I have seen many things in my travels, and I understand more than I can express: This is one of the author’s occasional references to his own experience; compare 33.16-17. The last line is literally “and my understanding is greater than my words.” Ben Sira is saying that travel has given him the experience needed to speak with understanding (verse 9), but the understanding he has achieved is more than he can speak of, or “put into words” (Good News Translation), or even “tell you” (Contemporary English Version).

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.