Every creature loves its like, and every person his neighbor: This means that animals keep company with other animals of the same species, “and people are no different” (Good News Translation). There are social classes among people, and people tend to associate with others of their own class. Loving one’s neighbor is not used here in the sense of Lev 19.18 or Matt 22.39. It simply means that people prefer to be in the company of people like themselves.

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.