To fear the Lord is wisdom’s full measure: The first line of this verse in Greek is exactly the same as the first line of verse 14, with “fullness of wisdom” substituted for “beginning of wisdom.” The line here can be understood to mean exactly what Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation says, that honoring the Lord is what wisdom is all about, that it is what wisdom amounts to. This is a safe course to take, and we may express it as “When a person reveres [or, respects and obeys] the Lord, that person will become completely wise.”

She satisfies men with her fruits is literally “she intoxicates them with her fruits” (see the Revised Standard Version footnote). The imagery of this second line is closely connected with the meaning of first line. The intention seems to be that if you honor the Lord you will be full of wisdom as if full from a meal; if wisdom were wine, you would be drunk. This imagery is exceptionally difficult to translate, and most versions do not attempt it. However, the idea of intoxication is sometimes expressed in translation, but not often with much success; for example, Contemporary English Version says “Be drunk on the wine of wisdom.” The author’s idea is not that being wise will make you drunk to the point of senselessness, but that being wise is like having enough wine to feel happy and relaxed. “Satisfaction” is a useful approximation, and Good News Translation “she satisfies us completely with her gifts” is a good model; it even includes something of the idea of physical fullness implied in the first line. Her fruits refers to the benefits someone receives from being wise. Good News Translation expresses it as “her gifts,” and extends the sentence into the next verse, where the ideas of fullness and plenty are continued.

Translators must be aware of a danger in this verse. We must be careful to specify who is being satisfied. The Greek simply uses a pronoun, and we can end up with something like New Jerusalem Bible:

• The fullness of wisdom is to fear the Lord;
she intoxicates them with her fruits.

But who are “them?” The answer, of course, is human beings. Good News Translation uses the first person pronoun “us.” New Revised Standard Version and others say “mortals.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• When a person reveres the Lord, that person will become completely wise,
and will be completely satisfied with the good things that wisdom brings.

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.