Among all these I sought a resting place …: This verse closes the subsection of verses 3-7, and prepares for the thought in verses 8-12, where Wisdom settles in Israel. Here Wisdom is pictured as looking among all her possessions (verse 6) for a resting place, that is, “a place to settle” (Good News Translation), after walking around the limits of creation (verse 5).

I sought in whose territory I might lodge: New English Bible renders this as a direct question, saying “in whose territory was I to settle?” Either way, the meaning is the same. Good News Translation has a good approach to this verse, but it misses the idea that in whose territory (“some part of the world”) is actually the territory of some particular people. The last line might be better as “some country where I could make my home” or “some country in which to make my home.”

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.