And this is the second introduction by the aforementioned Chief Rabbi of blessed memory, on this holy book Shemen Zayit Zakh

וְזֹאת שֵׁנִית הַקְדָּמָה מֵהָרַב הַכּוֹלֵל הַנַּזָ״ל עַל הַסֵּפֶר הַקֹּדֶשׁ הַזֶּה שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זַךְ

For inquire now of a wise man (כִּי שְׁאַל נָא חָכָם). When he initially desires knowledge of something (לְכְשֶׁיֵּרְצֶה יְדִיעָה בַּתְּחִלָּה). And his knowledge does not yet decide the matter (וְאֵין יְדִיעָתוֹ מַכְרִיעָה). Behold, my Reader (הִנֵּה קרא״י). If it is a tradition, we shall accept it (אִם קַבָּלָה נְקַבֵּל). From verses for which there is no compelling proof (מִקְרָאוֹת שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם הֶכְרֵחַ). Who can prove anything concerning matters of Heaven? (מַאן מוֹכַח בְּמִילֵּי דִּשְׁמַיָּא). And in concealed wisdom, no seeing eye shall behold it (וּבְסָתוּם חָכְמָה לֹא תְשׁוּרֶנּוּ עַיֵּין רוֹאִי). Nor shall man know its worth (וְלֹא יֵדַע אֱנוֹשׁ עֶרְכָּהּ). For one who comes and goes to dispute (לַיּוֹצֵא וְלַבָּא לְהִתְוַכֵּחַ). This is Shivah in the concealment of the matter (הַיְינוּ שִׁיב״ה בְּהֶעֶלֵם דָּבָר). Behold, a righteous one shall be requited upon the earth (הֵן צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ יְשֻׁלָּם). Is it not from the beginning, within the concealment of the level? (הֲלֹא מֵרֹאשׁ בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה). The fear of Hashem—it is wisdom (יִרְאַת ה׳ הִיא חָכְמָה). And from a man’s conversation—“the mouth of the righteous utters wisdom” (וּמִשִּׁיחָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם פִּי צַדִּיק יֶהְגֶּה חָכְמָה). He breathes forth faithfulness (אֱמוּנָה יָפִיחַ). And at the head of the noisy places, the Torah proclaims concerning him (וּבְרֹאשׁ הוֹמוּיוֹת תּוֹרָה מַכְרֶזֶת עָלָיו). What do the creatures say concerning him? (מַה הַבְּרִיּוֹת אוֹמְרִים עָלָיו). And afterward, a sage shall praise her (וְחָכָם בָּאַחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה). Here, concerning one of his own generation (כָּאן בְּבֶן גִּילוֹ). Recognizable praise (שֶׁבַח הַנִּכָּר). It is his praises that he praises (שַׁבְּחוֹי קָא מְשַׁבַּח).

Holy shall he be called—the lamp of radiance (קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֵר לוֹ בּוּצִינָא דְּנְהוֹרָא). In one—a necklace, a precious thing (בְּאֶחָד עֲנָק דָּבָר חָשׁוּב). Even among a thousand, he is distinguished (אֲפִלּוּ בֶּאֶלֶף). He enlightens the eyes of the sages (מֵאִיר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים). From the rising of the sun to its setting (מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד מְבוֹאוֹ). He draws in and shines forth (שׁוֹאֵף זוֹרֵחַ).

Is this not the man—a watcher and a holy one (הֲלוֹא זֶה הָאִישׁ עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ), the master of radiance, Rav Nehorai (רַב נְהוֹרָא״י)? Here they translated it as Nehorita [illumination] (הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ נְהוֹרִיתָא). Shlomo, in his wisdom, made handles for the Torah (שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ עָשָׂה אָזְנַיִם לַתּוֹרָה). In the book Shemen Mishḥat Kodesh [Oil of Holy Anointment] (בְּסֵפֶר שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ). A word fitly spoken (דָּבָר דָּבוּר עַל אָפְנָיו). A sage among craftsmen (חָכָם חָרָשִׁים). The craftsman and the smith (הֶחָרָשׁ וְהַמַּסְגֵּר). He shuts, and none opens (וְסָגַר וְאֵין פּוֹתֵחַ).

