Like a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the mind of a proud man: Although this line is long in translation, it is one line in the Greek text. The picture here is of a bird trap (not really a cage but a trap) into which birds can come but from which they cannot escape. The trap would be set by placing a partridge in the trap to attract other birds; this bird is the decoy. A partridge is a ground bird about the size of a chicken that is hunted for food. The mind of a proud man is compared to such a baited trap. Such a person schemes to make other people do as he wishes, to “lure [them] into danger” (Good News Translation). Proud is used here in a bad sense; it does not refer to wholesome self-confidence, but to arrogance and disregard for others. Again, man refers to any person, not just a male. In some languages the picture of a “bird trap” will not be clear to readers. In such cases we may render this whole line as “Proud people will lure you into danger just like a decoy that hunters use to trap birds,” or we may omit the picture completely as Good News Translation does with “A proud person is a decoy to lure you into danger.”

And like a spy he observes your weakness: Revised Standard Version, like Good News Translation and most versions, is reading the Hebrew; the Greek says “downfall” rather than weakness. The Hebrew is literally “nakedness.” The same Hebrew word is used in Gen 42.9 (where Revised Standard Version also renders it “weakness”) in connection with “spies.” What spies do is look for an enemy’s weak spots. The textual decision here can go either way, so to be on the conservative side this Handbook suggests translating the Greek; for example, “They [the proud] watch you like spies waiting for you to fall [or, do something wrong].” But translators who wish to follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation will be on good ground.

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.