And love of her is the keeping of her laws: As in verse 4, there is no way of knowing whether the author intends by her laws the Torah only, or the unwritten laws of human conduct observed by all people. It is safer here to assume the latter, since these are said to be her laws, that is, Wisdom’s, rather than God’s Law. Vílchez suggests that the author may have Jer 31.33 in mind. A possible rendering for this line is “When you love Wisdom, you keep her laws.”

And giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality: Although a different Greek word (literally “incorruption”) is used here for immortality than earlier in 3.4 and 4.1, the meaning is the same. Here immortality comes through keeping the laws of Wisdom; in 8.17 it comes through kinship with Wisdom, and in 15.3 through a knowledge of God’s power. Translators could say “When you keep her laws, you are assured of immortality” or “… you will be sure of life after death.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Wisdom of Solomon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2004. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.