TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW PREFACE.
THIS BOOK IS THAT WHICH IS CALLED THE UPRIGHT BOOK.
It has at this time been ascertained by us that when the holy city Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus, all the military heads went in to rob and plunder, and that amongst the officers[1] of Titus was one whose name was Sidrus, who went in to search, and found in Jerusalem a house of great extent, and took away all the spoils which he found there; when he wished to go out of the house, he looked at the wall and fancied that he saw treasures there, so he broke down the wall and the building and found a cask full of various books of the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa,[2] also books of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of other nations, as well as many other books of Israel, together with the books of the Mishnah adopted and established; many rolls were also lying there; he also found there all sorts of provision and wine in abundance, and discovered an old man sitting there, who was reading in those books. When the officer saw this great sight he was greatly astonished, and said to the old man, why dost thou sit alone in this place, without any person remaining with thee? So the old man answered, for many years past was I aware of this second destruction of Jerusalem, so I built this house and made for myself a balcony,[3] and I brought with me these books to read, and I brought also sufficient provision, thinking thereby to[4] save my life.
And God caused the old man to find favor in the eyes of the officer, who brought him forth with respect with all his books, and they went from city to city and from country to country until they reached Sevilia; and the officer found that this old man was possessed of wisdom and understanding and acquainted with various kinds of science, upon discovering which he raised and honored him, was constantly in his house and was taught by him all sorts of wisdom, and they built for themselves a lofty and capacious house in the suburbs of Sevilia and placed there all those books.
This house is yet in Sevilia unto this day, and they wrote there all the events that would hereafter take place amongst the kings of the world unto the coming of our Messiah.
