Note that Good News Translation introduces this verse with the connector “So.” This reflects nothing in the Greek, but it is a good addition. “So” indicates to the reader that this verse is a conclusion, which it is, in two senses. From the observations made in verses 7-12, this comes as a logical conclusion. It is also a conclusion in the sense that it ends the subsection.

Discipline your son and take pains with him: The Greek of take pains with him is awkward. New Jerusalem Bible translates “persevere with him.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, with the same interpretation, has “work to shape him,” that is, work to build him into the man you want him to be. The Hebrew here reads “make his yoke heavy”; this is followed by New Revised Standard Version and New American Bible. It is hard to tell how Good News Translation came to “give him work to do.” This is the rough meaning of the Hebrew, but reflects the wording of the Greek. It is difficult to get that sense from the Greek. It does seem to be the meaning that fits best here, however. For this line we recommend that translators follow the Hebrew and say so in a footnote as follows: “So discipline your son and give him lots of work to do. *” The footnote would read “* Hebrew give him lots of work to do; Greek work to shape him.” (We suggest “lots of work” to reflect the Hebrew “make his yoke heavy.”)

That you may not be offended by his shamelessness: The meaning here is that the son will never be shameless if you do your job as a father and discipline him properly. Good News Translation has “or else he will be an embarrassment to you,” and Contemporary English Version says “so they will not disgrace you when they are older.” We may also say “so that they will not make you lose face when you are older.”

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.