My son, perform your tasks in meekness: With My son, the writer is addressing the reader (see the comments at 2.1). Perform your tasks can be taken in a broad sense, as do Good News Translation “in everything you do,” New English Bible “in all you do,” and Contemporary English Version “in your work.” Or it can be understood in a more specific sense of managing one’s affairs—managing time, business, family, and so forth. The Greek verb rendered perform would suggest that the latter is more likely, although the Greek noun for tasks is quite general (meaning “works, deeds”). The Handbook thinks that the idea of managing should be brought in if possible; New American Bible is good with “conduct your affairs.” Meekness is a poorly chosen word. The idea is that of being humble, unpretentious, unassuming, modest. See the comments at 1.27.

Then you will be loved by those whom God accepts is literally “and by the acceptable man you will be loved.” The meaning is well expressed in Good News Translation‘s footnote: “those whom the Lord approves will love you.” The adjective “acceptable” was used in 2.5 and discussed in the comments there. Note that neither God nor “the Lord” is in the Greek text. If translators wish to supply this, they should choose “the Lord” because it is definitely the author’s preferred term.

For the second line Good News Translation says “and people will appreciate it more than gifts.” Good News Translation chooses to read the Hebrew text rather than the Greek here, as do New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Box and Oesterley. In one Hebrew manuscript this line is literally as in New American Bible: “you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.” Good News Translation‘s meaning is substantially the same. The idea in Hebrew for the whole verse is that a person who is unpretentious will be appreciated more than someone who blusters and is arrogant, even though that person is “a lavish giver” (New Jerusalem Bible). If the Hebrew reading is adopted, here is a model:

• Be unpretentious [or, modest] in your dealing with people, and they will have a higher regard [or, have more appreciation] for you than for someone who makes generous gifts.

It is the Handbook’s general policy to follow the Greek text, but in this case we suggest following the Hebrew. It makes better sense, and the Greek text can be explained as a misunderstanding of the Hebrew.

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.