And raises up his head: This can mean that the Lord gives this person back his self-respect, or as Good News Translation has it, restores him to a stable financial situation. The first interpretation is more likely. This line can be combined with the last line of verse 12 as follows: “The Lord lifts him from his bad situation [or, poverty], and restores his self-respect.”

So that many are amazed at him: People are surprised to find that this lowly person has turned into a productive, respectable citizen. It is not so much that people are amazed at this person, as what has happened to him. This can be expressed as a simple statement at the end of the paragraph here: “Many people are astounded when this happens.”

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.