Do not make a display of your wisdom when you do your work: In ancient Israel wisdom was a term that included more than intelligence or knowledge. It also applied to technical skills; this is how Good News Translation interprets its meaning here. This line could also be rendered “When you do your job, don’t make a big show of how good you are at it.” The author is warning against being a show-off, not against doing one’s work well.

New English Bible has a different interpretation of this line: “Do not be too clever to do a day’s work,” that is, “Don’t think you are so smart that you don’t have to work for a living” (similarly Contemporary English Version). This is possible, and it does tie in very well with verse 27, but we suggest that translators follow the more customary interpretation of Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version.

Nor glorify yourself at a time when you are in want: This seems to be warning against putting on a big show about how hard things are going for you, how poor you are. We should not call undue attention to ourselves when things are going well or when things are going badly. Good News Translation may be off a little by rendering at a time when you are in want as “when you are in trouble.” It sounds like either you have done something wrong or people think you have. It would be better to say “when you are having troubles.” In want seems to limit the reference to financial need, but the Greek noun here has a broader meaning than that.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• When you do your job, don’t try to show others how good you are at it. And don’t try to put on a big show [or, call undue attention to yourself] when you are having troubles.

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.