Verses 25 and 26 are a bit unclear; the scribes had difficulties with them and there are textual problems. The shift to first person is startling. Ben Sira begins speaking in the first person in verse 27, and some scholars feel that the scribes have mistakenly introduced the first person at this point. Some translations (New American Bible, for example) translate verses 25-26 in the third person. The subject matter, friendship, certainly places these verses with the preceding verses rather than with the following section. Consequently, these two verses could be rendered in the third person for purely translational reasons, but the Handbook will follow the Greek text and recommend that the first person be used.

I will not be ashamed to protect a friend: Good News Translation says “I will never be afraid to protect a friend.” Good News Translation is using the word “afraid” in an idiomatic way to mean “hesitant”; ashamed or “embarrassed” would be better.

And I will not hide from him: This line refers to evading responsibility to help a friend. The Greek speaks of hiding from the friend; Good News Translation expresses it as refusing help that is requested. New English Bible says “nor will I turn my back on him,” and Contemporary English Version has “I will always be there when I am needed.”

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.