Cleave to him and do not depart: Instead of Cleave to him, New Revised Standard Version reads “Cling to him.” This is the idea; the Greek verb here is used of gluing or cementing one object to another. The author is following his line of thought from the previous verse: this is what we are supposed to do when trouble comes, rather than doing something hasty. It is being determined. Good News Translation says “Stay with the Lord,” and Contemporary English Version has “Don’t turn from the Lord”; both are good. Do not depart states the same thought in negative terms. New Jerusalem Bible “do not leave him” may be better than Good News Translation “never abandon him,” since “abandon” can imply that you are leaving someone helpless—which God is not. Another way to state this is “remain faithful to him,” so the first line may be rendered “Don’t turn away from the Lord, but remain faithful to him.” However, since this line underscores one idea by stating it two different ways, it is possible to take a different direction, and underscore the idea by repeating it: “Stay with the Lord. Stay with him, and….”

That you may be honored at the end of your life: The interpretive problem here is the meaning in context of the Greek verb rendered honored. Some versions interpret it as does Revised Standard Version, and others interpret it as does Good News Translation “and you will be prosperous at the end of your days.” The verb means “to increase,” “to grow bigger [or, greater/stronger / more prosperous / more numerous].” The text is probably not making the crude statement that staying with the Lord will make a person die rich, and we should avoid saying that. Unless translators can find a word in their language with the appropriately wise meaning of the Greek, it is probably better to favor the Revised Standard Version interpretation. Other possible models are “and you will be well respected at the end of your life” and “and people will respect you at the end of your 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.