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the nature of God, nor indeed the power of the divine spirit, in no way dwelling in soulless or irrational animals, nor indeed in all rational beings, except perhaps only in souls, and virtuous souls, such as the account has just described the prophets of the Hebrews to us, whom we say were deemed worthy of the divine spirit, for the sake of great matters contributing to the improvement of people in the whole world. 5.Prooem.31 But if ever, like a shadow, the ability to know present things of an intermediate and indifferent nature, and to foretell at the right time things unknown to those who asked, followed them, they necessarily provided this also to those of old who approached them, so that those greedy for foreknowledge might not seem with good reason to turn aside to the oracles outside, of foreign nations, for lack of their own prophets. 5.Prooem.32 But let these things have an end here, being indicative of the divine power in the Hebrew prophets. It is time, therefore, to obey them, as being inspired men and wise not according to man but by the inspiration of the divine spirit, as they teach, and to be instructed in their doctrines and their pious and unerring theologies, no longer having doubt, lest they introduce something alien to virtue and truth. Come then, now at last taking up the account from the beginning, let us confirm the theology in the gospels concerning our savior Jesus Christ from the prophetic testimony. 5.Prooem.33 The evangelical testimony, then, speaks of Christ's divinity thus: «In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made»; and it calls him intellectual light, and it also calls him Lord, just as it also calls him God. 5.Prooem.34 And the divine Paul, as a disciple and apostle of Christ, is in harmony with this theology, relating these things about him: «who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together». He is also called «the power of God» and «the wisdom of God». These very things, then, are now set forth to be gathered from the prophetic writings among the Hebrews, so that through the agreement in both parts the proof of the truth may be established. 5.Prooem.35 But one must not be ignorant that the divine oracles, containing much that is extraordinary both in word and in thought in the Hebrew language, have met with various interpretations into Greek on account of their being difficult to understand. Seventy Hebrew men, however, translated them together harmoniously, to whom we will pay the most attention, because it is indeed the custom of the Church of Christ to use these. 5.Prooem.36 But if somewhere there should be a need, we will not refuse the editions of the later, more recent translators, which it is still the custom of the Jews to use, so that the presentation of our proof might achieve greater certainty from every side. With these things having been stated as a preface for us, let us now at last take up the inspired voices. 5.1.1 From the Proverbs. «I, wisdom, have made counsel my dwelling, and I have called upon knowledge and understanding. The fear of the Lord hates injustice, both insolence and pride and the ways of the wicked; and I have hated the perverse ways of evil men. Mine is counsel and security, mine is understanding, and mine is strength. Through me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. Through me great men are magnified, and through me tyrants rule the earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find grace. Wealth and glory belong to me, and the possession of many things and righteousness. 5.1.2 It is better to bear fruit from me than from gold and much precious stone, and my offspring are better than choice silver. In the ways of righteousness I walk, and in the ways of righteousness I conduct myself, that I may apportion substance to those who love me, and their

