There is a problem with the numbering of the next few verses. We urge translators to follow the numbering of Revised Standard Version (and Ziegler’s text). Good News Translation has sensibly combined Revised Standard Version‘s verses 16-17 into one verse, which it numbers as 16. We suggest that translators follow Good News Translation‘s approach, but that the sentence be numbered 16-17.

A sinner will overthrow the prosperity of his surety, and one who does not feel grateful will abandon his rescuer: A sinner and one who does not feel grateful are combined in Good News Translation as “some ungrateful sinners,” but we may also say “Some people who are not only ungrateful, but are also sinners.” Prosperity is literally “good things” or “goods.” Good News Translation translates “property.” As in verse 15, his surety and his rescuer refer to the person who guarantees another’s debts. Abandon here means to ignore your obligations to the person guaranteeing to repay your debt. Good News Translation offers a good approach for these verses, but another possible model that spells things out more clearly is:

• If you ignore your obligation to a person who has guaranteed to pay your loan, that person will suffer financial loss because of you. You will be not only ungrateful, but also sinful.

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.