Since this verse begins a new section, the connector For at the beginning of the verse may be omitted (so Good News Translation).

Just as one’s dish is useless when it is broken: The Greek noun translated dish can refer to a vessel or a tool of any kind, although something of a ceramic nature is probably intended (compare Jer 22.28; Hos 8.8). One’s dish is literally “dish of a man.” This is a peculiar phrase, and could be an error in the text for “earthen pot/dish.” But as it stands, the expression “of a man” adds nothing; a dish obviously belongs to someone and if it is broken it is obviously useless.

The gods of the heathen is literally “their gods” (see Revised Standard Version footnote). See the discussion on heathen at verse 4.

When they have been set up in their temples: Both Good News Translation “Those gods sitting in their temples” and New English Bible “sitting there in their temples” are effective and correct, but a slight element of the meaning in Greek is lost. The verb form here indicates that the idols were set up, that is, someone put them there, and then they continued to sit there. The first half of the verse may be rendered “Once these gods have been set up in their temples, they sit there, just as useless as a broken pot.”

Their eyes are full of the dust …: We ordinarily think of a vessel as being full or empty. In English people might well describe their own eyes as full of dust, but would probably describe the eyes of a statue as “covered” or “covered over” with dust. It also intensifies the sense that these are eyes that are unable to see. Contemporary English Version follows this interpretation with “They can’t see, because their eyes are covered with the dust….”

Dust raised by the feet of those who enter is literally “dust from the feet of those who enter.” Most translations, like Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version, feel that how the dust gets from peoples’ feet to the eyes of idols has to be indicated somehow. Good News Translation says that people “kick up” this dust. This tells the reader the feet are involved without using the actual word “feet,” but it must not be misunderstood as meaning the worshipers are making any kind of kicking motions. They are simply walking about in the temple, stirring up the dust as they do so (so Contemporary English Version “dust that people stir up when they walk”). Good News Translation could perhaps be improved by saying “Their eyes are covered over with the dust that people stir up when they come in.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Once people have set up these idols in their temples, the idols sit there just as useless as a broken pot. They can’t see because their eyes are covered with dust that people stir up when they come [or, walk] in.

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.