K. Širvydo „Punktų sakymų“ lenkiškoji pratarmė

K. Širvydas (c. 1580—1631) is widely known not only for his dictionary of Polish, Latin and Lithuanian languages (Dictionarium trium linguarum), but also for his sermons, published in a separate book entitled „Punktai sakymų“ („Punkty Kazan“). The sermons are given simultaneously in Lithuanian and Polish. The sermons of the first part were translated into Polish by K. Širvydas himself, and the second part by his co-adolescent J. Jaknavičius. In addition, the 1990s, the 1991 and 1992 editions of "The Points of Sayings" were published three more times. They were published for the first time in the language used for church affairs without the Polish text in 1845 by L. Montvydas, pastor of Seda®. The first part of the “Point Sayings” was also reprinted for scientific purposes without the Polish text by the German linguist R. Garbė*. In the introduction to the publication, R. Garbė discussed the spelling of the “point statements” and the peculiarities of the language. The photographed edition of both parts with a comprehensive introduction, which gives an overview of K. Širvitas’s life and the peculiarities of his sermon language, was prepared by the German linguist F. Špechtas*. Excerpts from both parts of “The Points Sayings” have been published in various chrestomatias, textbooks, textbooks- *. The first part of the “Points Sayings” consists of K. Širvydas’ Latin dedication in verse and prose to Bishop Eustachius Valavičius of Vilnius, the Latin approval of the Lithuanian Jesuit Provincial John Jamielkovskis, K. Širvydas’ Polish four-page “Przedmowa do czytelnika” (“Preface to the reader”), the Latin index of gospels and sermons®, the text of Lithuanian and Polish gospels and sermons. In the margins of the text of “Points of Sayings” are given theses of Lithuanian and Polish sermons, at the end of the book — alphabetical Latin index of the main concepts of “Points of Sayings”’,! These are summaries of sermons, the main points of the sermons. Points of Kazan from Advent to Lent, in Lithuanian language with translation into Polish by Kéiedza Konstan this Szyrwida, Theologian Societatis Iesv, with the permission of the elders issued. In Vilnius In Drukarni Akademiey Societatis Iesv Roku M. DC. XXIX, Points Kazan On Lent In Lithuanian By W. X. Constantius Szyrwid Theologia Societatis Iesv written, a Now na Polski Language pzetłumaczone, y both for the Print given. With permission of StarBych. In Vilnius, In the Printing House of the Academy of Societatis Jesu, 1644. * Punktay saying from Advent to Gawienes, by Priest Kastantina Szyrwida senowie iszdować, and now work and you Priest Leona Montwida, Master of Theology, Sedos Priest, isznauje iszdrukować to Vilnius. Press Jozap Zawadzki. In 1845, the publisher made a short speech in which he mentioned K. Sirvyda as a preacher. The reason for the publication of the book: "As a memory of the language of our ancestors..." in * Litauische und Lettische Drucke des 16. und 17. Century edited by Adalbert Bezzenberger. IV, Heft. Szyrwid's Punkty Kazan (Punktai Sakimu) from 1629. With a grammatical introduction edited by Richard Garbe. Göttingen, 1844. ¢ Syrwids Punktay sakimu (Pankty Kazan), part 1: 1629, Part II: Lithuanian 1644 and Polish with a short grammatical — introduction edited by Dr. Franz Specht, Göttingen, Germany 1929. * Lietuvos TSR Bibliography. Books in Lithuanian 1547— 1861. — V., 1960, t. 1, p. 396. * Index Dominicarum et The pointer is a part of in the continental opera. 7 Index rerum praecipuarum quae his in Punctis Continental. 248 The second part of the “Points Sayings” consists of the gospels and sermons dedicated to Lent, a short Latin approval written by the Lithuanian Jesuit provincial John Gruževskis, a few words of Latin dedication by John Jaknavičius, two indexes, both printed at the beginning of the book®. We are concerned here with the Polish “Preface to the Reader” (“Przedmowa do czytelnika”) of the first part of the “Point Sayings”. The preface of K. Širvydas is very significant. It allows us to better understand the history of the writing of the Point Sayings, their purpose, nature, K. Širvydas- ’s attitude to his Polish translation, the necessity of a Lithuanian accentuated text and the Lithuanian religious literature of the time. The introduction explains how to use the sermons, what are the needs of the readers, and provides knowledge from the biography of K. Širvydas. The preface