Do not look upon any one for beauty, and do not sit in the midst of women: The Greek is not clear at this point, and the Handbook very strongly recommends disregarding Revised Standard Version, and following Good News Translation in reading the Hebrew. Good News Translation, including its footnote, provides a good model, although the word “talking” could well be omitted. Luís Alonso Schökel points out that the women the young girl should avoid are the married women. New Revised Standard Version translates the second line in this way by saying “or spend her time among married women.” Contemporary English Version is similar with “and keep her away from married women.”

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.