There is a slight shift of focus here. From the subject of giving to beggars, the author turns to helping other people who are in a helpless situation. The shift is not so great as to demand another section heading, though a new paragraph, as in Good News Translation, is certainly appropriate. If a translator really wants a different section here, a heading might be “Helping the helpless” or “Help those who cannot help themselves.”

Make yourself beloved in the congregation: Make yourself beloved is an overstatement. New Revised Standard Version reads “Endear yourself,” which is better. Good News Translation “Make yourself popular” is good, or for the whole line we may say “Get everyone in the community to be friends with you” or “Make friends with everyone in the community.” The point is that a person should work to be held in respect and affection by the community. Good News Translation translates congregation as “synagogue,” which in ben Sira’s context, is almost certainly right. See the comments at 1.30. But once again we advise the translator to use some general term for a gathering, such as “assembly” (New English Bible), especially if translating for a language community that is unfamiliar with Jews. “Community” (Contemporary English Version) is a good choice.

Bow your head low to a great man: New English Bible renders bow your head low as “show deference,” but in the historical context this probably did mean bowing the head. Good News Translation “men of authority” is probably more on target than a great man. The Greek word here refers to people higher up the social ladder, holding superior status in the community. The Greek text does not use the word for “man/men,” but again, in the writer’s social context, it is almost surely men who are being referred to. New Revised Standard Version avoids the problem by saying “the great” and Good News Translation could well say “those in authority.” Another possibility is “the town leaders” (Contemporary English Version).

An alternative model for the verse is:

• Get everyone in the community to be friends with you, and you should show respect to the town leaders.

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.