And in the days of Moses he did a loyal deed, he and Caleb the son of Jephunneh: He refers to Joshua, and this should be made clear. For these lines Good News Translation has “Joshua was loyal as long as Moses lived, both he and Caleb son of Jephunneh.” However, a loyal deed seems to be referring to a particular case of loyalty, so we may begin this verse with “Joshua and Caleb son of Jephunneh proved their loyalty to Moses when they stood up….”

They withstood the congregation: See Num 13.30–14.10. When the Israelites realized that they would have to take Canaan by force, they were afraid, and wanted to return to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb opposed them, and would not back down from the task ahead. “Whole community” (Good News Translation) is a good translation for the congregation, but we may also express this as “all the people of Israel.” The variant reading “the enemy” mentioned in Revised Standard Version‘s footnote may be ignored.

Restrained the people from sin, and stilled their wicked murmuring: Good News Translation says “made them stop their ungrateful complaining, and kept them from sinning.” Good News Translation reverses the lines; this is not necessary, but it does work well. Murmuring is “complaining”; it is wicked precisely because it is “ungrateful.”

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.