Like an arrow stuck in the flesh of the thigh, so is a word inside a fool: An arrow stuck in the leg is not only painful; it also has to come out. The same way with a foolish person and a secret; he will suffer agony until he gets it out. Word refers to a secret. The Greek word rendered inside has an anatomical reference; inside a fool is literally “in the guts of a fool.” Good News Translation‘s restructuring of this verse works well, but the point could be made clearer. Another approach is:

• For such a person, keeping a secret hurts like an arrow stuck in his thigh.

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.