Corpus of Latin Ecclesiastical Writers, Vol. LV: The Letters of Augustine, Part II

the space of my thoughts and arguments, but signifying infinite things through certain points and summaries, so that in a small letter you might learn the intentions of many at once. But because you ask with love, and everything I have learned must be instilled into faithful ears, I will set forth the opinion of the Hebrews, and—so that nothing is missing for your curiosity—I will subjoin the very Hebrew words: umelchisedech melech salem hosi lehem uaiain, uhu cohen lehel helion: uaibarcheu uaiomer baruch abram lehel helion cone samaim uares: ubaruch hel helion eser maggen sarach biadach uaiethen lo maaser mecchol. This is translated into Latin in this way: "And Melchisedech, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine—for he was a priest of the most high God—and he blessed him and said: 'Blessed be Abram by the most high God, who created heaven and earth; and blessed be the most high God, who delivered your enemies under your hand,' and he gave him tithes of all." They pass down that this man is Shem, the first son of Noah, and that at the time when Abram was born, he had reached an age