Do not say, “I have enough, and what calamity could happen to me in the future?”: This verse cautions against an attitude exactly the opposite of that in verse 23. To help make this clear, Good News Translation begins the verse with “On the other hand,” which alerts the reader to the contrast. Good News Translation translates this verse in the same way as it did verse 23. In some languages translators will wish to keep the direct speech:

• On the other hand, don’t think, “I have everything I need. Nothing can go wrong [or, harm me] in the future.”

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.