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θεοῦ φύσιν, μηδέ γε θείου πνεύματος δύναμιν ἐπινενοηκότων, οὐδαμῶς μὲν ἐμφιλοχωροῦσαν ἀψύχοις ἢ ἀλόγοις ζῴοις, ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἐν λογικοῖς ἅπασιν, εἰ μή ποτε ἄρα ἢ μόνων ψυχῶν καὶ ἐναρέτοις ψυχαῖς, οἵους ἡμῖν ἀρτίως ὁ λόγος τοὺς Ἑβραίων ὑπέγραψε προφήτας, οὓς τοῦ θείου πνεύματος φαμὲν ἀξιωθῆναι, μεγάλων ἕνεκεν πραγμάτων οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης ἀνθρώπων βελτιώσει συμβαλλομένων. 5.Prooem.31 εἰ δέ ποτ' αὐτοῖς σκιᾶς δίκην ἐπηκολούθει τὸ καὶ τὰ παρόντα τῶν μέσων καὶ ἀδιαφόρων γνωρίζειν καὶ προλέγειν κατὰ καιρὸν τὰ ἀγνοούμενα τοῖς ἐρωτῶσιν, ἀναγκαίως καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς πάλαι αὐτοῖς πλησιάζουσιν παρεῖχον, ὡς ἂν μὴ δοκοῖεν οἱ λίχνοι περὶ τὰς προγνώσεις εὐλόγως ἀποκλίνειν ἐπὶ τὰ ἔξω τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐθνῶν μαντεῖα σπάνει προφητῶν οἰκείων. 5.Prooem.32 Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ὧδε τέλος ἐχέτω, τῆς ἐν τοῖς Ἑβραίων προφήταις θείας δυνάμεως ὄντα παραστατικά. ὥρα δὴ οὖν αὐτοῖς, οἷα δὴ ἐνθέοις ἀνδράσιν καὶ σοφοῖς οὐ κατ' ἄνθρωπον γενομένοις κατ' ἐπίπνοιαν δὲ θείου πνεύματος, πείθεσθαι διδάσκουσιν παιδεύεσθαί τε τὰ παρ' αὐτοῖς δόγματα καὶ τὰς εὐσεβεῖς καὶ ἀδιαπτώτους θεολογίας, οὐκέτ' ἀμφιβολίαν ἔχοντα, μή πη ἀρετῆς καὶ ἀληθείας ἀλλότριον ἐπάγωνται. φέρ' οὖν ἤδη λοιπὸν ἀναλαβόντες ἐξ ὑπαρχῆς τὸν λόγον, τὴν ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ θεολογίαν ἀπὸ τῆς προφητικῆς μαρτυρίας πιστωσώμεθα. 5.Prooem.33 ἡ μὲν οὖν εὐαγγελικὴ μαρτυρία ὧδε τὸν Χριστὸν θεολογεῖ· «ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν»· καλεῖ δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ φῶς νοερόν, καλεῖ δὲ καὶ κύριον, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ θεόν. 5.Prooem.34 καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος δὲ Παῦλος, οἷα τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαθητὴς ὢν καὶ ἀπόστολος, συνᾴδει τῇ θεολογίᾳ, ταῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ διεξιών· «ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι. τὰ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται, καὶ αὐτός ἐστι πρὸ πάντων, καὶ τὰ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ συνέστηκεν». κέκληται καὶ «θεοῦ δύναμις» καὶ «θεοῦ σοφία». αὐτὰ δὴ οὖν ταῦτα πρόκειται καὶ νῦν ἀπὸ τῶν παρὰ Ἑβραίοις προφητικῶν γραφῶν ἐξανθίσασθαι, ὡς ἂν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἑκατέροις τοῖς μέρεσι συμφωνίας ἡ τοῦ ἀληθοῦς ἀπόδειξις παρασταθείη. 5.Prooem.35 Χρὴ δὲ μὴ ἀγνοεῖν ὅτι οἱ μὲν θεῖοι χρησμοί, πολὺ τὸ καὶ πρὸς λέξιν καὶ πρὸς διάνοιαν ὑπερφυὲς τῇ Ἑβραίων φωνῇ περιέχοντες, διαφόρου τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν ἑρμηνείας τετυχήκασιν τοῦ δυσθεωρήτου χάριν. ἑβδομήκοντα δ' οὖν ἄνδρες ἀθρόως Ἑβραῖοι συμφώνως αὐτὰς μεταβεβλήκασιν, οἷς μάλιστα τὸν νοῦν προσέξομεν, ὅτι δὴ καὶ τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκκλησίᾳ τούτοις κεχρῆσθαι φίλον. 5.Prooem.36 εἰ δέ που γίνοιτο χρεία, οὐδὲ τὰς τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα νεωτέρων ἑρμηνευτῶν ἐκ δόσεις, αἷς φίλον εἰσέτι νῦν Ἰουδαίοις χρῆσθαι, παραιτησόμεθα, ὡς ἂν πανταχόθεν τὰ τῆς ἀποδείξεως ἡμῖν βεβαιοτέρας τύχοι παραστάσεως. τούτων ἡμῖν πεπροοιμιασμένων, καὶ τῶν ἐνθέων φωνῶν ἤδη λοιπὸν ἐφαψώμεθα. 5.1.1 Ἀπὸ τῶν Παροιμιῶν. «Ἐγὼ ἡ σοφία κατεσκήνωσα βουλήν, καὶ γνῶσιν καὶ ἔννοιαν ἐγὼ ἐπεκαλεσάμην. φόβος κυρίου μισεῖ ἀδικίαν, ὕβριν τε καὶ ὑπερηφανίαν καὶ ὁδοὺς πονηρῶν· μεμίσηκα δὲ ἐγὼ διεστραμμένας ὁδοὺς κακῶν. ἐμὴ βουλὴ καὶ ἀσφάλεια, ἐμὴ φρόνησις, ἐμὴ δὲ ἰσχύς· δι' ἐμοῦ βασιλεῖς βασιλεύουσιν, καὶ οἱ δυνάσται γράφουσι δικαιοσύνην· δι' ἐμοῦ μεγιστᾶνες μεγαλύνονται, καὶ τύραννοι δι' ἐμοῦ κρατοῦσι γῆς. ἐγὼ τοὺς ἐμὲ φιλοῦντας ἀγαπῶ, οἱ δὲ ἐμὲ ζητοῦντες εὑρήσουσι χάριν. πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα ἐμοὶ ὑπάρχει, καὶ κτῆσις πολλῶν καὶ δικαιοσύνη. 5.1.2 βέλτιον ἐμὲ καρπίζεσθαι ὑπὲρ χρυσίον καὶ λίθον τίμιον πολύν, τὰ δὲ ἐμὰ γεννήματα κρεῖσσον ἀργυρίου ἐκλεκτοῦ. ἐν ὁδοῖς δικαιοσύνης περιπατῶ, καὶ ἐν ὁδοῖς δικαιοσύνης ἀναστρέφομαι, ἵνα μερίσω τοῖς ἐμὲ ἀγαπῶσιν ὕπαρξιν, καὶ τοὺς