Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise: This verse should be part of the same paragraph as verses 27-28, a paragraph dealing with pleasing influential people. One way to please such people is to give them things from time to time. Bribery is forbidden in Exo 23.8 and Deut 16.19, but Israel’s wisdom tradition was not above bending this a little to achieve a practical result; compare Pro 17.8; 21.14. In the Greek text of this line (the Hebrew does not survive), ben Sira is not actually commending bribery. The two nouns rendered presents and gifts do not have any suspicious overtones. The second noun simply means gifts, and the first one refers to the courtesies or “favors” (Contemporary English Version) an honored guest might receive in a home. In verse 28 the author told us that pleasing influential people can cause them to pardon things you might do wrong. Here he tells us that giving things to people can affect the judgment even of wise people, and people with power may or may not be wise. Their judgment can be affected by gifts you have given them, and put them in a position where they cannot speak out against you. Blind the eyes of the wise is not meant literally, of course. A possible alternative model for this line, then, is “Favors and gifts can keep even wise people from seeing the truth” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

Like a muzzle on the mouth they avert reproofs: A muzzle is a device placed over the mouth of an animal, such as a dog, to keep it from biting or barking. Just as a muzzle keeps a dog from barking, gifts keep a person in authority from being free to criticize or punish.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• When people, even wise people, receive gifts, they may not be able to see the truth clearly. They are in no position to offer criticism of those who gave the gifts.

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.