In all that he did he gave thanks to the Holy One, the Most High, with ascriptions of glory: This is a good place for a paragraph break, and that makes it desirable to repeat the name David as in Good News Translation (also Contemporary English Version). In all that he did refers, of course, to his memorable deeds (especially his victories) rather than the ordinary events of his daily life. Therefore it is possible to express this as “In all the great things that David did.” or “Whenever David did a memorable deed [or, something great].” For the Holy One, see 4.14; for the Most High, see 4.10. Gave thanks and with ascriptions of glory (literally “a word of glory”) can be neatly combined into “gave thanks and praise” (Good News Translation). An alternative model for the first two lines of this verse is “In all the great things David did, he thanked and praised the holy [or, completely pure] Lord, the greatest of all gods.”

He sang praise with all his heart, and he loved his Maker: He sang praise may be rendered “He sang songs praising the Lord.” With all his heart means “enthusiastically” (see 39.35). Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version express his Maker as “his Creator.” In languages that cannot capitalize Maker as English does, translators may say “the Lord his creator” or “the Lord, who created him.” Good News Translation reverses these two lines by saying “He loved his Creator and sang praises to him with all his heart.” Other languages may find it helpful to reverse them also.

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.