For perverse thoughts separate men from God: The connector For is not needed to begin this verse (see Good News Translation). The Greek word translated perverse basically means “twisted” or “crooked.” This line is probably a reverse parallel to the preceding line. If one trusts God, God manifests himself. If one’s thinking is wrong, the opposite happens: you get separated from God. The thoughts here are “twisted” in that they are incorrect, false, wrong-headed. The reference is to judges who try to pass judgment by testing God. Perhaps we may translate as follows: “But anyone who doesn’t think straight is only separating himself from God” or “But anyone who thinks in a crooked [or, twisted] way is only….”

And when his power is tested, it convicts the foolish: This line refers back to the first line of verse 2. New Revised Standard Version is better than Revised Standard Version: “and when his power is tested, it exposes the foolish.” The idea is that if you, as judge, propose to give God a test, it will only demonstrate how foolish you are being. So we may translate “If you try to test God’s power, that power is only going to put you to shame [or, make you lose face].”

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.