As much as you can, aim to know your neighbors: The phrase aim to know translates a single Greek verb, which is a little hard to define. For aim to know your neighbors, New Jerusalem Bible has “Cultivate your neighbours,” which is all right, but New English Bible is probably better with “Take the measure of your neighbours.” The meaning is not that you get to know who your neighbors are—their names and such—but that you know them well enough to determine which ones are wise (verse 14), which are devout (verse 15) or righteous (verse 16). Your neighbors does not mean simply the people next door or nearby, but people with whom you come in frequent contact. This is what Good News Translation means by “the people around you.” A possible rendering for this whole line is “Do your best to know the people with whom you are in contact daily.”

And consult with the wise: The verb consult was used in 8.17, where the reader was advised in Good News Translation not to “ask a stupid person for advice.” Good News Translation carries through with this meaning here, and it makes good sense. Know which of your neighbors can be relied on to give sound advice. In Good News Translation the wise is rendered “those who are qualified to give it [advice].”

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.