Slander has driven away courageous women: Slander once again translates the Greek idiom “a third tongue.” The adjective courageous here translates the same Greek word that is rendered “loyal” in the phrase “loyal wife” in 26.2. For courageous women, Good News Translation has “faithful wives,” which is a good translation in this context. The Greek verb in this line is literally driven away or “driven out,” not “divorced” (Good News Translation), but the effect is the same if the women in question are married. In ancient Jewish society a divorce was in effect when a husband banished his wife from the house (see Deut 24.1-3). We may translate this line as “Because of slander [or, lies that others have told] husbands have divorced faithful wives.”

And deprived them of the fruit of their toil: The fruit of their toil refers to “everything they had worked for” (Good News Translation) or simply “everything” (Contemporary English Version).

We could translate this verse as follows:

• It [slander] has led men to divorce faithful wives, and has robbed them of everything they have worked for.

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.