How glorious he was when he lifted his hands and stretched out his sword against the cities!: This sentence is an exclamation. Good News Translation shifts the focus from Joshua himself to the events of Joshua’s leadership. “How magnificent he was…” suggests in English his physical appearance. “How magnificent it was…” puts the emphasis where it belongs. How glorious he was … also works, however, but we may also say “Joshua looked glorious [or, radiant/splendid/magnificent] when he….” Admiration is expressed for a heroic figure. Good News Translation says “arm” rather than hands simply because it sounds better in English. Stretching out the sword, on the part of a commander, means leading in battle. So for stretched out his sword, Good News Translation has “led the attacks.” An alternative model for the last line is “and then led his soldiers as they attacked the cities!”

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.