My son, do not mix reproach with your good deeds: With My son the writer is addressing the reader as a teacher would a student; see the comments on 2.1. Do not mix reproach with your good deeds is literally “in good deeds do not give blame.” This can be interpreted to mean bringing blame on oneself; for example, An American Translation translates “do not spoil your good deeds,” and Box and Oesterley says “bring no blemish on thy good deeds.” Most scholars, however, would agree with Good News Translation‘s interpretation, that we are not to do a good act and make accusations at the same time. The next line, which is parallel to this one, certainly supports this interpretation. Good News Translation renders your good deeds as “when you help someone.” Reproach may also be expressed as “reprimand” (Good News Translation) or “criticize.”

Nor cause grief by your words when you present a gift: Grief here refers to mental pain, hurting someone’s feelings. If someone needs our help, we should give it without saying things that make the person feel hurt and depressed. So we may say “When you give a person something, don’t say anything that will hurt that person’s feelings [or, make him feel bad].”

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.