Then Simon came down: Simon is literally “he,” but Revised Standard Version spells out the pronoun for clarity. Here it is helpful to add “from the altar” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). The altar referred to here had steps going up to the top, where the sacrifice was offered. Translators should avoid a rendering that might suggest Simon jumped or fell from the altar.

And lifted up his hands over the whole congregation of the sons of Israel: He raised his hands over the people to give the priestly blessing. An alternative model is “and raised his hands over all the people of Israel.”

To pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to glory in his name: Simon does two things at this point. The blessing of the Lord is a blessing on the people, given in the Lord’s name. Good News Translation says “the blessing from the Lord.” To glory in his name probably refers to the High Priest’s privilege of pronouncing God’s holy name. Simon comes down from the altar to do these two things, which are essentially the same, since the Lord’s name would be used in pronouncing the blessing. To glory in his name may be interpreted as “reverently,” so Good News Translation renders these two lines as “and reverently pronounced the blessing from the Lord.” But we may also say “and reverently asked the Lord to bless [or, forgive] them all.”

The blessing could refer to Num 6.23-26, or, if ben Sira is thinking at this point of the Day of Atonement, the words of absolution given in Lev 16.30. (According to The Mishnah, Yoma 6.2, these were words pronounced by the High Priest in announcing forgiveness of the people’s sins; it was the only occasion when the holy name of the Lord was actually pronounced. When it was pronounced, the people would prostrate themselves on the ground in worship.)

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.