They light lamps, even more than they light for themselves …: Here the translator needs to indicate why the priests light the lamps; they do it “for the gods” (Good News Translation). The sentence is then clear enough, although some readers may think the point a bit odd—that the idols cannot see any of the lamps. Lamps were ordinarily made of clay. They were small enough to be held in one hand, and were filled with olive oil burned from a wick. Lamps used in temples may have looked different, but they still would have burned oil. (See illustration: jmp Lamp|fig:OilLamp_Image0.jpgjmp*.)

Though their gods can see none of them: The point intended is that in spite of all the light being put out by all the lamps lit by the priests, the idols are just as sightless as ever. Some translators may prefer to say “but the idols still can’t see a thing.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.