There may be good fortune for a man in adversity: Revised Standard Version‘s word order here is very misleading; it should be “There may be good fortune in adversity for a man.” The meaning is that even though trouble (adversity) may come to someone, good may eventually come from it. It may be, as the English saying puts it, a “blessing in disguise”; so Contemporary English Version says “Sometimes our troubles end up helping us.” Good News Translation takes the man, or person, completely out of the translation, and expresses the line in abstract terms: “Bad luck can sometimes lead to success.” This works well; it is obvious that the bad luck or success happens to a person, and it matches the form of the second line of this verse.

And a windfall may result in a loss: A windfall consists of fruit that falls from a tree when blown by the wind. It is considered a good thing since you don’t have to work to pick the fruit. This word is also used to refer to any unexpected good fortune. The Greek noun for windfall is literally “something found,” a good thing you find that you don’t have to work for. Good News Translation translates it “stroke of good luck.” The word “stroke” builds in the idea of the windfall—a sudden lucky occurrence rather than good luck that comes from consistent work. An alternative model for the line is “Sometimes good fortune turns out to be bad fortune.”

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.