And the singers praised him with their voices in sweet and full-toned melody: Good News Translation speaks of “the choir” rather than the singers. Either rendering will do. For praised him with their voices, Good News Translation says “began to sing his praises,” which makes the narrative more vivid. This may also be expressed as “sang songs praising the Lord.” With their voices is an unnecessary phrase. “And the beautiful music rang out” (Good News Translation) is a good translation of in sweet and full-toned melody, even though it sacrifices the notion that the music is sweet. In English “sweet music” suggests music that is soft, tender, and lyrical rather than loud and resounding, which is what we have here. Full-toned may be expressed as “resounding” or “filling the air.” So alternative models for this verse are:

• The singers began to sing resounding songs praising the Lord.

• … sing songs that filled the air praising the Lord.

Revised Standard Version‘s footnote gives a reading found in other Greek manuscripts, but we recommend following the text in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation without a footnote.

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.