For inquiry will be made into the counsels of an ungodly man: The connector For may be omitted. Good News Translation provides a good model for translators who can use the passive voice. Those who cannot use the passive will have a problem here, since in the next line the results of this inquiry are brought to the Lord, who then acts. This raises the question of who does the inquiring, if not the Lord. Is it Wisdom? Or justice? The text doesn’t say. One possible solution to this would be a translation more literal than that of Revised Standard Version: “There will be an examination into the intentions of ungodly people.” Those translators who cannot use the passive may say something like “They [unknown subjects, people in general] will examine the intentions [or, plans] of ungodly [or, evil] people” or even “Wisdom will examine….” For ungodly refer to 1.16.

And a report of his words will come to the Lord, to convict him of his lawless deeds may be rendered “The Lord will learn about their wickedness, and they will get the punishment they deserve [or, he will punish them as they deserve].”

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.