He declares what has been and what is to be: Declares is better translated “makes known” or “reveals.” Good News Translation “knows” is not quite right. A better model for this line is “He reveals all that has ever been and all that ever will be.”

And he reveals the tracks of hidden things: Tracks are literally tracks left on the ground by a person or an animal; they are clues or evidence of something that has passed by, and the trained eye can tell a lot from them. Here the Lord is said to uncover the evidence of things one cannot see. This line may be rendered “He uncovers evidence of unseen things.”

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.