Who is he? And we will call him blessed: The author asks if such a person as he has just described in verse 8 exists. We could say “If such a person exists, he deserves to be congratulated.” Revised English Bible offers a good model: “Show us such a person, and we will congratulate him.” Will call him blessed in this context means “will honor [or, congratulate] him”; see the comments on 14.1.

For he has done wonderful things among his people: This line gives the reason why the innocent rich person deserves admiration; he has done something really hard to do—he has achieved the impossible. The Hebrew idiom rendered he has done wonderful things is applied to the LORD in Jdg 13.19. The colloquial expression “he has pulled off a miracle” is actually closer to the meaning. Good News Translation does not have the right sense for among his people. This phrase refers to the rich man’s community, tribe, town, or even nation. “Among us” is a reasonable equivalent. Alternative renderings for this whole line are “because he is a wonder-worker in his community” and “because he has accomplished a miracle among us.”

The translation of this verse must pass a test: Will the reader or hearer understand that the miracle or wonder here is acquiring wealth without committing sin along the way? It must be worded so that this will be clear; in English the word “miracle” would in itself be misleading for many people. While the Greek uses the plural for wonderful things [or, “miracles”], the singular should be used if the plural will obscure the point. An alternative model for this verse is:

• If you ever find such people, you should honor them for doing such an impossible thing among us.

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.