A mind settled on an intelligent thought is like the stucco decoration on the wall of a colonnade: This is a difficult verse. In discussing it, let us get some small matters out of the way first. The first line in Revised Standard Version could probably be improved; for example, instead of settled on an intelligent thought, New Jerusalem Bible says “founded on intelligent reflection.” Good News Translation misses the idea of being settled.

There are four nouns in the Greek text of the second line (rendered stucco, decoration, wall, and colonnade), and only the noun for wall is not a problem. A colonnade is a row of columns, perhaps on the sides of a building, perhaps not. Technically, they do not have walls. However, the Greek noun for colonnade can be translated as an adjective meaning “polished, smooth” (so Contemporary English Version; see the Revised Standard Version footnote). We think this is right here. The word translated stucco actually means “sand,” and several scholars (including Ziegler) emend the text to say “carving.” We think this is unnecessary, and that stucco, or “plaster,” is a reasonable guess at what is meant here. Plaster walls were known in Palestine in ancient times, and ben Sira’s grandson, who made the Greek translation, may well not have known the technical term for “plaster” in Greek. Sand is a major component of plaster, along with lime. In ancient times chaff (husks of grain) was often part of the mixture. “Plaster” is a building material used for finishing walls. It is applied as a thick paste. When smoothed and dried, it hardens to an attractive surface. We shall assume the Greek word here means “plaster.” (Stucco is a tougher, sturdier type of plaster, more likely to be used for exteriors.) The word translated decoration does not necessarily mean that, though it often does. It can mean “order, arrangement, attractiveness.” Here it may not describe an object (such as a painting or carving) on a wall, but the finishing touches placed by the builders on the wall itself. So we may translate the second line as “is like a smooth wall that workmen have covered with plaster.”

Translators should be aware of a danger here. Plaster applied to a wall can be thought of as something easily damaged and superficial. Translators should not render this passage in such a way that it can be misunderstood as saying that education or wisdom is nothing but mere appearance.

As noted above, Ziegler has emended the text to read “carving” rather than “sand” in the Greek manuscripts, or, as we have interpreted it, “plaster.” Translators following the suggestions in this Handbook do not need a footnote here since we are following the manuscripts.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• A mind that thinks and reasons well is [a fine thing] like a smooth wall that workmen have covered with plaster.

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.