You put a stain upon your honor, and defiled your posterity: Solomon had a fine reputation for his wisdom and the peacefulness of his reign, but his appetite for women ruined that reputation, not just for himself, but also for his descendants, who would have to live with the memory of that disgrace. Good News Translation has “You stained your reputation and that of your descendants.” We may also say “Solomon, you ruined your reputation and that of…” or “Solomon, you caused not only yourself but also your descendants to lose much face.”

So that you brought wrath upon your children and they were grieved at your folly: Wrath refers to God’s wrath, divine punishment. Folly describes Solomon’s foolish behavior. For the third line Good News Translation has “They suffered punishment for that foolishness of yours.” We may also say “The Lord punished them because you were so foolish.” “Caused them so much grief” (Good News Translation) is idiomatic English, but a better model would be “It caused them much anguish [or, trouble],” “It brought a lot of trouble [or, suffering] on them,” or even “They suffered greatly because of it [Solomon’s foolishness].” Revised Standard Version‘s footnote on the last line deals with a minor textual problem. We recommend that translators follow Revised Standard Version without the footnote.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Solomon, you ruined your reputation and that of your descendants. The Lord punished them because you were so foolish. They suffered greatly because of your foolish behavior.

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.