Again, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves: Again signals that the writer is going to give another example of the foolishness of worshiping wooden images. Good News Translation renders “In the same way” and New Jerusalem Bible says “Or someone else.” However, since this is the first verse of a new section, readers may wonder what “In the same way” refers to. In such a case it will be better to begin with something like “Sailors preparing to travel…” (Contemporary English Version). Preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves have the same meaning, and can be combined as Good News Translation has done: “getting ready to sail on the raging sea.” Contemporary English Version is similar with “preparing to travel across dangerous waters.”

Calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship which carries him: Calls upon refers to the traveler praying for a safe trip, so this line may be rendered “prays to a piece of wood that isn’t as strong as the ship [he will be sailing on].” The phrase “he will be sailing on” is not absolutely necessary, since readers will understand it from the context.

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.