The wild beasts are better than they are: Better at what? Does this mean “better at fleeing and helping themselves?” Revised Standard Version is a literal rendering, but the subtle variation in Good News Translation “better off” (also Contemporary English Version) makes a lot of difference. The point has been made over and over in this little book that idols are helpless, inanimate, completely subject to whatever is done to them. You cannot say that of wild animals. They can at least run for safety. In this respect they are better off than images. They are in a better position to act on their own behalf.

A helpful model for this verse is:

• Even wild animals have an advantage over idols—at least they can run to protect themselves from danger.

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.