He pours the hoarfrost upon the earth like salt: Hoarfrost (the meaning of the Greek noun here) and “frost” (Good News Translation) are not quite the same thing. “Frost” forms directly as ice from water vapor in the air; hoarfrost is frozen dew, which forms shapes such as are described in the next line. “Frost” is close enough, though. White frost on the ground could easily remind someone of a sprinkling of salt. In many languages this will be described as “frozen rain.”

And when it freezes, it becomes pointed thorns: New Revised Standard Version and New English Bible understand this to mean “and icicles form like pointed thorns” (New Revised Standard Version), but more likely it refers to small points of ice formed when the dew freezes. We recommend following Revised Standard Version and the Greek here rather than Good News Translation‘s translation of one Hebrew manuscript. However, we could justify Good News Translation‘s rendition as a descriptive translation of what the Greek text says. In many cultures the phenomenon described in this line will be unknown. In such cases a possible rendering for the whole verse is:

• He pours [or, sprinkles] frost [or, frozen rain] on the earth like salt,
and it freezes on the ground in shapes like pointed thorns.”

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.