A man accustomed to use insulting words will never become disciplined all his days: Good News Translation (also Contemporary English Version) continues the use of the second person here, which we recommend. The Greek word translated insulting is rather broad in meaning. Good News Translation “offensive” is appropriate in this context, summing up all kinds of offensive speech covered in this section, verses 7-15. Become disciplined in this context means to have the self-control not to speak offensively. Good News Translation says “break yourself of [the habit of using offensive language].” An alternative model for this verse is:

• If you are in the habit of using crude and offensive speech, you will never learn better as long as you live.

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.