Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have fallen because of the tongue: Here fallen refers to dying. The edge of the sword is a Hebrew idiom; it simply refers to the sword as the instrument of killing in warfare. Good News Translation has a good translation for this verse, but “loose talk” (the tongue) is better rendered “vicious talk,” which is in view through verse 23.

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.