Whoever hates reproof walks in the steps of the sinner: A person who hates reproof is someone who resents being told that he is wrong, or is doing something wrong. The verb walks is supplied by Revised Standard Version. It is not in the Greek, but is a natural choice of verb; what else would you do in someone’s steps but walk? The author is saying that if you don’t like to be corrected, you are doing what sinners do, sinning. So for the whole line we may translate “If you resent people correcting you [or, telling you when you have done wrong], you are sinning.”

But he that fears the Lord will repent in his heart: To “fear the Lord” does not mean being afraid of God. It means giving him proper respect and reverence; in other words, obeying him. To repent is to recognize your sin, regret it, and make a change in your life (see the comments at 17.24). Good News Translation expresses will repent in his heart as “you will make a sincere change in your ways.” “Sincere” reflects the phrase in his heart.

In languages where the metaphor of “path” will be a natural one, we may translate this verse as follows:

• If you resent people telling you when you do wrong, you are walking on the path where sinners walk. But if you respect the Lord, you will return to his path.

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.