After describing the first Passover in verses 6-9, the author now turns in verses 10-19 to the Egyptians, who at the same hour were discovering the death of their firstborn children. As mentioned above, a paragraph break is helpful here.

But the discordant cry of their enemies echoed back, and their piteous lament for their children was spread abroad: The word translated discordant can mean “not in harmony,” in which case a contrast is probably intended with the songs of praise in the Hebrew homes. New English Bible begins “In discordant contrast….” The word might also imply that the cries were not uttered together. This is the picture: In one Egyptian home people discover that the firstborn is dead, and a cry of mourning goes up. Then the same thing happens in another home, and then another, and another, until gradually the air is filled with the sound of wailing, like echoes. It is as important for the translator to convey the scene as to translate the meaning of the individual words. The following is a suggestion for this verse:

• But in sharp contrast [to those hymns], pitiful cries [or, wails] of grief were spreading over the land, echoing everywhere, as their enemies mourned for their dead children.

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.