For there is a friend who is such at his own convenience is literally “For there is a friend in his time.” Revised Standard Version interprets it correctly, except that it is very wordy for such a short crisp statement in Greek. The author is going to speak about three kinds of false friends; this is the first kind. This friend is willing to be a friend with you if it is convenient. Notice that Good News Translation renders a friend as “Some people.” An alternative model for this line is “Some people will be your friends if it suits their purposes [or, plans].”

But will not stand by you in your day of trouble: Good News Translation translates “but they won’t stand by you in trouble,” or we may say “but they won’t help you when you are in trouble.” An English idiom for day of trouble is “when things get tough [or, when the going gets tough].” Many languages will have similar idioms, and some will use the picture of a “path”; for example, “but he will not help you when the path gets too difficult.”

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.