Good News Translation has reordered this verse drastically, but effectively.

Beware lest you err with your tongue is literally “Beware lest you slip with it” (see the Revised Standard Version footnote). Good News Translation translates this “if you are not careful [Beware], you will stumble [err] over your own words [with your tongue].”

Lest you fall before him who lies in wait: Good News Translation‘s translation is “Someone may be waiting for you to slip [who lies in wait] … and fall down in front of him [you fall before him].” Some translators may wish to avoid the metaphor of fall and render the whole verse as follows:

• Someone may be waiting for you to make a mistake with your words, and if you are not careful, you will say the wrong thing and be ashamed [or, lose face].

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.