Good News Translation‘s paragraph break here is appropriate since the writer turns from noting Simon’s deeds to describing his appearance.

How glorious he was when the people gathered round him: We recommend that translators follow Revised Standard Version and the Greek here rather than Good News Translation and the Hebrew. New English Bible has “How glorious he was, surrounded by the people.” We could say “How magnificent he looked….”

As he came out of the inner sanctuary: The inner sanctuary is literally “the house of curtain.” This refers to “the Most Holy Place” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) or “the great taboo place,” which was curtained off from the rest of the Temple; only the High Priest could enter it. It is first mentioned in Exo 26.34, but the ceremony described here is that of the Day of Atonement (Lev 16).

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.