the canonical text, the prologue lacks chapter and verse numbering because it was not part of Ben Sira’s original text. The Jews already have access to many great teachings in the law and the prophets and the others that followed them. This is the earliest known mention of the tripartite division of the Hebrew Bible, which Jews call the Tanakh—an acronym for the law (Torah), prophets (Nevi’im), and writings (Ketuvim) (see Luke 24:44). It is thanks to these sacred writings that Israel has acquired instruction (Greek paideia; Hebrew musar)—that is, education, learning, or discipline—and wisdom (Greek sophia; Hebrew hokhmah) (see Deut 4:6). Ben Sira did not write his book for specialists. His desire is not only that the readers—namely, the professional scribes able to read the Scriptures in their original language—may acquire understanding but that the same scribes who love learning may help the outsiders—the Jews of the Diaspora or even Gentiles—by passing on orally, by speaking, and in writing the wisdom that they have acquired (see 2 Thess 2:15). The translator’s grandfather Jesus (or Yeshua) Ben Sira, far from being a religious innovator, was well-versed in Israel’s Scriptures and built upon them as he composed his own work. By devoting himself to the study of the law and the prophets and the other books, he acquired considerable proficiency in them. Only after gaining this expertise did he feel led—perhaps the translator means by God or the Holy Spirit—to also write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom—the same paideia and sophia that Israel gained through the study of the Torah, prophets, and writings. The ultimate goal of his work is not mere intellectual erudition but a more devout Torah observance, so that the same lovers of learning, by reading and becoming conversant with the book of Sirach, may make even greater progress in living according to the law—the essential expression of devotion to God for religious Jews. The ideal of raising up many disciples dedicated to observing the Torah and faithfully passing on its teachings was common in ancient Judaism—anticipating how Jesus trained his own disciples to pass on his teachings to others.Mishnah, Avot 1:1; Matt 28:19–20; 2 Tim 2:2. The translator then urges his readers—the Jews living in Egypt—not only to read his grandfather’s book with good will and attention but also to kindly bear with the shortcomings of his own translation. Speaking in the editorial “we,” he confesses that despite his diligent labor in translating, he has surely rendered some phrases imperfectly from Hebrew to Greek. As the Italian saying goes: “traduttore, traditore”—a translator is a traitor, and every translation is a betrayal of the true meaning of the original. This is surely the case when translating what was originally expressed in Hebrew—a concise, vivid, and pictorial language that focuses on action and observation—into another language like Greek—a precise, rich, and complex language that excels at arguments, descriptions, and nuances of meaning. The considerable difference between the two languages leads Ben Sira’s grandson to critique not only his own work of translation but even the Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Jewish Bible, begun just a few generations before Ben Sira’s lifetime—as differing not a little from the original Hebrew.

In the third sentence, Ben Sira’s grandson provides context for his own work. He informs the reader that he came to Egypt, presumably from Judea, in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Euergetes—that is, Ptolemy VIII (or VII) Physcon, who reigned from 170 to 116 BC (see “Title, Author, Date” in the introduction, pp. 17–19). Hence the grandson arrived in Egypt in 132 BC and stayed for some time. The Greek seems to imply that his stay in Egypt synchronized with Euergetes’s reign—that is, he stayed until the king’s death (116 BC). Ben Sira’s grandson found there opportunity for no little instruction, by studying or teaching in the Jewish community of Egypt, likely Alexandria. Sometime later, he became convinced that he should devote some pains and labor to the translation of his grandfather’s book. The great watchfulness and skill he invested to translate, complete and publish the book implies that he spent many sleepless nights at his labor. He concludes the prologue by informing his readers that he translated his grandfather’s book for those living abroad—namely, for the Greek-speaking Jews living outside the land of Israel—who wished to gain (or “love”) learning and were already prepared in character and well-disposed to live according to the law.