Prologue to Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
序，以耶穌之子智慧的西拉奇
Bible, King James Version
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Prologue to Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
[A Prologue made by an uncertain Author] This Jesus was the son of Sirach, and grandchild to Jesus of the same name with him: this man therefore lived in the latter times, after the people had been led away captive, and called home a again, and almost after all the prophets. Now his grandfather Jesus, as he himself witnesseth, was a man of great diligence and wisdom among the Hebrews, who did not only gather the grave and short sentences of wise men, that had been before him, but himself also uttered some of his own, full of much understanding and wisdom. When as therefore the first Jesus died, leaving this book almost perfected, Sirach his son receiving it after him left it to his own son Jesus, who, having gotten it into his hands, compiled it all orderly into one volume, and called it Wisdom, intituling it both by his own name, his father's name, and his grandfather's; alluring the hearer by the very name of Wisdom to have a greater love to the study of this book. It containeth therefore wise sayings, dark sentences, and parables, and certain particular ancient godly stories of men that pleased God; also his prayer and song; moreover, what benefits God had vouchsafed his people, and what plagues he had heaped upon their enemies. This Jesus did imitate Solomon, and was no less famous for wisdom and learning, both being indeed a man of great learning, and so reputed also. [The Prologue of the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach.] Whereas many and great things have been delivered unto us by the law and the prophets, and by others that have followed their steps, for the which things Israel ought to be commended for learning and wisdom; and whereof not only the readers must needs become skilful themselves, but also they that desire to learn be able to profit them which are without, both by speaking and writing: my grandfather Jesus, when he had much given himself to the reading of the law, and the prophets, and other books of our fathers, and had gotten therein good judgment, was drawn on also himself to write something pertaining to learning and wisdom; to the intent that those which are desirous to learn, and are addicted to these things, might profit much more in living according to the law. Wherefore let me intreat you to read it with favour and attention, and to pardon us, wherein we may seem to come short of some words, which we have laboured to interpret. For the same things uttered in Hebrew, and translated into another tongue, have not the same force in them: and not only these things, but the law itself, and the prophets, and the rest of the books, have no small difference, when they are spoken in their own language. For in the eight and thirtieth year coming into Egypt, when Euergetes was king, and continuing there some time, I found a book of no small learning: therefore I thought it most necessary for me to bestow some diligence and travail to interpret it; using great watchfulness and skill in that space to bring the book to an end, and set it forth for them also, which in a strange country are willing to learn, being prepared before in manners to live after the law.
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思高本的德訓篇序
引言
古時猶太人稱本書為《息辣書》或《息辣箴言》；「希臘譯本」稱為《息辣智慧篇》，或「息辣之子耶穌的《智慧篇》」。「拉丁通行本」稱為「教會經典」（Ecclesiasticus），因為古時聖教會以本書作教訓望教者的課本。教父因特別注意本書的內容，稱它為「諸德智訓」。我國聖教會以《德訓篇》為名，正與本書的內容吻合。
本書的作者是耶路撒冷人息辣的兒子（或按某些抄卷，是息辣的孫子）耶穌（50:29）；他是一位研究智慧之學的經師（51章）。作者的孫子在公元前133年到了埃及，以後就把他祖父耶穌的著作為猶太僑民翻譯成了希臘文（見本書希臘譯本序言）。由此可以推定本書原文的著作時代應在公元前200-170年之間。並且本書的內容和思想，也完全適合猶太民族公元前二世紀初葉的歷史背景。
由以上所述看來，《德訓篇》的原文應是希伯來文。並且耶穌的孫子在序言內也證明：古時的猶太人對他祖父的著作，都很敬重。但究竟為了什麼原故，猶太人漸漸不把本書當作《聖經》，且希伯來原文也沒有保存下來，而至失傳；這一點我們未能了解。所幸，70年前在開羅（埃及）的古會堂內，最近又在瑪撒達（死海西岸，）一共發見了《德訓篇》的原文三分之一。在此兩地發見的「希伯來殘卷」，又證實了當初猶太人無論國內或國外，都以本書為正經。雖然後來的經師們不承認本書的正經性，但最古的「希臘和敘利亞譯本」都把本書著錄在聖經書目內。為此，聖教會既然從宗徒時代起，即應用了「希臘通行本」，所以始終承認《德訓篇》的正經性。基督教卻跟從了猶太教，把本書列於正經之外。
本書的經文問題，頗為複雜。因為東方和西方各教會多以《德訓篇》為教科書，所以在翻譯和抄寫時，為適應時代和環境，有時自由意譯，有時又加上一些解釋的話，因此各譯本的經文和次序不常一致，並且很難決定那一種譯本最符合原文。今中文譯本以「希臘譯本」作翻譯的藍本，但西方教會在彌撒和其他禮儀中常用「拉丁通行本」的經文，為此在本譯文內隨從「拉丁譯本」的節數，且以小字體加上「拉丁譯本」所多有的辭句。
本書的內容和寫作的目的，很相似《箴言》。本書的主題是「智慧」，就是人在處世和宗教生活上應具有和應表現的美德。智慧原屬於天主的本性，由天主發出，而賦給愛天主的人（1:1-10; 24:1-11） ，但天主特別將智慧賜給選民作「產業」（24:12-19） ；智慧又包涵在梅瑟法律中（24:32,33） 。為此作者勸他的同胞，無論男女老幼，無論在任何環境中，應以敬畏上主為生活的準則，應以遵守法律為獲得幸福的穩妥基礎。這是本書上編的內容（1:1-42:14）。下編（42:15-50:31）是讚揚以色列民族的歷代英雄。最後一章是作者的禱辭和他最後的勸言。
本書的作者生活在舊約末期中，成了引導熱心的猶太人進入新約的先鋒。他論天主的「智慧」所表達的深意，在新約啟示的光照之下，纔昭然若揭，因為「基督是天主的德能和天主的智慧，在他內蘊藏着智慧和智識的一切寶藏」（格前1:24；哥2:3）。
希臘譯本序言
我們既由法律、先知和其後的作家，得了許多高尚的教訓，就應該稱道以色列民族的訓導和智慧；因為讀書人，不應只為自己求學，應以自己的言論和著作，使在外好學的人，得沾利益。所以我的祖父耶穌在熱心研究法律、先知及別的祖傳文獻以後，獲得了一種相當的造詣，遂自覺對於訓導和智慧不能不著書立論，使那些好學之士得悉以後，更能進修，善度一合乎法律的生活。
所以如今奉勸你們，要懷着善意和慎重的態度，來讀這部書，且希望你們加以原諒，因為有些詞句，我們雖然費了一番苦心，仍不能用適當的文辭，將原意表達出來；因為希伯來文的著作，一譯成他國的文字，便不易保存其原有的氣魄。這種情形，不但本書如此，就是法律、先知和其他經籍的譯文，與原文一對照，就有不少的差異。
正在厄威革特王執政第三十八年上，我來到了埃及，在那裡居住有年，便發現了這本道義高深的著作，遂自覺翻譯此書是一件刻不容緩的工作，故不分晝夜，不辭辛苦，從事翻譯，盡我所能，努力在適當的時期內，脫稿問世，以便使那些僑居在外，好學不倦的人，改善自己的行為，依照法律生活。
http://www.sbofmhk.org/tchi/Resources/sbofm_bible/sbofm_bible_content.php?book=31&chapter=0&check.x=1&check.y=10
http://www.1lord.net/ap14.html