For even in the beginning, when arrogant giants were perishing: The phrase For even in the beginning may be translated “Yes, even in ancient days” or even “When this world was still young” (Contemporary English Version). The giants appear in Gen 6.4; compare Sir 16.7; Bar 3.26. In some languages giants will be expressed as “huge and powerful men” or “very tall and powerful men.” Good News Translation “a proud race of giants” is better than arrogant giants the Genesis reference does not speak of them in negative terms. Were perishing is better than “was dying away” (Good News Translation), which hints that the perishing was slow. Probably their death in the flood is meant, so for the last part of this line we could say “while a proud race of giants was drowning.”

The hope of the world took refuge on a raft: The hope of the world refers to Noah, and the raft is the ark, or boat, that he made in which to ride out the flood. The hope of the world may be rendered “the man who was humanity’s only hope for survival [or, the only man who could save humanity].” If at all possible, translators should resist the temptation to name Noah here, since the author has gone out of his way never to speak of anyone by name. Perhaps it can be avoided by inserting a reference to the flood; see the model at the end of this paragraph. Noah’s ark was hardly a raft, yet that is what our author calls it. He probably means to highlight the utter smallness even of that vessel on a worldwide ocean. For the first two lines translators may say “Yes, even in ancient days, while a proud race of giants was drowning [in the flood], the only man who could save humanity found safety on a puny [or, tiny] wooden thing [or, raft].”

And guided by thy hand left to the world the seed of a new generation: This refers to the human race being given a new start by Noah’s descendants. Guided by thy hand definitely belongs with this line, and not the previous one, where Good News Translation has placed it. Hand is a figure of speech representing guidance and protection. Seed of a new generation refers to Noah’s family, from whom all people of the world were to be descended. The new generation itself would be Noah’s grandchildren. For this phrase Good News Translation has “a new generation to carry on the human race.” We would suggest a new sentence for the last line: “Under your protection, he left to [or, gave] the world a new generation to carry on the human race.”

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.