He gave beauty to the feasts, and arranged their times throughout the year: As Revised Standard Version‘s footnote shows, the Greek is not quite clear here, but a look at the Hebrew shows that Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have correctly interpreted it. Good News Translation does well in reversing these lines. Beauty could be read as “dignity.” For gave beauty to the feasts, Good News Translation has “made them splendid occasions,” which conveys the idea rather well.

While they praised God’s holy name, and the sanctuary resounded from early morning: Holy in God’s holy name simply stresses that it is God’s special name, so Good News Translation has simply “Lord.” Revised Standard Version‘s footnote here notes that God’s is literally “his.” It overlooks the fact that this book almost always prefers “Lord,” as in Good News Translation. Good News Translation has a major mistake by saying “the Temple,” since the Temple did not exist in David’s time. David had the Tabernacle (Good News Translation, “Sacred Tent” in 24.10) brought to Jerusalem, and it is that to which the author refers. In English “rang” (Good News Translation) is a good equivalent to resounded; the Greek word here actually means “echoed,” but sound would not have echoed in the Tabernacle. For these two lines we could say “the sanctuary [or, holy place] was full of the Lord’s praises from early morning on [or, all day long]” or “the people praised the Lord all day long and the sound of their voices filled the sanctuary [or, holy place].”

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.