If they were wise, they would understand this: this refers to the punishment that their evil behavior brought upon them, as described in verses 20-25 (see Good News Translation). See the similar passage in 5.20.

Discern their latter end: they would see beforehand what was going to happen to them; see verse 20.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .