With friend or foe do not report it: It is possible that Good News Translation does not correctly interpret the Greek here. People gossip with their friends, but normally do not go to their enemies to pass on gossip. They will gossip about both friends and enemies, however, and this is what we understand the Greek to say. Revised Standard Version supplies the pronoun it. It needs to be clear to the reader that we are talking here about not passing on gossip, that is, bad things about people. Ben Sira would certainly approve telling tales or passing on knowledge that present people in a good light. We suggest something like this: “Do not tell bad things about your friends or your enemies.”

And unless it would be a sin for you, do not disclose it: Ben Sira thinks of one possible exception to the advice about gossip he has just given. Sometimes people must act on what they hear in order to keep someone from some kind of danger. Being silent under such circumstances would be sinful.

An alternative model for the whole verse is:

• Do not tell bad things about your friends or your enemies. Don’t reveal anything bad you hear about a person, unless keeping silent would be sinful.

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.