He saw her and apportioned her: This line is identical with the second line of verse 9. It constitutes a textual problem, which affects the translation of the rest of the verse. Not all manuscripts contain this line, but if you include it, God is the subject of the verbs in the rest of the verse. If you omit it, Wisdom is the subject. The Handbook suggests that the translator follow Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible in omitting this line. A footnote would be appropriate to indicate that some manuscripts include this line.

He rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension: By rejecting the first line, we have made Wisdom the subject of the verbs in this verse, just as she has been in the preceding verses. So we recommend changing the masculine pronouns to feminine in this line and the next one (so Good News Translation). The last time the Lord was mentioned as acting was in verse 9. Knowledge and discerning comprehension are part of the wisdom writers’ vocabulary of synonyms for wisdom. The translator may draw from a similar stock in the receptor language. It is not possible or necessary to maintain fine distinctions in meaning among these words. Discerning comprehension actually translates two Greek nouns (literally “knowledge of understanding”), which can be combined into one noun, as Good News Translation and others have done. It would not be wrong for a translator to combine all three nouns into one if it did not create too short a line. The verb rained has been altered in Good News Translation to a comparison: “She sends … like the rain” (similarly Contemporary English Version with “like showers of rain”). Others keep the metaphor; for example, New English Bible reads “She showers down knowledge and ability.” The past tense of rained may legitimately be translated as a present tense. In languages where “wisdom” cannot be personified, we may say something like:

• When people learn the ways [or, truths] of God,
they will receive much knowledge and understanding like rain pouring down upon them.

And he exalted the glory of those who held her fast: Those who are determined to be wise, who are devoted to Wisdom, have good reputations—Wisdom sees to that. Glory here means “reputation.” The Greek verb translated held … fast means to grab and hang on tight, not letting go. The verb “receive” in Good News Translation is a weak choice of words. Once again, the past tense may be translated as present.

The two lines of this verse may be reversed in translation:

• She increases the honor given to those who are devoted to her;
she showers them with knowledge and insight.

For those translators who cannot personify Wisdom, the following is a possible model:

• Those who steadfastly seek to learn wisdom [or, the ways of God]
will receive much honor [or, face].

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.