For it is easy in the sight of the Lord: This is the same line used in verse 21. It may be rendered “It is easy for the Lord” or “The Lord can easily.”

To reward a man on the day of death according to his conduct: This does not refer to final judgment and reward or punishment in the afterlife, but to the author’s belief that a person’s true worth would always be evident at the time of death, if not before. Reward does not refer only to something positive. New Jerusalem Bible translates to reward a man … according to his conduct as “to repay him as his conduct deserves.” This repayment coming at death may be as a reward for a life well lived or as a punishment for a life badly lived. The day of his death would be the chance a person would have to alter his reward. Contemporary English Version only brings out the negative aspect here (“will pay us back for what we have done”), but Good News Translation uses “to reward or punish us” to make clear that death may bring either to a person. This seems to be what ben Sira means. By bringing out both aspects, positive and negative, reward and punishment, Good News Translation assumes that according to his conduct is understood, and does not translate that phrase explicitly. If we are to be rewarded or punished, one would assume it would be on the basis of our conduct in life, but in some languages the object of reward must be made clear; for example, “to reward or punish us according to what we have done.” Man here has the meaning “person.”

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.