Who anointed kings to inflict retribution: Once again the plural kings is an exaggeration; translators are justified in shifting to the singular (so Good News Translation). The king in question is Jehu; see 1 Kgs 19.16. A possible model for this line is “You anointed a king to punish those enemies.”

And prophets to succeed you: The plural prophets is another exaggeration; the prophet in view is Elisha (see 1 Kgs 19.16). The Revised Standard Version footnote on you indicates it is following the Hebrew rather than the Greek. For this line Good News Translation has “and a prophet to take your place,” but we may also say “and you appointed a prophet to carry on your work” (similarly 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.