Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them: Good News Translation “Other people had been known to refuse welcome to strangers…” is better rendered “Other people once refused to welcome strangers….” This allows the reader to know that the author is referring to a particular incident (identified in the section heading).

But these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors: Presumably guests who were their benefactors refers to the benefits that had come to Egypt through Joseph’s administration. Instead of “who had shown them kindness” (Good News Translation), we suggest “who had helped them.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Other people once [or, long ago] refused to welcome some strangers who came to them, but these sinners of later times made slaves of people whom they had invited in, and who had helped them.

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.