Woe to you who have lost your endurance: This pronouncement is spoken in the second person plural, unlike the two just before it. While there is no harm in the inconsistency, many translators will want to follow Good News Translation in restating this verse in the third person, to match verses 12-13. Those who lose endurance are those who have failed the test of verse 7; they have turned aside, and are no longer waiting in patience for God’s mercy. New English Bible expresses this line very well: “Woe to you who have given up the struggle!” We may also express it as “If you give up [or, lose your hope], you will surely receive trouble.”

What will you do when the Lord punishes you?: Punishes is not quite the idea here in Greek. It is rather more like “What will you do when the Lord looks into your case [or, conducts an inspection of your affairs]?” No answer is expected to this question. The implication is that when the Lord investigates, there will be nothing such people can do.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Sirach. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.