For your songs and proverbs and parables, and for your interpretations, the countries marveled at you: Parables are “stories that teach” or “stories with a hidden meaning.” Some languages make wide use of such stories for teaching purposes, but in other cultures proverbs and parables may come under the heading of “wise sayings.” Your interpretations probably refers to 1 Kgs 10.1-3, in which case a good translation of it would be “the answers you gave to questions.” The countries means “Nations around the world” (Good News Translation). Alternative models for this verse are:

• Your songs, proverbs [or, wise sayings], stories with a hidden meaning, and the answers you gave to questions amazed many nations.

• The people of many nations were amazed by your songs….

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.