Pursue wisdom like a hunter, and lie in wait on her paths: The image here is that of a hunter hiding in the forest, waiting for an animal to come by. Good News Translation restructures the verse considerably, but effectively. The English phrase lie in wait does not necessarily mean that the hunter is lying on the ground, only that he is hiding and waiting for the animal without the animal being aware of his presence. The Handbook suggests the following restructuring: “They go after Wisdom like hunters looking for wild animals,” “They seek wisdom like hunters looking for game [or, for an animal],” or even “They carefully walk along the path that leads to wisdom just like hunters looking for an animal.”

Revised Standard Version‘s footnote on this verse is unnecessary.

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.