ðə wˈɜːk bɪɡˈɪnz, "ɪnðə nˈeɪm ʌv ˌaʊɚ lˈɔːɹd ænd sˈeɪvjɚ dʒˈiːzəs kɹˈaɪst bɪɡˈɪnəθ ðə wˈɜːk ʌvðə mˈoʊst ɪlˈʌstɹiəs ænd ɡlˈoːɹiəs mˈæn tʃˈɑːɹlz, baɪ ðə wɪl ʌv ɡˈɑːd, kˈɪŋ ʌvðə fɹˈæŋks, ɡˈɔːlz, dʒˈɜːməni, ˈɪɾəli, nˈeɪbɚɹɪŋ pɹˈɑːvɪnsᵻz, wɪððɪ ɐsˈɪstəns ʌvðə kˈɪŋ, ɐɡˈɛnst ðə sˈɪnɑːd wˌɪtʃ ɪn ɡɹˈiːk pˈɑːɹts fˈɜːmli ænd pɹˈaʊdli dᵻkɹˈiːd ɪn fˈeɪvɚɹ ʌv ɐdˈoːɹɪŋ ɐdoːɹˈændiz ˈɪmɪdʒᵻz ɹˈɛkləsli ænd ˈæɹəɡəntli," fˈɑːloʊd ɪmˈiːdɪətli baɪ wʌt ɪz kˈɔːld "tʃˈɑːɹlɪmˌæɡnɪz pɹˈɛfəs".
The work begins, "In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ beginneth the work of the most illustrious and glorious man Charles, by the will of God, king of the Franks, Gauls, Germany, Italy, neighboring provinces, with the assistance of the king, against the Synod which in Greek parts firmly and proudly decreed in favour of adoring (adorandis) images recklessly and arrogantly," followed immediately by what is called "Charlemagne's Preface".