Many people will find verses 3-6 more repulsive than verses 1-2. Ben Sira must have had some bad experience in his own family; he simply has little use for daughters. In 26.10-12 and 42.9-14 he will say much worse things than he says here.

Revised Standard Version does not give a literal translation of verse 3. There are several problems with this verse, which results in some divergent translations, particularly in the second line. We believe Good News Translation (along with other good translations) is mistaken, and shall discuss and recommend here the one approach we think best, which is found in part in New American Bible.

It is a disgrace to be the father of an undisciplined son: There is no word for son in the Greek text. Revised Standard Version, and the majority of translations, assumes it is speaking of a son since a daughter is clearly spoken of in the next line. We believe, however, that ben Sira means here a “child” of either sex. Good News Translation translates this way with “It is a disgrace to a father to have an undisciplined child.” If you have a child who is undisciplined, unruly, it is a disgrace, an embarrassment, a humiliation. The child’s actions will reflect unfavorably on you, and you will have the degrading experience of being ashamed of your own child. An alternative model is “A father will be ashamed of a child who isn’t well behaved [or, is out of control].”

And the birth of a daughter is a loss: If it is a disgrace to have an undisciplined child, it is even worse if that child is a daughter. A son who is out of control will shame you, but at least he can support himself. A daughter out of control will mean financial loss as well. No one will want to marry the girl, and you will wind up supporting her for the rest of your life.

Translators should try to avoid a rendering of this verse which specifies the sex of the child in the first line, in either a noun or a pronoun; for example, New American Bible reads:

• An unruly child is a disgrace to its father;
if it be a daughter, she brings him to poverty.

There are several problems with the New American Bible translation. First, the logical connection between the two lines is not clear. Second, in its attempt to avoid saying “his father” or “his or her father,” New American Bible reads “its father,” which is awkward in English, but not in many other languages. Finally, the Greek does not go so far as to say the unruly daughter will actually reduce the family to poverty, just that she will cost them money. (In fairness, it does not actually say she will cost them money, but we favor this interpretation.)

An alternative model for this verse is:

• A father who cannot control his own child is disgraced [or, loses face], and if that child is a daughter, he will suffer financially.

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.