Be ashamed of immorality, before your father or mother: As indicated above, the verb Be ashamed of, which controls the rest of this section, may be translated only once as “Here are some things you should be ashamed of:” Immorality here refers to sexual sins. Before your father or mother here does not necessarily mean “in front of your parents,” but rather “if you commit a sexual sin and your parents find out.” Of course, if you sin in front of your parents, you should be ashamed too. Father or mother in a number of languages will be translated as “parents” (Good News Translation).

And of a lie, before a prince or a ruler may be rendered “and of lying before an important person [or, a leader].” However, the word before again presents problems. Does this line mean “and of lying in the presence of an important person” or rather “and if an important person discovers that you have lied”? The point seems to be that you don’t want to lie and then have a leader discover your lie and you then are embarrassed or ashamed. Good News Translation expresses a prince as “an important person,” which is a good translation.

Possible alternative models for this verse are:

• Here are some things [or, deeds] you should be ashamed of:
If you commit a sexual sin and your parents find out about it.
If you lie and an important person discovers that you have lied.

• Be ashamed if you commit a sexual sin and your parents find out about it.
Be ashamed if you lie and an important person finds out about it.

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.