To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord: In 34.18-19 forms of the Greek word translated pleasing were used to talk of sacrifices that are not pleasing to the Lord. Just as doing good deeds is the moral equivalent of offering sacrifices, so is not doing bad deeds. A model will be offered below.

And to forsake unrighteousness is atonement: Good News Translation combines To keep from wickedness and to forsake unrighteousness as “Keeping away from sin.” The same verb is used in Greek in both phrases. Atonement is understood two ways: (1) New Jerusalem Bible and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible take this to be a reference to another specific type of sacrifice, the sin offering. (2) Others take it to refer to obtaining God’s forgiveness (so Good News Translation). We prefer the former understanding; there appears to be a sequence of offerings in verses 1-3: peace offering (verse 1), thank offering (verse 2), and sin offering (verse 3). The purpose of the sin offering was to remove the impurity of sin, as if it were something that clung to a person or object like dust.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• If you keep away from sin, that is as good as an offering for sin; the Lord will be pleased.

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.