Here is another example of two parallel lines, but this one contains a special danger. The translation must not leave the impression that it was the father’s place to bless the children and the mother’s place to curse them. Mention of one parent in one line and the other in the next line is simply a poetic device. Good News Translation does well here to speak simply of “parents.” The father’s blessing is mentioned in the first line of this verse and that ties the verse to the preceding verse. The translator will want to test the translation to see that the thought of verse 9 follows from that of verse 8. Contemporary English Version accomplishes this with “ … he will bless you, and your own family will have success….”

For a father’s blessing strengthens the houses of the children: Concerning the father’s blessing, see the comments on verse 8. Houses here means “homes” or “families”; it does not refer to buildings, although that is the imagery used. An alternative model for this line is “For when parents bless [or, call down special favors upon] their children, they cause their [the children’s] families to be strong.”

But a mother’s curse uproots their foundations: Curse here means more than just “saying evil words against someone,” but rather calling upon a supernatural power to inflict harm on a person. A curse was thought to have its own power to cause harm to the individual who was cursed. What was said in verse 8 about a blessing applies as well, in a negative manner, to a curse. For a parent to pronounce a curse over a child would be a terrible fate for that child. The parent would be setting in motion events that would work for the destruction of the child and that child’s own home and future. Even though the author is not talking about houses as buildings, he can speak of the foundations, meaning that upon which a family or home is built, and that which holds it together. Good News Translation‘s rendering may be expanded slightly with “but when the parents curse their children, they destroy the very foundations of their [the children’s] families.”

An alternative model for the verse is:

• For when parents bless [or, call down special favors upon] their children, they cause their families to be strong. But if they ask the Lord to do evil things to their children, they destroy their families.

Ben Sira is telling his readers here what they already knew, that the blessing of parents is something to be cherished, but a curse from parents would be the severest condemnation someone could think of. But the author’s point is that people must deserve the blessing they want and expect from their parents, by giving their parents the honor that is properly due them (see 7.27-28).

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.