Their prosperity will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance to their children’s children: This verse is not clear in Greek. Literally it is “With their seed it will remain, a good inheritance their posterity.” This could be read “A good inheritance will remain with their seed—their posterity.” In other words, their family lines will go on and on (compare verse 13). The idea of prosperity comes from the Hebrew, which can also be translated “good reputations” (literally “good things”); the Hebrew reading is supported by the Latin. Translators could go in several directions here, but we offer the following as possible models:

• Their reputations have been passed down to their descendants,
and a rich inheritance it is.

• They have passed on their reputations to their descendants;
this reputation is their [the descendants’] rich inheritance [or, heritage].

A footnote indicating that this verse is unclear in Greek is in order here (so Good News Translation).

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.