The cold north wind blows: The Greek does not mention the Lord sending the cold north wind, as in Good News Translation. There is nothing wrong with Good News Translation here, but following Revised Standard Version will be simpler.

And ice freezes over the water: New Jerusalem Bible says “and ice forms on the water,” which is better than either Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation. We are not talking about bodies of water freezing solid, as Good News Translation seems to suggest. Better models for the first two lines of this verse are “The cold north wind blows and ice forms on the water” and “… and the water becomes so cold it stops flowing.”

It rests upon every pool of water is literally “It rests on every gathering of water.” Good News Translation chooses two words for small bodies of water, so that of water becomes unnecessary. This line is still talking about only the surface freezing. Good News Translation “freezes over” is an English idiom to describe this.

And the water puts it on like a breastplate: A breastplate was a piece of body armor worn by a soldier on his chest. “Armor” is sufficient. Good News Translation “putting on a coat of icy armor” keeps the imagery, but adding “icy” helps keep it clear. An alternative model for the last two lines of this verse is “the surface of every lake and pond [or, every pool of water] becomes hard just like a coat of icy armor.”

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.

Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations: New English Bible provides an acceptable rendering that is very similar, saying “Great Abraham was the father of many nations.” The Handbook slightly prefers Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, but translators may choose.

And no one has been found like him in glory: This is the reading of the Greek manuscripts and Rahlfs’ text. Ziegler’s text reads “No stain was ever found on his glory.” This reconstructs a Greek text on the basis of the Hebrew. The difference in Greek between these two texts is small, especially since the word him does not appear in some manuscripts. Good News Translation reads the Hebrew, and translators who wish may follow it. Most translators, however, will want to stay with the Greek here, and follow Revised Standard Version. We could say “No one has ever been more highly esteemed,” “People have never esteemed [or, honored] a person more highly,” or even “No one is more famous than Abraham.”

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.

Who before him ever stood so firm? is literally “Who before him ever stood so?” Looking at the Hebrew, we can see that this rhetorical question was intended to mean “No one could stand up to him.” This is Good News Translation‘s translation, along with a footnote that it is reading the Hebrew. This is our preference, so other possible renderings are “No one could stand against him” and even “No one could defeat him.” Those who wish simply to translate the Greek may say “Never before was anyone so determined.”

For he waged the wars of the Lord: Good News Translation has a good translation here, but “holy war” could cause problems in some situations. We could say “The wars he fought he was fighting for the Lord [or, at the Lord’s command]” or even “He fought the battles that the Lord commanded him to.”

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.

Your soul covered the earth: Good News Translation interprets this to mean that Solomon’s influence was far-reaching by saying “Your influence reached over all the world.” However, it more likely means that Solomon’s knowledge was so broad that it covered every subject, so a better model is “You knew everything there was to know [in the world].”

And you filled it with parables and riddles: Because of Solomon’s great wisdom, the earth was filled with his “proverbs and riddles” (Good News Translation). While “proverbs” (wise sayings) is better than parables, the meaning of the phrase parables and riddles (literally “parables of puzzles”) is best translated in New Revised Standard Version: “proverbs having deep meaning.”

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.

For Hezekiah did what was pleasing to the Lord: This is a good place for a paragraph break, since the author here turns his attention from Hezekiah to Isaiah. Good News Translation does not do this, but its introductory “Yes” signals a shift in direction. The connector For introduces a conclusion here.

And he held strongly to the ways of David his father: David, from whom Hezekiah and all the kings of Judah were descended, is regarded here as the perfect example of what a good king should be. The author says that Hezekiah tried hard to be like David. For this line Good News Translation has “and firmly followed the example of his ancestor David.”

Which Isaiah the prophet commanded, who was great and faithful in his vision: Good News Translation makes a good move in translating these lines as a new sentence. When Good News Translation calls Isaiah “the great prophet,” it is simply translating the Greek in a slightly different, but equally valid, way from Revised Standard Version (the prophet … who was great). But we may change the Good News Translation model of these lines slightly as follows: “The great prophet Isaiah had commanded him to do this. Everyone trusted Isaiah’s visions.” For prophet see the comments on the first paragraph of the Prologue. In a vision or “dream,” a person may hear or see a supernatural message. Some languages make no distinction between vision and “dream.” If there is a difference, a vision can occur at any time, a “dream” occurs during sleep. Faithful in his vision may be translated “Everyone believed the messages that Isaiah received from the Lord.”

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.

All the sons of Aaron in their splendor: Good News Translation begins a new sentence here, saying “Those were….” The sons of Aaron refers to the priests. In their splendor refers to their priestly garments, “splendid garments” (Good News Translation), “beautiful robes” (Contemporary English Version).

With the Lord’s offering in their hands: The Lord’s offering refers to the offering that was being made to the Lord. For this line Good News Translation has “holding in their hands the offering made to the Lord.” Good News Translation places the line last in the verse, and many translators will find this more natural style.

Before the whole congregation of Israel: Good News Translation adds “standing” for naturalness in English. Before means they were standing in front of, or in sight of, the people, who were watching. So for this line we may say “as all the Israelites watched.”

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.

I made progress therein; to him who gives me wisdom I will give glory: The problem here is whether him who gives me wisdom (Hebrew reads “my teacher”) refers to God or a human teacher. Good News Translation assumes the latter meaning and offers an appealing translation, but we believe its interpretation is wrong. We must assume the teacher is the Lord; see 1.10. This verse can be translated:

• I became wiser as I grew older, and I praise the Lord, who has given me [my] wisdom.

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.