Free men will be at the service of a wise servant: In contrast to those who are free, the servant here is clearly a slave, that is, a person who has an owner and does not receive wages. Good News Translation wisely begins the verse by mentioning the “slave.” This helps identify what is meant by “free citizens” in Good News Translation; in a society that does not practice slavery, that could be misunderstood. The problem with Good News Translation is that it can be read as advice to slaves: if you are smart, if you know what’s good for you, you will arrange for free citizens to serve you. The meaning here is that “Slaves who are wise will find themselves in the position of being served by free citizens,” or we may say “… will end up with free citizens serving them.”

And a man of understanding will not grumble: Free citizens who find themselves serving a wise slave will not resent it if they are people of understanding, that is, “if they are sensible” (Good News Translation) or if they have good sense.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Even free citizens will put themselves at the service of a slave who is wise, if they themselves are sensible people.

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.