Have pity on the city of thy sanctuary: While “Have mercy” (verse 12) and Have pity translate two different Greek verbs, the same verb is used twice in Hebrew, and translators may feel free to use the same verb in both these places. As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, the Greek phrase translated the city of thy sanctuary can also be translated “your holy city,” as Good News Translation has done. The Handbook prefers Revised Standard Version here. The sanctuary is the Temple.

Jerusalem, the place of thy rest: This line identifies Jerusalem as God’s dwelling place on earth (Good News Translation “where you chose to stay”).

The two lines of this verse may be combined as follows:

• Take pity on Jerusalem, your earthly home, the city where your Temple stands.

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.