clearly shows that the sermons were not only intended for Lithuanian and Polish preachers, but also for those who do not speak these languages: “My points, written in Lithuanian, I set out in Polish, so that, when they spread among the people, they would be useful both to those who know Lithuanian well and to those who do not know Lithuanian at all…” For this purpose, K. Širvydas provided the Lithuanian and Polish texts with Latin sermon theses, references to the sacred scripture and Latin indexes of sermons and theses. That K. Sirvydas’ sermons are not only intended for Lithuanian priests, but also for Polish and other language-speaking priests, is shown by his remark that the Lithuanian text should be corrected: “The Lithuanian text of the book should use certain signs, called accents in Latin, so that those who do not know Lithuanian can pronounce and read correctly. But the accent requires a new special font, and with it costs that I cannot afford now. Whoever wants to speak with a perfect Lithuanian accent, let him listen to people who speak Lithuanian and get used to proper pronunciation.” K. Širvydas, being well educated in philology, influenced by M. Daukša’s spelling of the Postilas (1599), took care of spelling the Punktų sakymai. From the dialect, it can be assumed that in K. Širvydas- ’s time, when the Lithuanian people were in poverty, there were only a few Lithuanian books, so Polish priests working in Lithuanian parishes read K. Širvydas- ’s Gospels and sermons in the churches to local Lithuanians. In order for Lithuanians who do not speak Lithuanian to understand the text of K. Širvydas’ sermons read by priests who do not speak Lithuanian, K. Širvydas advised them to listen to the language of those who speak Lithuanian and to get used to proper pronunciation. K. Širvydas made every effort to make the Lithuanian and Polish texts clear and understandable. He did not aim for anyone to learn Polish from his translation: "If someone finds the Polish translation not very perfect and processed, know that I did not try to translate into Polish so that from this translation they could learn Polish. I wanted to translate literally,. as far as the substance of the matter permits, from Lithuanian to Polish in such a way that my translation is understandable.” Before the appearance of K. Širvydas- ’s “Punktų sakymų” part I, only a few Catholic books had been published in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania: the Catechism of P. Kanizijaus, published about 1585, the Catechism translated by M. Daukša (1595), M. Daukša’s “Postilė” (1599), the first edition of K. Širvydas- ’s own Polish—Latin—Lithuanian dictionary (about 1620). * Index Punctorum guae in hac parte continentur. Index rerum aliguarum. 249 K. Širvydas states in his preface that Lithuanian religious literature is inadequate: “We already have almost innumerable books written in Latin and other languages, and in Lithuanian there are too few books that are so necessary for the salvation of souls.” K. Širvydas explained why he did not give detailed sermons, but only short points (theses) of the Gospels. K. Širvydas did not prepare extensive sermons not only because of weak health, but also because in his time sermons were short: “I meant that those interested in my work could read it easily and that the points would be useful to preachers who need not so much words as the very essence. Not only because of my weak health, but also because of the conciseness that is so popular today, I have compiled a small sermon book." K. Širvydas explained in more detail how to use his sermons. To the presented gospels Širvydas added K. ne po one but several po sermons to be iš ko to choose. Be of that, gave simple sermons for the uneducated, more thoroughly ir educated. — There are things in this book that will be incomprehensible to the uneducated, perceived only o by the more educated. When selecting sermons, a selection is made: “For ordinary people, it should be more accessible, o for the more advanced, — more thorough. Therefore, I give you a choice of simple points rather than complicated ones." From the preface we learn that K. Širvydas was in very weak health when preparing his sermons for the press: “I prepared only the points for a few Sundays, because, being in weak health, I had to make the work easier by dividing it into parts.” K. Širvydas had the aim to write the missing sermons (from Easter to Advent): "Although being in weak