In proportion to the fuel for the fire, so will be the burning: This line is stated as a proverb, an observation of an obvious fact. Ben Sira will use it as a basis for comparisons in the rest of the verse. It simply states that fires need fuel, and the more fuel there is, the more fire there will be. Good News Translation says “The more fuel, the hotter the fire,” which is consistent with the imagery of this subsection.

And in proportion to the obstinacy of strife will be the burning: The Revised Standard Version footnote indicates a problem with the placement of this line. We may accept the line in its place here with no footnote. There is a more serious problem with the Greek word translated burning, however. Some Greek manuscripts read “increase” (so Ziegler’s text). For most translational purposes there is not much difference in meaning between the two texts. While Good News Translation is probably reading the same text as Revised Standard Version, it could be justified as a translation of the other text (New Revised Standard Version “in proportion to the obstinacy, so will strife increase”). This line is saying that once an argument exists, stubborn attitudes are only going to make it worse. So Contemporary English Version says “Stubbornness heats up an argument.” An alternative model for the first two lines of this verse is “If you are stubborn, the argument will become hotter, just as adding wood to a fire makes the fire hotter.”

In proportion to the strength of the man will be his anger, and in proportion to his wealth he will heighten his wrath: Here two closely parallel lines observe that people with strength or wealth can become angry and get away with it. They are in a position to intimidate their opponents. Strength here probably does not refer to physical strength, as Good News Translation seems to say. It would be true enough, but in the context we are probably thinking here of power or influence. Good News Translation would be better stated “The more power people have, or the richer they are, the angrier they can afford to become” or “The more rich or powerful you are, the angrier you can afford to become.” Or we may even say “If you are rich or powerful, you can afford to become very angry at people.”

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.