All these are for good to the godly, just as they turn into evils for sinners: The items in the list above are good things, but for sinners they turn into evils, because they become “obstacles” on the way (verse 24).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• All these are good for the Lord’s people,
but they only cause troubles for sinners.

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.