For the hope of an ungrateful man will melt like wintry frost: The connector For may be rendered “But” as in Good News Translation and our model. For frost see verse 22. Wintry simply states when frost occurs. This line may be rendered “But a person who does not give thanks may have hopes, but they will melt away like frost [or, frozen dew]” or “… have confidence in the future, but that confidence will disappear [or, melt] just like frost.”

And flow away like waste water: Good News Translation “water that is not being used” is clearer and closer to the meaning than waste water.

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.