From his descendants the Lord brought forth a man of mercy: From his descendants is literally “from him,” which Revised Standard Version is translating dynamically. His refers to Jacob. Since this is the opening of a new section and chapter, this needs to be made clear, as in Good News Translation with “From Jacob’s descendants.” The Lord is literally “he,” but Revised Standard Version spells out the pronoun for clarity. The phrase a man of mercy is the same phrase used in 44.10 (although it is plural there). Here, as there, we should translate of mercy as “godly,” “faithful to the Lord” (Contemporary English Version), or even “faithfully obeyed the Lord.”

Who found favor in the sight of all flesh: All flesh here refers to people. For this line Good News Translation translates “who won the favor of everyone,” and Contemporary English Version has “and pleasing to everyone.” An alternative model for the first two lines is “One of Jacob’s descendants was faithful to the Lord, and everyone was pleased with him.”

For those using Ziegler’s verse numbering, the lines of this verse discussed above are part of 44.23. The next line begins chapter 45.

And was beloved by God and man: Good News Translation is good with “loved by God and people alike.” We could also say “loved by God as well as by people” or “Both God and people loved him.” In rendering this line and the preceding one, translators should make sure that their wording does not imply that God is a human being.

Moses, whose memory is blessed: Moses is the godly man of the first line. Since much has been said since that line, Good News Translation begins a new sentence here: “This man was Moses….” Whose memory is blessed may be rendered “whose memory we honor” or “we still give thanks whenever we think of him” (Contemporary English Version).

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.