Who will pity a snake charmer bitten by a serpent, or any who go near wild beasts? is literally “Who will pity a charmer who is bitten by a snake and all who approach wild animals?” A snake charmer is a person who softly sings, hums, plays music, or uses movements of the body to control the behavior of snakes. People who go near wild beasts are not necessarily “wild animal tamers” (Good News Translation); they may be keepers of wild animals. Ben Sira clearly has no sympathy with people who are injured in these activities, which he assumes are foolish. The implied answer to the question asked in the text is “No one.” Good News Translation makes a simple statement of it: “Nobody feels sorry for….” Good News Translation speaks of animal tamers as well as snake charmers being bitten. The text actually speaks only of the snake charmer being bitten, and does not specify how any who go near wild beasts are hurt. Animal keepers in ben Sira’s day who met with bad luck could have been trampled, kicked, or gored by hoofed animals as well as bitten by other animals. It is a small point, but Good News Translation could perhaps be better reworded as follows:

• Nobody feels sorry for snake charmers who are bitten or for keepers of wild animals who are injured.

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.