Nothing was too hard for him may be rendered “Nothing was so difficult that he could not do it.”

And when he was dead his body prophesied: See 2 Kgs 13.20-21. His body prophesied sounds like his corpse was speaking, which was not the case. Rather, a dead man came to life after being thrown in Elisha’s grave. New English Bible says “his body kept its prophetic power.” That is better, but Good News Translation is on safe ground by saying “his body worked a miracle.” We may also say “… did a marvelous thing.”

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.