She made among men an eternal foundation: This first line literally reads “Among humans she nested [or, made as a nest] a foundation of eternity” (see the Revised Standard Version footnote). Most English translations find the image of Wisdom building a nest as a foundation awkward, and avoid it, as do both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. An American Translation, however, keeps the image of the nest: “She has built her nest among men as a foundation from eternity” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The meaning is that Wisdom, like a bird making a nest, established a permanent residence among human beings long ago. An eternal foundation is to be taken in the sense of a foundation that has existed from all time; the next line will carry the thought into the future. The image of the nest is unusual, to be sure, but if a translator is working with a language where it can be understood and thought effective, there is no reason to avoid it. Most translators, however, will probably want to use the idea of “home” instead; for example, “She has lived with us from ancient times” (Good News Translation; similarly Contemporary English Version).

And among their descendants she will be trusted: Good News Translation follows the meaning in Revised Standard Version with “and generations to come will rely on her.” This line can also be interpreted to mean “and she will be faithful to their descendants” (so New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), and this is the direction that we recommend.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Long ago she made a permanent home among human beings,
and she will be faithful to them forever.

However in languages where translators must use a descriptive phrase for “wisdom,” we may say something like:

• Humans have been able to learn the truths about God from ancient times,
and these truths will never desert them.

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.