His palate is sweetness (חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים). Pardes Rimmonim [Orchard of Pomegranates] (פַּרְדֵּ״ס רִמּוֹנִים). This shinun [sharpened teaching] and that shinun [sharpened teaching] (הַאי שִׁנּוּן וְהַאי שִׁנּוּן). Every palate that tastes it (כָּל חֵךְ שֶׁטּוֹעֲמוֹ). Lips shall kiss one who gives an upright answer (שְׂפָתַיִם יִשָּׁק דִּבְרֵי פִּי חָכָם). Perfumed with myrrh (מְקוּטֶּרֶת מוֹר). A compound prepared—the work of a perfumer (רוֹקֵחַ מִרְקַחַת מַעֲשֵׂה רוֹקֵחַ). And with the modest is wisdom (וְאֶת צְנוּעִים חָכְמָה). Pure and upright is his work (זַךְ וְיָשָׁר פָּעֳלוֹ). In the fruit of the righteous—pure olive oil (בִּפְרִי צַדִּיק שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ). The utterance of his lips—mysteries of wisdom (אֲרֶשֶׁת שְׂפָתָיו תַּעֲלוּמוֹת חָכְמָה). Nothing concealed did they obscure from him (כָּל סָתוּם לָא עִמְּמוּהוּ). A mouth speaking great things (פּוּם מְמַלֵּל רַבְרְבָן). Sparks of fire (זִיקוּקִין דְּנוּרָא). A blazing and leaping fire (אֵשׁ לֹהֵט וּמִתְלַקֵּחַ). From all of this, the hand writes (כָּל מִן דֵּין הַיָּד כּוֹתֶבֶת). A word spoken in its proper time (דָּבָר בְּעֵט"וּ). In Shir haShirim [Song of Songs] (בְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים). All that possesses its name and its designation (כָּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׁמוֹ וְכִנּוּיוֹ). These are the chapter headings (אֵלּוּ הֵן רָאשֵׁי פְּרָקִים). The roots of “the opening of the speaker’s mouth” (שׁוֹרְשֵׁי פְּתוּחַ פִּי הַמְדַבֵּר). Chayim Shlomo ben Ezra (חַיִּים שְׁלֹמֹה בֶּן עֶזְרָא). And the song shall testify (וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה).

“Life is in the power of the tongue—even causing a stone to speak” (חַיִּים בְּיַד לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֵּר אֶבֶן). They call it the oil of the right hand—the hands of all craftsmen (שֶׁמֶן יָמִין יִקְרָאוּ יְדֵי כָּל אוּמִין). If only men would know that which belongs to Shlomo (לוּ יֵדְעוּן אֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לִשְׁלֹמֹה). Shining like the light of day, with anointing oil (מֵאִיר כְּאוֹר יוֹמָם בְּשֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחָת). He magnified and also performed wonders with olive oil (הִגְדִּיל וְגַם הִפְלִיא בְּשֶׁמֶן זַיִת). Fortunate is the man whose soul despises the counsels of the wicked (אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ מוֹאַס בְּעֲצוֹת רָשָׁע נַפְשׁוֹ), and who did not stand in the path of a transgressor (וְלֹא עָמַד בְּדֶרֶךְ פֹּשֵׁעַ). An examiner of the luminaries—Tzafnat Pa‘neach [Revealer of Hidden Things] (בּוֹחֵן מְאוֹרֵי צָפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ). He made that which he raised, that which he nurtured (עָשָׂה אֲשֶׁר רִבָּה אֲשֶׁר טִפַּח). They came beneath the shadow of his beams to join themselves (בָּאוּ בְּצֵל קוֹרָיו לְהִסְתַפַּח). Holy, to stand before them all to be anointed (קֹדֶשׁ לִמּוּל כֻּלָּם לְהִמָּשַׁח). Pure—he shall scatter knowledge to open the eyes (זַךְ יִזְרוֹ דַּעַת לְהִפָּקֵחַ). Let him not walk—the one who walks far from salvation (בַּל יְהַלֵּךְ הוֹלֵךְ רְחוֹקוֹ יֵשַׁע). Help through songs to El [God], the God of salvation (עֶזְרָה בְּשִׁירוֹת אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יֶשַׁע).