The author turns from praising God’s wisdom in the creation of humanity to praising his wisdom in giving the Law to Israel, the ancestors of ben Sira. It will be helpful to make this clear (see the alternative model below).

He bestowed knowledge upon them: Revised Standard Version is not properly focused here. This line is literally “He set knowledge before them”; that is, he only made it available for them. The text does not say that God actually gave knowledge to people. Good News Translation is correct with “He made knowledge available to them.”

And allotted to them the law of life: While Israel is not specifically mentioned here, the idea certainly seems to be that living by God’s Law (Torah) is the source of life for human beings, so God gave them the Law as an inheritance, a gift passed on to them. Law of life means “the Law that gives life.” Life refers to spiritual life rather than physical existence (compare John 10.10). For the whole line New English Bible says “and endowed them with the life-giving law.” Perhaps we could say “and gave them the Law, to give them life” or “… so that they might have life.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• He made knowledge available to our ancestors,
and gave them the Law, so that they might have life.

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.