Better off is a poor man who is well and strong in constitution than a rich man who is severely afflicted in body: Well and strong in constitution may be rendered “a strong and healthy body.” Revised Standard Version is terribly wordy for this verse. It has been much improved in New Revised Standard Version:

• Better off poor, healthy, and fit
than rich and afflicted in body.

The meaning of this verse is clear and simple; Good News Translation provides a clear, simple model. For those translators putting it into poetry, Contemporary English Version‘s model will be helpful:

• I would rather be poor,
yet healthy and strong,
than to be rich and sickly.

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.