The skill of the physician lifts up his head: This means that because of their skill, doctors are respected by the community. People look up to them. Good News Translation has “Their knowledge gives them a position of importance,” and Contemporary English Version says “Their skills make them important.” Or we may say “Their skills cause people to respect them.”

And in the presence of great men he is admired: Returning to the idea in verse 2b, we are told that doctors are admired even by the most important people.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Their skills cause people to respect them; even powerful [or, important] people admire them.

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.