But most foolish, and more miserable than an infant: Miserable has the sense of “pathetic.” Than an infant is literally “than an infant’s soul.” Compare 12.24, where one of the adjectives in this line (foolish) is applied to infants. The idea here is the same: infants are easily deceived.

Are all the enemies who oppressed thy people: There is no verb in the Greek, but Revised Standard Version supplies are, which Good News Translation correctly renders “were” since the reference is to the past. All is not in the Greek text. Good News Translation inserts “O Lord,” since at the beginning of a new section the readers need to be reminded of who is being addressed.

The sense of this verse may also be expressed with the lines reversed:

• But the enemies who oppressed [or, abused] your people, O Lord, were the most foolish and pathetic people in the world. Even babies show more sense [or, intelligence] than they did.

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.