Any attack, but not an attack from those who hate!: Good News Translation concentrates on the results of an attack, rather than the attack itself, speaking of “sufferings.” This is a legitimate way to go. But for this line we could also say “No attacks are worse than those made by people who hate you.” The idea is that hate drives the person attacking to do greater hurt.

And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!: When an enemy attempts to settle a wrong, to get even with a person, the revenge he seeks is likely to go beyond equal justice. He will want to do all the damage he can—out of hatred (previous line). Good News Translation provides a good model here.

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.