health, I hope, satisfying your desire, my reader, to present other sermons as soon as possible." The preface ends with the usual wish to the reader in the days of K. Širvydas: „Dear reader, be kind to accept and properly use my work as a grace“, „Przedmowa do czytelnika“ is written in ancient Polish, with long periodic sentences, in an ancient rhetorical style. Although K. Širvydas’s preface was written 30 years after M. Daukša’s famous Polish preface to Postilas, K. Širvydas did not match M. Daukša in his ideas. He did not raise the rights of the native language, did not present patriotic ideas. But “Points of Sayings” outperformed M. Daukša’s “Postila” in its originality®. In addition, they reflected the residential period and the Lithuanian household better than M. Daukša’s translated Postilė. Below is the Lithuanian translation of K. Širvydas’s “Przedmowa do czytelnika” (“Preface to the reader”). * “Punktai sakymų” — wrote J. Lebedys — is the first case in the history of Lithuanian culture where a Polish text was translated from Lithuanian. See. J. Lebedys, Lithuanian literature. —V., 1977, p. 83. 250 Dear reader, į I present to you what I think are quite good points for sermons, o ne the same detailed sermons as usual in other posts. I meant that students could read my work easily and that the points would be useful to preachers who need as much words as they need šį substance. ir ne Ne I have made a small sermon book because of my weak health, but for the sake of ir conciseness, which is so popular today. Books written in other ir languages than Latin are almost in number, be but books o in Lithuanian for the salvation of souls, which are so much needed, are too few. My points, written in Lithuanian, I have set out in Polish so that they, spreading among people, would be useful to those who know ir Lithuanian well, to those who do not know ir Lithuanian but are nė concerned about the souls of their loved ones, reading the Polish translation, they will understand the Lithuanian text next to it. iš If someone would find the Polish translation not very perfectly ir processed, know that I did not try to translate it into Polish so that from this translation they could learn Polish. I wanted to translate literally, as far as the substance allows, the Lithuanian language into Polish so that my translation would be iš understood. į If anyone asks why I support my proposals only with the evidence of the Scriptures, I will answer that they are very thorough in proving every ir truth revealed by God, and that the mind, taking the evidence from them, strengthens the will. In the margins of the book I give very short Latin theses, which were laid out throughout the sermon, so that everyone knows which point to read, what to take from that point in case of need. I also added a Latin register of the most important things, so that the book would be useful for those who do not know these two languages. The register points to the margins of the book, where the reader will quickly find the very essence of the science, defined by certain points and their confirmation in the scripture. The Lithuanian text of the book should use certain signs, called accents in Latin, so that those who do not know Lithuanian can pronounce and read correctly. But the accent requires a new special font and costs that I can’t afford right now. Those who want to speak with a perfect Lithuanian accent should listen to people who speak Lithuanian and get used to proper pronunciation. After describing the book itself, I want to explain how to use it better. In particular, some may use these points for reflection or meditation, for their own personal benefit and to stimulate their piety. Here is plenty of material for useful reflection. These points can be used not only for sermons, but also for exhortation and prayerful conversations. In the given points I give more evidence so that you can use them at your discretion or choose from them one point that you would expand and sufficiently clarify. I give more points for Sunday, so you can choose what you like. Some for reflection, some for instruction of others. You could connect the dots to each other as you like. There are things in this book that will be incomprehensible to the uneducated, but understandable to the more educated. When choosing sermons, a selection must be made: for ordinary people, it must be more accessible, and for the more advanced — more thorough. For this here 251