Do not deprive yourself of a happy day: A happy day is literally “a good day.” This line can be taken to mean “Do not refuse yourself the good things of today” (New Jerusalem Bible), but the interpretation in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation is probably correct. We are not to deny ourselves the chance for happiness.

Let not your share of desired good pass by you: This line is ambiguous; literally it reads “and let not a portion of desire of good pass by you.” “Desire of good” can be interpreted to mean “the good that you desire” (so Revised Standard Version). Good News Translation takes it to mean “the desire that is good,” as opposed to illegitimate or sinful desires. Even in Revised Standard Version‘s interpretation, we may assume that ben Sira is talking only about legitimate desire. The text says nothing about doing anything, as Good News Translation states with “If there is something you want to do,” but it has to be what the text implies. We are not talking here about amassing possessions. The author would probably agree, up to a point, with the translation “If there is something you want and you can afford it, go ahead and buy it.” But even this is doing something. As noted above, the Greek literally says “and let not … pass by you.” This structure will be difficult for many translators, so they may want to follow Good News Translation at this point. Good News Translation simply has “go ahead,” which is idiomatic English for “do it.” So we may restate Good News Translation‘s model as follows: “… and it is lawful, then do it.”

Ben Sira will put a limitation on this advice in 18.30-31.

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.