The rich, and the eminent, and the poor—their glory is the fear of the Lord: This verse says that there is nothing people can be prouder of than the fact that they serve the Lord, and this is true whatever their condition in life. The phrase “take pride” in Good News Translation misses the idea that serving the Lord is what they can take greatest pride in. Other approaches to this verse are:

• Serving the Lord is your proudest accomplishment, whether you are rich or famous or poor.

• There is nothing a person can take greater pride in than serving the Lord, whether that person is rich, famous, or poor.

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.