If you have a servant, let him be as yourself: There is a textual problem here, which may help to explain ben Sira’s suddenly kinder attitude to slaves. The Hebrew reads “If you have one servant….” There are no Greek texts that say that explicitly, but (1) this reading is not inconsistent with the Greek text, and (2) the omission of a single letter in a confusing string of Greek letters could have resulted in the number dropping out. New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Contemporary English Version, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible all adopt this translation with no textual footnote at all. We recommend that translators follow them by saying “If you have only one slave, treat him as you would want others to treat you.” Compare 7.21.

Because you have bought him with blood: What this means is not at all clear. It is usually taken as Good News Translation understands it, with blood representing money. Frankly we think this is highly doubtful, but we have no better ideas. Another possible model is “You worked a long time to buy that slave” (Contemporary English Version).

If you have a servant, treat him as a brother: Once again, and for the same reasons as in verse 30, we suggest reading “If you have only one slave….”

For as your own soul you will need him: For this line New English Bible is as clear as any translation with “you will need him as much as you need yourself.” What that means is still a question. It is obviously an overstatement, but it probably means “you are totally dependent on him.”

The following may serve as a model for rearranging verses 30-31ab:

• If you have only one slave, treat him as a brother; treat him as you yourself want to be treated. You paid a high price for him, and you depend on him for everything you need.

If you ill-treat him, and he leaves and runs away, which way will you go to seek him?: This question is not asking for an answer. It implies that if you mistreat your slave and he runs away, you will never get him back. Translators may make this clear by saying “If you mistreat him and he runs away, you will never get him back.” This rendering also combines leaves and runs away into “runs away” (so Good News Translation).

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.