A loyal wife rejoices her husband: New Revised Standard Version renders this line better in English with “A loyal wife brings joy to her husband.” The main problem here is finding the right adjective to describe wife. The Greek word rendered loyal means “manly, belonging to a man,” and the translations offer different possibilities. The solution is in Hebrew, where the same phrase for loyal wife is used in Pro 31.10 (where Revised Standard Version has “good wife”). The Hebrew term for loyal is usually used of men, but in Pro 31.10 applies to a woman, a “capable wife” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version). Ben Sira is describing a wife who is dependable and responsible, whom a husband knows he can rely on; so an alternative model for this line is “A responsible [or, dependable] wife will make her husband happy.”

And he will complete his years in peace: Somehow both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation give the impression that the man in question is old, and can be expected to live only a few more years. The Greek doesn’t say that. It is literally “and he will fulfill his years in peace,” that is, however long he lives, he will have a peaceful life. Contemporary English Version has a good model for this line with “and live a peaceful life.”

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.