I will now call to mind the works of the Lord: The text does not actually say, as Good News Translation does, “Now I will remind you.” We could say “I will now remember,” but presumably the author is recounting the Lord’s deeds to the reader, so Good News Translation is okay here. Other possibilities are “I will now recount” and “Now let me tell you” (Contemporary English Version)

And will declare what I have seen: Instead of declare, Good News Translation uses “describe” since this section goes into some detail; it is more than simply a catalog of natural wonders.

By the words of the Lord his works are done: This means, as Good News Translation has it, that the Lord created the world by speaking it into being. See Gen 1. An alternative model is “As he gave the commands, everything came into being.”

At this point Good News Translation adds the line “and the whole creation obeys his commands” (similarly New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version). This line is not found in the Greek manuscripts, although some add “and his judgment came about in praise.” The reading of Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version is based mainly on the Syriac. The Hebrew is not really clear and those who translate it do so quite differently. In view of the great uncertainty about this line—and probably a line does belong here—it seems best to follow Revised Standard Version and omit it. Since this is following the majority of Greek manuscripts, no footnote is needed. We recommend that this line in Good News Translation be disregarded.

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.