The success of a man is in the hands of the Lord: Good News Translation interprets the man here to be the ruler, the right person whom the Lord brings to power in verse 4. Alternatively, this line can be interpreted as New Jerusalem Bible does with “Human success is in the hands of the Lord.” The Handbook, however, believes that Good News Translation is correct, since in this context we are talking specifically about rulers, not making general statements about people in general. Another possible rendering for the line with this understanding is “The Lord alone helps that person [or, ruler] to have success.”

And he confers his honor upon the person of the scribe: This is what the Greek text says. Instead of the scribe, the Hebrew speaks of “the lawgiver.” Although Good News Translation has no footnote, it is reading the Hebrew. The Greek has been defended as an expression of pride in ben Sira’s own profession, which he clearly expresses at 38.24–39.11. But he really seems to be talking about government here, and “lawgiver” (so New Revised Standard Version) makes betters sense in context. Here is probably what happened with the text: the author, ben Sira, wrote of a legislator, a lawgiver. But ben Sira’s translator and grandson lived and worked in Egypt, where the title “scribe” could designate a high government official. (In some governments today, high officials often carry the title “secretary.”) The Greek translator simply used a word that his Egyptian audience would understand to mean a government official. This is argued by the footnote in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and the Handbook thinks it convincing. We suggest that translators follow Good News Translation in referring to an “official,” or use some term referring to an official with a role in the making of law. We think that this is not the kind of thing that requires a textual footnote, but a note telling the reader that “official” is the Hebrew and that the Greek is “scribe” would not be out of order.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• The Lord alone helps rulers [or, government officials] to have success. Any honor that an official receives comes from the Lord.

Or we may combine the two lines as Contemporary English Version does:

• God alone gives the success
that brings honor to those
who write the laws.

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.