PREFACE

...the blessed Ephrem, who, having been restored to the East by your works, will testify as a profound authority to your grave cares for the salvation of the Eastern peoples.

I know that you have never been delighted by the breeze of human glory, which captures so many, nor are you accustomed to trade your precious labors for such a cheap reward. I know you are well aware of what was plain to the pagan Poet who sang: One who is not wise is caught by arrogance and empty noise. original Greek: "Μὴ φρονῶν ἀλαζονείᾳ καὶ ψόφοις ἁλίσκεται." This quote emphasizes that a lack of wisdom leads one to be seduced by vanity and the "noise" of public praise. But I mentioned those things because I understood that in this current undertaking, these two matters cannot be separated. Nor does so much praise accrue to you from this endeavor that a far greater dignity and splendor does not also adorn the Church of God and provide a defense for the Catholic religion—both of which, I do not doubt, are the goal of your concerns. Most wisely, Plato said that God has no reason to act outside of Himself; if, therefore, any among mortals is similar to God, he cannot have the reason for his actions

outside of God. For it follows that those things which are similar in nature should also be similar in action. For my part, seeing how much this concerns me and my fellow Easterners, I will not allow, Most Eminent and Reverend Lord, that in these great efforts of yours for the glory of Christ and His Church, you should find my service—whatever it may be—lacking. This is especially true while I prepare the other volume of this second part, containing the Explanations of all the Prophets A reference to the biblical commentaries (Exegesis) of Ephrem the Syrian, which the translator is currently preparing for publication.; indeed, I am already pursuing the final parts of this, so that I trust it will be completed shortly, God breathing life into the work. Indeed, it is a shameful thing for one dwelling in the house of God to look toward anything other than God, or to neglect anything Divine—as that Bishop of Mecca Likely referring to a Christian bishop in the region of Arabia mentioned in historical chronicles. once said, according to Almacinus Almacinus refers to George Elmacin (al-Makin ibn al-’Amid), a 13th-century Coptic Christian historian whose "Universal History" was a popular source for European scholars of this period..

From the Professed House The "Domus Professa," usually a residence for Jesuit priests who had taken their final vows., the 28th of October, 1736. V. Kal. Novembris 1736: In the Roman calendar, the 5th day before the Kalends of November corresponds to October 28th.