In return for their foolish and wicked thoughts, which led them astray to worship irrational serpents and worthless animals: This is a complex subordinate clause in Greek; Good News Translation does well to translate it as an independent sentence. The word translated serpents is a broad one. It refers to any kind of reptile, which would include “snakes” (Good News Translation) but also even crocodiles. Serpents could be translated by a general term that would include creatures such as snakes, crocodiles, lizards, and frogs; or it could be rendered by a term for a specific creature in this group. If translators have a term that includes a wider group of reptiles, that should be used here. “Reptiles” would be a good choice in English. The word irrational here does mean “crazy” but “unable to think or reason.” The Good News Translation translation of irrational, “without any powers of reason,” is made to refer to both the serpents and animals, not just to the serpents (as in Greek). But it is only a slight shift of focus that does not misrepresent the author; the word will be applied to both groups in the next line.
The term translated animals can refer to any kind of wild animal “from lions to insects” (Vílchez), but with the adjective worthless it describes those that are somehow cheap, contemptible, and not only worthless, but possibly destructive as well. New American Bible translates “insects,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “beetles.” Beetles were in fact honored in ancient Egypt, and it is not a bad choice of words, but the Greek word certainly does not mean only beetles. The author’s point is that the Egyptians actually worshiped creatures that were beneath human dignity and undeserving of human admiration; this must be kept in mind in choosing equivalents for the two groups of creatures. Worthless animals could be translated by a general term for small animals or insects that are at best nuisances and at worst dangerous; or it could be rendered by a term for a particular creature in this group. “Beetles” would be a good choice. These first two lines may be rendered as “They were so foolish and their minds so wicked that they worshiped irrational [or, senseless] reptiles and worthless insects [or, beetles].”
Thou didst send upon them a multitude of irrational creatures to punish them: Since Good News Translation translated the previous two lines as an independent sentence, it begins this line with “Because of this” to make the connection. The reference is to the second, third, and fourth plagues: frogs (which could be described by the Greek word translated serpents) in Exo 8.1-7; gnats and flies (which could be described by the Greek words translated worthless animals) in Exo 8.16-17, 20-24. Good News Translation “such animals” refers immediately back to “creatures without any powers of reason.” Good News Translation combines send upon and punish into one word, “punished.” This may not be adequate if it raises the following question in the reader’s mind: How do you punish someone with animals? Translators could say “To punish them for this, you sent millions [or, swarms] of such creatures to torment them” or “Because of this, you tormented them with millions of such creatures.”
An alternative model for this verse is:
• They were so foolish and their thoughts so wicked that they worshiped irrational reptiles and worthless insects [or, beetles]. Because of this, you tormented them with millions [or, swarms] of such creatures.
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.