The prayer of a poor man goes from his lips to the ears of God: As Revised Standard Version‘s footnote indicates, the ears of God is literally “his ears,” but it obviously refers to God and no note is needed. “The Lord” is preferable to God here since the Greek text very seldom uses the word “God”. Good News Translation provides a good model for this line, but in a number of languages the metaphor of ears of God will be kept; for example, “The prayers of poor people go straight [or, quickly] to the Lord’s ears.”

And his judgment comes speedily: God quickly responds to prayers made by poor people. Good News Translation provides a good model here.

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.