Jeremiah

THE PROLOGUE OF JEROME ON JEREMIAH

PREFACE

This translation is Jerome's. If anything in it should give trouble, let it be examined according to the Hebrew manuscripts. There is another, that of the Seventy translators, in customary use among the Churches: which, although it has some things otherwise than is found in the Hebrew manuscripts, yet each of the two, that is, the one according to the Seventy and the one according to the Hebrew, has been confirmed by apostolic authority. Not by error nor by any higher censure, but by a settled purpose, the Seventy are understood to have said or woven together some things otherwise. And we give this warning beforehand for this reason, that no one should wish to correct the one out of the other: because the truth of each of them in its own kind is to be observed.

THE ARGUMENT

Jeremiah the Anathothite, which is a little village three miles distant from Jerusalem, fell asleep at Thamnas in Egypt, overwhelmed with stones by the people. And he lies buried in that place where of old Pharao the king had dwelt. And because, the serpents having been driven away from that place at his petition, he makes the Egyptians safe from the touch of asps, the Egyptians there venerate him with great religious awe.