Translation commentary on Sirach 48:5

You who raised a corpse from death may be rendered “you brought a dead man back to life” (Good News Translation) or “you brought back life into a dead body.” See 1 Kgs 17.21-22.

And from Hades, by the word of the Most High: Hades refers to death (see 14.12). Saying that the corpse was raised from death and from Hades is saying the same thing. Word or “name” (Good News Translation) refers to the “power” of God. So by the word of the Most High may be rendered “by the power of the Lord who is above everything.” For the Most High, see 4.10.

This verse and the next five verses begin with the same construction in Greek. Revised Standard Version translates You who here and in verses 9 and 10; Good News Translation translates each as a separate statement. We will follow 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.

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